WO2012137440A1

WO2012137440A1 - Electronic device

Info

Publication number: WO2012137440A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/002103
Authority: WO
Inventors: 雄剛伊藤
Original assignee: 京セラ株式会社
Priority date: 2011-04-01
Filing date: 2012-03-27
Publication date: 2012-10-11
Also published as: JP2012216204A; JP5805571B2

Abstract

An electronic device comprising a panel constituting the external appearance thereof, causes said panel to vibrate, makes obstruction of the panel vibration difficult, and improves dust and water resistance. The electronic device (1) is characterized by: comprising a touch panel (20), a panel frame (22) formed on the rear surface rim section of the touch panel (20), a vibration unit (50) that vibrates the touch panel (20), supporting members (10a, 10b) that have a recessed section (12b) supporting the panel frame (22) and cover the rim section of the touch panel (20), and a first elastic member (70) interposed between a surface rim section of the touch panel (20) and the supporting members (10a, 10b); forming a protruding section (22b) in the panel frame (22); forming a second elastic member (22c) in the tip of the protruding section (22b); and press-fitting the second elastic member (22c) into the recessed section (12b).

Description

Electronics

Cross-reference to related applications

This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-81463 (filed on April 1, 2011), the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention relates to an electronic device that includes a panel that forms an appearance and vibrates the panel.

Currently, touch panels and touch pads are widely used as input devices for electronic devices. In such an input device, when an operator operates a touch panel, a touch pad, or the like, a device that feeds back a feeling of operation to an operator's fingertip by vibrating the touch panel or the touch pad is proposed ( For example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-44497 A

By the way, in the electronic device of Patent Document 1, no measures are taken against the intrusion of dust and water into the device. For this reason, it is assumed that dust and moisture enter from a gap between the touch panel and a member to which the touch panel is fixed.

The above-mentioned problem is a problem that is expected to occur in common in an electronic device that includes a panel that configures the appearance and vibrates the panel. As other electronic devices that vibrate the panel, for example, a predetermined electrical signal (audio signal) is applied to vibrate the panel, and vibration is applied to a part of the user's body (for example, the cartilage of the outer ear) that contacts the panel. There are electronic devices that transmit sounds to users by being transmitted. As another electronic device that vibrates the panel, there is an electronic device having a function of removing water droplets and dirt attached to the panel due to the vibration of the panel.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a panel that constitutes the appearance of an electronic device that vibrates the panel, making it difficult to inhibit the vibration of the panel, and improving the dustproof and waterproof properties.

The electronic device according to the present invention is
A panel,
A frame formed on the peripheral edge of the back surface of the panel;
A vibrating section for vibrating the panel;
A support member that has a recess for supporting the frame and covers a peripheral edge of the surface of the panel;
A first elastic member interposed between a peripheral surface portion of the panel and the support member,
A protrusion is formed on the frame, a second elastic member is formed at the tip of the protrusion, and the second elastic member is press-fitted into the recess.

According to the present invention, an electronic device that includes a panel that configures the appearance and vibrates the panel can be made difficult to inhibit the vibration of the panel, and can be improved in dust resistance and waterproofness.

1 is an external perspective view of an electronic apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an external appearance perspective view explaining the structure of the panel and frame which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the panel and frame which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view before the assembly of the electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view after the assembly of the electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the panel and flame | frame which concern on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing along the IX-IX line of FIG. It is a figure which shows the instantaneous vibration aspect of the panel which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the modification of the electronic device which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, a schematic configuration of an electronic device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of an electronic apparatus according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment includes an upper housing 10a, a lower housing 10b, and a touch panel 20 in appearance. The casing 10 constituted by the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b is an example of the support member of the present invention. The touch panel 20 is an example of the panel of the present invention.

The upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b constitute the casing 10 by combining them together. The upper casing 10a is bonded to the lower casing 10b using a double-sided tape or an adhesive. Between the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b, in a state in which they are integrally combined, for example, a sealed structure may be used via rubber packing. The upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are preferably made of a material that can withstand a certain degree of impact, such as a resin case. When the upper housing 10a can be integrated with the lower housing 10b, the upper housing 10a does not need to be provided as a separate member from the lower housing 10b.

The upper housing 10a can be various members such as a bezel, for example, but is collectively referred to as “upper housing” in this specification. When the upper housing 10a is a bezel, the upper housing 10a can be made of, for example, metal, plastic, resin such as ABS, and is preferably made of a material having a certain degree of strength. .

The touch panel 20 is usually disposed in front of the display unit 80 to be described later, and contact with an object displayed on the display unit 80 by an operator's finger, stylus pen or the like (hereinafter simply referred to as “contact object”) is performed. Detection is performed on the touch surface of the corresponding touch panel 20. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the “touch panel” will be described assuming a member disposed on the front surface of the display unit 80 which can be an LCD or the like, that is, a member provided separately from the display unit 80. In addition, the touch panel 20 detects the position of contact of the contact object with respect to the touch surface, and notifies the detected position of the contact to a control unit (not shown).

