JPH11161418A - Coordinate input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coordinate input device by which operation is facilitated, malfunctions caused by vibrations or the like are reduced and a pointer or cursor is surely returned in a device for moving the pointer or cursor to an arbitrary position on a display device of a computer. SOLUTION: In this device, a housing 7 has a recessed bearing part 24, a guide wall part 22 and a coin spring supporting part 71 provided on the upper surface, a holder 81 has a projecting part 34 to be fitted to the recessed bearing part 24 and an attachment hole 84 for mounting a supporting shaft 82, a slider 41 has a cylindrical body 43 to be slid along with the guide wall part 22, a spring seat 44 and pressing part 45 provided on the cylindrical body 43, the pressing part 45 is made in press contact with the holder 81 by a coil spring 42 held between the coil spring supporting part 71 and the spring seal 44, the holder 81 has a switch element 85 housed in the attachment hole 84, and a dome-shaped operating part 83 has a push-button 86 supported by the supporting shaft 82 so as to be freely slid.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for moving a pointer or a cursor to an arbitrary position on a display device of a computer. The present invention relates to a coordinate input device that returns.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, a computer or the like employs a coordinate input device having excellent operability in addition to a keyboard as a data input means, thereby increasing the number of operation systems and application systems for processing data by interactive operation via a screen. doing.

Conventionally, a coordinate input device such as a mouse or a digitizer has been employed in a desktop type computer. However, with the advent of a laptop or notebook type portable computer, the form of the coordinate input device has been diversified. It is getting.

[0004] That is, a coordinate input device such as a mouse or a digitizer which is supposed to be operated on a desk needs to secure an operation space in use, and in the case of a portable computer such as a laptop type or a notebook type, an operation space is required in use. Cannot be secured.

Therefore, a coordinate input device such as a trackball type which can be downsized for a portable computer and does not require an operation space for use, and a type which detects an inclination angle difference by inclining an operation section having various shapes. Is being developed.

On the other hand, various coordinate input devices are also used in amusement computers called game machines and the like, and the coordinate input devices used for such purposes have different characteristics from those used in portable computers and the like. Is required.

[0007] For example, a coordinate input device in an amusement computer is mounted on a terminal device that can be held and operated by hand, and can be operated on a sofa or a floor from an infant to an adult regardless of age, and the terminal device is lightweight. It is desirable to be able to realize cost reduction and cost reduction.

In addition, if the pointer or the cursor displayed on the screen does not move due to vibration applied to the terminal device or a change in the angle at which the terminal device is supported, and is released from the coordinate input device, It is required to be able to automatically return to a predetermined position.

Therefore, there is a demand for the development of a coordinate input device which is easy to operate, has few malfunctions due to vibrations and the like, and can surely return a pointer or a cursor to a predetermined position.

[0010]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a divided perspective view showing a conventional coordinate input device, FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing an upright state of a holder, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing an inclined state of a holder, and FIG. It is a sectional side view which shows an example of the terminal device of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, a conventional coordinate input device 1 includes a housing 2, an operating mechanism 3, a pressing mechanism 4, and a coordinate detecting unit 5, and the operating mechanism 3 is mounted in the housing 2. The holder 31 and the support shaft 32 are composed of a dome-shaped operation portion 33 supported by the holder 31.

The pressing mechanism 4 includes a slider 41 incorporated in the housing 2 for erecting the holder 31 and a conical coil spring 42, and the coordinate detecting section 5 is a permanent magnet embedded in the center of the holder 31. It comprises a magneto-electric conversion element 52 disposed below the housing 51.

The housing 2 includes a guide wall 22 and a coil spring support 23 which project concentrically from the upper surface of the base 21;
The base 21 has a plurality of supporting claws 25 which are locked to a printed board 53 on the lower surface thereof.

A top holder 31 having a conical lower surface so as to be tiltable in an arbitrary direction has a hemispherical projection 34 at the center of the lower surface.
When mounted in the space surrounded by the guide wall 22, the tip of the hemispherical projection 34 is inserted into the bearing recess 24 and the operating mechanism 3 is supported.

The holder 31 has an annular pressing rib 35 formed on the upper surface along the outer periphery and a mounting hole 36 formed at the center of the pressing rib 35, and the dome-shaped operation portion 33 extends inward from the center. And a convex portion or concave portion 37 for finger hanging formed at the center of the outside.

The operating mechanism 8 is completed by inserting the tip of the support shaft 32 extending inward from the center of the dome-shaped operation portion 33 into the mounting hole 36, and the outer central portion of the dome-shaped operation portion 33 has By moving the concave portion 37 with a finger, it can be inclined in any direction.

