JP5160362B2 - pointing device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a pointing device that includes a touch pad capable of inputting coordinates and a switch that is pressed by pressing an operation surface of the touch pad.

  Patent Document 1 describes a configuration including a touch pad capable of inputting coordinates and a switch to be pressed. In Patent Document 1, a touch pad is arranged over the entire surface of the key mat on which a large number of keys are arranged in a mobile phone, and a through hole is formed in a portion of the touch pad facing the switch. Is formed. A columnar body protrudes from the inner surface side of the key, and this columnar body passes through the through hole of the touch pad, and its tip is positioned on the metal dome of the switch using the metal dome.

  In this patent document 1, by providing a through hole in a touch pad, a switch arranged on the lower side of the touch pad can be pressed with a key.

  In Patent Document 1, one switch is arranged for each key, and one switch is operated by pressing the key. On the other hand, FIG. 10 shows a configuration of a switch described in Patent Document 2, and this switch is used as a five-way switch of a cellular phone, and five switches are operated by operating one key 11. It has become something that can be done.

  The five switches include a central switch 12 and four peripheral switches 13 arranged around the central switch 12, and the central switch 12 and the peripheral switch 13 are contact patterns 15 a and 15 b formed on the substrate 14. The metal dome 16 mounted on the contact patterns 15a and 15b. The contact pattern 15a is circular, and a contact pattern 15b having a ring shape is formed surrounding the circular contact pattern 15a.

  The metal dome 16 of the central switch 12 is pressed and reversed by depressing the key 11, whereby the contact patterns 15a and 15b are conducted through the metal dome 16, and the central switch 12 is turned on. On the other hand, the metal dome 16 of the peripheral switch 13 is pressed and inverted by tilting the key 11, so that, like the central switch 12, the contact patterns 15 a and 15 b are conducted through the metal dome 16, and the key 11 is The peripheral switch 13 in the tilted direction is turned on.

In this example, a switch sheet 17 having protrusions 17a and 17b is provided on the lower surface of the key 11, and the metal dome 16 is pressed through these protrusions 17a and 17b. The height of the projection 17a for the central switch 12 is set higher than the height of the projection 17b for the peripheral switch 13, thereby preventing the peripheral switch 13 from being simultaneously pressed when the central switch 12 is pressed. Interference during operation of the central switch 12 and the peripheral switch 13 is prevented. In FIG. 10, reference numerals 18a and 18b denote a front case and a back case of a mobile phone on which this switch is mounted.
Japanese Patent No. 4017595 JP 2001-202854 A

  By the way, since the through-hole is formed in the touch pad in the configuration described in Patent Document 1, the electrode (electrode grid) of the touch pad is bypassed in the portion where the through-hole is formed. In Patent Document 1, the touch pad is normally operated by correcting the detour by software. In other words, if there is a through hole in the touch pad as described above, processing such as coordinate correction is required. .

  In addition, when it is considered to arrange the touch pad in a smaller area, it becomes difficult to provide an electrode around the through hole. For example, when the touch pad is arranged in the five-way switch portion of the mobile phone, There is a problem that application is difficult in a configuration in which a through hole is provided.

  On the other hand, a metal dome switch that uses a metal dome provides a good operation feeling (click feeling) by reversing the metal dome, but it is known that this feeling is more amplified when the metal dome is pushed with a pusher. ing. In this regard, the configuration described in Patent Document 2 shown in FIG. 10 also has a structure in which the metal dome is pushed by a pusher made of a protrusion.

  However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 10, the protrusions 17 a and 17 b that form the pushers are formed on the switch sheet 17 fixed to the lower surface of the key 11, and thus the substrate 14 on which the metal dome 16 is mounted and the key 11. If the assembly is misaligned, the protrusions 17a and 17b may be displaced from the center of the metal dome 16, and this may cause a problem that the reliable reversing operation and the click feeling of the metal dome 16 are impaired.

  In order to avoid this problem, it is desirable to provide a pusher (protrusion) on the metal dome side, not on the key side. For example, the pusher is attached to a sheet (presser sheet) used for positioning and fixing the metal dome on the substrate. It is desirable to provide it. In this case, the pusher can be formed by printing on the sheet, or can be provided by a method of separately fixing the formed pusher to the sheet.

  However, as in the configuration shown in FIG. 10, the height of the pusher for the central switch is made higher than the pusher for the peripheral switch in order to prevent interference when the central switch and the peripheral switch are operated. The pushers having different heights must be formed on the sheet. In this case, the following problems occur.

