JPH10333822A - Coordinate inputting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coordinate inputting device that makes it possible to obtain a sufficient operation sense through the sense of touch. SOLUTION: Spring system elements whose shape are changed, and whose reaction force are rapidly decreased when pushing reaches constant amounts are arranged at a constant angular interval in the peripheral fixed part a little separated from an inner force sense sensor 1 for controlling a cursor position on a display. This device is provided with an elastically deformable operation button 2 extended to all peripheral directions at a right angle to the axial direction of an erect axial part 10a of the inner force sense sensor 1. When the peripheral part of the operation button 2 is pushed with a finger, and the operation button 2 is elastically deformed, the spring system element faced to this elastically deformed operation button 2 part is pushed.

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 inputting coordinates displayed on a display.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a coordinate input device of this type, for example, as shown in FIG. 10, a metal diaphragm 90 having an operation shaft 90a at a central portion, and a printed circuit board disposed in parallel with the diaphragm 90 are disposed. And the electrodes Dx +, Dx−, Dy +, D at 90 ° intervals on the printed circuit board 91.
There is an arrangement in which y- is opposed to each other. In this device, a diaphragm 90 functioning as the electrode D is used.
Potential difference between the electrodes Dx +, Dx-, Dy +, and Dy-, and the capacitance between the electrode D and the electrodes Dx +, Dx-, Dy +, and Dy- corresponding to the operation force acting on the operation shaft 90a. By detecting a change, the direction and magnitude of the operation force can be measured.

[0003] However, in the above type of sensor,
Since little change in the reaction force occurs when a force is applied to the operation axis 90a, there is a feeling that the user is visually performing the operation while looking at the screen, but the operation feeling through the tactile sensation of the hand is almost zero. Not so much.

It is preferable that the coordinate input device has an operational feeling through the tactile sensation of the hand. Therefore, in this type of industry, it is desired to develop a coordinate input device capable of obtaining a sufficient operational feeling through the tactile sensation. ing.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate input device capable of obtaining a sufficient operational feeling through a tactile sense.

[0006]

According to the coordinate input device of the present invention, when a certain amount of pushing is performed on a peripheral fixed portion slightly away from the force sensor 1 for controlling a cursor position on a display. A spring element 3 whose shape is changed and reaction force is drastically reduced is arranged at a constant angular interval.
The upright shaft portion 10a is provided with an elastically deformable operation button 2 that extends in the entire circumferential direction at right angles to the axial direction of the operation button 2, and the operation button 2 is elastically deformed by pushing the peripheral portion of the operation button 2 with a finger. Sometimes, the elastically deformed operation button 2 pushes the opposing spring system element 3.

Note that the coordinate input device is provided with an operation button 2
Is preferably a circular shape in a plan view, and the spring-based element 3 is preferably arranged at a portion corresponding to the peripheral portion of the operation button 2 in a plan view, and the spring-based element 3 is provided in a push button switch. Is preferred.

In the coordinate input device, when the peripheral portion of the operation button 2 is pushed with a finger, the upright shaft portion 10a hardly tilts, but the pushed portion of the operation button 2 is elastically deformed. The spring element 3 facing this is pushed in by the part. Here, since the spring-based element 3 changes its shape when the pushing reaches a certain amount and the reaction force sharply decreases, the sudden decrease in the reaction force is transmitted to the finger during the pushing operation. That is, in the coordinate input device, a sufficient operational feeling can be obtained through tactile sensation.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.
This will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coordinate input device of this embodiment basically includes a force sensor 1 for controlling a cursor position on a display and an upright shaft 10a of the force sensor 1. The operation button 2 comprises an elastically deformable operation button 2 and a push button switch 30 which is pushed in at the peripheral bottom surface of the operation button 2.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the force sensor 1 is a dish-shaped diaphragm 1 made of a conductive metal.
0, a printed circuit board 11 on which electrodes Dx +, Dx-, Dy +, and Dy- are formed, and an upright shaft portion 10a erected on the upper surface of the diaphragm 10. The diaphragm 10 and the electrodes Dx +, Dx-, Dy +, and Dy- are integrated with rivets so as to face each other. In this force sensor 1, the diaphragm 1
0 and the electrodes Dx +, Dx-, Dy +, and Dy- to form four variable capacitors by providing a potential difference between them. A change in the capacitance of each variable capacitor due to minute deformation of the diaphragm 10 is obtained. Is converted into a change in the voltage signal, and this can be used to move the cursor displayed on the display (it is well known and will not be described in detail).

The operation button 2 has a circular plate shape in a plan view. As shown in FIG. 1, the operation button 2 has a thick peripheral piece 20 protruding downward at a peripheral edge thereof and an upright shaft portion 10a at a central portion thereof. Are provided respectively. The operation button 2 is set to a size of about 25 mm to 30 mm in diameter, and is made of resin or synthetic rubber to be elastically deformable.

