JP7387909B2 - multi-directional input device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a multi-directional input device.

Conventionally, a case having a space inside, an operating member partially exposed from the case to receive operation by an operator, and an operating member disposed within the case in directions perpendicular to each other and capable of tilting the operating member are provided. There is a multi-directional input device that includes first and second drive members that rotate in response to the input signal, and a rotation detection mechanism that detects rotation of the first and second drive members. The rotation detection mechanism includes a holder connected to the first and second drive members and holding a magnet, a magnetic detection element disposed facing the magnet held by the holder, and a rotation detection mechanism that rotates the holder. and a cover that can be attached from the outside of the case with the magnetic detection element positioned at a predetermined position (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-299755

By the way, when the operating member is operated, if the distance between the magnet and the magnetic sensor changes, the strength of the magnetic field detected by the magnetic sensor changes depending on the operating state, so the amount of operation may not be accurately detected.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multidirectional input device that can accurately detect the amount of operation.

A multi-directional input device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a housing having an opening, an operating member having a shaft inserted into the opening and capable of being tilted with respect to the housing, and an operating member that can be operated by tilting with respect to the housing. a plate-like member disposed below the shaft; a cylindrical movable shaft that is inserted into the shaft portion and whose lower end abuts the plate-like member; and a movable shaft disposed inside the movable shaft and abuts the plate-like member. a spacer in contact with the movable shaft; a magnet disposed on the spacer inside the movable shaft; a magnetic sensor disposed below the spacer; and a spacer provided between the operating member and the movable shaft, the operating member a first spring that biases the movable shaft downward against the operating member; and a second spring that is provided between the operating member and the magnet and biases the magnet downward with respect to the operating member. .

A multidirectional input device that can accurately detect the amount of operation can be provided.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing a multi-directional input device 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exploded state of the multi-directional input device 100. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section taken along the line BB in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the multi-directional input device 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the multi-directional input device 100. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the multi-directional input device 100. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a multidirectional input device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a multidirectional input device (with a frame removed) according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a multidirectional input device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 3 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a multidirectional input device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a top view of the multidirectional input device (with the frame and actuator removed) according to the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the multidirectional input device according to the second embodiment.

Embodiments to which the multi-directional input device of the present invention is applied will be described below.

<Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is an exemplary diagram showing a multi-directional input device 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exploded state of the multi-directional input device 100. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section taken along the line AA in FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section taken along the line BB in FIG.

In the following, the XYZ coordinate system will be defined and explained. Furthermore, in the following, for convenience of explanation, planar view refers to XY plane view, the negative side of the Z-axis is referred to as the lower side or below, and the side in the positive direction of the Z-axis is referred to as upper side or above, but this represents a universal vertical relationship. It's not a thing.

The multidirectional input device 100 includes a case 110, a frame 120, an FPC (Flexible printed circuits) 125, a metal contact 130A, a magnetic sensor 130B, a stem 140, a plate 150, actuators 160A, 160B, a spacer 160C, a spring 160D, a spring 160E, and a magnet. 170, a cover 180, a magnetic shield 185, a lever 190, and a cap 195.

The multi-directional input device 100 is an input device that allows an operation of tilting a lever 190 and an operation of pushing the lever 190 downward. Such a multi-directional input device 100 can be used, for example, as an operation section of a game machine.

The case 110 is made of resin, for example, and includes a main body 111 and a dome portion 112. The main body 111 is a member having a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and having no bottom. The main body 111 becomes a bottomed member with the frame 120 attached from below. The case 110 and the frame 120 are examples of a housing, and the main body 111 and the frame 120 are examples of a housing main body.

The dome portion 112 is a dome-shaped portion that projects upward from the center of the upper surface of the main body 111, and has an opening 112A at the top. The upper surface of the dome portion 112 has a spherical shape.

The frame 120 is made of a metal soft magnetic material, for example, and has an opening 121 into which the engaging portion 111A protruding from the side surface of the main body 111 of the case 110 is fitted, and a state where the frame 120 is attached to the main body 111 as shown in FIG. It has an engaging part 122 that is bent at a position and engages with the main body 111. Since the frame 120 has a magnetic shielding effect like the magnetic shield 185, it is possible to reduce the influence of a disturbance magnetic field on the magnetic sensor 130B and suppress magnetic leakage of the built-in magnet 170 to the outside.

The FPC 125 is arranged on the upper surface of the central portion of the frame 120 that is parallel to the XY plane. In the space closed by frame 120 and case 110, FPC 125, metal contact 130A, magnetic sensor 130B, stem 140, plate 150, actuator 160A, part of actuator 160B, and part of magnet 170 are housed.

The frame 120 is attached to the main body 111 of the case 110 from below, and any structure for attaching it to the case 110 may be used as long as it is a member that can realize the storage space as described above.

The FPC 125 is, for example, a member made of polyimide or the like with a wiring pattern formed on its surface, and has a wiring part 125A. An electronic component 125B, a metal contact 130A, and a magnetic sensor 130B are mounted on the FPC 125.

The metal contact 130A is an example of a pressure sensor, and is mounted on the −X direction side of the upper surface of the FPC 125. The metal contact 130A has a metal dome capable of reversing operation, and the dome has an upwardly convex shape, and when pressed downward by the stem 140, the reversing operation causes the dome to convex downwardly. state, whereby a pushing operation in the Z direction is detected.

The magnetic sensor 130B is mounted approximately at the center of the upper surface of the FPC 125. The magnetic sensor 130B includes a sensor that detects changes in the magnetic field in the X direction and a sensor that detects changes in the magnetic field in the Y direction, and detects displacement of the magnet 170 in the X and Y directions.

The stem 140 is, for example, a member made of resin, and is provided to press the metal contact 130A downward.

The plate 150 is made of metal, for example, and has a base 151, legs 152, and an extension 153. Plate 150 is an example of a plate-like member. The base 151 is located at the center of the plate 150, and the actuator 160B is placed thereon. Legs 152 extending downward are provided on all sides of the base 151 . Since the lower ends of the legs 152 come into contact with the upper surface of the FPC 125, the base 151 is located at a higher position than the FPC 125 by the height of the legs 152. Some of the magnetic sensors 130B and electronic components 125B are arranged at the bottom of the base 151, but since the base 151 is located higher than the FPC 125 by the height of the legs 152, the actuator The configuration is such that even if 160B is pressed downward, the magnetic sensor 130B etc. can be protected. The plate 150 is fixed to the case 110 by an extending portion 153 that extends outward from the base 151 in plan view.

