Pointing device

Abstract

A pointing device (100) that senses at least an operation amount in a first direction and an operation amount in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the pointing device (100) being provided with: an operation unit that is a columnar strain body (12) operated by an operator and that extends from one end (12b) fixed to base members (11, 20) in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction; a first strain sensing unit (SS) that is attached to the operation unit and that senses strain in accordance with the amount of operation in the first direction; and a second strain sensing unit (SS) that is attached to the operation unit and that senses strain in accordance with the amount of operation in the second direction.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a pointing device. Background Art

[0002] As one of input devices that sense the operation amount of an operator and input it to an electronic device (i.e., an operation object) such as a notebook computer or a game machine, a pointing device having a rod-shaped operation unit is known. The pointing device generally has a rod-shaped operation unit and a strain unit connected to the operation unit, and senses the operation amount of the operator based on the strain generated in the strain unit when the operator operates the operation unit.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a pointing device having: a rod operated by an operator; a flexible rod support portion connected to the lower end portion of the rod; and three protrusions for fixing the flexible rod support portion to a support member. In Patent Document 1, the flexible rod support portion is a circular member in plan view that functions as a strain body.

[0004] Prior Art Documents

[0005] Patent Documents

[0006] Patent Document: Japanese Patent No. 5285001 Specification Summary of the Invention

[0007] Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0008] With the miniaturization of electronic devices such as notebook computers and game machines, there is an increasing demand for a pointing device with a high degree of design freedom that can be efficiently arranged in the electronic device.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a pointing device with a high degree of design freedom.

[0010] Means for Solving the Problems

[0011] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pointing device that senses at least an operation amount in a first direction and an operation amount in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein the pointing device includes:

[0012] An operation unit, which is a columnar strain body operated by an operator, extends from one end fixed to a base member in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and orthogonal to the second direction;

[0013] A first strain sensing unit, which is assembled to the operation unit and senses a strain corresponding to the operation amount in the first direction; and

[0014] A second strain sensing unit, which is assembled to the operation unit and senses a strain corresponding to the operation amount in the second direction.

[0015] Advantages of the Invention

[0016] The positioning device of the present invention has a high degree of design freedom, so it can adopt an appropriate design according to the width of the space at the assembly site. Description of the Drawings

[0017] Figure 1 It is an exploded perspective view of the positioning device of the embodiment.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a perspective view of the positioning device of the embodiment.

[0019] Figure 3 (a) of Figure 3 (b) of Figure 3 It is a perspective view of the operation part, the strain gauge pasted on the operation part, and the flexible printed circuit board (FPC), respectively. Figure 3 In (a) of Figure 3 It shows the state before the FPC is connected to the strain gauge, and the FPC is unfolded.

[0020] Figure 4 In (a) of Figure 4 In (b) of Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view taken along the line IVb-IVb of (a) of

[0021] Figure 5 It is a cross-sectional view when the positioning device of the modification is cut by a plane orthogonal to the X direction and passing through the center of the operation part.

[0022] Figure 6 In (a) of Figure 6 In (b) of Figure 6 And in (c) of

[0023] Figure 7 It is a perspective view of the operation part and the strain sensor pasted on the operation part. The strain sensor is in an unfolded state before being pasted on the operation part. Detailed Embodiments

[0024] <Embodiment>

[0025] Refer to Figures 1 to 4 (b) of

[0026] As Figure 1 、 Figure 2As shown, the pointing device 100 of the present embodiment is a pointing stick assembly (PSA) having a columnar operation unit 12. The pointing device 100 mainly includes a main body 10, four strain gauges that sense the strain generated by the main body 10 (i.e., strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 ) and a support plate 20 that supports the main body 10 (an example of a base member. An example of a support).