The touch panel 20 may be a touch panel configured by, for example, a resistance film method, a capacitance method, an optical method, or the like. In addition, when the touch panel 20 detects the contact by a contact thing, it is not essential that a contact thing touches the touch panel 20 physically. For example, when the touch panel 20 is optical, the touch panel 20 detects a position where the infrared light on the touch panel 20 is blocked by the contact object, and thus it is not necessary for the contact object to touch the touch panel 20.

The display unit 80 described above displays an object such as a push button switch (push button switch) such as a key as an image. This object is an image that suggests to the operator an area to be touched on the touch surface of the touch panel 20. The push button switch is a button, key, or the like (hereinafter, simply referred to as “key, etc.”) used by an operator for input operation. The display unit 80 is configured using, for example, a liquid crystal display panel (LCD), an organic EL display panel, or the like. That is, a display unit 80 such as an LCD can be arranged on the back side of the touch panel 20 shown in FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a state in which the upper housing 10a is separated from the lower housing 10b in the electronic device 1 shown in FIG. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the upper housing 10a is a frame-like member, and a window (opening) is formed on the front surface (upper surface). With this window, in an assembled state of the electronic apparatus 1, the operator can visually recognize a display on the display unit 80 described later, and further, the operator can touch the touch panel 20. As will be described later, for example, a display unit such as an LCD, an LCD holder, and various components such as various substrates can be installed on the bottom inside the lower housing 10b. Such parts are not shown.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, in a state where the lower housing 10 b and the upper housing 10 a are combined, the touch panel 20 is in a state where the panel frame 22 is attached and fixed on the back surface side, and the lower housing 10 b and the upper housing 10 are fixed. It arrange | positions between the housing | casing 10a. A frame-shaped first elastic member 70 is disposed on the front surface (front surface) side of the touch panel 20. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22 fixed to the touch panel 20 are removed from the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 2, a panel frame 22 is formed on the back side of the touch panel 20. The panel frame 22 is an example of the frame of the present invention. As will be described later, the panel frame 22 includes a panel receiving portion to which the touch panel 20 is fixed, a protruding portion protruding downward from the panel receiving portion, and an elastic member formed at the lower end of the protruding portion. Is done. As shown in FIG. 2, when the lower housing 10b and the upper housing 10a are combined, the elastic member at the lower end of the panel frame 22 is press-fitted into the recess 12b formed on the upper surface side of the lower housing 10b. It is pinched in a state. Hereinafter, what attached the panel frame 22 to the touch panel 20 is suitably called a "touch panel unit."

The frame-shaped first elastic member 70 disposed on the front surface side of the touch panel 20 can be made of a flexible material having elasticity, such as a sponge. A space between the first elastic member 70 and the upper housing 10a is pasted with a double-sided tape or an adhesive. Similarly, the first elastic member 70 and the touch panel 20 are also attached with a double-sided tape or an adhesive. Thus, by attaching these members with a double-sided tape or an adhesive, a dustproof treatment can be performed between the upper housing 10a and the touch panel 20.

Furthermore, in this Embodiment, between the 1st elastic member 70 and the upper housing | casing 10a, and between the 1st elastic member 70 and the touchscreen 20 can be sealed with a waterproof double-sided tape or an adhesive agent. preferable. Thus, by sealing with a waterproof double-sided tape or an adhesive, not only dust prevention but also waterproofing treatment can be performed between the upper housing 10a and the touch panel 20.

FIG. 3 is a diagram for further explaining the touch panel unit shown in FIG. As described above, the touch panel unit shown in FIG. 3 includes the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22 fixed to the touch panel 20. As described above, the frame-shaped first elastic member 70 is disposed on the upper surface side of the touch panel 20.

In addition, in FIG. 3, in order to make an understanding of the structure of a touch panel unit easy, the external appearance including the cross section which cut a part of touch panel unit is shown with a perspective view. That is, FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a portion near the front edge of the touch panel unit illustrated in FIG. 2 is cut in the X-axis direction illustrated in FIG. In short, FIG. 3 shows a state in which only the front portion of the touch panel unit is cut off including the panel frame 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the panel frame 22 is formed on the peripheral edge of the back surface of the touch panel 20. As described above, the panel frame 22 is provided with a flat panel receiving portion at a location where the panel frame 22 is attached to the touch panel 20 in order to support the touch panel 20. Further, the panel frame 22 is formed with a protruding portion that protrudes downward from the panel receiving portion, and further, an elastic member that is press-fitted into the recessed portion 12b formed in the lower housing 10b is formed at the tip of the protruding portion. Is done. In FIG. 3, the elastic member formed at the tip of the protrusion is a circular portion in the cross section of the panel frame 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the vibration unit 50 is attached to the back surface of the touch panel 20 near the upper and lower edges (the back side and the near side in the figure). The vibrating unit 50 is preferably bonded to the back surface of the touch panel 20 with, for example, a double-sided tape or an adhesive. The vibration unit 50 is made of, for example, a piezoelectric element, and vibrates by bending the touch panel 20.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the vibration unit 50 is attached from the back surface of the touch panel 20, but in the present invention, the vibration unit 50 transmits vibration to the touch panel 20. Therefore, the vibration unit 50 may be configured to vibrate the touch panel 20 by fixing a piezoelectric element or the like to an arbitrary position such as the touch panel 20 or the panel frame 22. However, the vibration unit 50 is preferably a piezoelectric element attached to the back surface of the touch panel 20 so that the touch panel 20 can be vibrated satisfactorily.

