WO2012137442A1

WO2012137442A1 - Electronic apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2012137442A1
Application number: PCT/JP2012/002113
Authority: WO
Inventors: 健戸松
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: JP5767995B2; JP2012216205A

Abstract

In this electronic apparatus, which is provided with a panel that constitutes external appearance, and which oscillates the panel, the oscillation of the panel is not easily disturbed, and dust resistance and water resistance are improved. An electronic apparatus (1), which is provided with a touch panel (20), and an oscillating unit (50) that oscillates the touch panel (20), is characterized in that the electronic apparatus is provided with a first film-like member (22) that covers the front surface of the touch panel (20), a first elastic member (70) that is disposed on the circumferential end portion of the first film-like member (22), and a second elastic member (72) that is disposed on the rear surface of the touch panel (22), and that the first film-like member (22) is supported by means of the first elastic member (70), and the touch panel (20) is supported by means of the second elastic member (72).

Description

Electronics

Cross-reference to related applications

This application claims the priority of Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-81545 (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 vibrating section for vibrating the panel;
An electronic device comprising:
A first film-like member covering the front surface of the panel;
A first elastic member disposed on a peripheral edge of the first film-like member;
A second elastic member disposed on the back surface of the panel;
The first film-like member is supported by the first elastic member, and the panel is supported by the second elastic member.

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. It is the external appearance perspective view which decomposed | disassembled the housing | casing of the electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the external appearance perspective view which further decomposed | disassembled the upper housing | casing of the electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the external appearance perspective view which further decomposed | disassembled the lower housing | casing of the electronic device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an external appearance perspective view explaining the structure centering on the panel and film-shaped member 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 the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the external appearance perspective view which decomposed | disassembled the housing | casing of the electronic device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view after the assembly of the electronic device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. 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, a first film-like member 22, and a bezel 30 in appearance. .

The upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b constitute the casing 10 by combining them together. When the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b are combined together, an appropriate waterproof and dustproof measure can be taken, for example, by using a sealed structure with rubber packing. Shall be made. Alternatively, waterproof and dustproof measures can be taken by sealing the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b, for example, by bonding them together. 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 such as ABS.

The first film-like member 22 covers the front surface of the touch panel 20 described later. In the present embodiment, it is preferable that the first film-like member 22 is made of a material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and is thinly molded so as to have a certain degree of flexibility. In addition, the first film-like member 22 is made, for example, colorless and transparent, and the display of the display unit 80 described later is transmitted through the touch panel 20 disposed on the back surface of the first film-like member 22 so that the first film-like member 22 is visually recognized from the outside. It is preferable to configure so as to be able to.

The bezel 30 is disposed so as to straddle between the upper housing 10a and the first film-like member 22 as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the bezel 30 serves as a waterproof and dustproof function between the upper housing 10a and the first film-like member 22, as will be described later. It is bonded to the upper housing 10a and the first film-like member 22. The bezel 30 can be made of, for example, metal, plastic, or resin such as ABS, and is preferably made of a material having a certain degree of strength despite being thin. When the bezel 30 can be integrated with the upper housing 10a, the bezel 30 does not need to be provided as a separate member from the upper housing 10a.

2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the bezel 30 is removed from the upper housing 10a and the upper housing 10a is separated from the lower housing 10b, that is, the housing is disassembled, in the electronic device 1 shown in FIG. FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the bezel 30 is a frame-shaped member, and a window (opening) is formed on the front surface (upper surface). With this window, in the state in which the electronic apparatus 1 is assembled, the operator can visually recognize the display on the touch panel 20 from the outside via the first film-like member 22, and the operator contacts the touch panel 20. be able to. Further, even when a strong impact is applied to the electronic device 1 by the bezel 30, it is possible to reduce the first film-like member 22 or the touch panel 20 from dropping off or coming out of the upper housing 10a. Can do.

As shown in FIG. 2, a concave portion 12a is formed in the upper portion of the upper housing 10a so that the bezel 30 can be fitted therein. By fitting the bezel 30 into the recess 12a of the upper housing 10a, the joint between the upper housing 10a and the first film-like member 22 is covered, so that the joint is not visible from the outside. As will be described later, the bezel 30 is bonded to the peripheral portion of the first film-like member 22 and the recess 12 of the upper housing 10a using a waterproof member such as a waterproof double-sided tape.

