JP2006278084A - Multidirectional input device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a multidirectional input device capable of giving a good feeling of operation to an operator during a tilting operation, and able to be miniaturized at the same time in the planar direction where a tilting direction can be regulated. <P>SOLUTION: A movement member 25 held so that it can vertically move is energized downward at the lower end of a control lever 26 which receives an operation input including the tilting operation. The movement member 25 is housed by a movement member housing stand 211 having a regulation groove 213 to regulate the moving direction in accordance with the tilting operation of the moving member 25, and a projecting part 214 formed on the movement path of the movement member 25 in the regulation groove 213. The tilting direction in the tilting operation by the control lever 26 is regulated by the regulation groove 213, and a feeling of clicking is given to the operator by the projecting part 214 on the movement path of the movement member 25. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device, and more particularly, to a multidirectional input device that accepts a rotation operation, a tilting operation, and more preferably a pressing operation from an operator.

  Conventionally, it has both a function as a rotary electrical component such as a rotary switch and a function as a multi-directional switch, and outputs an electrical signal in response to a rotation operation, a tilting operation, and a pressing operation instructed by an operator. A composite electric component has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In such a composite electrical component, the miniaturization of the component itself is always required in accordance with the miniaturization of an electric product to be mounted. For this reason, in the composite electrical component of Patent Document 1, the rotary electrical component is coaxially disposed outside the multidirectional switch, and the component itself is thinned to reduce the size.

  Moreover, in the composite electrical component having the function as the rotary electrical component and the multi-directional switch as described above, it is required as an extremely important issue to give a good operation feeling to the operator under a desired condition. Yes.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-67016

  However, in the above-described composite electric component, there is a problem that a desired operation feeling cannot be easily given at an arbitrary tilt angle in the tilt operation instructed by the operator. That is, in the composite electric component, it is not possible to easily give a click feeling to the operator at an arbitrary tilt angle of the tilt operation. In addition, since the tilt direction in the tilt operation depends on the operation by the operator, it is difficult to perform the tilt operation in a predetermined desired direction. In addition, since the rotating electrical component block including the switch mechanism is arranged around the block of the direction switch including the switch mechanism, there is a problem that it is difficult to reduce the size in the planar direction.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can provide a good operation feeling to an operator during a tilting operation, and at the same time, can reduce the tilting direction in a planar direction capable of restricting the tilting direction. An object is to provide an apparatus.

  A multidirectional input device according to the present invention includes an operation lever that receives an operation input including a tilting operation and a rotation operation, an electric element that detects the tilting operation of the operation lever, and a lower end of the operation lever that is held movably up and down. A moving member that is biased to the side, a groove that accommodates the lower end of the moving member and restricts the direction of tilting movement of the moving member that accompanies the tilting operation of the operating lever, and the moving path of the moving member in the groove A movement restriction member having a protrusion formed on the case, a case in which the movement restriction member is formed on the upper surface of the bottom surface portion thereof, and the operation that is installed in the vicinity of the movement restriction member on the bottom surface portion of the case. And a detection element that detects rotation of the operation lever according to a rotation operation around the axis of the lever.

  According to this configuration, the movement restricting member having the groove that restricts the moving direction according to the tilting operation of the moving member and the protrusion formed on the moving path of the moving member in the groove is provided. Since the detecting element is arranged in the vicinity of the periphery, the tilt direction in the tilting operation by the operating lever can be regulated by the groove portion, and it is easy to give a click feeling on the moving path of the moving member by the protruding portion. In addition, it becomes possible in a state of being miniaturized in the plane direction.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, the movement restricting member preferably includes a plurality of grooves and protrusions. Thus, by providing a plurality of grooves and projections on the movement restricting member, the tilt direction in the tilt operation can be more finely controlled, and a click feeling can be imparted in the tilt operation in each tilt direction.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, the groove portion of the movement restricting member is configured by an inclined surface that gently rises in the moving direction from the center position set as the initial position of the moving member, and the protrusion is inclined. It is preferably formed on the moving path of the moving member on the surface. According to this configuration, it is possible to prompt the return of the moving member to the center position according to the release of the tilting operation. As a result, the tilting direction in the tilting operation is regulated, and an effect that a click feeling can be given on the moving path of the moving member is obtained, and the operation lever is returned to the initial state by releasing the tilting operation. An excellent multidirectional input device can be provided.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, the inclined surface has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface outward from the center position, and the protrusion is formed of the first inclined surface. It is preferable that the upper end portion of the connection surface rises at an acute angle from the upper end portion and is connected to the lower end portion of the second inclined surface. According to this configuration, since the movement restricting member can be easily manufactured by molding or the like, it is possible to restrict the tilt direction in the tilt operation while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost, and to move the moving member. A feeling of clicking can be given above.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, the operation lever is tiltably held by a rotating body that rotates integrally with the operation lever in response to a rotation operation on the operation lever, and a detected member formed on the rotating body The rotation is preferably detected by the detection element. According to this configuration, since the rotating body does not tilt with tilting, it is possible to easily perform detection during the rotating operation. Further, since no separate member for holding the operation lever is provided, the size can be reduced.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, a first interlocking member that rotates when the operating lever is inserted and tilts the operating lever is provided, and the operating lever is disposed between the rotating body and the first interlocking member. It is preferable to hold it. According to this configuration, the upward movement can be restricted without providing a separate member for holding the operation lever, so that it can be reliably held.

