Multidirectional input device

Abstract

To provide a multidirectional input device capable of stable neutral restoration of an operation shaft part.SOLUTION: An inclinable operation shaft part 30 comprises: a first rotary member 50 having a first cam part 51 that rotates in conjunction with the inclination of the operation shaft part 30 towards a first direction; and a first detection body 70 having a first driven part 71a that is driven by the first cam part 51 and detects an amount of movement of the first driven part 71a. A first contact area when the operation shaft part 30 is in a neutral state is greater than a first contact area when the operation shaft part 30 is in an inclined state towards the first direction, and the first contact area is an area in which the first cam part 51 is in contact with the first driven part 71a.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a multi-directional input device. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in a multi-directional input device such as a joystick, a rotary variable resistor is mounted to detect the tilt of the operation stick (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, a technology has been disclosed for a multi-directional input device having a pressure sensor that is pressed by tilting the operating stick and whose capacitance changes depending on the pressure applied, in which the tilt of the operating stick is detected by detecting the amount of change in this capacitance (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2019 / 229783 [Patent Document 2] International Publication No. 2023 / 062887 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The rotary variable resistor mounted on the multi-directional input device disclosed in Patent Document 1 changes its resistance value as the slider slides over the resistor, and the tilt of the operating stick (hereinafter referred to as the "operating shaft") is detected based on this changed resistance value. However, when the slider slides over the resistor, the friction can wear the resistor and generate dust. If this dust adheres to the slider, fluctuations in the resistance value can become unstable, and the neutral return can become unstable. Here, neutral return refers to the operating shaft returning to a reference position defined as neutral when the operating shaft is not being operated.

[0006] Furthermore, in the multi-directional input device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the neutral return mechanism of the operating shaft follows the structure of a conventional variable resistor. Because this structure relies on the frictional sliding of the bottom surface, the neutral return may not be stable depending on the finish of the sliding surface or changes in the sliding surface after endurance operation.

[0007] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a multi-directional input device that can stably return the operating shaft to the neutral position. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] A multi-directional input device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes a tiltable operating shaft, a first rotating member having a first cam portion that rotates in conjunction with tilting of the operating shaft in a first direction, and a first detector having a first driven portion driven by the first cam portion and detecting the amount of movement of the first driven portion, wherein a first contact area when the operating shaft is in a neutral state is larger than the first contact area when the operating shaft is in a tilted state in the first direction, and the first contact area is the area where the first cam portion comes into contact with the first driven portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a multi-directional input device that can stably return an operating shaft to a neutral position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a multi-directional input device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a multi-directional input device according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-directional input device according to an embodiment; [Figure 4] 10 is another cross-sectional view of the multi-directional input device according to the embodiment; [Figure 5] 1 is a plan view of a substrate according to an embodiment; [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a positioning member according to an embodiment; [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first rotating member according to an embodiment; [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a second rotating member according to an embodiment; [Figure 9] 1 is an exploded perspective view of a detection body according to an embodiment; [Figure 10] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a multi-directional input device according to an embodiment when an operating shaft is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis. FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first cam portion and the first driven portion come into contact with each other when the operating shaft portion is in a neutral state in the first rotating member according to the embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the first cam portion and the first driven portion come into contact with each other when the operating shaft portion is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis in the first rotating member according to the embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the tilt angle of the operation shaft and the displacement amount of the detection body in the multi-directional input device according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating the state of members around the operation shafts when the operation shafts are tilted in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the multi-directional input device according to the embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] Hereinafter, an input device according to an embodiment of the present invention (including its modified examples) will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are all comprehensive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement and connection of the components, manufacturing processes, and the order of the manufacturing processes shown in the following embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0012] In each drawing, dimensions etc. are not necessarily shown strictly. In each drawing, substantially the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted or simplified.

[0013] In the following description and drawings, the longitudinal direction of the second rotating member in a horizontal plane is defined as the X-axis direction, the direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction is defined as the Y-axis direction, and the direction perpendicular to the X-axis and Y-axis directions is defined as the Z-axis direction.

[0014] Depending on the mode of use, the Z-axis direction may not be the up-down direction, but for the sake of convenience, the following description will be given assuming that the Z-axis direction is the up-down direction.

[0015] In the following description, the positive X-axis direction refers to the direction of the X-axis arrow, and the negative X-axis direction refers to the direction opposite to the positive X-axis direction. When simply referring to the X-axis direction, it refers to both or either the positive X-axis direction and the negative X-axis direction. The same applies to the Y-axis and Z-axis directions.

[0016] Expressions indicating relative directions or attitudes, such as "parallel" and "orthogonal," also include cases where the directions or attitudes are not strictly the same. For example, "two directions are parallel" does not only mean that the two directions are completely parallel, but also means that the two directions are substantially parallel, i.e., the angle between them is at most a few degrees.

[0017] (Embodiment) [composition] First, the configuration of the multi-directional input device 10 according to the embodiment will be described.

