Input device, game controller, and information processing device

Abstract

To provide a new method for detecting operation of an operation member.SOLUTION: A controller includes a housing having an opening, and an operation member partially exposed from the opening. The operation member a key top exposed from the opening to be operated by a user, a shaft part extending downward from the key top, and a protrusion part protruding from the shaft part. Also, a pedestal with which the protrusion part of the operation member is brought into contact when the operation member is tilted is provided in the housing. Tilting of the operation member is limited by bringing the protrusion part into contact with the pedestal. Also, a sensor for detecting a pressure is provided on the pedestal.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 23

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an input device, a game controller, and an information processing device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been game controllers equipped with a multi-directional input unit. For example, a controller described in Patent Document 1 has an analog stick as a multi-directional input unit, and the analog stick is exposed from an opening provided in the housing of the controller and is operated by a user. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2014-61225 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a new method for detecting the operation of an operating member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following configuration.

[0006] One example of the present invention is an input device comprising a housing having an opening, and an operating member partially exposed from the opening and movable in a circumferential direction of the opening, the operating member having a key top exposed from the opening and operated by a user, a shaft portion extending from the key top through the opening into the housing, and a first part located inside the housing, the input device further comprising a second part provided inside the housing and contacted by the first part to limit the movement of the operating member when the operating member moves in the circumferential direction of the opening, and a first sensor provided on the first part or the second part and producing an output according to the force applied by contact between the first part and the second part.

[0007] According to the above, when the operating member moves in the circumferential direction of the opening, the first part of the operating member comes into contact with the second part inside the housing, thereby restricting the movement of the operating member. In addition, since the device includes a sensor that outputs according to the force applied by the contact between the first part and the second part, the output of the sensor can be used for input.

[0008] In addition, in another configuration, a second sensor that detects the moving direction of the operating member may be further provided.

[0009] In another configuration, the first portion and the second portion may be in contact with each other via the first sensor.

[0010] In another arrangement, the first portion may project away from the centre of the shaft and towards the interior of the housing.

[0011] In addition, in another configuration, when the operating member moves in the circumferential direction of the opening, a tip end of the first portion may come into contact with the second portion.

[0012] In another configuration, the tip of the first portion may be rounded.

[0013] In addition, in another configuration, when the operating member moves in a first direction, the first portion and the second portion may come into contact with each other on the first direction side.

[0014] In another configuration, the second portion may have a contact surface with which the first portion comes into contact, and a wall portion extending from the contact surface in an outward direction of the housing.

[0015] In another configuration, the wall portion may be provided at an end of the contact surface on the center side of the shaft portion.

[0016] In another configuration, the second portion may be made of a material having a lower coefficient of friction than at least a peripheral portion of the opening of the housing.

[0017] In addition, in another configuration, when the operating member moves in the circumferential direction of the opening, the first portion may come into contact with the second portion without the shaft portion coming into contact with the housing.

[0018] In another configuration, when the operating member moves in a circumferential direction of the opening, the first portion may come into contact with the second portion, and then the operating member may move further in the circumferential direction, causing the shaft portion to come into contact with the housing.

[0019] In addition, in another configuration, when the operating member moves in a first direction, the first portion and the second portion may come into contact with each other on a second direction side opposite to the first direction.

[0020] In another configuration, the second part may be provided on the back side of the housing, and when the operating member moves in the circumferential direction of the opening, the movement may be restricted by the outer surface of the first part contacting the second part.

[0021] In another configuration, the first portion may come into contact with the second portion even when the operating member moves in any circumferential direction of the opening.

[0022] In another configuration, the portion of the first portion that contacts the second portion may be circular, and the portion of the second portion that contacts the first portion may be circular.

[0023] In another configuration, a cushioning material may be provided at a portion where the first portion and the second portion contact each other.

[0024] In another configuration, the difference between the length of the portion of the first portion that contacts the second portion and the length of the portion of the second portion that contacts the first portion may be smaller than the difference between the circumference of the shaft portion and the circumference of the opening.

[0025] In addition, in another configuration, the present invention may be a game controller including the operation member, the second portion, and the sensor.In addition, in another configuration, the present invention may be an information processing device including the input device. Effect of the Invention

[0026] According to the present invention, the operation of the operating member can be detected by a method not previously available. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0027] [Figure 1] Appearance of game controller 1 [Diagram 2] A diagram showing a state in which a user holds a game controller 1 with both hands. [Diagram 3] An exploded perspective view of the game controller 1. [Figure 4] An external view of the operation member 41 of the analog stick 4. [Figure 5A] A front perspective view of the operating member 41. [Figure 5B] A rear perspective view of the operation member 41. [Figure 6] Cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 4(a) [Figure 7] External view of analog stick 4 base 42 [Figure 8A] 1 is a perspective view of the base 42 seen from the rear side. [Figure 8B] 1 is a perspective view of the base 42 seen from above. [Figure 9] Cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Figure 7(a) [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an end surface when the game controller 1 is cut at the center of the analog stick 4 when the operating member 41 is not tilted. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the operation member 41 tilted leftward from the state shown in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the operation member 41 tilted rightward from the state shown in FIG. 10. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of how a contact point moves when the tilt of the operating member 41 is limited by contact between the shaft 412 of the operating member 41 and the first housing 10; [Figure 14] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a shaft portion 412 of an operating member 41 contacts a first housing 10 in a configuration in which a base 42 is not provided. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a trajectory of a contact point when the tilt of the operating member 41 is limited by contact between the protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 and the base 42. [Figure 16] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which a protrusion 413 of an operating member 41 comes into contact with a base 42. [Figure 17] FIG. 1 is a partial enlarged view showing an example of a state in which a ring member 12 is provided in an opening 11 of a first housing 10. [Figure 18] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an end surface when the game controller 1 is cut at the center of the analog stick 4 in a configuration in which a ring member 12 is provided around the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing 10. [Figure 19] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a contact surface 421 when a recess is formed in the contact surface 421 of the base 42. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of another embodiment; [Figure 21] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of an analog stick 4 of the game controller according to the embodiment. [Figure 22]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an end surface when the game controller of the present embodiment is cut at the center of the analog stick 4. [Figure 23] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an end surface when the operating member 41 is tilted to the right. [Figure 24] FIG. 1 shows a first modified example of the present embodiment. [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the operation member 41 of FIG. 24 tilted to the right. [Figure 26] FIG. 2 shows a second modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 27] FIG. 27 shows the operation member 41 of FIG. 26 tilted to the left. [Figure 28] FIG. 3 shows a third modified example of the present embodiment. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 shows the operation member 41 of FIG. 28 tilted to the left. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0028] Hereinafter, a game controller 1 (one example of an input device) according to one embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. The game controller 1 of this embodiment is connected wirelessly or by wire to a game device (not shown) and is used to operate a game played on the game device. The game device to which the game controller 1 is connected may be a portable game device or a stationary game device. The game controller 1 is not limited to a game device, and may be connected to an information processing device such as a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer and used to operate a game played using the information processing device.

