JP6201829B2 - Input device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device.

  Conventionally, various switch operation devices and push button devices have been proposed as devices for issuing an electrical signal to an electronic device and giving an operation command (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). These devices are said to be able to realize normal operation and stable operation of buttons and switches.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-18934 Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-6997

  In recent years, electronic devices such as notebook personal computers may include a so-called touch pad having a function of moving an arrow (cursor) on a display or giving a command by clicking. The touchpad moves the arrow by tracing the surface of the touch plate, and issues a command by pressing the touch plate and pressing a switch button. It is considered that the devices disclosed in Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, and the like can be applied to such a touch plate. By the way, recent electronic devices are required to be drip-proof and waterproof. In response to such a request, in the devices disclosed in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, no special consideration is given to drip-proofing and waterproofing measures.

  In one aspect, it is an object of the input device disclosed in the present specification to realize a drip-proof waterproof structure while maintaining an appropriate position of a touch plate forming a touch pad.

  An input device disclosed in the present specification includes a recess provided in a housing included in an input unit of an electronic device, and a touch plate accommodated in the recess with a touchpad substrate mounted on the back side. The touch plate includes a mounting portion that attaches the back side to the housing, and a first claw that is supported by the housing on the front side and has elasticity that urges the touch plate in a direction away from the housing. Prepare.

  According to the input device disclosed in this specification, it is an object to realize a drip-proof waterproof structure while maintaining an appropriate position of a touch plate forming a touch pad.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic apparatus including the input device according to the embodiment. 2A is a plan view of the input unit of the electronic device, FIG. 2B is a front view of the input unit of the electronic device, and FIG. 2C is a CC line in FIG. 2B. It is sectional drawing. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A in a normal state, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A in a normal state. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a part of the upper cover with the touch pad removed. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a side wall portion of a recess provided in the upper cover. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the touch plate. 7A and 7B are six views of the touch plate, where FIG. 7A is a plan view, FIG. 7B is a rear view, FIG. 7C is a front view, FIG. 7D is a right side view, and FIG. ) Is a bottom view. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the X1 portion in FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing an X2 portion in FIG. 3B in an enlarged manner. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing the switch button in an enlarged manner. 11A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A when the switch button is pressed, and FIG. 11B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A when the switch button is pressed. . FIG. 12A is a plan view of the touch plate of the first comparative example, and FIG. 12B is a side view of the touch plate of the first comparative example. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the input device of the second comparative example.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, in the drawings, the dimensions, ratios, and the like of each part may not be shown so as to completely match the actual ones. Further, depending on the drawings, components that are actually present may be omitted for convenience of explanation, or dimensions may be exaggerated from the actual drawing. In the following description, the directions shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B are described as the back side and the near side.

(Embodiment)
First, a schematic configuration of an electronic device 100 including the input device 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, a notebook (laptop) personal computer is shown as an example of the electronic device 100. The electronic device 100 includes an input unit 101 and a display unit 102. The input unit 101 includes a housing having an upper cover 101a and an under cover 101b. The input device 1 and the keyboard unit 103 are incorporated in the upper cover 101a. The input device 1 has a function of moving an arrow (cursor) appearing on the display unit 102 and issuing a command by clicking.

  Next, the input device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A is a plan view of the input unit 101 of the electronic device 100, and FIG. 2B is a front view of the input unit 101 of the electronic device 100. FIG. FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2A in a normal state, and FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2A in a normal state. Here, the normal state means a state where a touch plate 3 to be described later is not pressed. FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a part of the upper cover 101a with the touch pad 2 removed. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the side wall 104c of the recess 104 provided in the upper cover 101a. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the touch plate 3. FIG. 7 is a six-side view of the touch plate 3, (A) a plan view, (B) a rear view, (C) a front view, (D) a right side view, (E) a left side view, F) is a bottom view. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the X1 portion in FIG. FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing an X2 portion in FIG. 3B in an enlarged manner.

