Optical scanning-type touch panel

• US 6,664,952 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2001
• Issued: 12/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Yasuhide, Sano, Satoshi, Nakazawa, Fumihiko, Yamaguchi, Nobuyasu
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Dennis-Doon
• Application Number:
  US09/843,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20010028344A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• Field of Search: 345/175, 345/173, 345/156, 345/157, 345/179, 178/18.01, 178/18.09, 178/18.03, 250/221, 250/231.1
• US Class Current: 345/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0423 using sweeping light beams, e.g. using rotating or vibrating mirror

Abstract

An optical unit of an optical scanning-type touch panel is constructed by providing a light emitting element for emitting infrared laser light, a collimation lens for changing the laser light from the light emitting element into parallel light, a light receiving element for receiving scanning light, a slit plate for limiting incident light on the light receiving element, a polygon mirror for angularly scanning the laser light from the light emitting element, an aperture mirror for limiting light projected onto the polygon mirror from the collimation lens by an aperture and for reflecting the reflected light from the polygon mirror toward the light receiving element, a light receiving lens for focusing the reflected light from the aperture mirror, and a motor for rotating the polygon mirror in a single optical unit main body as one unit.

Claims

1. An optical scanning-type touch panel comprising:

an optical scanner for angularly scanning light in a plane substantially parallel to a predetermined region; and

an optical transceiver for projecting light onto said optical scanner and receiving part of scanning light of said optical scanner;

for measuring a scanning light cut-off position, which is produced in said predetermined region by an indicator, based on a light receiving output of said optical transceiver that corresponds to a scanning angle, said optical scanning-type touch panel being characterized in that

said optical scanner comprises a polygon mirror and a motor for rotating said polygon mirror,

said optical transceiver comprises a light emitting element, a collimation lens for changing light from said light emitting element into parallel light, a light receiving element for receiving part of said scanning light, an aperture mirror for limiting the parallel light from said collimation lens and reflecting part of said scanning light toward said light receiving element, a light receiving lens for focusing reflected light from said aperture mirror on said light receiving element, and a slit plate for limiting focused light from said light receiving lens, and

said polygon mirror, motor, light emitting element, collimation lens, light receiving element, aperture mirror, light receiving lens and slit plate are mounted on a single base body as one unit.

2. An optical scanning-type touch panel comprising:

an optical scanner for angularly scanning light in a plane substantially parallel to a predetermined region; and

an optical transceiver for projecting light onto said optical scanner and receiving part of scanning light of said optical scanner;

for measuring a scanning light cut-off position, which is produced in said predetermined region by an indicator, based on a light receiving output of said optical transceiver that corresponds to a scanning angle, said optical scanning-type touch panel being characterized in that

said optical scanner and said optical transceiver are mounted on a single base body as one unit, and

a polygon mirror and a motor constituting said optical scanner are fixed with a single mounting member by interposing a movement adjusting ring and a polygon mirror pressing member between said polygon mirror and motor.

3. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 2,

wherein inside of said polygon mirror has a spot-facing structure.

4. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 3,

wherein an outside diameter of said polygon mirror pressing member is smaller than a diameter of an inscribed circle of said polygon mirror.

5. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 2,

wherein an upper portion and/or lower portion of both ends of said polygon mirror are chamfered.

6. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 2,

wherein said polygon mirror is made of nickel or stainless steel.

7. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 6,

wherein an aluminum film and an SiO₂ film are provided on a surface of said polygon mirror.

8. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 2,

wherein a groove is formed at a motor shaft peripheral section of a bearing surface for mounting said polygon mirror and motor.

9. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 8;

wherein said groove formed at the motor shaft peripheral section of the bearing surface for mounting said polygon mirror and motor has a depth of no less than 0.2 mm and a width of no less than 0.5 mm.

10. An optical scanning-type touch panel comprising:

an optical scanner for angularly scanning light in a plane substantially parallel to a predetermined region; and

an optical transceiver for projecting light onto said optical scanner and receiving part of scanning light of said optical scanner;

for measuring a scanning light cut-off position, which is produced in said predetermined region by an indicator, based on a light receiving output of said optical transceiver that corresponds to a scanning angle, said optical scanning-type touch panel being characterized in that

said optical scanner and said optical transceiver are mounted on a single base body as one unit,

said optical transceiver comprises a light emitting element, a collimation lens for changing light from said light emitting element into parallel light and a lens holder for fixing said collimation lens, said lens holder having a groove running in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis, and

a collimate adjustment is performed by inserting a deflecting jig into said groove from a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and moving said lens holder in a direction parallel to the optical axis to make a fine adjustment to a distance between said light emitting element and said collimation lens.

11. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein, after the collimate adjustment, said lens holder is pressed by a plate spring from a direction which is perpendicular to the optical axis and also perpendicular to the deflecting jig,

and further said plate spring is fixed with a detachable mounting member.

12. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein, after the collimate adjustment, said lens holder is pressed by a plate spring from a direction which is perpendicular to the optical axis and parallel to the deflecting jig, and further said plate spring is fixed with a detachable mounting member.

13. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein a section of said plate spring for fixing said lens holder, which comes into contact with said lens holder, is made wider in a concave shape.

14. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein a width of said plate spring for fixing said lens holder is larger than a width of said lens holder.

15. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein a washer having a diameter larger than a diameter of said mounting member is interposed between said plate spring for fixing said lens holder and said mounting member.

16. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein a section of said plate spring for fixing said lens holder, which comes into contact with said lens holder, is made wider in a cross shape, and an end portion of the cross-shaped section is curved.

17. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein, when fixing said plate spring for fixing said lens holder, a fix portion of said plate spring, which is located distant from said lens holder, is fixed first, and a fix portion located close to said lens holder is fixed after the collimate adjustment.

18. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 10,

wherein, a ratio of distances from said lens holder to two fix portions of said plate spring for fixing said lens holder is not more than 1:

3.

19. An optical scanning-type touch panel comprising:

an optical scanner for angularly scanning light in a plane substantially parallel to a predetermined region; and

an optical transceiver for projecting light onto said optical scanner and receiving part of scanning light of said optical scanner;

for measuring a scanning light cut-off position, which is produced in said predetermined region by an indicator, based on a light receiving output of said optical transceiver that corresponds to a scanning angle, said optical scanning-type touch panel being characterized in that

said optical scanner and said optical transceiver are mounted on a single base body as one unit, and

said optical transceiver comprises a light emitting element, a collimation lens for changing light from said light emitting element into parallel light, and an aperture for limiting a size of light from said collimation lens, said aperture being formed in two or more stages.

20. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 19,

wherein an inner surface of said aperture does not have a mirror finish.

21. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 19,

wherein said aperture has an elliptical shape or a circular shape.

22. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 19,

wherein a section of said base body, which comes into contact with said aperture, has a reduced thickness.

23. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 22,

wherein the section of said base body, which comes into contact with said aperture, has a thickness of no more than 1 mm.

24. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 19,

wherein a size of an opening of said base body at a section to be in contact with said aperture is larger than a size of an exit of said aperture, but is smaller than a size of an entrance of said aperture.

25. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 19,

wherein said optical transceiver further comprises a light receiving element for receiving part of scanning light and an aperture mirror constructed by forming a mirror for guiding part of scanning light to said light receiving element and said aperture as one body.

26. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 25,

wherein said aperture mirror includes a pasted mirror.

27. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 25,

wherein positioning of said base body and said aperture mirror is implemented by a move-and-touch structure.

28. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 27,

wherein a touched section between said base body and said aperture mirror is provided with a clearance hole.

29. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 25,

wherein said aperture mirror is fixed to said base body with a detachable mounting member.

30. An optical scanning-type touch panel comprising:

an optical scanner for angularly scanning light in a plane substantially parallel to a predetermined region; and

an optical transceiver for projecting light onto said optical scanner and receiving part of scanning light of said optical scanner;

for measuring a scanning light cut-off position, which is produced in said predetermined region by an indicator, based on a light receiving output of said optical transceiver that corresponds to a scanning angle, said optical scanning-type touch panel being characterized in that

said optical scanner and said optical transceiver are mounted on a single base body as one unit,

said optical transceiver comprises a light receiving element for receiving part of scanning light, a light receiving lens for focusing light on said light receiving element, and a lens holder for fixing said light receiving lens, said lens holder having a groove running in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis, and

a fine adjustment is made to a distance between said light receiving element and said light receiving lens by inserting a deflecting jig into said groove from a direction perpendicular to the optical axis and moving said lens holder in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

31. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 30,

wherein said optical transceiver further comprises a slit plate having a slit for limiting light from said light receiving lens, said slit plate being mounted on said base body so that said slit plate is movable in a direction of a minor axis of said slit.

32. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 30,

wherein said optical transceiver further comprises a slit plate having a slit for limiting light from said light receiving lens, said slit plate being inserted into a groove-like holding section of said base body so that said slit plate is movable in a direction of a minor axis of said slit.

33. The optical scanning-type touch panel as set forth in claim 30,

wherein said optical transceiver further comprises a slit plate having a slit for limiting light from said light receiving lens, said slit plate being held on said base body by a one-side move-and-touch structure so that said slit plate is movable in a direction of a minor axis of said slit.