JP4667732B2 - Stick-type coordinate input device, portable personal computer and keyboard - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a stick-type coordinate input device suitable for performing cursor movement and selection input operation of a portable personal computer.

  In a portable personal computer generally called a notebook personal computer or the like, a small surface input device called a touch pad is attached to move a cursor on a screen. The touch pad performs two-dimensional coordinate input by tracing a rectangular sensor surface with a finger or the like.

  Many notebook personal computers are provided with a click button in the vicinity of the touch pad for selection input generally referred to as a click operation. The combination of such a touchpad and a click button allows the user to make a selection input by moving the cursor on the notebook computer screen.

  However, touchpads such as those described above require a certain level of proficiency because, for example, notebook PCs with limited dimensions are operated by tracing a small operation surface of several centimeters to tens of centimeters with a finger. There were many complaints about operability. For this reason, a notebook computer having a stick pointer instead of the touch pad is also known.

The stick type pointer can move the cursor on the screen of the notebook personal computer by tilting the rod-shaped operation member and inputting a two-dimensional direction (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Since such a pointer can input a two-dimensional direction by tilting the operation member in a direction in which the cursor is desired to be moved, it is easier to operate compared to a touch pad or the like.
JP-A-9-230999

  The above-described pointer shown in Patent Document 1 has a function of tilting the operation member to input a two-dimensional direction and a function of pressing the operation member in the vertical direction to perform a selection input operation (click operation). Yes. However, such a conventional stick type pointer is difficult to perform a complex operation such as pressing the operation member while tilting the operation member. For this reason, for example, it is very difficult to perform an operation equivalent to a so-called drag operation by pressing a mouse click button that is widely used for operations on a desktop personal computer or the like, which is equivalent to a so-called drag operation. There was difficulty in sex. Further, with the pointer shown in Patent Document 1 described above, there is no sensuous feedback of the pressing operation when the operating member is pressed in the vertical direction to select and input, and the input can be confirmed only on the screen of the personal computer. There wasn't.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a stick-type coordinate input device capable of performing a variety of input operations by enabling multiple operations and a portable personal computer equipped with the same. For the purpose.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, an operation member including a post provided with an operation knob, a strain sensor that detects an inclination operation of the operation member, and a press that detects a pressing operation of the operation member A stick type coordinate input device including a sensor , wherein the strain sensor is provided on a lower side of the operation member provided on a first substrate, the pressure sensor is provided on a second substrate, The 1st substrate and the 2nd substrate are arranged in the up-and-down direction, and the bar supported so that the up-and-down movement is possible is arranged through the 1st substrate inside the operation member, and can press the pressure sensor to have the Ri by the inclined operation of the post by the pressing of the operation knob, before by activating the Kiibitsu sensor, the distortion sensor detects the tilting operation, the pressing operation by the pressing of the operating knob by, the bar is lower Wherein by actuating the press sensor, is push pressure sensor detects the pressing operation, the stick-type coordinate input device is provided, wherein the possible simultaneous operation of the tilt operation and the pressing operation is then .

The press sensor includes a first contact piece that is bulged at the center and that can be bent, and a second contact piece that is formed at a lower portion of the first contact piece. It is preferable to detect the pressing operation of the operation member by bending the contact member and bringing it into contact with the second contact piece.

According to the present invention, the first contact piece may be a dome-shaped metal plate, and the shape may be reversed by pressing with the operation member to generate a click sound. The strain sensor is configured to further detect the pressing operation, and the pressing operation is performed by the strain sensor and the pressing sensor.
May be detected . In addition, according to the present invention, there is provided a portable personal computer characterized in that the stick type coordinate input device described above is formed as an input means. The stick type coordinate input device may be formed on a part of the keyboard. Also,
A keyboard characterized in that the stick-type coordinate input device described above is formed as an input means is provided.