The actuator 160A is made of resin, for example, and is an example of a movable part. The actuator 160A has a base portion 161A, an opening portion 162A, shaft portions 163A and 164A, a side portion 165A, and a through hole 166A.

The actuator 160A holds the lever 190 so as to be tiltable in the X-axis direction, and is also tiltable in the Y-axis direction with respect to the case 110. The X-axis is an example of a first axis, and the Y-axis is an example of a second axis. Being able to tilt in the X-axis direction means that the lever 190 can be tilted in the X-direction with the Y-axis as the rotation axis as indicated by the arrow in FIG. Being able to tilt in the Y direction means that the actuator 160A can be tilted in the Y direction with the X axis as the rotation axis, as indicated by the arrow in FIG. Being able to tilt in the Y direction is an example of being able to tilt in the second axis direction.

The base 161A is the main body of the actuator 160A and has a dome-like shape. The dome shape of the base portion 161A corresponds to the spherical surface of the lower surface of the dome portion 112 of the case 110. An opening 162A is provided at the top of the base 161A. The length of the opening 162A in the X direction shown in FIG. 4 is longer than the length in the Y direction shown in FIG.

A shaft portion 163A is provided on the −X direction side of the base portion 161A, and a shaft portion 164A is provided on the +X direction side. The shaft portion 163A is an example of a first shaft portion, and the shaft portion 164A is an example of a second shaft portion. Further, the side surfaces of the base portion 161A on the ±Y direction sides are parallel to the XZ plane, and have a shape similar to a cut-off dome shape. A through hole 166A is provided in the side portion 165A.

The shaft portions 163A and 164A are provided to enable the actuator 160A to be tilted in the Y direction with respect to the case 110. The upper surfaces of the shaft portions 163A and 164A are curved like the side surfaces of a cylinder whose central axis is the X-axis.

The shaft portion 163A is fitted into a recess 111B inside the main body 111 of the case 110, as shown in FIG. The width of the recessed portion 111B in the Y-axis direction is matched to the width of the shaft portion 163A in the Y-axis direction. The shaft portion 163A is held by the recess 111B so as to be rotatable within the YZ plane with the X axis as the rotation axis.

The shaft portion 164A is fitted into a recess 111C inside the main body 111 of the case 110, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the shaft portion 164A is longer in the Z direction than the shaft portion 163A.

The upper surface of the shaft portion 164A is curved like the side surface of a cylinder whose central axis is the X-axis. The width of the recessed portion 111C in the Y-axis direction is matched to the width of the shaft portion 164A in the Y-axis direction. The shaft portion 164A is held by the recessed portion 111C so as to be rotatable within the YZ plane with the X axis as the rotation axis.

The shaft portion 193 of the lever 190 is inserted into the through hole 166A, and the lever 190 is held so as to be tiltable in the X direction with the Y axis as the rotation axis. Being able to tilt in the X direction is an example of being able to tilt in the first axis direction.

Further, when the lever 190 is pushed downward (pressed), the actuator 160A moves so that the shaft portion 163A is shifted diagonally downward in FIG. 4, and presses the stem 140 downward. As a result, metal contact 130A performs a reversal operation.

Actuator 160B is an example of a movable shaft, and is a member that supports lever 190 on the bottom of case 110. The actuator 160B has a cylindrical portion 161B, a pedestal portion 162B, a protruding portion 163B, and a notch portion 164B.

The cylindrical portion 161B is held inside the lever 190. A pedestal portion 162B is provided below the cylindrical portion 161B. The cylindrical portion 161B extends from the upper end to the lower end of the actuator 160B, and includes cylindrical hollow storage portions 161B1 and 161B2 and a convex portion 161B3. The storage part 161B1 is a space below the convex part 161B3 in the hollowed out columnar internal space of the cylindrical part 161B, and the storage part 161B2 is a space in the hollowed out columnar internal space of the cylindrical part 161B. This is a space above the convex portion 161B3. The convex portion 161B3 is a portion that protrudes inward in an annular shape slightly above the middle in the vertical direction of the internal space hollowed out in a cylindrical shape of the cylindrical portion 161B. Since the convex portion 161B3 has a through hole at the center in a plan view, the storage portions 161B1 and 161B2 are in communication with each other.

Moreover, the inner diameter of the storage portion 161B1 is different between the lower end side 161B11 and the upper end side 161B12, and the inner diameter of the lower end side 161B11 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the upper end side 161B12. There is a slight step between the lower end side 161B11 and the upper end side 161B12. The inner diameter of the upper end side 161B12 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the cylindrical magnet 170, so the magnet 170 is movable in the direction of expansion and contraction of the spring 160E. The inner diameter of the lower end side 161B11 is slightly larger than that of the upper end side 161B12 to facilitate insertion of the magnet 170.

The spacer 160C and the magnet 170 are stored in the storage portion 161B1, and a portion of the springs 160D and 160E are stored in the storage portion 161B2. The lower end of the spring 160E is inserted into the through hole at the center of the convex portion 161B3.

The pedestal portion 162B is a disk-shaped portion having a larger diameter than the cylindrical portion 161B, and has a through hole in the center that communicates with the through hole of the cylindrical portion 161B. The pedestal portion 162B is placed on the plate 150 and is in contact with the upper surface of the plate 150.

The protruding portion 163B is a portion that protrudes in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped in the ±Y direction on the lower end side of the cylindrical portion 161B. The width of the protruding portion 163B in the X direction is narrower than the width of the cylindrical portion 161B. The protruding portion 163B is provided to prevent the actuator 160B from rotating inside the shaft portion 192 of the lever 190.

The cutout portion 164B is a portion where both sides of the lower end of the cylindrical portion 161B of the actuator 160B are cut out in the ±Y direction. A straight line connecting the centers of the widths of the two notches 164B in the X direction passes through the central axis of the cylindrical portion 161B and is parallel to the Y axis.