  The input device 1 includes a housing provided in the input unit 101 of the electronic device 100, more specifically, a recess 104 provided in the upper cover 101a and a recess 104 in a state where the touchpad substrate 4 is mounted on the back side. A touch plate 3 is provided. The touch plate 3 on which the touch pad substrate 4 is mounted forms the touch pad 2. The touch plate 3 includes a first claw 3a, a second claw 3b, and a screwing portion 3d. Here, the screwing portion 3d is an example of a mounting portion for mounting the back side of the touch plate 3 to the housing (upper cover 101a). The first claw is supported by the housing (upper cover 101a) on the front side of the touch plate 3 and has elasticity that urges the touch plate 3 away from the housing (upper cover 101a). On the front side of the touch plate 3, a skirt portion 3c extending toward the under cover 101b is provided.

  The recess 104 is a recess formed in a so-called bathtub shape in order to discharge water droplets that flow from the periphery of the touch pad 2 to the upper cover 101a side. That is, the drip-proof waterproofing of the input device 1 is achieved by the recess 104. A communication hole 104 a that communicates with the inside of the input unit 101 is provided at the center of the recess 104. The communication hole 104 a is provided to allow cables for connecting the motherboard 105 installed in the input unit 101 and the touch pad substrate 4 to pass therethrough. A rising wall 104a1 is provided around the communication hole 104a. The rising wall 104a prevents water droplets from entering the input unit 101 through the communication hole 104.

  A screwing portion 104 b 1 to which a screwing portion 3 d provided on the touch plate 3 is attached is provided on the back side wall portion 104 b of the recess 104. The side wall 104c of the recess 104 is provided with a first locking portion 104c1 and a second locking portion 104c2 which will be described in detail later. The 2nd latching | locking part 104c2 is provided in the back | inner side rather than the 1st latching | locking part 1041c1.

  A button pressing portion 104 d is provided on the front side in the recess 104. A drain recess 104e is provided around the button pressing portion 104d, and the button pressing portion 104d protrudes in an island shape. The button pressing unit 104d is provided corresponding to the position of the switch button 4a provided on the touch pad substrate 4, and when the touch pad 2 is pressed, the switch button 4a contacts the button pressing unit 104d, By being pushed in, the switch button 4a is depressed.

  The 1st nail | claw 3a suppresses that the near side of the touch board 3 floats up or falls. The first claw 3a may be installed at any location as long as the first claw 3a can suppress the rising and falling of the front side of the touch plate 3, but the first claw 3a of the present embodiment is provided on both sides of the touch plate 3. Provided in the department. As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 10, the first claw 3a exhibits a function of maintaining a desired distance S between the switch button 4a and the button pressing portion 104d. In this way, by maintaining the interval S, malfunction is prevented. Further, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, when the switch button 4a is pressed, an appropriate operation feeling, in other words, an appropriate click feeling can be obtained. With reference to FIG. 6 and FIGS. 7A to 7F, the first claw 3 a branches off from between the back side and the near side of the touch plate 3 on the lower surface side of the touch plate 3. And the 1st nail | claw 3a is extended below as it goes to the front side of the touch board 3. As shown in FIG. By providing the first claw 3a with such a shape, it is possible to reinforce the elastic force that urges the front side of the touch plate 3 away from the bottom of the recess 104 provided in the upper cover 101a. Since the first claws 3 a are provided on both sides of the touch plate 3, the front side tilt of the touch plate 3 can be suppressed. Further, it is possible to realize a stable operation that is balanced on the left and right. Such a first claw 3a is locked to a first locking portion 104c1 provided on the side wall portion 104c of the recess 104 as shown in an enlarged view in FIG.

  The second claw 3b is provided between the screwing portion 3d and the first claw 3a. The 2nd nail | claw 3b suppresses that the side of the touch board 3 floats. By providing the first claw 3a, the lifting of the front side of the touch plate 3 is suppressed, but there is a possibility that it will rise between the screwing portion 3d and the front side. Therefore, by providing the second claw 3b, the lifting is suppressed over the entire circumference of the touch plate 3. The 2nd nail | claw 3b has a hook shape, and is latched by the 2nd latching | locking part 104c2 provided in the side wall part 104c of the recessed part 104, as expanded and shown in FIG.

