JP5587726B2 - Input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device provided in a game controller or other electronic device, and in particular, has a function of preventing liquid from adhering to a wiring board or an electronic component when a liquid such as a beverage is dropped. Related to the input device.

  An input device equipped in a game controller or other electronic device has an input mechanism inside the casing. Operation holes are opened in the housing, and operation bodies for operating the input mechanism are arranged in the respective operation holes.

  When a liquid such as a beverage is dropped on the input device while operating the operating body, the liquid may enter the inside through a gap between the housing and the operating body. If liquid enters the case, the conductor pattern on the wiring board is short-circuited by the liquid, or the terminal of the input mechanism is short-circuited, or the electrode part of another electronic component such as an IC is short-circuited, causing the electronic device to malfunction. There are things to do.

  In the electronic device described in Patent Literature 1 below, a touch pad in which a pad portion and a touch pad button are held by a frame is provided in a casing, and a drip-proof having a plurality of recesses under the frame. The member is arranged. Patent Document 1 also discloses that a keyboard having a plurality of keys arranged on a board substrate is provided in a housing, and the drip-proof member is disposed under the board substrate.

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, when a liquid is applied to a touch pad or a keyboard, the liquid is received by a concave portion of a drip-proof member located therebelow.

  Patent Document 2 discloses a waterproof mechanism for a keyboard. In the keyboard, a support panel, a switch unit, and a switch panel are stacked in order from the bottom, and the switch unit is provided with a plurality of switch elements. A plurality of key tops are arranged on the switch panel, and the switch element is pressed by each key top.

  The waterproof mechanism has a gentle slope on the front side of the switch panel, a hole is formed in the bottom of the gentle slope, and a drain tube communicating with the hole extends under the support panel. Is discharged from the drain tube to the bottom of the support panel.

JP 2007-34921 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-234749

  In the invention described in Patent Document 1, the frame of the touch pad is disposed on the drip-proof member, the wiring pattern is formed on the frame, and the electrode and the wiring pattern constituting the pad portion. And a connection part between the terminal part of the switch mechanism operated by the touch pad button and the wiring pattern. For this reason, when the liquid is dropped on the touch pad, it cannot be prevented that the liquid adheres to the wiring pattern on the frame body and further adheres to the connection portion.

  Similarly, the board board of the keyboard is arranged on the drip-proof member, but the board board is provided with a switch mechanism operated by a plurality of keys, and a wiring pattern connected to the terminals of each switch mechanism. Is provided. Therefore, when liquid is given to the keyboard, it cannot be avoided that the liquid adheres to the wiring on the board substrate or the terminal of the switch mechanism.

  That is, the invention described in Patent Document 1 is to prevent the liquid from reaching other electronic substrates disposed below when the liquid is applied to the touch pad or the keyboard. The wiring board provided on the touch pad or the keyboard cannot be protected from the liquid.

  The waterproof mechanism described in Patent Document 2 allows the liquid applied to the gentle slope of the front portion where the key tops of the switch panel are not arranged to escape with the drain tube, but the liquid is applied to the key tops. This liquid cannot escape on a gentle slope. If liquid is given to the key top, there is a risk that the liquid may enter the gap between the switch panel and the pressing part that can be moved up and down in the switch panel. The switch element and wiring provided in the switch unit below it It cannot be avoided that liquid adheres to the pattern.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and provides an input device having a structure that can easily prevent liquid from adhering to a wiring board on which an input mechanism is supported when liquid is applied. It is aimed.

The present invention relates to an input device having a wiring board having a wiring pattern, an input mechanism, and an operating body for operating the input mechanism.
The input mechanism is mounted on the wiring board, and a protective member is provided between the wiring board and the operation body,
A hole or notch is formed in the protective member, the input mechanism is located inside the hole or notch, and the protective member has a wall surface surrounding the input mechanism at a position away from the input mechanism; A protective surface that covers the wiring board is integrally formed between the input mechanism and the wall surface continuously with the wall surface.

In the input device of the present invention, the input mechanism is located inside the hole or notch of the protective member, and the wall surface and the protective surface of the protective member surround the input mechanism between the operating body and the wiring board. . When the liquid is applied to the operating body or the periphery thereof, the liquid is received mainly by the protective surface of the protective member and is difficult to reach the wiring board. For this reason, it is difficult for liquid to adhere to the wiring pattern of the wiring board and the connection part between the input mechanism and the wiring pattern, and it is difficult for liquid to adhere to the electrode part and terminal part of the IC and other electronic components mounted on this wiring board. Become.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the protective member is integrally formed with a raised portion that is higher than the protective surface at the edge of the hole or the notch.

