JP5637894B2 - Touch switch - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a touch switch for detecting a touch with a user's fingertip or the like, and more particularly to a touch switch capable of preventing malfunction.

  Conventionally, vehicles and buildings have been provided with switches that can be associated with predetermined operations (functions) such as switching on / off of interior lights and opening / closing of an electric power window. By selectively operating, a target operation is executed.

  By the way, in recent years, touch switches (touch panels) that electrically detect a user's touch on a screen instead of a mechanical switch that mechanically detects a user's operation are rapidly spreading. Application to the operation of air conditioners in Japan is under consideration. This touch switch detects an electrical change when a user's finger, which is a conductor, contacts a button displayed on a flat screen. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-75656 discloses a touch switch. (Patent Document 1) and the like.

  However, in Patent Document 1, since the button of the touch switch is displayed on a screen that is sufficiently large with respect to the size of the finger, the user may inadvertently touch when performing other work. As a result, there is a risk of unintended operations.

JP 2009-75656 A

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-described circumstances, and its solution is a novel that can prevent an erroneous operation due to careless contact without interfering with the user's conscious operation. It is to provide a touch switch having a structure.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, voltages are applied to the conductive member from a plurality of locations, and the presence / absence of contact of the conductor to be detected with the conductive member based on the energization state of the conductive member In a touch switch for detecting a position, a conductive contact confirmation member is provided, and a grounding electrode of a power source for applying a voltage to the conductive member is connected to the contact confirmation member . The presence / absence of contact of the detected conductor to the conductive member and the contact position are detected in a state in which the contact confirmation member and the conductive member are conducted through a human body .

  According to the touch switch having the structure according to the first aspect, the presence / absence of the contact and the contact position are detected when the detected conductor contacts the conductive member while the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are conducted. Thus, a predetermined operation is executed according to the input to the touch switch. On the other hand, in a state where the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are not conducted, the power source and the ground side electrode are not conducted. Therefore, even if the detected conductor contacts the conductive member, the presence or absence of contact and the contact position are not detected. Therefore, even if the conductive member is inadvertently touched unintentionally, the touch switch is not received, and malfunction is prevented.

  In short, according to the touch switch according to the present invention, whether the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are conductive or not when the user intentionally operates the touch switch and when the user accidentally touches the touch switch. Therefore, only the operation intended by the user is selectively executed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in the first aspect, the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are provided on one surface of an insulating layer having electrical insulation. is there.

  According to the second aspect, since the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are provided on both surfaces of the insulator layer, the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are close to each other in a state where conduction is prevented by the insulator layer. Be placed. As described above, when the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are placed close to each other, when the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are brought into conduction, the electrical resistance is suppressed to be small at a conduction portion between the conductive member and the contact confirmation member. be able to. As a result, the level of the detection signal (current) can be increased, and the detection accuracy and the reliability of the detection result can be improved.

  Furthermore, since the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are arranged at positions close to each other and can be easily conducted by, for example, grasping them by hand, it is easy to perform an operation while conducting the conductive member and the contact confirmation member. Become. In addition, since the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are arranged on both sides of the insulating layer, the conduction between the conductive member and the contact confirmation member and the contact between the conductive member and the detected conductor are not simultaneously performed. It is unlikely to occur, and both easy operation and effective prevention of erroneous operation are realized at the same time.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in the second aspect, the insulator layer having a door handle shape that protrudes from the wall portion and extends opposite to the wall portion is formed. One of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is provided on the surface of the body layer facing the wall, and the contact confirmation with the conductive member is provided on the surface of the insulator layer opposite to the wall. Any one of the members is provided as a handle portion.

  According to the third aspect, the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are provided on both surfaces of the insulating layer having the door handle shape to form the handle portion, and the contact confirmation with the conductive member is performed by grasping the handle portion. The member is conducted, and the contact portion of the finger with the conductive member is set as the detected conductor, and the input to the switch is performed by the contact with the finger. As described above, by selectively accepting an operation in a state that is unlikely to occur without intention of grasping the handle portion, it is possible to prevent malfunction when touched by mistake.

  In addition, either the conductive member or the contact confirmation member is disposed to face the wall portion, and it is necessary to insert a conductor such as a finger between the wall portion and the handle portion in order to operate the touch switch. Therefore, inadvertent contact is more effectively prevented.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in the third aspect, the handle portion is at least one automotive handle portion of an automobile door armrest, an inside door handle, and an assist grip. It is.