The vibration unit 50 presents a tactile sensation to a contact object that is in contact with the touch surface of the touch panel 20 by generating vibration according to a predetermined vibration pattern. In the present embodiment, the vibration unit 50 generates vibration based on a drive signal supplied from a control unit (not shown), for example.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the touch panel unit shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in more detail. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the assembled touch panel unit is cut in the X-axis direction illustrated in FIG. 2. As described above, in the present embodiment, the touch panel unit includes the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22 fixed to the touch panel 20. Moreover, the vibration part 50 is adhere | attached on the back surface of the touch panel 20 depending on the position which cut | disconnects a touch panel unit. FIG. 4 shows a state where the first elastic member 70 is removed from the touch panel unit.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the panel frame 22 is arranged on the back surface side of the touch panel 20, the panel receiving portion 22 a of the panel frame 22 is bonded to the back surface peripheral portion of the touch panel 20. Thus, when fixing the panel frame 22 to the touch panel 20, the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22 are adhere | attached with a double-sided tape or an adhesive agent. The panel receiving portion 22a has a flat portion so that the touch panel 20 can be bonded and fixed. In FIG. 4, such a bonding portion is shown by performing dense hatching. As described above, by attaching these members with a double-sided tape or an adhesive, a dustproof treatment can be performed between the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, it is preferable to seal between the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22 with a waterproof double-sided tape or an adhesive. Thus, by sealing with a waterproof double-sided tape or an adhesive, not only dustproofing but also waterproofing treatment can be performed between the touch panel 20 and the panel frame 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, a projection 22b is formed on the panel frame 22 so as to protrude downward from the panel receiving portion 22a. The panel receiving portion 22a and the protruding portion 22b are preferably formed as a single member by the same relatively hard material such as polycarbonate.

In the panel frame 22, a second elastic member 22c is formed at the tip of the protrusion 22b. The second elastic member 22c is made of an elastic material such as silicon rubber, and can have a JIS-A hardness of about 50 to 60 degrees, for example. It is desirable that the second elastic member 22c be formed in a shape considering that the second elastic member 22c is sandwiched between the recesses 12b of the support member 10b. The second elastic member 22c is preferably a member integrally formed with the panel frame 22 (projecting portion 22b thereof).

In this embodiment, by making a touch panel unit into a kit in this way, the unit can be sold as one component to a terminal manufacturer or the like. Further, by adopting the touch panel unit, it is possible to remarkably simplify the operation of attaching the components related to the touch panel when manufacturing the terminal. Furthermore, when the touch panel 20 is damaged or the like, when the touch panel 20 is replaced and repaired, it is sufficient to replace the touch panel unit, so that the labor for repair can be significantly reduced.

Next, details of the internal configuration of the electronic device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. Hereinafter, the details of the internal configuration of the electronic device 1 will be described by describing how to assemble the electronic device 1.

5 and 6 are views showing a cross section of the electronic device 1. FIG. 5 and 6, in order to describe an example in which the electronic device 1 has a bilaterally symmetric configuration, illustration of the configuration on the right side of the electronic device 1 is omitted, and only the configuration on the left side is illustrated. 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views showing a state in which the electronic apparatus 1 is cut in the X-axis direction shown in FIG. 5 and 6, the position in the Y-axis direction shown in FIG. 2 is the position of the electronic device 1 except for the vicinity of the upper end (the far end in the figure) or the lower end (the near end in the figure). It is a figure which shows the example which cut | disconnected the apparatus.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are combined. As shown in FIG. 5, first, before combining the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b, inside the lower housing 10b, various elements such as various substrates 90 and a display unit 80 that are to be dustproof and waterproof are provided. Try to keep it installed.

In FIG. 5, a display unit 80 such as an LCD and various substrates 90 are shown inside the lower housing 10b. The display unit 80 and the substrate 90 exemplify various members. For example, the display unit 80 or the substrate 90 is used as a display unit holder that supports the display unit 80 or other support member. Various members can be used. The substrate 90 can be various substrates such as a substrate including various electronic components including a control unit that controls the overall operation of the electronic device 1. As described above, in the present embodiment, as in the case of a device provided with a general touch panel, as shown in FIG. 5, the back side of touch panel 20 (that is, the side on which the vibration unit 50 is disposed). The display unit 80 is disposed at ().

When elements such as the substrate 90 and the display unit 80 are installed inside the lower housing 10b, the touch panel unit is attached to the lower housing 10b. At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the second elastic member 22c of the panel frame 22 is clamped by being press-fitted into the recess 12b of the lower housing 10b.

