JPS63101923A - Positional information input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the positional shears of photodetecting elements from the rotational center of a rotary shaft and to obtain an effective phase difference by unitedly forming a bearing holding part for holding a bearing on the positional information detecting part side and a photodetecting element holding part for holding the photodetecting elements in a positional information detecting part. CONSTITUTION:The photodetecting element holding part 48a for holding the photodetectors 38a, 38b in the positional information detecting part 33 and the bearing holding part 48b for holding the bearing 39 supporting the rotary shaft 36 on a photodetecting side element holder 40 having a slit 45a are unitedly formed. Consequently, the shear of a relative angular aperture alpha1 between the photodetectors 38a, 38b or between the slits 45a from the rotational center of the rotary shaft 36 is reduced and the assembling error of constitutional parts in the detecting part 33 can be reduced, so that bad influence exerted upon the phase difference can be reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention provides a position on an operation panel that is effective for inputting two-dimensional handwritten figures into a computer online or for graphic processing. The present invention relates to an information input device.

Conventional technology Encoders have traditionally been attached to objects that move on a flat surface when manually operated, converting the movement of the sphere into signals to obtain positional information about the object, and inputting that positional information into a computer etc. through a code. 5, 6, and 7 are considered as position information input devices using the . FIG. 5 is a usage example diagram of the position information input device, and FIG. 6 is a partially cutaway side view of the position information input device.
FIG. 7 is a cutaway plan view of the main part. In those drawings, 1 is a grippable housing, and a sphere 2 is removably housed inside the housing 1, and the lower part of the sphere 2 is attached to the bottom of the housing 1. It protrudes downward from the provided opening 3 and comes into contact with the mounting plane 4 .

The housing 1 also includes a plurality of balls 6 that are movably provided on the spherical body 2 and the bottom of the housing 1.
It is movably supported on the mounting plane 4 by.

The spherical body 2 and the detection shaft 61L are arranged so that the spherical body 2 and the two metal detection shafts 5a and 5b arranged perpendicular to the spherical body 2 are in contact with each other.

An elastic biasing roller 7 is provided that presses against the surface of the sphere 2 that is equiangular from the detection shafts 6a and 5b on a plane that includes the point of contact with eb and the center of rotation of the sphere 2.

The detection shafts 61L and 6b are integrally molded or press-fitted into metal rotating shafts 8a and 8b, respectively. In order to ensure smooth rotation of the rotating shafts 8a, 8k), bearings 91L such as oil-impregnated metal bearings or ball bearings are used.
, 91), 90,9d the rotation axis 8! L, supports 8b.

A position information detection unit 10a is provided at one end of the rotation shafts 81L and 8b.
, 10b are provided.

Conventionally, this position information detection section 10&, IQt) is composed of potentiometers connected to the rotation shafts 84 and 8b, respectively, and these potentiometers are connected to the detection shafts 6m,
The structure was such that the resistance value changed depending on the amount of rotation of 6b.

However, recently, a non-contact type position information input apparatus has been developed as a highly reliable position input information apparatus using an optical encoder for the position information detecting sections 101L and 10b.

FIGS. 8a and 8b show a plan view and a side view of a main part of a position information detecting section using this optical encoder. FIGS. 9a and 9b show a plan view and a side view of the detection unit. In FIGS. 8 and 9, the rotating shaft 8 refers to the rotating shafts 81L, 8t), a rotating plate 13 is attached to the rotating shaft 8, and both ends of the rotating shaft 8 are supported by bearings 14! It is supported by L, 14b. At this time, the bearing 14a is connected to the case 20 and the case 211L.
The bearing 14b is held by the case 21b. Two light emitters 15&, 15b and the light emitters 151L, 15b are arranged near the opposite side of the rotating plate 13 where the bearing 14B- is arranged. ! L, 2 facing 15b
The receivers 161L, 16b and the case 20゜21
It is located inside.

The detection signals of the light receivers 161L and 16b are connected to the input section of the computer through a circuit that generates a signal corresponding to the detected value.

Next, the operation of a conventional example using the above optical encoder will be explained using FIGS. 5 to 9.

