Controller Touch Pad Non-Slip Portions and Haptic Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 11,181,744B2 and International Publication No. WO2021/176964, fail to enable reliable manipulation of a touch pad in the front-back direction due to the smooth surface causing finger slippage.
Innovation Solution
A controller with a touch pad unit having non-slip portions paired in the left-right direction, integrated with a haptic sensor that includes a distortion generating body and distortion sensors to detect rotation, tilt, and pressing manipulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the touch pad surface is made smooth, then the pressing operation is comfortable, but the finger slips during front-back direction manipulation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different surface qualities to different regions of the touch pad. The central pressing area maintains a smooth surface for comfortable button presses, while the peripheral regions incorporate non-slip portions with increased friction coefficients. This local differentiation allows the smooth pressing operation to be maintained where needed while adding grip where manipulation reliability is required.
2Reliability
If non-slip portions are added to the touch pad, then manipulation reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The non-slip portions are integrated directly into the touch pad structure itself, merging the manipulation surface and the non-slip function into a single component. This eliminates the need for separate non-slip coatings or attachments, thereby improving manipulation reliability while minimizing increases in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch pad employs composite material construction, combining materials with different friction coefficients in specific regions. The non-slip portions utilize materials or surface treatments that provide higher friction for reliable manipulation, while the pressing area uses smoother materials. This composite approach achieves enhanced manipulation reliability through material properties rather than complex mechanical structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures reliable performance of rotation manipulations for the touch pad unit by preventing finger slippage and allowing for precise detection of various manipulation types.
Implementation Method 1
a haptic sensor that detects a rotation manipulation for the manipulation unit. The haptic sensor has a distortion generating body fixed to the center of the manipulation unit and also has a distortion sensor disposed on the distortion generating body
Implementation Method 2
The manipulation unit has non-slip portions, which are paired in the left-right direction, in the vicinity of both ends of the upper surface of the manipulation unit in the left-right direction
Data Source
AI summary
A controller has: a case; a manipulation unit, in a plate-like shape, disposed in the case so as to be exposed from the case; and a haptic sensor that detects a rotation manipulation for the manipulation unit. The haptic sensor has a distortion generating body fixed to the center of the manipulation unit and also has a distortion sensor disposed on the distortion generating body. The manipulation unit has non-slip portions, which are paired in the left-right direction, in the vicinity of both ends of the upper surface of the manipulation unit in the left-right direction.