JPH08152961A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To easily and surely hold a mobile object by integrating this device into a key input device by composing it of a key top, the mobile object provided with a magnet for detection, a supporting member equipped with a spherical supporting part, a magnetic detecting means, and a fixed magnet. CONSTITUTION: The pointing device 10 is provided with a key top 12 and a magnet 14 for detection, and the respective members are integrally fitted to a holder 16 and become an integral mobile object. Besides, a supporting member 22 equipped with a spherical supporting part 22a is fitted onto a printed circuit board 20. In this case, a recessed part corresponding to the holder 16 is engaged to the spherical supporting part 22a, and the mobile object can be turned with the spherical supporting part 22a as the center. As the magnetic detecting means for detecting the magnetic force of the magnet 14 for detection, hole sensors 26 are arranged around the supporting member 22 inside a housing 18 and fitted onto the printed circuit board 20. Further, a fixed magnet 28 is fixed at a position aligned with the spherical supporting part 22a on the opposite side of the magnet 14 for detection with the hole sensors 26 inbetween.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device which can be incorporated in a key input device, for example.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A key input device is widely used as an input device for various information devices and mechatronic devices. The key input device includes up and down and left and right move keys for moving the cursor on the screen. Further, a pointing device such as a mouse can be connected to the key input device, so that the operability can be further improved. However, since a pointing device such as a mouse is an externally connected device, a pointing device such as a mouse must be stored separately, and an operating space is required, so it is difficult to use it in a space-constrained place. There is.

Therefore, there is a demand for a pointing device that can be directly incorporated into a key input device. As such a pointing device, the inventor of the present application uses a device as shown in FIG. In FIG.
The pointing device 50 includes a key top 52 and a detection magnet 54, and these members are integrally formed in the holder 5.
It is attached to 6. Pointing device 50
The housing 58 is attached to a printed circuit board 60 which is a part of the housing of the key input device, and a support member 62 having a spherical support portion 62a is arranged at the center of the housing 58. The corresponding recess of the holder 56 is the spherical support 62.
Therefore, the key top 52 and the detection magnet 54 can be swung around the spherical support portion 62a.

A spring 64 is arranged between the housing 58 and the holder 56. The spring 64 is a tension spring, and the key top 52 and the detection magnet 54
The holder 56 supporting the and is rotatably restrained with respect to the housing 58. Further, a Hall sensor 66 is provided as a magnetic detection unit that detects the magnetic force of the detection magnet 54. The hall sensor 66 detects a change in the magnetic force in the direction in which the detection magnet 54 falls, and thus the detection output is sent to a control device (not shown) to detect the operation direction of the keytop 52.

[0005]

In the pointing device 50 described above, the spring 64 must achieve the following plural actions. That is, the spring 64 holds the holder 56 and its assembly firmly so that the holder 56 is in a straight position with respect to the housing 58, and when the key top 52 is operated, it is immediately returned to the straight position. Then, when operating the key top 52, it is necessary to obtain a convenient operation feeling. For this reason, there has been a problem that accuracy control of the spring 64 becomes considerably difficult.

An object of the present invention is to provide a pointing device which can be incorporated in a key input device and in which a movable body can be easily and surely held in an appropriate posture.

[0007]

A pointing device according to the present invention is a support member having a movable body including a key top 12 and a detection magnet 14 and a spherical support portion 22a for supporting the movable body so as to be rotatable. 22, a magnetic detection means 26 for detecting the magnetic force of the detection magnet, and a fixed magnet 28 fixed at a position aligned with the spherical surface support portion by a magnetic pole arrangement for attracting the magnetic detection means. To do.

[0008]

In the above structure, the detecting magnet is movably provided, and the magnetic detecting means detects the magnetic force of the detecting magnet to read the operating direction of the key top. The fixed magnets are arranged in such a magnetic pole arrangement that attracts each other to such a detection magnet, and this attraction force attracts and holds the movable body including the keytop and the detection magnet on the spherical support portion, and When operated, it works to return the key top to its original position.

[0009]

1 is a sectional view showing a pointing device 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The pointing device 10 includes a key top 12 and a detection magnet 14, and these members are integrally attached to a holder 16. The key top 12, the detection magnet 14, and the holder 16 are an integrally movable body.

The housing 18 of the pointing device 10 is a printed circuit board 2 which is a part of the housing of the key input device.
It is attached to 0. Claw 18 on the inner surface side of housing 18
a is elastically fitted into the hole of the printed circuit board 20. The outer peripheral surface of the housing 18 is formed as a part of a spherical surface for contacting the legs of the pivoting key top 12.

A support member 22 having a spherical support portion 22a is attached to a position corresponding to the center of the housing 18 of the printed circuit board 20. The corresponding concave portion of the holder 16 engages with the spherical support portion 22a, so that the movable body including the key top 12 and the detection magnet 14 can rotate about the spherical support portion 22a. The Hall sensor 26 serves as a magnetic detection unit that detects the magnetic force of the detection magnet 14.
8 is arranged around the support member 22 and is attached to the printed circuit board 20. The printed circuit board 20 has a conductor pattern (not shown) connected to the Hall sensor 26. Therefore, the hall sensor 26 can detect the magnetic force of the detection magnet 14 to read the operating direction of the key top 12 by a control device (not shown).