  According to the fourth aspect, in an automobile, a door operation / opening / closing operation, an air conditioner ON / OFF, an air flow adjustment, a headlight lighting / extinguishing operation, etc., are caused to malfunction by touching carelessly. Can be controlled without. In addition, by providing a touch switch on the handle portion for an automobile that can be grasped by hand, it is possible to easily operate the handle portion for an automobile while holding it with one hand.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, an alternating voltage is applied to the conductive member by the power source, and a surface of the conductive member is provided. A dielectric layer is provided, and the presence / absence and contact position of the detected conductor with respect to the conductive member via the dielectric layer are detected.

  According to the fifth aspect, since the conductor to be detected is indirectly in contact with the conductive member via the dielectric layer, wear and deterioration of the conductive member are prevented, and durability is improved. . In addition, even when the dielectric layer is interposed between the conductive member and the detected conductor by applying an AC voltage, the current is substantially reduced between the conductive member and the detected conductor based on the capacitance. And the presence / absence of contact and the contact position are detected effectively.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, a DC voltage is applied to the conductive member by the power source, and the detected conductor includes the touch switch. The presence or absence of direct contact with the conductive member and the contact position are detected.

  According to the sixth aspect, when the conductor to be detected is in direct contact with the conductive member, a DC voltage can be used, and the structure of the power supply can be simplified.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in any one of the first to sixth aspects, at least one of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is formed of a conductive resin. is there.

  As shown in the seventh aspect, when the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are formed of a conductive resin, the degree of freedom in shape can be increased by molding. Accordingly, even when a three-dimensional shape such as a door handle shape is required, the conductive member and the contact confirmation member can be easily formed into a predetermined shape.

  According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in any one of the first to seventh aspects, at least one of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is formed of a conductive paint. is there.

  According to the eighth aspect, a three-dimensional conductive member and a contact confirmation member can be easily formed by applying a conductive paint to the surface of a resin member or the like excellent in moldability.

  According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the touch switch described in any one of the first to eighth aspects, a movement amount and a movement direction of the contact position of the conductor to be detected on the conductive member are: It is specified by continuously detecting the contact position.

  According to the ninth aspect, since the movement of the conductor to be detected on the conductive member is detected, one operation can be performed by associating the operation with the change in the contact position as well as the presence or absence of the contact. More operations can be realized with the touch switch.

  According to the present invention, since the contact of the conductor to be detected to the conductive member is detected only in the conductive state of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member, when the user intentionally operates the touch switch, While an input is accepted and an operation according to the operation is performed, if the user unintentionally touches the touch switch, the input is not accepted and an incorrect operation is performed. Can be prevented.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the touch switch as a 1st Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: II sectional drawing of FIG. II-II sectional drawing of FIG. The figure for demonstrating the identification method of the contact position in the touch switch shown by FIG. The circuit diagram which shows the electric circuit comprised at the time of operation of the touch switch shown by FIG. It is a principal part enlarged view which shows the switch part of the touch switch shown by FIG. 1, Comprising: The A direction arrow line view of FIG. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the assist grip provided with the touch switch as the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: VI-VI sectional drawing of FIG. VII-VII sectional drawing of FIG. The figure for demonstrating the identification method of the contact position in the touch switch shown by FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show a touch switch 10 as a first embodiment of the present invention. The touch switch 10 is provided on an assist grip 12 as a handle for an automobile. The assist grip 12 is a grip that is held by the occupant to support the body and maintain the posture during traveling of the automobile, and is attached to the roof side portion 14 of the automobile. In the following description, as a general rule, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction in FIG. 1 that is the vertical vertical direction, and the front-rear direction refers to the right-to-left direction in FIG. 1 that is the vehicle front-rear direction.

  More specifically, the assist grip 12 has a structure in which the conductive member 18 is provided on one surface of the insulator layer 16 and the contact confirmation member 20 is provided on the other surface. The insulator layer 16 is formed of a rubber material, a synthetic resin material, or the like and has an electrical insulation property. Both end portions protrude downward and substantially perpendicular to the roof side portion 14 and are bent. The intermediate portion has a door handle shape extending in the front-rear direction at a predetermined distance from the roof side portion 14. Thus, in the present embodiment, the roof side portion 14 is a wall portion that supports the assist grip 12.