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a multidirectional input device 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the multidirectional input device 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the multidirectional input device 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 4 is another cross-sectional view of the multidirectional input device 10 according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line III-III in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along a line IV-IV in FIG. 1.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a multi-directional input device 10 according to the embodiment includes a case 20, an operating shaft portion 30, a positioning member 40, a first rotating member 50, a second rotating member 60, a detection body 70, a substrate 80, and the like.

[0020] The case 20 is a rectangular parallelepiped case, and is arranged so that one pair of edges in a top view (viewed in the Z-axis direction) is aligned along the X-axis, and the other pair of edges is aligned along the Y-axis. The case 20 houses a part of the operating shaft 30, a positioning member 40, a first rotating member 50, a second rotating member 60, a detection body 70, a substrate 80, etc. The case 20 includes a case main body 21 and a bottom cover 22.

[0021] Case body 21 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with an open bottom. An opening 211 that is approximately circular in plan view is formed in the top plate of case body 21, and the tip of operating shaft 30 protrudes outward from this opening 211. A plurality of (four in this embodiment) locking pieces 212 that lock onto bottom cover 22 are provided on the outer periphery of the open bottom surface of case body 21. Note that opening 211 may be oval in plan view. Furthermore, the shape of opening 211 is not limited as long as it does not prevent tilting of operating shaft 30.

[0022] The bottom cover 22 is a member that closes the bottom of the case main body 21. The bottom cover 22 is formed in a rectangular shape when viewed from above. The bottom cover 22 has a plurality of claws 221 (four in this embodiment) that are erected in the positive direction of the Z axis from the positions of the vertices of the rectangle when viewed from above. The claws 221 are formed in a prismatic shape. Each of the claws 221 has a protrusion 222. The claws 221 can fix a positioning member 40 (described below) using the protrusions 222.

[0023] A substrate 80 having a rectangular shape in a plan view is placed on the bottom cover 22. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a plan view of the substrate 80 according to the embodiment. The substrate 80 is disposed such that a pair of edges in a plan view (as viewed in the Z-axis direction) are aligned along the X-axis direction, and another pair of edges are aligned along the Y-axis direction. A wiring portion 81 that is connected to an external electronic device is provided at the end of the substrate 80 in the positive direction of the X-axis, and this wiring portion 81 protrudes from the case 20.

[0024] A push switch 82 is disposed in the center of the board 80 in plan view. The push switch 82 may be a push button switch or a pressure sensitive switch.

[0025] As shown in FIG. 5, a first region 83, a second region 84, a third region 85, and a fourth region 86 are defined on the substrate 80. The first region 83 is a region closer to the negative Y-axis direction of the center of the substrate 80 when viewed from above. The second region 84 is a region closer to the positive Y-axis direction of the center of the substrate 80 when viewed from above. The third region 85 is a region closer to the positive X-axis direction of the center of the substrate 80 when viewed from above. The fourth region 86 is a region closer to the negative X-axis direction of the center of the substrate 80 when viewed from above. The first region 83, the second region 84, the third region 85, and the fourth region 86 indicate positions where the detection body 70 is placed.

[0026] The positioning member 40 is placed on the substrate 80. That is, the position of the substrate 80 is determined by the bottom cover portion 22 and the positioning member 40.

[0027] Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of positioning member 40 according to an embodiment. As shown in Fig. 6, positioning member 40 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape. Positioning member 40 has a nested structure with case 20 and does not slide or rotate inside case 20. Specifically, positioning member 40 includes an upper positioning member 41 and a lower positioning member 42.

[0028] The positioning upper member 41 is a member that positions the first rotating member 50 and the second rotating member 60. The positioning upper member 41 is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped with an open bottom. An operating shaft opening 411 that is approximately circular in plan view is formed in the top plate of the positioning upper member 41, and the tip of the operating shaft portion 30 protrudes outward from this operating shaft opening 411. Note that the operating shaft opening 411 may be elliptical in plan view. Furthermore, the shape of the operating shaft opening 411 is not limited as long as it does not prevent the operating shaft portion 30 from tilting.

[0029] The upper positioning member 41 includes a first rotating member opening 412a for fitting the first rotating member 50 therein and a second rotating member opening 412b for fitting the second rotating member 60 therein.

[0030] The first rotating member openings 412a are a pair of openings formed in the center of opposing side surfaces parallel to the X-axis direction of the positioning upper member 41. The first rotating member openings 412a can determine the rotation axis of the first rotating member 50 by fitting with the sliding portion 54 of the first rotating member 50.

[0031] The second rotating member openings 412b are a pair of openings formed in the center of opposing side surfaces parallel to the Y-axis direction of the positioning lower member 42. The second rotating member openings 412b can determine the rotation axis of the second rotating member 60 by fitting with the sliding portion 64 of the second rotating member 60.

[0032] The upper positioning member 41 has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) protrusions 413 for fixing the lower positioning member 42. The upper positioning member 41 also has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) recesses 414 for fixing to the protrusions 222 of the bottom cover 22, thereby fixing to the case 20.