[0029] FIG. 1 is an example of an external view of a game controller 1. (a) of FIG. 1 is a front view of the game controller 1. (b) of FIG. 1 is a left side view of the game controller 1. (c) of FIG. 1 is a right side view of the game controller 1. (d) of FIG. 1 is a top view of the game controller 1. (e) of FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the game controller 1. (f) of FIG. 1 is a rear view of the game controller 1. The xyz coordinate system in FIG. 1 is a coordinate system based on the game controller 1, and defines the direction perpendicular to the front surface of the game controller 1 (e.g., the direction in which the button 2 is pressed) as the z-axis direction, the left-right direction of the game controller 1 (e.g., the direction connecting the A button 2 and the Y button 2) as the x-axis direction, and the up-down direction of the game controller 1 (e.g., the direction connecting the B button 2 and the X button 2) as the y-axis direction.

[0030] 1, the game controller 1 has a first housing 10 on the front side of the game controller 1 and a second housing 20 on the back side of the game controller 1. The first housing 10 and the second housing 20 are connected to form the housing of the game controller 1. The first housing 10 and the second housing 20 may be made of, for example, ABS resin, polycarbonate ABS resin, acrylic ABS resin, or the like, or may be made of a polymer alloy containing at least two of these three materials. The game controller 1 also has a left grip portion 8a and a right grip portion 8b.

[0031] 1, four buttons (A button, B button, X button, Y button) 2 are provided in the right area on the front surface of the game controller 1. Four buttons (a "+" button, a "-" button, a home button, a capture button) 3 are provided to the left of the four buttons 2. A right analog stick 4b is provided in the right area on the front surface of the game controller 1, diagonally below and to the left of the Y button 2.

[0032] A left analog stick 4a is disposed on the left side of the "-" button 3 in the left side area on the front side of the game controller 1. A cross key 5 is disposed diagonally below and to the right of the left analog stick 4a in the left side area on the front side of the game controller 1.

[0033] 1(d), an L button 6a, a ZL button 7a, an R button 6b, and a ZR button 7b are provided on the top surface of the game controller 1. Specifically, the L button 6a is provided at the left end of the top surface of the game controller 1. The ZL button 7a is provided on the back side (positive z-axis direction) of the game controller 1 from the L button 6a. The R button 6b is provided at the right end of the top surface of the game controller 1. The ZR button 7b is provided on the back side (positive z-axis direction) of the game controller 1 from the R button 6b.

[0034] The four buttons 2 can be pressed in the direction toward the back of FIG. 1(a) (positive direction on the z-axis) and are used for game operations. The four buttons 3 can be pressed in the positive direction on the z-axis. The cross key 5 is a device for indicating up, down, left, and right directions.

[0035] The left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b are devices for indicating directions, and are configured so that the key tops operated by the user's fingers can be tilted in any direction (any angle up, down, left, right, and diagonal). The left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may be configured so that they can be pressed in the positive direction of the z-axis. In the following, the left analog stick 4a and the right analog stick 4b may be collectively referred to as "analog stick 4". The analog stick 4 outputs a signal including information about the tilted direction and information about the tilt angle, and the game device can execute game processing based on this signal. Details of the analog stick 4 will be described later.

[0036] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state where a user holds a game controller 1 with both hands. As shown in FIG. 2, when a user holds a grip portion 8a with a left hand and a grip portion 8b with a right hand, the user can operate the left analog stick 4a and the cross key 5 with the thumb of the left hand. The user can also operate two buttons 3 (the "-" button and the capture button) with the thumb of the left hand. The user can also operate the L button 6a and the ZL button 7a with the index finger (or middle finger) of the left hand. The user can also operate four buttons 2 (the A button, the B button, the X button, and the Y button), the right analog stick 4b, and two buttons 3 (the "+" button and the home button) with the thumb of the right hand. The user can also operate the R button 6b and the ZR button 7b with the index finger (or middle finger) of the right hand. Note that FIG. 2 shows a typical way of holding the game controller 1, and different ways of holding may be used depending on the user.

[0037] In the following, first, a structure for restricting the tilt of the analog stick will be described. Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the game controller 1. As shown in Fig. 3, various members are stored inside the game controller 1 (inside the housing formed by the first housing 10 and the second housing 20).

[0038] Specifically, the board 30, the left analog stick main body part 43a, the base 42a, and the left operation member 41a are housed inside the game controller 1. The right analog stick main body part 43b, the base 42b, and the right operation member 41b are housed inside the game controller 1. Note that various other parts are also housed inside the game controller 1, but only the parts related to the analog stick 4 will be described below.

[0039] The left analog stick 4a is composed of the left analog stick body part 43a, the base 42a, and the left operating member 41a. The right analog stick 4b is composed of the right analog stick body part 43b, the base 42b, and the right operating member 41b. In the following, the left analog stick body part 43a and the right analog stick body part 43b may be collectively referred to as the "analog stick body part 43". The base 42a and the base 42b may be collectively referred to as the "base 42" (an example of the second part). Similarly, the left operating member 41a and the right operating member 41b may be collectively referred to as the "operating member 41".

[0040] The analog stick body part 43 is fixed on the substrate 30. The analog stick body part 43 has a stick shaft 431 (see FIG. 10). Although details will be described later, the operation member 41 is fixed to the analog stick body part 43 by inserting the stick shaft 431 of the analog stick body part 43 into a shaft insertion port 415 provided in the operation member 41. The key top of the operation member 41 is exposed from the openings 11 (left opening 11a and right opening 11b) provided in the first housing 10. The analog stick body part 43 is a sensor that detects the input direction (the tilt direction of the operation member 41).

[0041] A direction is input by the user tilting the operation member 41. The tilt angle of the operation member 41 is limited by the base 42, which will be described in detail later.

[0042] (Details of the operation member 41 of the analog stick 4) Next, the operation member 41 of the analog stick 4 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is an example of an external view of the operation member 41 of the analog stick 4. (a) of FIG. 4 is a front view of the operation member 41 (a view of only the operation member 41 seen from the front of the game controller 1 when the operation member 41 is fixed to the game controller 1). (b) of FIG. 4 is a left side view of the operation member 41. (c) of FIG. 4 is a right side view of the operation member 41. (d) of FIG. 4 is a top view of the operation member 41. (e) of FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the operation member 41. (f) of FIG. 4 is a rear view of the operation member 41. The x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis in FIG. 4 correspond to the x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis in FIG. 1, respectively.

[0043] Fig. 5A is a front perspective view of the operating member 41. Fig. 5B is a rear perspective view of the operating member 41. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 4(a).

[0044] 4, the operation member 41 has a key top 411, a shaft portion 412, and a protrusion portion 413. The key top 411 is exposed from the opening 11 of the first housing 10 and is a portion that is operated (touched) by the user. The key top 411 has a circular shape when the game controller 1 is viewed from the front.

[0045] The shaft portion 412 extends downward from the key top 411 (the direction in which the button 2 of the game controller 1 is pressed; the positive direction of the z-axis). When the operation member 41 is provided on the game controller 1, the shaft portion 412 extends in a direction from the key top 411 toward the inside of the housing of the game controller 1. The shaft portion 412 is, for example, cylindrical, and the radius of the bottom surface is L1. When the operation member 41 is fixed to an analog stick body part 43 provided on the substrate 30, the shaft portion 412 penetrates the opening 11 of the first housing 10, exposing the key top 411 to the outside of the housing.

