Input operation device

• US 7,310,088 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Issued: 12/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Inventors: Senzui, Akira, Yamazaki, Kota
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe; Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kevin M
• Application Number:
  US10/396,366
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-183, 178/18.01, 178/18.02
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/002 superimposed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/01 Different switch sites under one actuator in same plane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/03 Different type of switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel input operation device in which multi-functionality corresponding to higher functionality of electrical equipment can be achieved along with tactile functionality suitable as a man-machine interface. An input operation device (1) is provided with a switching portion (3) under a coordinate operation portion (2) that has dome-shaped coordinate operation portions (4a) and (5a) that are deformable due to operation press forces. An operator can perceive the deformation of the coordinate operation portion (2) during a coordinate operation as tactile operational feel. Further, an input operation of the switching portion (3) is performed if a large operational press force is applied, and therefore it is possible for the operator to perform the coordinate operation and the input operation while perceiving differences in the operation feel, which correspond to differences in an operation press force, and an erroneous input operation in the switching portion (3) can also be reliably prevented. The coordinate operation can be performed provided that the operation of pressing spherical surface similar to trackball operation is imparted to the dome-shaped coordinate operation portions (4a) and (5a), and it therefore extremely superior in functionality as well.

Claims

1. An input operation device comprising:

a coordinate operation device including an operation substrate and a base substrate, the operation substrate having an operation conductive coordinate detection portion, the base substrate having a base conductive coordinate detection portion, the operation conductive coordinate detection portion and the base conductive coordinate detection portion being separated by a gap;

a switching device including a first contact and a second contact, and a resin spacer between the coordinate operation device and the switching device,

wherein the operation conductive coordinate detection portion has electrode patterns oriented in a first direction, and the base conductive coordinate detection portion has electrode patterns oriented in a direction other than the first direction,

wherein upon deformation of the operation substrate;

the operation conductive coordinate detection portion is adapted to contact the base conductive coordinate detection portion, and

the first contact is adapted to contact the second contact, and

further comprising an invalidation control device that invalidates a coordinate operation if multiple operation points are formed by the coordinate detection portion of the operation substrate and the coordinate detection portion of the base substrate contacting at a vertical upper position of the switching device due to a pressing operation.

2. An input operation device comprising:

a coordinate operation device including an operation substrate and a base substrate;

a switching device including a first contact and a second contact, the base substrate being between the operation substrate and the switching device; and

a resin spacer between the coordinate operation device and the switching device,

wherein the operation substrate has an operation conductive coordinate detection portion, a first electrode pattern being on the operation conductive coordinate detection portion,

wherein the base substrate has a base conductive coordinate detection portion, a second electrode pattern being on the base conductive coordinate detection portion, and

wherein, upon deformation of the operation substrate, the first electrode pattern is adapted to contact the second electrode pattern and the first contact is adapted to contact the second contact, and

further comprising an invalidation control device that invalidates a coordinate operation if multiple operation points are formed by the coordinate detection portion of the operation substrate and the coordinate detection portion of the base substrate contacting at a vertical upper position of the switching device due to a pressing operation.

3. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the operation conductive coordinate detection portion and the base conductive coordinate detection portion are separated by a gap.

4. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode pattern is oriented in a first direction, and the second electrode pattern is oriented in a direction other than the first direction.

5. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein a clicking sensation is generated upon deformation of the operation substrate.

6. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the operation conductive coordinate detection portion is dome-shaped, and the base conductive coordinate detection portion is dome-shaped, the radius of curvature of the base conductive coordinate detection portion being smaller than that of the operation conductive coordinate detection portion.

7. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the operation conductive coordinate detection portion is joined to the base conductive coordinate detection portion.

8. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the first electrode pattern includes a plurality of electrodes.

9. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the second electrode pattern includes a plurality of electrodes.

10. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the resin spacer having an upper surface portion that conforms to a surface shape of the rear surface of the base substrate.

11. An input operation device according to claim 10, wherein the resin spacer includes a circumferential spacer, a guide hole being within the circumferential spacer.

12. An input operation device according to claim 11, wherein a central spacer passes through the guide hole.

13. An input operation device according to claim 11, wherein the switching device is disposed below the central spacer.

14. An input operation device according to claim 11, further comprising:

another switching device below the circumferential spacer, said another switching device being adapted to generate an input signal by the operational pressing through the coordinate operation device.

15. An input operation device according to claim 11, wherein the circumferential spacer is formed as divided bodies composed of a plurality of portions along the circumferential direction.

16. An input operation device according to claim 2, further comprising a direction control device for setting a movement direction of an operation object element for coordinate operation, in an operation point formed by conductive contact between the operation conductive coordinate detection portions and the base conductive coordinate detection portion.

17. An input operation device according to claim 16, wherein the direction control moves, if the operation point is formed, the operation object element in the movement direction set in the operation point until intermittent conductive contact is released in the operation point.

18. An input operation device according to claim 2, further comprising a speed control device for setting a movement speed of an operation object element for coordinate operation, in an operation point formed by conductive contact between the operation conductive coordinate detection portions and the base conductive coordinate detection portion.

19. An input operation device according to claim 18, wherein the speed control device moves, if the operation point is formed, the operation object element at the movement speed set in the operation point until intermittent conductive contact is released in the operation point.

20. An input operation device according to claim 2, further comprising a speed control device for changing a movement speed of an operation object element for coordinate an operation in response to a separation distance from an operation starting point, with the operation point formed by conductive contact between the operation conductive coordinate detection portions and the base conductive coordinate detection portion set as the operation starting point.

21. An input operation device according to claim 2, further comprising an operation point setting device for setting one operation point as an operation starting point if multiple operation points are formed by contact between the operation conductive coordinate detection portions and the base conductive coordinate detection portion.

22. An input operation device according to claim 2, further comprising an operation mode switching device for switching to a predetermined input operation, a coordinate operation that is performed by conductive contact between the operation conductive coordinate detection portions and the base conductive coordinate detection portion, by generating an input signal in the switching device.

23. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein one of the between the operation conductive coordinate detection portions and the base conductive coordinate detection portion is formed as a vertical-stripe electrode pattern and the other is formed as a horizontal-stripe electrode pattern.