The spacer 160C has a base portion 161C, a curved portion 162C that is a spherical curved surface, and a protrusion portion 163C. The base 161C is a cylindrical portion, and a curved portion 162C is provided on the lower side of the base 161C, and two protrusions 163C that protrude in the ±Y direction are provided on the side surfaces of the base 161C.

The curved portion 162C protrudes downward from the lower surface of the base portion 161C, and has a spherically curved curved surface. The curved surface of the curved portion 162C contacts the base 151 of the plate 150. The curved surface of the curved portion 162C has a constant radius of curvature from the center of the upper surface of the base portion 161C. In FIG. 3, the radius of curvature is indicated by a dashed arrow. Since the base portion 161C and the magnet 170 are arranged with their cylindrical central axes aligned, the curved surface of the curved portion 162C has a constant radius of curvature from the center of the lower surface of the magnet 170. By providing the curved portion 162C having such a curved surface, when the lever 190 is tilted in various directions, the magnet 170 and the magnetic sensor 130B disposed on the lower surface side of the base 151 of the plate 150 are The distance between them is kept constant.

A straight line connecting the centers of the widths of the two protrusions 163C in the X direction passes through the center of the base in plan view and is parallel to the Y axis. The width of the protrusion 163C in the X direction matches the notch 164B of the actuator 160B, and is fitted into the notch 164B. The protrusion 163C is provided to prevent the spacer 160C from rotating within the XY plane with respect to the actuator 160B.

The spring 160D is an example of a first spring, and is provided between the convex portion 161B3 of the actuator 160B and the upper end surface of the concave portion 191A of the operating portion 191 of the lever 190. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the spring 160D is contracted from its natural length between the convex portion 161B3 and the upper end surface of the concave portion 191A when the lever 190 is in the neutral position where the lever 190 is not operated. , biases the actuator 160B downward with respect to the lever 190. Spring 160D is provided to return lever 190 to its pre-operation position.

The spring 160E is an example of a second spring, and is provided between the upper surface of the magnet 170 and the upper end surface of the recess 191B of the operating portion 191 of the lever 190. The lower end of the spring 160E is in contact with the upper surface of the magnet 170 while being inserted through the central through hole of the convex portion 161B3. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the spring 160E is contracted from its natural length between the upper surface of the magnet 170 and the upper end surface of the recess 191B when the lever 190 is in the neutral position where the lever 190 is not operated. This biases the magnet 170 downward with respect to the lever 190. The spring 160E is provided to keep the heightwise position of the magnet 170 constant with respect to the spacer 160C and the plate 150.

The magnet 170 is a rod-shaped permanent magnet, and as an example, the upper half is an S pole and the lower half is an N pole. The upper end of the magnet 170 is inserted into the upper end side 161B12 of the storage section 161B1 of the actuator 160B, and the lower half is inserted into the inside of the lower end side 161B11 of the storage section 161B1 of the actuator 160B.

The cover 180 is an example of a cover member, and has a structure higher in strength than the lever 190. Cover 180 has a base portion 181 and a dome portion 182. The base portion 181 is a cylindrical portion and has a through hole 181A penetrating in the Z direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the through hole 181A has a shape that is short in the X-axis direction and long in the Y direction.

A shaft portion 192 of a lever 190 is inserted through the through hole 181A. A dome portion 182 is provided below the base portion 181. The base portion 181 is continuously provided at the top of the dome portion 182.

The cover 180 is attached to the lower side of the operating portion 191 of the lever 190 by inserting the shaft portion 192 of the lever 190 into the through hole 181A.

The dome portion 182 is an example of a contact portion. The upper surface (the curved surface on the +Z direction side) and the lower surface (the curved surface on the −Z direction side) of the dome portion 182 have a spherical shape. The dome portion 182 and the dome portion 112 of the case 110 have shapes corresponding to portions of two concentric spheres. Two concentric spheres are two spheres whose centers are the same. The dome portion 182 and the dome portion 112 of the case 110 have shapes corresponding to parts of these two hollow spheres.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the lever 190 is in the neutral position, there is a gap between the dome portion 182 and the dome portion 112 of the case 110. The neutral position is a position when the lever 190 is not tilted in either the X direction or the Y direction, and the lever 190 is not pushed downward.

When the lever 190 is pushed downward, the lower surface of the dome portion 182 of the cover 180 comes into contact with the upper surface of the dome portion 112 of the case 110. Since the cover 180 is attached to the lower surface of the operating section 191 of the lever 190, when the lever 190 is pushed downward, the cover 180 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the operating section 191 and the upper surface of the dome section 112 of the case 110. It will be done. At this time, the lever 190 presses the actuator 160A downward, the stem 140 presses the metal contact 130A, and the metal contact 130A is reversed. Also, at this time, the springs 160D and 160E contract, and the distance between the magnet 170 and the magnetic sensor 130B is kept constant.

The lower surface of the dome section 182 of the cover 180 comes into contact with the upper surface of the dome section 112 of the case 110, and the cover 180 is sandwiched between the lower surface of the operation section 191 and the upper surface of the dome section 112 of the case 110, so that a metal contact is formed. The lever 190 cannot be pushed down further than 130A is reversed. Therefore, damage to the magnetic sensor 130B, electronic component 125B, etc. can be suppressed.

Further, since the cover 180 has higher strength than the lever 190, the thickness of the dome portion 182 can be made thinner. Such a cover 180 may be made of, for example, a synthetic resin with high hardness.

Since the diameter of the operating portion 191 is larger than the diameter of the shaft portion 192, the lever 190 and the cover 180 cannot be integrally manufactured by molding, and are manufactured separately. If the lever 190 and the cover 180 are separated, they can be made from different materials, so by making the cover 180 from a material stronger than the lever 190, the strength of the cover 180 is lower than when they are made in one piece. It can be made thin without causing any damage.

The lever 190 is an example of an operating member, and includes an operating section 191 and a shaft section 192. The operating section 191 is a disc-shaped member and has a larger diameter than the shaft section 192. A cap 195 is attached to the upper surface of the operating section 191. The operating portion 191 has a recess 191A and a recess 191B inside. The recess 191A is a portion that communicates with the inner wall 192B of the cylindrical shaft portion 192 and is recessed upward, and the recess 191B is recessed further upward from the center of the upper end surface of the recess 191A. The upper end of the spring 160D contacts the upper end surface of the recess 191A, and the upper end of the spring 160E contacts the upper end surface of the recess 191B.