[0046] The protruding portion 413 (an example of the first portion) is configured in an umbrella shape and is configured to widen as it goes downward (positive direction of the z-axis) of the shaft portion 412. The protruding portion 413 is a contact portion that comes into contact with the base 42 when the operation member 41 is tilted. The protruding portion 413 and the base 42 may come into direct contact with each other, or may come into contact with each other via a sheet described later. The protruding portion 413 and the base 42 may come into contact with each other via a pressure sensor described later. In other words, "the protruding portion 413 comes into contact with the base 42" may mean that the protruding portion 413 and the base 42 come into direct contact with each other, or may mean that the protruding portion 413 and the base 42 come into indirect contact with each other, for example, by sandwiching another member therebetween. Specifically, the protruding portion 413 protrudes downward from the shaft portion 412 and in a direction away from the center of the shaft portion 412 (x-axis direction and y-axis direction, i.e., a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the button 2). More specifically, as shown in FIG. 4(e), the protrusion 413 has a shape like a hollow sphere cut into about 1 / 2 to 2 / 3, and its side is arc-shaped when viewed from a direction parallel to the xy plane. As shown in FIG. 4(f), the lower end (tip) of the protrusion 413 is circular when the operating member 41 is viewed from the back. The tip of the protrusion 413 may also have a rounded shape. As shown in FIG. 4(d), the distance from the center of the shaft 412 to the tip of the protrusion 413 (i.e., the radius of the circle at the tip of the protrusion 413) is L3 (>L1). The tip of the protrusion 413 may not have a rounded shape, but may have a protrusion protruding in the lateral direction.

[0047] 4(f), 5B, and 6, a plurality of ribs 414 are provided on the inside of the protruding portion 413. The ribs 414 are provided along the inside toward the tip of the protruding portion 413, and prevent the protruding portion 413 from being deformed when the operating member 41 is operated. The ribs 414 may be provided to extend to the tip of the protruding portion 413.

[0048] Further, a shaft insertion opening 415 is provided on the inside of the protruding portion 413. The stick shaft 431 (see FIG. 10) of the analog stick main body part 43 is inserted into this shaft insertion opening 415. In this way, the operation member 41 is fixed to the analog stick main body part 43.

[0049] The key top 411 is made of a material different from that of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20, and is made of a material having a higher friction coefficient than that of the first housing 10 and the second housing 20 so that the key top 411 is less likely to slip when operated by a user. The shaft 412 and the protruding portion 413 (including the rib 414 and the shaft insertion port 415) may be made of polypropylene. The shaft 412 and the protruding portion 413 may be made of the same material as the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. The key top 411, the shaft 412, and the protruding portion 413 (including the rib 414 and the shaft insertion port 415) may be integrally molded by two-color molding. The key top 411 may be made of the same material as the first housing 10. The shaft 412 and the protruding portion 413 may be made of different materials.

[0050] (Details of Analog Stick 4 Pedestal 42) FIG. 7 is an example of an external view of the base 42 of the analog stick 4. (a) of FIG. 7 is a front view of the base 42. (b) of FIG. 7 is a left side view of the base 42. (c) of FIG. 7 is a right side view of the base 42. (d) of FIG. 7 is a top view of the base 42. (e) of FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the base 42. (f) of FIG. 7 is a rear view of the base 42. Note that the z-axis in FIG. 7 coincides with the z-axis in FIG. 1.

[0051] Fig. 8A is a perspective view of the base 42 as viewed from the rear side, Fig. 8B is a perspective view of the base 42 as viewed from the top side, and Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 7(a).

[0052] The base 42 (an example of the second portion) is a contacted portion that comes into contact with the protruding portion 413 when the operating member 41 is tilted. As shown in (d) of FIG. 7, the base 42 is a ring-shaped member. The base 42 has a contact surface 421, an inner wall 422, and an outer wall 423. The base 42 also has two screw holes 424. The base 42 is molded by integral molding. The base 42 is fixed to the first housing 10 by inserting screws into the screw holes 424 and screwing them. The base 42 is fixed in the housing so that the contact surface 421 faces the front side of the game controller 1 (i.e., so that the normal vector of the contact surface 421 faces the negative z-axis direction of the game controller 1). As shown in FIG. 3, the base 42 is disposed closer to the front of the game controller 1 than the board 30 and the analog stick body part 43 , and the ring-shaped base 42 is disposed so as to surround the periphery of the analog stick body part 43 .

[0053] 9, the contact surface 421 is a plane parallel to the xy plane. The outer wall 423 extends upward (in the negative direction of the z-axis) from the contact surface 421, and is, for example, a surface perpendicular to the contact surface 421. At least the inner surface (surface in contact with the contact surface 421) of the inner wall 422 is formed, for example, to extend upward (in the negative direction of the z-axis) from the contact surface 421 and toward the center (inner side) of the base 42, and to have an angle greater than 90 degrees with respect to the contact surface 421. At least one of the inner wall 422 and the outer wall 423 may not be formed.

[0054] The base 42 may be made of a material having higher slidability (lower coefficient of friction) than the first housing 10 and the second housing 20. The base 42 may also be made of a material having higher slidability than the protruding portion 413 of the operation member 41. For example, the base 42 may be made of POM (polyacetal) resin, PA (nylon / polyamide) resin, PBT resin, or the like. The base 42 may be made of any material. For example, the base 42 may be made of the same material as the protruding portion 413, or may be made of the same material as the first housing 10 and the second housing 20.

[0055] (Limitation of tilt of operation member 41 by base 42) Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of an end surface when the game controller 1 is cut at the center of the analog stick 4 when the operation member 41 is not tilted. Note that Fig. 10 conceptually shows parts related to the restriction of the tilt of the operation member 41 by the base 42, and omits the illustration of parts that are not related to the restriction of the tilt of the operation member 41. Also, the downward direction in Fig. 10 coincides with the z-axis direction in Figs. 1, 4, etc.

[0056] 10 , the stick shaft 431 of the analog stick body part 43 is inserted into the shaft insertion port 415 of the operation member 41, and the operation member 41 is fixed to the analog stick body part 43. The key top 411 of the operation member 41 is exposed from the opening 11 of the first housing 10.

[0057] The stick shaft 431 of the analog stick main body part 43 is configured to be tiltable with point P as the fulcrum. In FIG. 10, the vertical dashed line passing through point P indicates the center of the stick shaft 431 of the analog stick main body part 43. The center of this shaft 431 coincides with the center of the shaft portion 412 of the operation member 41. For example, when a user applies force to the key top 411 of the operation member 41 in the left-right direction in FIG. 10, the stick shaft 431 of the analog stick main body part 43 tilts in the left-right direction. In addition, when a force is applied to the key top 411 of the operation member 41 in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 10, the stick shaft 431 of the analog stick main body part 43 tilts in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 10.

[0058] Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of when the operating member 41 is tilted leftward from the state of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of when the operating member 41 is tilted rightward from the state of Fig. 10. Note that, for the sake of explanation, the analog stick body part 43 is omitted in Figs. 11 and 12 except for point P and the center of the stick shaft 431.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 11 , when a force in the leftward direction is applied to the key top 411 of the operating member 41, the operating member 41 tilts to the left and moves toward the left periphery of the opening 11. Then, inside the first housing 10, the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the contact surface 421 of the base 42. Therefore, the operating member 41 does not tilt further to the left. In other words, the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the base 42, limiting the leftward tilt of the operating member 41. At this time, the shaft 412 of the operating member 41 does not come into contact with the first housing 10.

[0060] 12, when a force is applied to the key top 411 of the operating member 41 in the rightward direction, the operating member 41 tilts to the right and moves toward the right periphery of the opening 11. Then, inside the housing 10, the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the contact surface 421 of the base 42. Therefore, the operating member 41 does not tilt further to the right. In other words, the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the base 42, limiting the tilt of the operating member 41 to the right. At this time, the shaft 412 of the operating member 41 does not come into contact with the first housing 10.