[0027] In the following description, the direction in which the main body 10 and the support plate 20 are arranged is set as the vertical direction. In the vertical direction, the side where the main body 10 is located is set as the upper side with respect to the support plate 20, and the side where the support plate 20 is located is set as the lower side with respect to the main body 10. In addition, one direction extending in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction is set as the X direction, and a direction extending in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction and orthogonal to the X direction is set as the Y direction. In the present embodiment, for the sake of convenience of description, as Figure 1 shown, the direction of one side of the square support plate 20 is set as the X direction, and the direction of the other side orthogonal to this side is set as the Y direction. In addition, in the present embodiment, for the sake of convenience of description, as Figure 1 shown, the positive and negative sides of the X direction and the Y direction are defined. However, the X direction and the Y direction are not limited to Figure 1 the examples. The X direction, the Y direction, and the vertical direction are respectively an example of the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction of the present invention.

[0028] An example of the main body 10 is formed of resin. The main body 10 can be formed by integral molding.

[0029] The main body 10 includes a substrate 11 (an example of a base member), an operation unit 12, and three legs (i.e., a first leg 131, a second leg 132, and a third leg 133).

[0030] The substrate 11 is a substantially flat plate extending in a plane including the X direction and the Y direction. The substrate 11 is triangular in plan view (i.e., when viewed along the vertical direction), and has a first apex V1, a second apex V2, and a third apex V3, and a first side S1, a second side S2, and a third side S3. In the present embodiment, the first apex V1, the second apex V2, and the third apex V3 have rounded corners in plan view, but are not limited thereto.

[0031] The first top V1 and the second top V2 are arranged in the X direction. The first side S1 extends parallel to the X direction. A perpendicular line from the third top V3 to the first side S1 extends parallel to the Y direction. In the present embodiment, the lengths of the second side S2 and the third side S3 are equal to each other, and the first side S1 is longer than the second side S2 and the third side S3. That is, the top view shape of the strain body 11 is an isosceles triangle.

[0032] The operation unit 12 is a part operated by the user of the pointing device 100 (that is, a part to which a force is applied by the user). The operation unit 12 is provided on the upper surface 11a of the substrate 11.

[0033] The operation unit 12 is a prism extending in the vertical direction. The operation unit 12 has an upper surface 12a, a lower surface 12b, and four side surfaces 12c, 12d, 12e, and 12f.

[0034] A cap C is assembled at the upper end portion (that is, the upper surface 12a) of the operation unit 12. The cap C is a part directly contacted by the operator of the pointing device 100 in order to operate the pointing device 100. The cap C can be made of rubber, for example.

[0035] The lower surface 12b of the operation unit 12 is fixed to the upper surface 11a of the substrate 11. The connection position of the operation unit 12 to the substrate 11 is not particularly limited. For example, the operation unit 12 can be fixed to the center of gravity position of the substrate 11.

[0036] The side surface 12c faces the positive side in the X direction, and the side surface 12d faces the negative side in the X direction. Both the side surfaces 12c and 12d are planes arranged orthogonally to the axis extending in the X direction (in other words, planes arranged parallel to the plane including the vertical direction and the Y direction). The side surface 12e faces the positive side in the Y direction, and the side surface 12f faces the negative side in the Y direction. Both the side surfaces 12e and 12f are planes arranged orthogonally to the axis extending in the Y direction (in other words, planes arranged parallel to the plane including the vertical direction and the X direction). It should be noted that the orientations of the four side surfaces 12c to 12f of the operation unit 12 are not limited to this. For example, the four side surfaces 12c to 12f can also face the directions inclined 45 degrees from the aforementioned directions in the top view (that is, in the XY plane).

[0037] The first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 are all support legs fixed to the support plate 20 to support the substrate 11. The first leg 131 is provided at the first top V1 of the substrate 11, the second leg 132 is provided at the second top V2 of the substrate 11, and the third leg 133 is provided at the third top V3 of the substrate 11.

[0038] The first leg 131 and the second leg 132 are located at the same position in the Y direction. That is, the first leg 131 and the second leg 132 are arranged side by side in the X direction. The third leg 133 is located at the central position between the first leg 131 and the second leg 132 in the X direction. That is, the distance between the first leg 131 and the third leg 133 in the X direction is equal to the distance between the second leg 132 and the third leg 133 in the X direction. The third leg 133 is located on the negative side of the first leg 131 and the second leg 132 in the Y direction.

