JP5241409B2 - Input device for portable devices - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to input devices for various portable devices such as digital cameras and portable terminals.

In recent years, with the miniaturization of portable devices, it has been required to assign many functions to operation members such as switches.
On the other hand, the need for image display, character input assistance, and the like has increased, and the size of the display device has been increasing. Therefore, the space allocated for the arrangement of the operation members has gradually decreased.
Therefore, attempts have been made to eliminate the operation member using a display device having a touch sensor.
However, in such a display device using a touch sensor, the operation area hides the image displayed on the screen when the touch sensor is operated, or the operation is not intuitive because the touch cannot be obtained during the operation. There was a problem.

For this reason, various structures have been proposed for the operation member that can be efficiently and easily operated in a narrow space.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes an input device for a portable device that includes a rotatable dial that can be rotated and pushes down the rotary dial at positions in a plurality of directions to enable a small and multifunctional input operation.
JP 2004-327233 A

However, in recent years, the downsizing of portable devices and the increase in the screen size of display devices have further progressed, and display of operation contents (for example, icons) serving as an index of input operations by the operation unit has been arranged in the vicinity of the operation unit. Is becoming increasingly difficult.
In particular, as shown in Patent Document 1 described above, the rotation operation unit to which many functions are assigned requires many displays as indicators for the input operation in the vicinity thereof. It is becoming more difficult to secure a space for performing the above.
Therefore, if a display area for displaying the operation content for the rotation operation unit is secured in such a limited space, the rotation operation unit must be made smaller, and thus the operation feeling of the rotation operation unit is reduced. It will be seriously damaged.
In addition, when the display of the operation content is described in the rotation operation unit itself in order to secure the size of the rotation operation unit, there arises a problem that the display is rotated with the rotation of the rotation operation unit.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an input device for a portable device having a rotation operation unit that can ensure a size that is easy to operate and can display operation contents with good visibility. It is what.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an input device for a portable device configured as follows.
The portable device input device of the present invention includes a rotation operation unit that can perform a rotation operation and a pressing operation in a direction parallel to the rotation axis at a plurality of locations in the rotation direction by the rotation operation.
An input device for a portable device capable of detecting a rotation angle by a rotation operation of the rotation operation unit and detecting an input by a pressing operation of the rotation operation unit,
The rotation operation part is formed at least partly by a translucent member ,
Provided below the rotation operation unit is a display unit that can be visually recognized through the translucent member and displays the operation content by the push-down operation so that rotation in the rotation direction by the rotation operation unit is prevented. It is and,
The display unit includes a light projecting unit that projects light, and the light from the light projecting unit is disposed near the rotation operation unit, and is emitted from a light emitting unit of a display device used for assisting image display and character input. It is configured to be guided to the display unit side through the light guide,
The light guide is provided with an opening, and light leaked from the end surface of the opening of the light guide circulates to the front side of the display unit, and passes through the translucent member in the rotation operation unit. It is characterized by the fact that the display can be confirmed brightly .

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the input device of the portable apparatus provided with the rotation operation part which can ensure the magnitude | size which is easy to operate and can display the operation content with favorable visibility is realizable.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
The input device of the portable device according to the present embodiment includes a rotation operation unit that can perform a rotation operation and a pressing operation in a direction parallel to the rotation axis at a plurality of locations in the rotation direction by the rotation operation.
And it is possible to detect the rotation angle by the rotation operation of the rotation operation unit and to detect the input by the push-down operation of the rotation operation unit.
In addition, at least a part of the rotation operation unit is formed of a translucent member, and the operation content by the push-down operation that is visible through the translucent member at the lower part of the rotation operation unit. A display unit for displaying is provided so as to prevent rotation in the rotation direction by the rotation operation unit .
Also, in the present embodiment, the translucent member, a transparent material, translucent material, may be formed by any of the members of the half mirror.
Further, in the present embodiment, the display unit includes a light projecting unit that projects light, and the light from the light projecting unit is arranged in the vicinity of the rotation operation unit to assist in displaying an image and inputting characters. It is configured to be guided from the light emitting unit of the display device used to the display unit side through the light guide,
The light guide is provided with an opening, and light leaked from the end surface of the opening of the light guide circulates to the front side of the display unit, and passes through the translucent member in the rotation operation unit. Ru is configured to be able to confirm lifted brighter display.
Further, in the present embodiment, the rotation operation unit can have a configuration in which operation means capable of operation in a direction parallel to the rotation axis of the rotation operation unit is provided at the center of the rotation operation unit. . This operation means can be used, for example, as an operation button for determining the function selected by the push-down operation.
Moreover, in this embodiment, the structure which enables push-down operation | movement to 4 directions of up-down and left-right as the push-down operation by the said rotation operation part can be taken.

