JPH08115163A - Coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain the structure to be easily integrated into a keyboard. CONSTITUTION: A coordinate input device membrane switch 15a is formed by radially arranging switches 52-1 , 52-9 , etc., consisting of printed contacts on a part of a membrane switch formed on the keyboard unit. The switch 15a is provided with an operation member 18 and a restorting spring 19. The member 18 has an actuator part 18 having an approximately semicircular shape. When the member 18 is inclined at an optional angle in an optional direction, the actuator part 18a depresses and closes a switch corresponding to the operation state. Consequently coordinate information corresponding to the closed switch is outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a coordinate input device for moving a cursor displayed on a display to an arbitrary position on the display. In recent years, in OA equipment,
Improvement of input operability is required. As one structure with improved operability of input, there is a structure in which a coordinate input device is incorporated in a keyboard unit.

It is desirable that the coordinate input device of this type has a structure that can be easily incorporated in a keyboard unit.

[0003]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional coordinate input device is provided with a variable resistor, a hall element, or the like, and detects an operation of an operating member as a change in resistance value or a change in voltage value.

[0004]

Therefore, when assembling the conventional coordinate input device into the keyboard unit, it is necessary to assemble components other than the components constituting the keyboard unit, such as a variable resistor or a hall element, into the keyboard unit. That is, the conventional coordinate input device is not easy to be incorporated in the keyboard unit.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate input device that solves the above problems.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a membrane switch having a switch group in which a plurality of normally open switches each having a printed contact are radially arranged. Which has a substantially hemispherical actuator unit for pressing the switch, the center of the switch group is provided so as to be tiltable in any direction, and by operating and tilting the actuator unit,
Of the plurality of switches, the switch includes an operation member that closes the switch by pressing a switch corresponding to the tilt condition, and coordinate information generation means that generates coordinate information according to the closed switch.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a return spring which is provided in engagement with the operation member and returns the operation member to the posture before the operation. According to a third aspect of the present invention, the operating member further has a convex portion protruding from the membrane switch side and supporting the center of the bottom surface of the operating member. The operating member has a concave portion at the center of the bottom surface, and the concave portion is It is configured to be engaged with the convex portion.

[0008]

According to the first aspect of the invention, the structure having the membrane switch functions so as to enable the structure by utilizing a part of the key top membrane switch incorporated in the keyboard unit. In the invention of claim 2, the return spring acts so as to return the operating member to the posture before the operation when the fingertip is separated from the operating member.

In the invention of claim 3, the concave portion and the convex portion act so as to regulate the position of the operating member.

[0010]

1 and 2 show a coordinate input device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The coordinate input device 10 is, as shown in FIG. 7, a keyboard unit 1 of a computer device 13 including a keyboard unit 11 and a display 12.
It is provided on the front side of 1.

The keyboard unit 11 includes a bottom plate 14 and
Membrane switch 15 for key top on the bottom plate 14,
Upper plate 16 that covers the membrane switch 15 for key tops
And a plurality of key tops 1 arranged side by side on the upper plate 16
It is composed of 7 and 7. The key top membrane switch 15 includes a lower sheet 20 on which a large number of contacts and wirings (both not shown) are printed, and an upper sheet 21 on which a large number of contacts and wirings (both not shown) are printed. ,
The spacer 22 is interposed between the upper sheet 20 and the lower sheet 21, and has a spacer 22 having an opening (not shown) at a portion corresponding to the contact.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the coordinate input device 10 includes a predetermined portion 14a of the bottom plate 14 and a coordinate input device membrane switch 15a formed at a predetermined portion of the keytop membrane switch 15. It has a predetermined portion 16 a of the upper plate 16, an operation member 18, and a return spring 19. The predetermined portion 14a of the bottom plate 14 has a convex portion 30 in the center, and four hook-shaped spring holder portions 31 _{-1 to} 31 _-4 in the peripheral portion.