[0039] The first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 are all cylindrical legs extending downward from the lower surface 11b of the substrate 11. In the present embodiment, the upper surfaces of the first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 are integrally formed with the lower surface 11b of the substrate 11. It should be noted that the first leg 131 to the third leg 133 may also be separately formed from the substrate 11 and then fixed to the substrate 11 with an adhesive or the like.

[0040] Strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 are pasted on the side surfaces 12c, 12d, 12e, 12f of the operation unit 12 with an adhesive or the like. Specifically, the strain gauge SG X1 is pasted on the side surface 12c, the strain gauge SG X2 is pasted on the side surface 12d, the strain gauge SG Y1 is pasted on the side surface 12e, and the strain gauge SG Y2 is pasted on the side surface 12f.

[0041] The strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 may have the same structure as each other or different structures. In the present embodiment, as an example, the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 have the same structure as each other. Hereinafter, the structure of the strain gauge SG Y1 will be described as a representative. As shown in (a) of Figure 3 , the strain gauge SG Y1 has a base material B formed of a resin film or the like and a resistive element RS made of metal provided on the base material B.

[0042] The resistive element RS has a strain sensing portion SS and a pair of tabs T1, T2 for connecting the strain sensing portion SS to the outside.

[0043] In the strain sensing section SS, a linear resistor RS is folded back in a zigzag pattern to form a specified pattern. In the following description, the extending direction of the linear portion defined between the folding points is referred to as the grid direction (strain sensing direction), and the direction in which the linear portions are arranged is referred to as the grid width direction. The grid direction and the grid width direction are orthogonal to each other. Each strain gauge is configured to sense the strain generated in the grid direction.

[0044] Strain gauge SG X1 Position the strain sensing section SS below the connectors T1 and T2 and attach it to the operation section 12 so that the strain sensing section SS is near the lower end of the side surface 12c of the operation section 12. Strain gauge SG X2 Position the strain sensing section SS below the connectors T1 and T2 and attach it to the operation section 12 so that the strain sensing section SS is near the lower end of the side surface 12d of the operation section 12. In the pointing device 100 of the present embodiment, when the operation section 12 is not being operated, strain gauge SG X1 、SG X2 has its grid direction parallel to the vertical direction, and strain gauge SG X1 、SG X2 has its grid width direction parallel to the Y direction.

[0045] Strain gauge SG Y1 Position the strain sensing section SS below the connectors T1 and T2 and attach it to the operation section 12 so that the strain sensing section SS is near the lower end of the side surface 12e of the operation section 12. Strain gauge SG Y2 Position the strain sensing section SS below the connectors T1 and T2 and attach it to the operation section 12 so that the strain sensing section SS is near the lower end of the side surface 12f of the operation section 12. In the pointing device 100 of the present embodiment, when the operation section 12 is not being operated, strain gauge SG Y1 、SG Y2 has its grid direction parallel to the vertical direction, and strain gauge SG Y1 、SG Y2 has its grid width direction parallel to the X direction.

[0046] It should be noted that, from the perspective of detection accuracy, it is ideal that each strain gauge is arranged such that the strain sensing portion SS is as close as possible to the lower end portion of the operation portion 12. However, the positions of the respective strain gauges are not limited thereto. For example, the positions of the respective strain gauges (and the strain sensing portion SS) can be appropriately determined according to the required detection accuracy of each strain gauge, the size of the space for assembling the spot device 100, the positional relationship with other components, and the like. For example, the strain sensing portion SS of each strain gauge can be arranged in a region within 50% of the entire length in the long dimension direction of the operation portion from the lower end portion (one end) of the operation portion. In addition, for example, the strain sensing portion SS of each strain gauge can be arranged in a region within 25% of the entire length in the long dimension direction of the operation portion from the lower end portion (one end) of the operation portion. In addition, in this specification and the present invention, "the strain sensing portion is assembled in a specified region of the operation portion" can either mean that at least a part of the strain sensing portion is assembled in the operation portion in such a way that it is located in the specified region, or mean that the entire strain sensing portion is assembled in the operation portion in such a way that it is located in the specified region.

