JPH06260056A - Direction indicating operation button for game device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a direction indicating operation button for a game device excellent in operability and causing little pain or fatigue of a finger during the play over a long period. CONSTITUTION:The direction indicating operation button 10 of a game device specifies one of four directions of at least two crossing axes (X-axis, Y-axis) via the pressing direction of a finger S of a player, and a finger mounting recess 14 capable of storing the belly portion of the finger S is provided at the contact portion of the finger S. Projections constituting direction indication sections 16 for indicating four directions are provided on the finger mounting recess 14, and the projections are preferably formed with curved faces at the portions to be kept in contact with the finger S.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a direction indicating operation button for a game machine, such as a video game machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A commercial or home video game device is provided with a direction indicating operation button for designating a moving direction of a display character.

As such an operation button, there is known a plate-shaped button having a cross shape in a plan view as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-50594.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional operation button, when one finger is operated, one or both thumbs are horizontally moved, so that the movement stroke of the finger is long, and the finger movement is long. Since the moving surface is flat and slippery, the operability is poor, and there is a problem that finger fatigue is great when used continuously for a long time.

Further, when playing a long-time game such as a role-playing game, the player often operates the operation buttons for a long time. In such a case, if there is an edge portion on the operation surface that hits the ball of the finger like a conventional operation button, the edge of the finger is touched many times and for a long time, and There is a problem of painful joints.

An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional operation buttons as described above, to provide a direction indicating operation button which is excellent in operability and has less finger pain and fatigue even after playing for a long time. To do.

[0007]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a directional operation button for designating any one of four directions of at least two axes intersecting with each other according to a pressing direction of a finger of a player. Has a finger placing concave portion capable of accommodating the ball portion of the finger, and has a convex portion or a concave portion forming a direction indicating portion for indicating the four directions in the finger placing concave portion. , Is characterized.

[0008]

According to the structure of the present invention, a finger placement concave portion is formed on the surface of a direction indicating operation button (hereinafter, simply referred to as an "operation button") so that a placement that fits the curved surface of the finger pad is performed. A surface can be constructed. put it here,
“Abdomen of the finger” generally means a portion that comes into contact with a flat surface of the finger (usually the tip portion from the first joint of the thumb) or a portion in the vicinity thereof when the finger is placed on the flat surface.

By providing such a finger placing concave portion, it becomes possible to perform a direction indicating operation only by changing a contact angle of a finger placed in the concave portion or with an extremely small stroke, and even when playing for a long time. Little fatigue.

That is, in the present invention, the up and down operation of the operation button is the bending and extension motion of the first joint of the finger
The horizontal operation can be performed easily with the rolling motion of the finger, and almost no horizontal movement of the entire finger is required, so that the instruction operation can be performed instantaneously, and the next instruction operation is extremely smooth. Can be migrated.

Further, the operation button according to the present invention can be downsized, which can contribute to downsizing of the device.

Further, since the direction indicating portion composed of the convex portion or the concave portion is formed in the finger placing concave portion, the operability of the operation button can be further improved.

Further, by forming such a convex portion or a concave portion at least a portion on which a finger comes into contact with a gently curved surface, the finger is not liable to be hurt by contact with the operation surface of the operation button.

Further, by forming the finger placing convex portion instead of the finger placing concave portion, it is possible to construct an operation button which is slightly inferior in finger fitting property but excellent in operability.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 show operation buttons of this embodiment, FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view thereof, FIG. 2 is a schematic side view thereof, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III--III in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a perspective view.

The operation button 10 according to this embodiment includes a button body 12 having a circular planar shape, and the button body 12
Finger placing recess 14 formed in the center of the finger placing portion, and four direction indicating portions 16a to 16 formed in the finger placing recess 14
d and.

The button body 12 has a flange 20 for locking on the lower end side, and on the lower surface, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a contact projection 22 for forming a switch described later.
It has a to 22d and a bearing recess 24.

