INPUT DEVICE AND ELECTRONIC APPARATUS

• US 20090079698A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tomita, Minoru, Kanada, Shinji, Takahashi, Tsutomu, Muramatsu, Seiji, Sawada, Takashi, Shimizu, Yukiko, Kayama, Shun, Takashima, Kouichiro, Kushima, Satoshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,264,463 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0224 Key guide holders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

An input device inputs information by a slide operation depending on an operation body. The device contains a housing having an operation surface, a detection unit that is provided in the housing and includes an electrostatic capacitance sheet member which detects a slide position of the operation body to output a position detection signal, and an operation unit that covers an entire surface of the detection unit and is slide-operated along the operation surface of the housing. The operation unit has a convex shape which becomes thicker along a sliding direction from one direction of the operation surface of the housing and also which becomes thinner toward the other direction of the operation surface thereof. The electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a switch portion that is switched by a press-in operation of the operation body to the operation unit.

Claims

1. An input device that inputs information by a slide operation depending on an operation body, the input device comprising:

a housing having an operation surface;

a detection unit that is provided in the housing and includes an electrostatic capacitance sheet member which detects a slide position of the operation body to output a position detection signal; and

an operation unit that covers an entire surface of the detection unit and is slide-operated along the operation surface of the housing,

wherein the operation unit has a convex shape which becomes thicker along a sliding direction from one portion of the operation surface of the housing and also which becomes thinner toward the other portion of the operation surface thereof, and

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a switch portion that is switched by a press-in operation of the operation body to the operation unit.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a sheet shaped detection electrode which detects the slide position of the operation body and outputs the position detection signal,

wherein a portion of the detection electrode protuberates in a dome shape, and

wherein a dome-shape-protuberating region of the detection electrode forms a movable contact constituting the switch portion.

3. The input device according to claim 2,

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a sheet shaped board,

wherein a sheet shaped detection electrode which includes the dome-shape-protuberating region is provided on one surface of the board and at the same time, a fixed contact constituting the switch portion is provided on the inside of the dome-shape-protuberating region, and

wherein a wiring to be pulled out from the fixed contact of the switch portion through a through-hole is provided on the other surface of the board.

4. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the convex shape of the operation unit covering the entire surface of the detection unit forms an arc having predetermined height and width, and

wherein the operation unit is slide-operated along a shape of the arc.

5. The input device according to claim 4, wherein a detection area in the detection unit, the detection area detecting the slide position of the operation body, is set to be wider than an operation area in the operation unit, the operation area being slide-operated by the operation body.

6. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the convex shape of the operation unit covering the entire surface of the detection unit forms a three-dimensional cross shape having predetermined height and width, and

wherein the operation unit is slide-operated along the three-dimensional cross shape and a predetermined region thereof is pushdown-operated.

7. The input device according to claim 1,

wherein the operation unit is constituted by a material different from the material of the housing,

wherein surface roughness of the material constituting the operation unit is less than surface roughness of the material constituting the housing.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a vibration body generating vibration is provided with respect to the slide position of the operation body, the slide position being detected by the detection unit.

9. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display unit that displays a scroll image with respect to the slide position of the operation body, the slide position being detected by the detection unit; and

a control unit that detects slide operation speed of the operation body and adjusts display pitch of the scroll image on the display unit in response to the slide operation speed of the operation body.

10. The input device according to claim 2,

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a sheet shaped board,

wherein a sheet shaped detection electrode which detects the slide position to the operation unit and outputs the position detection signal is provided on one surface of the board, and

wherein a movable contact which constitutes the switch portion, is provided on the other surface of the board, the movable contact protuberating in the dome shape, and at the same time, a fixed contact constituting the switch portion is provided on the inside of the dome-shape-protuberating region at a position apart by a predetermined distance.

11. The input device according to claim 10,

wherein a lower surface of the dome-shape-protuberating region, which constitutes the movable contact of the switch portion of the electrostatic capacitance sheet member, forms a C-shape, and

wherein the fixed contact of the switch portion is wired by passing-through a portion between open-end terminals of the C-shape lower surface.

12. The input device according to claim 11, wherein the movable contact of the switch portion, which includes the dome-shape-protuberating region, forms a cut-shape in which both the side terminal portions of the dome-shape-protuberating region are cut.

13. The input device according to claim 10, wherein a width of the operation unit is more than a width of the switch portion.

14. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having an operation surface; and

an input device that is provided at the housing and inputs information by a slide operation depending on an operation body,

wherein the input device includes;

a detection unit that is provided in the housing and includes an electrostatic capacitance sheet member which detects a slide position of the operation body to output a position detection signal; and

an operation unit that covers an entire surface of the detection unit and is slide-operated along the operation surface of the housing,

wherein the operation unit has a convex shape which becomes thicker along a sliding direction from one direction of the operation surface of the housing and also which becomes thinner toward the other direction of the operation surface thereof, and

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a switch portion that is switched by a press-in operation of the operation body to the operation unit.

15. The electronic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the housing contains an operation panel, and the operation panel and the operation unit are molded integrally.

16. The electronic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the housing contains an operation panel, and the operation panel includes an operation surface provided with a ten-key portion, and

wherein the operation unit is molded integrally with the ten-key portion.

