JP2014052666A - Input support unit for touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

An input assist device for a touch panel capable of obtaining a click feeling and performing flick input is provided.
An input auxiliary device for a touch panel, which is detachably mounted on a touch panel 101 of an electronic device that supports flick input, and a plurality of elastic restorations individually corresponding to a plurality of input keys displayed on the touch panel 101. A key top sheet 2 provided with a key top 21 having force is provided, and a conductor acting on an input key is brought into contact with the touch panel 101 by each key top 21 of the key top sheet 2 when attached to the touch panel 101. They are guided in a direction to be separated and a direction along the touch panel 101 within a range in which a flick input operation is allowed.
[Selection] Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an input assist device for a touch panel.

  Some recent mobile communication devices, portable electronic devices, tablet PCs, game machines, and the like include a touch panel that has not only a function as an output screen but also a function as an input device capable of touch input. Unlike a button-type input device, such a touch panel realizes an intuitive interface by touch, but has a poor operational feeling because a click feeling is not obtained even when a key top is pressed.

  As an improvement of this point, conventionally, an input auxiliary device for a touch panel has been proposed in which a key top made of an elastic material is fixed on an input sheet to be attached to the touch panel (see Patent Document 1). In this input assist device for a touch panel, a click feeling is produced by the repulsive force of the key top made of an elastic material.

  In addition to the above, conventionally, it is a touch panel keyboard placed on a touch panel, and includes a key top that is an upper conductive member and a switch that is a lower conductive member, and a peripheral portion of the key top is There is a touch panel keyboard supported by a string spring mounted on a lower plate surrounding a switch (see Patent Document 2). In this touch panel keyboard, a click feeling is created by the biasing force of the string spring that supports the key top.

JP 2011-233004 A JP 2011-258087 A

  By the way, as one of the methods for input to the touch panel, recently, flick input for sliding a finger on the surface of the touch panel is used.

  However, since the key top is fixed on the input sheet fixed to the touch panel, the conventional technique of Patent Document 1 cannot perform flick input.

  Moreover, in the prior art of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, since the spacer is provided adjacent to the string spring that supports the peripheral portion of the key top, the spacer inhibits the movement of the key top, and the depressed key top is placed on the touch panel surface. It could not be moved in the direction along. For this reason, the conventional technique disclosed in Patent Document 2 cannot perform flick input in the same manner as the conventional technique disclosed in Patent Document 1.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an input assist device for a touch panel capable of obtaining a click feeling and performing flick input.

  In order to solve the above-described problem, the input assist device for a touch panel according to the present invention is premised on being detachably mounted on a touch panel of an electronic device that supports flick input. In addition, the touch panel input auxiliary device according to the present invention includes a key top sheet provided with a key top having a plurality of elastic restoring forces individually corresponding to a plurality of input keys displayed on the touch panel. In the mounted state, the key top of the key top sheet causes the conductor acting on the input key to come in contact with and away from the touch panel and in a direction along the touch panel within a range allowing flick input operation. It is characterized by being induced respectively.

  According to the input auxiliary device for a touch panel according to the present invention as described above, a conductor acting on the input key can be guided in a direction in which the conductor touches and separates from the touch panel and a direction along the touch panel. Flick input can be performed without impairing the click feeling.

  In the input assist device for a touch panel according to the present invention, preferably, the key top sheet is a synthetic resin sheet, and the key top is formed in a bellows shape. With such a configuration, the key top can be created with a simple configuration, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Moreover, the input auxiliary device for a touch panel according to the present invention may be characterized in that a conductive spindle as the conductor is mounted in advance on all the key tops of the key top sheet. With such a configuration, the conductor can be created with a simple configuration, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  In the touch panel input assist device according to the present invention, preferably, the spindle is made of a transparent material. With such a configuration, since the spindle is made of a transparent material, the characters and symbols displayed on the touch panel input keys can be seen through the spindle, and the characters and symbols need to be printed on the spindle surface. Disappears. Furthermore, even if the character or symbol displayed by the input key is replaced with a different character or symbol, the replaced character or symbol can be seen through, so that it is possible to deal with any display mode of the input key.