The slider 41 for erecting the holder 31 has a tubular body 43 which is inserted into the guide wall portion 22 of the housing 2 and is slidable in the vertical direction. At the upper end on the inner side, there is provided a pressing portion 45 which comes into contact with a pressing rib 35 formed on the holder 31.

A conical coil spring biasing the slider 41
Reference numeral 42 is sandwiched between the coil spring support portion 23 of the housing 2 and the spring seat 44.
The small-diameter side of 42 is in contact with the spring seat 44 and the large-diameter side is in contact with the coil spring support 23.

As shown in FIG. 6, the slider 41 urged by the coil spring 42 and slid along the guide wall portion 22 is pressed against the upper surface of the holder 31, and is pressed onto the pressing rib 35 equidistant from the hemispherical projection 34. On the other hand, the initial pressure of the coil spring 42 is uniformly applied to erect the holder 31.

When the holder 31 is inclined as shown in FIG. 7, the force applied to the pressing rib 35 of the holder 31 via the slider 41 becomes unbalanced. Holder 31 in the direction in which the applied force is balanced
Moves and returns reliably.

As shown in FIG. 5, the permanent magnet 51 of the coordinate detector 5
Is embedded in a mounting hole 36 into which the dome-shaped operation portion 33 of the holder 31 is inserted, and a magnetoelectric conversion element 52 such as a Hall element for detecting the magnetism of the permanent magnet 51 is mounted on a printed circuit board 53 below the housing 2. Has been implemented.

The magneto-electric transducers 52 are disposed on the X-axis and the Y-axis, respectively, with the coordinate axes orthogonal to each other, that is, immediately below the hemispherical bearing recess 24 as the origin.
The direction in which the holder 31 is inclined and the depth of the inclination can be detected by the change in the magnetic field.

A conventional terminal device used for an amusement computer or the like is a coordinate input device 1 as shown in FIG.
The frame 6 which can be gripped with one hand has a push button switch 61 corresponding to a mouse button in addition to the coordinate input device 1.

That is, by holding the frame 6 with one hand and operating the dome-shaped operation unit 33 of the coordinate input device 1 with, for example, a thumb or the like, a pointer (not shown) displayed on the screen of the display device is displayed. The cursor can be moved in any direction.

The dome-shaped operation unit 33 of the coordinate input device 1
Is operated to move the pointer or the cursor on the screen to a desired position, and by pressing the push button switch 61 at an arbitrary position, a character or an instruction displayed on the screen can be selected.

[0026]

However, in the conventional terminal device, a coordinate input device for moving a pointer or a cursor and a push button switch for selection are independent. There was a problem that the pointer and the cursor were restored when the finger was released.

Further, the force required to operate the dome-shaped operation portion of the coordinate input device is determined by the spring constant applied to the conical coil spring. However, there is a problem that infants and women feel heavy when operating.

An object of the present invention is to provide a coordinate input device which is easy to operate, has few malfunctions due to vibration and the like, and allows a pointer or a cursor to return to a predetermined position without fail.

[0029]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a coordinate input device according to the present invention. The same object is denoted by the same symbol throughout the drawings.

The object described above comprises a housing 7 which can be mounted on a printed circuit board 53 via support claws 25 formed on the lower surface, a holder 81 incorporated in the housing 7, a slider 41 and a coil spring 42, and a support shaft 82. The support shaft 82 has a dome-shaped operation portion 83 fitted to the holder 81, and the housing 7
A bearing recess 24 provided at the center of the upper surface, a guide wall 22 formed around the bearing recess 24, and a coil spring support 71 formed outside the guide wall 22 have a holder 81, A protrusion 34 formed at the center of the lower surface and having a tip fitted into the bearing recess 24,
The slider 41 includes a cylindrical body 43 slidable along the guide wall 22 and a lower end outside the cylindrical body 43. Spring seat 44 provided
And a pressing portion 45 provided at the upper end inside the cylindrical body 43, and the pressing portion 45 of the slider 41 is formed by the coil spring 42 sandwiched between the coil spring supporting portion 71 and the spring seat 44. Holder 81
A coordinate input device pressed against the upper surface of the
Has a switch element 85 stored in a mounting hole 84 into which the support shaft 82 is fitted.The dome-shaped operation portion 83 has a push button 86 slidably supported by the support shaft 82, and a push button 86. Is achieved by the coordinate input device of the present invention in which the switch element 85 is actuated when is pressed.

As described above, the holder has the permanent magnet and the switch element housed in the mounting hole in which the support shaft is fitted. The coordinate input device of the present invention having an actuated push button releases the finger from the dome-shaped operation unit when operating the dome-shaped operation unit to move the pointer or cursor on the screen to a desired position and depressing the push-button switch It is possible to press the push button without pressing the button, and it is possible to prevent the pointer or the cursor from being restored when the finger is released from the dome-shaped operation unit in order to press the push button switch.