The shaft portion 192 is a cylindrical portion extending downward from the center of the lower surface of the operating portion 191 . As shown in FIG. 3, the shaft portion 192 has protrusions 192A protruding from both sides in the Y direction on the lower side. The two protrusions 192A protrude from both sides of the lower side of the cylindrical shaft portion 192 in the Y direction in a rectangular parallelepiped shape when viewed from above. The width of the protruding portion 192A in the X direction is narrower than the width of the cylinder of the shaft portion 192. The center of the width of the protruding portion 192A in the X direction coincides with the center of the width of the cylinder of the shaft portion 192. The inner wall 192A1 of the protruding portion 192A is recessed in the Y direction from the inner wall 192B of the cylindrical shaft portion 192 in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, similar to the outer shape of the protruding portion 192A.

The protrusion 163B of the actuator 160B is fitted inside the protrusion 192A. This is to prevent the actuator 160B from rotating within the XY plane with respect to the lever 190. Since the lower end of the spring 160D contacts the upper surface of the convex portion 161B3 of the actuator 160B, when the actuator 160B rotates around the central axis of the cylindrical portion 161B as the lever 190 is operated, the end of the spring 160D causes the convex portion 161B3 to This is to prevent the top surface from being scraped. In addition, since the lever 190 can be pushed downward more than in the neutral state shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, in the neutral state, the inner wall 192A1 of the protrusion 192A extends above the protrusion 163B of the actuator 160B. It is configured as follows. This is to allow the protrusion 163B to move relatively upward within the protrusion 192A when the lever 190 is pushed in.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shaft portion 192 is inserted into the through hole 181A from above with the protruding portion 192A positioned on the Y direction side of the through hole 181A of the cover 180. Thereby, cover 180 and lever 190 are fixed.

The two protrusions 192A are each provided with a cylindrical shaft portion 193 that protrudes outward in the Y direction. Further, the shaft portion 193 is inserted into the through hole 166A of the actuator 160A, and is rotatably held by the through hole 166A with the Y axis as the rotation axis. As a result, the lever 190 is attached to the actuator 160A and can be tilted in the X direction (the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 3) with respect to the actuator 160A.

Further, the magnet 170 is in contact with the base 151 of the plate 150 via the spacer 160C, and the spacer 160C has a curved portion 162C having a curved surface with a constant radius of curvature from the center of the lower surface of the magnet 170. When tilting the magnet 190 in the X and Y directions without pushing it downward, the distance between the magnetic sensor 130B and the magnet 170 can be kept constant, so the direction in which the magnet 170 is tilted by the magnetic sensor 130B can be detected accurately. The direction in which the magnet 170 is tilted is the same as the direction in which the shaft portion 192 of the lever 190 is tilted.

The reason why the magnetic sensor 130B accurately detects the direction in which the magnet 170 is tilted is as follows. When the lever 190 is in a neutral state, the magnetic field of the magnet 170 is oriented in the Z-axis direction, and the magnetic fields of the X-axis and Y-axis components do not exist. When the lever 190 is tilted, the magnetic field of the X-axis component or the Y-axis component increases depending on the tilt angle, so that the magnetic sensor 130B can accurately detect the tilt angle.

For example, when the lever 190 is tilted, if the magnet 170 is lifted up as the lower end of the lever 190 swings and the distance between the magnet 170 and the magnetic sensor 130B changes, both the tilt angle and the distance Since the intensity of the magnetic field of the X-axis component or the Y-axis component changes due to the change in , the tilt angle cannot be detected accurately.

For this reason, in the embodiment, a spacer 160C is interposed between the magnet 170 and the base 151 of the plate 150.

Furthermore, since a spacer 160C is interposed between the magnet 170 and the base 151, and a spring 160E is provided between the magnet 170 and the lever 190, even if the lever 190 is pushed downward, the magnet 170 and the magnetic The sensor 130B and the spacing remain unchanged. The distance between the magnet 170 and the magnetic sensor 130B remains unchanged even when the lever 190 is pushed in from the neutral state or when the lever 190 is tilted from the neutral state and then pushed in. Therefore, even if the lever 190 is pushed in, the distance between the magnetic sensor 130B and the magnet 170 can be kept constant, and even if the lever 190 is pushed in, the magnetic sensor 130B can accurately detect the direction in which the magnet 170 is tilted. .

Further, the length of the opening 162A in the Y direction shown in FIG. 3 is shorter than the length in the X direction shown in FIG. The portion 192 is configured not to come off upward from the actuator 160A.

The cap 195 is, for example, a disc-shaped member made of resin. The cap 195 is attached to the operating portion 191 of the lever 190.

The magnetic shield 185 is provided to prevent the magnetic field of the magnet 170 from leaking to the outside, shield the magnetic sensor 130B from noise such as external electromagnetic waves, and accurately detect the manipulated variable. The magnetic shield 185 also plays a role in reinforcing the frame 120, and also helps prevent damage to the magnetic sensor 130B and electronic component 125B. The magnetic shield 185 is made of a soft magnetic metal, and is manufactured by bending a sheet metal in the same way as the frame 120. The magnetic shield 185 has an opening 185A and a convex portion 185B. The opening 185A is provided for inserting the actuator 160A. The convex portion 185B protrudes from the lower portion of the magnetic shield 185 on the ±Y direction side, and is provided to contact the frame 120. As shown in FIG. 2, the magnetic shield 185 is incorporated into the case 110 from below, and shields the magnetic sensor 130B located in the space between the frame 120 and the magnetic sensor 130B from noise such as external electromagnetic waves.

Next, the operation when operating the multi-directional input device 100 will be described using FIGS. 5 to 7. 5 to 7 are diagrams illustrating the operation of the multidirectional input device 100. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the lever 190 is tilted in the -X direction without being pushed downwards, in an XZ cross section.

When the lever 190 is tilted in the −X direction, the shaft portion 192 comes into contact with the opening 112A of the dome portion 112 of the case 110, thereby restricting the movement of the lever 190. This also applies when the lever 190 is tilted in the +X direction.