  The touch panel input assist device according to the present invention is characterized in that an opening that allows an operator's finger to touch the input key of the touch panel is formed in all the key tops of the key top sheet. It may be. With such a configuration, the operator's finger can be used as a conductor, so that it is not necessary to create a conductor and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The touch panel input assist device according to the present invention preferably further includes a lower cover sheet interposed between the key top sheet and the touch panel, and the lower cover sheet includes an input of the touch panel. A plurality of openings individually corresponding to the keys are provided, and each of the openings is sized to regulate the induction range of the conductor. With this configuration, a lower cover sheet is provided between the key top sheet and the touch panel, and a plurality of openings corresponding to the input keys of the touch panel are provided in the lower cover sheet. The range in which the conductor moves during flick input can be reliably regulated.

  According to the input assist device for a touch panel according to the present invention, a click feeling can be obtained and a flick input can be performed.

It is a disassembled perspective view of the input auxiliary device for touch panels concerning a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is a perspective view which shows the state just before mounting the input auxiliary device for touchscreens which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention on a touchscreen. It is an enlarged plan view which shows the key top part of the input auxiliary device for touchscreens concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along a line AA in FIG. 3, where (a) shows a state where no load is applied to the spindle, (b) shows a state where the spindle is pushed down with a finger, and (c) shows , Shows a state where the spindle is flicked with a finger. However, the fingers in the figure are shown in a front view. It is a top view of the mobile telephone by which the input auxiliary device for touchscreens which concerns on this invention was mounted in the touchscreen, Comprising: The state before operating the spindle of the input auxiliary device for touchscreens is shown. It is a top view of the mobile telephone by which the input auxiliary device for touchscreens concerning this invention was mounted in the touchscreen, Comprising: The state which pushed down the spindle of the input auxiliary device for touchscreens with the finger | toe is shown. It is a top view of the mobile telephone by which the touchscreen input auxiliary device which concerns on this invention was mounted in the touchscreen, Comprising: The state immediately after flicking the spindle of the touchscreen input auxiliary device with a finger | toe is shown. It is an enlarged plan view which shows the key top part of the input auxiliary device for touchscreens which concerns on the modification of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged plan view which shows the key top part of the input auxiliary device for touchscreens concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view in the BB section of Drawing 9, (a) shows the state where load is not applied to the key top, (b) shows the state where key top was pushed down with a finger, (c ) Indicates that the key top is flicked with a finger. However, the fingers in the figure are shown in a front view. It is an enlarged plan view which shows the key top part of the input auxiliary device for touchscreens which concerns on the modification of 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following embodiments, a capacitive type touch panel is illustrated as the touch panel of an electronic device to which the touch panel input auxiliary device is mounted.

(First embodiment)
First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of an input assist device for a touch panel according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state immediately before the input auxiliary device for a touch panel according to the present invention is placed on the touch panel. FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view showing a key top portion of the input assist device for a touch panel according to the present invention. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the AA cross section of FIG. 3, wherein (a) shows a state where no load is applied to the spindle, (b) shows a state where the spindle is pushed down with a finger, (C) shows a state where the spindle is flicked with a finger. FIG. 5 is a plan view of a mobile phone in which the touch panel input assist device according to the present invention is placed on the touch panel, and shows a state before operating the spindle of the touch panel input assist device. FIG. 6 is a plan view of a mobile phone in which the touch panel input assist device according to the present invention is placed on the touch panel, and shows a state where the spindle of the touch panel input assist device is pushed down with a finger. FIG. 7 is a plan view of a mobile phone in which the touch panel input assist device according to the present invention is placed on the touch panel, and shows a state immediately after flicking the spindle of the touch panel input assist device with a finger.

−Configuration−
The touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention includes a key top sheet 2, a spindle 3, a lower cover sheet 4, and an upper cover sheet 5.

