JP4759189B2 - Coordinate input device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an optical coordinate input device, and more particularly to a coordinate input device convenient for inputting with a finger or the like from a large-area coordinate input surface.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A touch panel is typically widely used as a device for inputting with a finger or a pointing stick corresponding to a displayed image. This input method includes an electrostatic capacity method, a resistive film method, an ultrasonic method, an optical method, and the like, which are selectively used according to the purpose and the use environment by utilizing the respective characteristics.
Large-area coordinate input technology is important because of the expansion of applications of large-screen display devices, such as large flat displays and projection display devices, and further enhancement of functions of electronic blackboards and video conference systems.
[0003]
In this enlargement, an optical coordinate input device is used from the viewpoints of technical limitations and economics, and an optical scanning touch panel is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-85399. In this technique, an optical scanning unit is provided at each of the two adjacent corners of the rectangular substrate, and the light scanned from the unit is reflected from the retroreflectors provided on the remaining three sides of the rectangular substrate and returned to the unit. It is designed to detect light. When light is blocked by a finger or the like, the direction of blocking seen from each optical scanning unit is detected, the blocked position is calculated based on the distance between the optical scanning units, and the coordinates are input. ing. This optical coordinate input device can also be applied to very large coordinate input, and since the configuration is simplified, the price per input area can be realized relatively inexpensively.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since the coordinate input device that performs optical scanning and detects the light blocking position can take a considerably large distance from the origin of the optical scanning to the reflection point, the area of the input surface can be easily increased. However, the greater the distance from the light scanning origin to the reflection point, that is, the greater the coordinate input range and area, the more severe the requirements for the parallelism between the light exit direction and the coordinate input surface. .
[0005]
That is, the accuracy of adjusting the light emission direction is required to be high with the coordinate input area so that the plane in which the light scans and the plane for coordinate input are parallel to each other while maintaining a predetermined distance.
Conventionally, the distance between the optical scanning surface and the coordinate input surface and the parallelism are adjusted by adjusting the height at three points that support the surface of the unit on which the light emitting element, light receiving element, and polygon mirror are mounted. It was. Since the adjustment of the heights of the individual points is repeated in order and driven to a predetermined interval and parallelism, it is very laborious. In some cases, you can't keep up and you have to compromise.
In view of such a problem, the present invention provides an optical coordinate input device in which the interval and parallelism can be easily adjusted.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-described problem, the first invention of the present invention provides two sets of optical unit bodies each having a light source unit that emits fan-shaped light parallel to the coordinate input surface and a light receiving unit arranged on a substrate . The optical unit is installed in the vicinity of one edge side of the coordinate input surface while maintaining a predetermined interval, and the light emitted from each light source unit in the two sets of optical units is the one edge side of the coordinate input surface. a plurality of optical paths by being reflected imaged to each of the light receiving portion by the light reflecting portion disposed around the other edge side are formed other than, and each of the imaging of the plurality of light shielding point in the optical path from the position and the predetermined interval of the two sets of optical units a coordinate input device asking you to coordinates of the light shielding point, a flat holding portion for holding the optical unit, the fan-shaped light plane The position corresponding to the main point of the fulcrum And a fulcrum support part that penetrates the substrate and engages the holding part to support the optical unit body, and includes a fulcrum that is parallel to the optical axis of the fan-shaped optical plane and includes the fulcrum. Including a position corresponding to each straight line other than the fulcrum related to the first straight line and the second straight line perpendicular to the first straight line on the optical plane, and locking the holding portion and the substrate. A plurality of support portions provided to support the optical unit main body, and the adjustment means includes a position and a direction of an engagement portion with the holding portion at the distal end portion of the fulcrum support portion. By adjusting the setting and the setting of the distance dimension between the holding unit and the substrate in the plurality of support units, the parallelism between the fan-shaped light plane and the coordinate input surface with the fulcrum as a center is set. It can be adjusted.
[0007]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the coordinate input device, the light source unit can vary a spread angle that forms a fan of the fan-shaped light plane to be emitted.
[0008]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in any one of the coordinate input devices described above, the fulcrum support portion and the plurality of support portions can be fastened and held to the holding portion by operating the substrate as a seesaw. And an adjusting screw provided with a spring capable of pressing the holding portion.
[0009]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the coordinate input devices described above, the fulcrum support portion passes through the substrate and a tip portion contacts a wall portion around a positioning hole provided in the holding portion. A protrusion integrally provided on the optical unit main body for engaging and supporting the optical unit main body, and the adjusting means is provided around the hole of the holding portion at the tip of the protrusion. The setting of the position and direction of the contact engaging part with respect to a wall part is adjustable, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.