Inside the lower housing 10b, as shown in FIG. 2, a second film-like member 82 is arranged in appearance. In the present embodiment, the second film-like member 82 has a recess 84 formed along the vicinity of the peripheral edge thereof. Although not shown in FIG. 2, a convex portion 16a that fits into the concave portion 84 is formed on the back side of the upper housing 10a. The concave portion 84 formed in the second film-like member 82 is configured to fit into the convex portion 16a formed in the upper housing 10a when the upper housing 10a is combined with the lower housing 10b. The second film-like member 82 and the fitting between the concave portion 84 and the convex portion 16a will be described in detail later.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper housing 10a shown in FIG. 2 is further disassembled. That is, FIG. 3 shows a state in which the first film-like member 22 and the first elastic member 70 are further removed from the upper casing 10a after the bezel 30 is removed from the upper casing 10a as shown in FIG. It is a disassembled perspective view shown.

As shown in FIG. 3, the first film-like member 22 is disposed on the upper housing 10 a via a frame-like first elastic member 70. In the upper housing 10a, a recess 14a is formed in order to place the first film-like member 22 and the first elastic member 70. When the first film-like member 22 is attached to the upper housing 10a, the first elastic member 70 is inserted into the recess 14a of the upper housing 10a, and then the first film-like member 22 is inserted into the upper housing 10a. Is installed.

The first elastic member 70 is, for example, a stretchable material such as sponge, an elastic material such as silicon rubber, or urethane foam. When the first elastic member 70 is disposed in the recess 14a of the upper housing 10a, both may be bonded with an extremely thin double-sided tape or an adhesive. However, if the first elastic member 70 fitted in the concave portion 14a of the upper housing 10a maintains a certain shape so that the first elastic member 70 does not come off or shift from the concave portion 14a, the two are bonded together. You don't have to. The same applies to the space between the first elastic member 70 and the first film-like member 22.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state in which the lower housing 10b shown in FIG. 2 is further disassembled. That is, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a state where the second film-like member 82, the display unit 80, and the substrate 90 are further removed from the lower housing 10b shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the second film member 82 is attached to the lower housing 10b, the display unit 80, the substrate 90, and the like are installed in the lower housing 10b before the lower housing 10b. A second film-like member 82 is installed at 10b.

The display unit 80 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 an area to be touched on the touch surface of the touch panel 20 described later. 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.

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. The substrate 90 is an example of various members. For example, the substrate 90 is used as a display unit holder for supporting the display unit 80, or the substrate 90 is used as another support member. It can be a member.

As described above, the second film-like member 82 has the recess 84 formed along the vicinity of the peripheral edge thereof. When the second film-like member 82 is attached to the lower housing 10b, the peripheral edge of the second film-like member 82 is brought into contact with the recess 12b formed in the lower housing 10b. In addition, the recessed part 84 of the 2nd film-like member 82 can be formed by vacuum forming etc., for example.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining how the touch panel 20 is arranged on the back side of the first film-like member 22 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first film-like member 22 is supported by the first elastic member 70 (when attached to the upper housing 10a). As can be seen from FIG. 5, in a state where the first film-like member 22 is supported, the touch panel 20 is disposed inside the frame-like first elastic member 70. Further, the touch panel 20 is supported by a frame-like second elastic member 72.

The touch panel 20 is disposed on the front surface of the display unit 80 described above, and corresponds to 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”). Detection is performed on the touch surface of the 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 the present embodiment, touch panel 20 is covered with first film-like member 22. However, since the first film-like member 22 is made of a thin and flexible material, the touch panel 20 can detect contact by the contact object even through the first film-like member 22. . In addition, when the touch panel 20 detects a contact by a contact object, it is not essential that the contact object physically touch the touch panel 20. For example, when the touch panel 20 is an optical type, the touch panel 20 detects a position where infrared rays on the touch panel 20 are blocked by the contact object, and thus the contact object does not need to touch the touch panel 20.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the back surface of the touch panel 20, a vibrating part 50 is attached in the vicinity of 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. 5, 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.

