JP4241354B2 - Rotary operation type encoder - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a rotary operation type encoder used for an input operation unit of various electronic devices.

  In recent years, various electronic devices have become widespread, and in particular, those using a rotary operation type encoder for an input operation unit for adjusting the temperature of a vehicle interior air conditioner are increasing.

  Hereinafter, a conventional rotary operation type encoder will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an engagement state between a contact brush of a conventional rotary operation type encoder and a rotary contact pattern, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the lower case 1 made of a molded resin has a substantially annular outer shape, and the inner cylinder portion 1 </ b> A and the outer wall portion 1 </ b> B constituting the intermediate hole are formed to protrude upward. In the meantime, it becomes a recessed part of upper opening.

  Six contact brushes 2 that are electrically independent from each other are arranged side by side in the radial direction on the bottom surface of the concave portion, and the tips thereof extend upward.

  And 3 is a rotating body provided with a ring-shaped flange portion 3B below the cylindrical portion 3A having a central hole, and the cylindrical portion 3A is rotatably inserted into the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 1A of the lower case 1, The lower case 1 is rotatably combined.

  Further, a contact pattern 4 (see FIG. 3) for obtaining an absolute output of 5 bits is arranged on the lower surface of the flange 3B, and the flange 3B accommodated in the recess in a state where the rotating body 3 is combined with the lower case 1. The six contact brushes 2 are in elastic contact with the contact pattern 4 on the lower surface. The upper part of the recess of the lower case 1 is covered with a flat plate part 5 </ b> B of the metal cover 5 coupled to the lower case 1.

  Further, the metal cover 5 is provided with a central hole 5A in the flat plate portion 5B, and the inner cylindrical portion 1A of the lower case 1 and the cylindrical portion 3A of the rotating body 3 protrude upward in a concentric state from the central hole 5A. The cylinder portion 3A is an operation portion.

  Although not shown, the rotation angle of the rotating body 3 is regulated by the metal cover 5.

  Here, the configuration of the contact pattern 4 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. 3. In the contact pattern 4, the ring-shaped common conductive portion is exposed at the innermost peripheral position, and the signal conductive portion is exposed at the outer periphery thereof. Arranged. In FIG. 3, hatched lines are shown to make it easy to understand the exposed conductive parts.

  These conductive portions are configured to be in a conductive state with each other, and are in contact with the six contact brushes 2 at each of the angular positions that divide the rotation operation angle range into equal angles and are shown in the lower part of FIG. The arrangement is such that 32 different output states can be detected.

  FIG. 3 shows the state of the first position within the operation range. From the above state, the rotating body 3 can be rotated at an angle of 270 ° as shown by the clockwise arrow in the figure. It has become. In the conventional rotary operation type encoder configured as described above, the cylindrical portion 3A is rotated to rotate the rotary body 3, and the elastic contact position between the contact pattern 4 on the lower surface and the six contact brushes 2 is changed. Thus, the output state corresponding to the angular position can be detected.

  Then, the detection of the output state is performed for the other five contact brushes 2 via the signal conductive portion connected to the common conductive portion 2 with respect to the common contact brush 2 arranged at the innermost peripheral position. It was obtained by detecting the conduction state.

As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, for example, Patent Document 1 is known.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 01-152314

  However, the conventional rotary operation type encoder has a configuration in which six contact brushes 2 are arranged in the radial direction and elastically contacted with the corresponding contact pattern 4 to detect the output state at each operation angle position. There was a problem of increasing.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and provides a rotary operation type encoder having a small diameter and capable of detecting the position of an operation angle at n positions of equal angles within a predetermined operation angle range T. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

  The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention is a rotary operation type encoder in which the operation angle is set smaller than 360 °, and the operation angle range T can detect the operation angle position in n positions of equal angles, As the contact brushes, a plurality of signal brushes and a plurality of common brushes are arranged in an electrically independent state on two concentric track positions, and the operation angle range T is divided into m pieces within the angle range of the large section D. A plurality of signal brushes elastically contact each other on the conductive portion of the signal pattern for each position, and the elastic contact state is repeatedly generated between the large sections D. The signal brushes and signals of the large sections D are repeatedly generated. In order to discriminate the elastic contact state that occurs repeatedly, the m common brushes are arranged, each of which is elastically contacted at least on the common contact portion in the corresponding large section D, and The signal pattern and the common contact point are in a conductive state, and the rotation of the signal brushes, the common brushes, and the entire conductive state of each signal brush and each common brush can be detected to determine the operation angle. It is an operation type encoder, and a plurality of signal brushes that are contact brushes are arranged on the circumference, and a plurality of common brushes that are also contact brushes are arranged on a concentric circumference, and contact points corresponding to each. With a two-track configuration in which the pattern is elastically contacted, it is possible to realize a rotary operation type encoder that can detect an operation angle position of an equiangular n position, and has an effect of contributing to a reduction in diameter.

