Pressing input device

Abstract

This pressing input device comprises a substrate that has an installation surface, and a click spring member installed on the installation surface. The click spring member is made from: an annular skirt part that extends from an outer annular edge part toward an inner annular outwardly curved part, said annular skirt part extending at a first angle that faces upward with respect to the installation surface; and an inverted part that includes an annular reinforcement plate part extending from the annular outwardly curved part toward an inner annular inwardly curved part at a second angle that is oriented downward to a greater extent than the first angle, and a dome part that extends inside the annular inwardly curved part and assumes an upwardly protruding form. The dome part has a trapezoidal cross section, and is composed of: an annular slope part that extends to the inside of the annular inwardly curved part and extends at a third angle that is oriented upward to a greater extent than the second angle; and a top part that extends to the inside of an annular upper end part of the annular slope part, and receives pressing force from above.

Description

Press input device

[0001] The present invention relates to a pressing input device.

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-144993 discloses a disk-shaped contact plate that can provide a clicking sensation by the reversal movement of a dome portion.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-216580

[0004] However, in the technology of Patent Document 1, the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion of the contact plate is a typical bowl shape, making it difficult to adjust the operating distance of the dome portion (i.e., the amount of movement when the reversal operation begins) in a shorter direction.

[0005] A press input device according to one embodiment comprises a substrate having an installation surface and a click spring member installed on the installation surface, the click spring member comprising an annular skirt portion extending from an outer annular edge portion toward an inner annular convex portion at a first angle upward relative to the installation surface, an annular reinforcing plate portion extending from the annular convex portion toward the inner annular concave portion at a second angle downward relative to the first angle, and an inverted portion including a dome portion extending inside the annular concave portion and convex upward, the dome portion having a trapezoidal cross section and comprising an annular inclined surface portion extending inside the annular concave portion at a third angle upward relative to the second angle, and a top surface portion extending inside the annular upper end portion of the annular inclined surface portion and receiving a pressing force from above.

[0006] According to the pressing input device of one embodiment, the actuation distance of the dome portion can be adjusted to be shorter.

[0007] FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a pressing input device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of a click spring member provided in a pressing input device according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram for comparing the reaction force characteristics of a click spring member according to an embodiment with the reaction force characteristics of a click spring member using conventional technology; FIG. 4 is a diagram for comparing the behavior of a click spring member according to an embodiment with the behavior of a click spring member using conventional technology; and FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of suitable dimensions of a click spring member according to an embodiment.

[0008] An embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings. For convenience, in the following description, the Z-axis direction in the drawings is the up-down direction, the Y-axis direction in the drawings is the left-right direction, and the X-axis direction in the drawings is the front-rear direction. However, the positive Z-axis direction is the up direction, the positive Y-axis direction is the right direction, and the positive X-axis direction is the front.

[0009] 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a pressing input device 100 according to an embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the pressing input device 100 includes a substrate 110 and a click spring member 120.

[0010] The substrate 110 is a flat plate-shaped member made of resin. The top surface of the substrate 110 serves as a mounting surface 110A on which the click spring member 120 is mounted.

[0011] The click spring member 120 is a metallic, disk-shaped member that is installed on the installation surface 110A of the substrate 110. The click spring member 120 has a dome shape that is convex upward (in the positive direction of the Z axis). The click spring member 120 also has a circular shape when viewed from above.

[0012] The click spring member 120 has an annular edge portion 120A, which is an outer peripheral edge portion having a circular shape when viewed from above, and is placed on the mounting surface 110A of the substrate 110 so that the entire area of ​​the annular edge portion 120A is in contact with the mounting surface 110A of the substrate 110.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the click spring member 120 has, in order from the outside in the radial direction, an annular edge portion 120A, an annular convex curved portion 120C, an annular concave curved portion 120B, and an annular upper end portion 120Ba.

[0014] The annular edge portion 120A is the lower end and outer circumferential edge portion of the click spring member 120. The annular edge portion 120A has a circular ring shape when viewed from above.

