JP5098774B2 - Input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device mainly used for operating various electronic devices.

  In recent years, as various electronic devices such as mobile phones and personal computers have become highly functional and miniaturized, input devices used for these operations are required to be able to perform reliable operations with a good operational feeling. Yes.

  Such a conventional input device will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional input device, in which 1 is a ball made of an insulating resin, 2 is a substantially disk-like magnet such as ferrite, and a plurality of magnets 2 are embedded in the outer periphery of the ball 1 at predetermined intervals. Has been.

  3 is an upper case made of a thin metal plate, 4 is also a lower case, 5 is also a frame, and the upper case 3 and the lower case 4 are mounted on the frame 5 so as to be movable up and down. The ball 1 is rotatably accommodated in the case 4, and the upper part of the ball 1 protrudes from the opening hole on the upper surface of the upper case 3.

  Reference numeral 6 denotes a wiring board in which a plurality of wiring patterns (not shown) are formed on the upper and lower surfaces. The lower end of the frame 5 is fixed to the wiring board 6, and a plurality of hall elements and the like are formed on the upper surface of the wiring board 6. The magnetic detection element 7 is mounted and disposed opposite the ball 1 with a predetermined gap.

  Further, reference numeral 8 denotes a switch contact such as a push switch, which is mounted on the upper surface of the wiring board 6 and disposed below the ball 1, and the upper surface of the push button portion 8A protruding upward comes into contact with the lower surface of the lower case 4, thereby Is configured.

  The input device configured as described above is mounted on an operation unit (not shown) of an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a personal computer with the upper portion of the ball 1 protruding, and a plurality of magnetic detection elements 7 and The switch contact 8 is electrically connected to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the device via a wiring pattern or the like.

  In the above configuration, for example, a display means (not shown) such as a liquid crystal display element of a device displays a plurality of menus such as names and song titles, a cursor (not shown), etc. When rotating in the front / rear / left / right direction, the plurality of magnets 2 embedded in the outer periphery of the ball 1 also rotate. For example, when rotating to the right, the magnet 2A first approaches the magnetic detection element 7 and then the magnet 2B. Approaches the magnetic detection element 7.

  Then, the magnetism detecting element 7 detects the magnetism of the plurality of magnets 2 that are alternately approaching and leaving, and outputs a predetermined pulse signal to the electronic circuit of the device. The rotation direction and the rotation angle are detected, and the cursor on the menu displayed on the display means of the device is moved to the right, for example.

  Even when the ball 1 is rotated in the left direction, the front-rear direction, or an oblique direction intermediate to these, a pulse signal is similarly output from the magnetic detection element 7 and the electronic circuit rotates in the rotation direction of the ball 1. When the angle is detected, the cursor or the like moves in the left direction, the vertical direction, or the diagonal direction.

  When the upper portion of the ball 1 is pressed with the cursor or the like positioned on the desired menu, the upper case 3 and the lower case 4 containing the ball 1 are attached to the frame 5 as shown in the sectional view of FIG. Guided and moved downward, the lower surface of the lower case 4 presses the push button portion 8A, and the switch contact 8 is electrically connected / disconnected, which is detected by an electronic circuit, for example, confirmation of a menu or the next menu Display is performed.

  That is, by rotating the ball 1 in a predetermined direction while looking at the display means of the device, the cursor displayed on the display means is moved in the predetermined direction to select a menu, and the ball 1 is pressed. By doing so, the menu can be confirmed and the next menu can be displayed.

As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, for example, Patent Document 1 is known.
JP 2004-5091 A

  However, in the conventional input device, if the ball 1 is accidentally pressed during the rotation operation of the ball 1, the ball 1 moves downward together with the upper case 3 and the lower case 4. Since the gap with the magnetic detection element 7 changes, the pulse signal output from the magnetic detection element 7 may vary, and an error may occur in the detection of the rotation direction and rotation angle of the ball 1. There was a problem.

  The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an input device that can be reliably operated without erroneous detection.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, the flexible substrate has a notch around the magnetic detection element, and the frame has a notch at a position corresponding to the notch of the flexible substrate. When the ball is pressed, the region in the cutout portion of the flexible substrate and the region in the cutout portion of the frame body can be elastically deformed, and the magnetic detection element is formed on the flexible substrate. The region in the notch and the region in the notch of the frame body are in elastic contact with the lower surface of the lower case, and the ball and the magnetic detection element accommodated in the case swing the swinging body. respect are those which form an input device mounted on said oscillator so as to maintain a constant mutual gap, when pressed the ball, also magnetic sensing element pressed against the case bottom surface ball Moves up and down in the same direction, and the predetermined gap between the ball and the magnetic sensing element does not change and is always kept constant, preventing variations in the detection of the ball rotation direction and rotation angle, preventing erroneous detection, and ensuring reliable operation Therefore, it is possible to obtain an input device capable of achieving the above.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain an advantageous effect that it is possible to realize an input device that can be reliably operated without erroneous detection.

