JP2012068789A - Pointing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointing device which is capable of surely preventing a foreign substance from entering the inside and preventing a foreign substance from being mixed, without being enlarged.SOLUTION: Between a ring key 10 and a center key 11, elastically deformable dust-proof ribs 21 is provided which is disposed to cross a gap 20 and formed with a dimension larger than the gap 20 in the case where the center key 11 is at a reference position.

Description

  The present invention relates to a dustproof structure that is applied to a thin analog pointing device mounted on a portable information terminal and prevents foreign matter from entering inside.

  As conventional analog pointing devices, for example, configurations shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 are shown.

In a waterproof pointing device for a keyboard disclosed in Patent Document 1, a plastic pedestal provided under a casing board below a hole in the casing board, and between the casing board and the pedestal, A configuration is shown consisting of an elastic pad having a hole located below the hole in the body board and a control rod fixed perpendicular to the pedestal and protruding through the hole in the elastic pad and the housing board.
In the portable electronic device disclosed in Patent Document 2, the pointing device is placed in a concave portion provided on the upper surface of the upper housing 1 of the electronic device, and is further covered with a palm rest member to which a sealing material is attached from above. The configuration is shown.

JP 2000-242417 A JP 2001-147741 A

  Incidentally, the waterproof pointing device of Patent Document 1 has a structure in which an elastic pad is provided around the control rod. In the portable electronic device of Patent Document 2, a sealing material is disposed from above the pointing device in the recess. These structures exhibit a sealing effect. However, in an analog pointing device that moves three-dimensionally such that it slides in the plane direction or pushes downward, even if the techniques of Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above are adopted, there is a possibility that a gap may be generated, and sufficient sealing is achieved. Sex cannot be demonstrated.

  In addition, an analog pointing device that outputs an input operation signal by sliding in a planar direction or pushing downward has a problem that the size of the dustproof structure is large and cannot be mounted on a portable information terminal. Examples of such an analog pointing device are shown in FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the entire portable information terminal, and FIGS. 4A and 4B are views showing a pointing device 50 employed in the portable information terminal of FIG.
4A is a plan view of the pointing device 50, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line bb of FIG. 4A. In these drawings, reference numeral 51 denotes a center key, and reference numeral 52 denotes a ring key, and a gap 52 exists between them. For this reason, a foreign substance enters between the center key 51 and the ring key 52, thereby obstructing the movement of the center key 51. 4B, reference numeral 54 denotes a frame, reference numeral 55 denotes a housing, reference numeral 56 denotes a key FPC, reference numeral 57 denotes a key rubber, reference numeral 58 denotes a metal dome, reference numeral 59 denotes a magnet, and reference numeral 60 denotes a Hall IC. However, details of these components will be described later.

  Such a pointing device 50 has a structure in which the center key 51 moves in a three-dimensional manner such that the center key 51 slides or pushes downward in the plane direction. It is difficult to form a complete structure for preventing contamination, and it is difficult to completely prevent foreign substances such as dust and sand from entering the gap during use by the user. When a foreign object enters, the movement of the pointing device is hindered, which may cause problems such as deterioration in operability, catching during operation, and reduction in stroke.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a pointing device that can reliably prevent entry of foreign matter into the interior and can prevent foreign matter entry without increasing the size. To do.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes the following means. That is, in the pointing device of the present invention, the key rubber mounted on the frame, the center key attached to the key rubber, and the center key are overlapped via a gap, and the key rubber is deformed with respect to the center key. A ring key that allows sliding in a plane direction and movement in a downward direction, and a sensor unit that detects the movement of the center key, and the gap is provided between the ring key and the center key. An elastically deformable dustproof rib having a dimension larger than a gap when the center key is located at a reference position is provided.

According to the pointing device of the present invention, since the dust-proof rib is provided between the ring key and the center key so as to cross the gap between the ring key and the center key, the gap is closed by the dust-proof rib. This prevents foreign matter from entering the pointing device from the outside through the gap.
Further, the dust-proof rib is disposed so as to cross the gap between the ring key and the center key, and is provided in an elastically deformable shape having a size larger than the gap when the center key is at the reference position. Therefore, the presence of the dust-proof ribs does not hinder the center key sliding and pushing-down operations. In particular, even when the center key is pressed down, the elastically deformable dust-proof rib having a size larger than the gap when the center key is at the reference position follows and expands to open the gap. Rather, foreign substances are continuously prevented from entering the pointing device from the outside through the gap.
Further, an elastically deformable dustproof rib is provided between the ring key and the center key so as to cross these gaps and has a size larger than the gap when the center key is at the reference position. Therefore, it is possible to ensure high dust resistance while keeping downsizing.
Further, the dust-proof ribs are arranged along the inner side of the circular opening of the ring key, so that the dust-proof ribs can be arranged at places that are not visible in appearance, and high dust resistance can be realized without impairing the design.

