JP2008282724A - Switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch device which has a good operation feeling at the time of push operation and is easily improved in that operation. <P>SOLUTION: The switch device is provided with a touch switch portion 200A which has a knob 21 on the total surface of which a metal film 22 forming an electrostatic capacity coupling based on touch operation is formed, and displaces in pushing direction by the push operation, a push switch portion 201A which is push operated through the touch switch portion 200A accompanying the pushing operation of the knob 21, an insulator 23 which is provided at the lower face side of the knob 21 through the metal film 22, an electrode 24b which is opposed to the metal film 22 at the lower face side of the knob 21 and has a conductive pattern 24a formed to make electrostatic capacity coupling with the metal film 22, and an FPC on which the conductive pattern 24a is installed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch device, and more particularly to a switch device having a function for detecting a touch operation state and a push operation state on a switch operation member.

  As a conventional switch device, for example, there is a device that detects a first operation state and a second operation state when a switch operation member is operated by an operator (Patent Document 1).

  The switch device includes a keypad having an operation key, a dome-type switch having a switch electrode and a contact electrode, a capacitor element having a displacement electrode and a capacitor element electrode, and a flexible print mounting the capacitor element and the dome-type switch. And a substrate.

  The keypad is elastically deformed by pushing the operation key, and pushes the dome-shaped switch downward. The dome type switch receives the push operation force of the operation key from the keypad, and the switch electrode is displaced downward to touch the contact electrode. Thus, the first operation state of the operation key is detected by the first processing circuit. The capacitive element receives the push operation force of the operation key applied to the keypad from the dome-shaped switch, and the displacement electrode is displaced, and approaches the capacitive element electrode. As a result, the capacitance of the capacitor formed between the displacement electrode and the capacitor element electrode changes, and the second operation state of the operation key is detected by the second processing circuit. The flexible printed circuit board is folded and arranged, and has a fixed portion and a folded portion that face each other with a spacer interposed therebetween. A capacitor element electrode of a capacitor element is mounted on the folded portion side of the fixed portion. A displacement electrode of the capacitive element is mounted on the fixed portion side of the folded portion, and a dome type switch is mounted on the keypad side.

In the above configuration, when the operation key is pushed, the keypad is elastically deformed and bent to push the dome-shaped switch downward. Therefore, the switch electrode of the dome-type switch is displaced downward to touch the contact electrode, and the first operation state of the operation key is detected. Thereafter, when the operation key is pushed, the flexible printed circuit board is elastically deformed and bent while holding the first operation state of the operation key, and pushes the capacitive element downward. For this reason, the displacement electrode of the capacitive element is displaced downward and approaches the capacitive element electrode, and the second operation state of the operation key is detected.
JP 2004-45243 A

  However, according to the switch device of Patent Document 1, since the flexible printed circuit board must be elastically deformed when a push operation is performed, the operational feeling is not good and it is difficult to improve the operational feeling.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a switch device that has a good operational feeling during a push operation and that can be easily improved.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a knob in which a first electrode forming a first capacitive coupling based on a touch operation is formed on the entire surface, and is displaced in the push direction by a push operation. A first switch portion, a second switch portion that is pushed via the first switch portion in accordance with the push operation of the knob, and a lower surface of the knob that is provided via the first electrode. A second electrode that is opposed to the first electrode on the lower surface side of the knob and that is capacitively coupled to the first electrode, and the second capacitive coupling. And a substrate provided with a wiring portion electrically connected to the second electrode via the switch device.

  According to the above-described configuration, the operational feeling at the time of the push operation is good, and the improvement can be easily performed.

  According to the present invention, the feeling of operation at the time of a push operation is good, and the improvement can be easily performed.

[First embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device according to the first embodiment of the present invention taken along the line AA of FIG. 2 to be described later, and FIG. 2 shows the switch device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows a use condition. The following diagram is a conceptual diagram, and the dimensions of each part are not related to the scale of the diagram.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 1 includes a switch device 2 having two switches and a display screen 3, and a cursor 30 and a menu 31 are displayed on the display screen 3. FIG. 2 shows a case where “TV” in the menu 31 is selected with the cursor 30. In the present embodiment, the switch device 2 is configured to include two switches, but one or more switches may be provided.

