WO2023248541A1

WO2023248541A1 - Input device

Info

Publication number: WO2023248541A1
Application number: PCT/JP2023/007764
Authority: WO
Inventors: 俊佑梅村; 雅典矢吹; 武晃前畑
Original assignee: アルプスアルパイン株式会社
Priority date: 2022-06-24
Filing date: 2023-03-02
Publication date: 2023-12-28

Abstract

Provided is an input device which makes it possible to transmit vibration to only an operation part.　An input device (100) comprises: an outer skin layer (101A) that has an operation surface (101S) on which operation input is performed by an operation body (FT); a foam layer (101B) that is provided to the opposite side of the outer skin layer (101A) from the operation surface (101S); a detection element (110) that disposed to the opposite side of the foam layer (101B) from the side on which the operation surface (101S) is positioned, and that is capable of detecting the operation body (FT); a vibration element (120) that is capable of imparting a vibration to the foam layer (101B); a detection unit (150) that detects a detection amount of the detection element (110); a determination unit (161) that, when the detection amount detected by the detection unit (150) is equal to or greater than a prescribed threshold value, determines that the operation body (FT) has performed a push-in operation in which the operation surface (101S) is pushed in; and a drive control unit (162) that drives the vibration element (120) when the determination unit (161) determines that a push-in operation has been performed, wherein the prescribed threshold value is a value corresponding to a push-in amount that compresses the foam layer by a prescribed value or greater.

Description

input device

The present disclosure relates to an input device.

Conventionally, the device includes a vibrating element that transmits vibrations to the operating surface and an electrostatic sensor that detects the position of the pressing operation of the operating body with respect to the operating surface, and when a pressing operation is performed on the operating surface, the vibrating element is driven and operated. There is an input device that vibrates a surface (for example, see Patent Document 1).

International Publication No. 2021/157294

By the way, conventional input devices are configured to vibrate the entire operation surface, and are not configured to vibrate only the operating section on which a pressing operation is performed.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an input device that can transmit vibrations only to the operating section.

An input device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a skin layer having an operation surface on which an operation input is performed by an operation body; a foam layer provided on the opposite side of the skin layer to the operation surface; a detection element arranged on the opposite side to the side where the operation surface is located and capable of detecting the operation body; a vibration element capable of imparting vibration to the foam layer; and a detection unit configured to detect a detection amount of the detection element. a determining unit that determines that a pushing operation in which the operating body pushes the operating surface has been performed when a detection amount detected by the detecting unit is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold; and a determining unit that determines that the pushing operation has been performed by the determining unit. and a drive control unit that drives the vibrating element when determined, and the predetermined threshold value is a value corresponding to a pushing amount that compresses the foam layer by a predetermined value or more.

It is possible to provide an input device that can transmit vibrations only to the operating section.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a planar configuration of an input device 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a configuration taken along the line AA in FIG. 1; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an operating state of the input device 100 according to the embodiment. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the compression ratio of the soft pad 101 and the vibration acceleration generated in the soft pad 101. FIG. It is a flowchart which shows the process which MCU160 performs. It is a figure showing input device 100M of a modification of an embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments to which the input device of the present disclosure is applied will be described.

Below, the XYZ coordinate system will be defined and explained. Further, for convenience of explanation, the −Z direction side is referred to as the lower side or lower side, and the +Z direction side is referred to as the upper side or upper side, but this does not represent a universal vertical relationship. Furthermore, viewing in the XY plane is referred to as planar viewing.

<Embodiment>
<Configuration of input device 100>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a planar configuration of an input device 100 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating a cross section and a block showing an example of a configuration taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view showing an example of an operating state of the input device 100 according to the embodiment. The input device 100 includes a soft pad 101, an electrostatic sensor 110, an actuator 120, an LED (Light Emitting Diode) 130, a light guide 131, a support structure 140, a detection unit 150, and an MCU (micro controller unit) 160. The electrostatic sensor 110 is an example of a detection element, and the actuator 120 is an example of a vibration element. The LED 130 and the light guide section 131 are examples of a light illumination section.

Of the input device 100, the electrostatic sensor 110, actuator 120, LED 130, light guide section 131, and support structure 140 constitute an input drive section 100A. The input drive unit 100A is an example of a combination body that indirectly couples the electrostatic sensor 110 and the actuator 120. Note that the electrostatic sensor 110 and the actuator 120 may be directly coupled.

The input device 100 is placed and fixed such that the case 141 of the support structure 140 is in direct contact with the main body 10 on the vehicle side. In this state, the lower surface of the end along the outer edge of the rectangular shape in plan view of the soft pad 101 is adhered to the frame member 20, and the frame member 20 is fixed to the upper end 11 of the main body 10. Although the soft pad 101 has cushioning properties, its shape is maintained by being adhesively held to the rigid synthetic resin frame member 20. Moreover, the main body 10 may be a part of the vehicle body, or may be a structure attached to the vehicle body. The main body 10 is a rigid body made of metal or resin. Support structure 140 is a structure that supports electrostatic sensor 110, actuator 120, and LED 130. Note that details of the support structure 140 and how to fix it to the main body 10 will be described later.