[0033] The positioning lower member 42 positions the detection body 70 and the substrate 80. The positioning lower member 42 is formed in a rectangular shape in a plan view (when viewed in the Z-axis direction). Specifically, the positioning lower member 42 includes an opening 4211 for the operating shaft, a recess 4212 for the operating shaft, an opening 422 for the detection body, and a locking portion 423.

[0034] The operating shaft opening 4211 is an opening through which the shaft 31 of the operating shaft portion 30 passes. The operating shaft recess 4212 prevents the return pin 33 of the operating shaft portion 30 from shifting position when placed on it. The operating shaft opening 4211 and the operating shaft recess 4212 determine the tilt axis of the operating shaft portion 30.

[0035] A plurality of (four in this embodiment) detection body openings 422 are formed. That is, the detection body openings 422 are formed so as to expose the first region 83, the second region 84, the third region 85, and the fourth region 86 of the substrate 80. The detection body 70 is placed so as to fit into the detection body openings 422, thereby determining the position of the detection body 70.

[0036] The lower positioning member 42 has a plurality of (four in this embodiment) locking portions 423 for locking with the protrusions 413 to fix the upper positioning member 41.

[0037] Returning to Figs. 2 to 4, the explanation will be given. As shown in Figs. 2 to 4, the operating shaft 30 is a rod that is long in the Z-axis direction. The user can tilt the operating shaft 30 in any direction at any angle up to the maximum angle allowed (23 degrees in this embodiment), and the multi-directional input device 10 is a device for detecting this tilt. Specifically, the operating shaft 30 includes a shaft 31, an elastic member 32, and a return pin 33.

[0038] The shaft 31 is formed in a circular shape when viewed in the axial direction. Here, the upper part of the shaft 31, which is actually operated by the user, is formed in an elliptical shape when viewed in the axial direction, with a narrower width all around than the other parts of the shaft 31. This makes it easier for the user to pinch the upper part of the shaft 31, thereby improving operability.

[0039] A pair of protrusions 311 are formed on the lower portion of the shaft 31. The protrusions 311 come into contact with the second rotating member 60, thereby restricting the shaft 31 from moving in a direction away from the substrate 80.

[0040] The elastic member 32 is an elastic member that can apply a biasing force that keeps the operating shaft 30 in an upright position without tilting. The elastic member 32 is, for example, a spring. One end of the elastic member 32 is fixed to the shaft 31, and the other end is fixed to the return pin 33. The elastic member 32 applies a force to the shaft 31 in a direction away from the substrate 80, so that the biasing force always tries to return the operating shaft 30 to the reference position. In other words, when the shaft 31 is not being operated, the operating shaft 30 can be kept in an upright position without tilting.

[0041] The return pin 33 can help keep the operating shaft 30 upright without tilting. The return pin 33 is formed in a cylindrical shape with open top and bottom. The return pin 33 is placed so that the bottom of the return pin 33 fits into the operating shaft recess 4212. The lower part of the return pin 33 is formed wider around the entire circumference than the other parts of the return pin 33. This makes it possible to distribute the stress applied when the operating shaft 30 tilts.

[0042] The first rotation member 50 is a member that rotates in conjunction with the tilting of the operating shaft 30 in the X-axis direction. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the first rotation member 50 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the first rotation member is formed in an arch shape that is long in the Y-axis direction. Specifically, the first rotation member 50 includes first cam portions 51, 51', second cam portions 52, 52', a hole 53, and a sliding portion 54.

[0043] The first cam portions 51, 51' and the second cam portions 52, 52' rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the first rotating member 50, thereby pressing down the first driven portion 71a and the second driven portion 71b, respectively. The first cam portions 51, 51' and the second cam portions 52, 52' are formed as eccentric wheels that are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first rotating member 50.

[0044] When the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis, the first cam 51 rotates with the first rotating member 50, thereby pressing down on the first driven part 71a. However, when the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the negative direction of the X-axis, the first cam 51 is formed in a shape such that, although it rotates with the rotation of the first rotating member 50, it does not press down on the first driven part 71a.

[0045] The first cam portion 51' is formed in substantially the same shape as the first cam portion 51 when viewed in the XZ plane. In other words, the first cam portion 51 and the first cam portion 51' are formed so as to press down the driven portion 71a by the same pressing amount as the operating shaft portion 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X axis.

[0046] In addition, in order to assist in stabilizing the neutral state of the operating shaft portion 30 and in assisting the tilted operating shaft portion 30 in returning to neutral, the contact area between the first cam portions 51, 51' and the first driven portion 71a when the operating shaft portion 30 is in the neutral state is shaped to be larger than when the operating shaft portion 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis.