[0047] The support plate 20 is a member that supports the main body 10 and is a member for assembling the spot device 100 to an assembly target device (such as a personal computer or a game console). The support plate 20 can be formed of, for example, metal (stainless steel as an example).

[0048] The support plate 20 is a substantially flat plate that extends in a plane including the X direction and the Y direction. In the present embodiment, the support plate 20 is square when viewed from above. However, the shape of the support plate 20 is not limited thereto and can be appropriately changed according to the specifications and shape of the assembly target. For example, the support plate 20 can be set to various shapes such as rectangular, circular, or elliptical when viewed from above.

[0049] As Figure 1 shown, three openings A1 are provided in the substantially central portion of the support plate 20. The three openings A1 are all openings for fixing the main body 10. The shape of the three openings A1 when viewed from above is circular. The three openings A1 are all stepped holes in which the diameter near the lower surface 20b is larger than the diameter near the upper surface 20a ( Figure 4 of (b).

[0050] In the present embodiment, as an example, as Figure 1 shown, openings A2 are provided at all four corner portions of the support plate 20. It should be noted that the number of the openings A2 is not particularly limited. The four openings A2 are all openings for assembling the support plate 20 (and thus the spot device 100) to the device to be assembled (i.e., the assembly target device). In the present embodiment, the shape of the four openings A2 when viewed from above is circular, but the openings A1 and the openings A2 can also be set to the shape of threaded holes for receiving threaded portions, respectively.

[0051] As Figure 2 、Figure 4 As shown in FIG. (b), the main body 10 is fixed to the support plate 20. Specifically, the first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 of the main body 10 are respectively inserted into the opening A1 of the support plate 20 and are fixed by fusion welding ( Figure 4 FIG. (b)). The lower ends of the first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 are deformed by fusion welding and fill the inside of the opening A1 so as not to protrude downward from the lower surface 20b of the support body 20.

[0052] In a state where the main body 10 is fixed to the support plate 20, the lower surface 11b of the substrate 11 abuts against the upper surface 20a of the support plate 20.

[0053] The pointing device 100 is fixed to the housing or substrate of the device to which the pointing device 100 is to be assembled, such as a housing or a substrate, by means of screw fastening through the opening A2 of the support plate 20.

[0054] Strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 are connected to the outside via a flexible printed circuit board (hereinafter, FPC) 50. As Figure 3 shown in FIG. (a), the FPC 50 includes a rectangular sheet connection area 51 and an external connection area 52 connected to one long side of the connection area 51. The sheet connection area 51 is divided into four areas 51c, 51d, 51e, and 51f along the long side direction of the sheet connection area 51.

[0055] The FPC 50 is connected to the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 by winding the sheet connection area 51 around the operation unit 12. In a state where the FPC 50 is wound around the operation unit 12 ( Figure 3 FIG. (b)), the area 51c abuts against the side surface 12c of the operation unit 12 and is connected to the strain gauge SG X1 , the area 51d abuts against the side surface 12d of the operation unit 12 and is connected to the strain gauge SG X2 , the area 51e abuts against the side surface 12e of the operation unit 12 and is connected to the strain gauge SG Y1 , and the area 51f abuts against the side surface 12f of the operation unit 12 and is connected to the strain gauge SG Y2 .

[0056] The external connection area 52 of the FPC 50 abuts against the upper surface 11a of the substrate 11, extends in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, and is connected to the electrical structure of the device to which it is to be assembled. Thus, for example, a structure including the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2The Wheatstone bridge of the external resistor body of the pointing device 100, and including strain gauges SG Y1 、SG Y2 The Wheatstone bridge of the external resistor body of the pointing device 100. It should be noted that the FPC 50 can also be regarded as a part of the pointing device 100.

[0057] When the operator operates the operation unit 12 via the cap C (that is, when the operator applies a load to the operation unit 12), strains corresponding to the magnitude and direction of the load applied by the operator to the operation unit 12 will be generated on the operation unit 12.