First, when an input operator grasps the housing 1 with his hand and moves it on the mounting plane 4, the sphere 2 also rolls on the mounting plane 4 as the housing 1 moves. Then, the detection shaft 6a, which is in contact with the outer periphery of the sphere 2 and is arranged vertically,
, 6b rotate, and the rotation axes sa and sb also rotate accordingly. At this time, the spherical body 2 rolls in the same direction as the moving direction of the housing 1, and the spherical body 2 also rolls by an amount corresponding to the moving amount of the housing 1.

Further, the detection shafts 6a and 6b rotate according to the amount of movement of the housing 1, that is, the amount of movement of the sphere 2 on the mounting plane 4, and the detection axis ea.

The rotary axes sa, ab and the rotary plate 13 in the position information detecting sections 101L and 10k, which are integrated with the rotary shaft 6b, also rotate in the same manner. In this way, the rotation angles of the rotation axes sa and sb are determined by the position information detection unit 1 QIL.

10b provides positional information corresponding to the direction and amount of movement of the housing 1.

Next, the operation of the position information detection units 10IL and 10b will be explained in detail. As mentioned above, the rotating plate 13 is connected to the rotating shaft 8.
Therefore, when the rotating shaft 8 rotates, the rotating plate 13 also rotates, so that the plurality of slits 19 extending around the entire circumference of the rotating plate 13 become parallel to the rotating plate 13. The light emitters 15 & , 15k) arranged in the light emitters 151L.

115t) and a light receiver 161L arranged so as to face the rotary plate 13 and be parallel to the rotary plate 13,
The light receiver 16a opens and closes light such as infrared light, visible light, and ultraviolet light emitted to the light receiver 16b.

16tl detects this light when it is opened or closed. Therefore, due to the rotation of the rotary plate 13, the slit 19 of the rotary plate 13 is
The light receiver 162L is repeatedly opened and closed.

16b ifj force 1dON, OFF state (or O
FF.

ON state) is repeated. The slide 19 of the rotating plate 13
are arranged at equal angles on the rotary plate 13, so by counting the output waveforms of the ON and OFF states of the outputs of the light receivers 162L and 18b, it is possible to determine the rotation axis 8.
It is possible to detect the rotation angle of the housing 1 and determine the amount of movement of the housing 1.

Next, detection of the moving direction of the housing 1 will be explained.

The intersection of the optical axes of the pair of light emitters 15a and receiver 16& with the rotary plate 13, which has a plurality of holes arranged at equal angles all around the circumference, and the center line of the slit 19a of the rotary plate 13 are aligned (point 23). ), the emitter 15b-receiver 16b of the ground pair
The deviation angle β (ZBom) between the intersection point B of the optical axis of the rotary plate 13 and the center line B of the slit 19t closest to this point with respect to the rotation center 0 is determined by the design of the slit of the rotary plate 13.

With respect to the pitch angle P of the pitch 19, there is a relationship of β=±P/4. In the conventional example, the pair of light emitters 15! L - the optical axis of the light receiver 16& and the light emitter 15tl of the ground pair - the light receiver 1
The relative position angle α with respect to the optical axis of 61) with point 0 as the center is:
The pitch angle is set at about 1300, the pitch angle P=80, and the deviation angle β=20. The angle η of the slit 19 on the rotating plate 13 at this time is 40. Here, the pitch angle P is determined by setting the amount of movement of the position information input device per one count of the output waveform (hereinafter referred to as resolution) to be 0.6 m, and the outer shape of the sphere 2 and the detection axes ea and eb. The angle was set at 8° due to dimensional relationships. Further, the light emitter 151L,
Since the light emitted from the light receivers 16m and 1ab is scattered before reaching the light receivers 16m and 1ab, a shutter 26 is provided between the rotating plate 13 and the light receivers 161L and 16b.

The amount of light received by 16b is stabilized. The shutter 2f
5Fi, a plurality of slides having the above-mentioned relative position angle α are provided.

FIG. 10 shows the output of the light receivers 161L and 16b converted into a rectangular waveform through a circuit that generates a signal according to the detected value.

In FIG. 10, a is the output waveform obtained by converting the output of the light receivers 16&, 16b by the circuit when the rotating shaft 8 is rotated in a certain direction, and b is the output waveform when the rotating shaft 8 is rotated in a certain direction. is an output waveform obtained by converting the output of the light receivers 162L and 16b by the circuit when the light receivers 162L and 16b are rotated in a constant direction in the opposite direction.