1 is a front sectional view of a thin analog pointing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a front sectional view at the time of sliding the thin analog pointing device shown in FIG. It is a front sectional view at the time of pressing the thin analog pointing device shown in FIG. 4A is a plan view of the pointing device, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line bb in FIG. 4A. It is a perspective view which shows the whole common portable information terminal.

An embodiment of a thin analog pointing device using a magnetic sensor mounted on a portable information terminal according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along the center of the pointing device 100 corresponding to the bb cross section of FIG. 4. In this figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a base frame, and reference numeral 2 denotes the frame 1. It is the housing | casing provided in the fixed space | interval. The frame 1 and the housing 2 are made of various engineering plastics.

A key FPC 3 which is a wiring board is arranged on the frame 1 via a double-sided tape (not shown), and a sheet-like key rubber 4 is arranged on the key FPC 3.
The key rubber 4 is integrally provided with a plurality of dome-shaped and elastically deformable metal domes 5 for giving a click feeling to the center key 11 (described later) at a lower position thereof.

The casing 2 has a circular opening 2A, and a ring key 10 is disposed in the casing 2 so as to be exposed in the circular opening 2A.
The ring key 10 has a circular opening 10 </ b> A at the center and is formed in a ring shape as a whole, and its lower surface is fixed to the upper surface of the key rubber 4. As the ring key 10, a general aluminum alloy is used.

A center key 11 is disposed in the circular opening 10 </ b> A of the ring key 10. The center key 11 is formed in a disk shape as a whole, and its lower surface is fixed to the upper surface of the key rubber 4.
The mounting position on the key rubber 4 on which the ring key 10 is provided is in the bent portion 4A where the key rubber 4 has a crank shape in cross section. Further, the presence of the bending portion 4 allows and allows the center key 11 to slide in the plane direction (arrow A-B direction), and the key rubber when no external force is applied for operation. The center key 11 is positioned at a reference position (position shown in FIG. 1) located in the center of the circular opening 10A by the elastic force of 4. As the center key 11, a general aluminum alloy is used.

  Further, the center key 11 moves in the same direction when a pressing force is applied for the operation downward (in the direction of arrow C) in FIG. Here, since the center key 11 is located on the key rubber 4 having the metal dome 5, when no external force is applied due to the downward operation (arrow C direction) in FIG. The center key 11 is pushed back to the reference position shown in FIG. 1 by the elastic force of the dome 5.

  A magnet 6 is provided in the center key 11, and a Hall IC 7 for detecting the position of the magnet 6 is provided on the lower surface of the key FPC 3. The magnet 6 and the Hall IC 7 constitute a sensor unit 8.

As shown in FIG. 1, a gap 20 is formed between the ring key 10 and the center key 11, and dustproof ribs 21 are provided so as to cross the gap 20. The dust-proof rib 21 is formed to be thinner toward the lower end when viewed in cross section as shown in FIG. 1, and more than the gap 20 when the center key 11 is at the reference position (position shown in FIG. 1). It is made of an elastically deformable material such as silicon rubber having a large size.
The dust-proof rib 21 is arranged inside the circular opening 10A of the ring key 10 and along the circular opening 10A, and is formed in a ring shape when viewed in plan. Further, the lower end of the dust-proof rib 21 is arranged so as to be in contact with the peripheral upper surface of the center key 11. When the center key 11 is slid in the direction of arrows A-B, it is in contact with the upper surface of the center key 11. Slide while.