  That is, when the presser is formed by printing, there is a problem that the printing plate needs to be changed and the number of times of printing is increased. In these respects, the manufacturing cost is increased. On the other hand, when a separately formed pusher is bonded and fixed, it is necessary to prepare pushers with different heights, which increases the number of parts, and it is necessary to bond pushers with different heights only at one location. Therefore, the process becomes complicated, and in this respect, as in the case of printing formation, the manufacturing cost is increased.

  In addition, increasing the height of the central switch pusher relative to the height of the peripheral switch pusher is disadvantageous in reducing the thickness of the switch.

  An object of the present invention is a pointing device including a touch pad, a central switch and a peripheral switch that are pressed by pressing the operation surface thereof, and can be configured at low cost without interference when the central switch and the peripheral switch are operated. Another object of the present invention is to provide a pointing device that can be thinned.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a touch pad capable of inputting coordinates is configured by a sensor substrate on which sensor electrodes are arranged and an insulating sheet disposed on the sensor substrate and having an upper surface as an operation surface. A central switch and a peripheral switch arranged around the central switch are arranged on the lower side of the touch pad, and the central switch presses the operation surface to thereby insulate the insulating sheet, the sensor substrate, and the central switch. The peripheral switch is configured to be pressed through the insulating sheet and the peripheral switch pusher by pressing the operation surface.

  According to the invention of claim 2, in the invention of claim 1, the pusher for the central switch and the pusher for the peripheral switch have the same height in the pushing operation direction.

  In the invention of claim 3, in the invention of claim 2, the pusher for the central switch and the pusher for the peripheral switch are formed on the same sheet, and are integrated via the sheet.

  In the invention of claim 4, in the invention of claim 3, the center switch and the peripheral switch are each composed of a contact pattern formed on the printed wiring board and a metal dome mounted on the contact pattern and reversed by the pressing operation. Each metal dome is covered with a sheet on which a central switch pusher and a peripheral switch pusher are formed, and is positioned and fixed on a printed wiring board.

  In the invention of claim 5, in the invention of claim 1, the sensor substrate and the insulating sheet are not fixed to each other.

  According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the sensor substrate and the insulating sheet are fixed to each other in a range not exceeding a region where the operation surface is pressed when the center switch is pressed. It is supposed to be.

  According to this invention, even when the height of the pusher for the central switch is the same as that of the pusher for the peripheral switch, it is possible to prevent interference during operation of the central switch and the peripheral switch. Further, since it is not necessary to change the height of the pusher, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced accordingly. Further, since it is not necessary to make the pusher for the central switch higher than the pusher for the peripheral switch as in the prior art, it is possible to reduce the thickness accordingly.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an example of the appearance of a mobile phone equipped with a 5-way switch, and the pointing device according to the present invention adopts a configuration in which a touch pad function is added to the 5-way switch 21 of such a mobile phone 20, for example. Used when

  FIG. 2 shows the appearance of an embodiment of the pointing device according to the present invention as viewed from the operation surface side, and FIG. 3 shows the cross-sectional structure thereof. FIG. 4 is an exploded view of each part. First, the configuration of each unit will be described with reference to FIG.

  A central switch 32 and a peripheral switch 33 are configured on the printed wiring board 31. Four peripheral switches 33 are arranged around the central switch 32, and the central switch 32 and the peripheral switch 33 constitute a five-way switch. Each of the central switch 32 and the peripheral switch 33 is a metal dome switch using a metal dome 34, and a circular contact pattern and a ring-shaped contact pattern surrounding the circular contact pattern are formed on the printed wiring board 31. A metal dome 34 is mounted on the contact pattern. In FIG. 4, illustration of contact patterns, wiring patterns and the like formed on the printed wiring board 31 is omitted.

  The presser sheet 35 is used for positioning and fixing the metal dome 34 on the printed wiring board 31 and is made of, for example, a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film, and has an adhesive on the lower surface. Five pressers (projections) 36 are formed on the presser sheet 35 in correspondence with the positions of the five metal domes 34 on the printed wiring board 31, and these five pressers 36 have the same height.