Although the input device 100 can be operated by a part of the human body other than the fingertip FT (for example, the palm or elbow), in the following, the fingertip FT is an example of an operating body that performs operation input to the input device 100. A mode in which operation input is performed using fingertip FT will be described.

The input device 100 has an operation surface 101S on which operation input can be performed using a fingertip FT. The operation surface 101S is the upper surface of the soft pad 101 located at the top of the input device 100. As shown in FIG. 1, the input device 100 has, for example, two operation units 105 shown by broken lines on the operation surface 101S. The input device 100 is a device that can perform a push operation input (push operation) to the operation unit 105 as shown in FIG. 2B. The pushing operation is an operation of pushing down the operation unit 105, and the operation direction is downward as shown in FIG. 2B. In the input device 100 of this embodiment, the operation input includes an operation of bringing a fingertip FT close to one of the operation sections 105 to select one of the operation sections 105, and an operation of selecting one of the operation sections 105 and pressing the operation section 105 to confirm the selected operation. Although there is a push-in operation, an operation of bringing the fingertip FT close to select one of the operation sections 105 is not necessarily necessary.

Note that although FIG. 1 shows two operation units 105 and the input device 100 will be described below as having two operation units 105, the input device 100 must include at least one operation unit 105. If desired, there may be three or more operation units 105. Details of the operation unit 105 will be described later.

The soft pad 101 is located at the top of the input device 100 and has a skin layer 101A that covers the outer surface and a foam layer 101B that is entirely covered by the skin layer 101A.

The skin layer 101A is a bag-shaped cover made of resin, synthetic fiber, synthetic leather, leather, etc., and covers the entire outer surface of the foam layer 101B, and is easily shaped according to the shape of the member in contact with it. changes. The skin layer 101A has an operation surface 101S. The operation surface 101S is the upper surface of the skin layer 101A, and is a decorative layer exposed in the interior of the vehicle. Note that although the skin layer 101A is a bag-shaped cover and covers the entire outer surface of the foam layer 101B, the skin layer 101A may have a structure as long as it covers at least the top surface of the foam layer 101B. For example, the structure may be such that only the top surface of the foam layer 101B is covered, a structure that covers the top surface and side surfaces of the foam layer 101B, or a structure that covers the top surface, side surfaces, and part of the bottom surface of the foam layer 101B. .

The entire outer surface of the foam layer 101B is covered by the skin layer 101A. The foam layer 101B is provided on the side of the skin layer 101A opposite to the operation surface 101S. The foam layer 101B can be made of a foam material such as foam urethane, foam sponge, or foam rubber, and has cushioning properties.

The soft pad 101 is provided to overlap the electrostatic sensor 110 and covers the top surface of the electrostatic sensor 110. A symbol corresponding to each electrode 111 of the electrostatic sensor 110 is displayed on each operation unit 105 of the operation surface 101S. The symbol of each operation unit 105 is illuminated by light output from the LED 130, guided by the light guide unit 131, and transmitted through the soft pad 101. A symbol is provided on each operation section 105 of the operation surface 101S. Symbols are, for example, letters, numbers, symbols, diagrams, marks, etc. that have a predetermined meaning, and here represent the function, type, etc. of each operation unit 105.

In FIG. 1, as an example, the letters "AC" are written on the right operating section 105 of the two operating sections 105. AC is an abbreviation for air conditioner. The operation unit 105 on the right side is an operation unit for an air conditioner (AC). Although a symbol is displayed on the left operation unit 105, it is omitted in FIG. Note that a plurality of symbols may be formed on the upper surface of the soft pad 101 by printing or the like.

When a user performs an operation input on the input device 100, the soft pad 101 is operated by pushing the operation surface 101S downward as shown in FIG. 2B after bringing a hand or the like close to the operation area where a symbol is displayed. It is a member that elastically deforms when an input (pushing operation) is performed. The input device 100 is an input device in which a selected operation input is determined by pushing the operation area downward with a hand or the like. The soft pad 101 can be pushed into a portion of the operation surface 101S other than the operation section 105; however, in order to perform a push operation on the input device 100, the soft pad 101 must be pressed against the operation section 105 of the operation surface 101S. All you have to do is press it. Note that the soft pad 101 returns to its original shape when the fingertip FT performing the pressing operation is released.

Such a soft pad 101 can be used, for example, as a part of an interior member exposed inside a vehicle, and can be used for various parts such as a center console, door lining, or armrest. The input device 100 can be placed on an interior member.