  A conductive member 18 is provided on one surface of the insulator layer 16. The conductive member 18 is formed of a conductive resin material in which a conductive filler such as carbon black is mixed with a synthetic resin material, and is superimposed so as to cover the entire front and rear surfaces and the lower surface of the insulator layer 16. It is fixed to the insulator layer 16. In short, the conductive member 18 is provided on the side opposite to the roof side portion 14 with the insulator layer 16 interposed therebetween, and is disposed on the vehicle interior space side.

  A contact confirmation member 20 is provided on the other surface of the insulator layer 16. Similar to the conductive member 18, the contact confirmation member 20 is formed of a conductive resin material in which a conductive filler such as carbon black is mixed with a synthetic resin material. It is overlapped so as to cover the whole and fixed to the insulator layer 16. In short, the contact confirmation member 20 is provided on the surface facing the roof side portion 14 of the insulator layer 16. It should be noted that the resistance value of the contact confirmation member 20 is sufficiently small to be negligible compared to the resistance value of the conductive member 18 by adjusting the amount of conductive filler mixed with the synthetic resin material. Is desirable.

  In the present embodiment, the insulator layer 16, the conductive member 18, and the contact confirmation member 20 are covered with the dielectric layer 22. The dielectric layer 22 is formed of a dielectric elastomer material, a synthetic resin material, or the like, and is thin, and the surface of the insulator layer 16, the conductive member 18, and the contact confirmation member 20 (to the roof side portion 14). It is provided so as to cover substantially the entire surface (excluding the fixing surface).

  The assist grip 12 is supported at both ends attached to the roof side portion 14 of the automobile. The attachment structure to the roof side portion 14 is not particularly limited, but may be fixed by means such as adhesion or fusion, and may be pivotally supported with respect to the roof side portion 14. May be.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a first detection resistor 24 is electrically connected to the front end portion of the conductive member 18, and the first detection resistor 24 is connected to the first detection resistor 24. A first voltmeter 26 for measuring the voltage value: Vm ₁ is provided. Further, a first AC power supply 28 is connected to the first detection resistor 24 and the conductive member 18, and the first AC power supply 28 is connected to the first detection resistor 24 and the conductive member 18. AC voltage is applied.

On the other hand, the second detection resistor 30 is electrically connected to the rear end portion of the conductive member 18, and the voltage value: Vm ₂ of the second detection resistor 30 is measured. The second voltmeter 32 is provided. Further, a second AC power supply 34 is connected to the second detection resistor 30 and the conductive member 18, and the second AC power supply 34 is connected to the second detection resistor 30 and the conductive member 18. AC voltage is applied. Note that the first detection resistor 24 and the second detection resistor 30 have the same resistance value: r, and the measurement value: Vm ₁ of the _first voltmeter 26 and the second voltage. By measuring the total measurement value Vm ₂ , the magnitude of the current flowing through the first and second detection resistors 24 and 30 is measured. Further, since the first AC power supply 28 and the second AC power supply 34 apply AC voltages having the same phase and the same potential, the conductive member 18 and the second AC power supply 34 are insulated in the state where the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are insulated. 1. A steady current does not flow through the second detection resistors 24 and 30. Therefore, in a state where the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are insulated, the measured values of the first and second voltmeters 26 and 32 are all 0 (Vm ₁ = Vm ₂ = 0).

  Further, the ground side electrode 36 of the first and second AC power supplies 34 is electrically connected to the front end portion of the contact confirmation member 20, and the potential of the ground side electrode 36 is zeroed by grounding. Yes.

  Further, the measurement value of the first voltmeter 26 and the measurement value of the second voltmeter 32 are both transmitted to the processing device 38 as electrical signals. The processing device 38 includes, for example, a continuity confirmation unit 40 that determines presence / absence of contact based on a measurement value, an operation identification unit 42 that identifies a contact position when the continuity confirmation unit 40 detects contact, and an operation identification unit 42. And a control signal output means 44 for causing the vehicle apparatus to execute a predetermined operation in accordance with the type of operation specified by.

