JP5371832B2 - Touch panel device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dust-proof touch panel device that gives a satisfactory click feeling to an operator. <P>SOLUTION: The touch panel device includes a touch panel 2 with a rectangular main surface, a case 3 having an operation window 3a1 to be used for touching the touch panel 2, and band-shaped piezoelectric elements 1 to be adhered on the main surface on the side of an image display apparatus 5 of the touch panel 2. An operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 is exposed in the operation window 3a1 of the case 3. The periphery of the touch panel 2 is fixed to the case 3. The piezoelectric elements 1 are arranged in parallel to the short sides 2a1 on the main surface of the touch panel 2, at predetermined distances L1 and L2 from a part to be fixed to the case 3, on the side closer to the operation area 2a, which is along the short sides 2a1 on the main surface of the touch panel 2. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a motor touch panel device.

  In recent years, touch panel devices have become widespread as station ticket machines, car navigation systems, and input devices for mobile phones. Typical methods for touch panels include resistive film type, capacitance type, and optical sensor type. In any type, the touch panel is located above the image display device and passes through a transparent touch panel. Thus, the information of the image display device is visually supplied to the operator. By touching the operation surface of the touch panel disposed above the image display device, the operator can obtain the same effect as if the user had pressed an actual button to input information to the computer.

  However, in such a touch panel device, when an operator touches the touch panel, a strong repulsion feeling (click feeling) such as pressing a button is not fed back, and thus there is a problem that the button cannot be recognized by touch. there were.

  In recent years, a touch panel device equipped with a technique called force feedback that feeds back a feeling of pressing a button to an operator by tactile sensation has been advanced. As an example of force feedback technology, a piezoelectric element is attached to the surface of the touch panel, and when the operator touches the operation surface of the touch panel, the piezoelectric element is stretched and deformed by applying a voltage to the piezoelectric element, and the touch panel is deformed by the deformation. A method of vibrating is proposed.

  For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, as such a touch panel device, a touch panel and a piezoelectric element attached to the touch panel are provided, and when an input operation to the touch panel is detected, a driving voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element. In the structure that vibrates the touch panel by expanding and contracting the piezoelectric element to give a feeling of input operation, a pair of strip-like piezoelectric elements shorter than the length of one side in the length direction of the rectangular touch panel are fixed, Piezoelectric elements are known which are fixed along one side in the length direction from the vicinity of a diagonal position of a rectangle.

JP 2005-222326 A

In such a touch panel device, it is necessary to vibrate greatly motor touch panel at almost the entire surface. For that purpose, the arrangement position of the piezoelectric element attached to the touch panel and the driving voltage of the piezoelectric element are important.

In Patent Document 1, only the four corners of the touch panel are fixed to the image display device, and a touch panel support structure that is easy to vibrate is used. They are arranged to be diagonal. In this case, upon application of a signal of the natural frequency near the touch panel, the touch panel as possible out to obtain easily large vibration because the resonance.

However, in the touch panel device disclosed in Patent Document 1, since only the four corners of the touch panel are fixed to the image display device, there is a problem that dust enters from an unfixed portion between the touch panel and the screen display device. It was. In contrast, although the dustproof be fixed around the touch panel, which in has a problem that the vibration by the piezoelectric elements interfere et be.

An object of this invention is to provide the touch panel apparatus which can reduce possibility that the vibration of a touch panel will become small, reducing the possibility that dustproofness will fall .

The touch panel device of the present invention includes a motor touch panel, a processing unit, the processing device is housed together with the touch panel is retained stationary, the case having an operation window for touch the touch panel, the touch panel anda strip of pressure-electronic device for vibrating the touch panel while being adhered to the lower surface, the said operation window of the case a touch panel device operation area of the touch panel is exposed, wherein the touch panel A fixed portion that surrounds the entire circumference of the operation region and the piezoelectric element and is fixed to the case, and a portion of the fixed portion along the short side of the touch panel in a plan view. When the first fixing portion is used, the piezoelectric element is located between the first fixing portion and the operation area, and is separated from the first fixing portion. And characterized in that provided.

In such a touch panel device, it is possible to provide a piezoelectric element at a wide spacing from the fixed portion of the short side on the main surface of the image display device side of the touch panel, as possible out to increase the vibration of the touch panel.

The touch panel device of the present invention, one of the pair of the piezoelectric element is provided on the short side near the hand of the touch panel, the other is provided in the central longitudinal portion of the touch panel, the touch panel the operation area, characterized in that provided between one of the piezoelectric element and the other of said piezoelectric element.