[0010]
In the following embodiments (examples), the light source part is the light emitting element 7, the light receiving part is the light receiving element 11, the light reflecting part is the reflecting part 3 (A), 3 (B), 3 (C), and the fulcrum support part is the protrusion. Object 17, a plurality of support portions are adjusting screws 17 (A), 17 (B), 17 (C), and an adjusting means is a holding portion 14, a projection 17, and adjusting screws 17 (A), 17 (B), 17 ( And C).
[0011]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
An example of the overall configuration of the present invention is conceptually shown in FIG.
Optical units 2 (A) and 2 (B) are installed at the left and right ends of the lower side of the coordinate input surface 1. Each optical unit 2 emits fan-shaped planar light in a direction parallel to the coordinate input surface 1 to form a region where the optical paths of the optical units 2 (A) and 2 (B) overlap on the coordinate input surface 1.
[0012]
In the drawing, reflecting portions 3 (A), 3 (B), and 3 (C) are installed on the left and right and upper sides of the coordinate input surface 1. The fan-shaped light emitted from the optical unit 2 is reflected by the reflecting unit 3 in the direction of the optical unit 2 that emitted the light. The reflection unit 3 uses a retroreflective sheet that arranges a high-density trihedral cube inside the sheet and reflects incident light toward the optical unit 2. Further, the reflection part 3 of FIG. 1 is shown in a straight line along the three sides, the shape and arrangement may be set an optimum form by also coordinate input surface 1.
[0013]
The light reflected from the reflecting unit 3 and returned to the optical unit 2 forms an image on the light receiving unit in the optical unit 2. A line sensor or the like is used for the light receiving unit.
For example, when the coordinate input surface is touched with a finger or the like, a part of the fan-shaped plane light is shielded, and the optical units 2 (A) and 2 (B) receive optical images corresponding to the light shielding directions in the respective optical paths. Is detected.
[0014]
The detection signal of the light receiving unit of each optical unit 2 is input to the calculation unit 4, information on the light shielding direction from the optical units 2 (A) and 2 (B), and the optical units 2 (A) and 2 input in advance. The light shielding position, that is, the coordinate value is calculated from the information regarding the distance to (B) by the principle of triangulation. The calculated coordinate value is output to the PC 6 via the interface unit 5. Conversely, a signal for controlling the optical unit 2 is sent from the arithmetic unit 4 to each optical unit 2 to control light emission and light reception.
[0015]
In the present invention, a fan-shaped plane light is created by a lens system (described later) in the optical unit 2, and when the optical unit 2 is installed on the coordinate input surface 1, the coordinate input surface 1 and the fan-shaped plane light are All that is necessary is to adjust the parallelism, that is, the plane of the optical unit 2. In principle, since the plane can be defined by three points, it is only necessary to adjust the height (interval) at the three point positions on the coordinate input surface 1 and the bottom surface of the optical unit 2. Moreover, if one of the points is selected as a position corresponding to the center of the fan-shaped plane light and acts as a fulcrum, when the coordinate input surface 1 and the optical unit 2 are adjusted to be parallel, the interval is naturally It can be in the Let 's that Kemah.
[0016]
If the remaining two points are selected as one point on a straight line including a fulcrum parallel to the optical axis of the fan-shaped plane light and another point on a straight line including the fulcrum at a right angle to the straight line, the adjustment is further facilitated. Since the roles of the two points in this case are independent of the adjustment of the coordinate input surface 1 and the optical axis and the adjustment of the left and right parallel balance of the fan-shaped plane light, the adjustment is simplified.
[0017]
The adjustment is not limited to the three points described above, but can be performed by increasing the number of adjustment points for adjustment workability, accuracy, stability after adjustment, and the like. Further, the coordinate input surface 1 and the two sets of optical units 2 in FIG. 1 may be considered as basic structural units, and a coordinate input device configured by combining a plurality of the unit configurations may be used. For example, a coordinate input device whose input surface is curved and does not fit on one plane may be divided into a plurality of basic structural units and function as a coordinate input device as a whole.
[0018]
【Example】
FIG. 2 shows an arrangement example of the optical system of the optical unit 2. FIG. 2A is a view of the optical system as viewed from the side, and FIG. 2B is a front view thereof. Light emitted from the light emitting element 7 is diffused light having a certain width (thickness) by the diffusion lens 8 and spreading linearly.