[0015] The annular convex curved portion 120C has a circular ring shape when viewed from above, and is a portion that is bent in a convex shape toward the outside of the click spring member 120.

[0016] The annular concave curved portion 120B has a circular ring shape when viewed from above, and is a portion that is bent in a concave shape toward the inside of the click spring member 120.

[0017] The annular upper end portion 120Ba is the upper end portion of the click spring member 120, and is a portion that is bent in a convex shape toward the outside of the click spring member 120. The annular upper end portion 120Ba has an annular shape in a top view.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 1 , the click spring member 120 has an inverted portion 121 and an annular skirt portion 124 .

[0019] The inverted portion 121 is composed of a dome portion 122 and an annular reinforcing plate portion 123 .

[0020] The dome portion 122 extends inside the annular concave portion 120B and is convex upward. The dome portion 122 has a trapezoidal cross section and is made up of a top surface portion 122A and an annular inclined surface portion 122B.

[0021] The top surface portion 122A is a horizontal, planar portion having a circular shape that is provided at the upper end portion of the click spring member 120 and at the center of the click spring member 120 when viewed from above. The top surface portion 122A extends inside the annular upper end portion 120Ba of the annular slope portion 122B and receives a pressing force from above.

[0022] The annular inclined surface portion 122B is a portion having a circular ring shape provided on the outer side of the top surface portion 122A in a top view. The annular inclined surface portion 122B is an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined inclination angle so that the radius gradually increases toward the outer side in the radial direction. The annular inclined surface portion 122B extends inside the annular concave curved portion 120B and extends at a third angle θ3 that is upward more than the second angle θ2. The upper end of the annular inclined surface portion 122B forms an annular upper end portion 120Ba.

[0023] The annular reinforcing plate portion 123 is a portion having an annular shape provided outside the annular slope portion 122B of the dome portion 122 in a top view. The annular reinforcing plate portion 123 is an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined inclination angle so that the radius gradually increases toward the outside in the radial direction. However, the inclination angle of the annular reinforcing plate portion 123 is gentler than the inclination angle of the annular slope portion 122B. The annular reinforcing plate portion 123 extends from the annular convex curved portion 120C toward the inner annular concave curved portion 120B at a second angle θ2 that is downward more than the first angle θ1.

[0024] The annular skirt portion 124 is a portion having a circular ring shape provided on the outside of the inverted portion 121 in a top view. The annular skirt portion 124 is an inclined surface inclined at a predetermined inclination angle so that the radius gradually increases toward the outside in the radial direction. The annular skirt portion 124 extends from the outer annular edge portion 120A toward the inner annular convex curved portion 120C at a first angle θ1 upward relative to the installation surface 110A. The lower end of the annular skirt portion 124 is the above-mentioned annular edge portion 120A.

[0025] The boundary between the lower end of the annular inclined surface portion 122B and the upper end of the annular reinforcing plate portion 123 forms the above-mentioned annular concave curved portion 120B.

[0026] The boundary between the lower end of the annular reinforcing plate portion 123 and the upper end of the annular skirt portion 124 forms the above-mentioned annular convex curved portion 120C.

[0027] (Operation of click spring member 120) Fig. 2 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the click spring member 120 included in the press input device 100 according to one embodiment. In Fig. 2, the click spring member 120 when no pressing operation is performed is shown by a solid line, and the click spring member 120 when a pressing operation is performed and the click spring member 120 performs a reversing operation is shown by a dashed line.

[0028] When the top surface 122A of the click spring member 120 according to one embodiment is not being pressed downward, the dome portion 122 is in an initial state in which it is convex upward, as shown by the solid line in Fig. 2. Therefore, the annular edge 120A of the click spring member 120 is in contact with the mounting surface 110A of the substrate 110, but the top surface 122A is not in contact with the mounting surface 110A of the substrate 110.

[0029] When the click spring member 120 according to the embodiment is pressed downward on the top surface portion 122A, the top surface portion 122A moves downward while being elastically deformed so as to be crushed as a whole.