[0061] The same applies when a force in any other direction is applied to the key top 411. That is, when a force is applied to the key top 411 in any direction, the operation member 41 tilts in the direction of the force, and the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the contact surface 421 of the base 42. This limits the tilt of the operation member 41 (movement in the peripheral direction of the opening 11). Even if the operation member 41 is tilted in any direction, the shaft 412 of the operation member 41 does not come into contact with the first housing 10. Therefore, the user can obtain an unprecedented feeling of operation. In addition, since the protrusion 413 and the base 42 come into contact with each other inside the first housing 10, sound caused by the contact is less likely to leak to the outside.

[0062] The stick shaft 431 of the analog stick main body part 43 itself can be tilted to an angle larger than the angle shown in Fig. 11 and Fig. 12 when the tilt is not limited by other members. When the stick shaft 431 of the analog stick main body part 43 is not limited by other members, the state shown in Fig. 10 is set as a tilt angle of "0 degrees", and the stick shaft 431 can be tilted in any direction at any angle up to a predetermined angle (for example, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, or 45 degrees). However, when the analog stick main body part 43 is stored in the housing of the game controller 1, the angle at which the operating member 41 is tilted is limited by the protrusion 413 and the base 42 as described above.

[0063] Note that even when the tilt of the operating member 41 is restricted by the protrusion 413 and the base 42, the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 may come into contact with the first housing 10. In this case, when the operating member 41 is tilted, the protrusion 413 may come into contact with the base 42 before the shaft portion 412 comes into contact with the first housing 10. That is, when the operating member 41 is tilted, the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the base 42, and when a force is applied, the protrusion 413 or the base 42 elastically deforms, so that the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 may come into contact with the first housing 10. Also, when the operating member 41 is tilted, the shaft portion 412 may come into contact with the first housing 10 at the same time as the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the base 42.

[0064] Furthermore, a sheet (e.g., a nylon sheet, a fluorine sheet, or the like) having higher slidability than the base 42 and the protruding portion 413 may be provided on the contact surface 421 of the base 42. By providing a sheet having higher slidability on the contact surface 421, it is possible to reduce the resistance generated between the protruding portion 413 and the contact surface 421. Furthermore, the protruding portion 413 may be made of a material having higher slidability than the base 42. That is, a material having higher slidability may be used for at least the portion where the protruding portion 413 and the base 42 come into contact.

[0065] Further, a sheet-like cushioning material for absorbing shock may be provided on the contact surface 421 of the base 42. The cushioning material may be a material having higher shock absorption properties than the material of the base 42, and may be made of a foamed resin such as foamed polyurethane or foamed polyethylene. By providing the cushioning material on the contact surface 421, it is possible to reduce the sound generated when the protruding portion 413 comes into contact with the contact surface 421. Further, the cushioning material may be provided on the tip of the protruding portion 413, or the entire protruding portion 413 may be made of the cushioning material. That is, the cushioning material may be provided at least on the portion where the protruding portion 413 and the base 42 come into contact.

[0066] The material of the protruding portion 412 of the operating member 41, the material of the base 42, the presence or absence of a sheet on the contact surface 421 of the base 42, and the material of the sheet may be combined in any manner. For example, when a material having higher sliding properties than the protruding portion 413 is selected as the material of the base 42, a sheet may not be provided, or a sheet with high cushioning properties may be provided. Furthermore, when the same material as the protruding portion 413 is selected as the material of the base 42, a sheet with higher sliding properties or higher cushioning properties than the base 42, or a sheet having these properties, may be provided on the contact surface 421.

[0067] Furthermore, the contact surface 421 of the base 42 and / or the tip of the protrusion 413 may be made of metal. In this case, a metallic sound is produced when the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the contact surface 421. This allows a relatively loud operation sound to be produced by operating the analog stick 4, and the operation sound can also be transmitted to the outside of the first housing 10. In this way, a game controller 1 that is more preferable for users who like operation sounds can be configured.

[0068] Here, it is also possible to limit the tilt of the operating member 41 by bringing the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 into contact with the first housing 10. Below, a description will be given of the difference between a configuration in which the tilt of the operating member 41 is limited by contact between the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 and the first housing 10, and a configuration in which the tilt of the operating member 41 is limited by contact between the protrusion portion 413 and the base 42 as in this embodiment.

[0069] 13 is a diagram showing an example of how the contact point moves when the tilt of the operating member 41 is limited by contact between the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 and the first housing 10. Fig. 13 shows a part of the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 and the first housing 10 when viewed from the front of the game controller 1, and the direction into the paper of Fig. 13 coincides with the z-axis of Fig. 1.

[0070] Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 contacts the first housing 10 in a configuration in which the base 42 is not provided. In Fig. 14, the operating member 41 before being tilted is shown by a solid line, and the operating member 41 when the operating member 41 is tilted and the shaft portion 412 contacts the first housing 10 is shown by a dashed line.

[0071] 13, before the operating member 41 is tilted, the center of the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 is located at the center of the circular opening 11 of the first housing 10. As shown in Fig. 13 and Fig. 14, the radius of the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 is L1, and the radius of the opening 11 of the first housing 10 is L2 (>L1).

[0072] 13, for example, when the operating member 41 is tilted upward, the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 comes into contact with the first housing 10. At this time, the contact point on the shaft portion 412 side is designated as point CPa, and the contact point on the first housing 10 side is designated as point CPh.

[0073] When the operation member 41 is operated to draw a circle (i.e., when the input direction of the analog stick 4 is changed while the shaft portion 412 is in contact with the first housing 10), as shown in FIG. 13, the contact point CPa moves on the circumference of the shaft portion 412 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 13. Also, the contact point CPh moves along the periphery of the opening 11 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 13. Since the shaft portion 412 of the operation member 41 does not rotate around the shaft portion 412, the distance that the contact point CPa moves is shorter than the distance that the contact point CPh moves. Therefore, when the operation member 41 is operated to draw a circle (when the input direction of the analog stick 4 is changed from the upper direction to the right direction while the shaft portion 412 is in contact with the first housing 10), the shaft portion 412 moves from the position shown in the upper diagram to the position shown in the lower diagram in FIG. 13 while sliding along the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing 10.

[0074] That is, there is a difference (hereinafter, this difference is referred to as "DF1") between the length of the portion of shaft portion 412 that contacts first housing 10 (the circumference of shaft portion 412) and the length of the portion of first housing 10 that contacts shaft portion 412 (the circumference of opening 11). Specifically, this difference DF1 is 2π×(L2-L1). When shaft portion 412 draws a circle while contacting first housing 10, shaft portion 412 slides by an amount equal to this difference DF1.

[0075] Therefore, when the operating member 41 is operated in a circular motion, resistance is generated in the direction opposite to the operating direction, which may affect operability.

[0076] In contrast, in this embodiment, the tilting of the operating member 41 is restricted by contact between the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41 and the base 42.

[0077] Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of a trajectory of a contact point when the tilt of the operating member 41 is limited by contact between the protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 and the base 42. Fig. 15 shows the base 42 of the operating member 41 as viewed from the front of the game controller 1, and the direction into the paper of Fig. 15 coincides with the z-axis of Fig. 1.

