JP3751522B2 - Pointing device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pointing device used for inputting signals in XY directions in various electronic devices, and more particularly to a pointing device provided with a lock mechanism for preventing erroneous operation.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A typical example of this type of pointing device is a four-way switch that tilts the lever in four directions. Normally, an operating body called a knob or button is attached to the lever to improve its operability. It is done. As an operation body here, there exists a mushroom-shaped thing provided with the operation part of a large diameter disk shape in the upper part of the axis part connected with the lever of a switch body, for example. This operation body inclines the lever of the switch body in a specific direction by pressing downward a part of the circumferential direction of the upper surface of the operation unit.
[0003]
Further, in this type of pointing device, a lock mechanism that fixes the lever of the switch body in an upright state may be provided in order to prevent erroneous operation. As this locking mechanism, a mechanism in which the length of the lever of the four-way switch can be adjusted is described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-123245, and a mechanism in which the lever is fixed by being sandwiched by a slider from both sides is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-104. No. 177828.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, these lock mechanisms have the following problems.
[0005]
The one that adjusts the length of the lever, such as the one described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-123245, can be obtained by retracting the substantial portion of the lever in the recess when the length of the lever is reduced. Inadvertently touching the substantial part of this to prevent erroneous operation, but it is not reliable because the lever is not mechanically fixed. In addition, when a mushroom-shaped operating body is attached to the lever, it is necessary to enlarge the recess so that the operating body is accommodated, and it is difficult to reduce the size.
[0006]
Further, as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-177828, a lever that is fixed by sandwiching a lever from both sides can be locked in two directions, but cannot be locked in four directions. When locking in four directions, two sets of sliders are required, which increases the number of parts.
[0007]
The present invention was devised in view of such circumstances, and it is intended to provide a pointing device capable of simultaneously and reliably locking a mushroom-shaped operating body excellent in operability in all operating directions by a simple and small mechanism. It is aimed.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, a pointing device according to the present invention has a switch body in which a lever is tilted and operated in order to input signals in the XY directions, and a shaft portion is connected to the lever of the switch body. An operation body provided with a large-diameter disk-shaped operation part on the upper part of the shaft part, and an operation body disposed below the operation part of the operation body, with the upper surface contacting the lower surface of the operation part of the operation body. An annular locking member that locks in an upright state, and one of the operating body or the locking member is a movable body that can move around the Z direction and the Z axis perpendicular to the XY direction. The upper surface of the lock member and the lower surface of the operating portion of the operating body come into contact with each other in the Z direction, and the movable body is fixed to the contact position by the rotational movement around the Z axis.
[0009]
In the pointing device according to the present invention, either the operating body attached to the lever of the switch body or the annular lock member disposed below the operating portion of the operating body is movable in the Z direction and the Z axis. By operating the movable body in the Z direction, the upper surface of the lock member and the lower surface of the operating portion of the operating body come into contact with each other, and by rotating around the Z axis, the movable body is brought into contact with the movable body. The operation body is locked in an upright state.
[0010]
As to whether the operating body or the lock member is a movable body, when the lock member is a movable body, the movement of the operating body in the Z direction can be used for the operation of the push switch. A switch function can be provided.
[0011]
When the lock member is a movable body, the lock member can be easily supported by being slidably fitted to the outside or inside of the annular support member surrounding the switch body.
[0012]
Regarding the operation of the movable body, a Z-direction operation for bringing the upper surface of the lock member into contact with the lower surface of the operation portion of the operation body and a rotation operation around the Z axis for fixing the movable body at the contact position are stepwise. Although it may be performed, the configuration in which the straight movement in the Z direction is performed in accordance with the rotational movement around the Z axis by the cam groove or the like becomes easier.
[0013]
If a switch mechanism that is operated by moving the movable body in a straight direction in the Z direction or rotating around the Z axis is used, the locked state of the operating body by the lock member can be detected. This switch mechanism is simply configured by attaching a movable contact piece to a movable body and combining it with a fixed contact piece.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pointing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sectional views of the pointing device.
[0015]
The pointing device according to this embodiment includes a switch body 20 fixed to the surface of the substrate 10, an annular support member 30 that is fixed to the surface of the substrate 10 together with the switch body 20, and the support member 30. An annular lock member 40 fitted to the outside of the control member, an operating body 50 connected to the switch body 20 through the inside of the lock member 40, and a switch mechanism 60 for detecting the locked state of the operating body 50. .