  In the multi-directional input device according to the present invention, the operation lever is supported so as to be tilted, rotated and pressed, and opposed to the case where the movement restricting member is formed on the upper surface of the bottom surface and the lower surface of the bottom surface of the case Preferably, the case includes a switch element, and the case sinks downward integrally with the operation lever in response to a pressing operation on the operation lever to drive the switch element. According to this configuration, since the switch element can be driven by the lower surface of the bottom surface portion of the case in which the movement restricting member is formed, it is possible to cope with the pressing operation by the operation lever while realizing downsizing of the apparatus main body. it can.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, the operation lever is held in the case so as to be tilted, rotated and pressed via the rotating body, and the rotating body holds the case in response to a pressing operation on the operating lever. It is preferable to sink downward. According to this configuration, since it is possible to respond to the pressing operation using the rotating body necessary for responding to the rotating operation, the tilting operation, the rotating operation and the pressing by the operation lever can be realized while realizing the downsizing of the apparatus main body. Can correspond to the operation.

  In the multidirectional input device of the present invention, a first interlocking member that rotates when the operating lever is inserted and tilts the operating lever is provided, and the operating lever is disposed between the rotating body and the first interlocking member. It is preferable to hold it. According to this configuration, the operation shaft can be easily held without rattling.

  According to the multidirectional input device according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a multidirectional input device that can give a good operational feeling to the operator during the tilting operation and can be miniaturized in a plane direction that can restrict the tilting direction at the same time. Can do.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an external view of a multidirectional input device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an exploded configuration diagram of main members constituting the outer surface of the multidirectional input device 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, a casing 3 that accommodates the switch unit 2 is further accommodated in the casing 4. In the following, for convenience of explanation, the casing 3 accommodated in the casing 4 is referred to as an inner casing 3, and the casing 4 that accommodates the inner casing 3 is referred to as an outer casing 4. And the cover body 5 is covered from the upper direction of the outer casing 4 in the state in which the inner casing 3 is accommodated. The switch unit 2 is accommodated in the inner casing 3 in a state in which an operation lever described later is projected from a hole formed above the inner casing 3. The lid 5 is placed on the outer casing 4 with the operating lever protruding from a hole formed at a position corresponding to the operating lever protruding from the inner casing 3. The inner casing 3, the outer casing 4, and the lid 5 are manufactured by molding a material such as synthetic resin.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the outer casing 4 is provided in a shape with an upper side opened. The inner casing 3 is received from this opening. Moreover, the center part of each wall surface of the outer casing 4 is comprised longer than an edge part, and the lid | cover receiving part 41 is formed in the upper end part. The inner wall of the outer casing 4 is formed with substantially the same dimensions as the outer wall of the inner casing 3. Grooves 42 are formed in a pair of opposing inner walls of the outer casing 4. The groove portion 42 is fitted with a protrusion 31 formed on the outer wall of the inner casing 3 so as to correspond to the groove portion 42. The projection 31 and the groove 41 constitute a guide member for housing the inner casing 3 in the outer casing 4.

  The inner casing 3 is provided in a shape in which the lower side is opened before the switch unit 2 is fixed. The switch unit 2 is received from this opening. On the other hand, the inner casing 3 has an upper surface 32 that faces the lid 5. A hole 33 through which the operation lever of the switch unit 2 passes is formed in the central portion of the upper surface 32. Moreover, the protrusion 31 is formed in the pair which opposes among the outer walls of the inner casing 3 as mentioned above. A screw hole 34 is formed in the protrusion 31. A support hole 35 for supporting a shaft portion of a gear in the housing 23 described later is formed below the screw hole 34 with a predetermined interval. Further, a screw hole 36 is formed in the pair of wall surfaces where the protrusions 31 are not formed. The screw hole 34 and the screw hole 36 are used when the switch unit 2 is fixed to the inner casing 3.

  The lid 5 is placed on the upper ends of the four lid receivers 41 formed on the outer casing 4. When the operation lever is not pressed in the axial direction, the lid 5 faces the upper surface 32 of the inner casing 3 while being placed on the lid receiving portion 41 by the urging force of the switch elements 201 to 204 described later. In contact with each other. At this time, the hole 51 formed in the lid 5 is disposed at a position corresponding to the hole 33 formed in the upper surface 32 of the inner casing 3. The lid body 5 is provided in a flat plate shape so as to coincide with the end portion of the lid receiving portion 41 in a state of being placed on the lid receiving portion 41, and is arranged such that there is no gap between them (see FIG. 1).

  FIG. 3 is an exploded configuration diagram of the switch unit 2 housed in the inner casing 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the switch unit 2 includes a switch installation plate 20, a moving member regulating plate 21, a detection element installation plate 22, a housing 23, a rotating body 24, a moving member 25, an operation lever 26, and a first interlocking member 27. The second interlocking member 28 is combined. Hereinafter, the configuration of each member will be described.