Similar to the first elastic member 70 described above, the second elastic member 72 is made of, for example, a stretchable material such as sponge, an elastic material such as silicon rubber, or urethane foam or poron (trade name). Is preferred. The second elastic member 72 can be fixed by another member so that the position does not change when the touch panel 20 is supported, but if such measures are not taken, It is also assumed that the position changes when the touch panel 20 is supported. Therefore, in such a case, when the second elastic member 72 supports the touch panel 20, at least one of the upper surface side and the lower surface side of the second elastic member 72 is bonded with an ultrathin double-sided tape or an adhesive. It is preferable to do this.

Next, the details of the internal configuration of the electronic apparatus 1 according to the first 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.

6 and 7 are diagrams showing a cross section of the electronic apparatus 1. FIG. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views showing a state in which the electronic apparatus 1 is cut in the X-axis direction shown in FIG. 6 and 7, 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. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a state before the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are combined. FIG. 6 shows a state before the bezel 30 is also combined. As shown in FIG. 6, 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 protected against dust and water. Try to keep it installed.

When the assembly of the lower housing 10b is completed, the second film-like member 82 is attached from the upper surface side of the lower housing 10b. At this time, the lower housing 10b and the second film-like member 82 are sealed by disposing the waterproof member 62 shown in FIG. 6 at the position of the recess 12b of the lower housing 10b described in FIG. The sealing in the present invention means that the waterproof member 62 is attached using a waterproof double-sided tape, or is bonded using an adhesive capable of sealing moisture.

When the second film-like member 82 is attached to the lower housing 10b, the upper housing 10a is attached to the lower housing 10b. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the convex portion 16 a formed on the lower surface side of the upper housing 10 a is fitted into the concave portion 84 formed on the upper surface side of the second film-like member 82. . When the upper housing 10a is attached to the lower housing 10b, they are integrated by a method such as adhesion, screwing, or fitting connection.

When the upper casing 10a is attached to the lower casing 10b, the touch panel 20 and the first film-like member 22 are attached to the integrated casing 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the touch panel 20 is attached to the upper housing 10 a in a state where the vibration unit 50 is fixed to the back surface side and is supported by the second elastic member 72. At this time, in the example shown in FIG. 6, the second elastic member 72 that supports the touch panel 20 comes into contact with the second film-like member 82. However, the second elastic member 72 that supports the touch panel 20 may abut against other members according to the internal structure of the casing of the electronic device.

When the touch panel 20 is attached to the housing 10, the first film-like member 22 is attached to the housing 10 so as to cover the touch panel 20 as shown in FIG. 6. The first film-like member 22 is supported by the first elastic member 70 and is attached to the concave portion 14a of the upper housing 10a described with reference to FIG.

In addition, the aspect which attaches the touch panel 20 and the 1st film-form member 22 to the housing | casing 10 as a separate member was demonstrated here. However, after the touch panel 20 and the first film-like member 22 are integrated by bonding or the like, it may be attached to the housing 10. In this case, there is a concern that the transmission of the display on the display unit 80 may be hindered by an adhesive or the like that bonds the touch panel 20 and the first film-like member 22 interposed therebetween. Therefore, for example, it is preferable to perform a treatment such as bonding only the four corners of the touch panel 20 and covering the bonded portion with the bezel 30 so as not to be visible from the outside.

