JP6950645B2 - Electronics - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electronic device including a film-like dielectric elastomer actuator.

In recent years, electronic devices using dielectric elastomer actuators have been developed. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a diaphragm valve that controls an open / closed state based on the application of a voltage to a film-shaped dielectric elastomer actuator. The diaphragm valve of Patent Document 1 includes a film-shaped dielectric elastomer actuator, a base material that supports the dielectric elastomer actuator, and an elastic member that elastically urges the dielectric elastomer actuator. When a voltage is applied to the dielectric elastomer actuator of the diaphragm valve in the open state, the dielectric elastomer actuator extends in the plane direction and is pushed down to cover the orifice based on the urging force of the elastic member. As a result, the diaphragm valve switches from the open state to the closed state.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-4736

An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic device in which a dielectric elastomer actuator can be easily replaced.

The electronic device for achieving the above object is an electronic device provided with a film-shaped dielectric elastomer actuator, which is detachably provided with a plate-shaped base portion and the base portion, and the dielectric is provided on one surface side of the base portion. The substrate supporting the elastomer actuator, the first magnetic device provided on the side of the base opposite to the one surface side, and the first main surface side of the base of the dielectric elastomer actuator facing the one surface. It includes a first magnetic device provided at a distance from the dielectric elastomer actuator, and a second magnetic device attached to the dielectric elastomer actuator to generate a repulsive force or an attractive force between the first magnetic device.

According to the above configuration, since the base material that supports the dielectric elastomer actuator is detachably provided with respect to the base portion, the base material can be removed without removing the first magnetic device attached to the base portion side. .. As a result, the dielectric elastomer actuator can be easily replaced.

Further, as the urging means for urging the dielectric elastomer actuator, a repulsive force or an attractive force generated between the magnetic devices attached to the dielectric elastomer actuator side and the base side, respectively, is used. In this case, since the first magnetic device and the dielectric elastomer actuator are separated, the base material supporting the dielectric elastomer actuator can be easily attached to and detached from the base.

In the electronic device, it is preferable that the second magnetic device generates a repulsive force with the first magnetic device.
According to the above configuration, the operation of the dielectric elastomer actuator can be efficiently converted into a pseudo-force sensation (tactile sensation) presented to the user.

In the electronic device, the base material is a button body of a push button type switch, and the switch opens and closes an electric circuit in response to a pushing operation of the button body with respect to the base portion, and the dielectric elastomer actuator. Is preferably provided with a transmission unit that transmits a force based on the operation of the dielectric elastomer actuator to the button body.

According to the above configuration, since the button body that supports the dielectric elastomer actuator is detachably provided with respect to the base, the button body can be removed without removing the first magnetic device attached to the base side. .. As a result, the dielectric elastomer actuator can be easily replaced.

Further, according to the above configuration, the force based on the operation of the dielectric elastomer actuator is transmitted to the button body through the transmission unit. By feeling the vibration transmitted from the transmission unit to the button body, the user can intuitively grasp that the electric circuit has been switched.

According to the present invention, the dielectric elastomer actuator can be easily replaced.

Sectional view of a push button type switch. Explanatory drawing of switch operation. Explanatory drawing of the electronic device of the modification example.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the electronic device of the present invention is applied to a push button type switch will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the switch 10 has a plate-shaped base portion 11 and a bottomed cylindrical button body 20 (base material) detachably attached to the base portion 11 from the surface (one side) side of the base portion 11. The electric circuit 14 is opened and closed by pushing the button body 20 against the base 11. On the back surface side of the base portion 11, plate-shaped mounting portions 13 are arranged in the front-back direction (vertical direction in the figure) of the base portion 11 at intervals from the base portion 11. The base portion 11, the mounting portion 13, and the button body 20 are made of a hard resin such as PP or ABS.

The button body 20 is a cylindrical member having a plate-shaped top wall 21 and a peripheral wall 22 erected from the peripheral edge of the top wall 21 and one side of which is open. At the tip of the peripheral wall 22, a plurality of insertion portions 22a to be inserted into the plurality of insertion holes 12 formed in the base portion 11 are formed.

A first contact 14a for urging the button body 20 upward in the figure is mounted on the upper surface of the mounting portion 13. The first contact 14a is a leaf spring made of metal, and its central portion is attached to the upper surface of the attachment portion 13.

The second contact 14b is attached to a portion of the upper surface of the attachment portion 13 facing both ends of the first contact 14a.
Insertion portions 22a of the button body 20 are detachably attached to both ends of the first contact 14a. As a mode of attaching the insertion portion 22a to the first contact 14a, for example, a fitting portion made of hard resin is fixed on the upper surface of the first contact 14a, and the insertion portion 22a of the button body 20 is attached to the tip of the insertion portion 22a. There are aspects such as providing a fitted portion to be fitted to the fitting portion.