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

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view thereof, in which 11 is a ball made of an insulating resin such as ABS, polycarbonate, urethane, 12 is a permalloy, A magnetic body 12 is formed of a magnetic body such as iron or Ni-Fe alloy, and a plurality of, for example, 24 protrusions 14 having a substantially cylindrical shape project radially from the substantially spherical core 13 to the outer periphery. At the same time, the magnetic body 12 is embedded in the ball 11.

  Further, 15 is an upper case made of a thin metal plate such as steel, and 16 is also a lower case. The ball 11 is rotatably housed in the upper case 15 and the lower case 16, and the upper portion of the ball 11 is the upper surface of the upper case 15. It protrudes from the opening hole.

  Reference numeral 17 denotes a substantially plate-like cover made of rubber or elastomer, 18 denotes an oscillating body made of an insulating resin such as polybutylene terephthalate or polystyrene, and the upper case 15 and the lower case 16 that house the balls 11 are interposed via the cover 17. And placed on the upper surface of the rocking body 18.

  Reference numeral 19 denotes a film-like flexible substrate such as polyethylene terephthalate or polycarbonate. A plurality of wiring patterns (not shown) are formed on the upper and lower surfaces by carbon, silver, copper foil, etc., and the flexible substrate below the ball 11 On the top surface 19, a substantially cylindrical magnet 20 such as ferrite or Nd—Fe—B alloy is placed, for example, with the N pole upward and the S pole downward.

  Further, a plurality of magnetic detection elements 21 such as a GMR element for detecting the magnetism in the horizontal direction and a Hall element for detecting the magnetism in the vertical direction are mounted on the upper surface of the flexible substrate 19 on the inner periphery of the magnet 20. The detection element 21 is disposed opposite to the ball 11 with a predetermined gap, and a substantially U-shaped cutout 19 </ b> A is formed in the flexible substrate 19 around the magnetic detection element 21.

  A switch contact 22 such as a push switch is mounted on the right side of the upper surface of the flexible substrate 19 and is disposed below the ball 11. The upper surface of the push button portion 22A protruding upward is a pressing portion at the right end of the rocking body 18. The lower surface of 18A is in contact.

  Reference numeral 23 denotes a frame made of a thin metal plate such as steel or copper alloy. This frame 23 is fixed to the upper case 15, and the ball 11, the swinging body 18 and the like housed in the lower case 16 are held at predetermined positions. Similarly to the flexible substrate 19 placed on the upper surface, a substantially U-shaped cutout 23A is formed in the frame 23 around the magnetic detection element 21, and the upper surface of the magnetic detection element 21 is the lower case 16. It is in elastic contact with the bottom surface.

  Further, reference numeral 24 denotes a wiring board such as paper phenol or glass epoxy, and a plurality of wiring patterns (not shown) are formed on the upper and lower surfaces by carbon, copper foil or the like. The lower surface of the left fulcrum 18B abuts so as to be capable of swinging to constitute an input device.

  The input device configured as described above is mounted on an operation unit (not shown) of an electronic device such as a mobile phone or a personal computer with the upper portion of the ball 11 protruding, and a plurality of magnetic detection elements 21 and The switch contact 22 is electrically connected to an electronic circuit (not shown) of the device via a wiring pattern or the like.

  In the above configuration, for example, a plurality of menus such as name and song name and a cursor (not shown) are displayed on the display means (not shown) of the liquid crystal display element of the device, and the upper part of the ball 11 is moved back and forth with fingers. When rotating in the horizontal direction, the magnetic body 12 embedded in the ball 11 also rotates. For example, as shown in the partial front view of FIG. The protrusion 14A of the magnetic body 12 approaches the magnetic detection element 21A.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, in a state where the protrusion 14A is closest to the magnetic detection element 21A, N from the right and left sides of the substantially cylindrical magnet 20 disposed below the ball 11 is obtained. The magnetic detection element 21A detects the pole magnetism from the projections 14B and 14C closest to the magnet 20 through the core 13 and the projection 14A.

  If the ball 11 is continuously rotated to the right as it is, the protrusion 14A moves away from the magnetic detection element 21A and approaches the magnetic detection element 21B, and the protrusion 14B approaches the magnetic detection element 21A. The magnetic detection element 21A detects the magnetism of 14B.