Regarding a, the converted output of the light receiver 161L is L
When the signal rises from OW to High, the converted output of the photodetector 16b is in a Low state.

On the other hand, when the output of the converted light receiver 161L rises from Low to High, the output of the converted light receiver 161) is in a High state. In this way, for a and b, the converted light receiver 1e5L
When the output rises from Low to High, the direction of rotation of the rotating shaft 8 is determined based on the difference in the converted output state of the light receiver 16b.

Furthermore, the phase difference Td between the converted output of the light receiver 16& and the converted output of the light receiver 15b is the difference between the pair of light emitters 151L, the light receiver 16a and the ground pair light emitter 15.
b - Determined by the relative position of the light receiver 16b and the deviation angle β with respect to the center of rotation of the rotary plate 13 and the rotation center. If the relationship β=±P/4, Td=
An effective phase difference of T/4 can be obtained.

In this way, the detection shaft 61L is vertically disposed within the housing as the housing 1 moves.

6b and the rotating shafts aa, sb are also rotated, and the rotating plate 13, which has a plurality of slits 19 attached to the rotating shafts aa, sb at equal angles around the entire circumference, is also rotating. 2 placed on either the front or back of the rotating plate 13
one of the light emitters 15a.

16b1, and the two light receivers 16a arranged to correspond to the light emitters 151L and 15b.

16t) By counting the number of openings and closings of the slit 19 of the rotary plate 13 and detecting the phase difference between the output waves of the two light receivers, the amount of movement and the direction of movement (x-y direction and eleven directions) are determined. can be detected.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention As described above, the conventional configuration has the following problems. That is, the position information detection unit 11 that detects the moving direction and amount of movement of the position information input device 1 has the rotating shafts aa and sb into which the detection shafts sa and sb are press-fitted, and the rotating shafts 8a and 8b.
The rotating plate 13 attached to the rotating shaft 8! L
, 8b, and bearings 141L and 14b for rotationally holding the bearings 141L and 14b.
Light emitters 15a, 1sb.

Light receivers 152L, 1ab, and the light emitter 15a.

16b, receiver 16! L, 16b is the rotating shaft 81L.

A case 211 is inserted at a position approximately 130° from the rotation center 0 of the bearing 8b, and also holds the bearing 142L from below.
A case 20 that holds L and the bearing 141L in an upward direction
and a case 21k for holding the bearing 14b, and a shutter 25 for preventing scattering of the light emitted by the light emitters 151L and 15b.

With the above configuration, if there is a deviation in the dimensions of each component, the position of the component or the center of rotation will shift, and an effective phase difference (Td: T/4) will not be obtained, resulting in reversal of the moving direction or movement. Quantitative errors are likely to occur, and extremely precise dimensional accuracy requirements are required for each component. This also makes them expensive.

The present invention solves these problems by providing an excellent position information detection section that can obtain an effective phase difference by reducing the deviation of the center of rotation of the rotating shaft and the positional deviation of the component parts. The purpose of this invention is to provide an inexpensive location information input device.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a housing that moves on a plane, and a housing that is rotatably provided in the housing so as to rotate as the housing moves on the plane. a rotating shaft provided with a position information detector that detects the amount of movement of the housing by rotation of a sphere that has been rotated; and a position information conversion means that converts a detected value of the position information detection section into a signal corresponding to the detected value. At the same time, a bearing holder that holds at least two bearings on the position information detection unit side of the rotation shaft, and a light receiving element that holds at least two light receiving elements arranged in the position information detection unit. A holding portion is integrally provided.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the bearing holding part that holds the bearing on the positional information detecting part side of the positional information detecting part and the light receiving element holding part that holds the at least two light receiving elements are made of the same member. By providing such that
).

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The first opening is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment of the position information detection unit of the present invention, b is a left side view of the above a, CU is a right side view of the above a, d is a plan view of the rotary plate, and the second The figure is a perspective view of an example of the use of a position information input device provided with a position information detection section of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of the device, and FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway plan view thereof. In these drawings, 26 is a position information input device, and 27 is a flat operation plate on which the position information input device 26 can be placed movably.