Further, as can be seen from FIG. 3, when the lever 190 is tilted in the ±Y direction, the shaft portion 192 comes into contact with the opening 112A of the dome portion 112 of the case 110, thereby restricting the movement of the lever 190. Further, at this time, the distance between the magnetic sensor 130B and the magnet 170 does not change and can be kept constant. This is because the spacer 160C has a curved portion 162C with a constant radius of curvature.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the lever 190 is pushed downward. FIG. 6 shows an XZ cross section. As an example, when the lever 190 is pushed down a certain amount from the neutral position, the springs 160D and 160E are compressed, the lever 190 moves downward, and the actuator 160A moves diagonally downward in the XZ cross section. and press the stem 140 downward. As a result, metal contact 130A performs a reversal operation.

Further, when the lever 190 is pushed in a certain amount in this way, the lower surface of the dome portion 182 of the cover 180 comes into contact with the upper surface of the dome portion 112 of the case 110, so that it is impossible to push the lever 190 downward by more than a certain amount. Can not. Therefore, damage to the magnetic sensor 130B, electronic component 125B, etc. can be suppressed.

Note that the operation of pushing the lever 190 downward in this manner can be performed from any state in which the lever 190 is tilted in two axial directions. Even if the lever 190 is tilted, pushing the lever 190 downward a certain amount will compress the springs 160D and 160E, causing the lever 190 to move downward and actuator 160A to move downward. The stem 140 is pressed downward by moving obliquely downward in the XZ cross section. As a result, metal contact 130A performs a reversal operation. Further, at this time, the distance between the magnetic sensor 130B and the magnet 170 does not change and can be kept constant. This is because the spacer 160C has a curved portion 162C with a constant radius of curvature, and the displacement caused by pushing the lever 190 is absorbed by the springs 160D and 160E, so that the magnet 170 is not displaced.

As described above, even if the lever 190 is tilted from the neutral state, the distance between the magnetic sensor 130B and the magnet 170 can be kept constant. The amount by which the lever 190 is tilted can be accurately detected.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a multidirectional input device 100 that can accurately detect the amount of operation.

Furthermore, even if the lever 190 is pushed downward in a state where the lever 190 is tilted from the neutral state, the distance between the magnetic sensor 130B and the magnet 170 can be kept constant, so that the magnetic field detected by the magnetic sensor 130B is The amount by which the lever 190 is tilted can be accurately detected based on the amount of change in strength. Moreover, the fact that the lever 190 has been pushed can be detected by the metal contact 130A.

Therefore, it is possible to provide a multi-directional input device 100 that can accurately detect the amount of operation for tilting the lever 190 even if the lever 190 is pushed downward in a state where the lever 190 is tilted from a neutral state.

Furthermore, when the lower surface of the dome section 182 of the cover 180 comes into contact with the upper surface of the dome section 112 of the case 110, as shown in FIG. It comes into contact with the upper surface 112B. With this configuration, even if the lever 190 is pushed downward from the neutral position or pushed downward from a state where it is tilted in either of the two axial directions, the upper surface of the dome portion 112 is , the lower surface of the dome portion 182 comes into contact.

Therefore, when the lever 190 is pushed downward, the amount of operation of the lever 190 can be set to a constant amount, and the amount of operation can be stably regulated. Further, it is possible to effectively prevent the lever 190 from being pushed in more than a certain amount.

As described above, when the lever 190 is pushed downward, the lower surface 182A of the dome portion 182 of the cover 180 comes into contact with the upper surface 112B of the dome portion 112 of the case 110, and the lever 190 is pushed more than the metal contact 130A is reversed. It is designed so that it cannot be pushed downward. Therefore, damage to the magnetic sensor 130B, electronic component 125B, etc. can be suppressed.

<Second embodiment>
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

(Overview of multi-directional input device 200)
FIG. 8 is an external perspective view of a multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment. In addition, in the following description, for convenience, the Z-axis direction in the figure is assumed to be the vertical direction, and the X-axis direction in the figure and the Y-axis direction in the figure are assumed to be the horizontal direction.

A multidirectional input device 200 shown in FIG. 8 is used as a controller for a game machine or the like. As shown in FIG. 8, the multi-directional input device 200 has a container shape having an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape due to the combination of the frame 210 and the case 230. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the multi-directional input device 200 includes a column-shaped lever 220 that extends upward from the opening 210A of the frame 210 and is tiltable. The multi-directional input device 200 can be tilted not only in the X-axis direction (arrows D1 and D2 directions in the figure) and the Y-axis direction (arrows D3 and D4 directions in the figure) by the lever 220, but also in all directions between these directions. Operation is possible. Furthermore, the multi-directional input device 200 can output an operation signal corresponding to a tilting operation (tilting direction and tilting angle) of the lever 220 to the outside via a metal terminal 262 provided to protrude downward from the case 230. can. Furthermore, the multi-directional input device 200 can be operated by pressing the lever 220, and the push switch 234 can detect the pressing operation. Further, the multi-directional input device 200 can output an operation signal corresponding to a pressing operation of the lever 220 to the outside via a metal terminal 234A provided to protrude downward from the push switch 234.

(Configuration of multi-directional input device 200)
FIG. 9 is an external perspective view of the multidirectional input device 200 (with the frame 210 removed) according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a top view of the multidirectional input device 200 (with the frame 210 and actuator 240 removed) according to the second embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 11, the multidirectional input device 200 includes a frame 210, a lever 220, a case 230, an actuator 240, a holder unit 250, a substrate 260, a biasing body 270, a coil spring 271, and a contact member 280. Equipped with.

The frame 210 is a cover-like member with an open bottom. The frame 210 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open bottom. The frame 210 is formed by processing a metal plate using various processing methods (for example, pressing processing such as punching processing and bending processing). The frame 210 includes a flat plate part 211 having a rectangular shape in a horizontal and plan view, and four vertical walls 212 provided to hang downward from each of the four sides of the flat plate part 211. The flat plate portion 211 has an opening 210A formed in the center thereof, which is circular in plan view.