In such a touch panel device can be moved away most a piezoelectric element which is a vibration generating source from the fixed portion of the touch panel, as possible out to be largely vibrate the operation area of the touch panel.

Further, the touch panel device of the present invention, the plurality of the piezoelectric elements, together with respectively provided on the short sides near one pair of the touch panel, is also provided in the central longitudinal portion of the touch panel, the the operation area of the touch panel, characterized in that provided on both sides of the piezoelectric element provided in the central longitudinal portion of the touch panel.

  In such a touch panel device, the operation area of the touch panel has two screens, and more information can be displayed, and both screens can be vibrated greatly.

According to the touch panel device of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the vibration of the touch panel is reduced while reducing the possibility that the dustproof property is lowered .

It is a disassembled perspective view of the touchscreen apparatus of this form. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the positional relationship of the piezoelectric element in a touch panel, an operation area | region, and a gasket material. It is sectional drawing in the length direction of the touchscreen apparatus of this form. It is sectional drawing of a piezoelectric element, (a) is sectional drawing in the length direction before voltage application, (b) is sectional drawing in the length direction after voltage application. Explanatory drawing for demonstrating the positional relationship of the piezoelectric element in a touch panel, an operation area | region, and a gasket material in the other form which formed the operation area | region between the center part in the length direction of a touch panel, and one short side of a touch panel. It is. In still another embodiment in which an operation area is formed between the central portion in the length direction of the touch panel and a pair of short sides of the touch panel, for explaining the positional relationship between the piezoelectric element, the operation area, and the gasket material in the touch panel It is explanatory drawing. It is a graph which shows the relationship between the space | interval of a piezoelectric element and a gasket material, and the displacement amount of a touch-panel center part. It is a graph which shows the displacement amount of a touchscreen apparatus.

  1 to 3 show the configuration of the touch panel device. The touch panel device includes a strip-shaped piezoelectric element 1, a touch panel 2 having a rectangular main surface with the piezoelectric element 1 bonded to the back surface, a case 3 in which the touch panel 2 is accommodated, an upper surface of the touch panel 2, and an upper lid 3a of the case 3. It is comprised with the annular gasket material 4 arrange | positioned between inner surfaces. In the case 3, an image display device 5 disposed on the back surface side of the touch panel 2 at a predetermined interval, and a processing device such as a computer (not shown) to which the touch panel 2 and the image display device 5 are connected. For example, a mobile phone, a portable music player, and a personal computer (PC) are configured.

  The two piezoelectric elements 1 are bonded to the surface of the touch panel 2 on the image display device 5 side via an adhesive layer 7. The adhesive layer 7 is formed of an adhesive and a double-sided tape. As the adhesive, an epoxy adhesive, a cyano adhesive, or the like having a sufficiently high hardness after curing is used.

  That is, in the case 3 constituted by the upper lid 3a and the container 3b, the touch panel 2, the image display device 5, and a processing device (not shown) are accommodated, and the touch panel 2 is bonded to the inner surface of the upper lid 3a via the gasket material 4. Then, the image display device 5 is supported and fixed to a step portion formed on the inner wall surface of the container 3b, whereby the touch panel 2 and the image display device 5 are accommodated in the case 3 at a predetermined interval. .

  The touch panel 2 has a rectangular main surface, and is formed using a transparent material so that the image display device 5 can be viewed from above the touch panel 2. Therefore, the touch panel 2 is made of a plastic substrate such as acrylic or polycarbonate, or a glass substrate. Further, the gasket material 4 is fixed to the upper lid 3a of the case 3 in order to ensure the dustproof property that dust from the outside does not enter the inside. Therefore, the gasket material 4 is desirably a low-density, high-repulsive material that easily deforms the touch panel 2, and for example, urethane foam or the like is used.

A rectangular annular gasket material 4 is disposed between the rectangular touch panel 2 and the upper lid 3 a of the case 3, and the touch panel device is hermetically sealed with the gasket material 4. In addition, the case 3 housed including other devices has a dust-proof structure that does not contain dust. The gasket material 4 is bonded between the touch panel 2 and the inner surface of the upper lid 3a of the case 3 with an adhesive, a double-sided tape, or the like.

  In addition, a rectangular operation window 3a1 for touching the touch panel 2 with a finger is formed on the upper lid 3a, and the touch panel 2 is exposed to the outside except for its outer peripheral portion. A part of the rectangular surface of the touch panel 2 exposed to the operation area 2a.