Next, the operation of the ring key 10 including the dust-proof rib 21 will be described with reference to FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 2, when an external force for operation is applied and the ring key 10 slides in the direction of arrow B, which is one horizontal direction, the gap 20 between the ring key 10 and the center key 11 is crossed. The lower end of the elastically deformable dustproof rib 21 slides in contact with the upper surface of the center key 11 as the center key 11 slides in the arrow B direction. As a result, the state in which the gap 20 is closed by the dust-proof rib 21 is maintained, and foreign substances are prevented from entering the pointing device from the outside through the gap 20.
When an external force for operation (force in the direction of arrow B) can no longer be applied, the center key 11 is positioned at the center of the circular opening 10A by the elastic force of the key rubber 4 (FIG. 1). Will return to the position indicated by.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the center key 11 is pressed and a downward pressing force (in the direction of arrow C) is applied to the center key 11, the direction in which the gap 21 expands (that is, this example). Then, it moves in the direction of arrow C). Here, the dust-proof rib 21 is arranged so as to cross the gap 20 between the ring key 10 and the center key 11 and from the gap 20 when the center key 11 is at a reference position (position shown in FIG. 1). The elastically deformable dust-proof rib 21 having a size larger than the gap 20 follows even when the center key 11 is pressed. By extending, the gap 20 does not open, and foreign substances are continuously prevented from entering the pointing device from the outside through the gap 20.
Further, since the center key 11 is located on the key rubber 4 having the metal dome 5, when the external force for operation (force in the direction of arrow C) cannot be applied, the metal key 5 The ring key 10 is pushed back to the reference position shown in FIG. 1 by the elastic force.

As described in detail above, in the thin analog pointing device 100 using the magnetic sensor mounted on the portable information terminal shown in the present embodiment, the ring key 10 is interposed between the ring key 10 and the center key 11. Since the dust-proof rib 21 that crosses the gap 20 between the center key 11 and the center key 11 is provided, the gap 20 is blocked by the dust-proof rib 21 and prevents foreign matter from entering the pointing device from the outside through the gap 20. Is done.
The dust-proof rib 21 is arranged so as to cross the gap 20 between the ring key 10 and the center key 11 and is elastically deformed with a size larger than the gap 20 when the center key 11 is at the reference position. Since it is provided in a possible shape, the presence of the dust-proof rib 21 does not hinder the sliding of the center key 11 in the arrow AB direction and the pushing-down operation in the arrow C direction. In particular, even when the center key 11 is depressed, the elastically deformable dust-proof rib 21 having a size larger than the gap 20 follows and expands so that the gap 20 does not open (FIG. 3). See), and foreign matter is continuously prevented from entering the pointing device from the outside through the gap 20.

Also, the elastically deformable dustproof material is arranged between the ring key 10 and the center key 11 so as to cross these gaps 20 and has a size larger than the gap 20 when the center key 11 is at the reference position. Since a simple configuration in which the rib 21 is provided is employed, it is possible to ensure high dust resistance while maintaining downsizing.
Further, the dust-proof rib 21 is arranged along the inner side of the circular opening 10A of the ring key 10 so that the dust-proof rib 21 is arranged in a place where it cannot be seen from the outside. realizable.

In the above-described embodiment, the four-direction key constituting the center key 11 can be constituted by a resin molded product such as PC. In this case, the silicon rubber portion constituting the key rubber 4 is formed by two-color molding with the PC resin, and the key rubber 4 and the PC resin of the center key 11 are chemically bonded, so that sufficient adhesive strength can be ensured. .
Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the dustproof rib 21 was provided in the ring key 10 side, it is not limited to this, You may close the clearance gap 20 by installing in the peripheral upper part of the center key 11. FIG.

  As described above, the thin analog pointing device of the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the technical idea thereof. It goes without saying that is possible.

  The present invention relates to a thin analog pointing device mounted on a portable information terminal.

1 Frame 2 Housing 4 Key Rubber 5 Metal Dome 6 Magnet 7 Hall IC
8 Sensor part 10 Ring key 10A Circular opening part 11 Center key 20 Crevice 21 Dust-proof rib

Claims (6)

A key rubber implemented on the frame;
A center key attached to the key rubber;
A ring key that overlaps the center key through a gap, and that allows the center key to slide in a plane direction and move in a downward direction by deformation of the key rubber;
A sensor unit for detecting the movement of the center key;
Between the ring key and the center key, there is provided an elastically deformable dustproof rib which is arranged so as to cross the gap and has a size larger than the gap when the center key is at the reference position. A pointing device characterized by that.   The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the dust-proof rib is formed of silicon rubber.   The center key is disposed so as to be exposed from a circular opening of the ring key, and the dust-proof rib is disposed along an inner side of the circular opening of the ring key. 3. The pointing device according to any one of 2 above.   The pointing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the dust-proof rib is formed to have a thinner thickness toward the tip.   The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit includes a magnet provided in the center key and a Hall IC that detects a position of the magnet.   2. The pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the key rubber is integrally provided with an elastically deformable metal dome that pushes the center key back to a reference position against movement of the center key in a pressing-down direction. device.

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