JPH09330171A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make the pointing device inexpensive, to enable position input while an operation distance is properly set, and to improve the operability by taking out the quantity of variation in resistance value in a right-angled direction when a movable contact which is horizontally slidable and has a center returning function by an elastic sheet elastically slides on a resistance surface and inputting a position. SOLUTION: When a force is applied to an operation knob 15 as shown by an arrow A, bar parts 14A1 and 14A2 of the elastic sheet 14 extend, a slide body 13 united with the operation knob 15 moves horizontally in the same direction, and the movable contact 12 fitted below it also moves in the same direction. At this time, the contact part of the movable contact 12 and the resistance surface 10C shift in elastic contact position and variation of the output voltage of a lead part is detected to send a control signal out. Further, when a force is applied to the operation knob 15 as shown by an arrow B, the slide body 13 and movable contact 12 move as well in the same direction and a corresponding control signal is sent out. In either case, the slide body 13 automatically returns to a center position with the elastic restoring force of the elastic sheet 14 when the force applied to the operation knob 15 is removed.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointing device for position input incorporated in an information processing device such as a personal computer and a word processor, a home game device, a remote control transmitter and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 8 shows a conventional operating stick for a pointing device. FIG. 8 (a) is a plan view, FIG. 8 (b) is a front view, and FIG. 8 (c) is an equivalent circuit diagram.

In the figure, 1 is a rod-shaped operating body,
Reference numerals 2A, 2B, 3A, and 3B are high-precision strain gauges attached to the four surfaces of the operating body 1, respectively. As shown in FIG. 8C, strain gauges 2A, 2B in the X-axis direction and Y-axis direction Strain gauges 3A and 3B are connected in series.

Next, the operation and function of this pointing device will be described. When a force is applied to the operating body 1, the operating body 1 is distorted in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively, and the resistance values of the strain gauges 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B are changed accordingly, and the voltage values Vx, Vy are changed. , An IC (not shown) connected to the pointing device,
The direction and magnitude of the applied force can be detected by subjecting x and Vy to predetermined arithmetic processing, and a control signal is sent from an IC (not shown) to various devices based on this direction and magnitude. By sending out, the pointing device function is realized.

[0005]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional pointing device, since the amount of strain of the operating body 1 is small, it is necessary to use highly accurate strain gauges 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, and it becomes expensive. There was a problem that it was difficult to get a feeling of operation.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides an inexpensive pointing device with good operability capable of inputting a position by operating an appropriate distance, and an input device using the pointing device. The purpose is.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the present invention, a movable contact, which is held so as to be slidable in a horizontal direction and has a central returning function by an elastic sheet, slides slidably on a resistance surface. The amount of change in the resistance value in the direction perpendicular to the time is extracted and the position is input.

According to the present invention, an inexpensive pointing device with good operability, which enables a sliding body (moving contact) which always returns to the center in an unloaded state to be moved to an appropriate distance for position input, and the same. It is possible to provide an input device using.

[0009]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION According to the first aspect of the present invention, two resistance surfaces provided with a pair of electrode portions facing each other are formed such that the electrode portions are arranged at right angles. , A movable contact having an electrode substrate having a common electrode surface formed in the vicinity of the electrode substrate, two resistance surfaces provided on the electrode substrate and a contact portion elastically contacting with the common electrode surface is coupled to the lower surface to be horizontally placed on the electrode substrate. A slide body arranged so as to be slidable in any direction, a case formed on the electrode substrate so as to cover the slide body by providing a hole through which a convex portion provided on the upper surface of the slide body is inserted, and the slide body Of the elastic sheet formed of an elastic material attached to the upper surface of the case by providing an engaging portion with the convex portion of the upper surface of the case. Elastic sheet freely according to the operation direction By contracting and releasing the finger etc., the elastic return force causes the sliding body to automatically return to the center, which is the initial point, and the direction and magnitude of the operated force can be changed from the two resistance surfaces and the common electrode surface. Since the detection is performed based on the output voltage division ratio, the detection unit can be manufactured by an inexpensive printing method or the like, and an appropriate operation distance can be easily set.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the resistance surface provided on the electrode substrate is formed by one square having an electrode portion on each side. It has the same effect as the invention according to claim 1, but has an effect that it can be formed in a smaller size and at a lower cost.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIG. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1A is a sectional view of a pointing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1B is the same plan view, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same electrode substrate, and FIG. 4A is a plan view of the movable contact, FIG. 4B is a front view of the movable contact, FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 4, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of an elastic sheet attached to the upper surface of the case.

In the figure, reference numeral 10 forms a pair of electrode portions 10A and 10B facing each other, and the electrode portion 10A is formed.
And the resistor surface 10 arranged so that 10B is in a right angle direction.
C and 10D and a common electrode surface 10E are formed by printing or the like, and lead portions 10F are drawn outward from the electrode portions 10A and 10B and the common electrode surface 10E.

The top surface 1 is provided above the electrode substrate 10.
1A Case 11 with an open bottom surface having a hole 11B in the center
Is mounted so that the electrode substrate 10 and the top surface 11A thereof are parallel to each other, and the sliding body 13 is slidable horizontally between the top surface 11A of the case 11 and the electrode substrate 10. The sliding surface 13 is held, and the resistance surface 10 is provided on the lower surface of the sliding body 13.
Contact points 1 that make elastic contact with C and 10D and the common electrode surface 10E, respectively.
A movable contact 12 made of an elastic thin metal plate having 2A, 12B and 12C is held.

