JPH06222870A - Multi-item inputting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a multi-item inputting device equipped with a keyboard constituted of plural press keys which can be easily constituted, and made compact, in the multi-item inputting device equipped with the keyboard for inputting information constituted of the plural press keys in addition to a touch panel. CONSTITUTION:This device is equipped with a touch panel 4 in which two insulating substrate 42 having conductive films 41 are opposed to each other through a spacer 15. A keyboard area 43 and a touch area 44 with which a finger or a pen is directly brought into contact are formed on the touch panel 4, and press keys 51 supported so as to freely slide by a supporting member 5, whose lower edge parts are abutted on the touch panel 4 when being pressed, are arranged at the upper part of the keyboard area 43 formed on the touch panel 4.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a touch panel type multi-item input device for inputting various kinds of information to an information processing device or the like in combination with a display device, and more particularly to a touch panel and a plurality of push keys for inputting information. The present invention relates to a multi-item input device equipped with a keyboard.

In recent years, interactive OA in which comments are sequentially input by inputting answers to displayed items
The number of devices is increasing, and a touch panel type multi-item input device that is used in combination with a display device to input various information to an information processing device or the like is widely used.

Even in such a multi-item input device, it is often convenient to input numerical information or the like by pressing a corresponding key, and in addition to the touch panel, a keyboard for inputting information including a plurality of pressed keys is provided. Many item input devices are also widely used.

However, if a normal keyboard is combined with a touch panel, the structure becomes complicated and the device cannot be made thin. Therefore, there is a demand for realization of a multi-item input device which has a keyboard made up of a plurality of push-down keys, has a simple structure, and can be made thin.

[0005]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a conventional multi-item input device, FIG. 4 is a principle view showing a configuration of a touch panel, and FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a main part of a conventional keyboard.

In FIG. 3, the conventional multi-item input device has a touch panel section 1 for inputting various kinds of information in combination with a display device (not shown), and a press key 21 such as a function key or a ten-key pad. It has a keyboard 2 for inputting.

For example, the resistive film type touch panel is shown in FIG.
A conductive film (Y electrode) 12 formed on an insulative substrate 11 and a conductive film (X electrode) 14 formed on an insulative substrate 13 as shown in FIG. Spacer
Opposite through 15.

Substrates 11, 1 constituting such a touch panel
3, and the conductive films 12 and 14 on the substrates 11 and 13 are made of transparent materials, and when placed on the display device 3 such as a CRT or a liquid crystal display device, the image displayed through the touch panel can be read. You can

Input of information on the touch panel is performed by two conductive films which are formed by pressing a predetermined area on the touch panel with a finger or a pen according to an image displayed on a CRT, a liquid crystal display device or the like and facing each other through a spacer 15. This is done by short-circuiting between 12 and 14.

That is, a scanning signal is sequentially applied by the microcomputer encoder 16 to one of the conductive films (Y electrodes) 12 facing each other. When the scanning signals are short-circuited, the scanning signals are transferred to the conductive film (X electrode) 14 and the multiplexer. It is input to the microcomputer encoder 16 via 17.

When a signal is input from the multiplexer 17, the microcomputer encoder 16 discriminates the pressed position from the signal and the scanning signal, and, for example, corresponds to the pressed position on the touch panel with respect to the main body of the information processing device. The item key code to be output is output.

The keyboard is a panel as shown in FIG.
It is provided with a plurality of push-down keys 21 that are held in a holder 22 and slide in the axial direction when pushed down. The push-down keys 21 are a dome-shaped elastic body made of rubber or the like for a switch element 24 supported by a support plate 23.
Abut through 25.

The switch element 24 is composed of two substrates 26 made of a flexible film or the like and a spacer 27 interposed between the substrates 26. The electrodes 28 formed inside each substrate 26 are The spacers 27 face each other with a predetermined gap formed therebetween.

The push-down key 21 is pushed upward by the action of the dome-shaped elastic body 25, but when the head is pushed down, it slides in the axial direction, and the dome-shaped elastic body 25 bends and the dome-shaped elastic body 25 moves. The protruding portion 29 inside protrudes and contacts the switch element 24 to short-circuit the electrodes 28.

Similarly to the conductive film 12 of the touch panel, the electrode 28 formed on the substrate 26 is also connected to a microcomputer encoder (not shown), and when the push key 21 is pushed, the keyboard is pushed to the main body of the information processing device. The item key code corresponding to the key is output.

[0016]

However, in the conventional multi-item input device, since the touch panel section and the keyboard which are independent from each other are combined, the structure is complicated, and the wiring with the external device is complicated, and the device is not There is a problem that miniaturization and thinning are hindered.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-item input device which has a keyboard composed of a plurality of push-down keys, has a simple structure, and can be made thin.