(Overall configuration of switch device 2)
The switch device 2 includes two switches, a first switch 2A and a second switch 2B, and the first switch 2A further includes a touch switch unit 200A as a first switch unit and a second switch unit. The push switch unit 201A. Similarly, the second switch 2B includes a touch switch unit 200B and a push switch unit 201B.

  The switch device 2 includes a housing 20 formed of a synthetic resin, a knob insertion hole 20a provided in the housing 20, a first opening 20b and a second opening 20c, a method such as metal sputtering and conductive plating. Provided on the FPC 24, the knob 21 having the metal film 22 as the first electrode formed on the entire surface thereof, the insulator 23 as an insulating member provided between the metal film 22 on the lower surface of the knob 21 and the electrode 24b. And a conductive pattern 24a as a wiring portion having an electrode 24b as a second electrode, and a substrate having elasticity and a curved portion 24c provided on the surface at a position corresponding to the conductive pattern 24a and the first opening 20b. FPC (Flexible Printed Circuits) 24, a connector 25 to which the FPC 24 is connected, and an FPC 24 The insulator 26 provided between the electrodes 27a, the conductive rubber 27 which is an elastic body having conductivity, the movable electrode 27a provided on the conductive rubber 27, and the movable electrode 27a on the substrate 28 are opposed to each other. A fixed electrode 28a provided at a position and a substrate 28 connected to a later-described capacitance IC provided on the substrate 28 and provided with a conductive pattern 24a, a later-described capacitance IC, and the like are schematically configured. . Since the second switch 2B has the same configuration and function as the first switch 2A, the first switch 2A will be described in the following description.

(Configuration of knob 21)
As shown in FIG. 1, the knob 21 is inserted through the knob insertion hole 20 a and is disposed in the casing 20 so as to be able to appear and retract. The entire knob 21 is formed of a synthetic resin material in the same manner as the casing 20. And it is comprised so that it may displace in a push direction by push operation. The knob 21 is configured to capacitively couple with the electrode 24b to form the touch switch unit 200A when the operator's fingers touch the metal film 22 formed on the surface thereof.

(Configuration of FPC 24)
The FPC 24 passes through the first opening 20 b and the second opening 20 c provided in the housing 20 and is connected to the connector 25. Further, when the knob 21 is displaced in the push direction by the push operation of the finger of the operator, the FPC 24 is displaced by receiving a force in the push direction. However, by providing the bending portion 24c, the FPC 24 applies stress in the push direction. The connector 25 is configured to prevent the connector 25 from coming off from being received, and to maintain the capacitive coupling between the metal film 22 and the electrode 24b.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a conductive pattern according to the first embodiment of the present invention. A conductive pattern 24a shown in FIG. 3 is formed on the surface of the FPC 24, and the electrode 24b of the conductive pattern 24a and the metal film 22 are capacitively coupled. According to such a configuration, since the distance between the electrode 24b and the metal film 22 does not change with respect to the displacement of the knob 21 in the push direction, stable capacitive coupling can be maintained. In addition, since the capacitive coupling is used, the trouble of connecting the metal film 22 and the conductive pattern 24a can be saved, so that the assembly is facilitated.

(Configuration of conductive rubber 27)
The conductive rubber 27 is formed of, for example, a conductive rubber having both conductivity and elasticity and an insulating rubber having insulation, and the movable electrode 27a is formed at a position facing the fixed electrode 28a provided on the substrate 28. Then, an insulating portion 27b formed of insulating rubber is provided between the first switch 2A and the second switch 2B, and is connected to the ground pattern of the substrate 28 in the vicinity of both ends of the insulating portion 27b. Further, the vicinity of the movable electrode 27a of the conductive rubber 27 is configured to be elastically deformed into a bent state by an operator's push operation and to be elastically restored from the bent state by releasing the push operation of the knob 21.