  According to the stick-type coordinate input device of the present invention, the operation member can be simultaneously tilted and pressed, so that various operations input corresponding to a drag operation with a mouse can be performed with a single operation member. This makes it possible to significantly improve the operability of a portable personal computer or the like compared to a touch pad or the like. In addition, sensory feedback during the pressing operation can be obtained, and a comfortable input environment can be realized.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a portable personal computer equipped with the stick type coordinate input device of the present invention. A portable personal computer (notebook computer) 11 includes a liquid crystal display panel 14 on one side of a housing 13 that can be folded in two with a rotation shaft 12 as a center.

  A keyboard 15 that is an input device of the notebook personal computer 11 is formed on the other side of the housing 13. A stick type coordinate input device (stick type pointer) 16 is formed at the center of the keyboard 15. The pointer 16 is formed by cutting out a part of the keyboard 15 and includes a rod-like operation member 17 protruding from the housing 13. Further, a touch pad 19 may be formed adjacent to the keyboard 15.

  FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a stick type pointer, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view thereof. The pointer 16 includes an operation knob 21, a center bar 22, an operation body 23, first and second flexible substrates 24 and 25, and a support substrate 26. The operation knob 21 is a substantially dome-shaped resin knob and is engaged with the tip portion of the center rod 22 on the inner side. The center rod 22 is a cylindrical shaft made of synthetic resin or metal, and passes through the opening 23 e of the operation body 23 to reach the second flexible substrate 25 at the lower end. The operation member 17 is composed of the operation knob 21 and the center bar 22.

  The 1st flexible substrate 24 is formed from the resin film which can be bent, and the opening 24a is provided in the end. A center rod 22 extending through the operating body 23 passes through the opening 24a. At one end of the first flexible substrate 24, strain sensors 25a to 25d are formed in four directions so as to surround the opening 24a. A sense current is passed through the strain sensors 25a to 25d, and strains are generated when the posts 23f constituting the operating body 23 are tilted in the two-dimensional four directions Xe, Xw, Yn, and Ys shown in FIG. The resistance value changes, and the inclination of the post 23f is detected.

  Below the first flexible substrate 24, a second flexible substrate 25 formed of a bendable resin film is provided. A pressure sensor 27 is formed at one end of the second flexible substrate 25. The press sensor 27 includes a first contact piece 26a formed from a flexible thin metal plate, for example, a copper plate, which bulges upward, and a second contact 26b provided at a lower side of the first contact piece 26a. It consists of. The first contact piece 26a receives the tip of the center bar 22 on its upper surface, and is bent by the downward pressing of the center bar 22 to come into contact with the second contact piece 26b (see FIG. 4).

  The support substrate 26 is made of, for example, metal, and locking claws 26a to 26d are integrally provided at one end. The locking claws 26a to 26d are engaged with locking grooves 23a to 23d formed in the operation body 23 so as to be swingable. The first flexible substrate 24 is bonded to the lower surface of the operation body 23. The pointer 16 having the above configuration may be attached and fixed to the keyboard 15 of the notebook computer 11 by the support substrate 26.

  The operation of the stick type pointer 16 having the above configuration will be described. For example, assume that the user operates a cursor displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 14 of the notebook computer 11 to move a file to a folder (drag operation). The user tilts the operation knob 21 of the pointer 16 toward the target file on the screen. Then, the inclination of the post 23 f is detected by the strain sensors 25 a to 25 d and sent to the controller of the notebook personal computer 11 as an inclination signal of the pointer 16. As a result, the cursor on the screen moves according to the inclination direction of the post 23f.

  When the cursor on the screen reaches the target file, release the operation knob 21 to return the post 23f to the vertical origin position. The user then presses the operation knob 21 downward while the cursor is overlaid on the target file. Then, the tip of the center bar 22 bends the first contact piece 26a of the pressure sensor 27, and the first contact piece 26a and the second contact piece 26b come into contact with each other and are sent to the controller of the notebook computer 11 as a press signal. At the time of bending of the first contact piece 26a, the user perceives the concave touch of the first contact piece 26a, that is, a click feeling.

  By obtaining such a click feeling, it is possible to realize a sensuous feedback of a pressing operation at the time of selective input, and at the same time to obtain a sensual input confirmation as well as an input confirmation on the screen of the notebook computer 11, The characteristics are greatly improved. The pressing signal may be set so as to perform a function corresponding to a general mouse click button as an input means of a desktop type personal computer, for example.