  The touch pad 40 is a capacitive touch pad, and includes a sensor substrate 41 and an insulating sheet 42. The sensor substrate 41 is constituted by an FPC (flexible printed wiring board). In this example, as shown in FIG. 4, a fixed portion 41a having a rectangular frame shape, and a circular sensor portion located at the center of the fixed portion 41a in the frame. 41b and four connection parts 41c which connect the fixing | fixed part 41a and the sensor part 41b shall be comprised.

  The sensor unit 41b is an effective area (detection area) of the touch pad 40, and is not illustrated, but predetermined sensor electrodes are arrayed. Details of the sensor electrode will be described later. A wiring pattern (not shown) drawn from the sensor electrode is led out through one of the connecting portions 41c and is not shown in the figure, but a predetermined control circuit including a capacitance detection circuit and a data processing circuit; Connected.

  The upper surface of the insulating sheet 42 disposed on the sensor substrate 41 is an operation surface 42a. The insulating sheet 42 is, for example, a PET film, and in this example, a circular key top 43 for the central switch 32 and a ring-shaped key top 44 for the four peripheral switches 33 are formed on the operation surface (upper surface) 42a. Yes. These key tops 43 and 44 can be separately formed by bonding and fixing a resin material to the insulating sheet 42, or can be formed by printing or the like.

The spacer 37 has a rectangular frame shape having the same outer shape as the insulating sheet 42.
The touch pad 40 is configured by fixing the peripheral portion of the insulating sheet 42 to the fixing portion 41a of the sensor substrate 41. The touch pad 40 is mounted on the printed wiring board 31 via the spacer 37 as shown in FIG. Is done. The spacer 37 is fixed to the printed wiring board 31, and the fixing portion 41 a of the sensor substrate 41 of the touch pad 40 is fixed to the spacer 37.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the metal dome 34 of the central switch 32 and the metal dome 34 of the peripheral switch 33 mounted on the printed wiring board 31 are covered with the presser sheet 35 and positioned and fixed on the printed wiring board 31. The pressers 36 formed on the presser sheet 35 are respectively positioned on the center of the metal dome 34.

  The sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 is located at a position as shown in FIG. 3, that is, the sensor portion 41b has a size that does not reach the region where the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33 is located. Therefore, the configuration is such that the four peripheral switches 33 are located inside the pushers 36. Therefore, although the sensor part 41b is positioned on the pusher 36 for the central switch 32 and is in contact with the pusher 36, the sensor part 41b does not exist on the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33. A gap G is formed between the sensor substrate 41 and the insulating sheet 42 on the pusher 36 by the thickness of the sensor substrate 41.

Next, the operation of the pointing device having the above configuration will be described.
FIG. 5A shows a state where the central key top 43 is pressed. When the key top 43 is pressed, the insulating sheet 42, the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41, and the pusher 36 move downward, The metal dome 34 of the center switch 32 is pressed by the pusher 36 and reversed. Due to the reversal of the metal dome 34, the contact pattern formed on the printed wiring board 31 is conducted through the metal dome 34, and the central switch 32 is turned on.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 5A, the insulating sheet 42 is bent (deformed) and the pressed portion is displaced downward. However, in this example, the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 and the insulating sheet 42 Since the opposing surfaces are not fixed to each other, the entire sensor unit 41b is displaced downward without bending. That is, in this example, since it is not necessary to bend the sensor unit 41b, the rigidity of the FPC constituting the sensor substrate 41 does not affect the operation feeling, and thus a good click feeling can be obtained. In addition, such a displacement of the sensor part 41b is permitted when the narrow and long connecting part 41c is bent.

  Further, as described above, since the sensor unit 41b does not exist on the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33, even if the central switch 32 is pressed in this way and the sensor unit 41b is displaced, The pusher 36 for the switch 33 is not pressed, so that there is no problem that the peripheral switch 33 is simultaneously pressed when the central switch 32 is pressed.

  On the other hand, FIG. 5B shows a state in which the key top 44 for the peripheral switch 33 is pressed. When the key top 44 is pressed, the touch pad 40 (the insulating sheet 42 and the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41). Is inclined in the pressing direction with the pusher 36 for the central switch 32 as a fulcrum, and the insulating sheet 42 contacts the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33, and the pusher 36 is pressed down. The metal dome 34 of the peripheral switch 33 is pressed by the pusher 36 and reversed, so that the peripheral switch 33 is turned on as in the case of the central switch 32.

  Coordinate input by the touch pad 40 is performed by touching and operating the key tops 43 and 44 formed on the operation surface 42a with a finger.