Next, the coordinate input device membrane switch 15a will be described. The coordinate input device membrane switch 15a has a switch group 53 arranged radially. The coordinate input device membrane switch 15a includes a predetermined portion 20 of the lower sheet 20 as shown in FIG.
a, a plurality of wirings 33 printed on the upper surface of the predetermined portion 20a and drawn out from each contact of the contact group 32, each contact group 32, a predetermined portion 21a of the upper sheet 21,
The contact group 34 printed on the lower surface of the predetermined portion 21a.
And a large number of wirings 35 drawn out from each contact of the contact group 34 and a predetermined portion 22a of the spacer 22.

The upper sheet 21 and the lower sheet 20 have openings 40 and 41 at the center positions of the contact groups 32 and 34, respectively, which are fitted into the convex portions 30. The spacer 22 has an opening 42 at a position corresponding to the opening 40. Openings 40, 41, 4
The positions of 2 are in agreement. The contact group 32 includes 16 movable contacts 45 _{-1 to} 45 _-16 . 8 contact points 45 _-1 to 4
_5-8 are arranged at equal angular intervals on a circle 46 having a radius R ₁ centered on the opening 41.

The remaining eight contact points 45 _{-9 to} 45 _-16 are located on a circle 47 having a radius R ₂ (R ₂ is about twice as large as R ₁ ) centered on the opening 41, and The contact points 45 _{-1 to} 45
_-8 is arranged at a position aligned in the radial direction of the circle 47. The contact group 34 includes 16 fixed contacts 50 _{-1 to} 5 -5.
It consists of _0-16 . Contact 50 _-1 to 50 _-16, are disposed as in the respective said contact 45 _-1 to 45 _-16.

As a result, as shown in FIG.
_-1 and 50 _-1 , contact points 45 _-2 and 50 _-2 , ... contact points 45 _-16 and 5
_0-16 are facing each other. The contact portions 45 _{-1 to} 45 _-16 (50 _-1 to 50) are attached to the predetermined portion 22 a of the spacer 22.
_-16 ), opening windows 51 _{-1 to} 51 _-16 having a size slightly larger than the size of the contact 45 _{-1 and the} like are formed.

The wirings 33 and 35 intersect in the circuit diagram as shown in FIG. 5, and are so-called matrix wiring. The contacts 45 _-1 and 50 _-1 , the contacts 45 _-2 and 50 _-2 , ... The contacts 45 _-16 and 50 _-16 are located at the intersections of the wiring 33 and the wiring 35, respectively, and are the normally open switches 52 _-1 to 52 _-1 . 5
It comprises _2-16 . This switch 52 _{-1 to} 52 _-16
Constitute a switch group 53.

Further, each switch 52_-1~ 52_-16Each of
About the so-called when multiple switches are pressed simultaneously
A diode D is provided to prevent wraparound.
Looking at the mechanical structure of FIGS. 1 and 3, eight switches are shown.
Switch 52_-1~ 52_-8But radius R₁Equiangular on the circle 46a
Switches 52 lined up at intervals and remaining_-9~ 52 _-16But,
Radius R₂The switch 52 on the circle 47a of_-1~ 5
2_-8And are aligned side by side in the radial direction. Immediately
Switch 52_-1~ 52_-16Centered around the opening 40
Are arranged radially.

The wiring 33 is connected to the scan circuit 55. The scan circuit 55 sequentially selects and scans the individual wirings 33. The wiring 35 is connected to the detection circuit 56. As shown in FIG. 5, a CPU 57 is provided. The CPU 57 controls the scan circuit 55, the detection circuit 56, and the coordinate information output circuit 58.

The above-mentioned scan circuit 55, detection circuit 56,
The CPU 57 and the coordinate information output circuit 58 form a coordinate information generating circuit 59 as a coordinate information generating means. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, the spring holder portions 31 _{-1 to} 31 _-4 are peripheral portions of the predetermined portions 20a, 21a, 22a of the lower sheet 20, the upper sheet 21, and the spacer 22.
The openings 60 _{-1 to} 60 _-4 are formed in the portion corresponding to.

The membrane switch 15a for the coordinate input device having the above-mentioned configuration is positioned by fitting the central openings 41, 42, 43 into the convex portion 30, and the opening 60 _-1.
.About.60 _-4 are fitted on the surroundings of the spring holder portions 31 _{-1 to} 31 _-4 and arranged on the upper surface of the bottom plate 14. Next, the operation member 18 and the return spring 19 will be described.