[0058] For example, it is assumed that the operator operates the operation unit 12 in the X direction (that is, the operator applies a load along the X direction to the cap C). As described above, the lower end of the operation unit 12 is fixed to the substrate 11. Therefore, the operation unit 12 that is substantially perpendicular to the up and down direction bends in the X direction due to the above operation. Or, the upper surface 12a of the operation unit 12 is offset to the X-direction side with respect to the lower surface 12b. As a result, one of the side surfaces 12c and 12d of the operation unit 12 undergoes tensile strain, and the other generates compressive strain.

[0059] Similarly, when the operator operates the operation unit 12 in the Y direction (that is, when the operator applies a load along the Y direction to the cap C), the operation unit 12 that is substantially perpendicular to the up and down direction bends in the Y direction. Or, the upper surface 12a of the operation unit 12 is offset to the Y-direction side with respect to the lower surface 12b. As a result, one of the side surfaces 12e and 12f of the operation unit 12 undergoes tensile strain, and the other generates compressive strain. It should be noted that the operation unit 12 can be operated not only in the X direction and the Y direction, but also in all directions of 360 degrees in the XY plane.

[0060] The pointing device 100 senses the magnitude of the strain generated in the operation unit 12 through the strain gauges SG X1 、SG X2 、SG Y1 、SG Y2 and thus obtains the operation amount input by the operator. Specifically, the operation amount in the X direction is obtained using the Wheatstone bridge including the strain gauges SG X1 、SG X2 , and the operation amount in the X direction is obtained using the Wheatstone bridge including the strain gauges SG Y1 、SG Y2The Wheatstone bridge calculates the operation amount in the Y direction. The pointing device 100 inputs the calculated operation amount into the device equipped with the pointing device 100 (i.e., the device to be assembled). It should be noted that the pointing device 100 can also calculate the operation amount in the direction obtained by synthesizing the X-direction and Y-direction components (i.e., any direction of 360 degrees in the XY plane) by synthesizing the X-direction and Y-direction components, and input it into the device to be assembled. In addition, when the side surfaces 12c to 12f of the operation unit 12 are arranged to be inclined by a predetermined angle (for example, 45 degrees) from the detection direction of the operation amount (the X direction and the Y direction in this embodiment) in a top view, the pointing device 100 can also comprehensively use the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 's detection values to calculate the operation amount in the detection direction.

[0061] Next, the advantageous effects of the pointing device 100 of this embodiment will be summarized.

[0062] The pointing device 100 of this embodiment pastes the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 to the operation unit 12. In other words, the operation unit 12 is used as a strain part that generates strain according to the operation of the operator. Therefore, there is no need for the plate-shaped strain part provided in the existing pointing device disclosed in Patent Document 1, and the design freedom is high.

[0063] The improvement of the design freedom is particularly advantageous when the pointing device 100 is assembled to other devices. For example, the devices to be assembled with the pointing device 100 such as laptops and game consoles require miniaturization, and the space available for setting the pointing device 100 inside them is limited. In this regard, if the design freedom of the pointing device 100 is high, the pointing device 100 can be made into a shape corresponding to the internal space of the device to be assembled. For example, the pointing device 100 can be set compactly and efficiently. Therefore, according to this embodiment, as the pointing device 100, an appropriate design can be adopted according to the width of the space at the assembly part.

[0064] The pointing device 100 of this embodiment pastes the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 to the operation unit 12 in such a way that the strain sensing part SS is located near the lower end of the operation unit 12. In addition, the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2The strain sensing units SS are attached to the operation unit 12 in such a manner that they are located below the joints T1 and T2 (i.e., in such a manner that in the vertical direction, the strain sensing units SS are located between the joints T1 and T2 and the lower surface 12b). When a load is applied near the upper surface 12a of the operation unit 12 by the operator, the strain is maximum near the lower surface 12b of the operation unit 12. Therefore, by arranging the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 near the lower surface 12b, the output of the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be increased, and thus the strain sensing accuracy can be improved.