  The key top sheet 2 is a sheet made of a resin such as silicon having insulation and flexibility, and the position corresponding to each input key 102 of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Is provided with a key top 21 that is convex in the front side direction. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the key top 21 is provided with a circular opening 22 at the center, and a bellows-like skirt 23 is formed around the opening 22. Thus, the key top has an elastic restoring force. As shown in FIG. 3, the bellows of the skirt portion 23 is formed so that a mountain and a valley are concentric.

  The spindle 3 is made of a resin that is transparent and has the same conductivity as the human body. As shown in FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. 1, the rectangular plate-shaped button portion 31 and the insertion extending from the center of the back surface of the button portion 31 downward. Part 32. The insertion portion 32 is a portion that is inserted into the opening 22 of the key top 21, and a lower end portion 33 thereof is a convex curved surface. The material of the spindle 3 may be a material having conductivity such as that used for smartphone gloves.

  The lower cover sheet 4 is a hard plastic sheet having insulating properties, and a circular opening 41 is provided at a position corresponding to each input key 102 of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIG. Each opening 41 has a size that regulates the guiding range of the spindle 3 in a state where the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 is assembled.

  The upper cover sheet 5 is a hard plastic sheet, and a square opening 51 is provided at a position corresponding to each input key 102 of the touch panel 101. The opening 51 is sized to fit the convex key top 21 of the key top sheet 2.

-Assembly method-
First, as shown in FIG. 1, the spindles 3 are mounted on all the key tops 21 by inserting the insertion portions 32 of the spindle 3 into the openings 22 of the key tops 21 from above.

  Next, the upper cover sheet 5 is stacked on the key top sheet 2 so that the key top 21 fits into the opening 51 and is bonded.

  Finally, the lower cover sheet 4 is stacked under the key top sheet 2 so that the opening 41 is positioned under the key top 21 and bonded.

  FIG. 2 shows a state where the assembly is completed. When the assembly is completed, the lower end portion 33 of the spindle 3 is separated from the surface of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIG. As a result, there is a spatial margin in which the spindle 3 can be guided in the direction approaching the touch panel 101, and in combination with the elastic restoring force provided in the key top 21, a click feeling is obtained when the spindle 3 is pressed with a finger. I can feel it.

  In addition, the method of attaching the upper cover sheet 5 and the lower cover sheet 4 to the key top sheet 2 is not limited to adhesion, and may be screwing or the like.

-Usage and action-
First, the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention is placed on the input key 102 of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIG. Here, an adhesive layer may be provided on the lower surface of the lower cover sheet 4 so that the lower cover sheet 4 is bonded to the touch panel 101. In this case, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the touch-panel input auxiliary device 1 is displaced from the surface of the touch panel 101 when in use. Further, for example, a silicon layer may be provided on the lower surface of the lower cover sheet 4 so that the lower cover sheet 4 is adsorbed to the touch panel 101. In this case, in addition to being able to reduce the possibility that the touch-panel input auxiliary device 1 is deviated from the surface of the touch panel 101 during use, it becomes easy to detach the touch-panel input auxiliary device 1 from the touch panel 101, and the touch panel accompanying the detachment. 101 can be prevented from being damaged. Further, the entire lower cover sheet 4 may be formed of silicon and adsorbed on the touch panel 101. In this case, it is not necessary to separately provide a layer to be adsorbed on the touch panel 101 on the lower surface of the lower cover sheet 4, so that the lower cover sheet 4 can be easily manufactured and the manufacturing cost can be reduced. Further, for example, when there is a frame step around the touch panel 101, the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 may be fitted and fixed in the frame.

  In this state, the spindle 3 is floating from the surface of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIG.

  Here, for example, when inputting a word beginning with “o”, the spindle 3 at the position “a” shown in FIG. 5 becomes the operation target.