[0078] Fig. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41 comes into contact with the base 42. In Fig. 16, the operating member 41 before being tilted is shown by a solid line, and the operating member 41 when the operating member 41 is tilted and the protruding portion 413 comes into contact with the base 42 is shown by a dashed line.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 16, when the tip of the protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 is in contact with the base 42, the contact point on the protrusion 413 side is defined as point CPa, and the contact point on the base 42 side is defined as point CPb. When the operating member 41 is operated in a circular motion (i.e., when the input direction of the analog stick 4 is changed while the protrusion 413 is in contact with the base 42), the contact point CPb on the base 42 moves in a circular motion, as shown in Fig. 15. The dashed line in Fig. 15 indicates the trajectory of the contact point CPb.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 16, when the operating member 41 is not tilted, the distance between the contact point CPa (the tip of the protrusion 413) and the center of the stick shaft 431 (i.e., the radius of the circle at the tip of the protrusion 413) is L3. When the operating member 41 is tilted to the right, the tip of the protrusion 413 moves and comes into contact with the base 42. At this time, the distance between the center of the stick shaft 431 and the contact point CPb of the base 42 is L4. Here, the distance L3 and the distance L4 are approximately equal. In other words, the circumferential length of the tip of the protrusion 413 (contact point CPa) is approximately equal to the circumferential length of the locus of the contact point CPb of the base 42 shown in FIG. 15. In other words, when the operating member 41 is operated in a circular motion (i.e., when the input direction of the analog stick 4 is changed while the tip of the protrusion 413 is in contact with the base 42), the distance traveled by contact point CPa at the tip of the protrusion 413 is approximately equal to the distance traveled by contact point CPb on the base 42 shown in Figure 15.

[0081] That is, the difference (hereinafter, this difference will be referred to as "DF2") between the length of the portion of protrusion 413 that contacts base 42 (the circumference of the tip of protrusion 413) and the length of the portion of base 42 that contacts protrusion 413 (the circumference of contact surface 421 of base 42) is smaller than the above-mentioned DF1. When operating member 41 is operated so that protrusion 413 draws a circle while contacting base 42, the tip of protrusion 413 will slip by an amount equal to this difference DF2, but this difference DF2 is approximately "0".

[0082] For this reason, when the operating member 41 is operated to draw a circle, the tip of the protruding portion 413 rolls without slipping on the contact surface 421 of the base 42. Therefore, when the operating member 41 is operated to draw a circle, the resistance during operation can be reduced.

[0083] Furthermore, the tip of the protrusion 413 is configured to have a rounded shape. Therefore, the force is dispersed when the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the contact surface 421 of the base 42. Note that the tip of the protrusion 413 may be formed in a planar shape, and the tip of the protrusion 413 and the contact surface 421 may be configured to come into surface contact with each other.

[0084] Moreover, the base 42 is provided with an inner wall 422 and an outer wall 423 that extend above (in the negative z-axis direction) the contact surface 421. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the operating member 41 and the base 42 from becoming misaligned.

[0085] Moreover, the inner wall 422 of the base 42 is configured to extend upward and toward the center of the shaft portion 412. For this reason, a path along which the protrusion 413 moves when the operating member 41 is tilted can be secured, and even when the operating member 41 is tilted, the protrusion 413 can be prevented from hitting the inner wall 422. Even if an error occurs in manufacturing or assembly, the path along which the protrusion 413 moves can be sufficiently secured.

[0086] The difference DF2 does not necessarily have to be "0." That is, there may be a certain degree of difference between the length of the portion of the protrusion 413 that contacts the base 42 (the circumferential length of the tip of the protrusion 413) and the length of the portion of the base 42 that contacts the protrusion 413 (the circumferential length of the contact surface 421 of the base 42). Even in this case, the difference DF2 is smaller than the difference DF1.

[0087] A ring member may be provided on the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing 10. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of a partial enlarged view when the ring member 12 is provided on the opening 11 of the first housing 10. As shown in FIG. 17, the ring member 12 is provided so as to cover the periphery of the opening 11. The ring member 12 may be made of a material (e.g., POM resin, PA (nylon / polyamide) resin, PBT resin, etc.) having higher sliding properties than the first housing 10. The ring member 12 may be configured as a part separate from the first housing 10 and may be bonded to the first housing 10, or may be configured by integral molding with the first housing 10. The ring member 12 may be configured in a color different from that of the first housing 10.

[0088] 18 is a diagram showing an example of an end surface when the game controller 1 is cut at the center of the analog stick 4 in a configuration in which the ring member 12 is provided on the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing 10. As shown in FIG. 18, when the operating member 41 is tilted to the right, the tilt of the operating member 41 is restricted by the base 42. In this case, the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 does not come into contact with the ring member 12. The same applies when the operating member 41 is tilted in any direction.

[0089] In this way, when a ring member 12 with high sliding properties is provided around the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing, even if the shaft portion 412 and the ring member 12 come into contact with each other, the resistance generated between the shaft portion 412 and the ring member 12 when the operating member 41 is operated in a circular motion can be made relatively small.

[0090] As described above, the game controller 1 of the present embodiment includes a housing having an opening 11 and an operating member 41. The operating member 41 includes a key top 411 operated by a user, a shaft portion 412 extending downward from the key top 411, and a protruding portion 413 protruding from the shaft portion 412. Inside the housing (the first housing 10 and the second housing), a base 42 that comes into contact with the protruding portion 413 when the operating member 41 is tilted is provided, and the base 42 and the protruding portion 413 can limit the tilt of the operating member 41. That is, the protruding portion 413 and the base 42 can limit the movement of the operating member 41 in the circumferential direction of the opening 11. In addition, when the base 42 is made of a material having high slidability, the resistance generated between the base 42 and the tip of the protruding portion 413 can be suppressed.

[0091] In addition, since the circumference of the tip of the protrusion 413 is approximately equal to the circumference of the portion of the contact surface 421 of the base 42 that contacts the tip of the protrusion 413, when the operating member 41 is operated to draw a circle, the protrusion 413 rolls on the contact surface 421 of the base 42 without slipping. This makes it possible to improve operability.

[0092] Furthermore, when the ring member 12 is provided on the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing 10, the shaft portion 412 comes into contact with the ring member 12, and there is no direct contact between the shaft portion 412 and the first housing 10. Since the ring member 12 is made of a material that has higher slidability than the first housing 10, the resistance force generated by the contact between the shaft portion 412 and the ring member 12 can be reduced compared to the resistance force generated by the contact between the shaft portion 412 and the first housing 10.

[0093] (Modification) Although the present embodiment has been described above, various modifications may be made to other embodiments.

[0094] For example, in the above embodiment, the base 42 is a ring-shaped member, and the contact surface 421 is a flat surface. In other embodiments, the contact surface 421 may have projections or recesses. For example, the contact surface 421 may have recesses or projections in four directions, i.e., up, down, left, right, and angled directions.

[0095] FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the contact surface 421 when a recess is formed on the contact surface 421 of the base 42. In FIG. 19, the contact surface 421 of the base 42 is shown. As shown in FIG. 19, recesses 425 (425a to 425h) may be formed in the four directions of up, down, left, right, and four diagonal directions of the ring-shaped contact surface 421. The recesses 425 are portions formed in a concave shape toward the depth of the paper surface of FIG. 19, and may be formed in an arc shape, for example. The contact surface 421 between the recesses 425 may be configured as a flat surface or may be configured as a convex shape. When such a base 42 is used, input in eight directions can be induced. For example, when the user inputs the upward direction, the tip of the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41 fits into the recess 425a, making it easier to input the upward direction.