[0065] In the pointing device 100 of the present embodiment, the lower end portion of the operation unit 12 is connected to the plate-shaped substrate 11, and the substrate 11 is fixed to the support plate 20 using three legs 131, 132, and 133. Thus, the operation unit 12 is fixed to the support plate 20. In this way, by using the substrate 11 to fix the operation unit 12 to the support plate 20 at multiple locations, the wobbling of the operation unit 12 caused by deterioration of the fixing (welding) portions or the like can be suppressed, and the operation unit 12 can be supported in a more stable state.

[0066] In the pointing device 100 of the present embodiment, the substrate 11 having a triangular shape in plan view is supported by the first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 respectively provided at the three tops V1, V2, and V3 of the substrate 11. Therefore, the area of the substrate 11 located outside the contour obtained by connecting the first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 is small, and it is compact and highly space-efficient.

[0067] <Modification Example>

[0068] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the following modification can also be used.

[0069] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the shape of the substrate 11 in plan view is an isosceles triangle, but it is not limited thereto. The shape of the substrate 11 in plan view may also be an equilateral triangle, a right triangle, or any other triangle. In addition, the substrate 11 may be any shape such as a quadrilateral or a circle.

[0070] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the operation unit 12 is a quadrangular prism. However, the shape of the operation unit 12 is not limited thereto. The operation unit 12 may also be, for example, a square tube ( Figure 6 of (a)), a cylinder ( Figure 6 of (b)), a cylindrical tube ( Figure 6Any shape such as (c) thereof. For example, by forming the operation unit 12 into a hollow cylindrical shape having a central hole Th extending in the axial direction, the amount of strain generated on the outer surface of the operation unit 12 can be increased. According to such a structure, the output of the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be increased, and thus the strain sensing accuracy can be improved.

[0071] It should be noted that, for example, when the operation unit 12 is a square tube ( Figure 6 of (a)), the four strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be pasted on the four side surfaces 12c, 12d, 12e, and 12f in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment.

[0072] In addition, for example, when the operation unit 12 is a cylinder ( Figure 6 of (b)), the four strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 are pasted on the outer peripheral surface of the operation unit 12 such that the grid directions thereof are aligned with the up-down direction and the grid width directions of the strain sensing portions SS thereof are aligned with the circumferential direction of the operation unit 12. At this time, the four strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the operation unit 12. In the cylindrical operation unit 12, the center of the grid width direction of the strain sensing portion SS of the strain gauge SG X1 can also be arranged at the position on the outer peripheral surface of the operation unit 12 that is the most positive in the X direction. In addition, in the cylindrical operation unit 12, the center of the grid width direction of the strain sensing portion SS of the strain gauge SG X2 can also be arranged at the position on the outer peripheral surface of the operation unit 12 that is the most negative in the X direction. In addition, in the cylindrical operation unit 12, the center of the grid width direction of the strain sensing portion SS of the strain gauge SG Y1 can also be arranged at the position on the outer peripheral surface of the operation unit 12 that is the most positive in the Y direction. In addition, in the cylindrical operation unit 12, the center of the grid width direction of the strain sensing portion SS of the strain gauge SG Y2 can also be arranged at the position on the outer peripheral surface of the operation unit 12 that is the most negative in the Y direction.

[0073] When the operation unit 12 is a cylinder tube ( Figure 6In the case of (c)), the four strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be pasted on the outer peripheral surface of the operation unit 12 in the same manner as in the case of (b)) of the operation unit 12 being cylindrical ( Figure 6 ).

[0074] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the substrate 11 and the legs 131, 132, 133 can also be omitted. In this case, for example, only one opening A1 is provided at the center of the top view of the support plate 20. And, a region near the lower surface 12b of the operation unit 12 is inserted into the opening A1, and the lower end portion of the operation unit 12 is directly fixed (welded) to the support plate 20 ( Figure 5 ). By omitting the substrate 11, the legs 131, 132, 133, the pointing device 100 can be made more compact.

