Direction Dection Switch

• US 20070257886A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sunarrow Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Sunarrow Ltd.
• Inventors: Uotani, Toshiaki, Koga, Shuji
• Granted Patent: US 7,852,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/160
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a direction detecting switch which can detect a key operation in every directions of 360 degree, can obtain an accurate click feeling, and can also detect a strength or a speed of the key operation. A direction detecting switch is comprised of a determining key arranged in a center portion; a ring key arranged so as to surround said determining key; a movable electrode arranged so as to be operative in accordance with an operation of the ring key; a fixed electrode arranged so as to face to said movable electrode; and a click operation body arranged in correspondence to said determining key, wherein a key top of said determining key and a ring key top of the ring key are arranged so as to be fixed onto a sheet-like rubber elastic member, wherein said click operation body is pressed in accordance with an operation of the determining key so as to open and close the contact point and is formed as a structure generating a click feeling, and wherein said click operation body is formed as a structure which detects a change of an electrostatic capacity generated between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode and converts the change into an electric signal so as to output, at a time of the pressing operation of the ring key in an optional direction of 360 degree, and a click feeling is always obtainable by pressing said click operation body.

Claims

1. A direction detecting switch comprising:

a determining key arranged in a center portion;

a ring key arranged so as to surround said determining key;

a movable electrode arranged so as to be operative in accordance with an operation of the ring key;

a fixed electrode arranged so as to face to said movable electrode; and

a click operation body arranged in correspondence to said determining key,

wherein a key top of said determining key and a ring key top of the ring key are arranged so as to be fixed onto a rubber material such as a silicone rubber or the like, or a sheet-like rubber elastic member made of an elastic material such as a thermoplastic elastomer or the like,

wherein said click operation body is pressed in accordance with an operation of the determining key so as to open and close the contact point and is formed as a structure generating a click feeling, and

wherein said click operation body is formed as a structure which detects a change of an electrostatic capacity generated between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode and converts the change into an electric signal so as to output, at a time of the pressing operation of the ring key in an optional direction of 360 degree, and a click feeling is always obtainable by pressing said click operation body.

2. A direction detecting switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ring-shaped movable electrode is provided so as to be inclined in a tapered two-line cross sectional shape, and an angle of incline of the movable electrode of said pressing portion is deformed so as to becomes smaller step by step at a time of pressing the ring key, by a gap portion formed between the sheet-like rubber elastic member at a position firmly fixing said movable electrode and a back surface of the key top of the ring key.

3. A direction detecting switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein bent portions which are respectively bent in an approximately bellows shape are provided at positions in outer peripheral portions of the key top and the ring key top of the respective determining key and ring key of the sheet-like rubber elastic member, and the sheet-like rubber elastic member is smoothly deformed at a time of the push-down operation of the determining key and the ring key.

4. A direction determining switch as claimed in claim 1, wherein said click operation body is pressed by a projection of the determining key at a time of operating the determining key and operating the ring key.