  In other words, the magnetic detection element 21A detects the N-pole magnetism once when the projection 14A is closest, and thereafter, once the magnetism is weakened and then the projection 14B is closest, the N-pole magnetism is already detected. Once detected, a pulse signal is output from the magnetic detection element 21A to the electronic circuit of the device each time.

  Further, at this time, the magnetic detection element 21B arranged in parallel with the magnetic detection element 21A similarly detects the magnetism of the protrusions 14A and 14B, but the magnetic detection element 21B is spaced from the magnetic detection element 21A at a predetermined interval. Since it is arranged at a slightly shifted position, the pulse signal output from the magnetic detection element 21B has a so-called phase difference that is shifted by a predetermined time from the pulse signal of the magnetic detection element 21A.

  Then, the electronic circuit of the device detects the rotation direction of the ball 11 from the two pulse signals having the phase difference depending on which one of the pulse signals rises first, and the rotation angle of the ball 11 by the number of pulses, The cursor on the menu displayed on the display means of the device is moved, for example, to the right by the rotation angle.

  Even when the ball 11 is rotated in the left direction, the front-rear direction, or an oblique direction intermediate to these, a pulse signal is similarly output from the plurality of magnetic detection elements 21, and the electronic circuit rotates in the rotation direction of the ball 11. The rotation angle is detected, and the cursor or the like moves leftward, up-down, or diagonally.

  Further, when the upper part of the ball 11 is pressed with the cursor or the like positioned on a desired menu, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. The switch contact 22 is electrically connected and disconnected by the lower surface of the right end pressing portion 18A pressing the push button portion 22A, and this is detected by the electronic circuit, for example, confirmation of the menu or display of the next menu Etc. are performed.

  That is, by rotating the ball 11 in a predetermined direction while looking at the display means of the device, the cursor displayed on the display means is moved in the predetermined direction to select a menu, and the ball 11 is pressed. By doing so, the menu can be confirmed and the next menu can be displayed.

  When the ball 11 is pressed, the ball 11, the lower case 16, the flexible substrate 19, the magnetic detection element 21, and the like that are integrated with the swing body 18 by the upper case 15 and the frame body 23 remain in the same positional relationship. And the upper surface of the magnetic detection element 21 is in elastic contact with the lower surface of the lower case 16, so that the positional relationship between the ball 11 and the magnetic detection element 21 does not change even during a pressing operation. A gap is maintained.

  That is, the oscillating body 18 is provided between the ball 11 and the magnetic detection element 21, and the oscillating body 21 is oscillated during the pressing operation, and the switch contact 22 below the ball 11 is electrically connected and separated by the pressing portion 18A. By causing the magnetic detection element 21 to elastically contact the lower surface of the lower case 16, the predetermined gap between the ball 11 and the magnetic detection element 21 does not change even during a pressing operation, and the pulse signal output from the magnetic detection element 21 varies or It is configured so that no error occurs.

  Further, when the ball 11 is accidentally pressed during the rotation operation of the ball 11 as described above, or when a pressing force is further applied to the ball 11 after the rocking body 18 is swung. As shown in the sectional view of FIG. 5, the plurality of magnetic detection elements 21 are pressed by the lower surface of the lower case 16. At this time, the flexible substrate 19 and the frame body 23 around the magnetic detection elements 21 bend downward. As a result, the gap between the ball 11 and the magnetic detection element 21 does not change, and a constant gap is maintained.

  That is, the flexible substrate 19 and the frame body 23 around the magnetic detection element 21 are formed with substantially U-shaped cutout portions 19A and 23A, respectively, and the placed magnetic detection element 21 is provided on the lower surface of the lower case 16. Therefore, when the ball 11 is accidentally pressed as described above, the flexible substrate 19 and the frame body 23 around the magnetic detection element 21 are bent downward by this pressing force, When the pressing force is removed, it is formed so as to elastically return to the original state.

  That is, when the magnetic detection element 21 is pressed by the lower surface of the lower case 16, the magnetic detection element 21 is moved in the same direction as the ball 11 by elastically deforming the flexible substrate 19 and the frame body 23 around the magnetic detection element 21. By moving up and down, the gap between the ball 11 and the magnetic detection element 21 can be kept constant at all times, so that variations in the rotation direction and rotation angle of the ball 11 can be prevented, and erroneous operation can be performed without fail. It is configured.