When the first film-like member 22 is attached to the housing 10, the bezel 30 is attached so as to straddle the peripheral portions of the upper housing 10 a and the first film-like member 22. At this time, by disposing the waterproof member 60 shown in FIG. 6 across the portion of the recess 12a of the upper housing 10a described in FIG. 3 and the peripheral portion of the first film-like member 22, the upper housing 10a The first film-like member 22 is sealed. Similarly to the waterproof member 62, the waterproof member 60 is made of, for example, a waterproof double-sided tape or an adhesive that can seal moisture.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state after the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are combined and the bezel 30 is attached.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the first film-like member 22 covers the front surface of the touch panel 20, and the first film-like member 22 is attached to the upper housing 10a. The bezel 30 covers the peripheral edge of the first film-like member 22. In addition, the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment is configured such that the peripheral portion of the first film-like member 22 and the upper housing 10a and / or the bezel 30 are sealed by the waterproof member 60. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a waterproofing treatment is performed between the upper housing 10 a and the first film-like member 22. For this reason, in the electronic device 1, moisture and dust from the outside of the upper housing 10 a do not enter between the first film-like member 22 and the touch panel 20.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, in the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, the first film-like member 22 is supported on the upper housing 10 a by the first elastic member 70. Furthermore, in the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, the touch panel 20 includes a second elastic member 72 on the back surface side, and the touch panel 20 is supported by the second elastic member 72. Therefore, when the vibration unit 50 vibrates the touch panel 20, there is no element that greatly attenuates the vibration, so that the vibration attenuation can be reduced.

Moreover, in the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, the housing 10 includes an upper housing 10a and a lower housing 10b to be combined with the upper housing 10a. Furthermore, the electronic device 1 further includes a second film member 82 disposed on the back side of the touch panel 20. With such a configuration, in the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, the gap between the second film-like member 82 and the lower housing 10b is sealed by the waterproof member 62. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, waterproofing is also performed between the lower housing 10b and the second film-like member 82. For this reason, in the electronic device 1, moisture and dust from the outside of the upper housing 10 a or the lower housing 10 b do not enter between the second film-like member 82 and the display unit 80.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7, in the electronic apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the second film-like member 82 has a recess 84 along the vicinity of the periphery thereof, and the upper housing 10 a is formed in the recess 84. It has the convex part 16a to fit. With such a configuration, in the electronic device 1 according to the present embodiment, when the upper housing 10a and the lower housing 10b are combined, the convex portion 16a and the concave portion 84 are fitted. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, a dustproof treatment is performed between the upper housing 10a and the second film-like member 82. For this reason, in the electronic device 1, dust from the outside of the upper housing 10a or the lower housing 10b, etc. between the touch panel 20 and the second film-like member 82 (and also between the display unit 80). Will not invade.

In the present embodiment, the case where the second film-like member 82 and the lower housing 10b are sealed with the waterproof member 62 has been described. However, the second film-like member 82 and the upper housing 10a (for example, The convex portion 16 a) may be sealed with the waterproof member 62. If the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b are waterproofed by another method (for example, an elastic member such as silicon rubber is used as a packing portion to sandwich the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b between the upper casing 10a and the lower casing 10b. The member 62 can be omitted.

In the present embodiment, the case where the bezel 30 is used as a support member and the bezel 30 and the first film-like member 22 are sealed by the waterproof member 60 has been described. However, the first elastic member 70 and the upper housing 10a may be sealed with a waterproof member 60.

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 a dust-proof and / or waterproofing measure is taken without attenuating vibration by appropriately arranging film-like members. Therefore, various components other than those described in the present specification can be adopted for the components and configuration aspects that do not constitute the main features of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, mainly three modes of dustproof and / or waterproofing treatments have been described. That is, (1) waterproofing treatment between the first film-like member 22 and the upper housing 10a by the waterproofing member 60, and (2) between the second film-like member 82 and the lower housing 10b by the waterproofing member 62. (3) Dust-proof treatment between the second film-like member 82 and the upper housing 10a by fitting the convex portion 16a and the concave portion 84 to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to adopting all the dustproof and / or waterproofing treatments of the above three aspects, and these treatments can be arbitrarily combined as necessary.

In the above-described embodiment, the first elastic member 70 and the second elastic member 72 are both described as frame-like elastic members. However, in the present invention, these

members

70 and 72 are intended to elastically support each element. Therefore, depending on, for example, the shape of the casing 10 of the electronic device 1 and various requirements, the

members

70 and 72 can be arbitrarily set. It can be a shape. For example, the shapes of these

members

70 and 72 may be elastic members that are scattered and supported, such as four-point support at four corners or six-point support with additional support points, instead of a frame shape.