  First, as shown in FIG. 6, the spindle 3 at the position “A” is pushed with a finger. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4B, the skirt portion 23 is deformed so that the spindle 3 moves in a direction approaching the touch panel 101 by the force from the finger, and the spindle 3 comes into contact with the surface of the touch panel 101. At this time, a leakage current leaking to the finger 200 through the spindle 3 is generated, and the electronic device 100 recognizes the touch operation by detecting a change in current at this time. At this time, on the touch panel 101, as shown in FIG. 6, the characters “A” and the characters “I”, “U”, “E”, “O” are displayed in four directions adjacent to “A”.

  In this state, as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 6, the spindle 3 is flicked (played) in the direction from the displayed character “A” to the character “O”. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4C, the skirt portion 23 in the flicked direction contracts, and the spindle 3 that leaks current to the finger slides on the surface of the touch panel 101. The electronic device 100 recognizes the flick operation by detecting the change in current at this time. Since the lower end portion 33 of the spindle 3 has a convex curved surface, the spindle 3 can smoothly slide on the surface of the touch panel 101.

  Then, the character “o” in the flicked direction is selected, and the selected branch of the word starting with “o” is displayed on the touch panel. Touch the word you want to complete.

  When the finger 200 is released from the spindle 3, the spindle 3 is moved away from the touch panel 101 by the elastic restoring force of the key top 21, and is lifted from the surface of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIG. Return.

  As described above, in the present invention, since the spindle 3 operated by the finger 200 directly contacts the surface of the touch panel 101, the conductor operated by the finger 200 as in the prior art of Patent Document 2 is on the surface of the touch panel 101. Compared with the case of being connected via another conductor, the possibility of erroneous operation is reduced, and the reliability of the operation can be improved.

-Effect-
In the touch-panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention, since the key top 21 is convex in the front direction, the boundary of the key top 21 is clear both visually and tactilely, and the possibility of erroneous operation is reduced. . The possibility of erroneous operation when the touch panel is operated with one hand is also reduced.

  Further, the touch-panel input assist device 1 according to the present invention allows the operator to click on the touch panel 101 because the conductor acting on the input key 102 is guided by the key top 21 having elastic restoring force toward and away from the touch panel 101. You can feel the feeling.

  In addition, the input assist device 1 for a touch panel according to the present invention guides the conductor acting on the input key 102 in a direction along the touch panel within a range in which the flick input operation is permitted by the key top 21 having elastic restoring force. Therefore, the operator can perform flick input.

  In the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention, since the spindle 3 that is a conductor is kept floating from the surface of the touch panel 101, the electronic device can be obtained only by the finger 200 contacting the spindle 3. There is no risk that 100 will recognize the touch. Therefore, the finger 200 can be placed on the spindle 3 at the time of data input, and data can be input by blind touch.

  Moreover, since the input auxiliary device 1 for a touch panel according to the present invention is a sheet-like device in which a lower cover sheet 4, a key top sheet 2, and an upper cover sheet 5 are laminated, it is attractive that it is thin. Even when it is attached to the electronic device 100, there is no risk of impairing its attractiveness.

  Further, the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention is a simple device including the lower cover sheet 4, the key top sheet 2, the upper cover sheet 5, and the spindle 3, and can be manufactured at low cost.

  Moreover, the touch-panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention can be applied to a multi-touch touch panel because the spindles 3 mounted on the key top 21 do not interfere with each other and can move independently.

(Modification of the first embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 8, the key top 21 may have a rectangular cross section at the accordion peak and valley of the skirt portion 23. In this case, since the key top 21 is less likely to shrink in the direction of each corner of the square, if there is no input area at the corner in the flick input, the possibility that the operator flicks in the direction of the corner is reduced. Can do.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG.

  FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing a key top portion of the input assist device for a touch panel according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line BB in FIG. 9, where (a) shows a state where no load is applied to the key top, and (b) shows a state where the key top is pushed down with a finger. (C) shows a state where the key top is flicked with a finger.

  The touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention may be the one obtained by removing the spindle 3 from the first embodiment. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10A, the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 includes the key top sheet 2, the lower cover sheet 4, and the upper cover sheet 5. In the assembly method of the first embodiment, the key tops 21 may be assembled without attaching the spindles 3.