  The invention according to claim 2 includes a state in which none of the signal brushes are elastically contacted with the conductive portion of the signal pattern at one position within the angle range of the large section D in the invention according to claim 1. At the same position, the two common brushes are elastically contacted on the common contact point, and the signal brush can be used by performing the same function as the signal brush. It has the effect that it can be reduced.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, n / (2 * m) signal brushes are arranged so as to be shifted by an angle of one position, respectively ((n / (2 * m) -1) * 1 position angle) and ((n / (2 * m) +1) * 1 position angle) non-conductive parts are alternately arranged on the signal pattern. The signal pattern is a comb-like pattern that can be easily configured, and the signal brushes can be easily arranged, and each signal brush is displaced by one position while elastically moving on the conductive portion. It has the effect of obtaining a simple structure that comes into contact.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a plurality of signal brushes and a plurality of common brushes serving as contact brushes are respectively arranged at predetermined positions on a concentric circumference and elastically contacted on the contact pattern corresponding to each of them. With the track configuration, a rotary operation type encoder capable of detecting an operation angle position of n positions at equal angles can be realized, and an advantageous effect of contributing to a reduction in diameter can be obtained.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an engagement state between a contact brush and a rotary contact pattern of a rotary operation type encoder according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG.

  In FIG. 2, reference numeral 11 denotes a lower case made of a molding resin whose outer shape is formed in a substantially annular shape. The cylindrical portion 13 </ b> A is rotatably inserted into the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion 11 </ b> A and the rotating body 13 is combined. The ring-shaped flange portion 13B provided below the rotating body 13 is accommodated in a ring-shaped upper opening recess formed between the inner cylinder portion 11A and the outer wall portion 11B of the lower case 11.

  Further, the concave portion of the lower case 11 is covered with a flat plate portion 15B of the metal cover 15 coupled to the lower case 11, and the inner cylindrical portion 11A of the lower case 11 and the cylinder of the rotating body 13 from the central hole 15A of the flat plate portion 15B. The portion 13A protrudes upward in a concentric state, and although not shown, the rotation angle of the rotating body 13 is regulated by the metal cover 15.

  Further, only two contact brushes 12 are arranged in the radial direction on the bottom surface of the concave portion of the lower case 11, and the tip extending upward from the bottom surface of the flange portion 13B It is in elastic contact with the contact pattern 14 formed on the lower surface.

  The rotary operation type encoder having the above-described configuration is set to be smaller than 360 ° by rotating the cylindrical portion 13A of the rotating body 13 to rotate the contact pattern 14 relative to the contact brush 12. In the operation angle range T, the operation angle position can be detected at n positions of equal angles.

Here, the arrangement state of the contact brush 12 and the contact pattern 14 will be described by taking as an example a configuration capable of detecting a 5-bit output state (n = 32) within the operation angle range T = 279 ° shown in FIG. To do.

FIG. 1 shows the state of the first position within the operation range. From the above state, the rotating body 13 can be rotated at an angle of 279 ° as shown by the clockwise arrow in the figure. It has become. The contact brush 12 includes a plurality of signal brushes 21A and a plurality of common brushes 22A.

  The plurality of signal brushes 21A are disposed at predetermined positions on the circumference, respectively.

  In addition, a plurality of common brushes 22A are arranged at predetermined positions on the circumference of the concentric circle with respect to the circumference of the signal brushes 21A.

  The number of the signal brushes 21A... Is determined by the number of virtually dividing the operation angle range T into m. Hereinafter, T / m = large section D will be described, and here, m = 4 is set. To do.

  That is, the number of the signal brushes 21A is four (n / (2 * m) = 32 / (2 * 4)).

  The signal pattern 31 of the contact pattern 14 corresponding to the signal brushes 21A to 21D is configured in a substantially ring shape in which conductive portions and non-conductive portions are alternately arranged with respect to the locus of the signal brushes 21A to 21D. Comb-like configuration.

  The conduction part is set at 27 ° of ((n / (2 * m) −1) * 1 position angle).

Note that when 32 types of output states are obtained within the operation angle range T of 279 ° , the total number between the positions is 31, so the angle of the one position can be expressed by T / (n−1). .

  In FIG. 1, in order to make the conductive portion easy to understand, it is shown with hatching. On the other hand, the non-conducting portion is set to 45 ° (angle of ((n / (2 * m) +1) * 1 position)).

  The four signal brushes 21A to 21D are arranged on the same circumference with respect to the signal pattern 31 at positions shifted by one position angle (T / (n-1)). When the signal pattern 31 is used, a simple comb-teeth pattern is sufficient, and the arrangement of the four signal brushes 21A to 21D is easy.