[0047] 7, the first cam portion 51 is a generally triangular plate-like member that protrudes in one direction from the rotation shaft. The shape of the underside of the first cam portion 51' is the same as the shape of the corresponding portion of the first cam portion 51. In this embodiment, the first cam portion 51' is integrated with the arch-shaped portion, and therefore has a portion that differs in shape from the first cam portion 51, but this different portion does not come into contact with the driven portion 71a within the tiltable range of the tilting shaft portion 30.

[0048] Because the detection body 70a is placed on the side of the rotation axis of the first rotating member 50 where the first cam portions 51, 51′ are formed, with this shape, the contact area between the first cam portions 51, 51′ and the first driven portion 71a when the operating shaft 30 is in a neutral state is larger than when the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis. Furthermore, when the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the negative direction of the X-axis, the first driven portion 71a is not pressed down. Note that, for example, if another detection body is placed on the side on which the detection body 70a is not placed, the driven portion of the other detection body can be pressed down when the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the negative direction of the X-axis if the shape of the other detection body is substantially triangular.

[0049] Here, the first rotating member 50 has a plurality of first cam portions 51, 51'. This increases the number of contact surfaces between the first cam portion and the first driven portion 71a compared to when there is only one first cam portion 51, and therefore the first driven portion 71a is driven more stably by the first cam portion 51, 51'. Furthermore, the first rotating member 50 may have a plurality of first cam portions, i.e., three or more. This further increases the number of contact surfaces between the first cam portion and the first driven portion 71a, and therefore the first cam portion drives the driven portion 71a more stably.

[0050] Furthermore, the first cam portion 51 may have multiple surfaces that come into contact with the first driven portion 71 a. This allows the first cam portion 51 and the first driven portion 71 a to come into contact with each other at multiple locations, thereby enabling the operating shaft 30 to be returned to neutral more stably.

[0051] The second cam portions 52, 52' are similar to the first cam portions 51, 51'.

[0052] Hole 53 is a substantially rectangular hole whose longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction of first rotating member 50. The width of hole 53 in the lateral direction is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of operating shaft portion 30. Therefore, when operating shaft portion 30 is tilted in the X-axis direction, the side surface of operating shaft portion 30 comes into contact with hole 53. Therefore, first rotating member 50 can rotate in conjunction with tilting of operating shaft portion 30 in the X-axis direction. Here, the width of hole 53 in the longitudinal direction is long enough not to interfere with tilting of operating shaft portion 30 in the Y-axis direction.

[0053] The sliding portion 54 is a shaft for fixing the rotation shaft of the first rotating member 50. The sliding portion 54 is formed on both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first rotating member 50. The sliding portion 54 is fitted into the first rotating member opening 412a of the positioning upper member 41.

[0054] The second rotation member 60 is a member that rotates in conjunction with the tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in the Y-axis direction. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the second rotation member 60 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the second rotation member 60 is formed in the shape of a rod that is long in the X-axis direction. Specifically, the second rotation member 60 includes third cam portions 61, 61', fourth cam portions 62, 62', a hole 63, a sliding portion 64, and a recess 65.

[0055] The third cam portions 61, 61' and the fourth cam portions 62, 62' rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the second rotating member 60, thereby pressing down the third driven portion 71c and the fourth driven portion 71d, respectively. The third cam portions 61, 61' and the fourth cam portions 62, 62' are formed as eccentric wheels that are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second rotating member 60. The third cam portions 61, 61' and the fourth cam portions 62, 62' are similar to the first cam portions 51, 51'.

[0056] Hole 63 is a substantially rectangular hole whose longitudinal direction is the longitudinal direction of second rotation member 60. The width of hole 63 in the lateral direction is equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of operating shaft portion 30. Therefore, when operating shaft portion 30 is tilted in the Y-axis direction, the side surface of operating shaft portion 30 comes into contact with hole 63. Therefore, second rotation member 60 can rotate in conjunction with tilting of operating shaft portion 30 in the Y-axis direction. Here, the width of hole 63 in the longitudinal direction is long enough not to interfere with tilting of operating shaft portion 30 in the X-axis direction.

[0057] The sliding portion 64 is a shaft for fixing the rotation shaft of the second rotating member 60. The sliding portion 64 is formed on both ends in the longitudinal direction of the second rotating member 60. The sliding portion 64 is fitted into the second rotating member opening 412b of the positioning upper member 41.

[0058] The recess 65 comes into contact with the protrusion 311 of the shaft 31, thereby restricting the movement of the shaft 31 in a direction away from the substrate 80.

[0059] The detection body 70 is a rectangular parallelepiped sensor. FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the detection body according to the embodiment. A plurality of detection bodies 70 (four detection bodies 70a to 70d in this embodiment) are provided, and in this embodiment, they are capacitance-type sensors. The detection body 70a is placed on the first region 83 of the substrate 80 and is positioned by the detection body opening 422 of the positioning member 42. The detection bodies 70b, 70c, and 70d are placed on the second region 84, third region 85, and fourth region 86 of the substrate 80, respectively, and are positioned by the detection body openings 422 of the positioning member 42. Each detection body 70 specifically includes a driven part 71, a movable electrode 72, a fixed electrode 73, an insulating sheet 74, and conductive rubber 75.