The electrostatic sensor 110 is provided on the back side (-Z direction side) of the soft pad 101. That is, the electrostatic sensor 110 is disposed on the opposite side (lower side) of the foam layer 101B to the side (upper side) where the operation surface 101S is located. The electrostatic sensor 110 has two electrodes 111 (see FIG. 1) that can detect the fingertip FT. Two electrodes are formed on the surface of a substrate (not shown). Two electrodes 111 are provided, one corresponding to each of the two operating sections 105. Here, as an example, a configuration in which the input device 100 has two operation sections 105 and the electrostatic sensor 110 has two electrodes 111 will be described. It is sufficient if the electrode 111 is provided. That is, when the input device 100 has a plurality of operation sections 105, the electrostatic sensor 110 only needs to have a plurality of electrodes 111 corresponding to the plurality of operation sections 105. Note that each electrode 111 may be further divided into a plurality of electrode parts. Further, in this embodiment, the electrostatic sensor 110 uses a self-capacitance type electrostatic sensor, but a mutual capacitance type electrostatic sensor having two electrodes, a driving electrode (also referred to as a transmitting electrode) and a detection electrode (also referred to as a receiving electrode) is used. An electrostatic sensor may also be used.

Each electrode 111 may be made of a conductive material, such as a transparent electrode material such as ITO (Indium-Tin Oxide), and the substrate on which the electrode 111 is provided may be, for example, a transparent flexible material such as polyimide. A substrate can be used. Here, as an example, a configuration will be described in which the electrostatic sensor 110 is configured to allow light from the LED 130 to pass through the transparent electrode 111 and the transparent substrate. However, if the electrostatic sensor 110 does not need to be transparent, each electrode 111 may be made of metal foil such as copper foil or aluminum foil. Furthermore, in the case of partially making the electrode transparent, it is sufficient to provide a portion made of transparent electrode material and a portion made of metal foil.

The two electrodes 111 are arranged adjacent to each other. As an example, a configuration in which two electrodes 111 are arranged in the X direction is shown here, but a plurality of electrodes 111 may be arranged in a matrix in the X direction and the Y direction. The plurality of electrodes 111 may be arranged in a plane along the X direction or the Y direction, or along the X direction and the Y direction; for example, the positions in the Z direction are the same.

Each electrode 111 is connected to the detection unit 150 via wiring or the like. The detection unit 150 detects the capacitance between the plurality of electrodes 111 and an operating body such as a fingertip FT. The capacitance of the electrode 111 detected by the detection unit 150 is an example of a detected amount, and corresponds to the pressing force. In other words, the capacitance of the electrode 111 has a value that depends on the distance between the fingertip FT and the electrode 111, but since the soft pad 101 with elasticity (cushioning properties) is interposed in between, the pressing force can be detected as a result. becomes. Note that here, a mode will be described in which the electrostatic sensor 110 is used to detect the capacitance between the electrode 111 and an operating body such as a fingertip FT to detect the pressing force. , the pressure caused by the pushing operation may be detected using a strain element, a piezoelectric element, or the like.

The actuator 120 is a vibration element capable of transmitting vibrations to the soft pad 101, and is provided, for example, on the lower surface of the lid 143 of the support structure 140. The actuator 120 vibrates in the vertical direction. That is, the actuator 120 vibrates in a direction along the operating direction (downward) of the pushing operation. The actuator 120 is connected to the MCU 160 via wiring or the like, and is driven by the drive control section 162 of the MCU 160.

The vibration of the actuator 120 is transmitted to the electrostatic sensor 110 via the lid 143, substrate 144, and spacer 145 of the support structure 140, and further transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110 to the soft pad 101. When the soft pad 101 is pressed to a predetermined level or more, the actuator 120 starts vibrating, but in the portion where the soft pad 101 is not compressed in the vertical direction, it absorbs most of the vibration transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110 and does not vibrate. However, the rigidity of the portion of the soft pad 101 compressed in the vertical direction becomes high, and the vibrations transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110 can be transmitted to the operation surface 101S compressed by the fingertip FT. That is, since the vibration of the actuator 120 is transmitted to the operation surface 101S only in the portion compressed to some extent by the pushing operation, the vibration can be presented to the fingertip FT performing the pushing operation. As a result, the user can perceive that the input device 100 has accepted the push operation by the vibration presented to the fingertip FT. At the same time, the vibration of the soft pad 101 is suppressed in the area not pressed by the fingertip FT.

In addition, since the vibration direction of the actuator 120 is along the operating direction (downward) of the pressing operation, it is possible to present vibrations in a direction that repels the direction in which the user applies force to the fingertip FT (downward). can make vibrations more perceptible.

Note that since the actuator 120 only needs to be able to transmit vibrations to the soft pad 101, it may be provided not only on the bottom surface of the lid 143 but also on a portion of the support structure 140 other than the lid 143, the bottom surface of the soft pad 101, etc. good.

For example, the actuator 120 is driven by the MCU 160 and presents vibrations to the user when a push operation performed by the user on the input device 100 is confirmed.

Two LEDs 130 are arranged on the upper surface of the substrate 144 at positions overlapping the two operation units 105 in a plan view. The LED 130 is provided on the side opposite to the side where the foam layer 101B is located with respect to the electrostatic sensor 110.