  In the above description, the magnetic body 12 is embedded in the ball 11, and the magnetic detection element 21 detects the magnetism of the substantially cylindrical magnet 20 from the magnetic body 12, and the rotation direction and rotation angle of the ball 11 are determined. Although the structure to detect was demonstrated, it replaced with the magnetic body 12 instead of the magnetic body 12, as shown in the fragmentary sectional view of FIG. If the magnetism detecting element 21 detects the magnetism, the substantially cylindrical magnet 20 is unnecessary, and the input device can be formed at a low cost with a simpler configuration.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the magnetic detection element 21 disposed opposite to the ball 11 with a predetermined gap is elastically brought into contact with the lower surface of the lower case 16 in which the ball 11 is rotatably accommodated. 11 is pressed by the lower case 16 and the magnetic detection element 21 also moves up and down in the same direction as the ball 11, and the predetermined gap between the ball 11 and the magnetic detection element 21 does not change and is always kept constant. Thus, it is possible to obtain an input device that can prevent variation in detection of the rotation direction and rotation angle of the ball 11 and that can be reliably operated without erroneous detection.

  In the above description, the magnetic body 12 disposed in the ball 11 has been described as having a configuration in which a plurality of substantially cylindrical projections 14 project radially from the substantially spherical core 13 toward the outer periphery. A structure in which the core portion 13 is hollow, or, instead of the core portion 13, a plurality of protrusions 14 are extended toward the center of the ball 11 and connected at the center, and the plurality of protrusions 14 are connected. If it does, implementation of this invention is possible also as a thing of the structure which formed the core part in various shapes.

  Furthermore, although the plurality of protrusions 14 of the magnetic body 12 have been described as having a substantially cylindrical shape, a configuration using a rectangular column, a polygonal column, a conical shape, a pyramid shape, or the like may be used.

  The input device according to the present invention has an advantageous effect of realizing a device that can be reliably operated without erroneous detection, and is mainly useful for operation of various electronic devices.

Sectional drawing of the input device by one embodiment of this invention Exploded perspective view Front view of the same part Sectional view during pressing operation Cross-sectional view at the same time Partial sectional view according to another embodiment Sectional view of a conventional input device Sectional view during pressing operation

Explanation of symbols

11 Ball 12 Magnetic body 13 Core portion 14, 14A, 14B, 14C Protrusion portion 15 Upper case 16 Lower case 17 Cover 18 Oscillating body 18A Pressing portion 18B Support point portion 19 Flexible substrate 19A, 23A Notch portion 20, 20A Magnet 21, 21A, 21B Magnetic detection element 22 Switch contact 22A Push button part 23 Frame 24 Wiring board

Claims (2)

A case composed of an upper case having an opening and a lower case, a ball rotatably accommodated in the case, exposed from the opening , and embedded with a magnetic body having a plurality of protrusions ; A magnet provided at a position for applying magnetism to the plurality of protrusions; a magnetic detection element disposed opposite to the ball with a predetermined gap; a flexible substrate on which the magnetic detection element is mounted; A frame made of a thin metal plate that covers the lower surface of the substrate, a switch disposed below the ball, and provided between the case and the switch, and supports the case swingably with respect to the switch, A swinging body that turns on and off the switch in response to swinging, the flexible substrate has a cutout portion around the magnetic detection element, and the frame body includes the flexible body A notch portion is provided at a position corresponding to the notch portion of the plate, and the area in the notch portion of the flexible board and the area in the notch portion of the frame body can be elastically deformed when the ball is pressed. In addition, the magnetic detection element is in elastic contact with the lower surface of the lower case by the region in the cutout portion of the flexible substrate and the region in the cutout portion of the frame, and is housed in the case An input device mounted on the rocking body so that the ball and the magnetic detection element keep a constant gap with respect to the rocking of the rocking body . A case composed of an upper case having an opening and a lower case, a ball rotatably accommodated in the case, exposed from the opening, and having a plurality of magnets embedded therein; A magnetic detection element disposed opposite to each other with a gap, a flexible substrate having the magnetic detection element mounted on the upper surface, a metal thin frame covering the lower surface of the flexible substrate, and a lower portion of the ball. A switch that is provided between the case and the switch, supports the case in a swingable manner with respect to the switch, and turns the switch on and off in response to the swing. The flexible substrate has a notch around the magnetic detection element, the frame has a notch at a position corresponding to the notch of the flexible substrate, and the ball is pressed. In this case, the region in the cutout portion of the flexible substrate and the region in the cutout portion of the frame body can be elastically deformed, and the magnetic detection element is connected to the region in the cutout portion of the flexible substrate. The region in the cutout portion of the frame is elastically contacted with the lower surface of the lower case, and the ball and the magnetic detection element accommodated in the case have a constant gap with respect to the swinging of the swinging body. An input device mounted on the rocking body so as to keep the

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