[0018]

FIG. 1 is a principle view showing a multi-item input device according to the present invention. Note that the same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The above problem is a multi-item input in which a resistive film type touch panel section for inputting information by touching a finger or a pen on the same panel and a keyboard section for inputting information by pressing a key are mixedly mounted. In the device, a touch panel 4 in which two insulating substrates 42 each having a conductive film 41 face each other via a spacer 15
A touch area 44 for directly contacting a keyboard area 43 with a finger or a pen is formed on the touch panel 4, and a plurality of push-down portions are held slidably by the support member 5 and the lower end portion abuts on the touch panel 4 when pushed down. Key 51
Is provided above the keyboard region 43 formed on the touch panel 4 by the multi-item input device of the present invention.

[0020]

In FIG. 1, a touch area for directly contacting the keyboard area with a finger or a pen is formed on the touch panel, and a push key is held above the keyboard area so that the lower end portion comes into contact with the touch panel when slidably held. By disposing the switch, the touch panel and the switch element of the keyboard are integrated, and the configuration of the device and the wiring between the device and the external device are extremely easy. That is, it is possible to realize a multi-item input device that includes a keyboard including a plurality of pressed keys, has a simple structure, and can be thinned.

[0021]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. 2 is a side sectional view showing the keyboard portion of the present invention.

The touch panel 4 included in the multi-item input device according to the present invention has a keyboard area 43 and a touch area 44 as shown in FIG. 1, and the touch panel 4 of a system for inputting information by abutting a finger or a pen is Information can be input by bringing a push key or the like into contact.

That is, the touch panel 4 is composed of two insulating substrates 42 that face each other with the spacer 15 having the conductive film 41 disposed appropriately, and the touch area 44 is the same as the conventional device.
The conductive films 41 made to face each other are short-circuited by directly bringing a finger or a pen into contact therewith.

A plurality of push-down keys 51 slidably held by the support member 5 are arranged above the keyboard area 43, and the lower end of the push-down keys 51 is selected by appropriately selecting and pushing down the push-down keys 51. The conductive films 41 that are brought into contact with and faced the touch panel 4 are short-circuited.

The arrangement pitch of the spacers 15 interposed between the conductive films 41 is the same in the keyboard area 43 and the touch area 44, but it is coarse and fine in the keyboard area 43 which does not need to be miniaturized. Touch area where information is input
44 can be fine.

A scanning signal is applied to the one conductive film (Y electrode) 41 facing each other by a microcomputer encoder (not shown), and the scanning signal is applied to the other conductive film (X electrode).
It is input to the microcomputer encoder via 41 and a multiplexer (not shown).

When a signal is input from the multiplexer, the microcomputer encoder discriminates the scanning signal applied to the conductive film regardless of the pressing means and the pressed position by the signal input from the multiplexer, and corresponds to the pressed position. Output the item key code.

As shown in FIG. 2, the keyboard portion is provided with a plurality of push-down keys 51 slidably held by a support member 5 such as a panel, and the push-down keys 51 are biased by a coil spring 52 in the upward direction. A key top 53 on which characters and the like are printed is fitted on the head of the.

For example, the end surface of the push-down key 51 made of a flexible resin that comes into contact with the touch panel 4 is formed into a spherical shape. Touches the touch panel 4 and short-circuits the conductive films 41.

In the conventional keyboard, the switch element is supported from the back by a supporting panel having sufficient strength as shown in FIG. 5, but in the case of the device of the present invention, the lower substrate of the touch panel is made of glass or the like. By doing so, the support panel can be eliminated.

As described above, the touch area for directly contacting the keyboard area with the finger or the pen is formed on the touch panel, and the pressing key whose lower end contacts the touch panel when slidably held and pressed is located above the keyboard area. By disposing the switch, the touch panel and the switch element of the keyboard are integrated, and the configuration of the device and the wiring between the device and the external device are extremely easy. That is, it is possible to realize a multi-item input device that includes a keyboard including a plurality of pressed keys, has a simple structure, and can be thinned.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a multi-item input device having a keyboard composed of a plurality of depressed keys, having a simple structure and being thin.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a principle diagram showing a multi-item input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing a keyboard portion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a conventional multi-item input device.

FIG. 4 is a principle diagram showing a configuration of a touch panel.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a main part of a conventional keyboard.

[Explanation of symbols] 4 Touch panel 5 Supporting member 15 Spacer 41 Conductive film 42 Insulating substrate 43 Keyboard area 44 Touch area 51 Press key 52 Coil spring 53 Key top

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A multi-item input device comprising a resistive touch panel unit for inputting information by touching a finger or a pen on the same panel and a keyboard unit for inputting information by pressing a key. In the touch panel (4), two insulating substrates (42) each having a conductive film (41) are opposed to each other via a spacer (15), and a keyboard area (43) and a finger or a pen are directly connected to each other. A touch area (44) to be contacted is formed on the touch panel (4), and a plurality of push keys (lower ends of which the lower end abuts on the touch panel (4) when slidably held by the support member (5) and pushed down. Five
A multi-item input device characterized in that 1) is arranged above the keyboard area (43) formed on the touch panel (4).