JP6243457B2 - Input device and electronic device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device and an electronic device, and more specifically, an input device that is detachably attached to a portable information device and includes an operation input unit that performs an input operation on the portable information device, and the input device. It is related with the provided electronic device.

  In recent years, tablet personal computers (hereinafter also referred to as tablet PCs) that have a touch panel type liquid crystal display and do not have a physical keyboard are rapidly spreading. The tablet PC has the characteristics that it is easy to carry and the input operation can be performed by the touch panel, so that the operation is ready.

  However, since the tablet PC does not have a physical keyboard, there is a case where a long sentence input operation is hindered.

  Therefore, a keyboard device having a keyboard that is detachably attached to the tablet PC and that performs an input operation on the tablet PC is known. This keyboard device has a connector portion provided with a connection terminal portion, and the connection terminal portion of the connector portion is connected to a terminal provided on a side surface on the long side of the housing in the tablet PC. Is electrically connected to the tablet PC (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Special table 2015-518190 gazette

  By the way, some tablet PCs are known not only having terminals provided on the side of the long side of the casing but also having terminals provided on the inner side of the side of the casing. That is, there is known a tablet PC in which a terminal is provided at a location separated from the side surface of the housing.

  As for the tablet PC in which the terminal is provided at a location separated from the side surface of the housing in this way, even if the connection terminal portion of the connector portion is to be connected to the terminal, the components of the keyboard device around the connector portion However, the components of the housing of the tablet PC cannot be connected due to interference, and it is difficult to electrically connect the tablet PC and the keyboard device.

  In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides an input device and an electronic device that can satisfactorily make an electrical connection to a portable information device having a terminal at a location separated from a side surface of a housing. With the goal.

  In order to achieve the above object, an input device according to the present invention is an input device that is detachably attached to a portable information device and includes an operation input unit that performs an input operation on the portable information device, It has a connector part having a detachable surface with a portable information device and provided with a connection terminal part that enables electrical connection with the portable information device, the connector part having the connection terminal part Displaceable between a reference posture arranged above the upper surface of the operation input unit together with the attachment / detachment surface and an advancement posture where the connection terminal portion is arranged above the position of the reference posture together with the attachment / detachment surface It is provided.

  Moreover, the present invention is characterized in that, in the above input device, the connector portion is provided in such a manner that the connection terminal portion protrudes from the attachment / detachment surface.

  Further, the present invention provides the above input device, further comprising a cylindrical portion that is connected to the operation input portion via a flexible hinge portion, and is provided so as to be rotatable with respect to the operation input portion by the flexible hinge portion. The cylindrical portion is capable of changing the upward projecting height relative to the operation input portion by rotating, and the connector portion is pivotally supported by the cylindrical portion via the shaft portion, It is provided so as to be rotatable around the axis of the shaft-like portion.

  Further, according to the present invention, in the input device, the connector portion has the detachable surface adsorbed to a predetermined portion of the portable information device by a magnetic force.

  According to the present invention, in the above input device, the operation input unit is a keyboard configured by arranging a plurality of keys.

  An electronic device according to the present invention includes the portable information device and any one of the input devices described above.

  According to the present invention, in the electronic device, the portable information device is a tablet personal computer including a touch-operable display.

  According to the present invention, the connector portion is disposed above the upper surface of the operation input unit with the connection terminal portion and the attachment / detachment surface, and the connection terminal portion is disposed above the position of the reference posture together with the attachment / detachment surface. Since it is provided so as to be displaceable between the advanced position, when connecting the connection terminal part to the terminal formed on one side of the portable information device, the connector part may be set to the reference position and portable. When the connection terminal portion is connected to a terminal formed away from one side surface of the information device, the connector portion may be in the advanced position. Therefore, it is possible to satisfactorily make an electrical connection to a portable information device having a terminal at a location separated from the side surface of the housing.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a rear view schematically showing a state in which the input device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is electrically connected to the tablet personal computer. FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a rear view schematically showing a state in which the input device shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is electrically connected to the tablet personal computer. FIG. 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a main part of a modification of the input device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Exemplary embodiments of an input device and an electronic device according to the present invention will be explained below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 to 3 show an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a plan view, and FIGS. 2 and 3 are perspective views showing enlarged main parts.

  The input device 10 illustrated here constitutes the electronic apparatus 1 together with a tablet personal computer (hereinafter also referred to as a tablet PC) 50 shown in FIG.

  The tablet-type PC 50 is a portable information device provided with a display 51 including a touch panel type liquid crystal display unit on the surface. The tablet PC 50 has a configuration in which a substrate, a computing device, a memory, a battery, and the like are housed. In such a tablet PC 50, the first terminal 52 is formed on one side of the long side of the housing, and the second terminal 53 is formed on the inner side of the one side of the short piece (see FIG. 7).

  The input device 10 includes an operation input unit 20 and a mounting unit 30 and serves as an input unit for the tablet PC 50.