The lever 220 is a member that can be tilted by the operator. The lever 220 has a lever portion 221 , a shaft portion 222 , a rotating shaft portion 223 , and a flange portion 224 . The lever portion 221 is a generally cylindrical portion that extends upward from the opening 210A of the frame 210, and is a portion that is tilted by the operator. The shaft portion 222 supports the lower end portion of the lever 220 inside the frame 210, and rotates around a rotating shaft portion 223 as the lever portion 221 is tilted. This is the part. The rotating shaft portion 223 is provided so as to protrude in the Y-axis positive direction and the Y-axis negative direction from near the lower end portion of the outer circumferential side surface of the shaft portion 222 . The rotating shaft portion 223 is supported by the actuator 240, thereby allowing the lever 220 to tilt in the X-axis direction. The flange portion 224 is a disk-shaped portion extending outward from the lower end of the outer circumferential side of the shaft portion 222 . A cylindrical housing portion 225 is formed inside the shaft portion 222 of the lever 220 . The housing portion 225 is a space that is open at the bottom. A holder unit 250 is incorporated into the accommodating portion 225 .

The case 230 is a generally thin rectangular parallelepiped member with an open top. Case 230 is formed by injection molding a resin material. The case 230 has a bottom plate part 231, four vertical wall parts 232, and four slide ribs 233 (an example of a "guide part"). The bottom plate portion 231 is a horizontal flat plate-like portion having a rectangular shape in plan view. The four vertical wall sections 232 are provided to stand upward from each of the four sides of the bottom plate section 231 . The four slide ribs 233 are provided extending upward from each of the four corners of the bottom plate portion 231 . Each of the four slide ribs 233 is provided with an inner edge facing toward the center of the case 230. A push switch 234 and a push switch holder 235 are provided on one vertical wall portion 232 of the case 230. The push switch 234 is arranged below one rotation shaft 241 of the actuator 240 . When the lever 220 is pressed down, the push switch 234 is pressed down by one rotating shaft 241 of the actuator 240, and is turned on. The push switch 234 has a plurality of metal terminals 234A protruding from the bottom surface. The push switch 234 can output an operation signal corresponding to the pressing operation of the lever 220 to the outside via the plurality of metal terminals 234A. The push switch holder 235 holds the push switch 234 from above using a holding portion 235A. Further, the push switch holder 235 supports one rotation shaft 241 of the actuator 240 so as to be rotatable and movable downward through a cutout portion 235B cut out in a substantially circular shape from the lower side.

Actuator 240 supports lever 220 so as to be tiltable in the X-axis direction. In addition, the actuator 240 is supported by the case 230 and the frame 210 so as to be tiltable in the Y-axis direction, so that the actuator 240 can be tilted in the Y-axis direction together with the lever 220. The actuator 240 has a rotation shaft 241 provided at each end in the X-axis direction so as to protrude outward. It is provided so as to be rotatable in the Y-axis direction about the moving shaft 241 as the rotation center. Further, the actuator 240 has an opening 242 in the shape of a long hole extending in the X-axis direction. The lever 220 is inserted through the opening 242. Further, the actuator 240 has bearing portions 243 provided at each of both ends in the Y-axis direction so as to protrude downward. The bearing portion 243 rotatably supports the rotating shaft portion 223 of the lever 220 .

Holder unit 250 includes a holder 251, a coil spring 252, and a magnet 253. The holder 251 is an example of a "movable shaft member" and is a cylindrical member whose longitudinal direction is the vertical direction. The holder 251 is provided in the accommodating portion 225 of the lever 220 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. A coil spring 252 and a magnet 253 are incorporated into the cylindrical interior 251A of the holder 251 (see FIG. 11). The holder 251 is formed using a resin material. A portion of the lower side of the holder 251 protrudes downward from the accommodating portion 225. A curved convex portion 251B is formed at the bottom of the holder 251. The curved convex portion 251B is formed by a part of the spherical surface of a sphere having a predetermined radius centered on the rotation center of the lever 220. The coil spring 252 is an example of a "first biasing member." A rib 251C extending in the vertical direction is formed on the outer peripheral side surface of the holder 251. The rib 251C prevents the holder 251 from rotating by engaging with a slit 225A formed on the inner peripheral surface of the housing portion 225 of the lever 220 and extending in the vertical direction. The coil spring 252 is arranged above the magnet 253 in the cylindrical interior 251A of the holder 251. The upper end of the coil spring 252 contacts the ceiling surface of the housing portion 225 of the lever 220. The lower end of the coil spring 252 contacts the upper surface of the magnet 253. Coil spring 252 urges holder 251 downward. The magnet 253 is a permanent magnet, and is arranged at the bottom of the cylindrical interior 251A of the holder 251. The upper half of the magnet 253 is magnetized to the south pole, and the lower half is magnetized to the north pole. Note that the vertical configuration of the magnetization of the N and S poles of the magnet 253 may be reversed, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the configuration of the magnetic sensor 261.

The board 260 is a flat member on which various electronic components are mounted. A magnetic sensor 261 is mounted at the center of the upper surface of the substrate 260. Magnetic sensor 261 detects changes in the magnetic field caused by magnet 253. For example, the magnetic sensor 261 includes an element that detects changes in the magnetic field in the X-axis direction, an element that detects changes in the magnetic field in the Y-axis direction, and an element that detects changes in the magnetic field in the Z-axis direction. ing. Furthermore, a plurality of metal terminals 262 are provided on the substrate 260 and protrude downward. The metal terminal 262 outputs a signal indicating a change in the magnetic field caused by the magnet 253 detected by the magnetic sensor 261 to the outside as an operation signal corresponding to the tilting operation of the lever 220. For example, a PWB (Printed Wiring Board) or the like is used as the substrate 260.

The biasing body 270 is a resin member provided below the lever 220 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. The biasing body 270 has an opening 270A in the center thereof through which the holder 251 is inserted. The biasing body 270 is pushed down around the opening 270A by the flange portion 224 provided on the lever 220 as the lever 220 is tilted. As shown in FIG. 12, in this embodiment, the biasing body 270 has four arm portions 270B extending in four directions at 90 degree intervals from the center of the biasing body 270. Further, as shown in FIG. 12, the biasing body 270 has a slide groove 270C (an example of a "guided part") extending in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) at the tip of each of the four arm parts 270B. is provided. As shown in FIG. 12, each slide groove 270C engages with each slide rib 233 provided on the case 230. As a result, movement of the biasing body 270 in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) is guided by the slide groove 270C and the slide rib 233 at the tip portion of each of the four arm portions 270B.