As shown in FIG. 1, the finger mounting recess 14 has a circular planar shape, and the surface thereof is a curved surface of the belly part of the operating finger S (usually thumb) as shown in FIG. To form a concave curved surface that substantially conforms to.

Considering the age and sex of the player such as children, adults, men and women, the concave curved surface preferably has a curvature of 14 mm to 18 mm, more preferably 15 m.
It is m to 17 mm.

Such a finger placing concave portion 14 is provided with the operating finger S.
Since the operating finger S fits when the is placed, the operating button 10 can be easily operated only by tilting the operating finger S or with an extremely small stroke.

The direction indicating portions 16a to 16d are, as shown in FIG. 1, an axis X orthogonal to each other in the finger placing concave portion 14.
And 4 symmetrically along the axis Y. These direction indicators 16a to 16d are, as shown in FIG.
It is composed of a flat semi-elliptical convex portion that is gently formed with respect to the finger placement concave portion 14, and a marker 18 indicating the direction is provided near the top of the convex portion.

By forming such direction indicating portions 16a to 16d, not only the direction can be easily recognized by the tactile sensation, but also the pressing force of the finger is concentrated on the convex portions forming the direction supporting portions 16a to 16d. Therefore, the operation button 10 can be operated with a comparatively small force.

Further, since the direction supporting portions 16a to 16d are formed by a gentle convex portion with respect to the finger placing concave portion 14, the operating finger S can be fitted comfortably without causing any pain to the fingers. You can play for a long time.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation section to which the operation button 10 is applied.

In this operating portion, a pair of substrate holding portions 36 are provided on the lower casing 32 which constitutes the casing 30.
And the substrate 40 is placed and fixed on the substrate holder 36.

As a means for fixing the substrate 40, the projection 36 formed on the substrate holding portion 36 in the insertion hole formed in the substrate 40.
It is performed by inserting a. Also, the substrate 40
A conductive support portion 42 forming a switch portion is provided on the top.

The conductive support portion 42 is made of a so-called piezoelectric rubber which is made conductive by compression, as shown in FIG.
It is formed in a circular shape as a whole. Then, in the conductive support portion 42, four protruding portions 43a to 43d having a substantially U-shaped cross section are formed at locations corresponding to the contact protrusions 22a to 22d of the operation button 10, and are supported in the center. A shaft insertion hole 46 is formed, and a pair of insertion holes 48 through which the protrusions 36a of the lower casing 32 are inserted are formed on both sides.
48 is provided.

Further, the protruding portion 43a of the conductive support portion 42
Piezoelectric switches 44a to 44d are attached to the insides of to 43d, respectively.

The operation button 10 has a flange portion 20 through an attachment opening portion 35 formed in the upper casing 34.
Is attached to the edge of the opening 35 of the upper casing 34 in a locked state.

Specifically, the bearing recess 2 of the operation button 10
4 is fitted on the tip of a support shaft 38 provided in the lower casing 32, and the contact projections 22a to 22d are formed on the conductive support portion 4.
It is mounted in a state of being placed on the two protruding portions 43a to 43d.

At this time, the upper end of the support shaft 38 and the bearing recess 24
A predetermined clearance C1 is provided between and.
This clearance C1 is the clearance between the substrate 40 and each piezoelectric switch 4
Predetermined clearance C provided between 4a to 44d
It is set smaller than 2.

Next, the operation of such an operation unit will be described.

When the operation button 10 is not operated, as shown in FIG. 5, the elasticity of the conductive support portion 42 pushes the operation button 10 upward, and the flange 20 of the operation button 10 is attached to the upper casing 34. Opening 3
The operation button 10 is held in a predetermined posture because it is locked to the edge portion of 5.

When the operation button 10 is pressed and tilted by a finger, the operation button 10 is lowered to eliminate the clearance C1 between the support shaft 38 and the bearing recess 24 of the operation button 10, and the operation button 10 is moved to the support shaft 38. With the fulcrum as the fulcrum, the finger rotates in the tilting direction, and the switch is turned on.