[0096] 19 may be provided on protruding portion 413. That is, by providing protruding portions on the tip of protruding portion 413 with protruding portions, it may be configured to guide input in a predetermined direction (four directions of up, down, left, and right, four diagonal directions, or other directions).

[0097] In addition, in the above embodiment, the opening 11 of the first housing 10 is circular, but in other embodiments, the opening 11 may be elliptical or polygonal (e.g., octagonal). Even in this case, the tilting of the operating member 41 is restricted by the contact between the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41 and the base 42 as described above, and the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41 is configured not to come into contact, or is unlikely to come into contact with, the periphery of the opening of the first housing 10.

[0098] Moreover, the shapes of the key top 411, the shaft 412, the protruding portion 413, the base 42, and the like of the above-mentioned operation member 41 are merely examples, and these may have other shapes. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the base 42 is formed in a ring shape with a hollow center portion, but in other embodiments, the base 42 may be a disk. Furthermore, the protruding portion 413 of the operation member 41 is not limited to the above-mentioned umbrella shape, and may have other shapes. For example, the protruding portion 413 may be shaped to extend in the lateral direction of the shaft 412 (in the direction away from the center of the shaft 412) and bend downward halfway. Then, when the operation member 41 is tilted, the protruding portion 413 may come into contact with the base 42, and the tilt of the operation member 41 may be restricted by this contact.

[0099] In the above embodiment, the base 42 is configured as a separate member from the housing. In another embodiment, the base may be configured as a part of the housing. Fig. 20 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of another embodiment.

[0100] FIG. 20 conceptually illustrates an example of an end surface of a game controller cut at the center of the analog stick 4 when the base 42 is configured as a part of the first housing 10. As illustrated in FIG. 20, the first housing 10 and the base 42 are integrally formed. That is, the first housing 10 has a contact surface 421 that contacts the protrusion 413 of the operation member 41 inside the first housing 10 when the operation member 41 is tilted. The base 42 as a part of the first housing 10 has an inner wall 422 and an outer wall 423. The base 42 as a part of the first housing 10 limits the tilt of the operation member 41. The ring member 12 illustrated in FIG. 18 may be provided on the periphery of the opening 11 of the first housing 10.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the analog stick 4 is configured by an opening 11 provided in the first housing 10, an operation member 41 partially exposed from the opening 11, a base 42, and an analog stick main body part 43. In other embodiments, a part of the analog stick 4 may be configured as a part of the housing. That is, the analog stick 4 may be configured by a housing member exposed to the outside, the operation member 41, the base 42, and the analog stick main body part 43. An opening may be provided in the housing of the controller main body that forms the outer shape of the controller, and the housing member and operation member 41 as part of the analog stick 4 may be exposed from this opening.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the tip of the protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 comes into contact with the base 42 provided below (in the z-axis direction), thereby restricting the tilt of the operating member 41. In other embodiments, the tilt of the operating member may be restricted by another part of the protrusion 413 coming into contact with the base. For example, when the operating member is tilted, a side surface of the protrusion of the operating member may come into contact with the base, and the tilt of the operating member may be restricted by this contact.

[0103] Also, in the above embodiment, an analog stick body part 43 that can be tilted in any direction is used, and the tilt of the analog stick 4 is limited by the operation member 41 and the base 42. In other embodiments, this may be applied to a slide pad that can slide in the horizontal direction (parallel to the surface of the housing).

[0104] The analog stick 4 described above may also be applied to an information processing device that includes an input device. That is, in an information processing device that is integrated with an input device, the input device may have the analog stick 4. For example, a portable game device may be equipped with the analog stick 4 described above. Furthermore, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, or a personal computer may be equipped with the analog stick 4 described above.

[0105] Next, the pressure sensor provided in the game controller of this embodiment will be described. In the game controller of this embodiment, a pressure sensor 44 for detecting pressure is provided between the above-mentioned operation member 41 and the base 42. FIG. 21 is an example of an exploded perspective view showing a part of the analog stick 4 of the game controller of this embodiment. FIG. 22 is a diagram showing an example of an end face when the game controller of this embodiment is cut at the center of the analog stick 4. FIG. 23 is a diagram showing an example of an end face when the operation member 41 is tilted to the right. Note that in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, only the main parts are shown, and the others are omitted, as in FIG. 10.

[0106] As shown in FIG. 21 and FIG. 22, a pressure sensor 44 is provided between the operation member 41 and the base 42. The pressure sensor 44 is placed on a contact surface 421 of the base 42. For example, an adhesive may be applied to the back surface (or contact surface 421) of the pressure sensor 44, and the pressure sensor 44 may be fixed to the contact surface 421 of the base 42. When the operation member 41 is tilted, the tip of the protruding portion 413 of the operation member 41 comes into contact with the surface of the pressure sensor 44. The surface of the pressure sensor 44 may be made of a material with high slidability (low coefficient of friction). Also, a member with high slidability may be separately provided on the surface of the pressure sensor 44. For example, a sheet may be attached.

[0107] The pressure sensor 44 outputs a pressure value according to the applied force. The pressure sensor 44 is configured of a thin plate-like member formed in a circular ring shape. As the pressure sensor 44, a resistance type pressure sensor may be used, a capacitance type pressure sensor may be used, or any other type of pressure sensor may be used. Note that, instead of the pressure sensor 44, a strain gauge that detects the applied force may be used. In other words, any appropriate sensor may be used as long as it is a sensor that can detect the applied force.

[0108] 23, when the operating member 41 is tilted, for example, to the right, the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into contact with the base 42 via the pressure sensor 44. That is, it can be said that the tip of the protrusion 413 comes into direct contact with the pressure sensor 44 and indirectly comes into contact with the base 42. This contact limits further tilting of the operating member 41 to the right. In addition, the pressure sensor 44 detects the pressure corresponding to this contact.

[0109] Although not shown, a lead wire that outputs a signal corresponding to the applied pressure is connected to the pressure sensor 44. The lead wire is connected to, for example, the substrate 30. A circuit that processes a signal from the analog stick main body part 43 (a signal including information on the tilt direction and tilt angle) and a signal from the pressure sensor 44 is provided on the substrate 30. Information processed by the circuit (information on the tilt direction, tilt angle, and pressure at the time of tilting) is transmitted from the game controller to the game device, and game processing based on this information is performed in the game device. For example, the moving direction of the virtual object may be controlled according to the tilt direction, and game processing may be performed according to the detected pressure value. Note that, when the detected pressure value or a value corresponding to the pressure value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the predetermined game processing may be performed, and when the detected pressure value or a value corresponding to the pressure value is less than the predetermined value, the predetermined game processing may not be performed. Furthermore, when the detected pressure value or a value corresponding to the pressure value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, game processing may be performed according to the pressure value or the pressure value.

[0110] Similarly, when the operating member 41 is tilted in any other direction, the tip of the protrusion 413 contacts the base 42 via the pressure sensor 44 .