  The operation input unit 20 includes a keyboard unit 21 configured by arranging a plurality of keys 21 a on the surface, and a touch pad 22 provided on the front surface of the keyboard unit 21.

  The mounting portion 30 is made of, for example, a resin or the like, and is a long member extending along the left-right direction. The mounting portion 30 has a length along the left-right direction that is substantially the same as the length of the operation input portion 20 extending in the left-right direction. Such a mounting portion 30 includes a first tubular portion 30a and a second tubular portion 30b.

  The first cylindrical portion 30a is a cylindrical member whose axial direction is the left-right direction, and both left and right end portions are closed. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the first cylindrical portion 30 a is in a sideways posture with a maximum width in the front-rear direction. When the first cylindrical portion 30a is in the sideways posture, the upper portion and the lower portion are flat, and the front portion and the rear portion are curved surfaces that protrude outward.

  The first tubular portion 30 a is connected to the left side rear end portion of the operation input portion 20 via the first flexible hinge portion 31. The 1st flexible hinge part 31 is formed by the sheet-like member which has softness | flexibility, such as thin resin and leather, for example, and can be bent at least by using the left-right direction as an axis.

  Similarly to the first cylindrical portion 30a, the second cylindrical portion 30b is a cylindrical member whose axial direction is the left-right direction, and is disposed on the right side of the first cylindrical portion 30a. The second cylindrical portion 30b is closed at the left end, and a USB terminal (Universal Serial Bus) terminal 32 is formed at the right end. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the second cylindrical portion 30 b has a sideways posture in which the front-rear direction has the maximum width. When the second cylindrical portion 30b is in the sideways posture, the upper and lower portions are flat like the first cylindrical portion 30a, and the front portion and the rear portion protrude outward. It has become a curved surface.

  The second tubular portion 30 b is connected to the right side rear end portion of the operation input portion 20 via the second flexible hinge portion 33. The second flexible hinge portion 33 is formed of a flexible sheet-like member such as thin resin or leather, and can be bent at least about the left-right direction as an axis.

  Further, a connector portion 40 is provided on the second cylindrical portion 30b. The connector part 40 is made of, for example, resin, and has a through hole 41 (see FIG. 4) extending in the left-right direction inside. The through hole 41 has a second cylindrical part 30b. The pair of left and right shaft-shaped portions 34 are inserted so as to be pivotally supported around the central axis of the shaft-shaped portions 34.

  Such a connector part 40 includes an attachment / detachment surface 42 and a connection terminal part 43. The detachable surface 42 forms an upper surface in the state shown in FIGS. A magnet 44 is provided inside the connector near the detachable surface 42.

  The connection terminal portion 43 is provided so as to protrude from the attachment / detachment surface 42. The connection terminal portion 43 is connected to the first terminal 52 or the second terminal 53 of the tablet PC 50 to electrically connect the input device 10 to the tablet PC 50. Note that the wiring of the connection terminal portion 43 is not shown in the drawing, but is routed so as to pass through the through hole 41, and passes through a hole (not shown) formed in the right shaft portion 34 to connect the USB. It is connected to the terminal 32.

  In the input device 10 having such a configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, when the second cylindrical portion 30 b is in the sideways posture, the connector portion 40 has the connection terminal portion 43 as the detachable surface 42. At the same time, the reference posture is arranged slightly above the upper surface of the operation input unit 20.

  In this way, when the connector portion 40 is in the reference posture, as shown in FIG. 4, the connection terminal portion 43 is connected to the first terminal 52 formed on one side surface of the tablet PC 50, and The input / output device 10 is electrically connected to the tablet PC 50 by the attachment / detachment surface 42 being attracted to the peripheral portion of the first terminal 52 by the magnetic force.

  Further, in the input device 10, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when the second cylindrical portion 30 b is rotated forward, the second cylindrical portion 30 b stands up with the maximum width in the vertical direction. Become posture. Thus, when the 2nd cylindrical part 30b becomes a standing posture, the protrusion height to the upper direction with respect to the operation input part 20 becomes larger than the protrusion height at the time of a sideways posture. In other words, the second cylindrical portion 30b can change the height of the upward protrusion relative to the operation input portion 20 by rotating.

  Then, the connector portion 40 is rotated backward about the central axis of the shaft-shaped portion 34 with respect to the second cylindrical portion 30b in the standing posture. The advancing posture is arranged above the position of the reference posture together with the detachable surface 42.

  In this way, when the connector portion 40 is in the advanced position, as shown in FIG. 7, the connection terminal portion 43 is formed with the second terminal 53 formed so as to be spaced upward from one side surface of the short side of the tablet PC 50. And the attachment / detachment surface 42 is attracted to the peripheral portion of the second terminal 53 by magnetic force, whereby the input device 10 is electrically connected to the tablet PC 50.