  FIG. 6 shows an example of the sensor electrode formed on the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41, and FIG. 6A shows the electrode patterns formed on the front side and the back side superimposed on each other in a perspective view. FIG. 6B shows an electrode pattern on the surface side. FIG. 6C shows the electrode pattern on the back side in a perspective view.

In this example, column electrodes X (X _{1 to} X ₃ ) for detecting the x coordinate of the operated position and row electrodes Y (Y _{1 to} Y ₃ ) for detecting the y coordinate are orthogonally arranged on the sensor unit 41 b. An array of 3 rows × 3 columns is formed. The row electrodes Y _{1 to} Y ₃ and the column electrodes X _{1 to} X ₃ are independent of each other. Although it is shown only one connecting portion 41c in FIG. 6, each of the row electrodes _Y 1 to Y ₃ and the wiring patterns 45 drawn out from each of the column electrodes _X 1 to X ₃ is derived through the connecting portion 41c ing.

  As described above, according to this example, the central switch 32 and the peripheral switch arranged on the lower side of the touch pad 40 without providing a through hole in the touch pad as in the configuration described in Patent Document 1. Thus, when used in a five-way switch section of a cellular phone, for example, the touch pad 40 is operated to move the cursor on the screen, and the center switch 32 is It can be used as a confirmation switch, lightly touched on the peripheral switch 33, recognized by the touch pad 40, further pressed, and confirmed or selected by the peripheral switch 33. The touch pad function and switch function are configured in the area, which reduces finger movement and achieves good operability. The optimal ones.

  Further, the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 does not exist on the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33, and a gap G exists on the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33. Even when the height of the pusher 36 for the central switch 32 and the height of the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33 in the pressing operation direction are the same, interference during operation of the central switch 32 and the peripheral switch 33 can be prevented. It has become a thing.

  Accordingly, the pusher 36 for the central switch 32 and the pusher 36 for the peripheral switch 33 can be set to the same height. When the pusher 36 is formed on the presser sheet 35 by printing, the pusher 36 formed separately is formed. As compared with the case where the pushers having different heights are formed in any case, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and such a pointing device can be configured at a lower cost. In addition, the pointing device can be made thinner by the amount that the height of the pusher 36 can be made the same.

  In the above-described example, the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 and the insulating sheet 42 are configured such that the opposing surfaces are not fixed to each other, whereby the influence of the rigidity of the sensor substrate 41 is exerted when the central switch 32 is pressed. However, when such a configuration is adopted, an expectation between the sensor unit 41b and the insulating sheet 42 due to the distortion of the touch pad 40 or the effect of assembly is expected. Unexpected gaps may occur.

  Such a gap may adversely affect the operation of the touch pad 40. FIG. 7 shows an example in which the sensor portion 41b and the insulating sheet 42 are fixed over the entire surface in order to prevent the occurrence of such a gap. In this example, the sensor portion 41b and the insulating sheet are used by using a double-sided tape 38. 42 is fixed. The spacer 37 is not shown.

  By the way, if the sensor part 41b and the insulating sheet 42 are fixed over the entire surface as shown in FIG. 7, the click feeling is deteriorated. The pointing device shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 solves this problem. FIG. 8 shows a state where each part is disassembled, and FIG. 9 shows a cross-sectional structure. As in FIG. 7, the illustration of the spacer 37 is omitted.

  In this example, a double-sided tape 39 is used to fix the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 and the insulating sheet 42 to each other. The double-sided tape 39 has a small circular shape as shown in FIG. 8, and the external dimension b of the double-sided tape 39 is smaller than the external dimension a of the key top 43 for the central switch 32 in this example as shown in FIG. It is said. That is, the sensor part 41b and the insulating sheet 42 are fixed to each other within the range of the dimension b. In FIG. 9, the double-sided tape 39 is not shown.

  When pressing the key top 43 and depressing the central switch 32, the insulating sheet 42 bends between the key top 43 and the key top 44 as shown in FIG. 5A, so that the key top 43 moves downward. However, at this time, by making the fixing range of the sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 and the insulating sheet 42 by the double-sided tape 39 as described above, the entire sensor portion 41b is displaced downward as shown in FIG. 5A. Is acceptable. Therefore, it is not necessary to bend the sensor unit 41b, and a good click feeling can be obtained. In FIG. 8, only the sensor portion 41b is shown for the sensor substrate 41, and the portion from which the wiring pattern is derived is omitted. Moreover, in this example, since the sensor part 41b is fixed to the insulating sheet 42, the fixing part 41a of the sensor substrate 41 as shown in FIG. 4 is not particularly necessary. In this respect, the configuration shown in FIG. 7 is the same.

