INPUT DEVICE

• US 20080122793A1
• Filed: 07/03/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Takeshi, Chida, Takayuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,044,938 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

To provide a thin input device capable of preventing foreign materials from entering into a gap between an input panel and a chassis and thus preventing malfunctioning of the input panel. A first detection base 3 is made of a thin material and has a planar size larger than a second detection base 4. A chassis 8 includes a side portion 9 opposed to a side surface of a touch panel 2 and a supporting portion 10 opposed to a bottom surface. The touch panel 2 is received in the inside of the chassis 8 in a state where an inner surface 3a of the first detection base 3 is opposed to a top surface 9a on an input side of the side portion 9 of the chassis so as to cover a gap 14 between the side portion 9 of the chassis 8 and a side surface of the touch panel 2 with the first detection base 3 from the input side of the chassis 8. The inner surface 3a of the first detection base 3 is attached to the top surface 9a of the side portion 9.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an input panel in which a pair of detection bases is opposed to each other and to which data can be inputted by means of an input unit; and

a chassis that receives the input panel,

wherein the first detection base disposed on an input side of both detection bases is made of a thin material and has a planar size larger than that of the second detection base disposed on an anti-input side thereof,

wherein the chassis includes a side portion opposed to a side surface of the input panel and a supporting portion opposed to a bottom surface of the input panel, and

wherein the input panel is received in the chassis in a state where an inner surface on the anti-input side of the first detection base is opposed to a top surface on the input side of the side portion so as to cover a gap between the side portion and the side surface of the input panel with the first detection base from the input side of the chassis.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the first detection base is attached to the top surface of the side portion.

3. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein a first detector is disposed on the inner surface side of the first detection base and a second detector is disposed on the inner surface side which is the input side of the second detection base, and

wherein a gap in the side portion between the first detector and the second detector is kept at a predetermined size, and a slope inclined toward the inside of the chassis in which the input panel is disposed is disposed in the top surface of the side portion, in which a contact portion with the inner surface of the first detection base is a base end of the slope.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the slope is inclined up to the height of the top surface on the input side in the second detector, in which the contact portion with the inner surface of the first detection base is a base end of the slope.

5. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the side portion includes a protrusion that protrudes from the input panel side so as to be disposed in a gap between the inner surface of the first detection base and the inner surface of the second detection base in which the second detector is disposed,

wherein a part in the second detection base other than the portion opposed to the protrusion includes an upper end portion that has a height greater than that of the other part in the second detection base, and

wherein the height of the distal end of the slope is set to be a height of the top surface on the input side of the second detector disposed on the upper end portion.

6. The input device according to claim 5, wherein a surface on the anti-input side of the protrusion is attached to the inner surface of the second detection base.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a decoration layer is provided on the outer periphery on the input side or the anti-input side of the first detection base.

8. The input device according to claim 7, wherein the decoration layer is provided in a non-input area other than the input area of the input panel to which data can be inputted.

9. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the decoration layer is provided on the surface on the input side of the first detection base and a decoration film covering the decoration layer is provided on the input side of the first detection base.

10. An electronic device comprising:

an input device, the input device comprising an input panel in which a pair of detection bases is opposed to each other and to which data can be inputted by means of an input unit, and a chassis that receives the input panel,

wherein the first detection base disposed on an input side of both detection bases is made of a thin material and has a planar size larger than that of the second detection base disposed on an anti-input side thereof,

wherein the chassis includes a side portion opposed to a side surface of the input panel and a supporting portion opposed to a bottom surface of the input panel, and

wherein the input panel is received in the chassis in a state where an inner surface on the anti-input side of the first detection base is opposed to a top surface on the input side of the side portion so as to cover a gap between the side portion and the side surface of the input panel with the first detection base from the input side of the chassis.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the inner surface of the first detection base is attached to the top surface of the side portion.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein a first detector is disposed on the inner surface side of the first detection base and a second detector is disposed on the inner surface side which is the input side of the second detection base, and

wherein a gap in the side portion between the first detector and the second detector is kept at a predetermined size, and a slope inclined toward the inside of the chassis in which the input panel is disposed is disposed in the top surface of the side portion, in which a contact portion with the inner surface of the first detection base is a base end of the slope.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the slope is inclined up to the height of the top surface on the input side in the second detector, in which the contact portion with the inner surface of the first detection base is a base end of the slope.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the side portion includes a protrusion that protrudes from the input panel side so as to be disposed in a gap between the inner surface of the first detection base and the inner surface of the second detection base in which the second detector is disposed,

wherein a part in the second detection base other than the portion opposed to the protrusion includes an upper end portion that has a height greater than that of the other part in the second detection base, and

wherein the height of the distal end of the slope is set to be a height of the top surface on the input side of the second detector disposed on the upper end portion.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein a surface on the anti-input side of the protrusion is attached to the inner surface of the second detection base.

16. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein a decoration layer is provided on the outer periphery on the input side or the anti-input side of the first detection base.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the decoration layer is provided in a non-input area other than the input area of the input panel to which data can be inputted.

18. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the decoration layer is provided on the surface on the input side of the first detection base and a decoration film covering the decoration layer is provided on the input side of the first detection base.