JP5876394B2 - Tactile presentation device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a tactile sensation providing apparatus that presents a tactile sensation by vibration.

  In recent years, portable information devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs, various consumer devices such as home appliances such as microwave ovens, TVs, lighting fixtures, ATMs (automated teller machines), automatic ticket vending machines, automatic Various industrial devices (FA devices) such as vending machines are being mounted with tactile sensation presentation devices that present tactile sensations by vibration in response to operator operations (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2011-34150 A

  In the tactile sensation providing apparatus as described above, for example, from the viewpoint of low power consumption, it is desirable to efficiently vibrate the tactile sensation providing unit that provides tactile sensation by vibration.

  This invention is made | formed in view of this viewpoint, and it aims at providing the tactile sensation presentation apparatus which can vibrate a tactile sensation presentation part efficiently.

The invention of the tactile sensation providing apparatus that achieves the above-mentioned object is as follows.
A tactile sensation presentation unit that presents a tactile sensation by vibration;
A stretchable elastic member that seals an opening that allows the space opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface of the tactile sensation providing portion to communicate with the outside of the space;
A ventilation portion that is disposed at a position corresponding to the elastic member and allows air to pass through when the elastic member expands and contracts;
With
The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opening area of the ventilation part is smaller than an area of the opening part.

  The ventilation part may be constituted by a plurality of ventilation holes.

  The ventilation portion may be configured by a mesh member.

  The ventilation portion may be arranged so as not to contact the elastic member when the elastic member expands and contracts.

  The elastic member may expand and contract according to the vibration of the tactile sensation providing unit.

  The elastic member expands and contracts according to the vibration of the tactile sensation providing unit so as to approach a state in which the air pressure in the space opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface and the air pressure in the space outside the tactile sensation providing device are balanced. May be.

Having an opening on the opposite side of the tactile sensation presentation surface of the tactile sensation presentation part,
The elastic member has one surface in contact with a space opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface of the tactile sensation providing unit and the other surface in contact with a space outside the tactile sensation providing device so as to cover the opening. Also good.

  The elastic member may have a dustproof function or a waterproof function.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the tactile sensation presentation apparatus which can vibrate a tactile sensation presentation part efficiently can be provided.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows schematic structure of the principal part of the tactile sense presentation apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of FIG. 1. It is an AA line expanded sectional view of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating operation | movement of the tactile sense presentation apparatus of FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 3 show a schematic configuration of a main part of a tactile sensation providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view, and FIG. It is an AA line expanded sectional view. The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a housing 10, a panel 20, and a shielding member 30 in appearance.

  The housing 10 is made of, for example, metal, plastic, or resin and has a rectangular shape in plan view. In the present specification, the rectangular shape includes those in which corners are formed in an arc shape. In the illustrated example, the housing 10 is shown as one housing, but the upper housing and the lower housing may be integrally combined. In this case, an appropriate dustproof or waterproofing measure is taken between the upper housing and the lower housing, for example, by using a sealed structure via rubber packing.

  The panel 20 is operated by an operator's finger, a stylus pen, or the like, and is made of, for example, plastic or glass having a thickness capable of minute bending displacement (for example, several tens of μm). In addition, the panel 20 may be comprised with the touchscreen which has contact detection functions, such as a resistive film system, an electrostatic capacitance system, an optical system, for example. The panel 20 has a rectangular shape in plan view in the illustrated example, but may have a square shape or the like.

  The panel 20 has two sheets for bending and vibrating the panel 20 on a panel back surface 20b opposite to a tactile sensation display surface (operation surface) 20a that is a surface operated by an operator's finger or stylus pen. Piezoelectric elements 21 and 22 are provided. The piezoelectric elements 21 and 22 have a long rectangular shape having the same structure, such as a monomorph, a bimorph, and a unimorph, and are bent or stretched in the long direction when a voltage is applied. One piezoelectric element 21 is bonded and fixed to the panel back surface 20b so that the long direction extends along the short side of one of the opposing short sides of the panel back surface 20b. Similarly, the other piezoelectric element 22 is bonded and fixed to the panel back surface 20b on the other short side of the panel back surface 20b so that the long direction extends along the short side. Panel 20 and piezoelectric elements 21 and 22 constitute a tactile sensation providing unit.

  The shielding member 30 is, for example, a sheet having a dustproof function or a waterproof function, and is formed in a frame shape. The shielding member 30 has an inner peripheral portion bonded to the peripheral portion of the panel back surface 20b of the panel 20 by a double-sided tape or an adhesive, and an outer peripheral portion bonded to the upper surface 10b of the outer peripheral portion 10a of the housing 10 by a double-sided tape or an adhesive. Is done. Further, between the back surface on the inner peripheral side of the shielding member 30 and the bottom 10c of the housing 10, at a total of six locations corresponding to the four corners of the panel 20 and the central portion of each long side of the panel 20, respectively. The elastically deformable support member 40 is disposed by being bonded with a double-sided tape or an adhesive.