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 casing 10a, the lower casing 10b, and the bezel 30 constitute the support member has been described. However, in the present invention, any one of the upper casing 10a, the lower casing 10b, and the bezel 30 can constitute the support member. Furthermore, the supporting member according to the present invention may be any member as long as it is a member that supports the first film-like member 22 and / or the second film-like member 82. Therefore, for example, an aspect in which various members such as an LCD unit, an LCD holder, or various substrates constitute the support member can be assumed.

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 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 this embodiment, the bezel 30, the upper casing 10a, and the lower casing 10b are used as supporting members as the supporting members, and the bezel 30 is included in the upper casing 10a. However, in the present invention, a member separately configured in the upper housing 10a or the lower housing 10b, or a display unit holder (not shown) that holds the display unit 80 or the display unit 80 may be used as the support member.

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.

8 to 10, an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 8 is a front view of an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is an external perspective view in which the casing of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is disassembled. FIG. 10 is a partial cross-sectional view after assembling an electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the following, a description will be given mainly of differences from the first embodiment shown in FIGS.

As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the mobile phone 100 as the electronic apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention includes a bezel 30, a casing 110, a panel 120, a first film-like member 122, The display unit 130 includes a piezoelectric element 140, a first elastic member 170, a second elastic member 172, and a second film-like member 182. 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. 8, the display unit 130 is disposed approximately at the center in the short direction of the panel 120 and separated from the panel 120 by a predetermined distance in the thickness direction of the panel 120. 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. 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. 10, the casing 110 has an upper casing 110a and a lower casing 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 first film-like member 122 covers the front surface of the panel 120. The first film-like member 122 is made of a material such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The first film-like member 122 may be a glass plate. In addition, the first film-like member 122 is made of, for example, colorless and transparent so that the display area of the display unit 130 can be visually recognized from the outside through the panel 120 disposed on the back surface of the first film-like member 122. It is preferable to do this.

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. 10, the first film-like member 122 is disposed on the upper housing 110 a via the first elastic member 170. The first elastic member 170 is made of a dustproof and waterproof material. The first elastic member 170 is, for example, sponge, urethane foam, or silicone rubber. The first elastic member 170 may be bonded to the first film member 122 and the upper casing 110a by a double-sided tape or an adhesive. The first elastic member 170 is disposed along the entire outer peripheral portion of the first film-like member 122.

Also, a second elastic member 172 is disposed on the back side of the panel 120. Similar to the first elastic member 170, the second elastic member 172 is, for example, sponge, urethane foam, or silicon rubber. The second elastic member 172 is disposed along the entire outer peripheral portion of the panel 120. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the second elastic member 172 that supports the panel 120 abuts on a second film-like member 182 described later. However, the second elastic member 172 that supports the panel 120 may abut against other members according to the internal structure of the casing of the electronic device.

The second film-like member 182 is disposed on the back side of the panel 120 in the same manner as the second film-like member 82 in the first embodiment. The second film-like member 182 has an end in the plane direction sandwiched between the upper housing 110a and the lower housing 110b.

Note that the mobile phone 100 does not have to include the second film-like member 182. In this case, as described above, the second elastic member 172 that supports the panel 120 may be in contact with another member according to the internal structure of the casing of the electronic device.

As shown in FIG. 10, in the mobile phone 100 described above, the first elastic member 170 is combined with the first film-like member 122 and the upper casing in a state where the bezel 30, the upper casing 110a, and the lower casing 110b are combined. 110a.

The first elastic member 170 reduces the intrusion of water and dust into the mobile phone 100. Further, since the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 are held inside the housing 110 by the first elastic member 170 and the second elastic member 172, the vibration of the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 is obtained. It is difficult to attenuate.

In the cellular phone 100 having the above configuration, since the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 are in contact with each other, both the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 are caused by the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 140. Is deformed. Then, when a part of the user's body comes into contact with the panel 120 that vibrates due to the expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element 140 and the first film-like member 122, the mobile phone 100 Sound can be transmitted to the user via

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 and the first film-like member 122 vibrate 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 and the first film-like member 122 vibrate in which 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 and the first film-like member 122, for example, even if the user wears an earphone or a headphone, by bringing an electronic device into contact therewith The user can hear the sound through the earphones or headphones and the body part.