[0019]
This diffused light becomes plane light bent in the right-angle direction by the half mirror 9, and becomes light that travels parallel to the coordinate input surface 1 (FIG. 1), that is, fan-shaped plane light. This planar light is reflected from the retroreflective sheet of the reflecting portion 3 (FIG. 1) and returns to the optical unit 2.
[0020]
The returned light passes through the half mirror 9, is imaged on the light receiving element 11 by the imaging lens 10, is photoelectrically converted, and outputs a signal corresponding to the imaging state to the arithmetic unit.
As the light receiving element 11, a line sensor, a CCD, or the like is used so as to detect the direction of the light shielding position from the imaging state.
[0021]
The arrangement of the optical system is not limited to this example. For example, the light emitting element 7, the diffusion lens 8, and the half mirror 9 are arranged in parallel to the coordinate input surface 1, and the arrangement of the imaging lens 10 and the light receiving element 11 is perpendicular. Needless to say, it can be installed in the station. Further, the main position of the fan-shaped plane light parallel to the coordinate input surface 1 is a position corresponding to the apparent vertex of the fan shape.
[0022]
The adjustment mechanism for the optical unit 2, have been explained use the top view of a partial perspective view and FIG. 4 of FIG. 3 as an example. The optical unit 2 includes an optical unit body 12 and a substrate 13 and is fixed to each other. Note that the optical unit body 12 incorporates the optical system as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the holding unit 14 is provided on the coordinate input surface 1 continuously. Basically, the height and parallelism of the surface of the substrate 13 with respect to the plane of the holding portion 14 are adjusted by three adjusting screws 17 so that the fan-shaped plane light 15 is set parallel to the coordinate input surface 1.
[0023]
In the embodiment of FIG. 3, as a particularly preferable example, a protrusion 16 serving as a fulcrum is provided on the lower side of the substrate 13 at a position corresponding to the main part of the fan-shaped planar light 15. As a more preferable example of the protrusion 16, if a hole 18 or a recess as shown in FIG. 5 is provided in the holding portion 14, the protrusion 16 can be easily positioned on the holding portion 14. Positioning of the key of the light 15 and the coordinate input surface 1 is uniquely performed.
[0024]
Next, the adjustment screw 17 will be described. 3 and 4, as a particularly preferable example, the line connecting the protrusion 16 and the adjustment screw 17 (B) is parallel to the optical axis of the fan-shaped planar light 15, and the protrusion 16 and the adjustment screw 17 ( A) and 17 (C) are on a line perpendicular to the optical axis.
In the case of this embodiment, when the adjustment screw 17 (B) is adjusted with respect to the projection 16 serving as a fulcrum, only the elevation angle of the fan-shaped planar light 15 is adjusted. When the adjustment screws 17 (A) and 17 (C) are adjusted, only the left and right balance (parallelism with respect to the coordinate input surface 1) of the fan-shaped planar light 15 is changed. Since the elevation angle and the left / right balance of the fan-shaped planar light 15 are independently adjusted, the adjustment work can be simplified.
[0025]
The acting force between the adjusting screw 17 and the substrate 13 is that the adjusting screw 17 (C) is pressed downward by the spring pressure from above, and the other adjusting screws 17 (A) and 17 (B) are opposite. Apply spring pressure from below to above. A seesaw operation is performed with the protrusion 16 as a fulcrum in response to pressing from above.
In addition, two types of screws with coarse and dense pitches are incorporated in the adjustment screw 17 so that efficient and highly accurate adjustment can be made by using the screw for coarse adjustment and final adjustment in a small amount.
Further, the height of the protrusion 16 may be adjustable, for example, a screw-in method.