As shown in FIG. 6, the operating member 18 has a lower actuator portion 18a and the above-mentioned cylindrical rod-shaped operating portion 18b. Actuator part 18a
Has a substantially hemispherical lower surface 18a- ₁ which is convex downward.
A recess 18a _-2 is formed at the center of the substantially hemispherical lower surface 18a _-1 .

The actuator portion 18a has a tapered surface 18a _-3 on the upper surface side. As shown in FIG. 1, the return spring 19 is a coil spring having a substantially conical shape, and has a ring portion 19a having the maximum diameter in the lower portion and a ring portion 19b having the minimum diameter in the upper portion. The ring portion 19a includes the spring holder portions 31 _{-1 to} 31-31.
Has a diameter d ₂ which corresponds to the arrangement of _-4 annulus 19b has a diameter d ₂ which corresponds to the diameter of the operating section 18b.

The operating member 18 has a recess 18a._-2But the convex part 3
It is provided in a state in which it is engaged with 0 and the position is stably regulated.
As shown in FIG. 2, the spring 19 extends over the lower ring portion 19a.
Ne holder 31_-1~ 31 _-FourEngages with the specified part of the bottom plate
It is fixed to 14a. In addition, the upper ring portion 19b is operated
It is fitted to the lower end portion of the portion 18b. The spring 19 is
It surrounds the chute portion 18a.

The operating portion 18b projects upward through the opening 16b of the upper plate 16. The operating member 18 is the spring 1
9 keeps it in the vertical position shown in FIG. The operating member 18 is operated by operating the operating portion 18b to obtain 360
It can be tilted in any direction within a range of degrees and at any angle within a range limited by the opening 16b.

The operating member 18 is operated while elastically deforming the spring 19 in the bending direction. When the operating force applied to the operating portion 18b is released, the operating member 18 returns to the initial vertical posture by the spring force of the spring 19. Next, the operation and operation of the coordinate input device 10 having the above configuration will be described. When attempting to input coordinates in the middle of operating the keys of the keyboard unit 11, the operator applies his / her fingertip to the top of the operating portion 18b and moves it to tilt the operating member 18 in a desired direction and at a desired angle.

As shown in FIG. 8A, when the operating member 18 is tilted by the angle α _{1 in the} X ₁ direction, the actuator unit 1
8a The substantially hemispherical lower surface 18a _-1 pushes the contact point 50 _-7 of the sheet 21. As a result, the contact point 50 _-7 comes into contact with the contact point 45 _-7 and the switch 52 _-7 is closed. Since the scan circuit 55 scans the wiring 35,
The detection circuit 56 immediately detects that the switch 52 _-1 is closed.

The output of the detection circuit 56 is sent to the CPU 57, processed appropriately, and the CPU 57 sends a command to the coordinate information output circuit 58, and the circuit 58 outputs the coordinate information corresponding to the closed switch 52 _-7. Is output. As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, on the display 12,
The cursor 70 moves as shown by an arrow 71 and reaches the position P ₁ corresponding to the coordinates of the above information.

The operating member 18 is X₁Further tilted in the direction,
Angle α₂(> Α₁) When tilted, the actuator unit 1
8a is a contact point of the sheet 21 as shown in FIG.
Fifty _-7And contact point 50_-15Also press at the same time. This
Contact point 50_-15Contact point 45 _-15Contact with switch 5
2_-7And switch 52_-15Is closed. Many contacts here
Since a wraparound occurs when a point is pressed,
The diode D shown in FIG. 5 is arranged and removed.

As in the case described above, since the scan circuit 55 scans the wiring 33, the switch 52
_The detection circuit 56 immediately detects that _-15 has been closed. The output of the detection circuit 56 is sent to the CPU 57, processed as appropriate, the command is sent from the CPU 57 to the coordinate information output circuit 58, and the circuit 58 outputs the coordinate information corresponding to the closed switch 52 _-15. .