[0060] The driven part 71 is in contact with the cam part of the rotating member that corresponds to the detection body 70. When the rotating member and its cam part rotate as the operating shaft part 30 tilts, the driven part 71 is pressed down.

[0061] The movable electrode 72 is an electrode that can move up and down. When the movable electrode 72 is pressed down by the driven part 71, it moves in the negative direction of the Z axis, and the repulsive force of the conductive rubber 75 that occurs at that time causes it to move in the positive direction of the Z axis. The capacitance of the detection body 70 changes in accordance with the up and down movement of the movable electrode 72.

[0062] The fixed electrode 73 is an electrode that does not depend on the up and down movement of the driven part 71 that accompanies the tilt of the operating shaft part 30. The fixed electrode 73 may be fixed to the substrate 80.

[0063] The insulating sheet 74 is an insulator placed on the fixed electrode 73. The insulating sheet 74 is disposed between the fixed electrode 73 and the movable electrode 72, more specifically, between the fixed electrode 73 and the conductive rubber 75. The insulating sheet 74 can increase the capacitance of the detection body 70.

[0064] The conductive rubber 75 is a conductive elastic body. The conductive rubber 75 is formed to have a plurality of (four in this embodiment) conical protrusions 751 that protrude in the same direction. The conductive rubber 75 is deformed when the driven part 71 and the movable electrode 72 are pressed down. The conductive rubber 75 deforms in accordance with the amount of pressing, and the distance between the movable electrode 72 and the fixed electrode 73 changes, so the capacitance of the detection body 70 changes. Therefore, the amount of pressing down can be calculated by detecting the change in capacitance.

[0065] At this time, driven part 71 and movable electrode 72 receive a repulsive force in an upward direction from conductive rubber 75. This repulsive force pushes up the cam parts that they come into contact with via driven part 71, and therefore contributes to the neutral return operation of operating shaft 30.

[0066] The configuration of the multi-directional input device 10 according to the embodiment has been described above. Here, the shaft 31, the return pin 33, the positioning member 40, the first rotating member 50, the second rotating member 60, and the substrate 80 are made of resin. The case 20 and the elastic member 32 are made of metal. The detection body 70 is made of rubber and metal.

[0067] [Operation] Next, the movement of each member of the multi-directional input device 10 will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0068] (When the operating shaft 30 is not tilted) First, a state in which no operation is being performed on the operating shaft 30 will be described. FIGS. 3 and 4 show a state in which no operation is being performed on the operating shaft 30, i.e., a state in which the operating shaft 30 is not tilted in the Z-axis direction. In this state, each part of the multi-directional input device 10 is stationary at a reference position. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shaft 31 of the operating shaft 30 maintains a neutral state by receiving two types of biasing forces in a direction away from the substrate 80: a biasing force from the elastic member 32 and a biasing force from the conductive rubber 75 of the detection body 70 (four in this embodiment) received via the first rotating member 50 or the second rotating member 60. The protrusion 311 abuts against the second rotating member, thereby restricting movement of the shaft 31 in a direction away from the substrate 80.

[0069] At this time, each cam portion is formed so that the contact area between the first cam portion 51, 51' and the driven portion 71a, the second cam portion 52, 52' and the second driven portion 71b, the third cam portion 61, 61' and the third driven portion 71c, and the fourth cam portion 62, 62' and the fourth driven portion 71d is large, which contributes to improving the stability of the neutral state.

[0070] (When the operating shaft part 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X axis) Next, a state in which the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis due to operation by the user will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 12. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis in the multi-directional input device 10 according to the embodiment. Specifically, FIG. 10 corresponds to FIG. 3. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing contact between the first cam portions 51, 51′ and the driven portion 71a of the first rotating member 50 according to the embodiment when the operating shaft 30 is in a neutral state. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing contact between the first cam portions 51, 51′ and the driven portion 71a of the first rotating member 50 according to the embodiment when the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the positive direction of the X-axis.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 10, when the user tilts the operating shaft 30 in the positive direction of the X-axis, the first rotating member 50 also rotates in conjunction with the tilt. That is, the first cam portions 51, 51' rotate. At this time, as shown in Fig. 12, the first driven portion 71a is pressed down by the first cam portions 51, 51'. At this time, the second cam portions 52, 52' do not press down on the driven portion 71b.

[0072] When the driven part 71a is pressed down by the first cam parts 51, 51', the movable electrode 72a is pressed down in conjunction with the driven part 71a. The conductive rubber 75a provided between the movable electrode 72a and the fixed electrode 73a is deformed in accordance with the amount of pressing, and the distance between the movable electrode 72a and the fixed electrode 73a changes, and the capacitance of the detection body 70a changes.

[0073] The change in capacitance of the detection body 70a is output to an external electronic device via the wiring portion 81, and the tilt angle of the operating shaft portion 30 in the positive direction of the X-axis is calculated in the external electronic device.