Both ends of the first contact 14a are separated from the second contact 14b in a state where an external force based on a pushing operation by the user does not act.
As described above, the button body 20 is attached to the base 11 in a state in which it can be slidably moved in the vertical direction (pushing direction) in the figure and is prevented from coming off.

A film-shaped Dielectric Elastomer Actuator (DEA) 23 is attached to a portion of the peripheral wall 22 of the button body 20 on the base end side in the vertical direction. The entire circumference of the peripheral portion of the DEA 23 is supported by the peripheral wall 22, and the DEA 23 is arranged in the button body 20 in a state of being substantially parallel to the top wall 21 on the surface (one surface) side of the base portion 11.

A first magnetic device 28 composed of a columnar magnet is attached to the central portion of the first contact 14a via a fixing portion 15 formed of a hard resin.
A second magnetic device 29 composed of a disk-shaped magnet is attached to the central portion of the first main surface 23a (the surface facing the base 11 side) of the DEA 23. The second magnetic device 29 is configured to generate a repulsive force with the first magnetic device 28. Therefore, the central portion of the DEA 23 to which the second magnetic device 29 is attached has an urging force in a direction away from the first magnetic device 28 due to the repulsive force generated between the first magnetic device 28 and the second magnetic device 29. Is always in action.

The pad 30 is attached to the central portion of the second main surface 23b, which is the surface opposite to the first main surface 23a in the DEA 23, that is, the opposite side to the portion to which the second magnetic device 29 is attached. The tip of the pad 30 is close to the top wall 21 of the button body 20 in a state where no voltage is applied to the DEA 23.

The DEA 23 is a multi-layer structure having a sheet-shaped dielectric portion 24 made of a dielectric elastomer and a positive electrode 25 and a negative electrode 26 made of a conductive elastomer and laminated on both sides of the dielectric portion 24 in the thickness direction. When a DC voltage is applied between the positive electrode 25 and the negative electrode 26 of the DEA 23, the dielectric portion 24 of the DEA 23 is compressed in the thickness direction and the surface of the dielectric portion 24 is compressed according to the magnitude of the applied voltage. It is deformed so as to extend in the plane direction along.

The dielectric elastomer constituting the dielectric portion 24 is not particularly limited, and a known dielectric elastomer used for DEA can be used. Examples of the dielectric elastomer include crosslinked polyrotaxane, silicone elastomer, acrylic elastomer, and urethane elastomer. One of these dielectric elastomers may be used, or a plurality of types may be used in combination. The thickness of the dielectric portion 24 is, for example, 20 to 200 μm.

The conductive elastomer constituting the positive electrode 25 and the negative electrode 26 is not particularly limited, and a known conductive elastomer used for DEA can be used. Examples of the conductive elastomer include a conductive elastomer containing an insulating polymer and a conductive filler.

Examples of the insulating polymer include crosslinked polyrotaxane, silicone elastomer, acrylic elastomer, and urethane elastomer. One of these insulating polymers may be used, or a plurality of types may be used in combination. Examples of the conductive filler include metal particles such as Ketjen Black (registered trademark), carbon black, and copper and silver. One of these conductive fillers may be used, or a plurality of types may be used in combination. The thickness of the positive electrode 25 and the negative electrode 26 is, for example, 10 to 100 μm.

A contact (not shown) for applying a voltage to the positive electrode 25 and the negative electrode 26 is provided on the peripheral portion of the DEA 23. The contacts are connected to conductors (not shown).
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the user pushes the button body 20, the first contact 14a and the second contact 14b come into contact with each other based on the elastic deformation of the first contact 14a, and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a come into contact with each other. The electric circuit 14 including the two contacts 14b is switched from the off state to the on state. At the timing when the first contact 14a and the second contact 14b come into contact with each other, a voltage is applied to the DEA 23 so as to vibrate the DEA 23 up and down, and the pad 30 attached to the DEA 23 hits the top wall 21 of the button body 20. The user can intuitively grasp that the electric circuit 14 has been switched by feeling the vibration of the pad 30 hitting the button body 20.

Next, the effect of this embodiment will be described.
(1) The switch 10 includes a film-shaped DEA 23, a plate-shaped base portion 11, and a button body 20 that is detachably provided with respect to the base portion 11 and supports the DEA 23 on one surface side of the base portion 11. Further, the switch 10 is attached to the DEA 23 and a second magnetic device 28 provided on the side opposite to the one surface side (back surface side) of the base 11, and a second magnetic device 28 is attached to generate a repulsive force. It includes a magnetic device 29.

According to the above configuration, since the button body 20 supporting the DEA 23 is detachably provided with respect to the base 11, the button body 20 can be removed without removing the first magnetic device 28 attached to the base 11. be able to. As a result, the DEA 23 can be easily replaced.

Further, as the urging means for urging the DEA23, a repulsive force generated between the magnetic devices attached to the DEA23 side and the base 11 side is used. In this case, since the first magnetic device 28 and the DEA 23 are separated, the button body 20 supporting the DEA 23 can be easily attached to and detached from the base 11.