Here, a mode in which the input device 100 includes two LEDs 130 will be described. However, as an example, it is only necessary to provide one LED 130 corresponding to each operation section 105. 105, a plurality of them may be provided corresponding to the plurality of operation parts 105. Each LED 130 is switched between on (state of emitting light) and off (state of not emitting light) by light emission control unit 163 of MCU 160.

A light guide section 131 is provided above each LED 130. The light guiding section 131 may be any light guide that can guide the light emitted by the LED 130 to the electrostatic sensor 110, and may have a form that has a gap that guides the light or a form that is made of a transparent resin that guides the light. It's fine.

The support structure 140 is a structure that supports the electrostatic sensor 110, the actuator 120, and the LED 130. The support structure 140 includes, for example, a case 141, a damper 142, a lid 143, a substrate 144, and a spacer 145.

The case 141 is a housing placed below the input device 100. For example, the case 141 has a rectangular shape when viewed from above, similar to the soft pad 101 shown in FIG. 1 . Case 141 has a base portion 141A and an engaging portion 141B. The base 141A is, for example, rectangular in plan view and is a concave container-shaped portion. The base 141A has a concave shape with a concave upper side in the XZ cross-sectional view shown in FIG. 2A, and has the same shape in the YZ cross-sectional view. The engaging portion 141B is a portion extending outward in the X direction and the Y direction in plan view from the upper end of the base portion 141A, and is placed on the step 12 inside the main body 10 and fixed with a screw (not shown) or the like. Ru.

The damper 142 is a rectangular annular member provided between the upper end of the base 141A and the lid 143 in plan view. The damper 142 is a buffer member that suppresses the vibration of the actuator 120 from being transmitted to the main body 10 side via the case 141, and is made of an elastic body such as rubber. Further, the lid 143 is a rectangular plate member that is approximately the same size as the case 141 in plan view. By covering the upper side of the case 141 with the lid 143 via the rectangular annular damper 142 in plan view, the space in which the actuator 120 is provided on the lower surface of the lid 143 can be sealed, and the actuator 120 can be protected from dust and the like. Can be done.

The board 144 is a wiring board on which the LED 130 is provided on the top surface. The substrate 144 is a PWB (Printed Wiring Board) and has wiring connected to the LED 130. The LED 130 is connected to the MCU 160 via wiring on the board 144 and a communication cable connected to the board 144.

The spacer 145 is provided between the upper surface of the substrate 144 and the lower surface of the electrostatic sensor 110 and is fixed to the substrate 144 and the electrostatic sensor 110. As an example, the lower surface of the spacer 145 is bonded to the upper surface of the substrate 144, and the upper surface of the spacer 145 is bonded to the lower surface of the electrostatic sensor 110.

The spacer 145 is made of resin, for example. Spacer 145 may not be transparent. A plurality of spacers 145 are provided on a portion of the upper surface of the substrate 144 where the LEDs 130 and the light guide section 131 are not provided, and have a height equal to the combined height of the LEDs 130 and the light guide section 131. Note that instead of using the plurality of spacers 145, a plate-shaped member having through holes at the positions of the LED 130 and the light guide section 131 in plan view may be used. The spacer 145 is provided to hold the electrostatic sensor 110 above the substrate 144 and to determine the height position of the electrostatic sensor 110 with respect to the substrate 144.

The input drive unit 100A, which includes the electrostatic sensor 110, actuator 120, LED 130, light guide unit 131, and support structure 140 as described above, is directly or indirectly supported by the support structure 140. Therefore, the input drive section 100A can be easily attached to the main body 10 by placing it inside the main body 10 and fixing the case 141 to the main body 10 with screws or the like.

Further, with the input drive unit 100A attached to the main body 10, the soft pad 101 with the frame member 20 attached is placed on the electrostatic sensor 110, and the soft pad 101 is attached to the main body 10 via the frame member 20. Therefore, the input device 100 can be easily attached to the main body 10.

The detection unit 150 detects a capacitance value (capacitance value) representing the capacitance of each electrode 111 of the electrostatic sensor 110, converts it into a digital value, and outputs it to the MCU 160. Such a detection unit 150 can be realized by, for example, an IC (Integrated Circuit) including an A/D converter.

The MCU 160 is connected to the detection section 150. The MCU 160 is realized by a computer including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), an input/output interface, an internal bus, and the like.

The MCU 160 includes a determination section 161, a drive control section 162, and a light emission control section 163. The determination unit 161, the drive control unit 162, and the light emission control unit 163 represent functions of a program executed by the MCU 160 as functional blocks.