  8 and 9, the occurrence of an unexpected gap between the sensor portion 41b and the insulating sheet 42 can be suppressed, and the influence of the rigidity of the sensor substrate 41 when the center switch 32 is pressed. Thus, a pointing device having a good operation and a click feeling can be realized. The sensor portion 41b of the sensor substrate 41 and the insulating sheet 42 only need to have their opposing surfaces fixed to each other in a range not exceeding the region where the operation surface 42a is pressed when the central switch 32 is pressed. In the above-described example, the double-sided tape 39 is used for fixing, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the double-sided tape 39 may be fixed using an adhesive or ultrasonic fusion.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the sensor portion 41b and the insulating sheet 42 are not fixed over the entire surface as in the example shown in FIG. 7, but are fixed only in the center as in the examples shown in FIGS. Alternatively, it is preferable that the structure is not fixed as in the examples shown in FIGS.
The structure of each part is not limited to the said Example, It can change suitably.

  The insulating sheet 42 is not limited to a PET film, but may be made of rubber, and the insulating sheet 42 and the key tops 43 and 44 may be integrally formed of rubber. Further, the shape of the key tops 43 and 44 is not limited to a circular shape and a ring shape, and may be a square shape or a rectangular frame shape according to the application. The key tops 43 and 44 may be omitted.

  The sensor substrate 41 of the touch pad 40 is not limited to the FPC, and a rigid PWB, a membrane wiring board, or the like can also be used. When the sensor unit 41b is configured by PWB, FPC is used for a lead-out portion (cable portion) of the wiring pattern 45. In the case of PWB or FPC, the electrode is formed of copper or the like, and in the case of a membrane wiring board, the electrode is formed of silver ink or ITO.

  The central switch 32 and the peripheral switch 33 are not limited to metal dome switches, and other switches can be used as long as they are pressed.

  The pusher 36 is integrally formed with a presser sheet 35 for positioning and fixing the metal dome 34. However, for example, a sheet on which the pusher is formed may be disposed on the touch pad 40 side. In consideration of the displacement of the pusher, it is desirable to provide it on the switch side (metal dome side).

The perspective view which shows an example of the external appearance of the mobile telephone which is an example of a use of the pointing device by this invention. 1 is a plan view showing a first embodiment of a pointing device according to the present invention. The expanded sectional view of FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the pointing device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the pointing device shown in FIG. 2. The figure for demonstrating an example of the sensor electrode currently formed in the sensor board | substrate. Sectional drawing which shows the 2nd Example of the pointing device by this invention. The disassembled perspective view which shows the structure of the 3rd Example of the pointing device by this invention. FIG. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pointing device shown in FIG. 8. Sectional drawing which shows the example of a conventional structure of a 5-way switch.

Claims (6)

A touch pad capable of coordinate input is configured by a sensor substrate on which sensor electrodes are arranged and an insulating sheet disposed on the sensor substrate and having an upper surface as an operation surface.
A central switch and peripheral switches arranged around the central switch are arranged below the touch pad,
The central switch is configured to be pressed through the insulating sheet, the sensor substrate, and a central switch pusher by pressing the operation surface.
The pointing device, wherein the peripheral switch is configured to be pressed through the insulating sheet and the peripheral switch pusher by pressing the operation surface. The pointing device according to claim 1.
The pointing device, wherein the pusher for the central switch and the pusher for the peripheral switch have the same height in the push-down operation direction. The pointing device according to claim 2.
2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the central switch pusher and the peripheral switch pusher are formed on the same sheet and integrated through the sheet. The pointing device according to claim 3.
Both the central switch and the peripheral switch are metal dome switches composed of a contact pattern formed on a printed wiring board and a metal dome mounted on the contact pattern and reversed by the pressing operation.
Each of the metal domes is covered with the sheet on which the central switch pusher and the peripheral switch pusher are formed, and is positioned and fixed on the printed wiring board. The pointing device according to claim 1.
The pointing device, wherein the sensor substrate and the insulating sheet are not fixed to each other. The pointing device according to claim 1.
The pointing device, wherein the sensor substrate and the insulating sheet are fixed to each other in a range not exceeding a region where the operation surface is pressed when the center switch is pressed. .

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