JP4159497B2 - Key input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a key input device, and more particularly, to a key input device that can input at least characters and is used for a keyboard of a computer or an operation key of a portable terminal.

An example of this type of prior art is disclosed in Patent Document 1. According to Patent Document 1, a vowel switch S1 is arranged on a certain side surface of a rectangular parallelepiped housing that can be grasped with one hand, and consonant switches S2-S5 are provided on the other side surface of the housing. The vowel switch S1 can be displaced in five directions, and the consonant switches S2-S5 can be displaced in three directions. This allows efficient character input with one hand.
International Publication No. 03/077103 Pamphlet

  However, in the prior art, since the operation degrees of the consonant switches S2-S5 are the same, efficiency is lacking. Moreover, since consonant switch S2-S5 is arrange | positioned on the same side surface, operation was unreasonable.

  Therefore, a main object of the present invention is to provide a key input device that is efficient and excellent in operability.

  A key input device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a casing having a size that can be grasped with one hand, a first switch provided on a first side of the casing and operated by a thumb, on the first side and the opposite side. Three second switches provided on a third side contacting the second side located and operated by the middle finger, ring finger and little finger, respectively, and a chamfer of a part of an angle formed by the second side and the third side Provided with one third switch that is operated by the index finger, and each of the first switch and the third switch has a higher degree of operation than that of the second switch.

  The housing has a size that can be held with one hand. One first switch operated by the thumb is provided on the first side surface of the casing. Further, the three second switches operated respectively by the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger are provided on the third side surface contacting the first side surface and the second side surface located on the opposite side. Furthermore, one third switch operated by the index finger is provided on a slope formed by chamfering a part of an angle formed by the second side surface and the third side surface. Here, the operation degree of each of the first switch and the third switch is higher than the operation degree of the second switch.

  The key input device according to the invention of claim 2 is dependent on claim 1, and the operation degree of the first switch is higher than the operation degree of the third switch.

  A key input device according to a third aspect of the present invention is dependent on the first or second aspect, and further comprises output means for outputting a state signal corresponding to an operation state of the first switch to the third switch.

  According to the present invention, the slope is formed by chamfering at a part of the angle formed by the second side surface and the third side surface, and the third switch operated by the index finger that is frequently used is provided on the slope. Can be improved.

  In addition, since the operation degree of each of the first switch and the third switch operated by the frequently used thumb and index finger is higher than the operation degree of the second switch operated by the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger that are not used frequently, Efficiency can be improved.

  The above object, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments with reference to the drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, a key input device 10 of this embodiment includes a rectangular parallelepiped housing 12 having a size that can be grasped with one hand (right hand). The housing 12 has the opposite one main surface S1 and the other main surface S2, and the side surface S3 in contact with the one main surface S1 and the other main surface S2. The casing 12 further has a slope SL formed by chamfering a part of the corner formed by the other main surface S2 and the side surface S3 (a part near the side surface S4).

  Side surface S3 is orthogonal to each of one main surface S1 and the other main surface S2. Further, the inclined surface SL forms an angle of 45 °, for example, with respect to the one main surface S1. However, this angle can be changed. On the other hand, on the main surface S1, a switch SW1 operated by the thumb of the right hand is arranged. A switch SW2 that is operated by the index finger of the right hand is arranged on the slope SL. On the side surface S3, switches SW3, SW4 and SW5 operated by the middle finger, ring finger and little finger of the right hand are arranged.

  A partition wall W1 for preventing an erroneous operation is formed between the switches SW2 and SW3. A cable C1 for connecting the key input device 10 to a controlled device (not shown) is pulled out from the side surface S5 located on the opposite side of the side surface S4.