  In the touch switch 10 having such a structure, the presence / absence of contact of the conductor to be detected with the conductive member 18 and the contact position are detected based on the energized state of the conductive member 18. That is, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 1 and 2, the occupant grasps the assist grip 12 with the hand 46, and the index finger (second finger) 48, middle finger (third finger) 50, ring finger (first finger) The contact confirmation member 20 is brought into contact with at least one of the four fingers 52 and the fifth finger 54 and the thumb (first finger) 56 as the conductor to be detected is brought into contact with the conductive member 18 so that the conductive member 18 is electrically conductive. The energization state of the member 18 changes, and the presence / absence of the contact of the thumb 56 with the conductive member 18 and the contact position are specified.

More specifically, since the human hand 46 is a conductor, as shown in FIG. 1, when the occupant grasps the assist grip 12 with the hand 46, the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are moved to the hand 46. Electrically connected through. As a result, currents I ₁ and I ₂ flow through the conductive member 18 and the first and second detection resistors 24 and 30, and the first and second voltmeters 26 and 32 are connected to the first and second voltmeters. The voltage values Vm ₁ and Vm ₂ corresponding to the current flowing through the detection resistors 24 and 30 are measured. Then, the continuity confirmation means 40 of the processing device 38 is configured so that when the measured values Vm ₁ and Vm _{2 of the first} and _second voltmeters 26 and 32 are equal to or greater than a predetermined numerical value, the thumb 56 ( The contact of the detected conductor) is detected. In FIG. 1, a path through which current flows through the assist grip 12 and the hand 46 is indicated by arrows.

  The conduction confirmation unit 40 detects the contact of the thumb 56 with the conductive member 18 under the conduction state of the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20. For example, the continuity confirmation unit 40 determines whether or not the measured values of the first and second voltmeters 26 and 32 are equal to or greater than a preset threshold value, and the measured value is equal to or greater than the threshold value. When it is determined, the conduction between the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 is confirmed. That is, even when the hand 46 touches only the conductive member 18 and the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are not conductive, the conductive member 18 is grounded through the user's body and the first and second detection resistors. Current can flow through the bodies 24, 30. However, in such a grounding mode, since the path from the conductive member 18 to the ground point is long and the path is a human body that is a resistor, the electrical resistance value increases, and the first and second detection resistors The current flowing through the bodies 24 and 30 is reduced. As a result, the measured value falls below the threshold value, and contact with the conductive member 18 is not detected. On the other hand, when the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are conducted by the hand 46, the conductive member 18 is grounded through the contact confirmation member 20 and the electric wire having a resistance value sufficiently smaller than that of the human body. As a result, the current flowing through the first and second detection resistors 24 and 30 becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value, and the conduction confirmation means 40 confirms the conduction between the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20. Contact with the conductive member 18 is detected.

When the continuity confirmation means 40 confirms the continuity between the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20, the operation specifying means 42 of the processing device 38 uses the thumb 56 based on the measured values of the first and second voltmeters 26 and 32. The contact position with respect to the conductive member 18 is specified. That is, as shown in FIG. 3, when the thumb 56 comes into contact with the intermediate portion of the conductive member 18 having an overall resistance value of R, the conductive member 18 as a resistor has one end (in FIG. 3). , The left end) to the contact position of the thumb 56, the first resistor 58 (the resistance value is R ₁ ), and the second resistor 60 from the other end (the right end in FIG. 3) to the contact position of the thumb 56 (The resistance value is substantially R ₂ ). These resistance value of the first resistor 58: the R _1, the resistance value of the second resistor 60: the ratio of R ₂ is, the distance from one end of the conductive member 18 to the contact position of the thumb 56, conductive Since the ratio of the distance from the other end of the member 18 to the contact position of the thumb 56 is substantially the same, the contact position of the thumb 56 with respect to the conductive member 18 is specified by determining the ratio of R ₁ and R _2. The FIG. 4 shows an electrical circuit diagram showing a state where the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are electrically connected by the hand 46.

  In the present embodiment, the surfaces of the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are covered with the dielectric layer 22, and the hand 46 indirectly contacts the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 via the dielectric layer 22. To do. In this manner, the hand 46 faces the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20, whereby the hand 46 (first finger 56) and the capacitor using the conductive member 18 as electrodes, and the hand 46 (second to fifth fingers 48). , 50, 52, 54) and a capacitor using the contact confirmation member 20 as an electrode. Since an AC voltage is applied to the conductive member 18 from the first and second AC power supplies 28 and 34, a current flows between the hand 46 and the conductive member 18 and between the hand 46 and the contact confirmation member 20. In short, the touch switch 10 of the present embodiment is a capacitive coupling type, and indirect contact via the dielectric layer 22 with respect to the conductive member 18 of the thumb 56 is detected.