  In the above configuration, it is easy to prevent the liquid applied to the protective surface from dripping toward the wiring board from the hole or notch.

The present invention can have a structure in which a drainage part lacking the wall surface is formed on the protective member. In this case, the drainage unit, sequentially from the protective surface or surfaces of the ridges, which drainage passage extending in a direction away from the operating body is formed is preferable.

  In the above structure, when a large amount of liquid is applied to the protective surface, the liquid can escape to the outside of the protective member.

  The present invention can be configured such that the area of the operating body is larger than the area of the input mechanism, and the wall surface is formed at a position farther from the input mechanism than the edge of the operating body.

  In the above configuration, when the liquid is given to the operating body and the liquid flows through the operating body and flows to the protective member, the liquid is difficult to contact the input mechanism, and the liquid that has flowed down is dammed by the wall surface and is retained on the protective surface. Or drainage from the drainage section.

Input device of the present invention, when the liquid in the operation and its surrounds was hung down, comprising the operation or input mechanism is operated by the body, tends to prevent the liquid from reaching the wiring board input mechanism is implemented . Therefore, it becomes difficult for the liquid to adhere to the wiring pattern on the wiring board, the connection part between the wiring pattern and the terminal part, and other electronic components mounted on the wiring board.

(A) is a plan view of a game controller equipped with the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention, (B) is a right side view thereof, Sectional drawing of the input device which cut | disconnected FIG. 1 (A) by the II-II line | wire, Exploded perspective view of the input device,

  A game controller 1 shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a casing 2 made of synthetic resin. The housing 2 is large enough to be held with both hands. The operation side wall 2a of the housing 2 is provided with the input device 10 and other input devices 3 and 4 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  The other input device 3 includes a cross-shaped operation body 3a and switch mechanisms that are pressed by the four arm portions of the operation body 3a. The input device 4 includes a push button type operation body 4a and a switch mechanism that is pressed by the operation body 4a.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the input device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention, a wiring board 11 is accommodated in the housing 2 of the game controller 1. The wiring board 11 is fixed inside the operation side wall 2a of the housing 2 with a predetermined distance. A plurality of wiring patterns made of copper foil or the like are formed on the first surface 11a and the second surface 11b of the wiring substrate 11. The input mechanism 20 and other electronic components such as an IC chip and a vibration generator are mounted on the first surface 11a. As for the input mechanism 20 and the electronic component, the terminal part and the electrode part are connected to the wiring pattern.

  The input mechanism 20 has a housing 21. The casing 21 has four leg portions 21 a that protrude downward. Each leg portion 21 a is inserted into a mounting hole 12 formed in the wiring board 11, and the casing 21 is placed on the wiring board 11. Is fixed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a first rotating member 22 is provided inside the housing 21, and support shafts 22 a and 22 b are integrally formed on the first rotating member 22. The support shafts 22a and 22b are rotatably supported by the casing 21, and the first rotation member 22 is rotatable about the Ox axis. A first detection unit 23 is attached to the housing 21. A rotary detection mechanism that detects a resistance change is housed in the first detection unit 23, and this detection mechanism is rotated by the support shaft 22b.

  A second rotating member 24 is provided inside the first rotating member 22. The second rotating member 24 can rotate about the Ox axis together with the first rotating member 22, and can rotate about the Oy axis perpendicular to the Ox axis with respect to the second rotating member 24. it can. A second detection unit 25 is attached to the housing 21, and a rotary detection mechanism that detects a resistance change is housed therein. This detection mechanism is rotated by the second rotation member 24.

  Each of the first detection unit 23 and the second detection unit 25 is provided with a plurality of detection terminals 27 protruding downward. As shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of mounting holes 13 are formed in the wiring board 11, and each detection terminal 27 is inserted into the mounting hole 13, and the wiring formed on the second surface 11 b of the wiring board 11. The detection terminal 27 is soldered and joined to the pattern.

  The second rotating member 24 is provided with an operation shaft 24a. As shown in FIG. 2, a spring member 26 that holds the second rotating member 24 in a neutral position is provided inside the housing 21, and the operation shaft 24 a is operated when no external force is applied. The posture of standing upright with respect to the wiring board 11 can be maintained.