For example, when the operation button 10 is tilted in the direction shown by the arrow A in FIG. 5, the operation button 10 rotates about the support shaft 38 in the direction of the arrow A, and as a result, the contact projection 22a descends. Along with that, the protrusion 43 of the conductive support 42 is formed.
When a is pressed, the piezoelectric switch 44a descends and contacts the substrate 40. As a result, a switch circuit (not shown) is turned on.

Also, without tilting the operation button 10,
Since the clearance C1 is set to be smaller than the clearance C2 when simply pressed downward, none of the piezoelectric switches 44a to 44d come into contact with the substrate 40 and malfunction is prevented.

Further, since the operation button 10 can be tilted only in one direction corresponding to the tilt direction of the finger about the support shaft 38, a plurality of switches are not operated at the same time.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an example of a game machine to which the operation button 10 of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 8 is shown in FIG.
3 is a left side view of the game device shown in FIG.

This game device 100 is a controller of a video game device and is of a type that can be used integrally with a game cartridge 200 having a game program built therein. In the illustrated example, the operation button 10 for indicating a direction of the present invention is provided on the upper left surface of the game apparatus 100, and the operation button for selecting an item or an attack means is provided on the opposite upper right surface. 90 is provided.

Then, for example, when a shooting game or the like is performed using this game device 100, the player operates the operation button 10 to control the traveling direction of the spacecraft or the like which he / she drives, and the operation button 90. You can enjoy the game by manipulating and launching missiles at enemy spaceships and dropping bombs at ground bases. At this time, the operation button 10 has excellent operability and has less finger fatigue. Further, the operation direction can be accurately grasped in the major axis direction and the minor axis direction of the finger placement concave portion 14 formed in the center of the button body 12, and the blind operation can be favorably performed while viewing the screen. It will be understood that this is a very suitable operation button plan for game machines.

Next, a modified example of the operation button of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory view showing a first modification of the operation button of the present invention, and FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view thereof.

The operation button 50 shown in FIG. 9 has a button main body 52 having a circular plane shape and a flange 58, and a finger placement concave portion 54 formed in the center of the button main body 52.
And four direction indicating portions 56a to 56d formed in the finger placement concave portion 54.

The direction indicating portions 56a to 56d are set to have a circular planar shape, and are symmetrically projected in the finger placing recess 54 along the orthogonal axes X and Y.
As shown in FIG. 10, each of the direction indicating portions 56a to 56d is composed of a gentle convex portion having a surface substantially parallel to the finger placement concave portion 54.

By forming the direction indicating portions 56a to 56d as described above, not only the operation fingers can be fitted comfortably, but also the circular direction indicating portions 56a to 56d are fit to the fingers and can be operated smoothly.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory view showing a second modification of the operation button, and FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view thereof.

The operation button 60 shown in FIG. 11 has a button body 62 having a circular planar shape and a flange 68,
Finger mounting recess 6 formed in the center of the button body 62
4 and four direction indicating portions 66a to 66d formed in the finger placement concave portion 64.

The upper peripheral portion of the button main body 62 is tapered and gently descends, and the direction indicating portion 6 is formed in this tapered portion.
6a to 66d are formed. Direction indicators 66a-6
6d are symmetrically arranged in the finger placement concave portion 64 along an axis X and an axis Y which are orthogonal to each other, and these direction indicating portions 66a to 66d are, as shown in FIG. To a peripheral edge of the finger placement concave portion 64.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory view showing a third modification of the operation button, and FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view thereof.

The operation button 70 shown in FIG. 13 has a button body 72 having a circular plane shape and a flange 78,
Finger mounting recess 7 formed in the center of the button body 72
4 and a direction indicating portion 76 formed in the finger placement concave portion 74.

The direction indicator 76 is recessed along the axis X and the axis Y which are orthogonal to each other in the finger placement recess 74.
The direction indicating portion 76 is composed of a symmetrical cross-shaped gentle concave portion intersecting at the center of the finger placing concave portion 74.