  Then, the signal brushes 21A to 21D and the signal pattern 31 in the above arrangement state are generated m times repeatedly in the same manner in each large section D.

  The elastic contact state of the four signal brushes 21A to 21D and the signal pattern 31 for each of the m times is such that only the signal brush 21A corresponding to the terminal # 1 is connected to the signal pattern 31 first. In the next position, the signal brush 21B corresponding to the terminal # 2 elastically contacts the conductive portion of the signal pattern 31 at the next position. At the next position position, in addition to the two signal brushes 21A and 21B, the signal brush 21C corresponding to the terminal # 3 is elastically contacted on the conducting portion, and at the next position position, the signal corresponding to the terminal # 4 is contacted. The brush 21D is also elastically contacted on the conductive portion, and all the signal brushes 21A to 21D are placed on the conductive portion.

  When one more position is rotated from this state, only the signal brush 21 </ b> A moves onto the non-conductive portion of the signal pattern 31.

  At this time, the other signal brushes 21 </ b> B to 21 </ b> D are continuously located on the conductive portion.

  At the next position, the signal brush 21B is also moved onto the non-conductive portion, and the signal brushes 21C and 21D are in elastic contact with the conductive portion. At the next position, only the signal brush 21D is similarly elastic. It will be in contact.

  When the position is further rotated by one position from the above state, none of the signal brushes 21A to 21D is positioned on the conducting portion.

  Within the operating angle range T, eight states from the state in which only the above-described signal brush 21A is elastically contacted on the conductive portion to the state in which none is elastically contacted are repeated m times, and m One set of state transitions occurs each time.

  Then, in order to divide the m large sections D, the m common brushes 22A to 22D are arranged at predetermined positions on the circumference concentric with the signal brushes 21A to 21D. A common contact portion 32 that is electrically connected to the conductive portion of the signal pattern 31 is disposed on the inner peripheral side of the signal pattern 31.

  Note that the common contact portion 32 is also shown by hatching in FIG. 1 for easy understanding.

  The common contact portion 32 has an angular length obtained by adding an angle for one position to the angle for the eight positions of the one set generated by the elastic contact between the signal brushes 21A to 21D and the signal pattern 31. This portion is configured as a non-conducting portion, and both serve as a common pattern.

  Each of the common brushes 22A to 22D corresponds to each of the above sets, and is arranged so as to be elastically contacted on the common contact portion 32 within the corresponding one set of angular ranges. Yes.

  That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the terminal com. The common brush 22 </ b> A corresponding to 1 continuously contacts the common contact portion 32.

  Since the common contact portion 32 is set with an angle length corresponding to 9 positions, in the first position, the common brush 22A is in elastic contact with a position shifted by 1 position, and the remaining 8 positions. The common contact portion 32 is elastically contacted at an angle of, and is separated from the common contact portion 32 at the ninth position.

  Then, the signal brushes 21A to 21D, which are the final position positions in the first set, are all at the eighth position where the signal brushes 21A to 21D are in the elastic contact state away from the conductive portion. The common brush 22B corresponding to No. 2 is elastically contacted on the common contact portion 32, and is continuously elastically contacted on the common contact portion 32 within an angle range of a total of nine positions including the angle range for the next set. It becomes a state.

  That is, at the eighth position, the two common brushes 22A and 22B are in elastic contact with the common contact portion 32.

  Similarly to the above, at the 16th position where the signal brushes 21A to 21D are all in the elastic contact state away from the conductive portion, in addition to the common brush 22B, the terminal com. 3 is elastically contacted on the common contact portion 32.

  At the 17th position, the common brush 22B moves away from the common contact portion 32, and the common brush 22C continuously elastically contacts the common contact portion 32 from the 17th position to the 24th position.

  Similarly, in the 24th position, in addition to the common brush 22C, the terminal com. The common brush 22D corresponding to 4 is elastically contacted on the common contact portion 32, and is continuously in the elastic contact state up to the last 32 position.

  At the 32nd position, only the common brush 22D is in elastic contact with the common contact portion 32.

  As described above, the rotary operation type encoder according to the present embodiment is configured such that the signal system and the common system are arranged in two tracks.

  And when detecting the operation angle position, it confirms and detects the mutual conduction | electrical_connection state of a total of eight terminals, signal brush 21A-21D and common brush 22A-22D.

  That is, in the first position, only the common brush 22A and the signal brush 21A are elastically contacted on the corresponding common contact portion 32 and the conductive portion of the signal pattern 31, and therefore, the terminal com. Only the continuity between terminal 1 and terminal # 1 can be detected, and since the electrical independent state is maintained in other cases, the angular position of the first position can be determined.