The determination unit 161 determines from the capacitance value of each electrode 111 detected by the detection unit 150 that an operation input using the fingertip FT has been performed on any of the electrodes 111. When the user touches the operation part 105 of the operation surface 101S of the soft pad 101 with the fingertip FT, the capacitance value (capacitance value) between the fingertip FT and the electrode 111 changes, and when the user presses the operation part 105, the fingertip FT The capacitance value (electrostatic capacitance value) between the electrode 111 and the electrode 111 changes further. Therefore, the determining unit 161 can determine whether any of the operating units 105 has been selected and a pushing operation has been performed, based on the capacitance value of the electrode 111. The threshold value used for the capacitance value of each electrode 111 detected by the detection unit 150 when the determination unit 161 determines whether a push-in operation has been performed will be described later.

When the determination unit 161 determines that a pushing operation has been performed, the drive control unit 162 drives the actuator 120 to vibrate. Here, as an example, the drive control unit 162 drives the actuator 120 to present vibrations to the user when the operation input performed by the user on the input device 100 is determined. The user can perceive that the input device 100 has accepted the pressing operation by the vibration presented to the fingertip FT. Therefore, the input device 100 can be used, for example, as a switch that can be operated with a blind touch without looking at the user's hand, such as an in-vehicle input device.

The drive control unit 162 vibrates the actuator 120 at a frequency of 200 Hz or less. Since the foam material of the foam layer 101B absorbs high frequency components well, it is difficult to vibrate when driven at a relatively high frequency, so it is desirable to drive at a relatively low frequency. From this point of view, as an example, the actuator 120 is vibrated at a frequency of 200 kHz or less to ensure that the vibration is transmitted to the fingertip FT when the foam layer 101B is compressed (the soft pad 101 is compressed).

The light emission control unit 163 controls the light emission of the LED 130. The light emission control unit 163 may turn on all the LEDs 130 when the input device 100 is powered on. For example, the light emission control unit 163 turns off all the LEDs 130 when none of the operation units 105 is selected, and turns off the LED 130 when the fingertip FT approaches one of the operation units 105 and selects the operation unit 105. may be made to emit light.

Further, in the case where each LED 130 includes a plurality of LED elements emitting different colors of light, the light emission control unit 163 may switch the light emission color when the fingertip FT approaches, for example. Further, in the case where each LED 130 includes a plurality of LED elements emitting light of different colors, the light emission control unit 163 may switch the light emission color when a push-in operation is performed, for example. In addition, the light emission control unit 163 controls the light emission state (on or off) of the LED 130 or the light emission state of a plurality of LED elements in accordance with the selection of any of the operation units 105 and the push operation using methods other than these. You may switch.

<Press amount of soft pad 101 for push operation>
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the relationship between the compression ratio of the soft pad 101 and the vibration acceleration generated in the soft pad 101. The characteristics shown in FIG. 3 are, for example, the characteristics obtained when a soft polyurethane having a rebound resilience of 30% to 50% is used as the foam layer 101B.

FIG. 3 shows the relationship between compression ratio and vibration acceleration when three samples A to C are used as the foam layer 101B. Sample A is a foam layer with a rebound resilience of 45%, a density of 50 kg/m ³ , and a 25% hardness of 178N. Sample B is a foam layer with a rebound resilience of 45%, a density of 35 kg/m ³ , and a 25% hardness of 147N. Sample C is a foam layer with a rebound resilience of 40%, a density of 26 kg/m ³ , and a 25% hardness of 108N. Note that the 25% hardness is, for example, the hardness according to JIS (Japanese Industrial Standards) K6400-2, and the rebound resilience is, for example, the resilience according to JIS K6400-3.

There is an electrostatic sensor 110 under the soft pad 101, and the vibration of the actuator 120 is transmitted to the electrostatic sensor 110 via the lid 143, the substrate 144, and the spacer 145 of the support structure 140, and is further transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110. The information is transmitted to the soft pad 101.

Since the foam layer 101B of the soft pad 101 is made of a foam material, when it is not compressed in the vertical direction, it absorbs most of the vibration transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110 and does not transmit it to the operation surface 101S. However, when the foam layer 101B is compressed to some extent, its rigidity increases and transmits the vibration transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110 to the operation surface 101S. That is, when the soft pad 101 is compressed to some extent by the pushing operation, the soft pad 101 transmits the vibration transmitted from the electrostatic sensor 110 to the fingertip FT that is pushing the operating section 105.

Utilizing such characteristics of the foam layer 101B of the soft pad 101, the input device 100 can detect when the soft pad 101 is pushed in to a certain extent by a pushing operation and the foam layer 101B is compressed to the extent that vibration can be transmitted. Then, assuming that the operation input is confirmed by the pressing operation, the actuator 120 is driven to transmit the vibration to the fingertip FT.

In the characteristics shown in FIG. 3, the horizontal axis represents the compression ratio (%) of the soft pad 101, and the vertical axis represents the vibration acceleration generated in the soft pad 101. The compression rate is a value expressed as a percentage of the amount of compression in the vertical direction of the soft pad 101 in a state where no pushing operation is performed, and in this specification, it is expressed as (compression amount of the soft pad 101)/ (Thickness of soft pad 101 before compression) is shown. Acceleration is expressed as a normalized value (without units).