When the mobile phone 100 does not include the second film-like member 182 and the display unit 130 is attached to the panel 120, the lower part of the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 (see FIG. 10), the vibration of the upper part (upper side in FIG. 10) of the panel 120 to which the piezoelectric element 140 is attached is greatly vibrated compared to the lower part of the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122. It becomes possible. Therefore, the vibration of the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 can be efficiently transmitted 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, in the mobile phone 100 described above, the entire outer peripheral portion of the first film-like member 122 is supported by being bonded to the housing 110 by the first elastic member 170, and the entire outer peripheral portion of the panel 120 is second elastic. This structure is supported by being bonded to the housing 110 by the member 172. That is, the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 of the mobile phone 100 are firmly fixed to the casing as compared with the panel of the panel speaker described in the above document.

That is, the first elastic member 170 that supports the entire outer peripheral portion of the first film-like member 122 and the second elastic member 172 that supports the entire outer peripheral portion of the panel 120 are a film-like member that holds a so-called panel speaker, or an expansion and contraction. Compared with possible rubber members, spring members, etc., as shown in FIG. 11, a portion having a relatively large vibration amplitude and a portion having a relatively small vibration amplitude vibrate randomly distributed throughout the panel. A material having such elasticity is selected. 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 and the first film-like member 122 against his / her body with a force of 3N or more, for example, the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 are sufficiently vibrated to be used. It is possible to generate a human body conduction sound through a part of a person's body.

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. 12 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the electronic device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 12, 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 arranging 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 and the first film-like member 122, the external force is transmitted to the piezoelectric element and the piezoelectric element is damaged. The possibility of doing so can be reduced. Further, by arranging the intermediate member 180 between the piezoelectric element 140 and the panel 120, the resonance frequency of the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 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 a panel and the 1st film-like member 122 are made to contact a human body strongly, the vibration of a panel and the 1st film-like member 122 can be made hard to attenuate.

In the mobile phone 100 shown in FIG. 12, 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 joining member 150, and the other side of the piezoelectric element 140 is Alternatively, the other side member may be bonded by the bonding member 150. If the other side member has the same configuration as that of the intermediate member 180, the risk of the piezoelectric element 140 being damaged can be reduced, and the resonance frequency of the panel 120 and the first film-like member 122 is adjusted. be able to.

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 10 Housing | casing 10a Upper housing | casing 10b Lower housing | casing 20 Touch panel 22 1st film-like member 30 Bezel 50 Vibrating

part

60,62

Waterproof member

70,72 Elastic member 80 Display part 82 2nd film-like member 90 Board | substrate DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Mobile phone 110 Housing 110a Upper housing 110b Lower housing 120 Panel 122 First film member 130 Display unit 140 Piezoelectric element 150 Joining member 170 First elastic member 172 Second elastic member 180 Intermediate member 182 Second film shape Element

Claims

A panel,
A vibrating section for vibrating the panel;
An electronic device comprising:
A first film-like member covering the front surface of the panel;
A first elastic member disposed on a peripheral edge of the first film-like member;
A second elastic member disposed on the back surface of the panel;
An electronic apparatus, wherein the first film-like member is supported by the first elastic member, and the panel is supported by the second elastic member.
A support member for supporting the first elastic member;
2. The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a peripheral portion of the first film-like member or the first elastic member and the support member are sealed.
A second film-like member disposed on the back side of the panel;
A support member that supports at least one of the first elastic member and the second elastic member;
Further comprising
The support member is configured to be combined by an upper support member and a lower support member on the back side of the panel,
The electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the upper support member and the lower support member are combined while sandwiching a peripheral edge portion of the second film-like member.
4. The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second film-like member and the upper support member or the lower support member are sealed.
The second film-like member has a recess along the vicinity of the peripheral edge,
The upper support member has a convex portion that fits into the concave portion,
The electronic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the upper support member and the lower support member are combined by fitting the convex portion and the concave portion.
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 7, wherein the joining member is a non-heating type curable adhesive.
The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the joining member is a double-sided tape.
The electronic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first elastic member is a non-heating type curable adhesive.
The electronic device according to claim 2, 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.