Note that this does not necessarily have to be plate-shaped. here,
The position information input device 26 includes a housing 28 consisting of a grippable upper housing 281L and a lower housing 28b, and the housing 28 is movably supported on the operation plate 27 with a predetermined gap therebetween. The lower housing 28b for stability and stability.
Balls 292L, 29b, 29C, 2 such as steel balls and resin balls are movably arranged on the lower surface of the
9d, and is removably arranged in a case 31 installed in the lower housing 28b so that its lower part protrudes downward from an oval hole 30 provided in the lower housing 28b and contacts the surface of the operation plate 27. The position information detecting units 33a and 33b detect the spherical body 32 and the rotation amount of the spherical body 32.
Detection shafts 34a, 34t) for transmitting the signal to the spherical body 32 and elastic biasing means 35 for press-contacting the detection shafts 341L, 34b are provided. That is, the rotation of the sphere 32 is applied to the detection shafts 341L, 34b, and the rotation of the detection shaft 3
4a.

The positional information is transmitted to the positional information detecting sections 332L, 33b by rotating shafts 36a, 36b press-fitted into the position information detecting sections 332L, 33b. Here, the sphere 32 may be a metal ball or a metal ball overcoated with silicone rubber or urethane rubber.

The rotational shaft set, 3sb, which transmits the rotational information of the detection shafts 34a, 34b, has the positional information detection section 33L at one end.
, 33b, and the other end of the bearing 37! is held in the case 31! It is supported by L, 37b. Here, the bearings 371L and 37b may be resin bearings, oil-impregnated bearings, ball bearings, or the like. Further, the bearing 371L,
37b may be held by the housing 28.

Here, the position information detecting sections 33Δ and 33b are collectively referred to as the position information detecting section 33, and the configuration thereof will be explained next.

In FIG. 1, 38a and 38b are light receivers each composed of one light receiving element, and 36 is the aforementioned rotating shaft 36a.
, 36b. 39 are bearings 39a and 39b that hold the rotating shaft 36, and the light receiving side element holder 40 is
It has a light receiving element holding part 482L and a bearing holding part 48b that hold the light receivers 38&, 38b and the bearing 39 together,
The light emitter 42a corresponds to the light receiver 38&, and the light emitter 42b corresponds to the light receiver 38b, and the light emitter 42b corresponds to the light receiver 38&.
a.

The light emitting element holder 480 of the light emitting element holder 41 holds the light emitting element holder 480 parallel to the light emitting element holder 48b, and the light emitting element holder 41 is fixed to the light receiving element holder 40. The rotating plate 43 attached to the rotating shaft 3e is located between the element holders 40 and 41, and is located between the light receivers 38a and 38b and the light emitter 421L,
42b. The rotary plate 43 is provided with slits 44 at equal angles over the entire circumference. The slit 46a is provided in the light receiving element holding part 48a, the sleeve) 45t) is provided in the light emitting element holding part 480, and the sleeve) 4esb is provided in the light emitting element 422L, 42b.
In addition, the sleeve 451L has the role of stabilizing the amount of light received by the light receiver 38L, and can easily determine the relative position with respect to the center of rotation of the rotation shaft 36. In this embodiment, the slits 451L and 45b are integrally formed with the element holder 40, 41, respectively.

Said Slibu) 45! The aperture angles α and α2 of L and 45b are α,=α2 by design.

The bearing 39 may be a resin bearing, an oil-impregnated bearing, or a ball bearing. Furthermore, although not shown, the light receiver 3B&
, 38b and the light emitters 42a, 42b are connected to a printed circuit board 46 via connectors, and an input/output cord 47 is attached to the printed circuit board 46.Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be explained. explain.

In the embodiment described above, the position information input device 26 is connected to the operation panel 2.
When the ball 32 is placed on the ball 7 and operated, the ball 32 also rolls in accordance with the direction of movement. At this time, the sphere 32 is connected to the detection axis 3
41L, 34b from a substantially horizontal direction by the elastic biasing means 35, the detection shafts 34a, 34
b rotates according to the amount of movement of the sphere 32, this rotation is detected by the position information detection section, and the code a7 is transmitted to a computer, etc. through a circuit that generates a signal according to the detected value on the printed circuit board 46. It is to be transmitted to.

Here, the function of the position information detection section is omitted since it has been explained in detail in the conventional example.