  As described above, according to the input device 10 according to the present embodiment, the connector unit 40 includes the reference posture in which the connection terminal unit 43 is disposed above the upper surface of the operation input unit 20 together with the detachable surface 42, Since the connection terminal portion 43 is provided so as to be displaceable with the attaching / detaching surface 42 and the advanced posture disposed above the position of the reference posture, as shown in FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. When the connection terminal portion 43 is connected to the first terminal 52 formed on one side surface, the connector portion 40 may be set to the reference posture, and from one side surface of the short side of the tablet PC 50 as shown in FIG. When the connection terminal portion 43 is connected to the second terminals 53 that are formed apart from each other, the connector portion 40 may be set to the advanced posture. Therefore, electrical connection can be satisfactorily performed even for the tablet PC 50 having the terminal (second terminal 53) at a location separated from one side surface of the tablet PC 50.

  According to the input device 10, the upward protruding height with respect to the operation input unit 20 can be changed by the rotation of the second cylindrical portion 30 b, and the connector portion 40 is relative to the second cylindrical portion 30 b. Since it is pivotally supported around the central axis of the shaft-shaped portion 34, the angle formed between the surface of the tablet-type PC 50 and the upper surface of the operation input unit 20 is determined for the electrically connected tablet-type PC 50. Displacement can be made in a flexible manner, and the convenience of the input operation at the operation input unit 20 can be improved.

  According to the input device 10, the attachment / detachment surface 42 of the connector unit 40 is attracted to the peripheral portion of the terminal (the first terminal 52 or the second terminal 53) of the tablet PC 50 by magnetic force. The electrical connection with can be maintained well.

  According to the input device 10, since the second tubular portion 30b rotates independently of the first tubular portion 30a, the first tubular portion can be formed even when the second tubular portion 30b is in the standing posture. 30a can be in a sideways posture, and when a stand part for allowing the tablet PC 50 to stand by itself is provided on the back of the tablet PC 50, it is possible to avoid interference with the stand part. it can.

  The preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made.

  In the embodiment described above, the operation input unit 20 has the keyboard unit 21 with a plurality of keys 21a arranged on the surface. However, in the present invention, the operation input unit has a touch panel type liquid crystal display unit. May be configured.

  In the above-described embodiment, the second cylindrical portion 30b rotates between the sideways posture and the standing posture, and the connector portion 40 rotates about the left-right direction, so that the connector portion 40 has the reference posture. Although it was displaceable between advance positions, the present invention is not limited to this. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, the connector portion 40 may be displaced from the reference posture to the advanced posture by moving the second tubular portion 30b ′ upward. That is, the connector part 40 may be displaceable between a reference | standard attitude | position and an advance attitude | position by moving 2nd cylindrical part 30b 'along an up-down direction. Further, in the present invention, the second cylindrical portion does not move, and only the connector portion moves along the vertical direction separately from the second cylindrical portion, so that it can be displaced between the reference posture and the advanced posture. It may be.

  In the embodiment described above, the tablet PC 50 has been described as an example of the portable information device. However, in the present invention, the smartphone is not limited to the tablet PC 50, and a smartphone or the like may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electronic device 10 Input device 20 Operation input part 21 Keyboard part 21a Key 22 Touchpad 30 Mounting part 30a 1st cylindrical part 30b 2nd cylindrical part 31 1st flexible hinge part 33 2nd flexible hinge part 34 Axis part 40 Connector part 41 Through-hole 42 Detachable surface 43 Connection terminal part 44 Magnet 50 Tablet type PC
51 Display 52 1st terminal 53 2nd terminal

Claims (6)

An input device that is detachably mounted on a portable information device and includes an operation input unit that performs an input operation on the portable information device,
A connector portion having a detachable surface with the portable information device and provided with a connection terminal portion that enables electrical connection with the portable information device;
The connector portion includes the reference posture in which the connection terminal portion is disposed above the upper surface of the operation input portion together with the attachment / detachment surface, and the connection terminal portion is disposed above the position of the reference posture together with the attachment / detachment surface. It is provided so that it can be displaced between the advanced attitude
It is connected to the operation input part via a flexible hinge part, and includes a cylindrical part provided to be rotatable with respect to the operation input part by the flexible hinge part,
The cylindrical portion is capable of changing the upward projecting height with respect to the operation input portion by rotating,
The input device is characterized in that the connector portion is pivotally supported by the cylindrical portion via a shaft-shaped portion, and is provided so as to be rotatable around an axis of the shaft-shaped portion .   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the connector portion is provided such that the connection terminal portion protrudes from the attachment / detachment surface. The connector unit includes an input device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the detachable surface is attracted by magnetic force to a predetermined location of said portable information equipment. The operation input unit includes an input device according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the plurality of keys is a keyboard constructed are arranged. An electronic device comprising the portable information device and the input device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 . The electronic device according to claim 5 , wherein the portable information device is a tablet personal computer including a display capable of touch operation.

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