INPUT DEVICE

• US 20200133043A1
• Filed: 06/21/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: TOGASHI, YASUYUKI
• Granted Patent: US 10,976,584 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13338 Input devices, e.g. touch panels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04102 Flexible digitiser, i.e. constructional details for allowing the whole digitising part of a device to be flexed or rolled like a sheet of paper
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display

Abstract

An input device includes an input receiving member, a base, a pressure sensor, an actuator, and a flexible member. A pressing input operation is performed on the input receiving member. The input receiving member is attached to the base. The pressure sensor is disposed on the base to be in contact with the input receiving member and configured to detect a pressure exerted on the input receiving member during the pressing input operation. The actuator is disposed at least on the input receiving member and configured to vibrate the input receiving member in a direction perpendicular to a pressing direction in which the pressing input operation is performed. The flexible member is attached to the input pressing member and the base. The flexible member is elastically deformable in the pressing direction and a vibrating direction in which the actuator causes a vibration.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an input receiving member on which a pressing input operation is performed;

a base to which the input receiving member is attached;

at least one pressure sensor disposed on the base to be in contact with the input receiving member and configured to detect a pressure exerted on the input receiving member during the pressing input operation;

an actuator disposed at least on the input receiving member and configured to vibrate the input receiving member in a direction perpendicular to a pressing direction in which the pressing input operation is performed; and

at least one flexible member attached to the input pressing member and the base, the at least one flexible member being elastically deformable in the pressing direction and a vibrating direction in which the actuator causes a vibration.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is an electromagnetic actuator including:

a fixed portion attached to the base; and

a movable portion attached to the input receiving portion and movable in the vibrating direction relative to the fixed portion.

3. The input device according to claim 2, further comprising a plate spring extending in the vibrating direction and being elastically deformable in the pressing direction, the plate spring including:

a first end attached to the movable portion; and

a second end attached to the input receiving member.

4. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is an inertial drive actuator separated from the base and attached exclusively to the input receiving member.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one flexible member includes:

two first spring portions extending in the pressing direction and including first ends attached to the input receiving member or the base; and

a second spring portion coupled to second ends of the first spring portions, the second spring portion extending in a direction crossing the pressing direction and turning.

6. The input device according to claim 5, wherein the second spring portion has a width smaller than a width of the first spring portions.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein

the input receiving member has a rectangular shape in a plan view,

the at least one pressure sensor includes pressure sensors,

the at least one flexible member includes flexible members,

the pressure sensors and the flexible members are disposed at corners of the input receiving member, and

the actuator is disposed on an inner side of the input receiving member relative to the pressure sensors and the flexible members.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the input receiving member comprises:

a display panel including a display surface for displaying an image; and

a touch panel pattern for detecting a location of the pressing input operation on the display surface.