On the case 11, as shown in FIG. 5, crosspieces 14A1, 14A2, 14A3, 14A4 are in the shape of a square, and an elastic sheet 14 having elasticity having a fitting hole 14B in the center. Are arranged so that the center positions of the hole portion 11B of the case 11 and the fitting hole 14B of the elastic sheet 14 are aligned with each other, and are fixed at the outer peripheral portion of the case 11.

An operating knob 15 is attached from above to the shaft portion 13A of the sliding body 13 which projects outward through the hole portion 11B of the case 11 and the fitting hole 14B of the elastic sheet 14.

The operation and function of the pointing device according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1 (b), when a force is applied to move the operation knob 15 in the direction of arrow A, the crosspieces 14A1 and 14A2 of the elastic sheet 14 extend, and the crosspiece 14A4 at a symmetrical position thereto. 14A3 is compressed, and the sliding body 13 integrated with the operation knob 15 also horizontally moves in the same direction,
The movable contact 12 attached below also moves in the same direction.

At this time, the contact portion 12A of the movable contact 12,
The elastic contact position between 12B and the resistance surfaces 10C and 10D changes,
The output voltage of each lead portion 10F changes, and as shown in the equivalent circuit diagram of FIG. 4, the IC 16 connected to each lead portion 10F detects this change and performs a predetermined logic calculation, The pointing device function is realized by recognizing that 15 has moved in the A direction and sending a control signal to various devices.

When a force is applied to move the operating knob 15 in the direction of arrow B, the crosspiece 14A1 of the elastic sheet 14 extends in parallel with the direction of arrow B, and the crosspieces 14A2,1.
4A3 extends obliquely, the crosspiece portion 14A4 is compressed, and the sliding body 13 and the movable contact 12 move in the same direction, so that the pointing device function is realized in the same manner as described above.

In any case, when the force applied to the operation knob 15 is removed, the elastic restoring force of the elastic sheet 14 causes the sliding body 13 to automatically return to the central position.

As described above, in the pointing device of the present invention, since the detecting portion is formed by using the inexpensive resistance surfaces 10C and 10D formed by printing, it is easy to set the operation distance appropriately, and Operation knob 1 under no load
Since 5 always returns to the center, it is easy to use.

The elastic sheet 14 may be made of any material as long as it has appropriate elasticity. Even if the elastic sheet 14 does not have the above-mentioned square shape, it may be formed into an optimum shape depending on the relationship between the elasticity and the restoring force. It goes without saying that it is good.

Furthermore, if several kinds of electrode substrates having different resistance values of the two resistance surfaces are manufactured, other parts can be commonly used, and several kinds of pointing devices having different output voltage division ratios with respect to the operating distance can be easily manufactured. It also has the advantage that it can be manufactured.

(Embodiment 2) FIG. 6 shows an electrode substrate of a pointing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, which is formed on four sides of a resistance surface 17A formed on this electrode substrate 17. This is a system in which a voltage is taken out from the electrode portion 17B and is functionally the same as that described in the first embodiment, but since only one resistance surface 17A is required, a small and inexpensive pointing device is manufactured. can do.

(Third Embodiment) FIG. 7 is a plan view of a remote control transmitter which is an input device using a pointing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

The remote control transmitter 18 is provided with the pointing device 19 of the present invention at the center, and is used to determine the input coordinates by confirming the switch 20 on the periphery or the back side of the pointing device 19.
Since it is easy to operate, it is easy for users to use, and it can be manufactured at a lower cost than the conventional method.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the operating knob is always returned to the center position, and the pointing device and the input operation with good operability capable of inputting the position with an appropriate operating distance are provided at low cost. It has the effect of being able to do so.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electrode substrate.

FIG. 3A is a plan view of the movable contact, and FIG. 3B is a front view of the movable contact.

FIG. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram of the same.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the elastic sheet.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of an electrode substrate of a pointing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a remote control transmitter using a pointing device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

8A is a plan view of a conventional operating stick of a pointing device, FIG. 8B is a front view thereof, and FIG. 8C is an equivalent circuit diagram thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10, 17 Electrode substrate 10A, 10B Electrode portion 10C, 10D, 17A Resistance surface 10E Common electrode surface 10F Lead portion 11 Case 11A Top surface 11B Hole portion 12 Moving contact 12A, 12B, 12C Contact portion 13 Sliding body 13A Shaft portion 14 Elastic Seat 14A1, 14A2, 14A3, 14A4 Crosspiece 14B Fitting hole 15 Operation knob 16 IC 18 Remote control transmitter 19 Pointing device 20 Switch

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An electrode substrate in which two resistance surfaces provided with a pair of electrode portions facing each other are formed such that the electrode portions are arranged at right angles and a common electrode surface is formed in the vicinity thereof. A movable body having two contact surfaces that are in elastic contact with the two resistance surfaces and the common electrode surface provided on the electrode substrate is coupled to the lower surface, and a sliding body is arranged on the electrode substrate so as to be slidable in the horizontal direction. An upper surface of the sliding body is provided with a case through which a convex portion provided on the upper surface of the sliding body is provided, and a case coupled to the electrode substrate so as to cover the sliding body, and an engaging portion of the upper surface convex portion of the sliding body. A pointing device comprising an elastic sheet formed of an elastic material attached to the. 2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the resistance surface provided on the electrode substrate is formed by one square having an electrode portion on each side.