[0030] Furthermore, in the click spring member 120 according to one embodiment, when the operational load of the downward pressing operation on the top surface portion 122A exceeds a predetermined threshold (i.e., when the stroke amount of the top surface portion 122A exceeds a predetermined amount), the dome portion 122 elastically deforms (inverts) into a concave shape as shown by the solid line in Fig. 2. As a result, the back side of the top surface portion 122A comes into contact with the installation surface 110A of the substrate 110.

[0031] At this time, in one embodiment, the click spring member 120 can provide a clicking sensation to the operator of the top surface 122A because the operating load of the downward pressing operation on the top surface 122A is suddenly reduced by the inverting movement of the dome portion 122.

[0032] In addition, in the click spring member 120 according to one embodiment, when the downward pressing operation on the top surface portion 122A is released, the dome portion 122 returns to its original convex shape due to its own elastic force.

[0033] The pressing input device 100 according to an embodiment may further include a fixed contact member that is always in contact with the annular edge portion 120A and a movable contact member that is in contact with the top surface portion 122A upon pressing, on the installation surface 110A of the substrate 110. This allows the pressing input device 100 according to an embodiment to be used as a push switch that is switched on when the top surface portion 122A is pressed.

[0034] (Comparative Example) Figure 3 is a diagram showing a comparison example between the reaction force characteristics of the click spring component 120 according to one embodiment and the reaction force characteristics of a click spring component using conventional technology. Figure 3(a) shows an example of the reaction force characteristics of the click spring component 120 according to one embodiment. Figure 3(b) shows an example of the reaction force characteristics of a click spring component using conventional technology. In Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the vertical axis represents the operating force [gf], and the horizontal axis represents the movement amount [mm] of the pressing operation.

[0035] 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a comparison example between the behavior of the click spring component 120 according to one embodiment and the behavior of a click spring component using conventional technology. Fig. 4A shows an example of the behavior of the click spring component 120 according to one embodiment. Fig. 4B shows an example of the behavior of a click spring component using conventional technology. In Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the vertical axis represents the height [mm] of the click spring component, and the horizontal axis represents the amount of movement [mm] of the click spring component.

[0036] In this comparative example, the click spring member 120 according to one embodiment is a click spring member 120 in which the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion 122 is trapezoidal, as described in Fig. 1. Also, in this comparative example, the click spring member using conventional technology is a click spring member in which the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion is a typical bowl shape, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 3A, in one embodiment of the click spring member 120, when the top surface 122A of the dome portion 122 is pressed downward, the reaction force characteristics are such that the reaction force increases from the initial position to the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion operation, decreases from the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion operation to the movement amount S2 at the end of the inversion operation, and increases from the movement amount S2 at the start of the end of the inversion onwards (i.e., during an overstroke).

[0038] Similarly, as shown in Figure 3(b), the reaction force characteristics of a click spring member using conventional technology when the top of the dome portion is pressed downward are such that the reaction force increases from the initial position up to the amount of movement S1' at the start of the reversal operation, decreases from the amount of movement S1' at the start of the reversal operation to the amount of movement S2' at the end of the reversal operation, and increases from the amount of movement S2' at the start of the end of the reversal (i.e., during overstroke).

[0039] Here, in one embodiment of the click spring member 120, the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion 122 is trapezoidal, so that the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 and the movement amount S2 at the end of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 can be adjusted.

[0040] For example, in one embodiment of the click spring member 120, the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion 122 is trapezoidal, which can be adjusted to increase the rigidity of the peripheral portion of the dome portion 122.As a result, as shown in Figure 3, the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 can be made shorter than the movement amount S1' at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion in a click spring member of the prior art.

[0041] In this case, the click spring member 120 of one embodiment can make the operating force at the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 approximately equal to the operating force at the movement amount S1' at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 of the conventional technology, as shown in Figure 3.

[0042] Furthermore, in one embodiment of the click spring member 120, the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion 122 is trapezoidal, so that, as shown in Figure 3, the rate of decrease in the operating force from the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 to the movement amount S2 at the end of the inversion movement can be made more gradual than the rate of decrease in the operating force from the movement amount S1' at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion to the movement amount S2' at the end of the inversion movement in a click spring member of the conventional technology.