According to the configuration of the present embodiment, the operation content of the rotation operation unit can be arranged and displayed at an appropriate position, and the multifunctional operation unit is provided without impairing a simple and intuitive operation feeling. A small portable device can be provided.
In addition, when operating in a dark place such as outdoors at night, the operation content of the rotary operation member can be displayed brightly without increasing the power consumption of the small portable device, improving the visibility and preventing erroneous operation. .

In the following, a configuration example of a digital camera to which the present embodiment is applied will be described as an embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and is applied to an input device of various portable devices such as a portable terminal. can do.
FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the digital camera in the present embodiment.
In FIG. 1, 1 is a digital camera body, 2 is a back cover, 3 is a side cover, 4 is a top cover, 5 is a zoom lever, 6 is a release button, 7 is a power button, 8 is a viewfinder eyepiece window, and 9 is a mode. It is a dial.
10 is an LED window, 11 is an LED window, 12 is an operation button, 13 is an operation button, 14 is an operation button, 15 is an operation button, 16 is a dial operation unit (rotation operation unit), 17 is a center button, and 18 is a display unit. , 19 is a jack cover.

The digital camera body 1 in this embodiment includes a back cover 2 that covers the back side, a side cover 3 that covers the side surface, a top cover 4 that covers the top, a bottom cover (not shown) that covers the bottom, and a front cover (not shown) that covers the front side. It consists of
The top cover 4 holds a zoom lever 5 used for zooming at the time of shooting and an enlarged display of a reproduced image, and a release button 6 for instructing the start of shooting.
The back cover 2 is assigned with a power button 7 for switching on / off the power, a viewfinder eyepiece window 8, and operation modes such as still image shooting, moving image shooting, and recorded image reproduction for each predetermined position. .
And the mode dial 9 which can change an operation mode by switching to an up-down direction is being fixed.
The LED windows 10 and 11 are positioned and fixed immediately next to the viewfinder eyepiece window 8 to guide the light emitted from the LEDs 20 and 21 to the outside.
The LED windows 10 and 11 illuminate to guide the photographer about the in-focus state, the necessity of flash emission, the access state to the memory card for recording the photographed image, and the like.

Further, on the back surface of the digital camera body 1, operation buttons 12 to 15, a dial operation unit (rotation operation unit) 16, and a center button 17 in the center of the dial operation unit 16 are provided. A display unit 18 is provided in the vicinity of 16.
On the side surface of the digital camera body 1, a jack cover 19 for covering a communication cable and a video / audio plug connector is provided on the side cover 3.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the digital camera body 1 of the present embodiment with the exterior cover removed.
In FIG. 2, 20 is an LED, 21 is an LED, 23 is a flexible substrate, 24 is a connector, 25 is a flexible substrate, 26 is a substrate, 27 is a tactile sheet, 28 is a light guide, and 29 is a positioning pin.