That is, it is possible to realize a coordinate input device in which the operation is easy, the erroneous operation due to vibration or the like is small, and the pointer and the cursor are reliably returned to the predetermined positions.

[0033]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing details of a coil spring bearing, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing details of an operation mechanism, and FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a terminal device provided with the coordinate input device of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the coordinate input device according to the present invention comprises a housing 7, an operating mechanism 8, a pressing mechanism 4, and a coordinate detecting section 5, and the operating mechanism 8 is a holder mounted in the housing 7. A dome-shaped operation portion 83 is provided with a support shaft 82 and a support shaft 82 supported by the holder 81.

The pressing mechanism 4 includes a slider 41 and a conical coil spring 42 which are incorporated in the housing 7 to erect the holder 81, and the coordinate detecting section 5 is a permanent magnet embedded in the center of the holder 81. It comprises a magnetoelectric conversion element 52 disposed below the housing 51.

The housing 7 includes a guide wall portion 22 and a coil spring support portion 71 which project concentrically from the upper surface of the base 21;
The base 21 has a plurality of supporting claws 25 which are locked to a printed board 53 on the lower surface thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2, the coil spring support 71 is composed of a fixed part 72 integrated with the base 21 and a movable part 73 mounted on the fixed part 72, and has a screw 74 formed on the opposite surface. The movable portion 73 slidably mounted on the fixed portion 72 has a support claw 75 provided inside.

A top holder 81 having a conical lower surface so as to be tiltable in an arbitrary direction has a hemispherical projection 34 at the center of the lower surface.
When mounted in the space surrounded by the guide wall 22, the tip of the hemispherical projection 34 is inserted into the bearing recess 24 and the operating mechanism 8 is supported.

As shown in FIG. 3, the holder 81 has an annular pressing rib 35 formed along the outer periphery and a mounting hole 84 formed at the center of the pressing rib 35, and the dome-shaped operating portion 83 extends inward from the center. And a convex portion or concave portion 37 for finger hooking formed at the center of the outside.

The operation mechanism 8 is completed by fitting the tip of the support shaft 82 extending inward from the center of the dome-shaped operation portion 83 into the mounting hole 84, and the outer central portion of the dome-shaped operation portion 83 has By moving the concave portion 37 with a finger, it can be inclined in any direction.

Unlike the conventional coordinate input device, a switch element 85 is provided in a mounting hole 84 of a holder 81 together with a permanent magnet 51 as shown in FIG.
The dome-shaped operation portion 83 is provided with a push button 86 that is slidably supported by the support shaft 82 and is operated by pressing the switch element 85.

In the drawing, the switch element 85 and the push button 86 are shown.
The coil spring 87 sandwiched in between pushes the push button 86 upward.When the push button 86 is pressed, the coil spring 87 contracts, the switch element 85 operates, and when the finger is released, the coil spring 87 is released.
And the push button 86 rises.

The slider 41 for erecting the holder 81 is provided with a tubular body 43 which is inserted into the guide wall portion 22 of the housing 7 and is slidable in the vertical direction. At the upper end on the inner side, there is provided a pressing portion 45 which comes into contact with the pressing rib 35 formed on the holder 81.

A conical coil spring 42 biasing the slider 41
Are sandwiched between a plurality of support claws 75 provided on the movable portion 73 and the spring seat 44, and a coil spring is provided to facilitate assembly.
The small-diameter side of 42 is in contact with the spring seat 44 and the large-diameter side is in contact with the support claw 75 of the movable portion 73.

By rotating the movable part 73 to the right or left with respect to the fixed part 72, the movable part 73 mounted on the fixed part 72 via the screw 74 moves up and down as shown by the arrow a in FIG. The distance between the moving spring seat 44 and the support claw 75 is expanded and contracted, and the coil spring 42 is
Is adjusted.

That is, by reducing the distance between the spring seat 44 and the support claw 75, the initial compression ratio is increased and a strong force is required to operate the dome-shaped operation portion 83, and the distance between the spring seat 44 and the support claw 75 is reduced. By extending, the initial compression ratio decreases, and the force required for operating the dome-shaped operation unit 83 decreases.

For example, when the operator is an adult man, the movable part is lowered to increase the force required for operating the dome-shaped operation unit. The required force can be reduced to make operation easier.

The coordinate input device according to the present invention is incorporated in a frame 9 as shown in FIG. 4 to form a terminal device for a game or the like. Unlike a conventional terminal device, the frame input device can be held with one hand. No push button switch equivalent to a mouse button is incorporated.