As a result, as shown in FIG. 9, the cursor 70 moves on the display 12 as shown by the arrow 72, and the position P ₂ corresponding to the coordinates of the above coordinate information.
Reach. As can be seen from the above, the operation member 18
When tilted at a desired angle in a desired direction within a range of degrees, the switch 51 _{-1 to} 51 _-16 is in the same direction as the operation direction of the operation member 18 with respect to the central opening 40 and corresponds to the inclination angle. The switch located at the position
In the case of the outside, the switch located inside is also pressed at the same time. Here, the CPU 57 determines that the outside is pressed, the coordinate information corresponding to the closed switch is output from the circuit 58, and the cursor 70 is displayed on the display 12.
Above, it is moved to the position corresponding to the above coordinate information.

In the above embodiment, the coordinate input device is incorporated in a part of the keyboard unit. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the coordinate input device may be configured as an independent device.

[0033]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, since the structure has the membrane switch,
It can be configured by using a part of the key top membrane switch built in the keyboard unit.
A structure that can be easily incorporated into a keyboard unit can be realized.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, since it is not necessary to perform the operation of returning the operating member to the position before the operation, the operability can be improved. According to the third aspect of the invention, the operating member can be stably positioned in the state before the operation, so that the operation can be stably performed.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a coordinate input device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the coordinate input device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a membrane switch for the coordinate input device in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the membrane switch for the coordinate input device in FIG.

5 is a diagram showing an electrical arrangement of a membrane switch for a coordinate input device and a configuration of a coordinate information generating circuit in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the operating member in FIGS. 1 and 2 as viewed from below.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a state where the coordinate input device of FIG. 2 is incorporated in a keyboard unit.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a state when the coordinate input device of FIG. 2 is operated.

FIG. 9 is a diagram for explaining movement of the cursor on the display when the coordinate input device is operated.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Coordinate Input Device 11 Keyboard Unit 12 Display 13 Computer Device 14 Bottom Plate 14a Bottom Plate Predetermined Part 15 Membrane Switch 15a Coordinate Input Device Membrane Switch 16 Top Plate 16a Top Plate Predetermined Part 16b Opening 17 Keytop 18 Operating Member 18a Actuator 18a _-1 Lower surface of approximately hemispherical shape 18a _{-2 Recessed} portion 18a _-3 Tapered surface 18b Operating portion 19 Return springs 19a, 19b Ring portion 20 Lower sheet 20a Lower sheet predetermined portion 21 Upper sheet 21a Upper sheet predetermined portion 22 Spacer 22a Spacer Predetermined part 30 Convex part 31 _{-1 to} 31 _-4 Spring holder part 32 Contact group 33 Many wiring 34 Contact group 35 Many wiring 40, 41, 42 Opening 45 _{-1 to} 45 _-16 Fixed contact 46, 46a, 47 , 47a yen 50 _-1 to 5 _-16 movable contact 51 _-1 to 51 _-16 opening window 52 _-1 to 52 _-16 normally open switch 53 switch group 55 scan circuit 56 detecting circuit 57 CPU 58 coordinates information output circuit 59 coordinate information generating circuit 60 _-1 to 60 _-4 Aperture 70 Cursors 71, 72 Arrows indicating cursor movement

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A membrane switch having a switch group in which a plurality of normally open switches composed of printed contacts are radially arranged, an operation part to which a finger is applied when operating, and a substantially hemisphere for pressing the switch. And an actuator section in the shape of a switch, and is provided in the center of the switch group so as to be tiltable in any direction,
By operating and tilting, the actuator section provides an operation member that closes the switch by pressing a switch corresponding to the tilting condition among the plurality of switches, and coordinate information according to the closed switch. A coordinate input device comprising a coordinate information generating means for generating the coordinate information. 2. The coordinate input device according to claim 1, further comprising a return spring which is provided in engagement with the operation member and which returns the operation member to the posture before the operation. . 3. The operating member further has a convex portion protruding from the membrane switch side and supporting the center of the bottom surface of the operating member, and the operating member has a concave portion at the center of the bottom surface, and the concave portion is the convex portion. The coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein the coordinate input device is configured to be engaged with the portion.