Further, the fixed magnet 28 is replaced by the hall sensor 26.
It is fixed at a position aligned with the spherical support portion 22a on the opposite side of the detection magnet 14 with the pinch in between. In FIG. 1, the fixed magnet 28 is bonded to the back surface of the printed circuit board 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, the fixed magnet 28 is arranged in a magnetic pole (S, N) arrangement that attracts each other to the detection magnet 14. This attraction force attracts and holds the movable body including the key top 12 and the detection magnet 14 on the spherical surface support portion 22a. Further, since the fixed magnet 28 and the detection magnet 14 are arranged on the coaxial line, the attraction force of this magnet is such that the magnetic field centered on the axis of the fixed magnet 28 and the detection magnet 14 is indicated by the arrow. Formed, and thus (detection magnet 1
4 acts to return the keytop 14 to its original position when the keytop 12 is operated (as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 2).

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a pointing device 10 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The pointing device 10 has a key top 1 similar to that of the first embodiment.
2, the detection magnet 14, the holder 16, the housing 18 mounted on the printed circuit board 20, the support member 22 having the spherical surface support portion 22a that engages with the holder 16, the Hall sensor 26, and the fixed magnet 28. Become.

In this embodiment, the fixed magnet 28 is inserted into the hole 20a provided in the printed circuit board 20,
It is glued to 0. Also in this case, the fixed magnet 28 is fixed at a position aligned with the spherical support portion 22a with the magnetic pole arrangement for attracting the detection magnet 14. Therefore, also in this case, this attraction force attracts and holds the movable body including the key top 12 and the detection magnet 14 on the spherical support portion 22a, and when the key top 12 is operated, the key top 14 is held. It acts to return it to its original position. In this embodiment, the fixed magnet 28 can reduce the distance between the fixed magnet 28 and the detection magnet 14, so that the attractive force is increased and the fixed magnet 28 is also effective for being positioned at the center of the pointing device 10.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a pointing device 10 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The pointing device 10 has a key top 1 similar to that of the first embodiment.
2, the detection magnet 14, the holder 16, the housing 18 mounted on the printed circuit board 20, the support member 22 having the spherical surface support portion 22a that engages with the holder 16, the Hall sensor 26, and the fixed magnet 28. Become. The fixed magnet 28 is bonded to the back surface of the printed board 20 as in the embodiment of FIG.

In this embodiment, a spring 30 is arranged between the key top 12 and the housing 18. The housing 18 is a member fixed to the printed circuit board 20. Alternatively, the spring 30 may be arranged between the key top 12 and the printed circuit board 20. In the present invention, since the movable body including the key top 12, the detection magnet 14, and the holder 16 is attracted and held by the fixed magnet 28, the spring 30 does not have to perform the function of holding the movable body. The spring 30 may be a compression spring. This spring acts as an auxiliary so that a convenient operation feeling can be obtained when operating the key top 52.

Further, the magnetic shield plate 32 has a fixed magnet 2
It is provided so as to cover 8. A similar magnetic shield plate 32 can be provided on the detection magnet 14 side. Also in this case,
It is preferable to provide a magnetic shield on the inner surface of the key top 12. By thus providing the magnetic shield plate 32, it is possible to prevent magnetism from leaking into and out of the pointing device 10 and the key input device.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a pointing device 10 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The pointing device 10 has a key top 1 similar to that of the first embodiment.
2 (not shown), a detection magnet 14, a holder 16, a housing 18 attached to the printed circuit board 20, a support member 22 having a spherical support portion 22a that engages with the holder 16, a hall sensor 26, and a fixing member. And a magnet 28.

In this embodiment, the fixed magnet 28 is bonded to the back surface of the printed circuit board 20 and has a hole 28a at the center. The support member 22 has a lower protrusion 22b, and the lower protrusion 22b is fitted into the hole 28a of the fixed magnet 28 through a hole provided in the printed circuit board 20. In this way, the support member 22 and the fixed magnet 28 are directly engaged and positioned on the coaxial line.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to obtain a cheaper assembled pointing device having a simple structure, easy to assemble.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a pointing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a relationship between a detection magnet and a fixed magnet of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a pointing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a pointing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a pointing device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional technique.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12 ... Key top 14 ... Detection magnet 16 ... Holder 18 ... Housing 20 ... Printed circuit board 22 ... Supporting member 22a ... Spherical support 26 ... Hall sensor 28 ... Fixed magnet

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A key top (12) and a detection magnet (1)
4) and a support member (22) having a movable body including the movable body and a spherical support portion (22a) for supporting the movable body in a rotatable manner.
And magnetic detection means (2) for detecting the magnetic force of the detection magnet.
6) and a fixed magnet (28) fixed in a position aligned with the spherical support portion in a magnetic pole arrangement for attracting the magnetic detection means. 2. The spherical support member and the magnetic detection means are fixed to one side of the printed circuit board, and the fixed magnet is substantially fixed to the other side of the printed circuit board. Item 2. The pointing device according to item 1. 3. The pointing device according to claim 2, wherein at least a part of the fixed magnet is inserted into a hole provided in the printed circuit board. 4. The pointing device according to claim 2, wherein a spring is arranged between the key top and the printed circuit board or a member fixed to the printed circuit board. 5. The pointing device according to claim 1, further comprising positioning means for directly engaging the support member and the fixed magnet. 6. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein a magnetic shield plate is provided on at least one side of the detection magnet and the fixed magnet.