[0111] In addition, when at least one of the pressure sensor 44, the base 42, and the operation member 41 is made of a relatively soft material, or when a soft material is placed on the pressure sensor 44, these soft materials may be elastically deformed when a force in the tilting direction is applied to the operation member 41 while the tip of the protrusion 413 is in contact with the pressure sensor 44. Due to this elastic deformation, the operation member 41 will be tilted further than the tilt angle limited by the base 42 and the sensor 44. Even in this case, the base 42 and the sensor 44 limit the tilt of the operation member 41. In other words, "the base 42 limits the tilt of the operation member 41 (movement of the operation member 41)" includes preventing further tilting of the operation member 41 by contacting the base 42 (directly or indirectly) and slightly tilting due to further elastic deformation after the operation member 41 comes into contact with the base 42.

[0112] As shown in FIG. 23, when the operating member 41 is tilted, the first housing 10 and the shaft portion 412 do not come into contact with each other, but the first housing 10 and the shaft portion 412 may come into contact with each other in this state. That is, when the tilt of the operating member 41 is restricted by the base 42 and the pressure sensor 44, the first housing 10 and the shaft portion 412 may come into contact with each other. In addition, in the structure capable of undergoing elastic deformation as described above, when the tilt of the operating member 41 is restricted by the base 42 and the pressure sensor 44 and the elastic deformation as described above does not substantially occur, the first housing 10 and the shaft portion 412 do not come into contact with each other, and when elastic deformation occurs, the first housing 10 and the shaft portion 412 may come into contact with each other. In this case, when the tilt of the operating member 41 is restricted by the base 42 and the pressure sensor 44, if a further force is applied to the operating member 41, the force applied to the pressure sensor 44 is dispersed, and it is possible to make it difficult for an excessive force to be applied to the pressure sensor 44. In addition, even if elastic deformation occurs, the first housing 10 and the shaft portion 412 may not come into contact with each other. Also, as in FIG. 18, the ring member 12 may be provided on the periphery of the opening 11, and the shaft portion 412 and the ring member 12 may come into contact with each other when the operation member 41 is tilted. That is, when the tilt of the operation member 41 is limited by the base 42 and the pressure sensor 44, the ring member 12 and the shaft portion 412 may come into contact with each other even when the above-mentioned elastic deformation does not substantially occur. Also, when the tilt of the operation member 41 is limited by the base 42 and the pressure sensor 44, the ring member 12 and the shaft portion 412 may not come into contact with each other when the above-mentioned elastic deformation does not substantially occur, and the ring member 12 and the shaft portion 412 may come into contact with each other when elastic deformation occurs.

[0113] 22, the pressure sensor 44 is provided on the base 42 (second portion), but the pressure sensor 44 may be provided on the tip of the protruding portion 413 (first portion) of the operation member 41. For example, the pressure sensor 44 may be fixed to the tip of the protruding portion 413 by being adhered with an adhesive. Here, "the pressure sensor 44 is provided on the base 42 or the protruding portion 413" means that the pressure sensor 44 is installed on the base 42 or the protruding portion 413. The pressure sensor 44 does not necessarily have to be fixed to the base 42 or the protruding portion 413 by an adhesive or other fixing means as long as it can detect pressure due to contact between the base 42 and the protruding portion 413.

[0114] 22, the pressure sensor 44 is provided on the base 42, and the protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 and the pressure sensor 44 are in direct contact with each other. As a modified example, the pressure sensor 44 and the protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 may be in indirect contact with each other. For example, the pressure sensor 44 may be placed on the base 42, and a thin plate-shaped circular member may be placed on the pressure sensor 44. The protrusion 413 of the operating member 41 may be in contact with the circular member, and the load applied to the circular member may be indirectly detected by the pressure sensor 44.

[0115] The position of the pressure sensor 44 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 22. Modifications of this embodiment will be described below.

[0116] FIG. 24 is a diagram showing a first modified example of the present embodiment. In the first modified example, as shown in FIG. 24, the pressure sensor 44 is provided on the back surface of the first housing 10. Specifically, a base 42 is provided on the back surface (the surface inside the housing) of the first housing 10. The base 42 is a member that limits the tilt (movement) of the operating member 41, and is an example of the second part. The base 42 is fixed to the back surface of the first housing 10. The base 42 is formed in an annular shape and is fixed near the periphery of the opening 11. In addition, the annular pressure sensor 44 is fixed to the base 42. In addition, a protrusion 413a that protrudes in the circumferential direction from the outer surface of the protruding portion 413 is provided at the tip of the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41.

[0117] FIG. 25 is a diagram showing the operation member 41 of FIG. 24 when it is tilted to the right. As shown in FIG. 25, when the operation member 41 is tilted to the right, a protrusion 413a (outer surface of the protrusion 413) provided at the tip of the protrusion 413 of the operation member 41 contacts the base 42 via the pressure sensor 44. Further tilting of the operation member 41 to the right is restricted by the contact between the base 42 and the protrusion 413a. Specifically, the protrusion 413a (outer surface of the protrusion 413) directly contacts the pressure sensor 44. The pressure sensor 44 detects the pressure corresponding to this contact. When the operation member 41 is tilted in any other direction, the tilting of the operation member 41 is similarly restricted by the base 42, and the pressure applied at the time of tilting is detected by the pressure sensor 44. Note that FIG. 24 and FIG. 25 are merely examples, and the shapes of the members are not limited to those shown in the figures. For example, as long as the outer surface of the left protrusion 413 contacts the pressure sensor 44 when the operating member 41 is tilted to the right, the shapes of these members may be any. For example, the pressure sensor 44 is formed in a tilted circular ring shape in FIG. 24, but the shape is not limited to this. For example, the pressure sensor 44 is a flat circular ring as shown in FIG. 21, and is fixed to the back side of the first housing 10 so as to be horizontal in FIG. 24. The outer surface of the tip of the protrusion 413 may be formed so that the outer surface of the protrusion 413 comes into surface contact with the flat pressure sensor 44 when the operating member 41 is tilted. Also, a part of the back side of the first housing 10 may be formed like the base 44 shown in FIG. 24. In this case, a part of the back side of the first housing 10 functions as a second part that limits the tilt of the operating member 41. In this case, the second part refers to the periphery of the part of the first housing 10 or the back side of the first housing 10 that contacts the protrusion 413a.

[0118] In this manner, a second portion that limits the tilt (movement) of the operating member 41 and a pressure sensor 44 may be provided on the back side of the first housing. When the operating member 41 is tilted, the outer surface of the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41 comes into contact with the second portion on the back side of the first housing. This contact limits the tilt of the operating member 41. A pressure sensor 44 is provided on the second portion. The pressure sensor 44 detects the pressure applied by the contact between the outer surface of the protruding portion 413 and the second portion on the back side of the first housing.

[0119] Note that the protrusion 413a does not necessarily have to be provided at the tip of the protruding portion 413, but may be provided at any position on the outer surface of the protruding portion 413. For example, the protrusion 413a may be provided between the tip of the protruding portion 413 and the base of the protruding portion 413. In this case, the tilt angle of the operating member 41 becomes smaller than that in the case shown in Fig. 25. Also, as long as the tilt (movement) of the operating member 41 is limited, the protrusion 413a does not necessarily have to be provided.

