Input operation device

• US 20030184517A1
• Filed: 03/26/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Polymatech Company Limited
• Inventors: Senzui, Akira, Yamazaki, Kota
• Granted Patent: US 7,310,088 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 a flexible operation substrate having a conductive coordinate detection portion, and a base substrate having a conductive coordinate detection portion, with both of the coordinate detection portions disposed face to face in an electrically insulating state and adapted to generate an input signal when the coordinate detection portions are in conductive contact with each other due to deformation of the operation substrate following a pressing operation; and

a switching device provided below the base substrate to generate an input signal due to the pressing operation through the coordinate operation device.

2. An input operation device according to claim 1, wherein a resin spacer is disposed between a rear surface of the base substrate and the switching device, the spacer having an upper surface portion that conforms to a surface shape of the rear surface.

3. An input operation device according to claim 2, wherein the resin spacer and the base substrate are integrated through a joining operation.

4. An input operation device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the resin spacer includes a ring-shaped circumferential spacer having a guide hole and a central spacer that passes through the guide hole, and the switching device is disposed below the central spacer.

5. An input operation device according to claim 4, wherein another switching device is provided below the circumferential spacer, which generates an input signal by the operational pressing through the coordinate operation device.

6. An input operation device according to claim 4, wherein the circumferential spacer is formed as divided bodies composed of a plurality of portions along the circumferential direction.

7. An input operation device according to claim 5, wherein the circumferential spacer is formed as divided bodies composed of a plurality of portions along the circumferential direction.

8. An input operation device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, 5 to 7, wherein a portion in which the coordinate detection portions of the operation substrate and the base substrate are formed is set as a dome-shaped coordinate operation portion.

9. An input operation device according to claim 4, wherein a portion in which the coordinate detection portions of the operation substrate and the base substrate are formed is set as a dome-shaped coordinate operation portion.

10. An input operation device according to claim 1 or claim 5, wherein a clicking sensation is generated by pressing operation of the switching device.

11. An input operation device according to claim 1, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate.

12. An input operation device according to claim 11, 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.

13. An input operation device according to any one of claims 1, 11, 12, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate.

14. An input operation device according to any one of claims 1, 11, 12, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate set as the operation starting point.

15. An input operation device according to claim 13, 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.

16. An input operation device according to claim 14, 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.

17. An input operation device according to any one of claims 1, 11, 12, 15, 16, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate.

18. An input operation device according to claim 13, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate.

19. An input operation device according to claim 14, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate.

20. An input operation device according to any one of claims 1, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 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.

21. An input operation device according to claim 13, 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.

22. An input operation device according to claim 14, 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.

23. An input operation device according to claim 17, 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.

24. An input operation device according to any one of claims 1, 11, 12, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21 to 23, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate, by generating an input signal in the switching device.

25. An input operation device according to claim 13, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate, by generating an input signal in the switching device.

26. An input operation device according to claim 14, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate, by generating an input signal in the switching device.

27. An input operation device according to claim 17, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate, by generating an input signal in the switching device.

28. An input operation device according to claim 20, 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 coordinate detection portions of both of the operation substrate and the base substrate, by generating an input signal in the switching device.