Input device

Abstract

Provided is an input device having excellent ease of use.　This input device includes an electrostatic sensor that can detect the location of an operation on an operation surface by an operator, and a dial unit that is fixed to the operation surface. The dial unit has a base part that is fixed to the operation surface, an operation part that is operated by the operator, and a protruding part that is provided on the operation surface side of the operation part, is detected by the electrostatic sensor, and can move in a unified manner with the operation part. The operation part is supported so as to be able to rotate relative to the base part around a virtual rotation axis perpendicular to the operation surface, and is supported so as to be able to slide in a direction intersecting the virtual rotation axis in plan view.

Description

Input Devices

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an input device.

[0002] In a conventional input display device that includes a touch panel that allows touch input by touching the screen, an operation device that is installed on the screen of the touch panel and uses the touch input function of the touch panel to provide a real operating feel, and a control unit that generates a normal function in response to touch input to the touch panel or operation of the operation device, there is an input display device that is characterized in that, when operation of the operation device and touch input to the screen are performed simultaneously, the control unit performs an extended function that is different from the normal function when the operation device is operated alone. The operation member is provided on top of the screen of the touch panel and moves over the screen, covering a large area of ​​the screen (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] JP 2016-206930 A

[0004] The operation members of conventional input display devices are provided on top of the screen of the touch panel and move over the screen, covering a large area of ​​the screen, making them inconvenient to use.

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an input device that is easy to use.

[0006] An input device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an electrostatic sensor capable of detecting an operator's operation position on an operation surface, and a dial unit fixed to the operation surface, wherein the dial unit has a base fixed to the operation surface, an operation unit operated by the operator, and a convex portion provided on the operation surface side of the operation unit that is detected by the electrostatic sensor and is movable integrally with the operation unit, and the operation unit is supported rotatably around a virtual rotation axis perpendicular to the operation surface relative to the base, and is supported slidably in a direction intersecting the virtual rotation axis in a planar view.

[0007] It is possible to provide an input device that is easy to use.

[0008] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an input device according to an embodiment; FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a dial unit of the input device according to an embodiment; FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the dial unit of the input device according to an embodiment in an exploded state; FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an XZ cross section passing through the central axis of the dial unit of the input device according to an embodiment; FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a plan view of a lower ring of the dial unit according to an embodiment; FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a plan view of a slider of the dial unit according to an embodiment; FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of XY coordinates of four centers of gravity detected by an MCU of the input device according to an embodiment; and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of XY coordinates of four centers of gravity after a rotation operation detected by the MCU of the input device according to an embodiment.

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment to which the input device of the present disclosure is applied will be described. In the following, the same elements will be given the same reference numerals, and duplicated explanations may be omitted.

[0010] In the following description, the XYZ coordinate system is defined. The direction parallel to the X axis (X direction), the direction parallel to the Y axis (Y direction), and the direction parallel to the Z axis (Z direction) are perpendicular to one another. The XYZ coordinate system is an example of a Cartesian coordinate system. Viewing the XY plane is referred to as planar view. In the following, the length, width, thickness, etc. of each part may be exaggerated to make the configuration easier to understand. Furthermore, terms such as parallel, right angle, orthogonal, horizontal, vertical, up and down, etc., are intended to allow for deviations to the extent that they do not impair the effects of the embodiments.

[0011] <Embodiments> <Input Device 10> Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an input device 10. The input device 10 includes a touch panel 20 and a dial unit 100. The input device 10 can be used by being attached to an operation surface 20A of the touch panel 20 with double-sided tape or the like. Here, as an example, a form in which the input device 10 includes the touch panel 20 and the dial unit 100 will be described, but the input device 10 may be configured by the dial unit 100 without including the touch panel 20.

[0012] <Touch Panel 20> The touch panel 20 has a display panel 21, an electrostatic sensor 22, and an MCU (Micro Controller Unit) 23. The MCU 23 is an example of an operation determination unit. A transparent top panel is placed on top of the electrostatic sensor 22, and the upper surface of the top panel is the operation surface 20A of the touch panel 20. Therefore, the electrostatic sensor 22 is provided on the back side of the operation surface 20A. The electrostatic sensor 22 is placed on top of the display panel 21. The display panel 21 and the electrostatic sensor 22 are connected to and controlled by the MCU 23.

[0013] Examples of the display panel 21 include a liquid crystal panel, an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) panel, etc. The electrostatic sensor 22 has transparent electrodes arranged in the X and Y directions, and the MCU 23 can detect the X and Y coordinates of the position where an operating object such as a hand touches the operation surface 20A or the position where the operating object approaches the operation surface 20A, based on the electrostatic capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22.

[0014] The XY coordinates of the position where the operating object is close to the operation surface 20A are the XY coordinates of the operating object when the operating object is close to the operation surface 20A. The state where the operating object is close to the operation surface 20A means a state where the operating object is not in contact with the operation surface 20A but is close to the operation surface 20A and the MCU 23 can detect the XY coordinates of the operating object based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. Note that the input device 10 may be configured to include a touch pad that does not have the display panel 21 and has only the electrostatic sensor 22 instead of the touch panel 20.

[0015] <Dial Unit 100> The dial unit 100 will be described using Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 in addition to Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the dial unit 100. Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the dial unit 100 in an exploded state. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an XZ cross section passing through the central axis of the dial unit 100. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a plan view of the lower ring 120A of the dial unit 100 of the embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a plan view of the slider 140 of the dial unit 100 of the embodiment. The central axis of the disk-shaped dial unit 100 is a virtual rotation axis that serves as the rotation center of the disk-shaped operation unit 120. In Figs. 2 and 3, this virtual rotation axis is indicated by a dashed line as virtual rotation axis A.

[0016] The dial unit 100 includes a holder 110, an operating portion 120, a bearing 130, a slider 140, an O-ring 150, a cover portion 160, and a screw 170. The holder 110 is an example of a base portion. The slider 140 is an example of a sliding member. The O-ring 150 is an example of an elastic member.

[0017] 1, the dial unit 100 is a device that, when attached to the operation surface 20A, allows for a rotation operation in which the operation unit 120 is rotated around a virtual rotation axis A within the XY plane, and also allows for a slide operation in which the operation unit 120 is slid in a direction parallel to the XY plane within the XY plane. As an example of a slide operation, in addition to a slide operation in which the operation unit 120 is slid in a direction parallel to the X-axis and Y-axis, it is also possible to slide the operation unit 120 in any direction angled with respect to the X-axis and Y-axis.

[0018] Furthermore, when the operator performs a rotation operation or a slide operation on the operation unit 120, the operating object, such as the operator's hand, is either in contact with the operation unit 120 or in close proximity to the operation unit 120. Furthermore, as an example, the MCU 23 can detect the positions of the four convex portions 122A of the operation unit 120 and the rotation angle of the operation unit 120 based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. That is, the MCU 23 can detect the rotation angle of the rotation operation of the operation unit 120 and the operation direction and operation amount of the slide operation based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. This will be described in detail later.

[0019] For example, if the touch panel 20 is an operation panel for an in-vehicle electronic device, a rotation operation can adjust the temperature or airflow of the air conditioner, or the volume of the audio or radio station, and a slide operation can adjust the cursor or the display area of ​​the display panel 21. The dial unit 100 can also be used in the same way when the touch panel 20 is used for something other than an operation panel for an in-vehicle electronic device.

[0020] <Holder 110> The holder 110 has a disk-shaped base 111 having a lower surface that is fixed to the operation surface 20A, and a support portion 112 that extends upward from the center of the upper surface of the base 111. The lower surface of the base 111 of the holder 110 is fixed to the operation surface 20A with double-sided tape or the like. Therefore, the holder 110 is fixed to the operation surface 20A.

[0021] The support portion 112 is a generally cylindrical portion, and in its vertically central portion, it has a groove-like recess 112A whose side surface is recessed radially inward along the entire circumference. The recess 112A has an arc-shaped cross section, into which the O-ring 150 is fitted while being held in place in the vertical direction. A screw hole 112B is provided in the center of the upper surface of the support portion 112, and four notches 112C are provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction in the peripheral wall surrounding the screw hole 112B. The screw hole 112B is located on the central axis of the support portion 112 (the virtual rotation axis A in the initial state), and a screw 170 is fastened to the screw hole 112B. The notch 112C engages with an engagement portion 162 (see FIG. 4 ) protruding from the underside of the lid portion 160, and functions to align the lid portion 160 when screwed in and to prevent co-rotation with the screw head.

[0022] <Operation Unit 120> The operation unit 120 is divided into three parts: a lower ring 120A, an intermediate ring 120B, and an upper lid unit 120C. The lower ring 120A and the intermediate ring 120B are annular (ring-shaped) members with the imaginary rotation axis A as their central axis, and the upper lid unit 120C is a disk-shaped member with the imaginary rotation axis A as their central axis.

[0023] The lower ring 120A, the intermediate ring 120B, and the upper cover 120C are made of metal, for example, aluminum. The operation unit 120 is made of metal such as aluminum, and is therefore capacitively coupled to the electrostatic sensor 22.

[0024] The operation unit 120 is a portion that is directly touched by an operating object such as an operator's hand. In the dial unit 100, the operation unit 120 is made of metal so that the MCU 23 can easily detect that the operating object is touching the operation unit 120 based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. However, if the sensitivity of the electrostatic sensor 22 is high and the MCU 23 can detect that the operating object is touching the operation unit 120 based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22 even if the operation unit 120 is made of a non-metal, the operation unit 120 may be made of a non-metal such as resin.

[0025] <Lower Ring 120A> The lower ring 120A has a ring portion 121A, a protrusion 122A, and an engagement portion 123A. The ring portion 121A is an annular (ring-shaped) portion and is provided with four protrusions 122A (see FIG. 5) that protrude radially inward from the lower end of the inner surface. As an example, each of the protrusions 122A protrudes radially inward in an arc shape from the inner surface of the ring portion 121A in a plan view. The four protrusions 122A are arranged along the circumferential direction. The arrangement of the four protrusions 122A will be described further below using FIG. 7.

[0026] The engagement portion 123A is an annular ridge that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the ring portion 121A on the side of the upper surface of the ring portion 121A closer to the inner edge. As an example, the engagement portion 123A has an annular ridge that is divided in the circumferential direction. When the intermediate ring 120B is engaged with the lower ring 120A, the outer surface of the annular ridge of the engagement portion 123A engages with the inner surface of the portion of the ring portion 121B of the intermediate ring 120B that protrudes downward in an annular shape. Furthermore, the lower surface of the flange portion 122B that protrudes radially inward from the inner surface of the ring portion 121B of the intermediate ring 120B abuts against the upper surface of the ridge. This establishes electrical conductivity between the lower ring 120A and the intermediate ring 120B, and they are fixed in a state where radial and vertical movement is restricted. Furthermore, a protrusion (not shown) is provided on the underside of the intermediate ring 120B that fits into the divided portion of the annular ridge portion, and the lower ring 120A and the intermediate ring 120B are fixed in a state where movement is restricted even in the rotational direction.

[0027] The outer surface of the outer ring 132 of the bearing 130, which is composed of an inner ring 131, an outer ring 132, and balls 133, is fitted onto the inner surface of the lower ring 120A. The lower surface of the bearing 130 is supported by four convex portions 122A of the lower ring 120A to prevent it from shifting in the Z direction, and the upper surface of the outer ring 132 is held down by the flange portion 122B of the intermediate ring 120B to prevent it from shifting in the Z direction. In other words, the bearing 130 is restricted in the up-down direction so that it is positioned between the convex portions 122A of the lower ring 120A and the flange portion 122B of the intermediate ring 120B. The outer surface of the outer ring 132 of the bearing 130 is tightly fitted to the inner surface of the lower ring 120A to prevent it from rotating relative to the inner surface of the lower ring 120A.

[0028] <Intermediate ring 120B> The intermediate ring 120B has a ring portion 121B, a flange portion 122B, and an engagement portion 123B. The ring portion 121B is an annular (ring-shaped) portion, and as described above, is provided with a flange portion 122B that protrudes radially inward from the inner surface. As an example, the flange portion 122B is provided in an annular shape around the entire circumference of the inner surface of the ring portion 121B. The engagement portion 123B is an annular ridge portion that protrudes upward from the upper surface of the flange portion 122B. The engagement portion 123B is divided in the circumferential direction. The intermediate ring 120B is fitted to the upper surface of the lower ring 120A with the bearing 130 fitted to the inner surface of the lower ring 120A.

[0029] When the top cover 120C is attached to the intermediate ring 120B, the inner surface of the annular engaging portion 121C (see FIG. 4) on the underside of the top cover 120C engages with the outer surface of the engaging portion 123B in a plan view, and the lower surface of the top cover 120C abuts against the upper surface of the ring portion 121B, so that the intermediate ring 120B and the top cover 120C are electrically connected to each other and are fixed in a state where movement in the radial direction and up and down directions is restricted. Furthermore, the lower surface of the annular engaging portion 121C of the top cover 120C is provided with a protrusion (not shown) that fits into the divided portion of the annular ridge portion of the engaging portion 123B, so that the intermediate ring 120B and the top cover 120C are fixed in a state where movement in the rotational direction is also restricted.

[0030] <Top Cover 120C> The top cover 120C is a disk-shaped member provided at the top of the dial unit 100. As described above, the bearing 130 is attached between the lower ring 120A and the intermediate ring 120B, and a unit is assembled in which the slider 140 is fitted into the inner ring 131 of the bearing 130. The O-ring 150 and the unitized slider 140 are then installed in the holder 110 in this order, the cover 160 is fixed with screws 170, and finally the top cover 120C is attached onto the intermediate ring 120B. The top cover 120C is electrically connected to the intermediate ring 120B and is supported by the holder 110 as the operating unit 120 together with the lower ring 120A and the intermediate ring 120B so as to be rotatable together.

[0031] <Bearing 130> As described above, the bearing 130 is composed of an inner ring 131, an outer ring 132, and balls 133. The inner ring 131 is an example of an inner diameter side member, and the outer ring 132 is an example of an outer diameter side member. The bearing 130 is made of metal, for example. For example, the inner ring 131 is fitted to the outer surface of the substantially cylindrical slider 140 and rotates integrally with the slider 140. The outer ring 132 is fitted to the inner surface of the lower ring 120A of the operating unit 120 and rotates integrally with the lower ring 120A. Therefore, the operating unit 120 is rotatable relative to the slider 140 via the bearing 130. Note that upward movement of the bearing 130 may be restricted by a snap claw of the slider 140. Furthermore, the configuration of the parts that fit with the bearing 130 is not limited to this configuration, and the inner ring 131 may be fitted to the operating unit 120, and the outer ring 132 may be fitted to the slider 140. In other words, it is sufficient that the bearing 130 is located somewhere along the driving force transmission path between the operating unit 120 and the slider 140.

[0032] <Slider 140> The slider 140 is a substantially cylindrical member made of dielectric material, and has a plurality of engagement portions 141 that protrude radially inward from its inner surface. As an example, the engagement portions 141 are columnar portions that extend in the up-down direction and have a substantially triangular tip at their radially inner end in a plan view. As an example, the plurality of engagement portions 141 are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the inner surface of the slider 140 so that the direction from the tip toward the central axis coincides with the sliding operation direction (see FIG. 6 ).

[0033] With the slider 140 fitted onto the outside of the O-ring 150, the radially inner ends of the multiple engagement portions 141 abut against the outer edge of the O-ring 150, which is fitted into the recess 112A of the support portion 112 of the holder 110, with the inner ends slightly biting into the outer edge of the O-ring 150. The outer edge of the O-ring 150 is the part that is located outermost on the O-ring 150 in a plan view. In this state, even if the dial unit 100 is rotated, the strong frictional force between the engagement portions 141 and the O-ring 150 acts as a rotational load, so the slider 140 remains in place and does not rotate around the imaginary rotation axis A.

[0034] In this state, the central axis (virtual rotation axis A) of the approximately cylindrical shape of the slider 140 coincides with the central axis of the holder 110. With respect to the sliding operation, this state is the initial state in which the slider 140 is not sliding. When the slider 140 is subjected to a sliding operation on the dial unit 100 in the initial state, i.e., a force moving it radially, the tip of the engagement portion 141, which is arranged to coincide with the direction of the sliding operation, presses the outer edge of the O-ring 150 toward the center of the O-ring, causing the O-ring 150 to elastically deform toward the center. Pressing with the pointed tip of the engagement portion 141 reduces the contact area with the O-ring 150, concentrating the pressure load and increasing the amount of elastic deformation compared to pressing with a larger contact area. This increases the amount of displacement of the central axis of the slider 140 from the central axis of the holder 110 in the XY plane, making it possible to reliably detect movement due to the sliding operation. That is, the slider 140 is slidable relative to the holder 110 in a direction parallel to the XY plane, and in this embodiment, the slider 140 is slidable in eight directions at evenly spaced 45-degree angles. The direction parallel to the XY plane is not limited to this, and includes any direction at an angle relative to the X and Y axes, in addition to directions parallel to the X and Y axes. This allows the operation unit 120, which is attached to the slider 140 via the bearing 130, to slide integrally with the slider 140 in a direction parallel to the XY plane.

[0035] In this embodiment, a configuration will be described in which the inner edge of the O-ring 150 is supported by the support portion 112 of the holder 110, and the slider 140 abuts against the outer edge of the O-ring 150. However, a configuration in which the outer edge of the O-ring 150 is supported by the support portion 112 of the holder 110, and the slider 140 abuts against the inner edge of the O-ring 150 may also be used.

[0036] <O-ring 150> The O-ring 150 is a rubber member having a circular ring shape in a plan view. The inner circumferential side of the O-ring 150 is fitted into the recess 112A of the support portion 112 of the holder 110, and the outer circumferential side is engaged with a plurality of engagement portions 141 of the slider 140. Here, a form using an O-ring 150 having a circular cross-sectional shape will be described, but the cross-sectional shape may be a shape other than a circle, such as an elliptical ring, a rectangular ring, a triangular ring, or a polygonal shape having pentagons or more sides. Furthermore, the overall shape may also be any shape other than a ring.

[0037] <Cover 160> The cover 160 is a disk-shaped member made of dielectric material and has a screw hole 161 at its center in a plan view. The screw hole 161 penetrates the cover 160 in the Z direction. The underside of the cover 160 has four engagement portions 162 (see FIG. 4 ) that engage with four notches 112C provided at the upper end of the support portion 112 of the holder 110. The engagement portions 162 are provided in a cross shape on the underside of the cover 160 so as to surround the screw hole 161. The underside of the cover 160 restricts the upward movement of the slider 140, slidably supports the slider 140 between itself and the disk-shaped base 111 of the holder 110, and guides the slider 140 to perform a smooth sliding movement.

[0038] <Screw 170> The screw 170 is passed through the screw hole 161 of the lid portion 160 and screwed into the screw hole 112B of the support portion 112 of the holder 110. As a result, the lower ring 120A, the intermediate ring 120B, the bearing 130, the slider 140, and the O-ring 150 are present between the lid portion 160 and the holder 110.

[0039] Of these, the slider 140, bearing 130, and operating unit 120 can slide integrally relative to the holder 110 due to the elastic deformation of the O-ring 150, as described above. Also, as described above, the operating unit 120 can rotate relative to the slider 140 via the bearing 130. Note that, as an example, the screw 170 is made of metal in this embodiment, but may be made of any material such as resin as long as it has sufficient strength.

[0040] <Detection of rotation angle and slide amount of operation unit 120> The MCU 23 can detect the X and Y coordinates of the operation unit 120 by detecting the X and Y coordinates of the four convex portions 122A based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. More specifically, the detection may be performed as follows.

[0041] FIG. 7 shows an example of the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 of the four convex portions 122A detected by the MCU 23. FIG. 8 shows an example of the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 of the four convex portions 122A after a rotation operation detected by the MCU 23. Note that the center of gravity here is a theoretical point determined by a predetermined calculation based on the distribution of capacitance detected in accordance with the semicircular shape of the convex portion 122A, which is calculated based on the mass distribution, but instead of mass, capacitance is used. Therefore, the points of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 do not necessarily directly detect a capacitance greater than the surrounding area. Furthermore, if detectable as a point, the center of gravity may simply be a point with a capacitance greater than the surrounding area. Alternatively, any point representing the XY coordinate position of the convex portion 122A may be used. At the bottom end of the lower ring 120A, the portion with the four protrusions 122A has a larger capacitance than the portion without the four protrusions 122A, and therefore the MCU 23 can calculate the XY coordinates of the center of gravity of each protrusion 122A based on the distribution of capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. Furthermore, as an example, the MCU 23 calculates the position of the center C0 of the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 of the four protrusions 122A as the XY coordinates of the operation unit 120 by a predetermined calculation based on the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4.

[0042] Note that the MCU 23 may detect the X and Y coordinates of recesses located between the four protrusions 122A at the lower end of the lower ring 120A, instead of the X and Y coordinates of the four protrusions 122A. Because the recesses have a smaller capacitance than the protrusions 122A, the MCU 23 can detect the X and Y coordinates of the recesses located between the four protrusions 122A based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. In this way, even when the MCU 23 detects the X and Y coordinates of the recesses at the lower end of the lower ring 120A, the lower end of the lower ring 120A will have protrusions between adjacent recesses.

[0043] 7 and 8, the four convex portions 122A are provided so that the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 of the four convex portions 122A detected by the MCU 23 are located at the vertices of a rectangle that is arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the virtual rotation axis A in plan view. Therefore, the position of the center C0 theoretically coincides with the position of the virtual rotation axis A in plan view.

[0044] Furthermore, the MCU 23 can detect the rotation angle of the operation unit 120 based on the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity of the four convex portions 122A. As an example, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, the centers of gravity C1 to C4 are arranged clockwise in a plan view, and the space between the centers of gravity C1 and C2 and the space between the centers of gravity C3 and C4 correspond to the two short sides of a rectangle, and the space between the centers of gravity C2 and C3 and the space between the centers of gravity C4 and C1 correspond to the two long sides of the rectangle.

[0045] In such a case, as an example, assume that in the initial state, the MCU 23 determines that the rotation angle of the operation unit 120 is 0 degrees when the short sides are parallel to the X axis and the long sides are parallel to the Y axis as shown in Fig. 7. The angle formed by the short sides is calculated by a predetermined calculation based on the X and Y coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 and C2, C3 and C4, and the angle formed by the long sides is calculated by a predetermined calculation based on the X and Y coordinates of the centers of gravity C2 and C3, C4 and C1.

[0046] As an example, when the centers of gravity C1 to C4 are rotated 90 degrees clockwise in a plan view from a state in which the short sides are parallel to the X axis and the long sides are parallel to the Y axis as shown in Fig. 7, the short sides become parallel to the Y axis and the long sides become parallel to the X axis as shown in Fig. 8. Therefore, the MCU 23 calculates the X and Y coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 after rotation based on the electrostatic capacitance of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 after rotation detected by the electrostatic sensor 22, calculates the angle formed by each side after rotation based on the calculated X and Y coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4, and can determine that the rotation angle of the operation unit 120 is 90 degrees if the angle formed by each side has changed by 90 degrees. Alternatively, by comparing the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 after rotation and the XY coordinates of the center C0 with the XY coordinates of the initial state and performing a predetermined calculation, it is possible to determine that the XY coordinates of the center C0 have not moved from the initial state and that the lines (half of the diagonals) connecting the center C0 and the centers of gravity C1 to C4 have rotated 90 degrees clockwise around the center C0. This is true whether the rotation angle is between 0 and 90 degrees, or between 90 degrees or more and less than 180 degrees. The same is true when the operating unit 120 is rotated counterclockwise. Note that if the rotation operation is performed continuously over 180 degrees or more, the MCU 23 can detect the rotation angle and direction of the rotation operation by continuously counting at predetermined short intervals when the rotation angle becomes 180 degrees or less.

[0047] Furthermore, the amount of sliding and the direction of sliding during a sliding operation can be determined by comparing the X and Y coordinates of the center C0 in the initial state calculated from the X and Y coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 with the X and Y coordinates of the center C0 calculated from the X and Y coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 after sliding. This can be applied to sliding operations in any direction and by any amount of movement.

[0048] As described above, the XY coordinates of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 of the four convex portions 122A are located at the vertices of a rectangle that is arranged point-symmetrically around the virtual rotation axis A in a plan view. This makes it easy for the MCU 23 to calculate the position of the center C0 of the centers of gravity C1 to C4 of the multiple convex portions 122A, and thus the MCU 23 can accurately determine the rotation angle, rotation direction, and movement direction of the slide operation that are less than 180 degrees. The MCU 23 can determine the operation content for the operation unit 120 by detecting the XY coordinates and rotation angle of the operation unit 120. For example, if the touch panel 20 is an operation panel for an in-vehicle electronic device, it is possible to operate the air conditioner, audio system, etc., by rotation and slide operations, as an example.

[0049] Furthermore, for example, if the X and Y coordinates of the four convex portions 122A cannot be detected based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22 but the X and Y coordinates of three convex portions 122A can be detected, the MCU 23 may detect the rotation angle and the slide amount as follows: For example, the MCU 23 may store positional relationship data indicating the positional relationship of the X and Y coordinates of the four convex portions 122A in an internal memory, estimate the X and Y coordinates of the four convex portions 122A based on the detected X and Y coordinates of the three convex portions 122A and the positional relationship data, and determine the operation content for the operation unit 120 based on the estimated X and Y coordinates of the four convex portions 122A, thereby detecting the rotation angle and the slide amount.

[0050] For example, if only the XY coordinates of three convex portions 122A can be detected due to the influence of a foreign object or the like caught between the electrostatic sensor 22, the rotation angle and slide amount can be detected by using the positional relationship data to complement and determine the XY coordinates of four convex portions 122A.

[0051] <Effects> The input device 10 includes an electrostatic sensor 22 capable of detecting an operator's operation position on the operation surface 20A and a dial unit 100 fixed to the operation surface 20A. The dial unit 100 includes a holder 110 (base) fixed to the operation surface 20A, an operation unit 120 operated by the operator, and a convex portion 122A provided on the operation surface 20A side of the operation unit 120, which is detected by the electrostatic sensor 22 and is movable integrally with the operation unit 120. The operation unit 120 is supported by the holder 110 so as to be rotatable around an imaginary rotation axis A perpendicular to the operation surface 20A and so as to be slidable in a direction intersecting the imaginary rotation axis A in a planar view. Therefore, rotational operations and sliding operations performed on the operation unit 120 of the dial unit 100 fixed to the operation surface 20A can be detected based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. Because the dial unit 100 is fixed to the operation surface 20A, it is easy to use.

[0052] Therefore, it is possible to provide an input device 10 that is easy to use.

[0053] The holder 110 may also include an O-ring 150 (elastic member) that is deformable in a direction intersecting the imaginary rotation axis A in a plan view and that supports the operation unit 120 relative to the holder 110. During a sliding operation, the O-ring 150 (elastic member) deforms in a direction intersecting the imaginary rotation axis A, allowing the operation unit 120 to slide.

[0054] The device may further include a slider 140 (sliding member) that engages with the outer edge or inner edge of the O-ring 150, is slidable relative to the holder 110 in a direction intersecting the imaginary rotation axis A in a plan view, and rotatably supports the operating unit 120 relative to the holder 110. With a simple configuration, it is possible to switch between rotating and sliding operations of the operating unit 120.

[0055] The slider 140 may further include a bearing 130 provided between the slider 140 and the operating unit 120, the bearing 130 having an inner ring 131 (an inner diameter side member) and an outer ring 132 (an outer diameter side member), with either the inner ring 131 or the outer ring 132 being supported by the slider 140, and the other of the inner ring 131 or the outer ring 132 rotating integrally with the operating unit 120. By providing the bearing 130 between the slider 140 and the operating unit 120, the operating unit 120 can rotate smoothly relative to the slider 140, enabling smooth rotational operation.

[0056] Furthermore, the electrostatic sensor 22 may further include an MCU 23 (operation determination unit) that can detect a plurality of operation positions based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22, has positional relationship data that indicates the positional relationships between the plurality of operation positions, and, if it is not possible to detect all of the plurality of operation positions, determines the operation content for the operation unit 120 based on the detected operation positions and the positional relationship data. For example, if only the XY coordinates of three convex portions 122A can be detected due to the influence of a foreign object or the like, the rotation angle and the sliding amount can be detected by interpolating and determining the XY coordinates of four convex portions 122A using the positional relationship data.

[0057] Furthermore, a plurality of convex portions 122A may be provided, and the plurality of convex portions 122A may be provided at the vertices of a rectangle that is arranged in point symmetry in a plan view with respect to the virtual rotation axis A. The center positions of the plurality of convex portions 122A are easy to calculate, and the rotation angle less than 180 degrees, the rotation direction, and the movement direction of the slide operation can be accurately determined.

[0058] The elastic member may be a rubber ring.The input device 10 can be provided with a simple configuration, good assembly efficiency, and good space efficiency.

[0059] The input device 10 includes a dial unit 100 fixed to an operation surface 20A that is provided overlaid on an electrostatic sensor 22. The dial unit 100 includes a holder 110 fixed to the operation surface 20A, an operation unit 120 that is operated by an operator operating the operation surface 20A, and a convex portion 122A that is provided on the operation surface 20A side of the operation unit 120 and is movable integrally with the operation unit 120. The operation unit 120 is supported by the holder 110 so as to be rotatable around an imaginary rotation axis A that is perpendicular to the operation surface 20A, and is supported in front so as to be slidable in a direction intersecting the imaginary rotation axis A in a plan view. Therefore, rotational operations and sliding operations performed on the operation unit 120 of the dial unit 100 fixed to the operation surface 20A can be detected based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor 22. Because the dial unit 100 is fixed to the operation surface 20A, it is easy to use.

[0060] Therefore, it is possible to provide a dial unit 100 that is easy to use.

[0061] The above describes an input device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, but the present disclosure is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0062] This international application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-204601, filed on December 4, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Input device 20 Touch panel 20A Operation surface 21 Display panel 22 Electrostatic sensor 23 MCU (an example of an operation determination unit) 100 Dial unit 110 Holder (an example of a base) 120 Operation unit 130 Bearing 131 Inner ring (an example of an inner diameter side member) 132 Outer ring (an example of an outer diameter side member) 133 Ball 140 Slider (an example of a sliding member) 150 O-ring (an example of an elastic member) 160 Cover 170 Screw

Claims

1. An input device comprising: an electrostatic sensor capable of detecting an operator's operating position on an operation surface; and a dial unit fixed to the operation surface, wherein the dial unit has: a base fixed to the operation surface; an operation unit operated by the operator; and a convex portion provided on the operation surface side of the operation unit that is detected by the electrostatic sensor and is movable integrally with the operation unit, wherein the operation unit is supported relative to the base so as to be rotatable around a virtual rotation axis perpendicular to the operation surface, and is supported so as to be slidable in a direction intersecting the virtual rotation axis in a planar view.

2. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising an elastic member that is deformable in a direction intersecting the virtual rotation axis in a plan view and supports the operation portion relative to the base portion.

3. An input device as described in claim 2, further comprising a slide member that engages with the outer edge or inner edge of the elastic member, is slidable relative to the base in a direction intersecting the virtual rotation axis in a planar view, and rotatably supports the operating unit relative to the base.

4. An input device as described in claim 3, further comprising a bearing provided between the slide member and the operating section, the bearing having an inner diameter side member and an outer diameter side member, one of the inner diameter side member and the outer diameter side member being supported by the slide member, and the other of the inner diameter side member and the outer diameter side member rotating integrally with the operating section.

5. An input device as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, which is capable of detecting a plurality of operation positions based on the capacitance of the electrostatic sensor, and has positional relationship data representing the positional relationships of the plurality of operation positions, and further includes an operation determination unit which, if it is not possible to detect all of the plurality of operation positions, determines the operation content for the operation unit based on the detected operation positions and the positional relationship data.

6. An input device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a plurality of the convex portions are provided, and the plurality of convex portions are provided at the vertices of a rectangle that is arranged point-symmetrically with respect to the virtual rotation axis in a planar view.

7. The input device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the elastic member is a rubber ring.

8. An input device including a dial unit fixed to an operation surface provided overlying an electrostatic sensor, the dial unit having: a base portion fixed to the operation surface; an operation portion operated by an operator; and a convex portion provided on the operation surface side of the operation portion and detected by the electrostatic sensor, the convex portion being movable integrally with the operation portion; the operation portion being supported rotatably around a virtual rotation axis perpendicular to the operation surface with respect to the base, and being supported slidably in a direction intersecting the virtual rotation axis in a planar view.

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