[0120] FIG. 26 is a diagram showing a second modified example of the present embodiment. In the second modified example, as shown in FIG. 26, a pedestal 42 and a pressure sensor 44 are provided near the opening 11 on the back surface of the first housing 10. Specifically, the annular pressure sensor 44 is provided on the periphery of the opening 11 on the back surface of the first housing 10. The annular pedestal 42 is provided on the outer periphery of the pressure sensor 44. The pedestal 42 is a member that limits the tilt (movement) of the operating member 41, and is an example of the second part. The pressure sensor 44 detects the pressure when the operating member 41 and the pedestal 42 come into contact with each other. In addition, a convex portion 412a is provided on the lower end (the connection portion between the shaft portion 412 and the protrusion portion 413) of the shaft portion 412 of the operating member 41.

[0121] Fig. 27 is a diagram showing the operating member 41 of Fig. 26 when it is tilted to the left. As shown in Fig. 27, when the operating member 41 is tilted to the left, for example, the convex portion 412a of the shaft portion 412 contacts the base 42 via the pressure sensor 44, and this contact restricts further tilting of the operating member 41 to the left. Specifically, the convex portion 412a directly contacts the pressure sensor 44. The pressure sensor 44 detects the pressure corresponding to this contact. The same applies when the operating member 41 is tilted in any other direction.

[0122] In the second modification, the base 42 is provided, and the tilt (movement) of the operating member 41 is restricted by the base 42. However, the tilt of the operating member 41 may be restricted by the first housing 10. In this case, a part of the back surface of the first housing 10 functions as a second portion that restricts the tilt of the operating member 41. That is, in this case, the second portion refers to the first housing 10 or the periphery of a portion of the back surface of the first housing 10 that comes into contact with the operating member 41. Also, a ring member 12 may be provided in the opening 11, and the tilt of the operating member 41 may be restricted by the ring member 12. In this case, a pressure sensor 44 may be provided in the ring member 12.

[0123] FIG. 28 is a diagram showing a third modified example of the present embodiment. In the third modified example, as shown in FIG. 28, an umbrella-shaped protrusion 413 is formed on the back side of a key top 411 of the operating member 41. The vicinity of the opening 11 of the first housing 10 bulges upward, and a part of the umbrella-shaped protrusion 413 is covered by this bulging part of the first housing 10. Even in such a configuration, the operating member 41 can be tilted around the axis 431. That is, the operating member 41 shown in FIG. 28 has the key top 411 operated by the user, and an axis portion (for example, a fleshy portion forming an axis insertion port 415) that extends from the key top 411 through the opening 11 into the inside of the housing. In the third modified example, a pressure sensor 44 is provided on a base 42 that limits the tilting of the operating member 41.

[0124] Fig. 29 is a diagram showing the operating member 41 of Fig. 28 when it is tilted to the left. As shown in Fig. 29, when the operating member 41 is tilted to the left, for example, the tip of the protruding portion 413 of the operating member 41 comes into contact with the base 42 via the pressure sensor 44, and this contact restricts further tilting of the operating member 41 to the left. Specifically, the tip of the protruding portion 413 comes into direct contact with the pressure sensor 44. The pressure sensor 44 detects the pressure corresponding to this contact. The same applies when the operating member 41 is tilted in any other direction.

[0125] As described above, the game controller according to this embodiment includes a housing 10 having an opening 11, and an operating member 41 that is partially exposed from the opening and can move in the circumferential direction of the opening. The operating member 41 includes a key top 411 exposed from the opening, a shaft portion (e.g., 412) that extends from the key top 411 through the opening into the housing, and a first portion (projection portion 413) located inside the housing. The game controller also includes a second portion (e.g., base 42, which may be a part of the housing) that is provided inside the housing and that restricts the movement of the operating member by contacting the first portion when the operating member moves in the circumferential direction of the opening. The game controller also includes a sensor that is provided in the first portion or the second portion and that outputs a signal corresponding to a force applied by contact between the first portion and the second portion.

[0126] In this embodiment, the pressure sensor 44 for detecting the pressure value is used, but other sensors for detecting the applied force may be used. For example, the pressure sensor 44 may be a sensor that does not output a continuous value as the pressure value, but outputs "1" when a force equal to or greater than a predetermined value is applied, and outputs "0" when a force less than the predetermined value is applied.

[0127] Although the present invention has been described above, the above description is merely an example of the present invention, and various improvements and modifications may be made. Furthermore, the configurations according to the above embodiments and their modifications may be combined in any manner as long as they are not inconsistent with each other. [Explanation of symbols]

[0128] 1. Game Controller 2 A button 2 B button 2 X button 2 Y button 4a left analog stick 4b Right Analog Stick 5 Cross key 10 First Housing 20 Second Housing 30 Substrate 41 Operating member 411 Key Top 412 Shaft 413 Protrusion 42 Pedestal 421 Contact surface 422 Interior wall 423 Exterior Wall 43 Analog stick body parts 431 Stick axis 44 Pressure Sensor

Claims

1. a housing having an opening; and an operating member that is partially exposed from the opening and is movable in a circumferential direction of the opening; The operating member is a key top exposed through the opening and operated by a user; a shaft portion extending from the key top through the opening into the housing; a first portion located within the housing; a substrate provided inside the housing; a base located inside the housing and provided on the substrate; a second portion that is a part of the base and that, when the operating member moves in a circumferential direction of the opening, comes into contact with the first portion to limit the movement of the operating member; an input device further comprising: a first sensor provided on the second portion, the first sensor producing an output according to a force applied by contact between the first portion and the second portion;

2. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor that detects a moving direction of the operation member.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion come into contact with each other via the first sensor.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion protrudes in a direction away from the center of the shaft and inwardly of the housing.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein when the operation member is moved in the circumferential direction of the opening, a tip of the first portion comes into contact with the second portion.

6. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein the tip of the first portion is rounded.

7. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the second portion has a contact surface that comes into contact with the first portion, and a wall portion that extends from the contact surface toward an outer side of the housing.

8. The input device according to claim 7 , wherein the wall portion is provided at an end of the contact surface closer to the center of the shaft portion.

9. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion contacts the second portion even when the operation member moves in any circumferential direction of the opening.

10. a portion of the first portion that contacts the second portion has a circular shape; The input device according to claim 9 , wherein the portion of the second portion that contacts the first portion is circular.

11. 11. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a difference between a length of the portion of the first portion that contacts the second portion and a length of the portion of the second portion that contacts the first portion is smaller than a difference between a circumferential length of the shaft portion and a circumferential length of the opening.

12. a housing having an opening; and an operating member that is partially exposed from the opening and is movable in a circumferential direction of the opening; The operating member is a key top exposed through the opening and operated by a user; a shaft portion extending from the key top through the opening into the housing; a first portion located within the housing; a substrate provided inside the housing; a base located inside the housing and provided on the substrate; a second portion that is a part of the base and that, when the operating member moves in a circumferential direction of the opening, comes into contact with the first portion to limit the movement of the operating member; The game controller further comprises a sensor provided in the second portion, the sensor producing an output according to a force applied by contact between the first portion and the second portion.

13. An information processing device having an input device, the input device includes a housing having an opening, and an operation member that is partially exposed through the opening and is movable in a circumferential direction of the opening; The operating member is a key top exposed through the opening and operated by a user; a shaft portion extending from the key top through the opening into the housing; a first portion located within the housing; The input device is a substrate provided inside the housing; a base located inside the housing and provided on the substrate; a second portion that is a part of the base and that, when the operating member moves in a circumferential direction of the opening, comes into contact with the first portion to limit the movement of the operating member; The information processing device further comprises: a sensor provided in the second portion, the sensor producing an output according to a force applied by contact between the first portion and the second portion.

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