[0075] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 are cylindrical. However, it is not limited thereto. The first leg 131, the second leg 132, and the third leg 133 can also be any shape such as a cylinder, a quadrangular prism, or a triangular prism.

[0076] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 are pasted on the operation unit 12 in such a manner that the strain sensing portion SS is located near the lower end portion of the operation unit 12. However, it is not limited thereto. The configuration of the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 and the strain sensing portion SS with respect to the operation unit 12 is arbitrary. However, by arranging the strain sensing portion SS closer to the lower surface 12b (lower end portion) of the operation unit 12, the strain sensing accuracy can be improved.

[0077] Specifically, the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be pasted on the operation unit 12 in such a manner that the strain sensing portion SS is located between the central portion in the vertical direction of the operation unit 12 and the lower surface 12b. Or, the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 can be pasted on the operation unit 12 in such a manner that the strain sensing portion SS is in contact with the lower end portion of the operation unit 12.

[0078] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, four strain gauges SG that are separated from each other X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 are pasted one by one on the operation unit 12, but it is not limited thereto. Specifically, for example, a strain sensor 70 as shown in Figure 7 can be used instead of the four strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 .

[0079] The strain sensor 70 includes: a base material BB having flexibility; four strain sensing portions SS X1 , SS X2 , SS Y1 , SS Y2 formed on the base material BB; and four connectors T.

[0080] The base material BB includes a rectangular sensing portion forming region BB1 and an external connection region BB2 connected to one long side of the sensing portion forming region BB1. The sensing portion forming region BB1 is divided into four regions BB1c, BB1d, BB1e, and BB1f along the long side direction of the sensing portion forming region BB1.

[0081] A strain sensing portion SS X1 is formed in the region BB1c, a strain sensing portion SS X2 is formed in the region BB1d, a strain sensing portion SS Y1 is formed in the region BB1e, and a strain sensing portion SS Y2 is formed in the region BB1f. The strain sensing portions SS X1 , SS X2 , SS Y1 , SS Y2 respectively have the same structure as the sensing portions SS of the strain gauges SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 . The strain sensing portions SS X1 , SS X2 , SS Y1 , SS Y2 are respectively formed such that the grid direction is the same as the short side direction of the sensing portion forming region BB1, and the grid width direction is the same as the long side direction of the sensing portion forming region BB1.

[0082] Four connectors T are formed in the external connection region BB2. The four connectors T are connected to the strain sensing portions SS through wirings (not shown) formed on the base material BBX1 、 SS X2 、 SS Y1 、 SS Y2 。 It should be noted that the shape of the joint T is not limited to the shape shown in the figure. For example, the joint T can also be circular or elliptical.

[0083] The strain sensor 70 is assembled to the operation unit 12 by winding the induction unit forming region BB1 around the operation unit 12. In the state where the induction unit forming region BB1 is wound around the operation unit 12, the region BB1c abuts against the side surface 12c of the operation unit 12, the region BB1d abuts against the side surface 12d of the operation unit 12, the region BB1e abuts against the side surface 12e of the operation unit 12, and the region BB1f abuts against the side surface 12f of the operation unit 12.

[0084] In the state where the induction unit forming region BB1 is wound around the operation unit 12, the strain induction units SS X1 、 SS X2 、 SS Y1 、 SS Y2 are respectively located near the lower end portion of the operation unit 12. The grid directions of the strain induction units SS X1 、 SS X2 are parallel to the vertical direction, and the grid width directions of the strain induction units SS X1 、 SS X2 are parallel to the Y direction. The grid directions of the strain induction units SS Y1 、 SS Y2 are parallel to the vertical direction, and the grid width directions of the strain induction units SS Y1 、 SS Y2 are parallel to the X direction.

[0085] The external connection region BB2 of the strain sensor 70 abuts against the upper surface 11a of the substrate 11 and extends in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction. The joint T of the external connection region BB2 is connected to the electrical structure of the operation object via a flexible printed circuit board (FPC) or the like. Thus, a Wheatstone bridge including, for example, the strain induction units SS X1 、 SS X2 and the external resistor of the pointing device 100, and a Wheatstone bridge including the strain induction units SS Y1 、 SS Y2 and the external resistor of the pointing device 100 are formed.