That is, by holding the frame 9 with one hand and operating the dome-shaped operation section 83 of the coordinate input device with, for example, a thumb or the like, a pointer or cursor (not shown) displayed on the screen of the display device is displayed. Can be moved in any direction.

The dome-shaped operation unit 83 of the coordinate input device is operated to move the displayed pointer or cursor to a desired position, and when the push button 86 is pressed at an arbitrary position, the switch element 85 is activated to display the displayed character. And instructions can be selected.

As described above, the holder has the permanent magnet and the switch element stored in the mounting hole in which the support shaft is fitted. With the coordinate input device of the present invention having a push button that operates, when the pointer or cursor on the screen is moved to a desired position and the push button switch is pressed, the push button can be pressed without releasing the finger from the dome-shaped operation unit. It is possible to prevent a trouble that a finger is released when the push button switch is pressed and the pointer and the cursor are restored.

Further, the coil spring supporting portion has a fixed portion provided in the housing as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a movable portion mounted on the fixed portion and provided with support claws for supporting the coil spring inside. The coordinate input device of the present invention, in which the movable portion is slidably mounted on the fixed portion via the screws formed on the opposing surfaces, respectively, rotates the movable portion to the right or left in operation. Thus, the support claw of the movable portion supporting the coil spring is raised or lowered, and the force required for operating the dome-shaped operation portion can be adjusted.

[0053]

As described above, according to the present invention, even if the operator is an infant or a woman, the operation is easy and the erroneous operation due to vibration or the like is small, and when the finger is released, the coordinate input for surely returning the pointer or the cursor to a predetermined position. An apparatus can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a coordinate input device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing details of a coil spring support.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing details of an operation mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view showing a terminal device provided with the coordinate input device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a divided perspective view showing a conventional coordinate input device.

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view showing an erect state of the holder.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view showing an inclined state of the holder.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing an example of a conventional terminal device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4 Pressing Mechanism 5 Coordinate Detector 7 Housing 8 Operating Mechanism 9 Frame 21 Base 22 Guide Wall 24 Bearing Depression 25 Support Claw 34 Hemispheric Projection 35 Depressed Rib 37 Convex or Recess 41 Slider 42 Coil Spring 43 Tubular Body 44 Spring seat 45 Depressed part 51 Permanent magnet 52 Magnetoelectric conversion element 53 Printed circuit board 71 Coil spring support part 72 Fixed part 73 Moving part 74 Screw 75 Supporting claw 81 Holder 82 Support shaft 83 Dome-shaped operation part 84 Mounting hole 85 Switch element 86 Push button 87 Coil spring

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A housing which can be mounted on a printed circuit board via a support claw formed on a lower surface, a holder, a slider and a coil spring incorporated in the housing, and a support shaft, and the support shaft is fitted to the holder. The housing has a dome-shaped operating portion to be attached, the housing is formed with a bearing recess provided at the center of the upper surface, a guide wall formed around the bearing recess, and formed outside the guide wall. The holder has a coil spring support portion, and the holder has a protrusion formed at the center of the lower surface and having a tip fitted into the bearing recess, and a mounting hole provided at the center of the upper surface and into which the support shaft is fitted. The slider includes a tubular body slidable along the guide wall portion, a spring seat provided at an outer lower end of the tubular body, and a pressing portion provided at an inner upper end of the tubular body. The coil being interposed between the coil spring support and the spring seat A coordinate input device in which the pressing portion of the slider is pressed against the upper surface of the holder by a spring; the holder has a switch element stored in the mounting hole in which the support shaft is fitted; The coordinate input device, wherein the dome-shaped operation section has a push button slidably supported by the support shaft, and the switch element is activated when the push button is pressed. 2. A housing which can be mounted on a printed circuit board via support claws formed on a lower surface, a holder, a slider and a coil spring incorporated in the housing, and a support shaft, and the support shaft is fitted to the holder. The housing has a dome-shaped operation portion to be attached, the housing is formed with a bearing recess provided at the center of the upper surface, a guide wall formed around the bearing recess, and formed outside the guide wall. The holder has a coil spring support portion, and the holder has a protrusion formed at the center of the lower surface and having a tip fitted into the bearing recess, and a mounting hole provided at the center of the upper surface and into which the support shaft is fitted. The slider includes a tubular body slidable along the guide wall portion, a spring seat provided at an outer lower end of the tubular body, and a pressing portion provided at an inner upper end of the tubular body. The coil being interposed between the coil spring support and the spring seat A push-down portion of the slider being pressed against the upper surface of the holder by a spring, wherein the coil spring support portion is provided with a fixed portion provided in the housing, A movable portion provided with a support claw for supporting the coil spring, wherein the movable portion slides on the fixed portion via screws formed on opposite surfaces of the fixed portion and the movable portion. A coordinate input device movably mounted.