  As the support member 40, for example, “PORON” (trade name) or the like can be used. Thus, the panel 20 is supported on the bottom 10c of the housing 10 by the six support members 40. Therefore, in the illustrated example, the six support members 40 form a space (gap) 50 between the back side of each of the panel 20 and the shielding member 30 and the bottom 10 c of the housing 10 in the housing 10. Is done. In addition, as for the panel 20, the shielding member 30 may be adhere | attached on the peripheral part of the tactile sense presentation surface 20a, and the support member 40 may be adhere | attached on the panel back surface 20b. Moreover, although the support member 40 has illustrated the cylindrical shape, it can be set as arbitrary shapes, such as prismatic shape.

  In the space 50, a circuit board 51 on which drive circuits for the piezoelectric elements 21 and 22 are mounted is separated from the bottom 10 c of the housing 10 via a support portion 10 d that is integral with or separate from the housing 10. The body 10 is supported and arranged. In addition, in the space 50, a display panel such as a liquid crystal panel or the like may be mounted integrally or separately from the panel 20 as necessary, or a battery is mounted when the tactile sensation presentation device is portable. Also good.

  A rectangular opening 11 is formed in the bottom portion 10c of the housing 10 at a portion protruding upward from the bottom surface 10c. Accordingly, the peripheral edge of the opening 11 has a frame shape. In the illustrated example, the opening 11 has a rectangular shape, but may have various shapes such as a circular shape. In a state where the elastic member 52 described later does not cover the opening 11, the space 50 and the space (outside air) outside the tactile sensation providing device are communicated by the opening 11. In addition, a plurality of vent holes 13 are formed in a portion corresponding to the place where the opening 11 is formed in the bottom 10 c of the housing 10. In FIG. 2, the plurality of vent holes 13 are formed at twelve locations. However, an arbitrary number of vent holes 13 are formed in a portion corresponding to the portion where the opening 11 is formed in the bottom portion 10 c of the housing 10. Can be formed. The plurality of vent holes 13 are indicated by broken lines because they cannot be viewed in the illustrated state unless the elastic member 52 is a transparent member. In the present embodiment, the plurality of vent holes 13 constitute a vent portion.

  The opening 11 is not limited to the illustrated position of the bottom 10c as long as the space 50 communicates with the space outside the tactile sensation providing device, and can be formed at various positions as required. The opening area of the opening 11 is appropriately set according to the capacity of the space 50, the change in atmospheric pressure in the space 50 due to the vibration of the panel 20, the position and number of openings 11 formed, and the like. In the present embodiment, one rectangular opening 11 is formed at a position corresponding to a position slightly moved in the longitudinal direction of the tactile sensation presentation device from the center of the panel 20 in the region of the bottom 10c facing the panel 20. The case is shown as an example.

  The elastic member 52 has a dustproof function or a waterproof function, and is arranged on a frame-like portion protruding upward from the bottom 10c of the housing 10 so as to cover (close) the opening 11 with a double-sided tape, an adhesive, or the like. Installed (attached). In the illustrated example, the elastic member 52 covers from the lower side of the opening 11 (from the bottom 10c side), but may be covered from the upper side of the opening 11 (from the circuit board 51 side).

  As such an elastic member 52, for example, a silicon rubber sheet or the like can be used. The elastic member 52 has, for example, a rectangular shape according to the shape of the opening 11 and has a thickness of 0.2 mm. The elastic member 52 may be made of a material having elasticity as a whole, or at least a portion corresponding to the opening 11 may be formed of a material having elasticity by two-color molding or the like. By disposing the elastic member 52 so as to cover the opening 11, the space 50 is sealed, and dust and water can be prevented from entering the space 50.

  The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to the present embodiment detects an operation on panel 20 and drives piezoelectric elements 21 and 22. As a result, the panel 20 is curved and vibrated in the direction indicated by the double-headed arrow in FIG. 4 shows a state in which the panel 20 is curved and the tactile sensation providing surface 20a protrudes upward. Here, if the panel 20 has a contact detection function, the operation on the panel 20 may be detected by the contact detection function. In addition, an operation on the panel 20 may be detected by detecting a press due to contact with the panel 20. In this case, the pressure on the panel 20 may be detected using the piezoelectric elements 21 and 22, or may be detected by separately providing a piezoelectric element or a strain sensor for detecting pressure.

  According to the present embodiment, when the panel 20 vibrates, the atmospheric pressure in the space 50 changes according to the volume change of the space 50 due to the vibration. The elastic member 52 expands and contracts in response to a change in the atmospheric pressure in the space 50 and deforms so as to approach a state where the atmospheric pressure in the space 50 and the external atmospheric pressure (the atmospheric pressure in the space outside the tactile sensation presentation device) are balanced. In the present embodiment, when the panel 20 is curved and vibrated in the direction indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 4, the elastic member 52 is curved and vibrated with expansion and contraction as shown in FIG. It will be. Thereby, the change in atmospheric pressure in the space 50 based on the vibration of the panel 20 is reduced, so that the panel 20 can be efficiently vibrated by the piezoelectric elements 21 and 22.

