Coordinate input unit

• US 4,983,787 A
• Filed: 08/10/1988
• Issued: 01/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kokoku Rubber Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Kokoku Rubber Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Kunikane, Takahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US07/230,615
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 340/706
• 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

The coordinate input unit is provided with a coordinate input pad in which one or more pairs of sheet-like electrodes for a function switch held by a pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheet having weighed input sensitivity different from that of another pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheet, is laminated on a pair of flexible, sheet-like electrode groups for coordinate input having a plural number of electrodes in accordance with the pressing position, and which is held by the latter pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheets. The described coordinate input unit allows to perform several input operations of coordinate input and using several function switches using only one hand.

Claims

1. A coordinate input unit for converting and detecting a pressing position in accordance with the coordinate to be applied into an electric signal, said coordinate input unit comprising a coordinate input pad in which one or more pairs of sheet-like electrodes for a function switch held by a pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheet having weighed input sensitivity different from that of another pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheet is laminated on a pair of flexible, sheet-like electrode groups for coordinate input having a plural number of electrodes in accordance with the pressing position and which is held by the latter pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheet.

2. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein said coordinate input pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheet has smaller input load, which attains the conductive resistance, than the pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheet for a switch.

3. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the difference between the input loads which attain the conductive resistances of the respective pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheets is about 20 g.

4. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the input coordinate is displayed on a CRT.

5. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein said function switch is a switch for performing the display control of the input coordinate.

6. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 1, wherein the two or more, laminated pressure-sensitive, electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

7. A coordinate input unit according to claim 1, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

8. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 2, wherein the input coordinate is displayed on a CRT.

9. A coordinate input unit in accordance with claim 3, wherein the input coordinate is displayed on a CRT.

10. A coordinate input unit according to claim 2, wherein said function switch is a switch for performing the display control of the input coordinate.

11. A coordinate input unit according to claim 3, wherein said function switch is a switch for performing the display control of the input coordinate.

12. A coordinate input unit according to claim 4, wherein said function switch is a switch for performing the display control of the input coordinate.

13. A coordinate input unit according to claim 8, wherein said function switch is a switch for performing the display control of the input coordinate.

14. A coordinate input unit according to claim 9, wherein said function switch is a switch for performing the display control of the input coordinate.

15. A coordinate input unit according to claim 2, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

16. A coordinate input unit according to claim 3, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

17. A coordinate input unit according to claim 4, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

18. A coordinate input unit according to claim 8, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

19. A coordinate input unit according to claim 9, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

20. A coordinate input unit according to claim 5, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

21. A coordinate input unit according to claim 10, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

22. A coordinate input unit according to claim 11, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

23. A coordinate input unit according to claim 12, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

24. A coordinate input unit according to claim 13, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

25. A coordinate input unit according to claim 14, wherein the two or more laminated pressure-sensitive electroconductive sheets are formed in the same composition and have different thicknesses, respectively.

26. A coordinate input unit according to claim 2, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

27. A coordinate input unit according to claim 3, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

28. A coordinate input unit according to claim 4, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

29. A coordinate input unit according to claim 8, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

30. A coordinate input unit according to claim 9, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

31. A coordinate input unit according to claim 5, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

32. A coordinate input unit according to claim 10, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

33. A coordinate input unit according to claim 11, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

34. A coordinate input unit according to claim 12, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

35. A coordinate input unit according to claim 13, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

36. A coordinate input unit according to claim 14, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

37. A coordinate input unit according to claim 6, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

38. A coordinate input unit according to claim 15, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

39. A coordinate input unit according to claim 16, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

40. A coordinate input unit according to claim 17, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

41. A coordinate input unit according to claim 18, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

42. A coordinate input unit according to claim 19, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

43. A coordinate input unit according to claim 20, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

44. A coordinate input unit according to claim 21, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

45. A coordinate input unit according to claim 23, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

46. A coordinate input unit according to claim 23, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

47. A coordinate input unit according to claim 24, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.

48. A coordinate input unit according to claim 25, also comprising an insulated mesh of varying thickness, said insulated mesh having an opening, wherein said insulated mesh adheres to one or both sides of said pressure-sensitive sheets, wherein an input load sensitivity may be varied by changing the thickness of said insulated mesh or by varying said opening, or by changing both said thickness and said opening.