  The part 2b (sometimes referred to as a non-display part 2b) other than the operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 exposed to the outside from the operation window 3a1 is designed by coloring or pasting an opaque film, The back side of the touch panel 3 cannot be seen from above.

  The operation area 2 a is formed inside the annular gasket material 4. The operator can realize a necessary function by pressing (touching) the touch panel 2 at a position corresponding to the button or the like of the image display device 5 shown in the operation area 2a.

  That is, the touch panel device is configured such that the position information obtained by the operation principle such as the resistance film type, the capacitance type, and the optical sensor type is input to a processing device such as a computer by pressing the touch panel 2 with a finger. It is configured. Information on the image display device 5 is visually fed back to the operator via the transparent touch panel 2. By touching the operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 disposed above the image display device 5, the operator can obtain the same effect as if the user had pressed an actual button to input information to the computer.

  The piezoelectric element 1 is bonded to the outside of the operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 and is configured so as not to be seen from the outside. In other words, the piezoelectric element 1 is attached to the region of the non-display portion 2b, and the back side of the non-display portion 2b is not visible from above as described above, so the piezoelectric element 1 is not visible to the operator, Appearance is not impaired.

  The touch panel 2 has a rectangular main surface with a short side 2a1 and a long side 2a2. The two piezoelectric elements 1 are parallel to the short side 2a1 on the main surface of the touch panel 2 and spaced from the fixing portion to the case 3 along the short side 2a on the main surface of the touch panel 2 to the operation region 2a side. Each is provided. The fixing portion of the touch panel 2 to the case 3 is an outer peripheral portion of the touch panel 2 to which the gasket material 4 is bonded. Note that the distances L1 and L2 between the piezoelectric element 1 and the fixed portion by the gasket material 4 do not have to be equal distances, and may be asymmetrical.

  Conventionally, it is known that when the band-shaped piezoelectric element 1 is provided along the long side 2a2 of the touch panel 2 having a rectangular main surface, the piezoelectric element 1 can be lengthened, so that the generated force can be increased. However, if the entire periphery of the touch panel 2 is fixed to the case 3 to form a dust-proof structure, the piezoelectric element 1 needs to be separated from the fixing part of the touch panel 2 to the case 3 in order to obtain a large displacement. Accordingly, if a large displacement is to be obtained on the long side of the main surface of the touch panel 2 that has dimensional restrictions in the width direction, the operation area 2a is reduced to be as far as possible from the fixed portion, and conversely, the operation area 2a is increased. Then, the width of the touch panel device tends to increase.

On the other hand, in the touch panel device having a dimensional restriction in the width direction, the dimensional restriction is gentle in the length direction, and a long distance is placed from the fixed portion on the short side 2a1 side in the main surface of the touch panel 2, and Although the piezoelectric element 1 can be provided in parallel with the short side 2a1 and the length of the piezoelectric element 1 must be shortened, the force generated by the piezoelectric element tends to be small, but the short side on the main surface of the touch panel 2 The piezoelectric element 1 can be provided with a long distance L1, L2 from the fixed portion on the 2a1 side, the vibration of the touch panel 2 can be increased, and a sufficient click feeling can be given to the operator.

  FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the band-like piezoelectric element 1 in the length direction. In FIG. 4, the strip-shaped piezoelectric element 1 has a laminated structure. Since the driving voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 1 can be reduced by using the laminated structure, the voltage of the device can be reduced. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 10a is a piezoelectric layer, reference numerals 11 and 12 are external electrodes, reference numerals 13a and 13b are internal electrodes, and reference numerals 14a and 14b are end face electrodes.

  The piezoelectric layer 10a is formed of, for example, piezoelectric ceramics such as lead zirconate titanate (PZT), and the external electrodes 11 and 12 and the end face electrodes 14a and 14b are formed by thick film printing or vapor deposition.

  The external electrode 11 and the internal electrode 13a are connected via the end surface electrode 14a. On the other hand, the external electrode 12 and the internal electrode 13b are connected via the end face electrode 14b. The piezoelectric layer 10a of the piezoelectric element 1 is an active layer that is all polarized and expands and contracts. Then, by applying an electric field in the same direction as the polarization direction to the piezoelectric layer 10a from the state in which no voltage is applied as shown in FIG. 4A, the band-like piezoelectric element 1 is obtained as shown in FIG. 4B. Shrink in the length direction.