Since the soft pad 101 has a uniform configuration, the compression ratio shown in FIG. 3 can be regarded as the compression ratio of the portion of the entire soft pad 101 that corresponds to one operating portion 105 where the pushing operation is performed. good. For example, if the thickness of the soft pad 101 in a state where no pushing operation is performed is 100, the thickness of the soft pad 101 is 60 when the compression rate is 40%, and the thickness of the soft pad 101 is 60 when the compression rate is 60%. Becomes 40. Note that in actual use, the upper limit of the compression rate of the soft pad 101 is 80%. If the soft pad 101 is compressed so that the compression ratio exceeds 80%, it will be difficult for the foam layer 101B to recover, so the upper limit of the compression ratio is set in this manner. By the way, as is clear from FIG. 3, when sample A has a compression ratio of 91%, sample B has a compression ratio of 88%, and sample C has a compression ratio of 83%, there are no gaps in the foam layer. accepted and no further compression will occur.

The determining unit 161 determines the amount of push by the pushing operation based on the capacitance value of each electrode 111 detected by the detecting unit 150. As the amount of pushing by the pushing operation increases, the distance between the fingertip FT and the electrode 111 narrows, so as the amount of pushing increases, the capacitance value of the electrode 111 detected by the detection unit 150 increases.

Therefore, in the characteristics shown in FIG. 3, the capacitance value of the electrode 111 corresponding to the compression ratio when the slope of acceleration increases to a certain extent may be set as the threshold value used by the determination unit 161 to determine the pushing operation.

In the characteristics shown in FIG. 3, when the compression ratio is less than 40%, the acceleration value is small. Therefore, almost no vibration is felt at the fingertip FT. Then, when the compression ratio becomes 40% or more, the slope of the acceleration of samples A to C becomes large. Therefore, as an example, the input device 100 determines that a pushing operation was performed when the compression ratio became 40% or more. All you have to do is make a determination and confirm the operation input. The threshold value used by the determination unit 161 for determination may be set to the capacitance value of each electrode 111 detected by the detection unit 150 when the compression ratio is 40%. Note that when the pressure caused by the pushing operation is detected by the detection unit 150 using a strain element, a piezoelectric element, etc. instead of the electrostatic sensor 110, the pressure detected by the detection unit 150 when the compression ratio is 40%. You can set it to a value.

As mentioned above, if the compression ratio exceeds 80%, it will be difficult for the foam layer 101B to recover, so the upper limit of the compression ratio needs to be 80%. Therefore, the threshold value used by the determination unit 161 for determination is , 40% or more and 80% or less (40% to 80%) of the capacitance value of the electrode 111 may be set.

Further, in FIG. 3, when the compression ratio of samples A to C becomes 57.4% or more, the slope of the acceleration becomes even larger. The capacitance value may be set to 80% or less from the capacitance value of the electrode 111 corresponding to a compression rate of 4%. The compression ratio of 57.4% is the compression ratio at which the accelerations of samples A to C in FIG. 3 are approximately the same.

Further, the characteristic representing the relationship between the compression ratio of the soft pad 101 and the vibration acceleration generated in the soft pad 101 shown in FIG. 3 may be obtained, for example, as follows. A cushion member corresponding to the soft pad 101 is placed on the substrate (corresponding to the combination of the substrate 144 and the lid 143), an actuator is attached under the substrate, and the substrate is held by a damper rubber (corresponding to the damper 142), etc. It is placed on a fixed part (corresponding to the combined member of the case 141 and the main body 10) via a member. An acceleration sensor is attached to a push rod modeled on a fingertip FT, and while the actuator is driven, the push rod is pressed against the top surface of the cushion member, and the push-pull gauge measures the acceleration when the push rod is gradually pushed in. By measuring, it is possible to obtain a characteristic representing the relationship between compression ratio and acceleration shown in FIG. Note that the stroke measured by the push-pull gauge will not be the same as the actual compression amount of the soft pad 101 because the damper rubber and the urethane member used as a push rod imitating the fingertip FT will be crushed. Since the hardness of is known, the characteristics shown in FIG. 3 can be obtained by performing correction according to the amount of collapse.

Then, based on the obtained characteristics, the compression ratio for determining the pushing operation may be determined, and the capacitance value of the electrode 111 corresponding to the determined compression ratio may be set as the threshold value of the determination unit 161.

<Flowchart>
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing executed by the MCU 160.

When the process starts, the determining unit 161 acquires the capacitance value of each electrode 111 detected by the detecting unit 150 (step S1).

Based on the capacitance value of each electrode 111, the determination unit 161 determines whether an operation input for selecting any of the operation units 105 has been performed (step S2). Since step S2 is a process of determining whether an operation input for selecting the operation unit 105 has been performed, the threshold value of the capacitance value is a threshold value smaller than the threshold value used in step S3 (determination of a push operation), which will be described later. .