In order to check the mutual conduction state of the above eight terminals, it is necessary to always check 22 combinations per position. However, if a microcomputer with remarkable improvement in processing speed is used, the above check Easy.

  Similarly, in the second position, the terminal com. 1 and terminal # 1, and terminal com. 1 and the terminal # 2, and between the terminal # 1 and the terminal # 2, three kinds of conduction states can be confirmed, and the second position can be discriminated. Further, the third to seventh positions can be discriminated similarly. it can.

  In the eighth position, the terminal com. 1 and terminal com. Only between the two is in the conducting state, and this state can be determined as the eighth position.

  That is, at the eighth position, the terminal com. The common brush 22B corresponding to 2 can play the role of a signal system brush, and the number of signal system brushes need not be increased.

  In the subsequent set, since the common brush 22A is separated from the common contact portion 32 and the common brush 22B is elastically contacted, for example, at the ninth position, the terminal com. Only the continuity between terminal 2 and terminal # 1 can be detected, and the detection result is different from the previous one, so that the ninth position can be determined.

  As described above, if the common brushes 22A to 22D are elastically brought into contact with the common contact portion 32 one by one for each set, the output state of the signal system is repeated for each set. The operation angle position can be specified.

  The operation angle position can be similarly determined for the subsequent position positions.

  At the 16th position, the terminal com. 2 and terminal com. 3 can be detected in a conductive state, and at the 24th position, the terminal com. 3 and terminal com. As in the case of the eighth position described above, it is possible to detect only the connection between four, and in any case, one of the common brushes can be seen as a signal brush and the position of the brush can be determined. is there.

  Note that at the three-position position, all eight terminals are in an electrically independent state and can be determined by detecting this.

  As described above, the rotary operation type encoder according to the present embodiment can detect an output state of 5 bits even though it has a two-track configuration, and can greatly contribute to a reduction in diameter.

  Note that a configuration capable of detecting the position at the 32 positions may be used with a small number of positions by restricting the rotation operation angle.

  Further, when the 5-bit configuration is used, the configuration can be simplified, but the configuration is not limited to the above configuration.

  Furthermore, a 4-bit or 6-bit configuration other than 5 bits may be adapted to the above idea.

  In the rotary operation type encoder according to the present invention, a plurality of signal brushes and a plurality of common brushes which are contact brushes are arranged at predetermined positions on the circumference, respectively, and two tracks which elastically contact on a contact pattern corresponding to each of them. With this configuration, it is possible to realize a rotary operation type encoder having a small diameter that can detect an operation angle position of equiangular n positions, and is useful for use in an input operation unit of various electronic devices.

The top view which shows the engagement state of the contact brush and rotary contact pattern of the rotary operation type encoder by one embodiment of this invention Sectional view in the AA line of FIG. The top view which shows the engagement state of the contact brush and rotary contact pattern of the conventional rotary operation type encoder Sectional view in the AA line of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

11 Lower case 11A Inner tube portion 11B Outer wall portion 12 Contact brush 13 Rotating body 13A Tube portion 13B Flange portion 14 Contact pattern 15 Metal cover 15A Central hole 15B Flat plate portion 21A to 21D Signal brush 22A to 22D Common brush 31 Signal pattern 32 Common Contact point

Claims (3)

The operation angle is set to be smaller than 360 °, and the operation angle range T is a rotary operation type encoder capable of detecting the operation angle position at an equal angle n position, and there are a plurality of signal brushes and common brushes as the contact brushes. A plurality of signal brushes are arranged in a signal pattern for each position within an angle range of a large section D, which is arranged in two independent track positions in an electrically independent state and divided into m operation angle ranges T. The elastic contact state of the large section D is repeatedly generated between the large sections D, and the repeated state of the signal brushes and signal patterns of the large sections D is classified. Therefore, m common brushes are arranged, each of which is elastically contacted at least on the common contact portion within the corresponding large section D, and further, the signal pattern and the common Contact portion, in the conductive state, the signal brush each other, the common brush each other, to detect a full energization state of each of the common brush each other and each signal brush, rotating operation type encoder capable operating angle determination. At one position within the angular range of the large section D, the signal brush is configured to include a state in which no signal brush is elastically contacted with the conductive portion of the signal pattern, and at one position, the common contact portion. The rotary operation type encoder according to claim 1, wherein the two common brushes are in elastic contact with each other. n / (2 * m) signal brushes are respectively shifted by an angle of one position, and a conduction part of ((n / (2 * m) -1) * 1 position) and ((n / 2. The rotary operation type encoder according to claim 1, wherein the non-conducting portions of (2 * m) +1) * 1 position) are alternately arranged to slide on a signal pattern.

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