  Four switch elements 201 to 204 are installed on the switch installation plate 20. Each switch element is constituted by a tact switch, for example. The four switch elements 201 to 204 are fixed to the switch installation plate 20 so that a set of switch elements 201 and 203 facing each other with a predetermined interval is orthogonal to a set of switch elements 202 and 204. The switch elements 201 to 204 include drive units 201a to 204a that lift a moving member regulating plate 21 described later in a state where no load is applied. A click feeling is generated when the drive units 201a to 204a move up and down in accordance with the pressing operation of the operator. Note that one switch element may be provided, and in that case, it may be arranged in the center.

  The moving member restricting plate 21 accommodates the lower end portion of the moving member 25 inserted into the operation lever 26, restricts the moving direction of the moving member 25, and provides a click feeling to the operator who operates the operating lever 26. A member storage base 211 is formed. The moving member receiving base 211 is provided so as to protrude upward from the moving member regulating plate 21. In addition, the moving member accommodating base 211 may be formed separately from the moving member regulating plate 21, and then both may be fixed integrally. Further, the regulation of the moving direction of the moving member 25 by the moving member accommodating base 211 and the provision of a click feeling to the operator will be described later.

  The detection element installation plate 22 is formed of a printed wiring board, and a hole 221 is formed in the detection element installation plate 22 at a position corresponding to the moving member accommodation base 211. Two detection elements 222 are installed in the vicinity of the hole 221. The detection element 222 is composed of, for example, a photo interrupter and is mounted on the detection element installation plate 22. These detection elements 222 detect the amount of rotation of the rotating body 24 by detecting passage of the rotating body 24 described later through a light shielding plate, and output an electric signal corresponding to the amount of rotation to the outside. Specifically, the detection element arrangement board 22 and a switch arrangement board, which will be described later, are connected via a flexible board (not shown), and the output of the photo interrupter is the wiring pattern of the detection element arrangement board 22 and the flexible board. , And output to the outside through the switch arrangement plate. The reason why the flexible substrate is used is that when the operation lever 26 is pressed, the distance between the detection element arrangement plate 22 and the switch arrangement plate changes.

  The housing 23 is inserted through the rotating body 24 and supported so as to be rotatable around its axis, and the housing 23 itself is fixed to the inner casing 3. The housing 23 has four screws 231a to 231d that are screwed to the inner wall surface of the inner casing 3 from below to above at the four corners. Of the four screws 231a to 231d, a pair of opposing screws 231b and 231d are screwed to the inner casing 3 with the spring cases 232a and 232b supported from below. The spring cases 232a and 232b accommodate coil springs 233a and 233b each having a spherical body fixed at one end. Holes 234a and 234b (234a not shown) are formed in the spring cases 232a and 232b, respectively, toward the inner side of the housing 23. The coil springs 233a and 233b are inserted into the holes 234a and 234b from the tips of the coil portions, respectively. The spherical portion is urged toward the inside of the housing 23 by the coil springs 233a and 233b, and comes into contact with a peripheral surface portion where a cam crest of the rotating body 24 described later is formed.

  A housing hole 235 is provided in the central portion of the upper surface of the housing 23. The accommodation hole 235 accommodates the lower part of the rotating body 24, restricts the horizontal movement of the rotating body 24, and holds it rotatably about its axis. Gears 236 and 237 that mesh with gears of a first interlocking member 27 and a second interlocking member 28 described later are attached to adjacent side surfaces of the housing 23 (the gear 237 is not shown). The gears 236 and 237 are attached to the side surface of the housing 23 with the electric elements 238 and 239 arranged inside. The electric elements 238 and 239 are constituted by, for example, rotary variable resistors. The electric elements 238 and 239 are fixed to a printed wiring board (not shown), hold the printed wiring board in the housing 23, connect the printed wiring board to the detection element arrangement board 22, and further detect the elements. The plate 22 and a switch arrangement plate to be described later are connected by a flexible substrate (not shown), and electrical signals corresponding to the rotation amounts of the gears 236 and 237 are output to the outside.

  The rotating body 24 is supported in a state where the lower end portion is accommodated in the accommodation hole portion 235 of the housing 23. The rotating body 24 has a through hole through which the operation lever 26 is inserted. And it has the collar part 241 in the side surface side and center vicinity. The collar portion 241 has a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the accommodation hole portion 235 of the housing 23. A peripheral surface portion 243 having a plurality of cam peaks 242 that slightly protrude in the side surface direction is provided below the collar portion 241. The peripheral surface portion 243 has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the accommodation hole portion 235. Two light shielding plates 244 and 245 are provided at the lower end of the peripheral surface portion 243. On the other hand, a lever fixing portion 246 that houses the operation lever 26 and is fixed to the rotating body 24 is provided above the collar portion 241. The lever fixing portion 246 is formed with a groove portion 247 into which a pair of protrusions formed on the side surface of the operation lever 26 is inserted. The lever fixing portion 246 that defines the upper portion of the through hole through which the operation lever 26 is inserted is provided with a receiving surface having the same radius of curvature as the outer surface of the engaging portion 262 described later, and the operation lever 26 is inserted therethrough. A lower part of the through hole is formed with a conical space whose radius increases toward the lower end so as to allow the lower part of the operation lever 26 to tilt.