  Further, the measurement of the voltage value by the first and second voltmeters 26 and 32 is repeated at predetermined time intervals, and the operation specifying means 42 continuously detects the change in the contact position of the thumb 56 with respect to the conductive member 18. doing. Thereby, when the thumb 56 is moved while being brought into contact with the surface of the conductive member 18, the displacement direction, the displacement amount, and the displacement speed of the thumb 56 are specified.

  When the contact position of the thumb 56 on the conductive member 18 is specified by the operation specifying means 42 and the type of operation is determined, the control signal output means 44 of the processing device 38 outputs a control signal to the automobile device. Then, the apparatus is caused to perform an operation corresponding to the operation. The device controlled by the operation of the touch switch 10 is not particularly limited. For example, an air conditioner of an automobile is controlled by the operation of the touch switch 10. Specifically, for example, the first switch portion 62 of the conductive member 18 shown in FIG. 5 is touched with the thumb 56 while the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are electrically connected by the hand 46 by grasping the assist grip 12. By performing this operation, an ON / OFF switching signal is output from the control signal output means 44 to the air conditioner. Further, by conducting the operation of touching the second switch portion 64 of the conductive member 18 shown in FIG. 5 with the thumb 56 while conducting the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20, the air from the control signal output means 44. An operation mode (heating / cooling or wind outlet) switching signal is output to the conditioner. Further, the control signal is obtained by performing an operation of stroking the third switch portion 66 of the conductive member 18 with the thumb 56 in the front-rear direction (right and left in FIG. 5) while the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are conducted. An air volume adjustment signal is output from the output means 44 to the air conditioner. In adjusting the air flow, the air flow increasing operation and the air reducing operation are determined based on the displacement direction of the thumb 56 on the conductive member 18, and the air flow change amount is set based on the displacement amount of the thumb 56 on the conductive member 18. Further, the amount of change in air volume per unit time (speed of change) is set according to the displacement speed of the thumb 56 on the conductive member 18. As shown in FIG. 5, the first to third switch parts 62, 64, 66 are separated by a concave groove 68, and the first to third switch parts 62, 64, 66. The position of may be specified by tactile sensation.

  However, the association between the operation of the touch switch 10 and the operation of the air conditioner as described above is merely an example, and is not limited. For example, the opening / closing of the vehicle window, the operation of the audio device, the vehicle interior light, It can also be used for the operation.

  In the touch switch 10 having the structure according to the present embodiment, when a touch operation is performed, the conduction of the thumb 56 is performed by a very simple method of holding the assist grip 12 with the hand 46 and contacting the conductive member 18 with the thumb 56. It is possible to execute an operation in accordance with the contact position with respect to the member 18, the change amount, the change direction, and the like.

  On the other hand, according to the touch switch 10, it is necessary to perform a touch operation while holding the handle-type assist grip 12 and conducting the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20. When touched, the touch operation is not accepted, and malfunction due to unintended contact is prevented. In particular, since the contact confirmation member 20 is provided inside the assist grip 12 and the portion gripped by the hand 46 is opposed to the roof side portion 14, both the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are not intended. Touching is difficult to occur, and malfunction is effectively prevented.

  In addition, in the touch switch 10, the continuity confirmation means 40 is provided so that the contact of the detected conductor (thumb 56) with the conductive member 18 is detected only when the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are in the conductive state. It has become. Therefore, an intentional operation and an unintended contact are accurately discriminated by the continuity confirmation means 40, and a malfunction is prevented.

  In addition, since the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are provided on both surfaces of the insulator layer 16 and are disposed at close positions, the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are electrically connected, so that only the conductive member 18 is provided. As compared with the case where the hand 46 is touched, the electrical resistance is suppressed, and a large current flows through the first and second detection resistors 24 and 30. Therefore, an intentional contact and an unintended contact can be discriminated with high accuracy, and malfunction due to inadvertent contact can be prevented.

  Further, since the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are formed of a conductive resin, the degree of freedom of the shape of the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 can be increased, and a three-dimensional structure such as the assist grip 12 can be obtained. The shape can be easily accommodated.