By forming the direction indicating portion 76 as described above, not only the operation in four directions along the direction indicating portion 76 but also the operation in eight directions including the oblique direction are facilitated.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing a fourth modification of the operation button, and FIG. 16 is a schematic sectional view thereof.

The operation button 80 shown in FIG. 15 has a button body 82 having a circular plane shape and a flange 88,
The finger placing convex portion 8 formed in the center of the button body 82
4 and four direction indicating portions 86a to 86d formed in the finger placement convex portion 84.

The direction indicating portions 86a to 86d are symmetrically projected on the finger placing convex portion 84 along the axis X and the axis Y orthogonal to each other. These direction indicating sections 86a to 86d
As shown in FIG. 16, is formed by a gentle convex portion having a surface substantially parallel to the finger placement convex portion 84.

By forming the finger placing convex portion 84 and the direction indicating portions 86a to 86d, the finger placing convex portion 8 is formed.
By reducing the contact area between the finger 4 and the finger, the pressing force of the finger can be concentrated on the upper center portion of the operation button, and as a result, the operation button can be operated swiftly.

Operation buttons 10, 50, 60, 70, 80
The shape of the finger placement recesses 14, 54, 64, 74, 84 is not particularly limited, and may include a recessed curved surface that fits the abdomen of the operating finger. , Can take various shapes.

Further, the direction indicating units 16a to 16d, 56a.
The shapes of ~ 56d, 66a to 66d, 76, 86a to 86d are not particularly limited, and can be formed by various convex curved surfaces or concave curved surfaces having no edge that causes pain to the finger.

Further, the shape of the button body is not particularly limited, and various shapes can be adopted.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the operation buttons in the 4 and 8 directions have been described, but the same can be applied to other operation buttons for instructing in a plurality of directions.

[0062]

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a direction indicating operation button having an operation surface having a high fitting property with respect to an operation finger, excellent in operability, and having little finger fatigue even after long-term play. it can.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of an operation button shown in FIG.

3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view shown in FIG.

5 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view showing the structure of an operation unit to which the operation buttons shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are applied.

FIG. 6 is a schematic bottom view of a conductive support unit used in the operation unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view showing an example of a game device to which the operation button of the present invention is applied.

8 is a schematic left side view of the game device shown in FIG. 7. FIG.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a first modified example of the operation button of the present invention.

10 is a schematic sectional view of an operation button in FIG.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a second modified example of the operation button of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic sectional view of an operation button in FIG.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a third modified example of the operation button of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a schematic sectional view of an operation button in FIG.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram showing a fourth modified example of the operation button of the present invention.

16 is a schematic sectional view of an operation button in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 50, 60, 70, 80 Operation buttons 12, 52, 62, 72, 82 Button body 14, 54, 64, 74 Finger mounting recess 16, 56, 66, 76, 86 Direction indicator 20, 58, 68, 78, 88 Flange 22 Contact Protrusion 24 Bearing Recess 30 Casing 32 Lower Casing 34 Upper Casing 36 Board Holding Part 38 Spindle 40 Board 42 Conductive Support 44 Piezoelectric Switch 84 Finger Placement Projection 100 Game Device 200 Cartridge

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A direction indicating operation button for designating one of four directions of at least two axes intersecting with each other according to a pressing direction of a finger of a player, the finger being capable of accommodating a ball portion of the finger in a contact portion of the finger. An operation button for indicating a direction of a game device, characterized by having a placing concave portion, and having a convex portion or a concave portion forming a direction indicating portion for indicating the four directions in the finger placing concave portion. . 2. The operation button for instructing a direction of a game device according to claim 1, wherein the convex portion or the concave portion has a curved surface at a portion with which the finger abuts. 3. In a direction indicating operation button for designating one of four directions of at least two intersecting axes depending on a pressing direction of a finger of a player, a ball portion of the finger can be placed on a contact portion of the finger. A direction instruction for a game device, comprising: a finger placing convex portion, and a convex portion or a concave portion forming a direction indicating portion for indicating the four directions on the finger placing convex portion. Operation button.