[0074] The tilt angle of the operating shaft 30 in the positive direction of the X-axis may be calculated by the detection body 70a. At this time, the tilt angle of the operating shaft 30 in the positive direction of the X-axis calculated by the detection body 70a is output to an external electronic device via the wiring unit 81.

[0075] FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the tilt angle of the operating shaft 30 in the positive direction of the X-axis and the displacement of the detection body 70a in the multidirectional input device 10 according to the embodiment. When the tilt angle of the operating shaft 30 is 0 degrees, i.e., when the operating shaft 30 is in a neutral state, the displacement of the movable electrode 72a of the detection body 70a is 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm. When the tilt angle of the operating shaft 30 is 23 degrees, i.e., when the operating shaft 30 is in a maximum tilted state, the displacement of the movable electrode 72a of the detection body 70a is 0.75 mm to 0.85 mm. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13, this relationship can be linearly approximated. Therefore, the multidirectional input device 10 according to the embodiment can detect the tilt angle of the operating shaft 30 as the displacement of the detection body 70.

[0076] (others) When the operating shaft portion 30 is tilted in the negative X-axis direction, this can be explained by replacing the positive X-axis direction with the negative X-axis direction, the first cam portions 51, 51' with the second cam portions 52, 52', and the detection body 70a with the detection body 70b, etc.

[0077] Similarly, when the operating shaft portion 30 tilts in the positive direction of the Y-axis, this can be explained by replacing the positive direction of the X-axis with the positive direction of the Y-axis, the first rotating member 50 with the second rotating member 60, the first cam portions 51, 51' with the third cam portions 61, 61', the detection body 70a with the detection body 70c, etc.

[0078] Similarly, when the operating shaft portion 30 tilts in the negative Y-axis direction, this can be explained by replacing the positive X-axis direction with the negative Y-axis direction, the first cam portions 51, 51' with the fourth cam portions 62, 62', and the detection body 70a with the detection body 70d, etc.

[0079] The above describes the operation when the operating shaft 30 is tilted only in the X-axis direction and the operation when it is tilted only in the Y-axis direction. Below, we will describe the operation when the operating shaft 30 is tilted simultaneously in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing the state of the components around the operating shaft 30 when the operating shaft 30 is tilted simultaneously in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the multi-directional input device 10 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 14, the first rotation member 50 and the second rotation member 60 can rotate simultaneously and independently of each other. Therefore, the first rotation member 50 and the second rotation member 60 can cooperate to tilt the operating shaft 30 in directions tilting in both the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

[0080] Specifically, when the operating shaft 30 is tilted in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, the tilt direction and movement amount of the operating shaft 30 can be expressed by a vector contained in a plane parallel to the XY plane. In this case, the tilt vector of the operating shaft 30 can be decomposed into components of a vector in the X-axis direction and a vector in the Y-axis direction. The vector in the X-axis direction can be detected by the detection body 70a or the detection body 70b due to the rotation of the first rotating member 50, and the vector in the Y-axis direction can be detected by the detection body 70c or the detection body 70d due to the rotation of the second rotating member 60. By combining these detection results, the tilt vector of the operating shaft 30 can be calculated. The change in the electrostatic capacitance of the detection bodies 70a to 70d is output to an external electronic device via the wiring unit 81.

[0081] Note that even when the operating shaft 30 is not tilted or is tilted in any direction, the shaft 31 of the operating shaft 30 abuts against the push switch 82. The return pin 33 and the positioning member 42 allow the shaft 31 to slide in the axial direction. As a result, when the user presses the operating shaft 30 in the negative Z-axis direction, the shaft 31 moves in the negative Z-axis direction and presses the push switch 82. An output signal from the push switch 82 is output to an external electronic device via the wiring part 81.

[0082] [Effects, etc.] Hereinafter, examples of inventions that can be obtained from the disclosure of this specification will be given, and the effects and the like that can be obtained from the exemplified inventions will be explained.

[0083] Invention 1 is a multi-directional input device 10 comprising a tiltable operating shaft 30, a first rotating member 50 having a first cam portion 51 that rotates in conjunction with the tilting of the operating shaft 30 in a first direction, and a first detection body 70 having a first driven portion 71a driven by the first cam portion 51 and detecting the amount of movement of the first driven portion 71a, wherein the first contact area when the operating shaft 30 is in a neutral state is larger than the first contact area when the operating shaft 30 is in a tilted state in the first direction, and the first contact area is the area where the first cam portion 51 comes into contact with the first driven portion 71a.

[0084] Such a multi-directional input device 10 can detect tilt of the operating shaft 30 in the positive direction of the X-axis. Furthermore, since the contact area between the first cam portion 51 and the first driven portion 71a when the operating shaft 30 is in the neutral state is larger than the contact area when the operating shaft 30 is in the tilted state in the first direction, the operating shaft 30 can be stably returned to the neutral position.