If the determination unit 161 determines that an operation input for selecting one of the operation units 105 has been performed (S2: YES), the determination unit 161 causes the corresponding LED 130 to emit light, for example. Then, based on the capacitance value of each electrode 111, it is determined whether a pushing operation has been performed (step S3). The threshold value of the capacitance value for determining whether a pushing operation has been performed is, for example, a value corresponding to the capacitance value of each electrode 111 detected by the detection unit 150 when the compression ratio is 60%. Also, it may be determined that a push operation has been performed when the threshold value is exceeded once, but considering noise etc., it may be determined that a push operation has been performed when the threshold value is exceeded a predetermined number of times within a predetermined time. You may do so. By performing the push operation, the operation input by the push operation is determined. The determination unit 161 notifies a device that uses the input device 100 as an input unit that the operation input by the push operation has been confirmed. As a result, the device that received the notification executes the function corresponding to the operation unit 105 on which the pressing operation was performed.

When the determination unit 161 determines that a pushing operation has been performed (S3: YES), the drive control unit 162 vibrates the actuator 120 in a predetermined pattern for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times (step S4). As a result, vibrations are transmitted to the operation unit 105 that is compressed by the pressing operation, and the vibrations can be presented to the fingertip FT performing the pressing operation, and the user can confirm that the pressing operation has been accepted by the input device 100. can be perceived. In addition, in step S3, when it is determined that a pushing operation has been performed, the actuator 120 is vibrated in a predetermined pattern for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, and when the actuator 120 is vibrating, the capacitance value is No measurements will be taken. Therefore, even if the capacitance value becomes equal to or less than the threshold value during the vibration operation, the vibration operation does not stop. Note that the capacitance value may be always acquired at predetermined time intervals, but in that case, the comparison with the threshold value is not performed during the vibration operation, or even if the comparison is made, the result is ignored. etc.

The MCU 160 repeatedly executes the process from start to end in each control cycle. Note that the determination unit 161 determines that an operation input for selecting the operation unit 105 has not been performed in step S2 (S2: NO), and that a push operation has not been performed in step S3 (S3: NO). If it is determined, the processing of the control cycle is ended (end).

<Effect>
As described above, the input device 100 includes the skin layer 101A having the operation surface 101S on which operation input is performed using the fingertip FT, the foam layer 101B provided on the opposite side of the skin layer 101A from the operation surface 101S, and the foam layer 101B. The device includes an electrostatic sensor 110 that can detect the fingertip FT, and an actuator 120 that can apply vibration to the foam layer 101B. The input device 100 also includes a detection unit 150 that detects the capacitance of the capacitive sensor 110, and a push button in which the fingertip FT pushes the operation surface 101S when the capacitance detected by the detection unit 150 exceeds a predetermined threshold. It includes a determination unit 161 that determines that an operation has been performed, and a drive control unit 162 that drives the actuator 120 when the determination unit 161 determines that a pushing operation has been performed. This value corresponds to the amount of compression that is more than the value of .

Therefore, when the skin layer 101A is pushed in and the foamed layer 101B is compressed by a predetermined value, the determination unit 161 determines that a pushing operation has been performed and generates vibration. This allows the operator to recognize that a press has been determined.

Therefore, it is possible to provide the input device 100 that can transmit vibrations only to the operating section 105. In addition, the foamed material does not vibrate if the amount of compression is small, and only the compressed part (operation section 105) transmits vibrations, so the load required to vibrate can be suppressed, and the entire operation surface 101S Vibration can be presented to the fingertip FT that is pressing the operation unit 105 with less vibration energy than an input device that vibrates. Further, the soft pad 101 can be used as it is as an interior item such as a trim in the interior of a vehicle, and the operating section 105 can be provided at various locations in the interior of the vehicle. Further, since the soft pad 101 acts as a vibration damping material in the portion where it is not pushed in, transmission of vibrations to areas other than the operating section 105 can be minimized.

In addition, the predetermined threshold value is a value corresponding to the amount of pushing that compresses the foam layer 101B by 40% or more, so in that state, the foam layer 101B can transmit vibrations and exhibit vibrations to the fingertip FT. Can be done. Further, the predetermined threshold value is set to a value corresponding to a pushing amount that compresses the compressor by 80% or less, and when the predetermined threshold value is exceeded, vibrations are generated. This allows the operator to recognize that it has been determined that the button has been pressed, so there is little possibility that the operator will press the button any further. Therefore, it is unlikely that the foam layer 101B will be compressed by 80% or more. If the foam layer 101B is compressed by more than 80%, it will be difficult to recover, but this possibility can be reduced.

Since the actuator 120 vibrates in a direction along the operating direction of the push operation, it can present vibrations in a direction that repels the direction in which the user applies force to the fingertip FT (downward), and the vibration is easily transmitted to the fingertip FT. , it is possible to make it easier for users to perceive vibrations.