  An operation body 28 formed of an elastic member such as synthetic rubber is fixed to the operation shaft 24a. The operation body 28 is integrally formed with an operation head 28a and a cover portion 28b provided below the operation head 28a. The surface of the cover portion 28b has the same shape as a part of the sphere. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the operation head 28 a is located outside the operation side wall 2 a of the housing 2. A circular operation hole 5 is opened in the operation side wall portion 2 a, and a cover portion 28 b of the operation body 28 is located inside the operation hole 5.

  The operating body 28 and the operating shaft 24a can be moved in a direction that tilts about both the Ox axis and the Oy axis. At this time, the spherical cover portion 28 b rotates inside the operation hole 5. By rotating the operating body 28 in the three-dimensional direction, a rotation detection output around the Ox axis is obtained from the first detection unit 23, and a rotation detection output around the Oy axis is obtained from the second detection unit 25.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a protective member 30 is attached between the wiring board 11 and the operation side wall 2 a of the housing 2, that is, between the wiring board 11 and the operation body 28. The protection member 30 is made of a synthetic resin, and a support portion 30 a that is a part of the protection member 30 is fixed to the wiring board 11. Alternatively, the protection member 30 may be fixed to the inner surface of the housing 2.

  A hole 31 is opened in the protection member 30. The hole 31 opens in a shape similar to the projected shape on the plane of the housing 21 of the input mechanism 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the input mechanism 20 fixed to the wiring board 11 is located inside the hole 31 of the protection member 30. That is, the protection member 30 is positioned so as to surround the input mechanism 20 at a position away from the wiring board 11. In this specification, “surrounding the input mechanism 20” means not only surrounding the entire periphery of the input mechanism 20 but also existing in a part of the periphery of the input mechanism 20.

  In addition, not the hole 31 but the concave notch may be formed in the protection member 30, and the input mechanism 20 may be located inside the notch.

  As shown in FIG. 3, wall surfaces 32 a, 32 b, and 32 c are formed on the protection member 30, and the wall surfaces 32 a, 32 b, and 32 c surround the input mechanism 20 at positions away from the input mechanism 20. The wall surface 32a, the wall surface 32b, and the wall surface 32c are continuous with each other, and are surfaces that rise substantially perpendicular to the surface 11a of the wiring board 11. However, the wall surfaces 32a, 32b, and 32c may be inclined surfaces that gradually move away from the input mechanism 20 as they move upward from the wiring board 11.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the wall surface 32a is formed at a position farther from the input mechanism 20 than the wall surfaces 32b and 32c. As shown in FIG. 2, the wall surface 32 a is formed at a position farther from the input mechanism 20 than the edge portion 28 c of the cover portion 28 b formed on the operation body 28. The other wall surfaces 32b and 32c are located immediately below the edge portion 28c, or are formed at positions farther from the input mechanism 20 than the edge portion 28c.

  Inside the wall surfaces 32a, 32b, and 32c, a protective surface 33 that is continuous with the lower edges of the wall surfaces 32a, 32b, and 32c is formed. The protective surface 33 is a surface located on the wiring board 11 and substantially parallel to the surface 11 a of the wiring board 11.

  A raised portion 34 that is one step higher than the protective surface 33 is integrally formed at the edge of the hole 31. As shown in FIG. 2, at least a part of the surface of the raised portion 34 is an inclined surface 34a. The inclined surface 34 a is inclined so as to approach the protective surface 33 as the distance from the hole 31 increases.

  As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the protective member 30 has a drainage portion 35 formed in a missing portion between the wall surface 32 b and the wall surface 32 c. The drainage part 35 is provided with a drainage passage 36 that is continuous with the protective surface 33 and is directed downward downward from the protective surface 33. The drainage passage 36 may be continuous from the surface of the raised portion 34. The drainage part 35 and the drainage passage 36 are directed in the X1 direction. As shown in FIG. 1, the X1 direction is a direction facing an operator who operates the game controller 1. From the viewpoint of the operator, the drainage part 35 and the drainage passage 36 face the near side.

  When using the game controller 1, liquid may be given to the input device 10 by spilling a drink or the like.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a slight gap is formed between the inner peripheral edge of the operation hole 5 opened in the operation side wall 2a of the housing 2 and the surface of the cover portion 28b. Since the cover portion 28b of the operation body 28 moves in the three-dimensional direction inside the operation hole 5, it is difficult to provide a mechanism for closing this gap. For this reason, when a liquid is applied to the operation body 28 and its surroundings, the liquid may enter the inside of the housing 2 through the gap between the operation hole 5 and the cover portion 28b.