[0085] Furthermore, such a multi-directional input device 10 allows the user to enjoy accurate detection performance over the long term. This is because, compared to conventional multi-directional input devices, the first driven part is driven by the first cam part 51 rather than an elastic member, which reduces the number of parts (particularly the number of elastic members) and thereby suppresses variation between devices. Also, since the tilt of the operating shaft part 30 can be detected by the amount of movement rather than the load, the detection body 70 is excellent in terms of durability.

[0086] Invention 2 is the multi-directional input device 10 of Invention 1, in which the first rotating member 50 further has a second cam portion 52 that rotates in conjunction with the tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in the direction opposite to the first direction, and the multi-directional input device 10 has a second driven portion 71b driven by the second cam portion 52 and further includes a second detection body 70b that detects the amount of movement of the second driven portion 71b, and the second contact area when the operating shaft portion 30 is in a neutral state is larger than the second contact area when the operating shaft portion 30 is in a tilted state in the direction opposite to the first direction, and the second contact area is the area where the second cam portion 52 comes into contact with the second driven portion 71b.

[0087] Such a multi-directional input device 10 can also detect tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in the negative X-axis direction.

[0088] Invention 3 is the multi-directional input device 10 of Invention 1 or 2, further comprising a second rotating member 60 having a third cam portion 61 that rotates in conjunction with the tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a third detection body 70c having a third driven portion 71c driven by the third cam portion 61 and detecting the amount of movement of the third driven portion 71c, wherein the third contact area when the operating shaft portion 30 is in a neutral state is larger than the third contact area when the operating shaft portion 30 is in a tilted state in the second direction, and the third contact area is the area where the third cam portion 61 comes into contact with the third driven portion 71c.

[0089] Such a multi-directional input device 10 can also detect tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in the positive direction of the Y axis.

[0090] Invention 4 is the multi-directional input device 10 of Invention 3, in which the second rotating member 60 further has a fourth cam portion 62 that rotates in conjunction with the tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in the direction opposite to the second direction, the multi-directional input device 10 has a fourth driven portion 71d driven by the fourth cam portion 62 and is further equipped with a fourth detector 70d that detects the amount of movement of the fourth driven portion 71d, the fourth contact area when the operating shaft portion 30 is in a neutral state is larger than the fourth contact area when the operating shaft portion 30 is in a tilted state in the direction opposite to the second direction, and the fourth contact area is the area where the fourth cam portion 62 comes into contact with the fourth driven portion 71d.

[0091] Such a multi-directional input device 10 can also detect tilting of the operating shaft portion 30 in the negative Y-axis direction.

[0092] A fifth aspect of the present invention is the multi-directional input device 10 of any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, wherein the first rotating member 50 has a plurality of first cam portions 51.

[0093] In such a multi-directional input device 10, the first driven portion 71a is driven more stably by the plurality of first cam portions 51, 51', etc.

[0094] A sixth aspect of the present invention is the multi-directional input device 10 of any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, wherein the first cam portion 51 has a plurality of surfaces that come into contact with the first driven portion 71a.

[0095] In such a multi-directional input device 10, there are a plurality of portions where the first cam portion 51 and the first driven portion 71a come into contact with each other, and therefore the operating shaft portion 30 can be returned to the neutral position more stably.

[0096] Invention 7 is the multi-directional input device 10 of any of Inventions 1 to 6, in which the first detection body 70a has a movable electrode 72a that moves in conjunction with the first driven part 71a, and the amount of movement of the driven part 71a is detected based on the electrostatic capacitance of the first detection body 70a that fluctuates due to the displacement of the movable electrode 72a.

[0097] Such a multi-directional input device 10 can detect the tilt of the operating shaft portion 30 by a change in capacitance, so that the detection body 70a is prevented from wearing out due to sliding, and can withstand long-term use.

[0098] Invention 8 is the multi-directional input device 10 of any of Inventions 1 to 7, in which the first detection body 70a has conductive rubber 75a that deforms in conjunction with the first driven part 71a, and the amount of movement of the driven part 71a is detected based on the electrostatic capacitance of the first detection body 70a that fluctuates due to the deformation of the conductive rubber 75a.

[0099] Such a multi-directional input device 10 can detect tilt of the operating shaft 30 based on the magnitude of deformation of the conductive rubber 75a. The magnitude of deformation of the conductive rubber 75a depends not on the load but on the amount of movement of the driven part 71a, so wear of the detection body 70a due to sliding is suppressed, and even if the elasticity of the conductive rubber 75a weakens due to long-term use, the detection body 70a can still detect the amount of displacement. Therefore, tilt of the operating shaft 30 can be detected with high accuracy even after long-term use.

[0100] [others] Although the multi-directional input device 10 according to the present embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The embodiment disclosed herein is illustrative in all respects and is not restrictive, and the scope of the present invention includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims.