Further, the actuator 120 and the electrostatic sensor 110 are coupled directly or indirectly, and the foam layer 101B is provided separately from the input drive unit 100A, which is a combination of the actuator 120 and the electrostatic sensor 110. and is assembled to the input drive section 100A. Therefore, by placing the soft pad 101 including the foam layer 101B on the electrostatic sensor 110 and attaching it to the main body 10 via the frame member 20 without bonding the soft pad 101 to the input drive unit 100A, input The device 100 can be easily attached to the main body 10. At the same time, since the actuator 120 vibrates in a direction along the operating direction of the push operation, the vibration can be transmitted to the fingertip FT without bonding the soft pad 101 to the input drive unit 100A.

Additionally, the drive control unit 162 causes the actuator 120 to vibrate at a frequency of 200 Hz or less. Since the soft pad 101 has the property of absorbing vibrations with high frequency components well, by vibrating the actuator 120 with vibrations in a frequency band that is difficult to be absorbed by the soft pad 101, vibrations can be easily transmitted to the fingertip FT. Can be done.

The electrostatic sensor 110 further includes an LED 130 provided on the side opposite to the side where the foam layer 101B is located, and the electrostatic sensor 110 is transparent and can be visually recognized from the operation surface 101S side by illumination of the LED 130. The epidermal layer 101A is illuminated. Since the foam layer 101B has a light diffusion effect, the operating section 105 can be uniformly illuminated. Furthermore, visibility and design can be improved by illuminating the operation unit 105.

Note that the above description has been made of a form in which the soft pad 101 is assembled onto the electrostatic sensor 110 in an uncompressed state. However, the soft pad 101 may be assembled onto the electrostatic sensor 110 in a somewhat compressed state.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an input device 100M according to a modification of the embodiment. In the input device 100M, the soft pad 101 is assembled on the electrostatic sensor 110 in a compressed state of about 30%, for example. The other configurations are the same as the input device 100 shown in FIG. 2A.

If the frame member 20 is thinner than that shown in FIG. 2A, the soft pad 101 is soft, so it can be assembled onto the electrostatic sensor 110 with the lower surface side compressed.

In this way, the amount of pressing until the pressing operation is confirmed can be reduced, so the amount of pressing at which vibration is exhibited when the pressing operation is confirmed can be adjusted. Note that, since the soft pad 101 includes the foam layer 101B, the position of the operation surface 101S, which is the upper surface of the skin layer 101A, hardly changes. Therefore, even if the skin layer 101A is made of an interior item such as interior trim of a vehicle, for example, there will be almost no difference in level on the operation surface 101S.

Although the input device of the exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiment, and various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the claims. It is possible to transform and change.

This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-102203 filed on June 24, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated into this international application by reference herein. shall be taken as a thing.

100 Input device 100A Input drive section (an example of a combined body)
101 Soft pad

101A Skin layer

101B Foam layer

101S Operation surface 105 Operation section 110 Electrostatic sensor (an example of a detection element)
111 Electrode 120 Actuator (an example of a vibration element)
130 LED (example of lighting part)
131 Light guide section 140 Support structure 141 Case 142 Damper 143 Lid 144 Substrate 145 Spacer 150 Detection section 160 MCU
161 Judgment unit 162 Drive control unit 163 Light emission control unit

Claims

an epidermal layer having an operation surface on which operation input is performed by an operation body;
a foam layer provided on the opposite side of the operating surface of the skin layer;
a detection element that is arranged on a side opposite to the side where the operation surface is located with respect to the foam layer and is capable of detecting the operation body;
a vibration element capable of imparting vibration to the foam layer;
a detection unit that detects the detection amount of the detection element;
a determining unit that determines that a pushing operation in which the operating body pushes the operating surface has been performed when the detection amount detected by the detecting unit exceeds a predetermined threshold;
a drive control unit that drives the vibration element when the determination unit determines that the pushing operation has been performed;
The predetermined threshold value is a value corresponding to a pushing amount that compresses the foam layer by a predetermined value or more.
The input device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is a value corresponding to a pushing amount that compresses the foam layer by 40 to 80%.
The input device according to claim 2, wherein the vibration element vibrates in a direction along the operating direction of the pushing operation.
The vibrating element and the detecting element are coupled directly or indirectly, and the foam layer is provided separately from the combined body of the vibrating element and the detecting element, and the foam layer is provided separately from the combined body of the vibrating element and the detecting element. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the input device is assembled.
The input device according to claim 2, wherein the drive control section vibrates the vibration element at a frequency of 200Hz or less.
The vibration element and the detection element constitute a combined body that is directly or indirectly connected,
The input device according to claim 2, wherein the foam layer is assembled to the composite body in a compressed state.
The input device according to claim 4, wherein the foam layer is assembled to the composite body in a compressed state.
further comprising a lighting section provided on a side opposite to the side where the foam layer is located with respect to the detection element,
the detection element is transparent;
The input device according to claim 2, wherein the epidermal layer is illuminated by the illumination of the illumination section so as to be visible from the operation surface side.