17. The electronic apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the housing contains a light source and the operation unit contains a photoconductive member, and

wherein light is illuminated from the light source in the housing to the photoconductive member.

18. The electronic apparatus according to claim 14 further comprising a display unit that displays information inputted by the operation unit,

wherein the operation unit forming a convex shape is arranged at a predetermined position of the display unit.

19. An input device that inputs information by a slide operation depending on an operation body, the input device comprising:

a housing having an operation surface;

a detection unit that is provided in the housing and includes an electrostatic capacitance sheet member which detects a slide position of the operation body to output a position detection signal; and

an operation unit that covers an entire surface of the detection unit and is slide-operated along the operation surface of the housing,

wherein the operation unit has a concave shape formed by being dug-down along a sliding direction from one portion of the operation surface of the housing and also, by being dug-up toward the other portion of the operation surface thereof, and

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a switch portion that is switched by a press-in operation of the operation body to the operation unit.

20. The input device according to claim 19, wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a sheet shaped detection electrode which detects the slide position of the operation body and outputs the position detection signal,

wherein a portion of the detection electrode protuberates in a dome shape, and

wherein a dome-shape-protuberating region of the detection electrode forms a movable contact constituting the switch portion.

21. The input device according to claim 20,

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a sheet shaped board,

wherein a sheet shaped detection electrode which includes the dome-shape-protuberating region is provided on one surface of the board and at the same time, a fixed contact constituting the switch portion is provided on the inside of the dome-shape-protuberating region, and

wherein a wiring to be pulled out from the fixed contact of the switch portion through a through-hole is provided on the other surface of the board.

22. The input device according to claim 19,

wherein the concave shape of the operation unit covering the entire surface of the detection unit forms a bottomed arc having predetermined depth and aperture width, and

wherein the operation unit is slide-operated along a shape of the bottomed arc.

23. The input device according to claim 22, wherein a detection area in the detection unit, the detection area detecting the slide position of the operation body, is set to be wider than an operation area in the operation unit, the operation area being slide-operated by the operation body.

24. The input device according to claim 19,

wherein the concave shape of the operation unit covering the entire surface of the detection unit forms a bottomed cross concave shape having predetermined depth and aperture width, and

wherein the operation unit is slide-operated along the bottomed cross concave shape and a predetermined region thereof is pushdown-operated.

25. The input device according to claim 19,

wherein the operation unit is constituted by a material different from the material of the housing,

wherein surface roughness of the material constituting the operation unit is less than surface roughness of the material constituting the housing.

26. The input device according to claim 19, wherein a vibration body generating vibration is provided with respect to the slide position of the operation body, the slide position being detected by the detection unit.

27. The input device according to claim 19, further comprising:

a display unit that displays a scroll image with respect to the slide position of the operation body, the slide position being detected by the detection unit; and

a control unit that detects slide operation speed of the operation body and adjusts display pitch of the scroll image on the display unit in response to the slide operation speed of the operation body.

28. The input device according to claim 19,

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a sheet shaped board,

wherein a sheet shaped detection electrode which detects the slide position to the operation unit and outputs the position detection signal is provided on one surface of the board, and

wherein a movable contact which constitutes the switch portion, is provided on the other surface of the board, the movable contact protuberating in the dome shape, and at the same time, a fixed contact constituting the switch portion is provided on the inside of the dome-shape-protuberating region at a position apart by a predetermined distance.

29. The input device according to claim 28,

wherein a lower surface of the dome-shape-protuberating region, which constitutes the movable contact of the switch portion of the electrostatic capacitance sheet member, forms a C-shape, and

wherein the fixed contact of the switch portion is wired by passing-through a portion between open-end terminals of the C-shape lower surface.

30. The input device according to claim 29, wherein the movable contact of the switch portion, which includes the dome-shape-protuberating region, forms a cut-shape in which both the side terminal portions of the dome-shape-protuberating region are cut.

31. The input device according to claim 28, wherein a width of the operation unit is more than a width of the switch portion.

32. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a housing having an operation surface; and

an input device that is provided at the housing and inputs information by a slide operation depending on an operation body,

wherein the input device includes;

a detection unit that is provided in the housing and includes an electrostatic capacitance sheet member which detects a slide position of the operation body to output a position detection signal; and

an operation unit that covers an entire surface of the detection unit and is slide-operated along the operation surface of the housing,

wherein the operation unit has a concave shape formed by being dug-down along a sliding direction from one portion of the operation surface of the housing and also, by being dug-up toward the other portion of the operation surface thereof, and

wherein the electrostatic capacitance sheet member includes a switch portion that is switched by a press-in operation of the operation body to the operation unit.

33. The electronic apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the housing contains an operation panel, and the operation panel and the operation unit are molded integrally.

34. The electronic apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the housing contains an operation panel, and the operation panel includes an operation surface provided with a ten-key portion, and

wherein the operation unit is molded integrally with the ten-key portion.

35. The electronic apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the housing contains a light source and the operation unit contains a photoconductive member, and

wherein light is illuminated from the light source in the housing to the photoconductive member.