The coil spring 271 is an example of a "second biasing member". The coil spring 271 is provided below the biasing body 270, and by biasing the biasing body 270 upward, the flange portion 224 of the lever 220 is pushed up via the biasing body 270, and the lever 220 is moved. Return to neutral state. In this embodiment, the multidirectional input device 200 includes four coil springs 271 below each of the four arm portions 270B of the biasing body 270. As a result, each of the four arm portions 270B of the biasing body 270 is equally biased by the four coil springs 271.

The contact member 280 is a resin member provided below the biasing body 270. The abutting member 280 has a curved recess 281 at its center (that is, at a position facing the curved protrusion 251B of the holder 251). The curved recess 281 has a generally hemispherical recessed shape. The curved concave portion 281, like the curved convex portion 251B of the holder 251, is formed along the circumference of a circle having a predetermined radius centered on the rotation center of the lever 220. The curved convex portion 251B of the holder 251 contacts the curved concave portion 281 from above, and as the lever 220 is tilted, the curved convex portion 251B slides. Note that the radius of curvature of the curved concave portion 281 is equal to the radius of curvature of the curved convex portion 251B. The abutting member 280 has holder portions 282 that are provided to protrude in four directions at 90 degree intervals with respect to the center of the abutting member 280 . Each holder portion 282 has a cylindrical convex portion 283 that protrudes upward, and when the convex portion 283 enters inside the coil spring 271 from below, it holds the lower end of the coil spring 271. To support. The downward biasing force from the coil spring 271 acts on the upper surface of the board 260, thereby fixing the board 260 to the case 230.

(Operation of multi-directional input device 200)
FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13 shows a state in which the lever 220 of the multidirectional input device 200 is tilted. As shown in FIG. 13, in the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 is tilted, the holder 251 is tilted together with the lever 220. As shown in FIG. At this time, the multidirectional input device 200 detects changes in the magnetic field caused by the magnet 253 provided in the holder 251 with the magnetic sensor 261 provided below the magnet 253, thereby controlling the tilting operation of the lever 220. Direction and angle can be detected with high precision.

At this time, the curved convex portion 251B of the holder 251 slides into the curved concave portion 281 of the abutment member 280, thereby restricting the downward movement of the holder 251 relative to the lever 220. Here, the curved convex portion 251B of the holder 251 and the curved concave portion 281 of the abutting member 280 are both formed along the circumference of a circle centered on the rotation center of the lever 220. Further, the curved convex portion 251B and the curved concave portion 281 have the same radius of curvature. Therefore, the amount of downward protrusion of the holder 251 relative to the lever 220 is constant regardless of the tilt angle of the lever 220 and the holder 251.

Thereby, in the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 and the holder 251 are tilted, the distance between the magnet 253 and the magnetic sensor 261 hardly changes. Therefore, the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment can suppress unnecessary fluctuations in the magnetic field caused by the magnet 253, and can suppress a decrease in detection accuracy by the magnetic sensor 261.

Furthermore, since the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment is configured to slide on the curved convex portion 251B of the holder 251 and the curved concave portion 281 of the contact member 280, the curved surface of the holder 251 Compared to a configuration in which the convex portion 251B is slid on a plane, the lever 220 and the holder 251 can be more easily returned to the neutral state when the tilting operation of the lever 220 is released.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, in the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 is tilted, the flange portion 224 of the lever 220 pushes down the biasing body 270. At this time, since each of the four arm portions 270B is equally urged by each of the four coil springs 271, the urging body 270 maintains the horizontal state while compressing the four coil springs 271 evenly. You can move downward while maintaining the . Since each of the four arm parts 270B is equally biased by each of the four coil springs 271, the biasing body 270 maintains a horizontal state when the pressing operation is released. , the lever 220 can be returned to the neutral state by moving upward. Note that the vertical movement of the biasing body 270 is guided by the four slide grooves 270C provided in the biasing body 270 and the four slide ribs 233 provided in the case 230. Also, the biasing body 270 can move downward while maintaining the horizontal state.

Furthermore, when the lever 220 is in the neutral state, the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment uses the urging force of the four coil springs 271 to move the urging body 270 in the horizontal state to the flange portion of the lever 220. It can be pressed against the bottom surface of 224. Thereby, the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment can stably maintain the neutral state of the lever 220 when the lever 220 is in the neutral state.

Further, in the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 is pressed down while the lever 220 is in the neutral state, one rotation shaft 241 of the actuator 240 is pushed down by the lever 220, and the corresponding The push switch 234 is pressed down by the first rotating shaft 241 . Thereby, the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment can detect that the lever 220 has been pressed down.

At this time, the downward movement of the holder 251 provided within the lever 220 is restricted by the curved recess 281 of the abutment member 280. Therefore, as the lever 220 moves downward, the coil spring 252 provided between the lever 220 and the holder 251 is compressed, so that the height position of the holder 251 does not change and the lever 220 moves downward.

As a result, the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment prevents the distance between the magnet 253 provided in the holder 251 and the magnetic sensor 261 from changing when the lever 220 is pressed down. It has become. Therefore, the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment can suppress unnecessary fluctuations in the magnetic field caused by the magnet 253 when the lever 220 is pressed down, and therefore the tilting operation caused by the magnetic sensor 261 can be suppressed. False detection can be suppressed.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, in the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 is tilted to the maximum, the lowest end of the magnet 253 (part of the peripheral edge of the bottom surface) is , located directly above the magnetic sensor 261. That is, as shown in FIG. 13, a perpendicular line L1 passing through the lowest end of the magnet 253 intersects with the upper surface of the magnetic sensor 261.

Thereby, in the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, even when the lever 220 is tilted to the maximum, the change in the magnetic field caused by the magnet 253 can be detected with high sensitivity by the magnetic sensor 261. .

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, in the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, the flange portion 224 of the lever 220 is provided at a higher position than the curved convex portion 251B of the holder 251. There is. As a result, in the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 is tilted, the flange portion 224 is provided at the same position as the curved convex portion 251B. The amplitude of fluctuation can be reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 13, in the multidirectional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, the biasing body 270 is pushed down by the flange portion 224 as the lever 220 is tilted. As a result, in the multi-directional input device 200 according to the second embodiment, when the lever 220 is tilted, the outermost part of the holder 251 that is tilted together with the lever 220 within the opening 270A of the biasing body 270 is Since the biasing body 270 is pushed down below the holder 251 before contacting the inner peripheral edge of the opening 270A, contact between the outermost part 251D of the holder 251 and the inner peripheral edge of the opening 270A is avoided.