  When such a piezoelectric element 1 is bonded to the touch panel 2 and the band-shaped piezoelectric element 1 is contracted, the touch panel 2 restrains the piezoelectric element 1 so that the touch panel 2 is deformed upward (convex to the operator side), Vibrate.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of another form of the touch panel device, in which the distances L1 and L2 between the piezoelectric element 1 and the fixing portion by the gasket material 4 in FIG. Specifically, one of the two piezoelectric elements 1 is bonded to the vicinity of the central portion in the length direction of the touch panel 2. In this case, an operation region 2a is formed on the touch panel 2 between the two piezoelectric elements 1, and the other portion exposed from the operation window 3a of the touch panel 2 is a non-display portion 2b.

  With such a configuration, the piezoelectric element 1 is bonded and vibrated at the center in the length direction having the highest degree of vibration freedom in the touch panel 2, and as a result, the touch panel 2, especially the operation area 2a. Can be vibrated more greatly.

  In FIG. 5, the operation region 2 a is defined between the two piezoelectric elements 1, and the non-display portion 2 b is disposed at a portion other than the operation region 2 a, but is positioned at an interval L <b> 1 between the piezoelectric element 1 and the fixed portion by the gasket material 4. Although the portion is not touched and operated, it can also be used as a display unit that can view the image of the image display device 5.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a touch panel device according to still another embodiment. The piezoelectric element 1 is provided in the vicinity of the pair of short sides 2a1 on the main surface of the touch panel 2, and is located at the center in the length direction of the touch panel 2. Is also provided. The operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 is formed on both sides of the piezoelectric element 1 provided at the center in the length direction of the touch panel.

  That is, the touch panel 2 is provided with two rectangular operation areas 2 a extending in the length direction, and these are arranged in the length direction of the touch panel 2. As a result, as can be seen from FIG. 6, the touch panel 3 has three non-display portions 2b1, 2b2, and 2b3. In each non-display portion 2b1, 2b2, 2b3, three band-like piezoelectric elements 1 are attached to the back side of the touch panel 2, and these attachment positions are only L1, L2, L3 from the gasket material 6, respectively. Arranged at intervals.

  In particular, the piezoelectric element 1 is disposed in the vicinity of the center in the length direction of the touch panel 2. By adopting such a configuration, it is possible to display more information with the operation area 2a as two screens, and at the same time, at the center of the touch panel 2 having the highest degree of vibration freedom, the piezoelectric element Since 1 is adhered and vibrates, the touch panel 2 can be vibrated greatly.

  The three piezoelectric elements 1 may be driven simultaneously. In this case, a large vibration is obtained on the entire surface of the touch panel 2. When the operator performs an input operation on one operation area 2a, only the piezoelectric element 1 at a position sandwiching the operation area 2a may be driven. In this case, the operation region 2a sandwiched between the piezoelectric elements 1 can be selectively vibrated largely.

  A simulation considering piezoelectricity was performed by ANSYS, a widely used finite element method analysis software. The analysis model is composed of the touch panel 2, the piezoelectric element 1, and the gasket material 4, and the adhesive for fixing the touch panel 2, the piezoelectric element 1, and the gasket material 4 is omitted. The situation in which the entire periphery of the touch panel 2 is fixed to the case 3 by placing the gasket material 4 around the entire touch panel 2 and restraining the displacement of the gasket material 4 was modeled. The piezoelectric element 1 has a belt-like outer shape, and the piezoelectric ceramic layer 10a and the internal electrode layers 13a and 13b have a laminated structure as shown in FIG.

  The touch panel 2 was made of acrylic, and the gasket material 4 was made of an elastic body having a low Young's modulus. The material properties of PZT (lead zirconate titanate) were applied to the piezoelectric material.

  In the following examples, the dimensions and materials of the touch panel 2, the piezoelectric element 1, and the gasket material 4 are unified, and the examination results when the number and arrangement of the piezoelectric elements 1 are changed are described.

  First, the distance between the piezoelectric element 1 and the gasket material 4 was examined. As shown in FIG. 2, the case where the operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 is in the center in the length direction and the piezoelectric element 1 is arranged on both sides thereof is modeled. A simulation was performed by changing the distances L1 and L2 between the piezoelectric element 1 and the gasket material 4, and the magnitude of displacement at the center of the touch panel 2 was obtained. In this study, the intervals L1 and L2 are assumed to be equal.