According to this embodiment configured as described above, the rotation axis is attached to the light receiving element holder 40 having the light receiving element holding part 481L that holds the light receivers 381L and 38b of the position information detecting part and the slit 45&. By providing a bearing holding portion 48b that holds the bearing 39 that supports the light receiver 38, the light receiver 38 is
It is possible to reduce the deviation in the relative opening angle α between a and 38b or between the sleeves 45a, and to reduce the assembly error of the components of the position information detection section, compared to the conventional example. This has the advantage that the adverse effect on the phase difference can be reduced.

Father, although not shown as another embodiment, the light receiver 38
L, 38b may be integrally molded with the light-receiving side element holder 40. In this case, the assembly error of the components of the position information detection section 33 can be further reduced. Furthermore, the bearings 39&, 39b are removed, and the position information detection section 33 is removed.
The light-receiving side element holder 40 may be provided with a molded bearing portion to directly support the rotating shafts 361L and 38b. In this case, it is further possible to reduce assembly errors of the components of the position information detection section. At this time, the light-receiving side element holder 40 may be molded from a material with excellent wear resistance such as oil-impregnated plastic.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above embodiments, the present invention has the following effects.

A light-receiving side element having a light-receiving slit includes a bearing holder 48k) that holds a bearing 39 that supports the rotating shaft 38 provided in the position information detection unit 33 and a light-receiving element holder 48& that holds at least two light-receiving elements. By providing it in the holder 40, it is possible to reduce the deviation of the center of rotation of the rotating shaft 36 and the positional deviation of the component parts, which were problems in the prior art. By integrally molding the holder 4° or by removing the bearing 39,
By directly supporting the rotating shaft 36 on the receiver side element holder 40, it is possible to further reduce the deviation of the rotation center and the positional deviation of the component parts, and at the same time, the number of parts can be reduced, resulting in high accuracy and reliability. Therefore, it is possible to provide a location information input device with excellent performance and low cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1a is a cutaway side view of essential parts of an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1b is a
C is a right side view of a, d is a plan view of the rotating plate,
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the position information input device of the present invention in use, FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway side view of an embodiment of the device of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a cutaway plan view of the same essential parts, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a conventional position information input device in use, FIG. 6 is a cutaway side view of the main part of the conventional device, FIG. 7 is a cutaway plan view of the main part, and FIG. 8a. b is a plan view and a side view of the position information detection section, and FIG. 9a. 10b is a plan view and a side view of the detection unit, and FIGS. 10a and 10b are output waveform diagrams of the device. 26... Location information input device, 27...
Operation panel, 28...Housing, 28IL...
... Upper housing, 28b... Lower housing, 292L-29+1... Sphere, 30...
...Circular hole, 31...Case, 32...
... Sphere, 33.33a, 33b...Position information detection unit, 34a, 34b...Detection axis, 35
...Elastic biasing means, 361L, 36b-...
--Rotating shaft, 371L, 37b...Bearing, 3
8a, 38b...Receiver, 39° 39a, 3
9b...Bearing, 4o...Receiver side element holder, 41...Emitter side element holder, 4
2! L. 42b... Light emitter, 43... Rotating plate,
44...Slit, 45&, 45b...
...Slit, 46...Printed circuit board, 47.
... Code, 481L ... Light receiving element holding part, 48b ... Bearing holding part, 48c ...
・Light emitting element holding part. Name of agent: Patent attorney Toshio Nakao and 1 other person 48
c/ Fig. 2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 Fig. 9 Fig. 9 (0-) (b) Fig. 10 (ku)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A housing that moves on a plane, a sphere rotatably provided on the housing so as to rotate as the housing moves on the plane, and an amount of movement of the housing due to the rotation of the sphere. at least two rotary shafts that hold the rotary shaft, and a rotary shaft provided with a positional information detecting section for detecting the positional information, and a positional information converting means for converting a detected value of the positional information detecting section into a signal according to the detected value. A bearing holding part that holds the bearing on the position information detection part side of the bearing and a light receiving element holding part that holds at least two light receiving elements arranged in the position information detection part are integrally provided. Characteristic location information input device. (2) The position information input device according to claim 1, wherein the bearing holding portion also serves as the bearing on the side of the position information detection portion.