Coordinate input device

• US 5,479,191 A
• Filed: 08/29/1994
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
• Inventors: Komatsu, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN, VIVIAN C
• Application Number:
  US08/296,887
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 345/157, 345/161, 345/163, 345/168, 345/156, 200/16 C, 307/116, 307/112
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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

Abstract

The coordinate input device of the present invention can output a coordinate signal by using a change in a variation amount of an electrostatic capacity. Therefore, mechanical portions of the coordinate input device are reduced in number so that an increase in the life period and an improvement in reliability of the device are easily realized, while not wastefully consuming power, except during a period when the coordinate signal is outputted. The coordinate input device of the present invention outputs the coordinate signal on the basis of a variation amount of an electrostatic capacity which is defined by the position of a dielectric unit between electrode faces and an electrode face confronting these electrode faces. The dielectric unit moves in accordance with the movement of an operation knob. A program mode changeover switch is operated in accordance with the movement of a movable unit which can reciprocate together with the operation knob. When a finger(s) is (are) removed from the operation knob, the operation knob and the movable unit are returned to a home position and a reference position by home-position return springs 8 and a reference-position return spring.

Claims

1. A coordinate input device comprising:

two conductors which confront each other in an electrically insulated manner and which form a space between them and a coordinating direction perpendicular to said two conductors; and

a dielectric unit which is slidable in the space formed by said two confronting conductors in directions perpendicular to the confronting direction of said two conductors between a reference position and a nonreference position which deviates from said reference position, and which, when a deviation amount from said reference position is changed, changes an electrostatic capacity of said two conductors to a value which corresponds to the deviation amount.

2. A coordinate input device according to claim 1, wherein a coordinate signal is generated on the basis of a variation amount of the electrostatic capacity which varies in accordance with a position of said dielectric unit, and

said device further comprising:

an operation knob which is slidable in the sliding directions of said dielectric unit, which can reciprocate in the confronting direction of said two conductors, and which is connected to said dielectric unit only in the sliding direction, thereby causing said dielectric unit to follow said operation knob;

a reference position return spring for always urging said operation knob towards said reference position of said dielectric unit;

a movable unit which is reciprocated in accordance with a reciprocating operation of said operation knob in the confronting direction of said two conductors;

a home-position return spring for always urging said movable unit and said operation knob toward a projection position; and

a program mode changeover switch which is switched between an ON-state and an OFF-state by a reciprocating operation of said movable unit.

3. A coordinate input device according to claim 2, wherein said device further comprises:

a determination switch for determining a coordinate signal which depends on a position of said dielectric unit in a space formed by said two confronting conductors; and

a cancel switch for canceling said coordinate signal.

4. A coordinate input device according to claim 3, wherein said dielectric unit, said two conductors which sandwiches said dielectric unit, and which are respectively disposed on both sides of said dielectric unit, said reference-position return spring, said movable unit, said home-position return spring, and said operation mode changeover switch are housed in a hollow case which can manually be pulled and/or pushed while being held with a hand,

said operation knob has a shaft which is connected to said dielectric unit only in the sliding direction of said dielectric unit, and a flange-like operation portion which is disposed at an end of said shaft, and which is exposed from one face of said hollow case, and

a determination switch and a cancel switch set disposed on both faces of said hollow case.

5. A coordinate input device according to claim 4, wherein said device further comprises:

an operation mode changeover switch for invalidating a switching operation according to said determination switch and said cancel switch disposed on one face of said hollow case, and a switching operation according to said determination switch and said cancel switch disposed on the other face of said hollow case, and for validating the other switching operation.

6. A coordinate input device according to claim 5, wherein said operation mode changeover switch is disposed on a side face of said hollow case.

7. A coordinate input device comprising:

a first member having four electrode faces which are arranged along the periphery of an aperature and at equal angles;

a second member having an electrode face which confronts said four electrode faces of said first member through a gap, and an aperature which is concentric with said aperature of said first member;

a dielectric unit which is disposed between said four electrode faces of said first member and said electrode face of said second member, so as to be slidable in directions which are perpendicular to a confronting direction of said electrode faces of said members;

a movable unit which is attached to said first member so as to be able to reciprocate only in the confronting direction of said four electrode faces of said first member and said electrode face of said second member, and which has an aperature which is concentric with said aperatures of said first and second members;

a program mode changeover switch which is switched between an ON-state and an OFF-state by a reciprocating operation of said movable unit;

an operation knob having a shaft, and a flange-like operation portion which is disposed at an end of said shaft, said shaft being loosely passed through said aperatures of said movable unit and said second member and connected to said dielectric unit so as to be movable in an axial direction, said flange-like operation portion slidably overlapping with a peripheral portion of said aperature of said movable unit;

a reference-position return spring, interposed between said shaft of said operation knob and said movable unit, for always urging said operation knob toward a reference position;

a home-position return spring, interposed between said movable unit and said first member, for always urging said movable unit and said operation knob toward a projection position; and

a hollow case which houses said first member, said second member, said dielectric unit, said movable unit, said program mode changeover switch, said reference position return spring, and said home-position return spring, and which can manually be pulled and/or pushed while being held with a hand, said operation portion of said operation knob being exposed from one face side of said hollow case.

8. A coordinate input device according to claim 7, wherein said device further comprises:

a determination switch for determining a coordinate signal which depends on a position of said dielectric unit in a space formed by two confronting conductors; and

a cancel switch for canceling said coordinate signal.

9. A coordinate input device according to claim 8, wherein a determination switch and cancel switch set is disposed on both faces of said hollow case.

10. A coordinate input device according to claim 9, wherein said device further comprises:

an operation mode changeover switch for invalidating a switching operation according to said determination switch and said cancel switch disposed on one face of said hollow case, and a switching operation according to said determination switch and said cancel switch disposed on the other face of said hollow case, and for validating the other switching operation.

11. A coordinate input device according to claim 7, wherein said device is detachably mounted on a case of a computer apparatus having a display device on which a cursor is to be displayed.