  The moving member 25 is inserted into a groove formed in an inner portion of a lower end portion of the operation lever 26 described later. The moving member 25 includes a sliding end 251 that slides on the moving member receiving table 211 at the lower end. A coil spring 252 is attached to the upper portion of the moving member 25. A stopper 253 that restricts the coil spring 252 from dropping is provided below the coil spring 252.

  The operation lever 26 has a cylindrical shape. And the groove part 261 in which the moving member 25 is inserted is formed in the inner part of the lower end part (not shown in FIG. 3). The groove portion 261 has a first space having a diameter corresponding to the coil spring 252 attached to the moving member 25 and a second space having a diameter corresponding to the tip of the moving member 25 protruding from the upper end of the coil spring 252. Is formed upward. Further, an engaging portion 262 is provided at a position slightly below the central portion of the cylindrical portion. The engaging portion 262 has a substantially spherical shape, and the diameter of the spherical body is set to be slightly larger than the thickness of the cylindrical portion. On the side surface of the engaging portion 262, a pair of protrusions 263 that enter the groove portion 247 formed in the lever fixing portion 246 of the rotating body 24 are provided. A groove portion 264 is formed at a position away from the engagement portion 262 by a predetermined distance in the upward direction. A fixing member made of an E ring or the like that restricts the downward movement of the first interlocking member 27 by contacting the first interlocking member 27 is attached to the groove portion 264. A flat surface portion 265 is provided at the upper end portion of the operation lever 26. An operation knob (not shown) that the operator touches during actual operation is attached by press-fitting to the upper end of the operation lever 26. However, in the case of a simple cylindrical shape, the position in the rotational direction is not determined and is used. There is a possibility of rotating while you are. In order to prevent this, a flat surface portion 265 is provided, and an operation knob having a shape matching the flat surface portion 265 is attached to prevent these problems from occurring.

  The first interlocking member 27 includes a base portion 271 attached to the inner casing 3 so as to be swingable in a certain direction. The base portion 271 includes a pair of side surface portions 271 a having substantially the same dimensions as the inner wall of the inner casing 3. The base portion 271 is swingably held by the inner casing 3 by receiving the fixing screw 34a inserted into the screw hole 34 of the inner casing 3 by the side surface portion 271a. A gear 272 that meshes with the gear 236 of the housing 23 is fixed to one side surface portion 271a. The gear 272 transmits a rotation amount corresponding to the swing of the base portion 271 to the gear 236. In addition, the base portion 271 includes a pair of side views 271b having a narrower dimension than the side surface portion 271a. On the upper surface of the base portion 271, a lever holding portion 273 is provided in which a space for accommodating the lever fixing portion 246 of the rotating body 24 is formed below. The lever holding part 273 is snap-coupled to the base part 271 so as to be rotatable. The lever holding part 273 has a rocking axis orthogonal to the rocking axis of the base part 271, and the intersection of the two rocking axes and the operating lever 26. The center of the tilt, that is, the center of the substantially spherical engaging portion 262 is matched. The lever holding portion 273 is provided with a support hole portion 274 through which the operation lever 26 is inserted to restrict the movement in the horizontal direction and hold it rotatably. The lower portion of the support hole portion 274 is engaged with the operation lever 26. The upward movement by the coil spring 252 is restricted in contact with the step portion located above the portion 262. Note that since the tilting center of the operation lever 26 is located on both the swing shaft of the lever holding portion 273 and the swing shaft of the base portion 271, the lower surface of the lever holding portion 273 Since the relative positions of the stepped portion of the operation lever 26, the upper surface of the lever holding portion 273, and the fixing member 275 do not change, tilting is possible without any problem. Then, the base portion 271 is swung according to the tilt direction and the tilt amount of the operation lever 26.

  The second interlocking member 28 is attached so as to cover the first interlocking member 27 from above. The second interlocking member 28 includes a pair of side surfaces 281 having substantially the same dimensions as the inner wall of the inner casing 3. By receiving the fixing screw 36 a inserted into the screw hole 36 of the inner casing 3 by the side surface portion 281, the side casing 281 is held swingably by the inner casing 3.

  A gear 282 that meshes with the gear 237 of the housing 23 is fixed to one side surface portion 281. The gear 282 transmits a rotation amount corresponding to the swing of the second interlocking member 28 to the gear 237. An accommodating portion 283 that accommodates the first interlocking member 27 while allowing the first interlocking member 27 to swing is provided inside the pair of side surface portions 281. The accommodating portion 283 accommodates the first interlocking member 27 such that the longitudinal side surface portion 271 b of the first interlocking member 27 is orthogonal to the longitudinal side surface portion 284 of the second interlocking member 28. On the upper side of the housing portion 283, the lever holding portion 273 of the first interlocking member 27 protrudes upward and engages in the swing axis direction of the first interlocking member 27, so that the second interlocking member 28 swings. A groove portion 285 that is movable in the axial direction is formed. The pivot center of the second interlocking member 28 is set to be the same axis as the lever holding portion 273. Therefore, as the operation lever 26 tilts, the positional relationship in the height direction between the lever holding portion 273 and the second interlocking member 28 does not change, and the engagement position does not change, so the height of the lever holding portion 273 is reduced. Will not disengage.

  4 and 5 are cross-sectional views of the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment. 4 shows a cross-section when cut along a plane formed by a pair of screws 231b and 231d attached to the inner casing 3, and FIG. 5 shows 2 formed on a pair of opposing wall surfaces of the inner casing 3. The cross section at the time of cut | disconnecting along the plane formed of the two screw holes 34 is shown.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the switch installation plate 20 is fixed to a recess formed in the bottom surface inside the outer casing 4. The moving member regulating plate 21 is placed on the upper ends of the four switch elements 201 to 204. The moving member regulating plate 21 constitutes a bottom surface portion of the inner casing 3 by entering the lower opening of the inner casing 3 in a state where the inner casing 3 accommodates the switch unit 2. The detection element installation plate 22 is placed from above the moving member regulating plate 21. The moving member storage base 211 is in a state of protruding upward through the hole 221. The housing 23 is fixed to the inner wall of the inner casing 3 by screws 231a to 231d (see FIG. 4). The screws 231b and 231d fix the housing 23 to the inner casing 3 with the spring cases 232a and 232b into which the coil springs 233a and 233b are inserted (see FIG. 4). In the rotating body 24, the flange portion 241 contacts the housing 23, and a lower portion than the peripheral surface portion 243 is accommodated in the housing 23. The spheres fixed to the coil springs 233a and 233b abut on the peripheral surface portion 243 of the rotating body 24. A click sensation is generated when the spherical body engages and disengages the cam crest 242 formed on the peripheral surface portion 243 according to the rotation of the rotating body 24.

  The operation lever 26 is inserted into the rotary body 24 from above with the moving member 25 inserted into the groove 261 from below. The engaging portion 262 of the operation lever 26 is accommodated in the lever fixing portion 246. The pair of protrusions 263 of the engaging part 262 enters the groove part 247 formed in the lever fixing part 246 (see FIG. 4). When the pair of protrusions 263 enters the groove 247, the operation lever 26 and the rotating body 24 rotate integrally. The first interlocking member 27 is attached so as to cover the rotating body 24 into which the operating lever 26 is inserted. The engaging portion 262 of the operating lever 26 is formed inside the lever fixing portion 246 of the rotating body 24. It is located between the spherical receiving portion and the first interlocking member 27, and the operation lever is held by both. The first interlocking member 27 enters to a position where the upper end portion of the engaging portion 262 contacts the periphery of the lower end portion of the support hole portion 274. At this position, the fixing member 275 is fitted into the groove 264 of the operation lever 26. Since the fixing member 275 is fitted to the groove portion 264, the downward movement of the operation lever 26 is prevented. The upper end portion of the operation lever 26 protrudes upward through a hole portion 33 formed in the upper surface 32 of the inner casing 3 and a hole portion 51 of the lid 5.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a fixing screw 34 a is inserted into the screw hole 34 in order to fix the switch unit 2 to the inner casing 3. Similarly, the fixing screw 36a is inserted into the screw hole 36 (not shown). These fixing screws 34a and 36a enter the screw receiving portions formed on the side surface portion 271a and the side surface portion 281 of the first interlocking member 27 and the second interlocking member 28, respectively. The first interlocking member 27 and the second interlocking member 28 are swingably attached to the inner casing 3 by the fixing screws 34a and 36a entering. The switch unit 2 is fixed to the inner casing 3 from below by screws 231a to 231d of the housing 23, and is attached to the inner casing 3 from right and left by fixing screws 34a and 36a. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, the tip end of the shaft portion 236 a of the gear 236 enters the support hole portion 35 formed in the inner casing 3. The shaft portion 236 a of the gear 236 is rotatably supported by the support hole portion 35 of the inner casing 3. The electric element 238 is fixed by a screw while being held by a printed wiring board P standing on the inside. The same applies to the electric element 237.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the moving member 25 is inserted into the groove 261 formed in the operation lever 26 from below. The operation lever 26 is stopped at the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 when no load is applied. The lower end portion of the sliding end 251 is accommodated in the moving member accommodation base 211. At this time, the operation lever 26 is held in the neutral position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 (hereinafter referred to as “neutral state” as appropriate).

  In this state, the operating lever 26 is engaged by a coil spring 252 that is disposed in a state where a pressure is applied between the step portion between the first space and the second space of the groove portion 261 and the stopper 253. The upper step portion of the joint portion 262 is elastically pressed so as to contact the periphery of the lower end portion of the support hole portion 274 of the first interlocking member 27. The rotating body 24 is rotatably held in a state in which the rotating body 24 is positioned in the plane direction by the receiving hole portion 235, and is positioned between the engaging portion 262 and the upper surface of the housing 23 in the vertical direction. When the operation lever 26 is tilted, it is often tilted in a state where a load is applied in the downward direction. In that case, a lever that defines an upper portion of the through hole through which the operation lever 26 is inserted. The spherical surface portion of the engaging portion 262 comes into contact with the receiving surface of the fixing portion 246 and can be tilted with the center of the engaging portion 26 as the tilting center.

  Here, a detailed configuration of the moving member accommodating table 211 will be described. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view for explaining a detailed configuration of the moving member accommodating base 211.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the moving member accommodating table 211 has a disk shape. The moving member accommodating table 211 is provided in a shape having the lowest center position 212. The moving member housing 211 has a restriction groove 213 for restricting the moving direction of the sliding end 251 of the moving member 25 and a protrusion 214 that pushes up the sliding end 213 that moves in the restriction groove 213. The restriction groove 213 is formed from the center position 212 toward the peripheral surface of the disk portion, and the protrusion 214 is formed on the movement path of the sliding end 251 in the restriction groove 213. In the present embodiment, a case is shown in which eight restriction grooves 213 and protrusions 214 are formed in order to provide a multi-directional input device that tilts in only eight directions. However, the number of these is arbitrarily set. Is possible.

  The restricting groove 213 includes a first inclined surface 215, a second inclined surface 216, and a connecting surface 217. The first inclined surface 215 is provided in a shape that is gently inclined from the central position 212 toward the peripheral surface of the disk portion, and the operation lever 26 is located on the outer side compared to the portion located on the inner side. The distance from the tilt center is gradually shortened. The tip end portion of the first inclined surface 215 is connected to the lower end portion of the connecting surface 217. The second inclined surface 216 is provided in a shape that is inclined at substantially the same angle as the first inclined surface 215 from the upper end portion of the connecting surface 217 toward the peripheral surface of the disk portion. The connecting surface 217 serves to connect the first inclined surface 215 and the second inclined surface 216. The connection surface 217 is provided in a shape that rises at an acute angle from the connection portion with the first inclined surface 215 and is connected to the connection portion with the second inclined surface 216. Since the connecting surface 217 rises at an acute angle compared to the inclination of the first inclined surface 215 and the second inclined surface 216, the upper end portion thereof protrudes upward on the restriction groove 213. In the present embodiment, the protruding upper end portion constitutes the protruding portion 214. The sliding end 251 of the moving member 25 slides on the restriction groove 213 in response to the tilting operation of the operator, and the click feeling is generated by getting over the protruding portion 214.

  Hereinafter, in the multi-directional input device 1 configured as described above, an operation when a pressing operation, a rotating operation, and a tilting operation are instructed by an operator will be described. In the following description, FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIG. FIG. 7 is an enlarged view showing a configuration around the moving member storage base 211. FIG. 7 shows a state in which the operation lever 26 is held at the neutral position.

  The pressing operation is performed by pushing the operation lever 26 downward by the operator. When the operation lever 26 is pushed, the rotating body 24 is also pushed down according to the movement of the engaging portion 262. The rotating body 24 is engaged with the housing 23 at the flange portion 241, and the housing 23 is fixed to the inner casing 3. For this reason, when the rotating body 24 is pushed down, the inner casing 3 is pushed downward accordingly. Further, since the fixing member 275 pushes down the upper surface of the lever holding portion 273, it is also pushed down by the inner casing 3. And since the moving member control board 21 which comprises the bottom face part of the inner casing 3 is pushed down, the drive parts 201a-204a of the switch elements 201-204 which have mounted this moving member control board 21 are pushed down. Thereby, according to the downward movement of the drive units 201a to 204a, an electric signal (on / off signal) corresponding to the pressing operation is output to the outside and a click feeling is generated. In this embodiment, in order to push down the inner casing 3, the housing 23 is pushed by the flange portion 241 of the rotating body 24, and at the same time the upper surface of the lever holding portion 273 is pushed by the fixing member 275. You may do it.

  The rotation operation is performed by rotating the operation lever 26 by the operator. The protrusion 263 on the engaging portion 262 in the operation lever 26 enters the groove 247 of the rotating body 24. For this reason, when the operation lever 26 rotates, the rotating body 24 rotates together with the rotation. When the light shielding plates 244 and 245 rotate according to the rotation of the rotating body 24, the light shielding plates 244 and 245 pass through the detection region of the detection element 222. The detection element 222 detects the amount of rotation of the rotating body 24 by detecting the passage of the light shielding plates 244 and 245 through the detection region, and outputs an electric signal corresponding to the amount of rotation to the outside. In this way, an electrical signal (ON / OFF signal) corresponding to the rotation operation is output to the outside according to the rotation amount of the operation lever 25.

  The peripheral surface portion 243 rotates according to the rotation of the rotating body 24. At this time, the spherical bodies of the coil springs 233 a and 233 b that are in contact with the side surface of the peripheral surface portion 243 engage and disengage the surface of the cam crest 242 formed on the peripheral surface portion 243. A click feeling is generated by the engagement and disengagement between the spherical bodies of the coil springs 233a and 233b and the cam peak 242.

  The tilting operation is performed by tilting the operation lever 26 by the operator. When the operation lever 26 is tilted, one (or both) of the first interlocking member 27 and the second interlocking member 28 swings according to the tilting condition. When one (or both) of the gear 272 and the gear 282 is rotated in accordance with the swing operation, the rotation amount is transmitted to one (or both) of the gear 236 and the gear 237 attached to the housing 23. In response to this, when one (or both) of the gear 236 and the gear 237 rotates, one (or both) of the electric elements 238 and 239 outputs an electric signal corresponding to the amount of rotation to the outside. In this manner, an electrical signal (ON / OFF signal) corresponding to the tilting operation is output to the outside in accordance with the tilting amount of the operation lever 26.

  Before the operation lever 26 is tilted by the operator, the operation lever 26 has a neutral position in which the sliding end 251 of the moving member 25 is disposed at the center position 212 of the moving member receiving base 211 as shown in FIG. Held in a state. When the operator tilts the operation lever 26 in an arbitrary direction from this neutral state, the sliding end 251 moves along one of the restriction grooves 213. That is, the sliding end 251 slides on the first inclined surface 215 in the restriction groove 213 provided in the direction opposite to the tilting direction of the operation lever 26, gets over the connecting surface 217, and then the second inclined surface 216. To reach. The distance of the regulation groove 213 from the tilting center of the operation lever 26 is formed so as to gradually decrease toward the outside, and the sliding end 251 moving from the center position 212 resists the biasing force of the coil spring 252. When the amount pushed up is positioned on the first inclined surface 215, the amount is always increased slightly. In the restriction groove 213, the protrusion 214 (the upper end portion of the connecting surface 217) protrudes most on the movement path, and the amount of increase is steeply largest. For this reason, the sliding end 251 is in a state of being pushed up so that the increase in the urging force of the coil spring 252 is the largest when the protrusion 214 is moved over. When the projection 214 is passed over, the second inclined surface 216 is reached, and the increase in the urging force of the coil spring 252 is slightly the same as the first inclined surface 215. A click sensation is generated when the increase in the urging force of the coil spring 252 that occurs when the protrusion is overcome is suddenly reduced. Further, when the load applied to the operation lever 26 by the operator is released, the coil spring 252 is displaced so as to reduce the amount of bending, and accordingly the 251 moves, and the operation lever 26 returns to the neutral position.

  As described above, according to the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the restriction groove 213 for restricting the movement direction according to the tilting operation of the moving member 251 inserted into the operation lever 26 and the movement in the restriction groove 213. Since the moving member storage base 211 having the protruding portion 214 formed on the moving path of the member 251 is provided, the tilting direction in the tilting operation by the operation lever 26 can be regulated by the regulating groove 213, and the protruding portion 214. Thus, a click feeling can be imparted on the moving path of the moving member 251. As a result, it is possible to give a good operational feeling to the operator during the tilting operation.

  In particular, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the moving member storage base 211 is provided with a plurality (eight) of restriction grooves 213 and protrusions 214. Accordingly, the tilt direction in the tilt operation can be more finely regulated, and a click feeling can be given in the tilt operation in each tilt direction.

  Further, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the regulation groove 213 of the moving member storage base 211 is inclined so as to rise gently from the center position 212 set as the initial position of the moving member 251 in the moving direction. The protrusion 214 is formed on the moving path of the moving member 251 on the inclined surface. Accordingly, it is possible to prompt the return of the moving member 251 to the center position 212 according to the release of the tilting operation. As a result, the tilting direction in the tilting operation is restricted, and a click feeling can be imparted on the moving path of the moving member 251, and the operation lever 26 is returned to the initial state when the tilting operation is released. The multidirectional input device 1 excellent in performance can be provided.

  Note that in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the inclined surfaces constituting the restriction grooves 213 are configured by, for example, the first inclined surface 215 and the second inclined surface 216, and the protrusions 214 are the first The upper end portion of the connecting surface 217 that connects the inclined surface 215 and the second inclined surface 216 is formed. When the restriction groove 213 and the protrusion 214 of the moving member 251 are formed in this way, the moving member storage base 211 can be easily manufactured by molding or the like, so that it is tilted while suppressing an increase in manufacturing cost. The tilt direction in the operation can be restricted, and a click feeling can be given on the moving path of the moving member.

  Furthermore, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation lever 26 is supported so as to be tilted, rotatable, and pressable, and the inner casing 3 in which the moving member storage base 211 is formed on the upper surface of the bottom surface portion; The switch elements 201 to 204 are provided so as to face the lower surface of the bottom surface portion of the inner casing 3, and the inner casing 3 is moved downward integrally with the operation lever 26 in response to a pressing operation on the operation lever 26. The switch elements 201 to 204 are driven by sinking. As a result, the switch elements 201 to 204 can be driven by the lower surface of the bottom surface portion of the inner casing 3 on which the moving member storage base 211 is formed, so that the pressing operation by the operation lever 26 is achieved while realizing downsizing of the apparatus main body. It can correspond to.

  Furthermore, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, a mechanism for causing the electric elements 238 and 239 to output as the operation lever 26 tilts, that is, the first interlocking member 27 and the second interlocking member. 28, etc., a mechanism that generates an output by rotation, that is, a rotating body 24, a detection element 222, and a moving member regulating plate 211 for regulating the click and return to the neutral position and the tilting direction with tilting are arranged. In addition, since the switch elements 201 to 204 that generate an output signal in accordance with the pressing are arranged on the lower side, the occupied area in the planar direction can be reduced.

  Furthermore, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, a rotating body 24 that rotates integrally with the operation lever 26 in response to a rotation operation on the operation lever 26, and a light shielding plate 244 formed on the rotating body 24. , 245, and the detection element 222 is installed in the vicinity of the moving member storage base 211 of the moving member regulating plate 21 constituting the bottom surface portion of the inner casing 3. As a result, the amount of rotation of the rotating body 24 can be detected by the detecting element 222 installed in the vicinity of the moving member storage base 211, so that the apparatus main body can be reduced in size and can be rotated by the operation lever. be able to.

  In particular, in the multidirectional input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation lever 26 is tilted, rotated, and pressed by the inner casing 3 via the rotating body 24, and in response to a pressing operation on the operation lever 26. Thus, the rotating body 24 sinks the inner casing 3 downward. As a result, it is possible to respond to the pressing operation with the rotating body 24 necessary for responding to the rotating operation. Therefore, the tilting operation, the rotating operation and the pressing operation by the operation lever 26 are supported while the apparatus main body is downsized. can do.

  In the present embodiment, a case has been described in which the protrusion 214 for imparting a click feeling at the time of the tilting operation is configured by the upper end portion of the connecting surface 217 that forms the restriction groove 213. However, the configuration of the protruding portion 214 is not limited to this, and any configuration may be adopted as long as the sliding end 251 can be pushed up on the moving path of the moving member 25.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and can be implemented with various modifications. In the above-described embodiment, the size, shape, and the like illustrated in the accompanying drawings are not limited to this, and can be appropriately changed within a range in which the effect of the present invention is exhibited. In addition, various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the object of the present invention.

1 is an external view of a multidirectional input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a disassembled block diagram of the main members which comprise the outer surface of the multidirectional input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a disassembled block diagram of the switch unit of the multidirectional input device according to the embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing of the multidirectional input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the multidirectional input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view for demonstrating the detailed structure of the moving member accommodation stand of the multidirectional input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view which shows the structure around the moving member storage stand of the multidirectional input device which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Multidirectional input device 2 Switch unit 3 Casing (inner casing)
4 Casing (outer casing)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 Cover body 20 Switch installation board 21 Moving member control board 22 Detection element installation board 23 Housing 24 Rotating body 25 Moving member 26 Operation lever 27 1st interlocking member 28 2nd interlocking member 201-204 Switch element 211 Moving member accommodation stand 212 Central position 213 Restriction groove 214 First inclined surface 215 Second inclined surface 216 Connecting surface 222 Detection element 233a, 233b, 252 Coil spring 235 Housing hole 236, 237, 272, 282 Gear 238, 239 Electric element 241 Collar 242 Cam ridge 243 Peripheral surface portion 244, 245 Light shielding plate 246 Lever fixing portion 247 Groove portion 251 Sliding end 253 Stopper 262 Engaging portion 263 Protruding portion 271 Base portion

Claims (8)

  An operation lever that receives an operation input including a tilting operation and a rotation operation, an electric element that detects a tilting operation of the operation lever, a moving member that is held movably up and down at the lower end of the operation lever, and is biased downward A groove portion that accommodates a lower end of the moving member and restricts a direction of the tilting movement of the moving member in accordance with a tilting operation of the operation lever, and a protrusion formed on the moving path of the moving member in the groove portion. A movement regulating member, a case in which the movement regulating member is formed on the upper surface of the bottom surface thereof, and a rotation operation around the axis of the operation lever that is installed in the vicinity of the movement regulating member on the bottom surface of the case And a detection element for detecting the rotation of the operation lever.   The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the movement restriction member includes a plurality of the groove portions and the protrusion portions.   The groove portion is configured by an inclined surface that gently rises in the moving direction from a center position set as an initial position of the moving member, and the protruding portion is formed on a moving path of the moving member on the inclined surface. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the multidirectional input device is provided.   The inclined surface has a first inclined surface and a second inclined surface outward from the center position, and the protrusion rises at an acute angle from an upper end portion of the first inclined surface, and is a second inclined surface. The multidirectional input device according to claim 3, wherein the multidirectional input device is configured by an upper end portion of a connection surface connected to a lower end portion of the surface.   The operating lever is tiltably held by a rotating body that rotates integrally with the operating lever in response to a rotating operation on the operating lever, and the detection element detects the rotation of the detection member formed on the rotating body. The multi-directional input device according to claim 1.   The operation lever is inserted, a first interlocking member that rotates as the operation lever tilts is provided, and the operation lever is held between the rotating body and the first interlocking member. 5. The multidirectional input device according to 5.   A switch element is provided opposite to the lower surface of the bottom surface of the case, and the case sinks downward integrally with the operation lever in response to a pressing operation on the operation lever to drive the switch element. The multidirectional input device according to claim 1, wherein the multidirectional input device is a multi-directional input device.   The operation lever is held in the case so as to be able to tilt, rotate and press through the rotating body, and the rotating body sinks the case downward in response to a pressing operation on the operating lever. The multidirectional input device according to claim 5.

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