  Here, the effects of the input device of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 and 13. 12A is a plan view of the touch plate 51 of the first comparative example, and FIG. 12B is a side view of the touch plate 51 of the first comparative example. FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional view of the input device 60 of the second comparative example.

  Since the touch plate 3 is supported on the back side, a pressing operation with the back side as a fulcrum is allowed, but the near side away from the back side may sink. Such sinking of the front side of the touch plate 3 causes a malfunction or a reduction in operational feeling. The touch plate 51 of the first comparative example includes a rotation shaft portion 51a on the back side, and includes a leg portion 52b on the front side in order to suppress subsidence on the front side of the touch plate 51. The leg portion 52b is configured to lift the near side of the touch plate 51 by extending to the side of the touch plate 51 and having a shape that easily exhibits elasticity. Thereby, the operational feeling when pushed in the pressing direction indicated by the arrow 53 is also improved. However, since the leg portion 52b has a shape protruding sideways, it is difficult to apply to the upper cover 101a in which a drip-proof waterproof measure such as the concave portion 104 provided in the present embodiment is taken. That is, since the leg portion 52b extends to the outside of the concave portion 104, it is difficult to ensure the drip-proof property and the waterproof property. In addition, by selecting a metal, glass-filled resin, or the like as the material of the touch plate, it is conceivable to increase the rigidity of the touch plate and suppress the near side deflection, but the weight increases. Although it is conceivable to place a cushion material between the touch pad and the upper cover, considering the drip-proof property, the cushion material may absorb water and the repulsive force may be reduced.

  The input device 60 of the second comparative example shown in FIG. 13 has a configuration in which a skirt portion 61c is provided on the front side of the touch plate 61, a screwing portion 61d is provided on the back side, and the screwing portion 61d is simply fixed with a screw 62. It is. The upper cover 63a and the under cover 63b of the input device 60 can be configured similarly to the input device 1 of the present embodiment. That is, a recess can be provided as a drip-proof waterproof measure. However, since a member that appropriately supports the near side of the touch plate 61 is not provided, it is considered that an excessive force is applied to the touch plate 61 with the screwing portion 61d as a fulcrum. Further, it is conceivable that the skirt portion 61c is exposed on the front surface of the upper cover 63a and the touch plate 61 is lifted.

  In contrast to these comparative examples, the input device 1 of the present embodiment suppresses the lifting and dropping of the touch plate 3 that forms the touch pad 2, thereby maintaining the appropriate position of the touch plate 3 and being waterproof. A structure can be realized.

  Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment, and various modifications, within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims, It can be changed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input device 2 Touch pad 3 Touch board 3a 1st nail | claw 3b 2nd nail | claw 3c Skirt part 3d Screwing part 4 Touch pad board | substrate 4a Switch button 100 Electronic device 101 Input part 101a Upper cover 101b Under cover 102 Display part 103 Keyboard part 104 Recessed portion 104a Communication hole 104a1 Rising wall 104b Back side wall portion 104b1 Screwing portion 104c Side wall portion 104c1 First locking portion 104c2 Second locking portion 104d Button pressing portion 104e Drainage recess 105 Motherboard

Claims (4)

A recess provided in a housing of the input unit of the electronic device;
A touch plate housed in the recess with the touchpad substrate mounted on the back side,
The touch plate includes a mounting portion that attaches the back side to the housing, and a first claw that has a front side supported by the housing and elastically biased in a direction away from the housing. Input device.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the touch plate includes a second claw that engages with the housing between the mounting portion and the first claw.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the first claw is provided on a side portion of the touch plate.   The said 1st nail | claw branches from between the back | inner side and the near side of the said touch plate in the lower surface side of the said touch plate, and is extended below as it goes to the this near side. Input device.

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