  The movable electrode 27a is electrically connected to the fixed electrode 28a provided on the substrate 28 when the knob 21 is pushed. By this electrical connection, the voltage divided from the capacitance detection IC 10 becomes zero, and the push operation state of the knob 21 is detected. In the present embodiment, the conductive rubber 27 is formed of conductive rubber. However, the conductive rubber 27 may be formed of an elastic member such as rubber and metal having no conductivity and electrically connected by wiring. good.

(Capacitor configuration)
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the switch device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The capacitor C1 is formed by the metal film 22 and the electrode 24b, and is electrically connected to the capacitor C2 formed by the operator's finger and the metal film 22 by capacitive coupling. Since the circuit can be formed without directly connecting the metal film 22 and the electrode 24b by the capacitive coupling of the capacitor C1, the operation feeling during the push operation is not affected, and the malfunction due to the contact failure. Can be suppressed.

When the operator's finger touches the metal film 22 formed on the knob 21 of the first switch 2A, the capacitor C2 and the capacitor C1 formed by the operator's finger and the metal film 22 are as shown in FIG. Are connected in series. At this time, the capacitance of the combined capacitor C3 of the capacitors C1 and C2 can be expressed as follows.
C3 = (C1 × C2) / (C1 + C2)... A
In the present embodiment, the capacitance of the capacitor C2 is 1 to several pF, whereas the capacitance of the capacitor C1 formed by capacitive coupling of the metal film 22 and the electrode 24b is between By adjusting the thickness of the intervening insulator 23 and the size of the metal film 22 and the electrode 24b, the value is set to several hundred pF and a value two orders of magnitude larger than the capacitance of the capacitor C2, for example, about 100 times ( C1 >> C2). Therefore, since C1 is a sufficiently large value compared to C2, the capacitance of the composite capacitor C3 can be regarded as being equal to the capacitance of the capacitor C2 from A (C3≈C2).

(Configuration of Capacitance IC 100)
The capacitance IC 100 includes, for example, an oscillation unit 100A that outputs a high-frequency signal (Vo) of 100 kHz, a load resistor 100B that has a resistance value of, for example, 100 kΩ, and a diode 100C that smoothes the high-frequency signal output from the oscillation unit 100A. And an LPF 100D for passing a signal of 2 kHz or less and an operational amplifier 100E. The electrostatic capacitance IC 100 is connected to the controller 120, and in the present embodiment, another electrostatic capacitance IC is connected to the second switch 2B. The operational amplifier 100E outputs the high frequency signal from the oscillation unit 100A to the controller 120 as the amplified signal (Vout). The capacitor C2 as the touch switch unit 200A is formed by the metal film 22 and an operator (finger), and the push switch unit 201A is configured by a movable electrode 27a and a fixed electrode 28a. Output signals from the touch switch unit 200 </ b> A and the push switch unit 201 </ b> A are superimposed and output to the controller 120 via the signal line 200 and the capacitance IC 100.

(Configuration of controller 120)
As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 120 includes a memory 121 that stores various threshold values and the like described later, and includes a vehicle ECU (Electric Control Unit) that functions as a determination unit and a control unit. It is installed. The controller 120 serving as a determination unit determines a superimposed output signal from the capacitance IC 100 based on various threshold values stored in the memory 121. For example, the controller 120 as the control unit determines selection and determination of the menu 31 displayed on the display screen 3 based on the determination result of the superimposed output signal from the capacitance IC 100 and displays the result on the display screen 3. Output to.

(Operation of switch device 2)
FIG. 5 is a signal waveform diagram used to describe the operation of the switch device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5A shows a detection signal of the capacitance IC by the touch operation, FIG. 5B shows an output signal thereof, FIG. 5C shows a detection signal of the capacitance IC by the push operation, FIG. 5D shows the output signals. In the following embodiments, the reference voltage 110 that is output when the operator does not touch the switch device 2 is 2 v, the touch threshold 40 is 1.5 v, and the push threshold 50 is 0.5 v. It is said.