  In this embodiment, the input operation is performed by directly pressing the key top 21 with the finger 200. When the key top 21 is pressed with the finger 200, as shown in FIG. 10B, the key top 21 is elastically deformed so that the back surface of the key top 21 is in close contact with the surface of the touch panel 101, and the opening 22 provided in the key top 21. The tip of the finger 200 comes into contact with the surface of the touch panel 101 through. As a result, the leakage current leaks directly to the finger 200, and the electronic device 100 detects the change in current at this time and recognizes the touch operation. When the key top 21 is flicked with the finger 200 in this state, as shown in FIG. 10C, the skirt portion 23 in the flicked direction contracts, and the tip of the finger 200 remains in contact with the surface of the touch panel 101. Slide on the surface of the touch panel 101. Electronic device 100 recognizes the flick operation by detecting a change in current at this time. Thereafter, when the finger 200 is released from the key top 21, the key top 21 returns to the state of floating from the surface of the touch panel 101 as shown in FIG.

  As described above, in this embodiment, since the finger 200 directly contacts the surface of the touch panel 101, the operation feeling is close to the feeling of operating the original touch panel, and the operator is unlikely to feel uncomfortable.

(Modification of the second embodiment)
As shown in FIG. 11, the key top 21 may have a bellows peak and valley of the skirt portion 23 having a square cross section. In this case, since the key top 21 is less likely to shrink in the direction of each corner of the square, if there is no input area at the corner in the flick input, the possibility that the operator flicks in the direction of the corner is reduced. Can do.

(Other embodiments)
The touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention may be one in which the upper cover sheet 5 is omitted. In this case, since the upper cover sheet 5 is omitted, the number of parts is reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Further, the touch panel input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention may be one in which the lower cover sheet 4 is omitted. In this case, since the lower cover sheet 4 is omitted, the number of parts is reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  The spindle 3 is not limited to a transparent resin, and may be made of a non-transparent material in which characters of an input key are displayed on the front side by printing or the like. In this case, the material used for the spindle 3 can be selected from non-transparent materials, and by selecting a non-transparent material excellent in durability, cost, etc., a touch panel excellent in durability, cost, etc. An input assist device 1 can be provided.

1 Touch Auxiliary Input Device 2 Key Top Sheet 21 Key Top 22 Opening 3 Spindle (Conductor)
4 Lower cover sheet 41 Opening 100 Electronic device 101 Touch panel 102 Input key

Claims (6)

An input auxiliary device for a touch panel that is detachably mounted on a touch panel of an electronic device that supports flick input,
A key top sheet provided with a key top having a plurality of elastic restoring forces individually corresponding to a plurality of input keys displayed on the touch panel;
In a state where the key top sheet is attached to the touch panel, the conductors acting on the input keys are in contact with and separated from the touch panel and the flick input operation is performed along the touch panel. An input auxiliary device for a touch panel, which is guided in each direction. The input assist device for a touch panel according to claim 1,
The input assist device for a touch panel, wherein the key top sheet is a synthetic resin sheet, and the key top is formed in a bellows shape. In the input auxiliary device for touch panels according to claim 1 or 2,
An input assist device for a touch panel, wherein a conductive spindle as the conductor is mounted in advance on all the key tops of the key top sheet. The input assist device for a touch panel according to claim 3,
The input assist device for a touch panel, wherein the spindle is made of a transparent material. In the input auxiliary device for touch panels according to claim 1 or 2,
An input auxiliary device for a touch panel, wherein an opening that allows an operator's finger to contact an input key of the touch panel is formed in all key tops of the key top sheet. The input assist device for a touch panel according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
Furthermore, a lower cover sheet interposed between the key top sheet and the touch panel is provided,
The lower cover sheet is provided with a plurality of openings individually corresponding to the input keys of the touch panel, and each of the openings is sized to regulate the induction range of the conductor. Input assist device for touch panel.

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