[0043] As a result, the click spring member 120 according to one embodiment can reduce the speed of the reversal movement of the dome portion 122, thereby reducing the noise of the dome portion 122 contacting the substrate 110 during the reversal movement.

[0044] In one embodiment of the click spring member 120, the cross-sectional shape of the dome portion 122 is trapezoidal, and by appropriately adjusting each parameter of the dome portion 122 (the radius and inclination angle of the top surface portion 122A, and the radius and inclination angle of the annular inclined portion 122B), the movement amount S1 at the start of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 and the movement amount S2 at the end of the inversion movement of the dome portion 122 can be adjusted to the desired amount while maintaining the operating force and plate thickness.

[0045] (Example of Preferred Dimensions) FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining an example of preferred dimensions of the click spring component 120 according to one embodiment.

[0046] 5, when the inclination angle of the annular reinforcing plate portion 123 is the second angle θ2 and the inclination angle of the annular slope portion 122B of the dome portion 122 is the third angle θ3, it is preferable that the second angle θ2 is 0° to 6° and the third angle θ3 is 18° to 23°. These numerical values ​​are preferable values ​​determined by the inventors through simulations or the like.

[0047] As a result, the pressing input device 100 according to the embodiment can provide the operator with a satisfactory clicking sensation.

[0048] 5, when the radius of annular slope portion 122B of dome portion 122 is Ra and the radius of top surface portion 122A of dome portion 122 is Rb, it is preferable that Rb / Ra = 0.5 to 0.75. These numerical values ​​are preferred values ​​determined by the inventors through simulations, etc.

[0049] As a result, the pressing input device 100 according to the embodiment can provide the operator with a satisfactory clicking sensation.

[0050] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

[0051] This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-148562, filed on September 16, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0052] 100 Pressing input device 110 Substrate 110A Installation surface 120 Click spring member 120A Annular edge portion 120B Annular concave curved portion 120C Annular convex curved portion 121 Inverted portion 122 Dome portion 122A Top surface portion 122B Annular inclined surface portion 120Ba Annular upper end portion 123 Annular reinforcing plate portion 124 Annular skirt portion θ1 First angle θ2 Second angle θ3 Third angle

Claims

1. A substrate having a mounting surface; A click spring member is provided on the installation surface, The click spring member is an annular skirt portion extending from the outer annular edge portion toward the inner annular convex portion at a first angle upward relative to the mounting surface; an annular reinforcing plate portion extending from the annular convex curved portion toward the inner annular concave curved portion at a second angle downwardly relative to the first angle; and an inverted portion including a dome portion extending toward the inside of the annular concave curved portion and convex upwardly; the dome portion has a trapezoidal cross section and includes an annular inclined surface portion extending inward of the annular concave curved portion at a third angle upwardly greater than the second angle, and a top surface portion extending inward of an annular upper end portion of the annular inclined surface portion and receiving a pressing force from above, the second angle is between 0° and 6°; The third angle is between 18° and 23°. A pressing input device comprising:

2. A substrate having an installation surface; A click spring member is provided on the installation surface, The click spring member is an annular skirt portion extending from the outer annular edge portion toward the inner annular convex portion at a first angle upward relative to the mounting surface; an annular reinforcing plate portion extending from the annular convex curved portion toward the inner annular concave curved portion at a second angle downwardly relative to the first angle; and an inverted portion including a dome portion extending toward the inside of the annular concave curved portion and convex upwardly; the dome portion has a trapezoidal cross section and includes an annular inclined surface portion extending inward of the annular concave curved portion at a third angle upwardly greater than the second angle, and a top surface portion extending inward of an annular upper end portion of the annular inclined surface portion and receiving a pressing force from above, When the radius of the annular slope portion is Ra and the radius of the top surface portion is Rb, Rb / Ra=0.5 to 0.

75. A pressing input device comprising: