JP5028246B2 - Operating device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation device used for performing various operations of various electronic devices such as a navigation device and a game device.

  For example, a navigation device as an electronic device is attached to an instrument panel (hereinafter referred to as instrument panel) of an automobile as a moving body. The car navigation system includes a display as a display unit that displays map information and the like, and an operation device that operates the display state of the map information displayed on the display.

  The operating device includes a box-shaped main body, an operating shaft supported by the main body so as to be swingable in multiple directions around one end, a detection switch as a plurality of detection means housed in the main body, And an operation knob attached to the other end of the operation shaft. A plurality of detection switches, such as eight, are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction centering on one end of the operation shaft.

  The detection switch detects that one end of the operation shaft has come into contact when the operation shaft swings with respect to the main body and one end of the operation shaft approaches. In each detection switch, one end portion of the operation shaft enters the fan-shaped detection region having the one end portion of the operation shaft as the center of the arc, and the one end portion contacts. The detection areas of the plurality of detection switches are not overlapped without being spaced apart from each other.

  Further, the detection switch detects that the operation shaft swings with respect to the main body so that the other end portion of the operation shaft falls toward the detection area when one end portion of the operation shaft comes into contact. The operation knob is formed in a thick flat plate shape. The operation device having the above-described configuration detects the direction in which the operation shaft is tilted with respect to the main body by detecting that one end of the operation shaft is in contact with any one of the plurality of detection switches.

  In the above-described operation device, when the operation shaft swings with respect to the main body, any one of the plurality of detection switches detects that one end of the operation shaft is in contact. Then, the operating device outputs information indicating the detected detection switch, that is, the direction in which the operating shaft is tilted, to the display. Then, the car navigation moves the display area of the map information displayed on the display along the direction in which the operation axis falls.

  The car navigation system swings the operating shaft of the operating device with respect to the main body. For example, when the four detection switches described above are provided, the display area of the map information displayed on the display is set upward, Move down, left or right.

  In the above-described conventional operation device, when an operation knob having a diameter larger than that of the operation shaft is used, the range of rattling of the operation knob increases because of the play of the operation shaft with respect to the main body. It gave a sense of incongruity in operation. In order to solve this type of problem, it has been proposed to provide a guide member provided with a through hole through which an operation shaft passes on the main body, and further to provide a buffer member between the guide member and the operation knob. In this case, the buffer member is sandwiched between the guide member and the operation knob, and is deformed so that the thickness is reduced, thereby preventing the operation knob from rattling with respect to the main body or the like.

  However, when the buffer member that is sandwiched between the guide member and the operation knob and is deformed is provided, the buffer member that is sandwiched between the guide member and the operation knob so that the thickness is reduced is the operation knob. That is, it is conceivable to prevent the operation shaft from swinging or to reduce the operation feeling (click feeling) during operation.

  An example of the object of the present invention made in view of the above-described problems is an operating device that can prevent the operating knob from shaking and operating feeling while preventing the operating knob from rattling with respect to the main body. It is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the operating device according to the present invention includes a main body and an operating shaft supported by the main body so as to be swingable in multiple directions around one end. A plurality of detection means provided in a circumferential direction centering on one end of the operation shaft and detecting that the operation shaft has swung; and a swinging direction of the operation shaft superimposed on the main body. An operation knob provided on the other end of the operation shaft, and a buffer member provided between the operation knob and the guide member and deformed between the operation knob and the guide member. In the apparatus, the guide member is characterized in that a concave portion is provided at a position where an operation shaft that is swung toward a position that can be detected by the detection means overlaps on an end surface facing the operation knob.

  In the operating device according to the present invention, as described above, since the concave portion is provided on the end surface of the guide member at a position overlapping the operating shaft that is swung toward the position that can be detected by the detecting means, the operating shaft is swung. Even if the detection means detects this, the inner surface of the recess and the operation knob are spaced from each other. Thus, even if a buffer member is provided between the guide member and the operation knob to prevent the operation knob from rattling against the main body, the above-described space is formed when the operation shaft is swung. Therefore, even if the operating shaft is swung to a position where the deformation of the buffer member in the concave portion can be suppressed and the detection means can be detected, the portion positioned in the concave portion of the buffer member does not swing the operating shaft. Does not interfere with movement. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the operation knob from being disturbed while preventing the operation knob from rattling with respect to the main body, and to prevent a decrease in operation feeling (click feeling) during operation. Can do.

  In the present invention, a plurality of recesses may be provided at intervals in the circumferential direction, and adjacent recesses may be connected to each other by a smooth curved surface. In this case, even if the operation knob is rotated about the operation axis, it is possible to prevent the friction between the buffer member and the guide member from increasing, and the operation knob can be smoothly rotated about the operation axis.

  An operating device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. An operation device 1 shown in FIG. 1 or the like is a front surface 3a of a device main body 3 of the navigation device 2 (hereinafter referred to as car navigation) shown in FIG. Is detachably provided. The car navigation 2 is an electronic device described in this specification. Hereinafter, a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the front surface 3a is referred to as a width direction X, a direction parallel to the width direction of the front surface 3a is referred to as a thickness direction Z, and is orthogonal to both the width direction X and the thickness direction Z. The direction is referred to as the depth direction Y.

  The car navigation system 2 includes a device main body 3 attached to the instrument panel and a display installed on the outer surface of the instrument panel. The display displays map information and the like. The controller device 1 moves the display area of the map information displayed on the display in a total of five directions including, for example, an upward direction, a downward direction, a left direction, a right direction, and a rotation direction around the center of the map information. . The controller device 1 moves the display area of the map information in the five directions described above to display a wide range of map information on the display that exceeds the range that can be displayed on the display at one time. As described above, the controller device 1 is used for performing various operations of electronic devices such as the car navigation system 2 described above.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation device 1 includes a device main body 4, a printed wiring board 5, a joystick 6, a guide member 7, an operation knob 8, and a buffer member 9.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus main body 4 includes a lower cover 10 and an upper cover 11. The lower cover 10 includes a bottom plate 10a formed in the same rectangular shape as the front surface 3a of the device body 3 and a peripheral plate 10b erected from the outer edge of the bottom plate 10a, and is formed in a flat box shape. Yes.

  The upper cover 11 is formed in a strip shape that is substantially the same shape as the bottom plate 10a. The upper cover 11 is attached to the lower cover 10 so that the outer edge of the upper cover 11 is attached to the edge of the peripheral plate 10 b away from the bottom plate 10 a and closes the lower cover 10. A through hole 12 that penetrates the upper cover 11 is formed at one end of the upper cover 11 in the longitudinal direction. The planar shape of the through hole 12 is a round shape. The apparatus main body 4 having the above-described configuration accommodates a main body 14 (described later) of the joystick 6 and passes an operation shaft 15 (described later) through the through hole 12.

  The printed wiring board 5 includes an insulating substrate 13 and a conductor pattern formed on the substrate 13. The printed wiring board 5 is stacked on the bottom plate 10a, attached to the bottom plate 10a, and accommodated in the apparatus main body 4.

  As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the joystick 6 includes a box-shaped main body portion 14 and a rod-shaped operation shaft 15. The main body portion 14 is formed in a rectangular shape. The main body 14, that is, the joystick 6 is mounted on the printed wiring board 5 and is electrically connected to the conductor pattern of the printed wiring board 5.

  The operation shaft 15 is formed in a rod shape, one end 15 a is accommodated in the main body 14, and the other end 15 b projects from the main body 14. The other end 15 b of the operation shaft 15 passes through the through hole 12 and is exposed outside the apparatus main body 4. As shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 4B, the operation shaft 15 is supported by the main body 14 so as to be swingable in multiple directions around the one end 15a. For this reason, the operation shaft 15 is supported by the main body portion 14 so as to be swingable in multiple directions around the one end portion 15a. Further, the operating shaft 15 is urged by a biasing means such as a spring (not shown) toward a neutral position whose longitudinal direction shown by a solid line in FIG. 4B is orthogonal to the surface of the upper cover 11 of the apparatus body 4. It is energized. In the neutral position, the one end portion 15a of the operation shaft 15 is not in contact with any of the detection switches 16 described later.

  In the illustrated example, the operation shaft 15 includes two directions K1, K2 (indicated by arrows in FIG. 1) parallel to the width direction X, and two directions K3, K4 (indicated by arrows in FIG. 1) parallel to the thickness direction Z. ) Along the direction K5 (shown by an arrow in FIG. 1) around the axis at the neutral position described above. It is provided freely.

  Further, as shown by dotted lines in FIGS. 2 and 4, a plurality of detection switches 16 as detection means and a rotation detection switch 17 are accommodated in the main body portion 14. For this reason, the controller device 1 includes a plurality of detection switches 16. As shown in FIG. 5, the detection switches 16 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction around the one end 15 a of the operation shaft 15. In the illustrated example, four detection switches 16 are provided, and are arranged at a position aligned along the width direction X with respect to the one end portion 15 a of the operation shaft 15 and a position aligned along the thickness direction Z.

  Each of the detection switches 16 comes into contact with one end portion 15a of the operation shaft 15 when the operation shaft 15 swings with respect to the main body portion 14. The detection switch 16 detects that the operation shaft 15 is swung by the contact of the one end 15a.

  As described above, when the one end portion 15a of the operation shaft 15 approaches, the detection switch 16 detects that the one end portion 15a of the operation shaft 15 has come into contact. When the detection switch 16 detects that the one end 15a of the operation shaft 15 has come into contact, that is, has swung around the one end 15a of the operation shaft 15, information indicating this is displayed on the display navigation or car navigation system 2. Output toward. The display moves the map information according to the detection switch 16 that has output the above-described information. When it is detected that the one end 15a of the operation shaft 15 is in contact with the uppermost detection switch 16 (hereinafter denoted by reference numeral 13a) in FIG. 4A, the display moves the map information upward. To do.

  The rotation detection switch 17 is attached to one end 15 a of the operation shaft 15. The rotation detection switch 17 detects that the operation shaft 15 has rotated about the axis when the operation shaft 15 rotates about the axis in the neutral position.

  When the rotation detection switch 17 detects that the operation shaft 15 has rotated about the axis, the rotation detection switch 17 outputs information indicating this toward the display, that is, the car navigation system 2. The display rotates the map information according to the rotation direction of the operation shaft 15 that has output the information. When it is detected that the operation shaft 15 has rotated along the arrow K5 in FIG. 1, the display rotates the map information being displayed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the guide member 7 has a cylindrical fixing portion 18 whose outer diameter changes stepwise, and the appearance connected to the fixing portion 18 has a prefix cone shape. And a guide portion 19 formed in a cylindrical shape. The fixed portion 18 and the guide portion 19 are disposed at positions that are coaxial with each other. The fixing portion 18 is fixed to the printed wiring board 5 in a state where the main body portion 14 of the joystick 6 is accommodated inside.

  The guide portion 19 has a shape protruding from the fixed portion 18. The guide portion 19 has the operation shaft 15 projecting from an end surface 19 a that is parallel to the surface of the printed wiring board 5 and that faces the operation knob 8 through the operation shaft 15. The guide member 7 is stacked on the main body portion 14 by accommodating the main body portion 14 of the joystick 6 inside the fixed portion, and is passed through the operation shaft 15 inside the guide portion 19 at the inner edge of the guide portion 19. The operating direction of the operating shaft 15 that swings about the one end 15a is guided.

  A plurality of recesses 20 are formed on the end surface 19 a of the guide portion 19 of the guide member 7. Of course, the recess 20 is formed concave toward the printed wiring board 5. The inner surface of the recess 20 is formed into a smooth curved surface (a surface on which no ridge line is provided). When the guide member 7 is fixed to the printed wiring board 5 on which the joystick 6 is mounted, the recess 20 extends along the longitudinal direction of the operation shaft 15 at the neutral position (that is, the aforementioned depth direction Y) as shown in FIG. And provided at a position along with the detection switch 16. For this reason, the four recessed parts 20 are provided in the example of illustration. These four concave portions 20 are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the guide member 7 on the end surface 19a. Thus, the recessed part 20 is provided in the position where the operating shaft 15 rock | fluctuated toward the position which the detection switch 16 of the said end surface 19a can detect overlaps.

  Further, in the illustrated example, the space between the adjacent recesses 20 is formed to be convex toward the operation knob 8 and is formed into a smooth curved surface (a surface on which no ridge line is provided). For this reason, the recessed parts 20 adjacent to each other are connected to each other by a smooth curved surface.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and the like, the operation knob 8 is formed in a thick disk shape and is attached to the other end portion 15 b of the operation shaft 15. The outer diameter of the operation knob 8 is sufficiently larger than the outer diameter of the operation shaft 15 and is formed substantially equal to the outer diameter of the guide member 7. Of course, the operation knob 8 is coaxially attached to the operation shaft 15.

  The buffer member 9 is made of a resin, a nonwoven fabric, or the like that can undergo various deformations (such as elastic deformation) other than plastic deformation, and is formed in an annular shape. The outer diameter of the buffer member 9 is smaller than the outer diameters of the operation knob 8 and the guide member 7, and the inner diameter of the buffer member 9 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the guide portion 19 of the guide member 7. As shown in FIG. 6, the buffer member 9 is disposed between the end surface 19 a of the guide member 7 and the operation knob 8 through the operation shaft 15 inside. In the illustrated example, the buffer member 9 is attached to the operation knob 8. Further, the buffer member 9 is sandwiched between the guide member 7 and the operation knob 8 in a state where the operation shaft 15 is positioned at the neutral position, and is deformed in a direction in which the thickness is slightly reduced. The buffer member 9 is deformed as described above to prevent the operation knob 8 from rattling with respect to the guide member 7 due to the backlash of the operation shaft 15 with respect to the main body portion 14.

  In the operation device 1 described above, the joystick 6 is mounted on the printed wiring board 5 and the main body 14 is covered with the guide member 7 to fix the guide member 7 to the printed wiring board 5. Then, the printed wiring board 5 is positioned at a position where the joystick 6 is exposed to the outside through the through hole 12, the printed wiring board 5 is accommodated in the lower cover 10, and the lower cover 7 and the upper cover 8 are fixed to each other. . Then, the operation knob 8 having the buffer member 9 attached to the other end 15b of the operation shaft 15 is attached.

  When the map information to be displayed on the display is moved using the operation device 1 described above, the operation axis 15 is tilted in the direction in which the map information is to be moved. Then, one end 15a of the operation shaft 15 contacts the detection switch 16 corresponding to the direction in which the operation shaft 15 is tilted, and the map information displayed on the display moves in accordance with the direction in which the operation shaft 15 is tilted. .

  Further, when rotating the map information, the operation knob 8, that is, the operation shaft 15 is turned in the direction in which the map information is to be rotated. Then, the rotation detection switch 17 detects the direction in which the operation shaft 15 is rotated, and the map information displayed on the display is rotated corresponding to the direction in which the operation shaft 15 is rotated.

  According to the present embodiment, a recess is provided on the end surface 19a of the guide member 7 at a position overlapping the operation shaft 15 that is swung toward the position where the detection switch 16 can detect that the operation shaft 15 has swung. Therefore, even if the detection switch 16 detects that the operation shaft 15 has swung, the inner surface of the recess 20 and the operation knob 8 are spaced from each other as shown in FIG.

  For this reason, even if the buffer member 9 is provided between the guide member 7 and the operation knob 8 to prevent the operation knob 8 from rattling with respect to the main body 14, the above-described space is maintained when the operation shaft 15 is swung. Therefore, the deformation of the buffer member 9 in the recess 20 can be suppressed. Therefore, even if the operation shaft 15 is swung to a position where it can be detected that the detection switch 16 has swung, the portion positioned in the recess 20 of the buffer member 9 may prevent the operation shaft 15 from swinging. Absent. Therefore, while preventing the operation knob 8 from rattling with respect to the main body 14, it is possible to prevent the swing of the operation shaft 15 from being hindered, and the operational feeling (click) when the operation shaft 15 is swung. Feeling).

  In addition, since a plurality of recesses 20 are provided on the end surface 19a at intervals in the circumferential direction, and the recesses 20 adjacent to each other are connected to each other by a smooth curved surface, even if the operation knob 8 is rotated around the operation shaft 15 Further, it is possible to prevent an increase in friction between the buffer member 9 and the guide member 7 and to smoothly rotate the operation knob 8 around the operation shaft 15.

  In the embodiment described above, the operating device 1 is used for operating the car navigation 2 as an electronic device. However, the operation device 1 of the present invention may be used for various operations of various electronic devices such as known game devices. In the embodiment described above, four detection switches 16 as detection means are provided and four recesses 20 are provided. However, in the present invention, the number of detection switches 16 as detection means is other than four, such as eight. Of course, a plurality of recesses 20 other than four, such as eight, may be provided.

  In addition, the Example mentioned above only showed the typical form of this invention, and this invention is not limited to an Example. That is, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

  According to the embodiment described above, the following operating device 1 is obtained.

(Supplementary note)
An operation shaft 15 supported by the main body portion 14 so as to be swingable in multiple directions around one end portion 15a;
A plurality of detection switches 16 provided in the circumferential direction around the one end portion 15a of the operation shaft 15 and detecting that the operation shaft 15 has swung;
A guide member 7 superimposed on the main body 14 and guiding the swinging direction of the operation shaft 15;
An operation knob 8 attached to the other end 15b of the operation shaft 15,
In the operating device 1 comprising a buffer member 9 provided between the operating knob 8 and the guide member 7 and deformed by being sandwiched between them,
The guide member 7 is provided with a recess 20 at a position where an operation shaft 15 swung toward a position where the detection switch 16 can be detected overlaps on an end surface 19 a facing the operation knob 8. Operation device 1 to be operated.

  According to the operation device 1 described in the appendix, the concave portion is formed at a position overlapping the operation shaft 15 that is swung toward the position where the detection switch 16 can detect that the operation shaft 15 of the end surface 19a of the guide member 7 has swung. Therefore, even if the detection switch 16 detects that the operation shaft 15 has swung, the inner surface of the recess 20 and the operation knob 8 are spaced from each other.

  For this reason, even if the buffer member 9 is provided between the guide member 7 and the operation knob 8 to prevent the operation knob 8 from rattling with respect to the main body 14, the above-described space is maintained when the operation shaft 15 is swung. Therefore, the deformation of the buffer member 9 in the recess 20 can be suppressed. Therefore, even if the operation shaft 15 is swung to a position where it can be detected that the detection switch 16 has swung, the portion positioned in the recess 20 of the buffer member 9 may prevent the operation shaft 15 from swinging. Absent. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the swing of the operation shaft 15 from being hindered while preventing the operation knob 8 from rattling with respect to the main body portion 14. In addition, it is possible to prevent a decrease in operation feeling (click feeling) during operation.

It is a perspective view which shows the external appearance of the operating device etc. concerning one Example of this invention. It is a perspective view which decomposes | disassembles and shows the operating device shown by FIG. (A) is a top view of the guide member of the operating device shown by FIG. 2, (b) is a side view of the guide member seen from the arrow IIIB direction in Fig.3 (a). (A) is a top view of the joystick of the operating device shown in FIG. 2, (b) is a side view of the joystick seen from the arrow IVB direction in FIG. 4 (a). It is a top view of the principal part of the operating device shown by FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows the VI-VI line in FIG. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which an operation knob of the operation device illustrated in FIG. 6 is swung.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Operation apparatus 7 Guide member 8 Operation knob 9 Buffer member 14 Main-body part 15 Operation shaft 15a One end part 15b Other end part 16 Detection switch (detection means)
19a End face 20 Recess

Claims (2)

The main body,
An operation shaft supported by the main body so as to be swingable in multiple directions around one end;
A plurality of detection means provided in a circumferential direction centering on one end of the operation shaft and detecting that the operation shaft has swung;
A guide member that is superimposed on the main body and guides the swing direction of the operation shaft;
An operation knob attached to the other end of the operation shaft;
In an operating device comprising a buffer member provided between the operating knob and the guide member and deformed by being sandwiched between them,
The operation device according to claim 1, wherein the guide member is provided with a recess at a position where an operation shaft that is swung toward a position that can be detected by the detection means is overlapped on an end surface facing the operation knob.   2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the concave portions are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction, and adjacent concave portions are connected to each other by a smooth curved surface.

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