Input Device Touch Pad Guide Portion Tactile Location
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing input devices, such as those with touch pads, lack intuitive methods for users to locate and operate touch pads, especially when they are integrated into small form factors like in-vehicle devices, leading to user inconvenience and potential misoperation.
Innovation Solution
The input device incorporates a housing with touch pads disposed on side surfaces and a guide portion that protrudes outward from the touch pads, allowing users to intuitively understand the location and operate the touch pads without visual confirmation, enhancing user convenience and accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the touch pad is integrated into a compact input device, then the device size is reduced, but the user's ability to locate and operate the touch pad becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion is positioned specifically at the lower end of the touch pad on the side surface, creating a localized tactile indicator that draws user attention to the touch pad's exact location without requiring the entire device to have special markings. This localized feature provides sufficient guidance for users to accurately locate and operate the touch pad in compact devices.
2Shape
If the touch pad is placed on the side surface of the housing, then the device maintains a compact form factor, but users cannot intuitively grasp the location of the touch pad
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion protrudes from the lower end of the touch pad before the user needs to operate it, providing advance tactile information about the touch pad's location. This preliminary tactile indicator allows users to intuitively grasp where the touch pad is located without visual confirmation, enabling accurate operation while maintaining a compact shape.
3Device complexity
If no guide portion is provided, then the device structure remains simple, but users experience inconvenience and may misoperate the touch pad
Solution Approach 1:
The guide portion is designed as a separate, discrete element that can be independently manufactured and assembled to the housing. This segmented approach allows the guide portion to be added as a simple accessory rather than requiring a complete redesign of the device structure, providing user guidance while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
An input device includes a housing, a touch pad, and a guide portion. The touch pad is disposed on at least one of a right side surface, a left side surface, a front side surface, and a rear side surface of the housing along the at least one side surface. The guide portion is disposed on the at least one side surface. The guide portion is located below the touch pad. The guide portion extends along the at least one side surface. The guide portion protrudes outward relative to the touch pad.