[0016]
The switch body 20 is equipped with a lever 22 that protrudes upward from the center of the body 21. The lever 22 is tilted in four directions to input signals in the XY directions parallel to the surface of the substrate 10.
[0017]
The annular support member 30 includes a peripheral wall portion 31 concentrically disposed around the switch body 20 and an annular top plate portion 32 provided inside the upper portion of the peripheral wall portion 31. The lever 22 protrudes upward through the inside of the top plate portion 32. The support member 30 is fixed to the surface of the substrate 10 using fixed contact pieces 61 and 61 of the switch mechanism 60 that are insert-molded in the top plate portion 32. The fixed contact pieces 61 and 61 of the switch mechanism 60 will be described in detail later.
[0018]
Two cam grooves 33, 33 extending in the circumferential direction are formed symmetrically on the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 31 of the support member 30. Each cam groove 33 is parallel to the surface of the substrate 10 at one end, gradually away from the substrate 10 from the parallel portion toward the counterclockwise direction, and parallel to the surface of the substrate 10 at the other end. ing.
[0019]
The annular lock member 40 is a movable body that can move around the Z direction and the Z axis perpendicular to the XY direction. The lock member 40 has a cap shape that covers the support member 30, and more specifically, a peripheral wall portion 41 that is slidably fitted to the outer side of the peripheral wall portion 31 of the support member 30, and an upper inner side of the peripheral wall portion 41. And an annular top plate portion 42 formed integrally therewith.
[0020]
A pair of protrusions 43, 43 are provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 41 of the lock member 40 so as to be positioned below the top plate portion 42. The pair of protrusions 43 and 43 are fitted into cam grooves 33 and 33 formed on the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion 31, respectively. By this fitting, the lock member 40, which is a movable body, is fixed to the lower limit position in a state where the lock member 40 is rotated clockwise to the limit, and is raised by rotating counterclockwise from this state, and is rotated counterclockwise to the limit. In this state, it is fixed at the upper limit position.
[0021]
The operation body 50 has a mushroom shape in which a large-diameter disk-shaped operation unit 52 is provided on an upper portion of a columnar shaft portion 51. The shaft portion 51 is connected to the lever 22 of the switch body 20 through the inside of the top plate portion 42 of the lock member 40. The operation portion 52 is located above the top plate portion 42 of the lock member 40. When the lock member 40 is fixed at the lower limit position, the operation portion 52 is substantially exposed above the lock member 40, and the lower surface thereof is the top plate portion 42. It will be in a state sufficiently away from the upper surface of. Further, in a state where the lock member 40 is fixed at the upper limit position, the operation portion 52 is housed in a recess formed above the top plate portion 42 of the lock member 40, and its lower surface comes into contact with the upper surface of the top plate portion 42. It becomes a state.
[0022]
The switch mechanism 60 includes a pair of fixed contact pieces 61 and 61 fixed to the inside of the support member 30 and a movable contact piece 62 attached to the lower surface of the top plate portion 42 of the lock member 40. The fixed contact pieces 61, 61 both have a flat contact portion 63 exposed on the upper surface of the top plate portion 32, and pass downward from the outer edge portion of the contact portion 63 between the peripheral wall portion 31 and the top plate portion 32. It consists of leg-shaped terminal portions 64 that protrude, and is fixed inside the support member 30 by insert molding the contact portion 63 into the top plate portion 42. Then, by soldering each terminal portion 64 to the terminal portion 11 on the surface of the substrate 10, each fixed contact piece 61 is electrically connected to the substrate 10, and the support member 30 is mechanically fixed on the substrate 10. The
[0023]
The movable contact piece 62 of the switch mechanism 60 is an arc-shaped metal member along the top plate portion 42 of the lock member 40 that is a movable body. The central portion is fixed to the lower surface of the top plate portion 42, and both end sides from the central portion. It is separated from the top plate part 42 as it goes to. In a state where the lock member 40 is located at the lower limit, both end portions of the movable contact piece 62 elastically contact the contact portions 63, 63 of the fixed contact pieces 61, 61, and in a state where the lock member 40 is raised to the upper limit. The both end portions are completely separated from the contact portions 63, 63 of the fixed contact pieces 61, 61.
[0024]
Next, functions of the pointing device according to the present embodiment will be described.
[0025]
In the state of use, the lock member 40, which is a movable body, is rotated clockwise to the limit. Thereby, the lock member 40 is fixed to the lower limit position as shown in FIG. In this state, the operation portion 52 of the operation body 50 is substantially exposed above the lock member 40, and the lower surface thereof is sufficiently separated from the upper surface of the top plate portion 42. As a result, the operating body 50 can be freely tilted in four directions, and the lever 22 of the switch body 20 is tilted in a predetermined direction by the tilting operation.