  The results are shown in FIG. As the distances L1 and L2 between the piezoelectric element 1 and the gasket material 4 become wider, the displacement of the center portion of the touch panel 2 increases, and when the piezoelectric element 1 is disposed at the center portion of the touch panel 2 in the length direction, the displacement is maximum. It has become. Therefore, when the entire periphery of the touch panel 2 is fixed, it can be seen that it is desirable to dispose the piezoelectric element 1 near the center in the length direction in order to vibrate the touch panel 2 greatly.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the case where one piezoelectric element 1 is arranged at the center in the length direction of the touch panel 2 and the operation region 2a is provided on one side thereof is modeled, and the displacement amount is calculated. It was. FIG. 8 shows the amount of displacement of the touch panel along the section B-B ′ in FIG. 5. The horizontal axis in FIG. 8 indicates the position in the length direction in the cross section B-B ′ in FIG. 5, and the operation region 2 a is disposed on the right side of the central portion in the length direction. The result is a solid line 22 in FIG. As a comparative example, the result when only one piezoelectric element 1 is arranged at the center in the length direction is indicated by a broken line 23. Also, a pair of strip-like piezoelectric elements 1 shorter than the length of one side in the length direction of the touch panel 2 are fixed, and the pair of piezoelectric elements 1 is fixed along one side in the length direction from the vicinity of the diagonal position of the rectangle. The result in the case of (Patent Document 1) is indicated by a one-dot chain line 24.

When comparing the solid line 22 and the alternate long and short dash line 24, the touch panel 2 is located near the center in the length direction of the touch panel 2 as compared with the conventional technique in which the piezoelectric element is disposed near the diagonal position along the side in the length direction. It can be seen that when the piezoelectric element 1 is arranged parallel to the short side, a displacement that is 2.7 times larger at the center of the touch panel 2 is obtained. As shown by the solid line 22, in the case where the piezoelectric element 1 is arranged on both sides of the operation area 2a, in the area of the operation area 2a, compared to the case where the piezoelectric element 1 shown by the broken line 23 is only one in the central portion, It can be seen that a particularly large displacement is obtained.

  Finally, as shown in FIG. 6, the case where one piezoelectric element 1 is arranged at the center in the length direction of the touch panel 2 and the operation region 2a and the piezoelectric element 1 are arranged on both sides thereof is modeled and a simulation is performed. It was. The displacement amount of the touch panel in the cross section C-C ′ at that time is shown as a solid line 21 in FIG. 8. It can be seen that a large displacement is obtained on both sides of the central portion in the length direction as compared with the case where the operation region 2a is shown on one side as indicated by the solid line 22.

  From the above results, the rectangular touch panel 2 is provided with a rectangular operation area 2a extending in the length direction, and the entire periphery of the touch panel 2 is fixed to the case 3, and the piezoelectric element 1 has the operation area. Adhering in a direction parallel to the pair of short sides of the touch panel 2 at a predetermined interval from the fixing portion to the case 3 on the outer side of the case 2a ensures a sealing property between the touch panel 2 and the case 3. However, it can be seen that the operation area 2a of the touch panel 2 can be vibrated greatly, and as a result, a strong click feeling can be given to the operator.

1: Piezoelectric element 2: Touch panel 2a: Operation area 2a1: Short side 2a2: Long side 3: Case 3a: Upper lid 3a1: Operation window 3b: Container 4: Gasket material 5: Image display device 10a: Piezoelectric layers 11, 12: External electrodes 13a and 13b: internal electrodes 14a and 14b: end face electrodes

Claims (3)

And other touch panel,
A processing device;
The touch panel is housed together with the processing device is retained stationary, the case having an operation window for touch the touch panel,
Anda strip of pressure-electronic device for vibrating the touch panel while being adhered to the lower surface of the touch panel,
The operation window of the case is a touch panel device in which an operation area of the touch panel is exposed,
The touch panel has a fixing portion that surrounds the operation area and the piezoelectric element over the entire periphery and is fixed to the case.
In plan view
When the portion along the short side of the touch panel among the fixed portions is a first fixed portion,
The touch panel device is characterized in that the piezoelectric element is located between the first fixing portion and the operation region, and is provided apart from the first fixing portion . One of the pair of the piezoelectric element is provided on the short side near the hand of the touch panel, the other is provided in the central longitudinal portion of the touch panel,
The touch panel device according to claim 1, wherein the operation area of the touch panel is provided between one of the piezoelectric elements and the other of the piezoelectric elements. A plurality of said piezoelectric element, together with the respectively provided on the short sides near one pair of the touch panel, is also provided in the central longitudinal portion of the touch panel,
The touch panel device of claim 1, wherein the operation area of the touch panel, characterized in that provided on both sides of the piezoelectric element provided in the central longitudinal portion of the touch panel.

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