  Further, since not only the contact position of the thumb 56 with respect to the conductive member 18 but also the change (movement) of the contact position can be detected, a predetermined operation is executed in accordance with the amount of movement of the contact position, the direction of movement of the contact position, and the like. You can also. As a result, more operations can be executed by one touch switch 10, and not only ON / OFF control but also control of volume, air volume, etc. can be performed by a simple operation that is easy to understand. obtain.

  Further, the touch switch 10 of the present embodiment is of a capacitive coupling type, and a dielectric layer 22 is provided on the surfaces of the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20. Therefore, the hand 46 does not directly contact the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20, and durability is improved.

  6 and 7 show a touch switch 70 as a second embodiment of the present invention. The touch switch 70 is provided on an assist grip 72 as a handle portion for an automobile. In the following description, members and portions that are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals in the drawings, and the description thereof is omitted.

  The assist grip 72 has an insulating member 74 as an insulator layer, a conductive member 76 fixed to one surface of the insulating member 74, and a contact confirmation member 78 fixed to the other surface of the insulating member 74. ing. The insulating member 74 is a member having a handle shape, and is an insulator formed of a synthetic resin material or the like.

  A conductive member 76 is fixed to one surface of the insulating member 74. The conductive member 76 is a rubber-based conductive paint in which an organic solvent is added to the prepared rubber compound and carbon black as a conductive filler is mixed, and a printing solvent is further added. It is formed by printing in a predetermined shape on one surface of the insulating member 74 by a method such as flexographic printing, gravure printing, pad printing, or lithography.

  A first DC power supply 80 is attached to one end of the conductive member 76 attached to the roof side portion 14, and a predetermined DC voltage is applied thereto. Further, a second DC power source 82 is attached to the other end of the conductive member 76 attached to the roof side portion 14, and a DC voltage having the same potential as that of the first DC power source 80 is applied. Thus, no current flows through the conductive member 76 when the hand 46 is not in contact. The first and second detection resistors 24 and 30 and the first and second voltmeters 26 and 32 provided between the first and second DC power supplies 80 and 82 and the conductive member 76 are as follows. Since it is the same as that of 1st Embodiment, description is abbreviate | omitted.

  A contact confirmation member 78 is fixed to the other surface of the insulating member 74. Similarly to the conductive member 76, the contact confirmation member 78 is formed by printing a conductive paint in a predetermined shape on the other surface of the insulating member 74, and is provided separately from the conductive member 76. Thus, it is electrically insulated from the conductive member 76. In addition, the forming material of the conductive member 76 and the contact confirmation member 78 is not particularly limited, and various known materials can be adopted as long as the paint has conductivity.

  Also in the touch switch 70 having such a structure, as in the touch switch 10 of the first embodiment, the assist grip 72 is grasped with the hand 46 and the conductive member 76 and the contact confirmation member 78 are electrically connected. By touching a predetermined part of the conductive member 76 with the thumb 56, an operation corresponding to the contact position of the thumb 56 with the conductive member 76 is performed. This avoids malfunctions caused by unintended contact.

  In the touch switch 70 of the present embodiment, the conductive member 76 and the contact confirmation member 78 are exposed to the outside, and the hand 46 is in contact with the conductive member 76 and the contact confirmation member 78 as shown in FIG. To come into direct contact. The presence / absence of the direct contact of the thumb 56 with the conductive member 76 and the contact position are detected. Therefore, the first and second DC power supplies 80 and 82 for applying a DC voltage can be employed, and the power supply can be simplified. As is clear from this, the touch switch 70 of this embodiment is a resistance coupling type.

  In the structure of the first embodiment, the dielectric layer 22 is omitted, and the first and second AC power supplies 28 and 34 are replaced with the first and second DC power supplies 80 and 82 by direct current to the conductive member 18. By applying a voltage, a resistance-coupled touch switch can be obtained. Similarly, in the structure of the second embodiment, the surfaces of the conductive member 76 and the contact confirmation member 78 are covered with the dielectric layer 22, and the first and second DC power sources 80 and 82 are connected to the first and second AC. By applying an AC voltage to the conductive member 76 instead of the power supplies 28 and 34, a capacitively coupled touch switch can be obtained.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the conductive member 18 and the contact confirmation member 20 are disposed at positions close to each other with the insulator layer 16 interposed therebetween. However, if the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are electrically insulated from each other, , May be arranged at different positions apart. More specifically, the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are both flat, the conductive member is disposed on the door of the automobile, and the contact confirmation member is disposed on the roof of the automobile. The touch switch may accept an operation by touching the conductive member with the other hand while touching the contact confirmation member with the other hand.