(2) The second magnetic device 29 generates a repulsive force with the first magnetic device 28.
According to the above configuration, the operation of the DEA 23 can be efficiently converted into a pseudo-force sense (tactile sensation) presented to the user.

(3) The switch 10 is a push button type that opens and closes the electric circuit 14 in response to a pushing operation of the button body 20 with respect to the base 11, and transmits a force based on the operation of the DEA 23 to the button body 20 to the DEA 23. A pad 30 is provided.

According to the above configuration, since the button body 20 supporting the DEA 23 is detachably provided with respect to the base 11, the button body 20 can be removed without removing the first magnetic device 28 attached to the base 11. be able to. As a result, the button body 20 including the DEA 23 can be easily replaced.

Further, according to the above configuration, the force based on the operation of the DEA 23 is transmitted to the button body 20 through the pad 30. The user can intuitively grasp that the electric circuit 14 has been switched by feeling the vibration transmitted from the pad 30 to the button body 20.

In addition, this embodiment can be implemented by changing as follows. The present embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within a technically consistent range.
-For example, in the switch 10 shown in FIG. 3, the button body 20 is attached to the base 11 in a state where it can be slidably moved in the vertical direction (pushing direction) and is prevented from coming off. The button body 20 includes a protruding portion 22b that protrudes from the inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall 22. An urging member 31 that urges the button body 20 upward is provided between the protrusion 22b and the base 11, and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a and the first contact 14a Two contacts 14b are provided. A first magnetic device 28 is attached to the back surface of the base 11. According to such a switch 10, the effect according to the effects (1) to (3) of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

The laminated structure of DEA23 is not limited to the laminated structure of the above embodiment. For example, it may be a laminated structure in which an insulating layer is provided on the outermost layer, or a laminated structure in which a plurality of positive electrode electrodes 25 and a plurality of negative electrode electrodes 26 are alternately laminated with a dielectric portion 24 sandwiched between them. You may.

The second magnetic device 29 may be configured to generate an attractive force with the first magnetic device 28. In this case, it is preferable that the pad 30 and the button body 20 are adhered to each other so that the DEA 23 and the button body 20 operate integrally.

-In the above embodiment, magnets are used as the first magnetic device 28 and the second magnetic device 29, but the first magnetic device 28 and the second magnetic device 29 are not limited to magnets. For example, one of the first magnetic device 28 and the second magnetic device 29 may be a magnet, and the other may be a magnetic material that generates an attractive force with the magnet.

-The mounting method of the first magnetic device 28 and the second magnetic device 29 may be changed. Examples of the mounting method include a mounting method using an adhesive and a mounting method using a magnetic force.

-The application of the present invention is not limited to the switch 10, and can be applied to all electronic devices provided with a film-like DEA23. Examples thereof include a haptics device that presents a pseudo-force sensation (tactile sensation) to the user, and a driving device such as a diaphragm valve disclosed in Patent Document 1. When applied to a haptics device, the operation of the DEA 23 can be efficiently converted into a pseudo-force sense (tactile sensation) presented to the user, so that the second magnetic device 29 has a repulsive force with the first magnetic device 28. It is preferable that it is configured to generate.

-The configuration such as the shape of the base material (button body 20) and the DEA23 may be changed according to the use of the electronic device and the like. Further, the support structure of the base material that supports the DEA23 is not particularly limited, and a support structure used in a known electronic device having a film-like DEA23 can be applied. For example, in the above embodiment, the entire circumference of the peripheral portion of the DEA23 is supported by the base material (button body 20), but a part of the peripheral portion of the DEA23 is partially supported by the base material. May be good.

10 ... Switch, 11 ... Base, 12 ... Insertion hole, 13 ... Mounting part, 14 ... Electric circuit, 14a ... 1st contact, 14b ... 2nd contact, 15 ... Fixed part, 20 ... Button body (base material), 21 ... top wall, 22 ... peripheral wall, 22a ... insertion part, 22b ... protrusion, 23 ... dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA), 23a ... first main surface, 23b ... second main surface, 24 ... dielectric part, 25 ... positive electrode , 26 ... Negative electrode, 28 ... First magnetic device, 29 ... Second magnetic device, 30 ... Pad (transmission unit), 31 ... Biasing member.

Claims (3)

An electronic device equipped with a film-like dielectric elastomer actuator.
Plate-shaped base and
A base material that is detachably provided to the base and supports the dielectric elastomer actuator on one surface side of the base.
A first magnetic device provided on the side of the base opposite to the one side,
An electronic device that is attached to the dielectric elastomer actuator and includes a second magnetic device that generates a repulsive force or an attractive force with the first magnetic device. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the second magnetic device generates a repulsive force with the first magnetic device. The base material is a button body of a push button type switch.
The switch opens and closes an electric circuit in response to a pushing operation of the button body with respect to the base portion.
The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the dielectric elastomer actuator is provided with a transmission unit that transmits a force based on the operation of the dielectric elastomer actuator to the button body.

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