[0026]
3, 4, and 5 are described as a preferred embodiment. For example, the protrusion 16 does not coincide with the main position of the fan-shaped planar light 15, the arrangement of the adjustment screws 17 and the protrusions 16. Needless to say, this is included in the present invention, such as an example in which is not on a straight line.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
According to the coordinate input device of the first aspect of the present invention, the adjusting means capable of adjusting the parallelism between the fan-shaped light plane and the coordinate input surface is provided, and specifically for supporting the optical unit main body. The coordinate input surface of the position where light is emitted in a fan shape by adjusting the setting of the position and direction of the engagement portion with the holding portion at the tip of the fulcrum support portion including the position (fulcrum) corresponding to the main point of the fan The position and height are set, and the height of the position of at least two points other than the essential position of the fan can be adjusted to each other, depending on a part of the support part (including the position on the first straight line) The elevation angle of the fan-shaped optical plane with respect to the coordinate input surface is set by height adjustment, and the height of the fan-shaped optical plane with respect to the coordinate input surface is adjusted by height adjustment by the other part of the support part (including the position on the second straight line). because it can set the balance, adjustment is simplified exits the planar optical fan-shaped Ki De be performed and included combined to adjust the coordinate input plane of the optical system separately for facilitates manufacture of the coordinate input device. According to the coordinate input device according to the second aspect of the invention, since the spread angle of the fan-shaped plane light is variable, it is easy to deal with various coordinate input surfaces. A typical example is a 45 degree spread angle when optical units are installed at both the left and right corners of the coordinate input surface. If the spread angle is made variable, various situations can be dealt with. The spread angle can be selected according to the shape. According to the coordinate input device of the third aspect of the present invention, the fulcrum support part and each support part are used as general-purpose adjustment screws, and a spring that can press the board and the holding part is attached, except that the board is fastened by a seesaw operation Since the above-mentioned type is used, adjustment (seeing the elevation angle of the light plane, left / right balance) with the seesaw operation can be performed with high accuracy. According to the coordinate input device of the fourth invention, the fulcrum support portion penetrates the substrate and the tip portion is in contact engagement with the wall portion around the positioning hole provided in the holding portion, so that the optical unit main body is Since it is a protrusion integrally provided in the optical unit main body to support, the setting of the position and direction of the contact engagement portion to the wall portion around the hole of the holding portion at the tip of the protrusion can be adjusted. Easy to manufacture due to its structure.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram conceptually showing an example of the overall configuration of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing an arrangement example of an optical system of the optical unit of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view illustrating an example of an adjustment mechanism of the optical unit.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the example of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a hole for positioning the holding portion.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Coordinate input surface 2 Optical unit 3 Reflection part 4 Calculation part 5 Interface part 6 PC
7 Light emitting element 8 Diffusing lens 9 Half mirror 10 Imaging lens 11 Light receiving element 12 Optical unit body 13 Substrate 14 Holding part 15 Fan-shaped plane light 16 Projection 17 Adjustment screw 18 Hole

Claims (4)

Two sets of optical units comprising the optical unit main body deployed on a substrate having a light source portion and a light receiving portion for emitting light of the fan-shaped parallel to the coordinate input surface maintains a predetermined interval of those the coordinate input surface disposed near one edge Rutotomoni, reflected by the two pairs of light reflection portion where light emitted from each of the light source unit installed around the other edge side than the one edge side of the coordinate input surface of the optical unit and a is a plurality of optical paths by imaging the respective said light receiving portion is formed, and the predetermined intervals of the plurality of respective image forming position and the two sets of optical units of the light shielding point in the optical path a coordinate input device asking you to coordinates of the light-shielding point,
The optical unit includes a flat plate-like holding portion that holds the optical unit and a position corresponding to the essential part of the fan-shaped optical plane as a fulcrum, and the tip portion penetrates the substrate and engages the holding portion. The fulcrum support part that supports the main body, the first straight line that is parallel to the optical axis of the fan-shaped optical plane and includes the fulcrum, and the second straight line that is perpendicular to the first straight line on the optical plane. Including a position corresponding to each straight line other than the fulcrum, and a plurality of support portions that are used to support the optical unit main body by locking the holding portion and the substrate,
The adjusting means is configured to set a position and a direction of an engaging portion of the fulcrum support portion with respect to the holding portion at the tip portion, and to set a distance dimension between the holding portion and the substrate in the plurality of support portions. A coordinate input device characterized in that, by being adjustable, parallelism between the fan-shaped light plane and the coordinate input surface can be adjusted around the fulcrum . The coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the light source unit is capable of varying a spread angle forming a fan of the fan-shaped light plane to be emitted . 3. The coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the fulcrum support portion and the plurality of support portions can fasten and hold the substrate to the holding portion by performing a seesaw operation, and press the substrate and the holding portion. A coordinate input device characterized by being an adjusting screw with a possible spring attached thereto . 3. The coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the fulcrum support portion penetrates through the substrate and a tip end portion is in contact engagement with a wall portion around a positioning hole provided in the holding portion, and the optical A protrusion integrally provided on the optical unit main body to support the unit main body,
The coordinate input device characterized in that the adjustment means can adjust the setting of the position and direction of the contact engagement portion with the wall portion around the hole of the holding portion at the tip portion of the protrusion .

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