[0086] In the pointing device 100 of the above-described embodiment, the support plate 20 may also be omitted. In this case, the first leg 131 to the third leg 133 of the main body 10 or the lower end portion of the operation unit 12 of the main body 10 is fixed to a part of the device to which the pointing device 100 is to be assembled (for example, a substrate built in the device to which the pointing device 100 is to be assembled). In this case, this part of the device to which the pointing device 100 is to be assembled corresponds to the "support body" or "base member" of the present invention.

[0087] As long as the features of the present invention are maintained, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and other embodiments conceivable within the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

[0088] Explanation of reference numerals

[0089] 10: Main body; 11: Substrate; 12: Operation unit; 131: First leg; 132: Second leg; 133: Third leg; 20: Support plate; 60: Flexible printed circuit board (FPC); 70: Strain sensor; 100: Pointing device; A1, A2: Openings; SG X1 , SG X2 , SG Y1 , SG Y2 : Strain gauge; SS X1 , SS X2 , SS Y1 , SS Y2 : Strain sensing unit.

Claims

1. A pointing device that senses at least an operation amount in a first direction and an operation amount in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, wherein, The pointing device includes: An operation unit, which is a columnar strain body operated by an operator, extends from one end fixed to the base member in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction and orthogonal to the second direction; A first strain sensing unit, which is assembled to the operation unit and senses the strain corresponding to the operation amount in the first direction; And A second strain sensing unit, which is assembled to the operation unit and senses the strain corresponding to the operation amount in the second direction.

2. The pointing device according to claim 1, The first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit are assembled between the central portion in the third direction of the operation unit and the one end.

3. The pointing device according to claim 2, The first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit are assembled near the one end of the operation unit.

4. The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It includes a first strain gauge and a second strain gauge, The first strain gauge has: A first base material, on which the first strain sensing unit is formed; and A first joint, which is formed on the first base material and is connected to the first strain sensing unit through wiring, The second strain gauge has: A second base material, on which the second strain sensing unit is formed; and A second joint, which is formed on the second base material and is connected to the second strain sensing unit through wiring, The first strain gauge is assembled to the operation unit in such a manner that the first strain sensing unit is disposed between the first joint and the one end in the third direction, The second strain gauge is assembled to the operation unit in such a manner that the second strain sensing unit is disposed between the second joint and the one end in the third direction.

5. The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, It further includes: a flexible substrate, which connects the first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit to the outside, The flexible substrate includes: A sensing unit connection area, which is wound around the operation unit and is connected to the first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit; And an external connection area, which extends along the plane including the first direction and the second direction and is connected to the outside.

6. The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, It includes a strain sensor, The strain sensor has: A base material, which includes a sensing unit formation area and a joint formation area; and A joint, The first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit are formed in the sensing unit formation area, The joint is formed in the joint formation area and is connected to the first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit through wiring, The sensing unit formation area is wound around the operation unit in such a manner that the first strain sensing unit and the second strain sensing unit are assembled to the operation unit, The joint formation area extends along the plane including the first direction and the second direction.

7. The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, The operation unit is a cylindrical shape having a central hole extending in the third direction.

8. The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The base member is a plate-shaped substrate that extends in a plane including the first direction and the second direction and to which one end of the operation portion is fixed. The substrate has a plurality of legs that extend from the substrate in the third direction and are fixed to a support body that supports the substrate. The operation portion extends from the substrate to one side in the third direction, and the plurality of legs respectively extend from the substrate to the other side in the third direction.

9. The pointing device according to claim 8, When viewed in the third direction, the substrate is triangular, and the plurality of legs are three legs respectively provided at three corner portions of the substrate.

10. The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, The base member is a support plate to which one end of the operation portion is fixed and that is assembled to an assembly target device of the pointing device.

11. The pointing device according to claim 8 or 9, The support body is a support plate to which the plurality of legs are fixed and that is assembled to an assembly target device of the pointing device.

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