[0026]
Further, the movable contact piece 62 of the switch mechanism 60 contacts the contact portions 63 and 63 of the fixed contact pieces 61 and 61 to short-circuit the fixed contact pieces 61 and 61. Thereby, it is electrically detected that the pointing device is in use.
[0027]
When the switch body 20 has a push switch function, the lever 22 of the switch body 20 is operated in the Z direction by pushing the operating body 50 in the Z direction.
[0028]
From this use state, the lock member 40 is turned counterclockwise to the limit. As a result, the lock member 40 is raised to the upper limit position as shown in FIG. In this state, the operation part 52 of the operating body 50 is housed in a recess formed above the top plate part 42 of the lock member 40, and the upper surface of the top plate part 42 comes into surface contact with the lower surface thereof. As a result, the operating body 50 is fixed in an upright state and cannot be operated in four directions. That is, the operating body 50 is mechanically locked in the XY direction together with the lever 22 of the switch body 20. Thereby, an erroneous operation is prevented.
[0029]
Further, the movable contact piece 62 of the switch mechanism 60 is separated from the contact portions 63 and 63 of the fixed contact pieces 61 and 61 and switches between the fixed contact pieces 61 and 61 from the short-circuited state to the insulated state. Thereby, it is electrically detected that the pointing device is in the locked state.
[0030]
Since the operating body 50 is also locked in the Z direction, inadvertent operation of the operating body 50 in the Z direction is prevented when the switch body 20 has a push switch function.
[0031]
As described above, the pointing device according to the present embodiment uses the mushroom-shaped operation body 50 with excellent operability, and can easily lock the switch body 20 in all the operation directions simultaneously only by the rotation operation of the lock member 40. can do.
[0032]
In the above embodiment, the support member 30 is structured to be fixed on the substrate 10, but it can also be formed integrally with a case of a device that uses the pointing device. In addition, although the lock member 40 is a movable body, the lock member 40 is fixed, the operation body 50 is a movable body, and the lower surface of the operation unit 52 is pressed against the upper surface of the lock member 40 by rotating the operation body 50. Is possible.
[0033]
Further, in the above embodiment, the operating body 50 is locked by the rotation operation of the lock member 40. However, by forming the cam grooves 33, 33 provided in the support member 30 in the vertical direction, the operation body 50 is operated by the vertical movement operation of the lock member 40. It is also possible to lock the body 50.
[0034]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the pointing device according to the present invention is excellent in operability because the mushroom-shaped operating body is attached to the lever of the switch body. Either the mushroom-shaped operating body or the annular locking member disposed below the operating portion of the operating body is a movable body that can move around the Z direction and the Z axis, and the Z direction and Z of the movable body Since the operating body is locked in an upright state by moving around the axis, the switch body can be locked simultaneously in all operating directions with a simple and compact mechanism, and it is possible to reliably prevent erroneous operations, avoid complicated structures, and increase the size. It is possible to avoid.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a pointing device showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pointing device, showing a use state.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pointing device, showing a locked state.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Board | substrate 20 Switch main body 22 Lever 30 Support member 33 Cam groove 40 Lock member 43 Protrusion 50 Operation body 51 Shaft part 52 Operation part 60 Switch mechanism 61 Fixed contact piece 62 Movable contact piece

Claims (5)

For signal input in the XY direction, a switch body in which the lever is tilted around, a shaft part is connected to the lever of the switch body, and a large-diameter disk-like operation part is provided above the shaft part And an annular lock member that is disposed below the operation portion of the operation body and locks the operation body in an upright state by contacting the lower surface of the operation body with the upper surface of the operation body, One of the operating body and the lock member is a movable body that can move around the Z direction and the Z axis perpendicular to the XY direction, and the upper surface of the lock member and the operation body are operated by the linear movement of the movable body in the Z direction. A pointing device, wherein the movable body is fixed to the contact position by rotating around the Z axis. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the lock member is a movable body that is movable in the Z direction and around the Z axis. The lock member is slidably fitted to an outer side or an inner side of an annular support member surrounding the switch body, and is supported by the support member so as to be movable around the Z direction and the Z axis. The pointing device described. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the movable body moves linearly in the Z direction in accordance with a rotational movement around the Z axis. The pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising a switch mechanism for detecting a locked state of the operating body by the lock member.

Images