  As shown in FIG. 1, when the metal film 22 formed on the knob 21 is touch-operated by an operator's finger, the high frequency signal output from the oscillation unit 100A of the capacitance IC 100 is converted into the impedance and load of the capacitor C3. The voltage is divided (Vc) by the resistor 100B, rectified by the diode 100C, filtered by the LPF 100D, and then input to the operational amplifier 100E. In this case, the level of the high-frequency signal input to the operational amplifier 100E in the touch section shown in FIG. 5B is smaller than the level when the finger is not touching the metal film 22. Then, the signal is input from the operational amplifier 100E to the controller 120 as a signal (Vout). At this time, a potential difference A is generated in the signal (Vout) output from the operational amplifier 100E compared to before the metal film 22 is touch-operated by the operator's finger. The potential difference A is a difference between a reference voltage 110 that is a voltage before touch operation and a detection voltage 111 that is a voltage output from the capacitance IC 100 after touch or push operation.

  Based on the threshold value for touch 40 and the threshold value for push 50 and the potential difference A, the controller 120 determines whether the operator has touched the metal film 22 or has performed a push operation. The potential difference A shown in FIG. 4B is larger than the difference between the reference voltage 110 and the touch threshold value 40 and smaller than the difference between the reference voltage 110 and the push threshold value 50. It is determined that the finger touch operation state (on state) by the operator in the section is displayed on the display screen 3 as the menu 31 indicated by the cursor 30 displayed on the display screen 3 shown in FIG. Select “TV”.

  On the other hand, when the knob 21 is pushed by the finger of the operator, the knob 21 is displaced downward, and accordingly, the movable electrode 27a is elastically deformed into a bent state, and the movable electrode 27a is electrically connected to the fixed electrode 28a. In the contact, that is, the push section shown in FIG. 5, the push switch unit 201A is in the on state. At this time, since one end of the conductive rubber 27 is grounded, the potential difference B becomes 2v as shown in FIGS. 5 (c) and 5 (d).

  Based on the threshold value for touch 40 and the threshold value for push 50 and the potential difference B, the controller 120 determines whether the operator has touched the metal film 22 or has been pushed. Since the potential difference B shown in FIG. 4D is larger than the difference between the reference voltage 110 and the push threshold value 50, the controller 120 determines that the push operation state is performed by the operator, for example, the display screen shown in FIG. 3 is selected and determined, the display state of the display screen 3 is changed to the television.

[Effect of the first embodiment]
According to the above-described embodiment, the number of parts can be reduced and the structure can be simplified, so that the cost can be reduced. Furthermore, by making the electrical connection between the touch switch unit 200A and the capacitance IC 100 with the capacitor C1, it is possible to detect the push operation without affecting the operational feeling of the push operation of the knob 21, and in a non-contact state. Therefore, assembly property and durability can be improved. Furthermore, since the operation feeling when the operator performs the push operation is similar to the operation feeling associated with the push operation of the push switch unit 201A, it is desirable to design the operation feeling during the push operation of the push switch unit 201A. It becomes possible to realize the feeling of operation.

[Second Embodiment]
6 is a cross-sectional view of the switch device according to the second embodiment of the present invention taken along the line AA in FIG. 2, and FIG. 7A is an FPC according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7B is a plan view relating to assembly according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7C is a plan view of the FPC according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. In the following description, portions having the same configurations and functions as those of the first embodiment are denoted by common reference numerals, detailed description thereof is omitted, and only different portions are described.

(Configuration of knob 21)
The knob 21 has a recess 21a, and the metal film 22 is formed in the recess 21a as in the first embodiment.

(Configuration of FPC 24)
As shown in FIG. 7A, the FPC 24 is formed with a notch 240 a and is refracted along the valley line 241, and the refracting portion 240 b is refracted in a direction perpendicular to the FPC 24. An electrode 24b is formed on the refracting portion 240b, and is capacitively coupled to the metal film 22 formed in the recess 21a of the knob 21 to electrically connect the metal film 22 and the conductive pattern 24a.

(Assembly of knob 21)
As shown in FIG. 7B, the knob 21 is assembled by inserting the insertion member 21b from the lower side of the notch 240a of the FPC 24 into the recess 21a of the knob 21 in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 7B. Done. By assembling in this way, the capacitor C1 formed by the metal film 22 and the electrode 24b is stable even during the push operation, and malfunctions during the push operation can be suppressed.