When the touch panel unit is attached to the lower housing 10b, the first elastic member 70 is attached to the front surface (upper surface) of the touch panel 20. And if the 1st elastic member 70 is attached to the touch panel 20, the upper housing | casing 10a will be attached to the lower housing | casing 10b.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are combined. As shown in FIG. 6, in the present embodiment, the first elastic member 70 interposed between the upper casing 10a and the touch panel 20 when the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b are combined. To be in a slightly compressed state. When compressed in this way, the first elastic member 70 pushes the touch panel 20 downward in the figure by a restoring force resulting from its own elasticity. When the touch panel 20 is pushed down in the drawing, the second elastic member 22c of the panel frame 22 comes into contact with, for example, the side wall of the recess 12b of the lower housing 10b. That is, the second elastic member 22c is clamped in a state of being press-fitted into the recess 12b of the lower housing 10b by the restoring force of the first elastic member 70.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the space between the second elastic member 22c and the lower housing 10b is sealed, and the portion is subjected to dustproof and waterproof measures.

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, only the first elastic member 70 and the panel frame 22 are interposed between the touch panel 20 and the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b. The first elastic member 70 is made of a flexible material having elasticity as described above. Furthermore, the panel frame 22 that supports the touch panel 20 is supported by the lower housing 10b by a second elastic member 22c made of an elastic material. Therefore, when the touch panel 20 vibrates, the touch panel 20 can vibrate freely due to the elasticity of the first elastic member 70 and the second elastic member 22c, so that vibration attenuation can be reduced.

Thus, in the present embodiment, the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b have the recess 12b that supports the panel frame 22 and covers the peripheral edge of the touch panel 20. Further, the first elastic member 70 is interposed between the peripheral surface portion of the touch panel 20 and the upper housing 10a. Further, the second elastic member 22c is press-fitted into the recess 12b of the lower housing 10b. As a result, the second elastic member 22c is press-fitted into the recess 12b of the lower housing 10b by the restoring force of the first elastic member 70, and the space between the second elastic member 22c and the lower housing 10b is sealed. Is done.

Here, the first elastic member 70 is made of a material that is more flexible than the second elastic member 22c, for example, by making the elastic coefficient of the first elastic member 70 smaller than that of the second elastic member 22c. Good. In this way, in a state where the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are combined, the first elastic member 70 is more compressed than the second elastic member 22c. Thereby, the touch panel 50 can be vibrated more freely, and vibration attenuation is further reduced.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and many variations or modifications are possible. The main feature of the present invention is that the touch panel unit is sandwiched between an upper housing and a lower housing, and dust and waterproof measures are taken without attenuating vibration. Accordingly, various components other than those described in the present specification can be adopted as the components and the configuration aspects of the present invention. For example, the upper housing 10a, the lower housing 10b, the panel frame 22, and the like described above can have various shapes as long as the effects of the present invention can be obtained. For example, the second elastic member 22c of the panel frame 22 does not necessarily have a circular cross section as long as the second elastic member 22c is sandwiched between the recesses 12b of the lower housing 10b and has a waterproof effect. It can also be made into the shape which adapts to the shape of the side wall of 12b.

Further, the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b have been described assuming the casings constituting the main body of the electronic device. However, the housing of the present invention is not limited to the members described above, and can be various members.

In the above embodiment, the mode in which the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b constitute the support member of the present invention has been described. However, the supporting member according to the present invention may be any member as long as it is a member that supports the panel frame 22 and covers the peripheral edge of the touch panel 20 by the second elastic member 22c being press-fitted. Therefore, it is assumed that various members constitute the support member of the present invention, such as an LCD unit, various substrates or bezels, or other support members formed on the upper housing 10a or the lower housing 10b. Can do.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the aspect in which the touch panel 20 detects an operator's contact by displaying an object on the display unit 80 arranged on the back side of the touch panel 20 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such an aspect. For example, an aspect in which an object is directly printed on the touch surface of the touch panel 20 with ink or the like without the display unit 80 is assumed. You can also In such a modification, the display unit 80 configured as described above is not an essential component.

In the above embodiment, the touch panel 20 is used to detect contact with the touch surface of the touch panel 20. That is, in the above embodiment, the “touch panel 20” has been described assuming a member such as a so-called touch sensor. However, the touch panel used in the electronic device according to the present invention may be any as long as it can be touched by a contact object such as an operator's finger or a stylus pen.

For example, the touch panel used in the electronic device according to the present invention may be a member such as a simple “panel” that does not detect the position of contact of the contact object with the touch surface (that is, does not have a sensing function). In the electronic device having such a configuration, for example, it is possible to determine that contact with the touch panel has been made based on the pressure detected by the pressure detection unit by further providing a pressure detection unit that detects pressure on the touch panel. it can.

In the above embodiment, a touch panel is used to detect contact with the touch surface of the touch panel. However, it is also possible to determine that the touch detection unit detects a press on the touch panel and that the touch is made on the touch panel based on the press.

The above-described press detection unit detects a press on the touch surface of the touch panel. For example, a strain gauge sensor or a piezoelectric that changes physical or electrical characteristics (strain, resistance, voltage, etc.) according to the press. An arbitrary number of elements can be used. Further, when the vibration unit is a piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element can also be used as a press detection unit. By adopting such a configuration and detecting the distortion of the touch panel due to the press, it is possible to assume a configuration in which the pressure on the touch panel is calculated from the distortion.

For example, when the pressure detection unit is configured using a piezoelectric element or the like, the piezoelectric element of the pressure detection unit is a load (force) magnitude (or magnitude of the load (force) related to the pressure on the touch surface of the touch panel. The voltage magnitude (voltage value), which is an electrical characteristic, changes according to the speed (acceleration) at which the voltage changes. In this case, the pressure detection unit can notify the control unit of the magnitude of the voltage (voltage value (hereinafter simply referred to as data)). The control unit acquires the data when the press detection unit notifies the control unit of the data, or when the control unit detects data related to the piezoelectric element of the press detection unit. That is, a control part acquires the data based on the press with respect to the touch surface of a touchscreen. That is, a control part acquires the data based on a press from a press detection part. Then, when the data based on the press satisfies a predetermined standard, the control unit can determine that contact has been made and generate a predetermined vibration. Here, the predetermined reference can be set as appropriate according to the load characteristic when the push button switch is to be expressed. *

Furthermore, such a pressure detection unit can be configured according to a contact detection method on the touch panel. For example, in the case of the resistance film method, a strain gauge sensor, a piezoelectric element, or the like is used by associating the magnitude of the resistance corresponding to the size of the contact area with the pressing load (force) on the touch surface of the touch panel. It can be configured without. Alternatively, in the case of the capacitance method, the capacitance can be configured without using a strain gauge sensor or a piezoelectric element by associating the size of the capacitance with a load (force) of pressing against the touch surface of the touch panel. it can.

Such a press detection part can assume various structures according to the contact detection system in a touch panel. For example, in the case of the resistance film method, a strain gauge sensor, a piezoelectric element, or the like is used by associating the magnitude of the resistance corresponding to the size of the contact area with the pressing load (force) on the touch surface of the touch panel. It can be configured without. Alternatively, in the case of the capacitance method, the capacitance can be configured without using a strain gauge sensor or a piezoelectric element by associating the size of the capacitance with a load (force) of pressing against the touch surface of the touch panel. it can.

Further, the vibration unit is configured by using an arbitrary number of piezoelectric vibrators, is configured by providing a transparent piezoelectric element on the entire surface of the touch panel, or configured to rotate the eccentric motor once in one cycle of the drive signal. You can also do it. Furthermore, when the pressure detection unit and the vibration unit are configured using a piezoelectric element, the pressure detection unit and the vibration unit may be configured by sharing the piezoelectric element. This is because the piezoelectric element generates a voltage when pressure is applied and deforms when the voltage is applied.

Further, as described above, when the magnitude (voltage value (data)) of the voltage of the piezoelectric element that also serves as the pressure detection unit satisfies a predetermined standard, the vibration unit drives the piezoelectric element to generate vibration. It can also be generated. Here, when the voltage level (voltage value (data)) of the piezoelectric element satisfies a predetermined reference, the voltage value (data) may reach a predetermined reference value, It may be when the value (data) exceeds a predetermined reference value or when a voltage value (data) equal to the predetermined reference value is detected.

In the above-described embodiment, the description has been made assuming the configuration in which the touch panel is arranged on the upper surface of the display unit. The electronic apparatus according to the present invention does not necessarily have such a configuration, and the touch panel and the display unit can be separated from each other. However, the configuration in which the touch panel is arranged so as to overlap the upper surface of the display unit allows the operator to easily recognize the correspondence between the displayed image, the region where the operation input is detected, and the generated vibration. Can do. *

In addition, the display unit 80 and the touch panel 20 in the description of the present embodiment may be configured by an integrated device, for example, by providing both functions of the display unit and the contact detection unit on a common substrate. . As an example of the configuration of the device in which both functions of the display unit and the contact detection unit are integrated as described above, a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements such as photodiodes are regularly arranged in a matrix electrode array of pixel electrodes included in the liquid crystal panel. Can be mentioned. This device displays an image with a liquid crystal panel structure, while reflecting the light of a backlight for liquid crystal display at the tip of a pen that touches and inputs a desired position on the surface of the panel. The reflected light is reflected by peripheral photoelectric conversion elements. The touch position can be detected by receiving the light.

In addition, the vibration part 50 may be comprised so that the touch panel 20 may be vibrated indirectly by vibrating an electronic device based on a vibration motor (eccentric motor) etc., and a piezoelectric element is provided in the touch panel 20. By doing so, the touch panel 20 may be configured to vibrate directly.

In the above embodiment, an electronic device that includes a touch panel having a sensing function and feeds back a feeling of operation is described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Hereinafter, an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

For example, the electronic device according to the present invention generates vibration on a panel by applying an electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined audio signal to a piezoelectric element attached to a panel such as a touch panel or a cover panel that protects a display unit. It may be an electronic device. Such an electronic device can transmit sound to the user even when a part of the user's body (for example, cartilage of the outer ear) is brought into contact with the vibrated panel.

Since the mobile phone 100 described below is given as an example of the electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention, it is not limited to the configuration shown in the figure. The configuration of the mobile phone 100 can be appropriately changed within a range that does not hinder the application of the present invention.

7 to 9, an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 7 is a front view of an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a panel and a frame according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the mobile phone 100 as an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a housing 110, a panel 120, a display unit 130, and a piezoelectric element 140. The piezoelectric element 140 is bonded to the panel 120 with a bonding member 150. The panel 120, the display unit 130, and the piezoelectric element 140 are each substantially rectangular. The contact area of the piezoelectric element 140 with the bonding member 150 may be substantially the entire main surface on one side of the piezoelectric element. In this case, for example, compared with a case where only both ends of the piezoelectric element are used as contact regions with the bonding member in the piezoelectric element, vibrations in the piezoelectric element 140 are efficiently transmitted to the panel 120 and the panel 120 is brought into contact with the human body. The panel 120 can be curved and vibrated with sufficient strength so as not to be attenuated.

As shown in FIG. 7, the display unit 130 is disposed substantially at the center of the panel 120 in the short direction. The piezoelectric element 140 is disposed at a predetermined distance from an end portion in the longitudinal direction of the panel 120, and is disposed in the vicinity of the end portion so that the longitudinal direction of the piezoelectric element 140 is along the short side of the panel 120. The display unit 130 and the piezoelectric element 140 are arranged side by side in a direction parallel to the inner surface of the panel 120. For example, when the panel 120 and the display unit 130 are configured not to overlap each other, the piezoelectric element 140 may be disposed at the center of the panel 120. When the piezoelectric element 140 is disposed at the center of the panel 120, the vibration of the piezoelectric element 140 is evenly transmitted to the entire panel 120, and even when the user touches the ear to various positions of the panel 120, the voice is recognized. be able to. Similar to the above-described embodiment, a plurality of piezoelectric elements may be mounted.

As shown in FIG. 9, the housing 110 has an upper housing 110a and a lower housing 110b. The upper casing 110a and the lower casing 110b are made of a material such as resin, for example.

The upper casing 110a and the lower casing 110b are bonded to each other with a double-sided tape or an adhesive. Between the upper casing 110a and the lower casing 110b, in a state in which they are integrally combined, for example, a sealed structure may be provided via rubber packing.

For example, in the case of a touch panel, the panel 120 detects contact of a finger, a pen, a stylus pen, or the like with respect to the touch panel. The touch panel detection method may be any method such as a capacitance method, a resistance film method, a surface acoustic wave method (or an ultrasonic method), an infrared method, an electromagnetic induction method, and a load detection method. The panel 120 may be a protective panel for protecting the display unit 130. The material of the panel 120 is made of, for example, glass or synthetic resin, and may be a plate-like body.

The display unit 130 is a display device such as a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or an inorganic EL display.

The piezoelectric element 140 is an element that expands and contracts according to the electromechanical coupling coefficient of the constituent material when a voltage is applied. The piezoelectric element 140 may be a unimorph, bimorph, or multilayer piezoelectric element. The stacked piezoelectric element includes a stacked bimorph element in which bimorphs are stacked (for example, 16 layers or 24 layers are stacked). In the case of a laminated piezoelectric element, it is composed of a laminated structure of a plurality of dielectric layers made of, for example, PZT (lead zirconate titanate) and electrode layers arranged between the dielectric layers.

The bonding member 150 is an adhesive or double-sided tape having thermosetting property or ultraviolet curable property. For example, an optical elastic resin which is a colorless and transparent acrylic ultraviolet curable adhesive may be used.

As shown in FIG. 9, the first elastic member 170 is disposed on the surface side of the panel 120. The first elastic member 170 is made of a dustproof and waterproof material. The first elastic member 170 is, for example, sponge or silicon rubber. The first elastic member 170 is bonded to the panel 120 and the upper casing 110a with a double-sided tape or an adhesive. The first elastic member 170 is disposed along the entire outer peripheral portion of the panel 120.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a frame 122 is disposed on the back side of the panel 120. The frame 122 is disposed along the entire outer periphery of the panel 120. As in the first embodiment described above, the frame 122 is formed at a panel receiving portion 122a to which the panel 120 is fixed, a protruding portion 122b protruding downward from the panel receiving portion 122a, and a lower end of the protruding portion 122b. And a second elastic member 122c. The panel 120 and the panel receiving portion 122a may be bonded with a waterproof double-sided tape or a waterproof adhesive.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the mobile phone 100, the first elastic member 170 is disposed between the upper casing 110a and the panel 120 in a state where the upper casing 110a and the lower casing 110b are combined. The second elastic member 122c is press-fitted into the recess 112b formed in the lower housing 110b.

The first elastic member 170 and the second elastic member 122c reduce water and dust from entering the mobile phone 100. Further, since the panel 120 is held inside the housing 110 by the first elastic member 170 and the second elastic member 122c, the vibration of the panel 120 is hardly attenuated.

When the cellular phone 100 having the above configuration contacts a part of the user's body with the panel 120 that vibrates due to the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 140, the cellular phone 100 informs the user via the part of the contacting body. You can tell the sound.

The piezoelectric element 140 expands and contracts (curves) in the longitudinal direction based on, for example, an electric signal output from a control unit (not shown). Since the piezoelectric element 140 is attached to the panel 120 by the bonding member 150, the panel 120 vibrates as the piezoelectric element 140 expands and contracts. The panel 120 vibrates not only in the attachment region to which the piezoelectric element 140 is attached, but also in a region away from the attachment region. At a certain moment, the panel 120 vibrates in such a manner that a portion having a relatively large vibration amplitude and a portion having a relatively small vibration amplitude are randomly distributed throughout the panel. That is, vibrations of a plurality of waves are detected over the entire panel.

The mobile phone 100 generates a vibration in a panel such as a cover panel that protects the touch panel or the display unit by applying a predetermined electrical signal (audio signal) to the piezoelectric element, and is used for the panel that has been vibrated. A sound can be transmitted to the user by contacting a part of the person's body (for example, cartilage of the outer ear).

It is assumed that the output sound from the panel of the mobile phone 100 is the voice of the other party, the incoming melody or music including music. The music may be played based on music data stored in an internal memory, or music data stored in an external server or the like may be played back via a network.

When outputting sound based on panel vibration caused by expansion and contraction of piezoelectric elements, it is often difficult to hear the low range compared to the high range. Therefore, the amplifier may be controlled to amplify only the low sound range.

When transmitting sound to the user by vibration of the panel, if it is not necessary to provide a separate dynamic speaker, it is not necessary to form an opening (sound outlet) for sound transmission in the housing, and waterproof and dustproof electronic equipment The structure can be simplified. A dynamic speaker may be provided separately. In this case, the sound outlet of the dynamic speaker may be closed by a waterproof sheet that allows gas to pass but not liquid, such as Gore-Tex (trademark).

Piezoelectric element vibrates not only the attachment area of the panel where the piezoelectric element is attached, but also the area away from the attachment area of the panel. Therefore, the user can hear the sound by touching the ear to an arbitrary position on the panel. Here, by adopting a panel having a larger area than the user's ear, the user can connect an electronic device including a panel having a panel approximately the same size as the user's ear or larger than the user's ear. By making contact so that the entirety is covered, it is possible to hear the sound output from the electronic device while reducing ambient sound (noise) from entering the ear canal. The panel may oscillate in a region wider than a region having a length corresponding to the distance from the earring to the tragus and the antitragus and a width corresponding to the distance from the earring leg to the antitragus. The average ear size can be found, for example, by referring to the Japanese human body size database (1992-1994) created by the Human Life Engineering Research Center (HQL). In general, if a panel is made with the size of Japanese ears as a guide, it can be applied to foreigners.

The mobile phone 100 described above can transmit sound to the user by vibration through a part of the user's body (for example, cartilage of the outer ear). There is little sound transmitted to. Therefore, it is suitable for listening to a recorded message on a train or the like.

In addition, since the mobile phone 100 transmits sound by the vibration of the panel 120, for example, even if the user wears an earphone or a headphone, the user can contact the electronic device with the earphone or the headphone. You can hear sound through your body part.

Further, in the mobile phone 100 described above, the display unit 130 and the piezoelectric element 140 are arranged side by side in a direction parallel to the inner surface of the panel 120. Since the display unit 130 is attached to the panel 120, the rigidity of the lower part (lower side in FIG. 9) of the panel 120 is increased, and the vibration of the upper part (upper side in FIG. 9) of the panel 120 to which the piezoelectric element 140 is attached. Can be vibrated greatly in comparison with the lower part of the panel 120. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently transmit the vibration of the panel 120 to the user.

In addition, when transmitting a sound by bringing the vibrating panel into contact with the human body, the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element is higher than the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element mounted on a normal so-called panel speaker. Should be set higher. The voltage applied to the piezoelectric element mounted on the so-called panel speaker is, for example, ± 5V, but the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 140 of the mobile phone 100 may be, for example, ± 15V.

This is due to the fact that the support structure for the panel housing is greatly different. For example, in the case of the panel speaker disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2010-1114866, the panel itself does not deform greatly, and the entire panel moves in parallel in the thickness direction of the panel. Supported by the housing. In order to vibrate like this, the panel is supported on the housing by a film-like member, a stretchable rubber member, a spring member, or the like at both ends in the longitudinal direction. In contrast, the mobile phone 100 has a structure in which the entire outer peripheral portion of the panel 120 is supported by being bonded to the housing 110 by the first elastic member 170 and the second elastic member 122c. That is, the panel 120 of the mobile phone 100 is firmly fixed to the housing as compared with the panel speaker panel described in the above document.

That is, the first elastic member 170 and the second elastic member 122c that support the entire outer peripheral portion of the panel 120 are compared with a film-like member that holds a so-called panel speaker, a rubber member that can expand and contract, a spring member, and the like, as shown in FIG. A material having elasticity such that a portion having a relatively large vibration amplitude and a portion having a relatively small vibration amplitude are distributed randomly throughout the panel as shown in FIG. Therefore, the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element 140 of the mobile phone 100 is higher than the voltage applied to the piezoelectric element mounted on a normal so-called panel speaker. Therefore, when the user presses the panel 120 against his / her body with a force of, for example, 3N or more, sufficient vibration is generated in the panel 120 to generate a human body conduction sound through a part of the user's body. it can.

Although the mobile phone 100 has been described as the second embodiment of the present invention, the mobile phone 100 is not limited to the above-described configuration, and various changes can be made in the configuration. FIG. 11 is a view showing a modification of the electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. 11 is a cross-sectional view seen from the same direction as FIG.

As shown in FIG. 11, an intermediate member 180 may be disposed between the piezoelectric element 140 and the panel 120. In this case, the piezoelectric element 140 and the intermediate member 180 may be bonded by the bonding member 150, and the intermediate member 180 and the panel 120 may be bonded by the bonding member 150. The joining member 150 may be the above-described various adhesives or double-sided tape.

The intermediate member 180 is, for example, a resin plate, a sheet metal, or a resin plate including glass fiber. By disposing the intermediate member 180 between the piezoelectric element 140 and the panel 120, for example, when an external force is applied to the panel 120, the possibility that the external force is transmitted to the piezoelectric element and the piezoelectric element is damaged can be reduced. it can. Further, by disposing the intermediate member 180 between the piezoelectric element 140 and the panel 120, the resonance frequency of the panel 120 is lowered and the acoustic characteristics in the low frequency band are improved. In addition, by disposing the intermediate member 180 between the piezoelectric element 140 and the panel 120, when the panel 120 is formed of a material that does not hinder the deformation of the piezoelectric element 140, the piezoelectric element 140 itself is deformed too much. The risk of breakage can be reduced. Instead of the intermediate member 180, a plate-like weight may be attached to the piezoelectric element 140 by the joining member 150. Thereby, even if the panel is brought into strong contact with the human body, the vibration of the panel can be hardly attenuated.

In the mobile phone 100 shown in FIG. 11, an intermediate member 180 is disposed between the piezoelectric element 140 and the panel 120, but one side of the piezoelectric element 140 is bonded to the panel 120 by the bonding member 150, and the other side of the piezoelectric element 140 is placed. Alternatively, the other side member may be bonded by the bonding member 150. If the other side member has the same configuration as the intermediate member 180, the risk of the piezoelectric element 140 being damaged can be reduced, and the resonance frequency of the panel 120 can be adjusted.

Further, in the mobile phone 100 described above, the piezoelectric element is attached to the panel, but may be attached to a location different from the panel. For example, the piezoelectric element may be attached to a battery lid that is attached to the housing and covers the battery. Since the battery lid is often attached to a surface different from the panel in the mobile phone, according to such a configuration, the user listens to the sound by touching a part of the body (for example, an ear) to a surface different from the panel. Can do. When the electronic device has an operation key such as a numeric keypad, the piezoelectric element may be attached to, for example, a sheet key in which a key top of the operation key and a part of the casing are integrally formed.

Electronic devices that transmit sound to the user through a part of the user's body (for example, the cartilage of the outer ear) as described above are conducted through the part of the user's body that contacts the vibrating panel. It is also possible to transmit to the user both the sound to be heard (human body conduction sound) and the vibration of the air in the vicinity of the panel (air conduction sound) caused by the vibration of the panel.

So far, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention have been described, but it is naturally possible to appropriately combine the configurations of the embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device 10a Upper housing | casing 10b Lower housing | casing 20 Touch panel (panel)
22 Panel frame (frame)
22a Panel receiving portion 22b Protruding portion 22c Second elastic member 50 Vibrating portion 70 First elastic member 80 Display portion 90 Substrate 100 Mobile phone 110 Housing 110a Upper housing 110b Lower housing 120 Panel 122 Frame 122a Panel receiving portion 122b Protruding portion 122c Second elastic member 130 Display unit 140 Piezoelectric element 150 Joining member 170 First elastic member 180 Intermediate member

Claims

A panel,
A frame disposed on the peripheral edge of the back surface of the panel;
A vibrating section for vibrating the panel;
A support member that has a recess for supporting the frame and covers a peripheral edge of the surface of the panel;
A first elastic member interposed between a peripheral surface portion of the panel and the support member,
An electronic apparatus comprising: a protrusion formed on the frame; a second elastic member disposed at a tip of the protrusion; and the second elastic member press-fitted into the recess.
2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first elastic member has an elastic coefficient smaller than that of the second elastic member.
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a size of the panel is larger than an ear.
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit is bonded to the panel by a bonding member.
The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the joining member is a non-heating type curable adhesive.
The electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the joining member is a double-sided tape.
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first elastic member is a non-heating type curable adhesive.
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the first elastic member is a double-sided tape.
The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the panel constitutes a part or all of a touch panel, a display panel, an operation panel, a cover panel, or a lid panel for making a rechargeable battery removable.