  A protection surface 33 of the protection member 30 exists below the edge portion 28c of the cover portion 28b, and wall surfaces 32a, 32b, and 32c are formed at positions away from the edge portion 28c. Therefore, the liquid does not easily scatter around and easily moves to the protective surface 33 of the protective member 30.

  The liquid that has moved to the protective surface 33 is not blocked by the wall surfaces 32a, 32b, and 32c and does not spread to the surroundings. Further, since the raised portion 34 is formed at the peripheral edge of the hole 31 of the protective member 30, the liquid It is difficult to enter the gap between the peripheral edge of the hole 31 and the input mechanism 20. In addition, even if liquid adheres to the surface of the raised portion 34, the liquid easily moves to the protective surface 33 through the inclined surface 34 a on the surface of the raised portion 34.

  Further, the game controller 1 is generally used in a posture in which the X1 direction, which is the opening direction of the drainage portion 35, is directed to the operator and the X1 direction is downward. For this reason, when a large amount of liquid is applied to the protective surface 33, this liquid easily travels through the drainage passage 36 of the drainage section 35 and falls into the housing 2.

  Since the protective surface 33 of the protection member 30 is located between the operation hole 5 of the housing 2 and the wiring board 11, the liquid that has entered the inside of the housing 2 from the operation hole 5 does not easily move to the wiring board 11. . As shown in FIG. 2, the drainage part 35 is at a position sufficiently away from the end of the wiring board 11, and the drainage passage 36 is at a position away from the end of the wiring board 11. It extends to the lower side than the second surface 11b. Therefore, the liquid that travels from the protective surface 33 through the drainage passage 36 and falls into the housing 2 is difficult to adhere to the wiring board 11.

  As described above, since it is difficult for the liquid to transfer to the wiring substrate 11 to which the input mechanism 20 is attached, the liquid adheres to the wiring pattern formed on the wiring substrate 11 or the detection terminal 27 and the wiring pattern of the input mechanism 20. It is easy to prevent liquid from adhering to the connection part. Furthermore, it is difficult for the liquid to adhere to the terminals of other electronic components such as ICs mounted on the wiring board 11 and the connection portions between the electrodes and the wiring pattern.

  In the above embodiment, the wiring board 11 on which the input mechanism 20 is mounted is arranged at a position close to the operation hole 5 of the housing 2, but the wiring board 11 enters the operation hole 5. Can be effectively protected from liquids.

  Note that the input mechanism 20 is not limited to the one that performs input by tilting the operating body 28 in the three-dimensional direction, as in the above-described embodiment, and the input device 3 shown in FIG. Various things can be used. In addition to the game controller, the input device of the present invention can be mounted on a remote controller of various electronic devices.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Game controller 2 Case 5 Operation hole 10 Input device 11 Wiring board 20 Input mechanism 21 Case 24a Operation shaft 27 Detection terminal 28 Operation body 28a Operation head 28b Cover part 28c Edge part 30 Protection member 31 Hole 32a, 32b, 32c Wall surface 33 Protective surface 34 Raised portion 34a Inclined surface 35 Drainage portion 36 Drainage passage

Claims (6)

In an input device having a wiring board having a wiring pattern, an input mechanism, and an operating body for operating the input mechanism,
The input mechanism is mounted on the wiring board, and a protective member is provided between the wiring board and the operation body,
A hole or notch is formed in the protective member, the input mechanism is located inside the hole or notch, and the protective member has a wall surface surrounding the input mechanism at a position away from the input mechanism; An input device, wherein a protective surface that covers the wiring board is integrally formed between the input mechanism and the wall surface in succession to the wall surface.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein a raised portion that is higher than the protective surface is formed integrally with the protective member at an edge of the hole or the notch. Wherein the protective member, the wall surface input device according to claim 1 Symbol placement drainage portion is formed lacking.   The input device according to claim 2, wherein a drainage part lacking the wall surface is formed on the protective member. It said drainage portion, continuously from the protected surface or the surface of the raised portion, the input device according to claim 4, wherein the liquid discharge passage extending in a direction away from the operating body is formed. Area of the operating body is larger than the area of the input mechanism, the wall surface according to any one of claims 1 are formed at positions away from the input mechanism than the edge portion of the operating body 5 Input device.

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