  In FIG. 4, when the opening 11 is not formed and the space 50 is in a sealed state, when the panel 20 is vibrated by driving the piezoelectric elements 21 and 22, the gas in the space 50 is responded to the vibration. (Air) will be expanded / compressed. Therefore, if the panel 20 is vibrated with a desired amplitude, it is necessary to supply more drive power to the piezoelectric elements 21 and 22 than in the case of the present embodiment, resulting in an increase in power consumption. become. In FIG. 4, when the elastic member 52 is not disposed, the sealing property of the space 50 is impaired, and dust or water may enter the space 50.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the elastic member 52 that can be expanded and contracted opens the space 50 opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface 20a of the tactile sensation providing unit (20, 21, 22) to the outside of the space 50. The part 11 is sealed. Moreover, in this Embodiment, the ventilation part (ventilation hole 13) is arrange | positioned in the position corresponding to the elastic member 52, and allows the air to pass through when the elastic member 52 expands and contracts. Furthermore, the elastic member 52 is in contact with the space 50 opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface 20a of the tactile sensation providing unit (20, 21, 22) so as to cover the opening 11, and the other surface is provided with tactile sensation. It is preferable to make contact with a space outside the apparatus.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opening area of the ventilation part (ventilation hole 13) is made smaller than the area of the opening part 11. By doing so, even if the size of the opening 11 is made relatively large in order to vibrate the panel 20 efficiently, the portion where the vent hole 13 is not formed in the bottom surface 10c functions as a reinforcing material. The strength (bending strength, torsional strength, etc.) of the body 10 can be maintained. As described above, since there is a portion where the vent hole 13 is not formed on the bottom surface 10c, the operator is prevented from coming into direct contact with the elastic member 52, so that efficient vibration of the panel 20 is inhibited. There is no. Furthermore, since the operator does not directly contact the elastic member 52, the possibility that the elastic member 52 is damaged or malfunctioned can be reduced, and the durability of the elastic member 52 can be improved.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the elastic member 52 is considered in consideration of the amplitude due to expansion and contraction of the elastic member 52 so that the elastic member 52 does not contact the circuit board 51 or the vent hole 13 when the elastic member 52 expands and contracts. Is preferably arranged. Thereby, when the elastic member 52 expands and contracts, the vibration of the panel 20 is not hindered because the elastic member 52 contacts another member.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited only to the above-described embodiment, and those skilled in the art can easily make various modifications and corrections based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these variations and modifications are included in the scope of the present invention. For example, the panel 20 is not limited to the two piezoelectric elements 21 and 22 and may be configured to vibrate with one or three or more piezoelectric elements. Further, the panel 20 is not limited to bending vibration, and the surface may vibrate parallel to the normal direction. Furthermore, the vibration source of the panel 20 is not limited to a piezoelectric element, but may be an eccentric motor or an actuator.

  In the above-described embodiment, the ventilation portion is described as being configured by the plurality of ventilation holes 13. However, for example, the ventilation portion may be configured by a mesh-like member. In the above-described embodiment, the space 12 has been described as being defined by a frame-shaped portion protruding inside the housing 10. However, the opening 11 is formed on the same surface as the bottom portion 10c of the housing 10, for example, and the portion where the air holes 13 are formed is the housing so that the space 12 is defined outside the same surface. You may comprise so that it may protrude to the exterior of 10.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Housing | casing 10a Outer peripheral part 10b Upper surface 10c Bottom part 10d Support part 11 Opening part 12 Space 13 Ventilation hole 20 Panel 20a Tactile display surface 20b Panel back surface 21, 22 Piezoelectric element 30 Shielding member 40 Support member 50 Space 51 Circuit board 52 Elastic member

Claims (8)

A tactile sensation presentation unit that presents a tactile sensation by vibration;
A stretchable elastic member that seals an opening that allows the space opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface of the tactile sensation providing portion to communicate with the outside of the space;
A ventilation portion that is disposed at a position corresponding to the elastic member and allows air to pass through when the elastic member expands and contracts;
With
The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an opening area of the ventilation part is smaller than an area of the opening part.   The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation portion includes a plurality of ventilation holes.   The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation portion is configured by a mesh-like member.   The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ventilation portion is disposed so as not to contact the elastic member when the elastic member expands and contracts.   The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member expands and contracts according to vibration of the tactile sensation providing unit.   The elastic member expands and contracts according to the vibration of the tactile sensation providing unit so as to approach a state where the air pressure in the space opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface and the air pressure in the space outside the tactile sensation providing device are balanced. The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.   The elastic member has one surface in contact with a space opposite to the tactile sensation providing surface of the tactile sensation providing unit and the other surface in contact with a space outside the tactile sensation providing device so as to cover the opening. The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The tactile sensation providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member has a dustproof function or a waterproof function.

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