(Modification of refraction part 240b)
As described in the first embodiment, since the touch operation can be detected more stably when the capacitance of the capacitor C1 formed by capacitive coupling is larger, the electrode formed in the refracting portion 240b. The area of 24b is better. Therefore, instead of providing the notch 240a on the FPC 24, the area of the electrode 24b can be freely changed by providing the refracting portion 240b as shown in FIG. 7C, so that the capacitance of the capacitor C1 can be further increased. can do.

[Effect of the second embodiment]
According to the above-described embodiment, the capacitance of the capacitor C1 can be increased, so that malfunction can be suppressed and assembly is facilitated.

  In the above-described embodiment, the push switch unit 201A may use a sensor such as a magnetic sensor or an ultrasonic sensor that converts a displacement amount into an electric signal.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from or changing the technical idea of the present invention.

It is the sectional view on the AA line of Drawing 2 mentioned below of the switch device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the use condition of the switch apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the schematic of the conductive pattern which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of a switch device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a signal waveform diagram used in order to explain operation of the switch device concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention, (a) is a detection signal of electrostatic capacity IC by touch operation, (b) is the The output signal, (c) shows the detection signal of the electrostatic capacitance IC by the push operation, and (d) shows the output signal. It is the sectional view on the AA line of FIG. 2 of the switch apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. (A) is a top view of FPC which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, (b) is a figure regarding the assembly | attachment which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention, (c) is It is a top view of FPC concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Vehicle, 2 ... Switch apparatus, 2A ... 1st switch, 2B ... 2nd switch, 3 ... Display screen, 20 ... Housing | casing, 20a ... Knob insertion hole, 20b ... 1st opening, 20c ... 2nd 21 ... Knob, 21a ... Recess, 21b ... Insert member, 22 ... Metal film, 23 ... Insulator, 24a ... Conductive pattern, 24b ... Electrode, 24c ... Curved part, 25 ... Connector, 26 ... Insulator, 27 ... conductive rubber, 27a ... movable electrode, 27b ... insulating part, 28 ... substrate, 28a ... fixed electrode, 30 ... cursor, 31 ... menu, 40 ... threshold for touch, 50 ... threshold for push, 100 ... Capacitance IC 110 ... reference voltage 111 ... detection voltage 100A ... oscillation unit 100B ... load resistance 100C ... diode 100D ... LPF 100E ... op amp 120 ... controller 121 ... Mori, 200 ... signal line, 200A, 200B ... touch switch unit, 201A, 201B ... push switch unit, 240a ... cut-off, 240b ... refraction unit, 241 ... valley line, C1, C2 ... capacitor, C3 ... synthetic capacitor, A , B, C ... potential difference, X ... arrow,

Claims (3)

A first switch part having a knob formed on the entire surface of a first electrode forming a first capacitive coupling based on a touch operation, and being displaced in a push direction by a push operation;
A second switch portion that is pushed via the first switch portion in accordance with the push operation of the knob;
An insulating member provided on the lower surface side of the knob via the first electrode;
A second electrode facing the first electrode on the lower surface side of the knob and being capacitively coupled to the first electrode;
And a substrate provided with a wiring portion electrically connected to the second electrode through the second capacitive coupling. A first switch portion having a knob formed on the entire surface with a first electrode having a concave portion formed on the lower surface and forming a first capacitive coupling based on a touch operation, and being displaced in the push direction by the push operation When,
A second switch portion that is pushed via the first switch portion in accordance with the push operation of the knob;
There is a notch that deforms along the recess of the knob by inserting an insertion member at a position corresponding to the recess of the knob, and a second electrode is provided at a position facing the first electrode at the notch Provided with a substrate,
The substrate is provided with a wiring portion that is electrically connected to the second electrode through a second capacitive coupling between the first electrode and the second electrode formed in the recess of the knob. A switch device characterized by that.   The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a flexible printed circuit board.

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