The flexible substrate 23 is used when power is supplied to a backlight LED 22 (see FIGS. 3 and 4) used as illumination of the display unit 18.
The flexible substrate 23 is connected to the flexible substrate 25 via the connector 24 and is electrically connected to the substrate 26 on which the main IC is mounted via the flexible substrate 25.
On the flexible substrate 25, a tactile sheet 27 having a metal dome having a function of a push switch is affixed, and an insulating layer of the flexible substrate 25 is opened so that the switch is turned on by pushing the metal dome. The gold-plated pattern is exposed.

A flexible light guide 28 is further stacked on the tactile sheet 27, and an opening 47 (see FIG. 3) is provided so as to avoid the metal dome portion of the tactile sheet 27.
On the light guide 28, the dial operation unit 16 is supported by a positioning pin 29 so as to be swingable in the direction of the rotation axis of the dial operation unit 16 in parallel with the light guide 28.
Since the positioning pins 29 also serve as positioning of the flexible substrate 25, the tactile sheet 27, and the light guide 28, it is possible to minimize misalignment of the respective overlapping.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the dial operation unit 16 and the display unit 18 in the present embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the dial operation unit 16 and the display unit 18 in the present embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the dial operation unit 16 and the display unit 18 in another cross section in the present embodiment.
3 to 5, 30 is a liquid crystal unit, 31 is a lens sheet, 32 is a diffusion sheet, 33 is a light guide plate, 34 is a reflection sheet, 35 is an operation unit, 36 is a magnet, 37 is a display plate, and 38 is translucent. Reference numeral 39 denotes a plate.
Reference numeral 40 denotes a positioning portion, 41 denotes a positioning portion, 42 denotes a dial base, 43 denotes a chassis, 44 denotes a hall element, 45 denotes a hole, 46 denotes a hole, 47 denotes an opening, 48 denotes a magnet, and 49 denotes a light guide end face.

The display unit 18 includes a liquid crystal unit 30, a lens sheet 31, a diffusion sheet 32, a light guide plate 33, and a reflection sheet 34, and performs various displays using light from the backlight LED 22 as illumination.
The dial operation unit (rotation operation unit) 16 includes an operation unit 35, a magnet 36, a display plate 37, a plate 39, and a dial base 42.
The ring-shaped magnet 36 has N-pole and S-pole polarities alternately at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, and is fixed to the operation unit 35.
The operation unit 35 is configured to be capable of both a rotating operation and a pushing operation (pressing operation) in a direction parallel to the rotation axis at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction.
In this embodiment, the push-in operation of the operation unit 35 pushes the metal dome in the tactile sheet 27 and activates the push-in switch function.
In addition, as will be described later, the rotation operation (rotation angle) of the operation unit 35 can also be detected by detecting the magnetic force of the magnet by the Hall element.

Here, an example of operations in four directions, up, down, left, and right will be described.
An icon is displayed on the upper surface of the display board 37, and the function of pressing operation (operation contents by the pressing operation) on the upper, lower, left and right sides of the operation unit 35 is displayed.
The operation unit 35 is further formed at least partially from a translucent member, and includes a translucent unit 38 formed of such a translucent member. The icons on the display board 37 can be confirmed.
As this translucent member, any member such as a transparent material, a translucent material, and a half mirror can be used.
When printing is performed on the operation unit 35 that performs the rotation operation, printing of an icon is touched during operation, and printing durability often becomes a problem.
Further, since the printing of the icon is also rotated during the rotation operation, there is a problem in functioning as an operation index.

On the other hand, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, it is possible to solve the above-described problem that the printing durability and the printing of the icon are rotated during the rotation operation.
In this embodiment, the display plate 37 is fixed by the claw of the plate 39.
The plate 39 includes positioning portions 40 and 41 and is fitted to positioning pins 29 provided on the chassis 43.
In addition, a magnet 48 is insert-molded on the plate 39, and a repelling force between the magnet 48 and the magnet 36 generates a click force when the dial operation unit 16 is rotated.
The dial base 42 is placed on the tactile sheet 27 in order to support the members of the dial operation unit 16.
The dial base 42 formed of an elastic member also serves as a pusher when the dial operation unit 16 is pushed in four directions parallel to the rotation axis, and the center button 17 is mounted at the center. .
The center button 17 is regulated in the circumferential direction and the vertical direction by the display board 37.
A Hall element 44 is mounted on the flexible substrate 25.
The hall element 44 detects the magnetic force of the magnet 36 and detects the rotation operation of the operation unit 35.