In addition, in the second embodiment, the "four directions" in which the arm portion 270B, the slide groove 270C, and the slide rib 233 are provided are all intermediate directions between the X axis and the Y axis (directions different by 45 degrees). ), but it is not limited to this. For example, all of the "four directions" may be the same direction as the X axis or the Y axis.

Further, in the second embodiment, the arm portion 270B, the slide groove 270C, and the slide rib 233 are provided in each of the "four directions", but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the arm portion 270B, the slide groove 270C, and the slide rib 233 may be provided in each of the three directions.

Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the "guide section" on the case 230 side is the slide rib 233, and the "guided section" on the biasing body 270 side is the slide groove 270C, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the "guide section" on the case 230 side may be a slide groove, and the "guided section" on the biasing body 270 side may be a slide rib.

Further, in the second embodiment, the biasing body 270 is configured to have the slide groove 270C in each of the four arm portions 270B, but the present invention is not limited to this. A configuration having a groove 270C may also be used. For example, the biasing body 270 may have a rectangular shape in plan view, and may have a slide groove 270C at each of the four corners).

Although the multi-directional input device according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments and applications, and may depart from the scope of the claims. However, various modifications and changes are possible, and for example, the multidirectional input device according to the present invention may be used as a game controller.

This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-151597 filed on September 9, 2020 and Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-027511 filed on February 24, 2021. The entire content of the application is hereby incorporated by reference into this international application.

100 Multidirectional input device 110 Case 120 Frame 130A Metal contact 130B Magnetic sensor 160A, 160B Actuator 160C Spacer 162C Curved portion 160D, 160E Spring 170 Magnet 180 Cover 185 Magnetic shield 190 Lever 200 Multidirectional input device 210 Frame 220 Lever (operation member)
221 Lever part 222 Shaft part 223 Rotating shaft part 224 Flange part 230 Case 233 Slide rib (guide part)
240 Actuator 250 Holder unit 251 Holder (movable shaft member)
251B Curved convex portion 252 Coil spring (first biasing member)
253 Magnet 260 Substrate 261 Magnetic Sensor 270 Urging Body 270A Opening 270B Arm 270C Slide Groove (Guided Part)
271 Coil spring (second biasing member)
280 Contact member 281 Curved recess

Claims (14)

a casing having an opening;
an operating member having a shaft inserted into the opening and capable of being tilted relative to the housing;
a plate-like member disposed below the operating member;
a cylindrical movable shaft that is inserted into the shaft portion and whose lower end abuts the plate-like member;
a spacer disposed inside the movable shaft and abutting the plate member;
a magnet disposed on the spacer inside the movable shaft;
a magnetic sensor disposed below the spacer;
a first spring provided between the operating member and the movable shaft and urging the movable shaft downward with respect to the operating member;
a second spring provided between the operating member and the magnet and biasing the magnet downward with respect to the operating member. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the spacer has a curved surface that comes into contact with the plate-like member. The multidirectional input device according to claim 2, wherein the curved surface is a curved surface that curves at a predetermined radius of curvature centered on the center of the lower end surface of the magnet. the magnet is cylindrical;
The movable shaft has a cylindrical internal space in which the magnet is housed,
The multidirectional input device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the internal space has an upper part and a lower part, and the inner diameter of the lower part is larger than the inner diameter of the upper part. The shaft portion of the operating member is movable downward with respect to the movable shaft,
5. Any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein when the operating member is pressed downward, the first spring and the second spring contract, thereby moving the shaft portion downward with respect to the movable shaft. The multi-directional input device described in . an operating member having a shaft portion and capable of being tilted;
a movable shaft member that is provided inside the shaft part so as to be movable in the vertical direction, a part of which protrudes downward from the shaft part, and has a curved convex part at the bottom;
a first biasing member provided inside the shaft portion and biasing the movable shaft member downward;
a magnet disposed inside the movable shaft member;
a magnetic sensor disposed below the movable shaft member;
an abutment member provided at a position facing the curved convex portion of the movable shaft member and having a curved concave portion on which the curved convex portion slides as the operating member is tilted;
It is provided to be movable in the vertical direction and has an opening in the center through which the movable shaft member is inserted, and as the operating member is tilted, a flange portion provided on the operating member moves the peripheral area of the opening. a biasing body that is pushed down at the
and a second biasing member that returns the operating member to a neutral state via the biasing body by biasing the biasing body upward. further comprising a plurality of guide portions extending vertically outside the biasing body,
The biasing body is
The multi-directional device according to claim 6, further comprising a plurality of guided parts that engage with each of the plurality of guide parts, and vertical movement is guided by the plurality of guide parts and the plurality of guided parts. input device. The biasing body is
The multi-directional input device according to claim 7, wherein the guided portion is provided in each of four directions spaced apart by 90 degrees from the center of the biasing body. The biasing body is
The multi-directional input device according to claim 8, comprising four arm portions extending in each of the four directions, and the guided portion is provided at a distal end portion of each of the four arm portions. The biasing body is
The multidirectional input device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the multidirectional input device is equally biased by the four second biasing members provided in the four directions. When the operating member is at its maximum inclination,
The multidirectional input device according to any one of claims 6 to 10, wherein a lowermost portion of the magnet is located directly above the magnetic sensor. The flange portion is
The multi-directional input device according to any one of claims 6 to 11, wherein the operating member is provided at a higher position than the curved convex portion of the movable shaft member. The biasing body is
The outermost part of the movable shaft member is pushed down by the flange portion as the operating member is tilted, and thereby is tilted together with the operating member within the opening of the biasing body; The multidirectional input device according to any one of claims 6 to 12, wherein contact between the biasing body and the inner peripheral edge of the opening is avoided. The operating member is further operable to press down;
further comprising a push switch that detects the pressing operation of the operating member,
The multidirectional magnetic sensor according to any one of claims 6 to 13, wherein the distance between the magnet and the magnetic sensor does not change because the first biasing member is compressed when the pressing operation is performed. input device.

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