  Referring to FIG. 2, each of switches SW1 to SW5 has eight pressing positions P1 to P8 assigned to the periphery and one pressing position P9 assigned to the center, for a total of nine pressing positions. However, it is practically difficult to select and press the nine pressing positions without fail with five fingers at the arrangement position shown in FIG. This is particularly significant for the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger assigned to the switches SW3 to SW5. Therefore, for example, in the switch SW1 operated with the thumb, the peripheral eight pressing positions P1 to P8 are validated, P9 is invalidated and used as an 8-input switch, and the switch SW2 operated with the index finger, which is considered to be the next most operable after the thumb. The peripheral pressing positions P1, P3, P5, and P7 and the central pressing position P9 are activated to form a five-input switch, and the switches SW3 to SW5 assigned to the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger are arranged at the center. It is conceivable to function as a one-input switch that enables only the pressing position P9. Of course, which pressing positions P1 to P9 of each of the switches SW1 to SW5 can be appropriately changed, and as an improvement in operability, for example, the adjacent pressing positions P1 and P2 are accepted as one input operation. Similarly, P3 and P4, P5 and P6, and P7 and P8 may be used in common.

  As the switches SW1 to SW5, an 8-directional operation switch “RKJXS series (trade name)” manufactured by Alps Electric Co., Ltd. can be applied.

  FIG. 3 shows the internal configuration of the key input device 10 of the present invention. An electric signal generated by the operation of the switches SW1 to SW5 is decoded into a key state signal by the decoder 14 and is output from the output terminal 16 to the cable C1.

  When using the key input device 10 of the present invention as a game controller for controlling an avatar, the switch SW1 operated by the thumb is used to change the orientation of the avatar. The switch SW2 operated by the index finger is used to accelerate and decelerate the moving speed of the avatar. Furthermore, the switches SW3 to SW5 assigned to the middle finger, the ring finger, and the little finger are used for low-functionality control that does not require real-time performance or analog information (for example, switching between avatar operation and system operation).

  As can be seen from the above description, the slope SL is formed by chamfering at a part of the angle formed by the other main surface S2 and the side surface S3, and the switch SW2 operated by the index finger is arranged on the slope SL. Can be improved. In addition, since the operation degrees of the switches SW1 and SW2 operated by the frequently used thumb and index finger are higher than the operation degrees of the switches SW3 to SW5 operated by the less frequently used middle finger, ring finger, and little finger, the efficiency is increased. Can be improved.

  Further, since the degree of operation of the switch SW1 is made higher than the degree of operation of the switch SW2 in consideration of the difference in the variety of movements of the thumb and the index finger, operability and efficiency can be improved from this point. Further, since the partition wall W1 is formed between the switches SW2 and SW3, the switch SW3 can be prevented from being erroneously operated by the index finger.

  In this embodiment, the operating degrees of the switches SW1 and SW2 are made different from each other. However, as long as the operating degrees of the switches SW3 to SW5 are larger, the operating degrees of the switches SW1 and SW2 may be made to coincide with each other. In this embodiment, the same push switch is employed as the switches SW1 to SW5. However, the employed switch may be varied depending on the degree of operation. Furthermore, instead of the push switch, a joystick type switch may be applied.

It is an illustration figure which shows the use condition of one Example of this invention. It is an illustration figure which shows the pressing position of the switch applied to the FIG. 1 Example. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of FIG. 1 Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Key input device 12 ... Housing 14 ... Decoder 16 ... Output terminal

Claims (3)

A housing having a size that can be held with one hand,
One first switch provided on the first side surface of the housing and operated by a thumb;
Three second switches provided on a third side contacting the first side and a second side located on the opposite side, and operated by a middle finger, a ring finger, and a little finger, respectively, and the second side and the third side Provided with a third switch which is provided on a slope formed by chamfering a part of a corner formed by and is operated by an index finger;
The key input device, wherein the operation degree of each of the first switch and the third switch is higher than the operation degree of the second switch.   The key input device according to claim 1, wherein an operation degree of the first switch is higher than an operation degree of the third switch.   The key input device according to claim 1, further comprising output means for outputting a state signal corresponding to an operation state of the first switch to the third switch.

Images