As shown in FIG. 3, the push button switch 30 includes a case 30a, a dog 30b protruding from the upper surface of the case 30a in a retaining state, and a dog 3b.
Metal disc spring 30c that urges Ob upward (corresponds to spring system element 3 described in the section of means for solving the problem)
And the disc-shaped spring 30c is provided with a dog 30b.
When the indentation reaches a certain amount, the shape changes from the solid line in FIG. 2 to the two-dot chain line inside out, and the reaction force is sharply reduced (the amount of the depression of the disc-shaped spring 30c and the reaction force). Is shown in FIG. 6). Note that, in the coordinate input device of this embodiment, the push button switch 30
As shown in FIG. 4, four pieces are arranged at 90 ° intervals at positions corresponding to the above thick peripheral pieces 20 and as shown by solid lines in FIG. 4. The button switch 30 can be added as needed.

Since this coordinate input device has the above-described configuration, as shown in FIG. 5, when the peripheral portion of the operation button 2 is pushed with a finger U, the upright shaft portion 10a hardly tilts, but the operation button 2 The pressed portion is elastically deformed, and the dog 30b of the push button switch 30 facing the elastically deformed operation button 2 is pressed against the elastic force of the disc spring 30c. Here, since the shape of the disc spring 30c is turned upside down and the reaction force is drastically reduced when the pressing reaches a certain amount, the drastic reduction of the reaction force is transmitted to the finger during the pressing operation. That is, when this coordinate input device is used, a sufficient operational feeling can be obtained through tactile sensation. In this coordinate input device, the force acting on the operation button 2 is transmitted to the diaphragm 1 via the upright shaft 10, and the cursor displayed on the display is moved according to the above-described principle.

Hereinafter, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the above embodiment, the push button switch 30
Is provided on the printed circuit board 11, as shown in FIG.
It may be arranged on another printed circuit board 11 '.
In short, the position of the push button switch 30 is not limited at all, as long as it is a position where the push button switch 30 can be pushed by the operation button 2 in a peripheral fixed portion slightly away from the force sensor 1. In addition, in FIG. 7, the symbol H indicates a housing,
Almost the entire coordinate input device is housed in the housing H.

As shown in FIG. 8, instead of the push button switch 30, a dish-shaped spring 30c similar to the above is housed in a casing 30a having a hole 30d in the upper part. It is also possible to adopt a form in which the shaft 22 is hung down from above, and the shaft 22 is inserted from the hole 30d to push the disc-shaped spring 30c.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a metal dish spring 30c is employed as the spring system element 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a bowl-like body 33 made of a rubber material as shown in FIG. It may be something like In short, the spring element 3 only needs to change its shape when the pushing reaches a certain amount, drastically reduce the reaction force, and return to the original state when the force is removed.

In the above-described embodiment, a capacitive sensor is used as a force sensor. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other types of force sensors (for example, a sensor using a strain gauge, etc.) ) Can also be used.

[0019]

Since the configuration of the present invention is as described above, the following effects can be obtained.

As is clear from the contents of the means for solving the problems, a force sensor type coordinate input device capable of obtaining a sufficient operational feeling through tactile sensation has been provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a plan view of electrodes formed on a printed circuit board constituting the coordinate input device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a push button switch constituting the coordinate input device.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing a positional relationship between an operation button and a push button switch constituting the coordinate input device.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view when an operation button of the coordinate input device is pressed with a finger.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a relationship between a pushing amount and a reaction force of a spring element constituting the push button switch.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a coordinate input device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view of a coordinate input device according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the spring system element.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a coordinate input device of the prior art.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Force sensor 2 Operation button 3 Spring system element 10a Upright shaft part

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. When a certain amount of pushing is applied to a peripheral fixed portion slightly away from a force sensor (1) for controlling the position of a cursor on a display, the shape changes and the reaction force is drastically reduced. A spring-type element (3) is disposed at a constant angular interval, and an elastically deformable operation button is provided on the upright shaft portion (10a) of the force sensor (1) so as to expand in the entire circumferential direction at right angles to the axial direction thereof. (2) is provided, and when the operation button (2) is elastically deformed by pushing a peripheral portion of the operation button (2) with a finger, the spring-based element facing the elastically deformed operation button (2) portion (3) A coordinate input device characterized in that it is pushed in. 2. The operation button (2) has a circular shape in plan view, and the spring system element (3) is arranged at a portion corresponding to a peripheral portion of the operation button (2) in plan view. The coordinate input device according to claim 1. 3. The spring element according to claim 1, wherein the spring element is provided in the push-button switch.
2. The coordinate input device according to 1.