The plate 39 and the dial base 42 have holes 45 and 46 on both sides of the operation position in the four directions, respectively.
An end face 49 of the light guide 28 is arranged in the vicinity of the backlight LED 22 to guide the light of the backlight LED 22 through the light guide 28 and to avoid the metal dome portion of the tactile sheet 27. The end face of the opening 47 is illuminated.
The light leaking from the end face of the opening 47 of the light guide 28 passes through the dial base hole 46 and the plate hole 45, and passes between the display plate 37 and the operation unit 35 or through the display plate 37. The icon written on the surface of the wraparound display board 37 is illuminated on the front side.
According to the above configuration, the icon display of the dial operation unit 16 can be brightly raised with a simple configuration without newly using a light source, and a satisfactory operation can be performed even at night shooting without increasing power consumption. .

1 is a rear perspective view of a digital camera according to an embodiment of the present invention. The perspective view which removed the exterior cover in the digital camera of the Example of this invention. The disassembled perspective view of the dial operation part and display part in the Example of this invention. The fragmentary sectional view of the dial operation part and display part in the Example of this invention. The fragmentary sectional view of the dial operation part and display part in another cross section in the Example of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1: Digital camera body 2: Back cover 3: Side cover 4: Top cover 5: Zoom lever 6: Release button 7: Power button 8: Viewfinder eyepiece window 9: Mode dial 10: LED window 11: LED window 12: Operation Button 13: Operation button 14: Operation button 15: Operation button 16: Dial operation unit 17: Center button 18: Display unit 19: Jack cover 20: LED
21: LED
22: Backlight LED
23: Flexible substrate 24: Connector 25: Flexible substrate 26: Substrate 27: Tactile sheet 28: Light guide 29: Positioning pin 30: Liquid crystal unit 31: Lens sheet 32: Diffusion sheet 33: Light guide plate 34: Reflection sheet 35: Operation unit 36: Magnet 37: Display board 38: Translucent portion 39: Plate 40: Positioning portion 41: Positioning portion 42: Dial base 43: Chassis 44: Hall element 45: Hole 46: Hole 47: Opening 48: Magnet 49: Light Guide end face

Claims (4)

A rotation operation unit capable of performing a rotation operation and a pressing operation in a direction parallel to the rotation axis at a plurality of positions in the rotation direction by the rotation operation,
An input device for a portable device capable of detecting a rotation angle by a rotation operation of the rotation operation unit and detecting an input by a pressing operation of the rotation operation unit,
The rotation operation part is formed at least partly by a translucent member ,
Provided below the rotation operation unit is a display unit that can be visually recognized through the translucent member and displays the operation content by the push-down operation so that rotation in the rotation direction by the rotation operation unit is prevented. It is and,
The display unit includes a light projecting unit that projects light, and the light from the light projecting unit is disposed near the rotation operation unit, and is emitted from a light emitting unit of a display device used for assisting image display and character input. It is configured to be guided to the display unit side through the light guide,
The light guide is provided with an opening, and light leaked from the end surface of the opening of the light guide circulates to the front side of the display unit, and passes through the translucent member in the rotation operation unit. An input device for a portable device, characterized in that the display can be confirmed by raising the display brightly .   2. The portable device input device according to claim 1, wherein the translucent member is formed of any one of a transparent material, a translucent material, and a half mirror. The rotating operation unit, to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that it comprises operating means can be operated in a direction parallel to the rotational operation of the rotating shaft in the center of the rotation operating part The portable device input device described. The input device for a portable device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the pressing operation by the rotation operation unit can be performed in four directions of up, down, left and right.

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