  The user tilts the operation knob 21 toward the target folder while pressing the operation knob 21. Then, the inclination signal and the pressing signal of the post 23f are simultaneously output from the pointer 16, and the file moves with the cursor toward the folder while the file is selected (drag operation). When the cursor superimposed on the file reaches the target folder, the operation knob 21 is released as it is, and the file is put in the destination folder.

  It is also preferable to realize a function corresponding to a double click by a mouse operation when the operation knob 21 is continuously pressed twice. In addition, it is preferable that the strain sensors 25a to 25d also detect the pressing operation of the operation knob 21. If the pressing operation of the operation knob 21 can be detected by both the strain sensors 25a to 25d and the pressing sensor 27, the two-step pressing operation of the operation knob 21 can be handled.

  For example, in the notebook personal computer 11, when the cursor is moved to a predetermined position on the screen and then the operation knob 21 is lightly pressed, it is detected that the output average value of the strain sensors 25a to 25d exceeds a certain value as a whole. To select icons. Further, when the operation knob 21 is pushed down to the bottom, a click feeling is obtained and the pressure sensor 27 is turned on so that the selected icon can be operated, for example, “confirm” or “start”. A complex operation such as can be realized.

  As described above, the operation member 17 of the pointer 16 can be tilted and pressed at the same time, and various operation inputs can be performed with the single operation member 17 such as an operation corresponding to a drag operation with a mouse. As a result, the operability of the notebook computer 11 is greatly improved compared to the touch pad 19 or the like.

  In this embodiment, the operation member 17 can be tilted and pressed at the same time. However, a rotation sensor that detects the rotation of the center rod 22 of the operation member 17 is further provided, and the operation member 17 is inclined. By adopting a configuration in which pressing and rotation can be performed at the same time, more various operations may be realized.

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing a notebook computer equipped with the stick type coordinate input device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the stick type coordinate input device of FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the stick type coordinate input device of FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a pressing state of the stick type coordinate input device.

Explanation of symbols

11 Portable personal computer (notebook computer)
16 stick type coordinate input device 17 operation member 24 first flexible substrate 25 second flexible substrate 25a to 25d strain sensor 26 support substrate 27 pressure sensor 27a first contact piece 27b second contact piece

Claims (7)

A stick-type coordinate input device including an operation member including a post provided with an operation knob, a strain sensor that detects an inclination operation of the operation member, and a press sensor that detects a pressing operation of the operation member,
The strain sensor is provided on a first substrate and is provided on a lower side of the operation member, the pressure sensor is provided on a second substrate, and the first substrate and the second substrate are arranged in a vertical direction. ,
Inside the operation member, a bar supported so as to be movable up and down is disposed through the first substrate, and can press the pressure sensor ,
Ri by the inclined operation of the post by the pressing of the operation knob, before by activating the Kiibitsu sensor, the distortion sensor detects the tilting operation,
By the pressing operation by the pressing of the operation knob, the rod is moved down to operate the pressing sensor, so that the pressing sensor detects the pressing operation,
A stick type coordinate input device capable of simultaneous operation of the tilting operation and the pressing operation. The pressure sensor includes a bendable first contact piece bulging at the center and a second contact piece formed at a lower portion of the first contact piece, and the operation member flexes the first contact piece. The stick-type coordinate input device according to claim 1 , wherein a pressing operation of the operation member is detected by bending and contacting the second contact piece. 3. The stick-type coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the first contact piece is a dome-shaped metal plate, and a click sound is generated by reversing the shape when pressed by the operation member. It said strain sensor is configured to further detect the pressing operation, between the strain sensor and the pressing sensor, in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that for detecting the pressing operation The stick-type coordinate input device described. It claims 1 to portable personal computers, characterized in that formed as an input means stick-type coordinate input device according to any one of 4. 6. The portable personal computer according to claim 5 , wherein the stick type coordinate input device is formed on a part of a keyboard. Keyboard, characterized in that formed as an input means stick-type coordinate input device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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