[0101] In the above embodiment, the multi-directional input device 10 is exemplified, in which the operating shaft 30 can be tilted in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. However, the operating shaft 30 may be tilted in only one direction. In this case, it is sufficient to detect tilt of the operating shaft 30 in one direction, so at least one detector 70 is sufficient. Furthermore, since it is sufficient to tilt the operating shaft 30 in only one direction, it is sufficient to provide only one first rotating member 50 or second rotating member 60 corresponding to that direction.

[0102] In the above embodiment, the elastic member 32 is a compression coil spring, but the elastic member 32 may be an elastic member other than a compression coil spring. Examples of other elastic members include a leaf spring and rubber.

[0103] Furthermore, in the multi-directional input device according to the above embodiment, the detection sensitivity of the detection body 70 can be adjusted by adjusting the shape of the cam portion or the distance between the electrodes. For example, the detection sensitivity of the detection body 70 can be increased by increasing the ratio of the eccentric distance of the cam portion when the operating shaft portion 30 is upright and when the operating shaft portion 30 is tilted.

[0104] While the multi-directional input device 10 according to the present invention has been described above based on the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. As long as they do not deviate from the gist of the present invention, various modifications conceivable by those skilled in the art to the embodiments and other forms constructed by combining some of the components of the embodiments are also included within the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0105] INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present disclosure is useful as a multidirectional input device, particularly as a multidirectional input device that can stably return an operating shaft to neutral, such as a joystick. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 10 Multi-directional input device 20 cases 21 Case body 211 Opening 212 Locking piece 22 Bottom cover part 221 Claw 222 Protrusion 30 Operation shaft section 31 Shaft 311 Protrusion 32 Elastic member 33 Reset pin 40 Positioning member 41 Positioning upper member 411 Opening for operating shaft 412a First rotating member opening 412b Opening for second rotating member 413 Protrusion 414 hollow 42 Positioning lower member 4211 Opening for operating shaft 4212 Recess for operating shaft 422 Opening for detection object 423 Locking part 50 first rotating member 51, 51´ First cam part 52, 52´ Second cam part 53 holes 54 Sliding part 60 Second rotating member 61, 61´ Third cam part 62, 62´ 4th cam part 63 holes 64 Sliding part 70a~70d Detection object 71a~71d Driven parts 72a~72d Movable electrode 73a~73d Fixed electrode 74a~74d Insulation sheet 75a~75d Conductive rubber 751 Protrusion 80 boards 81 Wiring section 82 Push-button switch 83 First area 84 Second area 85 Third area 86 4th area

Claims

1. A tiltable operating shaft portion; a first rotating member having a first cam portion that rotates in conjunction with tilting of the operating shaft portion in a first direction; a first detector having a first driven portion driven by the first cam portion and detecting a movement amount of the first driven portion; a first contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a neutral state is larger than the first contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a tilted state in the first direction, and the first contact area is an area where the first cam portion comes into contact with the first driven portion; Multi-directional input device.

2. the first rotating member further includes a second cam portion that rotates in conjunction with tilting of the operating shaft portion in a direction opposite to the first direction, the multi-directional input device further includes a second detector that has a second driven portion driven by the second cam portion and detects a movement amount of the second driven portion; a second contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a neutral state is larger than the second contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a tilted state in a direction opposite to the first direction, and the second contact area is an area where the second cam portion comes into contact with the second driven portion; The multi-directional input device according to claim 1 .

3. a second rotating member having a third cam portion that rotates in conjunction with tilting of the operating shaft portion in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a third detection body having a third driven portion driven by the third cam portion and detecting a movement amount of the third driven portion, a third contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a neutral state is larger than the third contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a tilted state in the second direction, and the third contact area is an area where the third cam portion comes into contact with the third driven portion; The multi-directional input device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. the second rotation member further includes a fourth cam portion that rotates in conjunction with tilting of the operation shaft portion in a direction opposite to the second direction, the multi-directional input device further includes a fourth detector that has a fourth driven portion driven by the fourth cam portion and detects a movement amount of the fourth driven portion; a fourth contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a neutral state is larger than the fourth contact area when the operating shaft portion is in a tilted state in the direction opposite to the second direction, and the fourth contact area is an area where the fourth cam portion comes into contact with the fourth driven portion. The multi-directional input device according to claim 3 .

5. the first rotating member has a plurality of the first cam portions; The multi-directional input device according to claim 1 or 2.

6. the first cam portion has a plurality of surfaces that come into contact with the first driven portion; The multi-directional input device according to claim 1 or 2.

7. the first detection body includes a movable electrode that moves in conjunction with the first driven part, and detects the amount of movement of the first driven part based on the electrostatic capacitance of the first detection body that varies with the displacement of the movable electrode. The multi-directional input device according to claim 1 or 2.

8. the first detection body includes a conductive rubber that deforms in conjunction with the first driven part, and the amount of movement of the first driven part is detected based on the capacitance of the first detection body that varies due to the deformation of the conductive rubber. The multi-directional input device according to claim 7 .

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