  Further, the conduction between the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is not limited to conduction through the human body due to the contact of the hand. For example, the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are connected via a conduction member having a lower electrical resistance than the human body. It may be made conductive. Furthermore, the conductor to be detected whose contact position is specified is not limited to the human thumb, but may be another part of the human body such as an index finger, or another member such as a pen-like touch member. It may be.

  Moreover, the voltage should just be applied to the electrically-conductive member from several places, and it is not necessarily limited to two places. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the contact position of the thumb 56 with respect to the conductive member 18 is specified one-dimensionally in the vehicle front-rear direction. For example, a voltage is applied to the conductive member from four locations. The contact position can be specified not only in the vehicle front-rear direction but also in the vehicle left-right direction or the vehicle up-down direction on the conductive member. In short, it is also possible to detect the contact position and its change two-dimensionally on the conductive member by applying a voltage to four locations.

  Further, the material for forming the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is not limited to the conductive synthetic resin and conductive paint shown in the above embodiment, and may be any material having a sufficiently high electrical conductivity. Therefore, for example, a metal material such as copper can be used. Further, the conductive resin shown in the first embodiment is used for one of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member, and the conductive paint shown in the second embodiment is used for the other of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member. It is also possible that the conductive member and the contact confirmation member need not be formed of the same material.

  In addition, the shape of the insulator layer is not particularly limited as long as it has an electrical insulation function interposed between the conductive member and the contact confirmation member. It can be employed as an insulator layer.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the touch switch 10 was provided in the assist grip 12 of a motor vehicle, the touch switch is provided in the door armrest of a motor vehicle, for example, and the operation apparatus which switches a locked state and an unlocked state of a door, It may be provided, or may be provided on the inside door handle to be an operating device for opening and closing the vehicle window. Further, the touch switch of the present invention is not necessarily used only for automobiles, but can be applied to door handles of houses, lighting switches, and the like.

10, 70: Touch switch, 12, 72: Assist grip (grip part), 14: Roof side part (wall part), 16: Insulator layer, 18, 76: Conductive member, 22: Dielectric layer, 28: No. 1: AC power source (power source) 34: second AC power source (power source) 36: ground side electrode 56: thumb (conductor to be detected) 74: insulating member (insulator layer) 80: first DC power supply (power supply), 82: second DC power supply

Claims (9)

A voltage is applied to the conductive member from a plurality of locations, and the touch switch detects the presence / absence and contact position of the conductor to be detected based on the energized state of the conductive member,
A conductive contact confirmation member is provided, and a grounding electrode of a power source that applies a voltage to the conductive member is connected to the contact confirmation member, and the contact confirmation member is interposed through a human body including the detected conductor. touch switches and detecting the contact position with the presence or absence of contact of the the conductive member of the detected conductor in a state where the conductive member is electrically connected to the.   The touch switch according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member and the contact confirmation member are provided on one surface of an insulating layer having electrical insulation.   The insulator layer having a door handle shape protruding from the wall and extending opposite to the wall is formed, and any of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is formed on a surface of the insulator layer facing the wall. 3. The handle portion according to claim 2, wherein either one of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is provided on the surface of the insulator layer portion opposite to the wall portion, and the handle portion is provided. Touch switch.   The touch switch according to claim 3, wherein the handle portion is at least one handle portion for an automobile including a door armrest, an inside door handle, and an assist grip of the automobile.   An AC voltage is applied to the conductive member by the power source, and a dielectric layer is provided on the surface of the conductive member, and the contact of the detected conductor to the conductive member via the dielectric layer is provided. The touch switch according to claim 1, wherein presence / absence and a contact position are detected.   The DC voltage is applied to the conductive member by the power source, and the presence / absence and the contact position of the conductor to be detected with respect to the conductive member are detected. Touch switch.   The touch switch according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is formed of a conductive resin.   The touch switch according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the conductive member and the contact confirmation member is formed of a conductive paint.   The touch switch according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a movement amount and a movement direction of the contact position on the conductive member of the conductor to be detected are specified by continuously detecting the contact position. .

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