JP2014238760A - Input auxiliary device - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is an input assist device capable of freely arranging a key top regardless of the size and position of a touch panel.
An input assist device is placed on a touch panel and assists a user's input operation. A base sheet is placed on a surface of a touch panel. 3 is provided. The key top 3 is formed detachably with respect to the base sheet 2, and is freely arranged on the base sheet 2 in accordance with the input area NR of the touch panel 11.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an input assist device that is placed on a touch panel and assists a user's input operation, and also relates to an image processing apparatus including the input assist device.

  In recent years, electronic terminals that do not include a mechanical keyboard, such as tablet PCs (display devices with a touch panel), have been widely used. Such electronic terminals often employ a method of operating a software keyboard displayed on a touch panel screen. Therefore, the user cannot feel the touch of the key top or the click feeling with a finger, and is inferior to the conventional mechanical keyboard in operation feeling.

  Therefore, a keypad or the like that is attached to the electronic terminal described above to improve the click feeling has been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1 to Patent Document 3).

JP-A-2005-174114 JP 2005-82299 A JP-A-10-125167

  In the key input support body for a touch panel described in Patent Document 1, a key area having an arrangement similar to the key arrangement of the touch panel is formed on a base body placed on the surface of the touch panel.

  The operation panel of the elevator described in Patent Document 2 includes a display cover installed on the surface of the touch panel, and the display cover is provided with a transparent dome portion that can be fitted to each key.

  The touch panel mounting component described in Patent Document 3 includes a sheet portion that is in contact with the touch panel, a thin portion having a plurality of protrusions on the bottom surface that rises in a dome shape from the sheet portion, and a key top provided on the upper surface of the thin portion. Yes.

  However, the touch panel mounting parts and the like according to Patent Documents 1 to 3 described above cannot change the position of the key top, and can only be applied to a touch panel in which the key arrangement is determined in advance. There are challenges.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide an input auxiliary device and an image processing device in which a key top can be freely arranged regardless of the size and position of a touch panel. To do.

  An input assist device according to the present invention is an input assist device that is placed on a touch panel and assists a user's input operation, and is deformed by being pushed down by a user and a base sheet placed on the surface of the touch panel. The key top is detachably formed on the base sheet, and is freely arranged on the base sheet in accordance with an input area of the touch panel.

  An input assist device according to the present invention is an input assist device that is placed on a touch panel and assists a user's input operation, and is provided for each input area of the touch panel, and is deformed by being depressed by the user. The plurality of key tops are detachably formed with respect to the touch panel, and are respectively arranged freely according to the input area of the touch panel.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the key top may be made of a material having static electricity permeability.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the key top may be formed of a transparent material.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the key top may have a plurality of types according to the shape of the input area of the touch panel.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the key top may have a configuration in which an adhesive part that is adhesively processed is provided on a surface placed on the touch panel.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the key top includes a top surface portion pressed by a user, a contact portion protruding from the top surface portion toward the base sheet, and a bottom surface provided on a surface facing the touch panel. And a wall surface portion that lifts and supports the top surface portion from the bottom surface portion, and the wall surface portion may be elastically deformed when the top surface portion is pressed down.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the contact portion may be formed in a dome shape with a center protruding in a plan view.

  In the input auxiliary device according to the present invention, the contact portion may be formed in a prismatic shape with a flat surface protruding.

  An image processing apparatus according to the present invention includes the input auxiliary device according to the present invention and a touch panel on which the input auxiliary device is placed.

  According to the present invention, when the touch panel is operated by the key top, it is possible to give the user a feeling of operation similar to that of a conventional keyboard. In addition, the key tops can be arranged freely regardless of the size and position of the touch panel, and it is possible to cope with changes in the arrangement of buttons (input areas) on the touch panel.

1 is a perspective view of an image processing apparatus to which an input auxiliary device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. 1 is a plan view of an image processing apparatus to which an input auxiliary device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a top view which shows the state of only an image processing apparatus. It is a perspective view of the image processing device to which the input auxiliary device arranged differently is applied. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the key top in a side view. FIG. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the depressed key top of FIG. 5A. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the modification 1 of a key top. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the modification 2 of a key top. It is a perspective view of the image processing device to which the input auxiliary device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a top view of the image processing device to which the input auxiliary device concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention is applied.

  Hereinafter, an input auxiliary device according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an image processing apparatus to which the input auxiliary device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is an image processing to which the input auxiliary device according to the first embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the state of only the image processing apparatus.

  The input assist device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is placed on the touch panel 11 of the image processing device 10 and assists the user's input operation. The input auxiliary device 1 includes a base sheet 2 placed on the surface 11a of the touch panel 11 and a key top 3 that is deformed by being pushed down by a user. Specifically, the base sheet 2 is put on a part of the touch panel 11 of the image processing apparatus 10, and a plurality of key tops 3 are fixed on the base sheet 2.

  The image processing apparatus 10 is, for example, a rectangular flat tablet type terminal, and a touch panel 11 is provided on the surface. The touch panel 11 is a liquid crystal display that displays an image, and is also an input device that receives an input by detecting a position touched by a user's finger or pen. In the present embodiment, the touch panel 11 is a capacitive type that detects a change in capacitance value, but is not limited thereto, and is a resistance pressure-sensitive type that detects a pressed position from a change in voltage. It is good. In addition, a button 12 for operating the image processing apparatus 10 is provided outside the touch panel 11 at the periphery on one short side of the image processing apparatus 10. As shown in FIG. 3, a virtual keyboard VK configured with a plurality of input areas NR is displayed on the touch panel 11. The input area NR has various button shapes such as a small size and a wide width, and the button shape is not limited to a rectangle, and can be selected as appropriate, such as a cross or a circle. In FIG. 3, the virtual keyboard VK is displayed closer to one long side of the image processing apparatus 10.

  The input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention can be applied to devices other than the tablet-type terminal that is the image processing device 10 described above, and can be applied to devices including a touch panel. Examples of the image processing apparatus 10 include an image forming apparatus, a personal computer, a smartphone, and a display.

  The base sheet 2 is a rectangular sheet, and is formed of, for example, silicon rubber. In the present embodiment, the base sheet 2 is about half the size of the touch panel 11 in plan view, and is arranged at a position corresponding to the virtual keyboard VK. In addition, the size of the base sheet 2 is not limited to this, For example, you may form larger than the touch panel 11. The user can cut the base sheet 2 according to the input area NR and the virtual keyboard VK, so that the size of the base sheet 2 according to the touch panel 11 having various shapes can be obtained. In FIG. 1, the thickness of the base sheet 2 is shown in an emphasized manner in consideration of the visibility of the drawing, but the thickness of the base sheet 2 can be appropriately selected, and in this embodiment, 1 mm. It is said that.

  The base sheet 2 has an adhesive process on the surface, and is detachable from the surface 11 a of the touch panel 11. In the present embodiment, the base sheet 2 is surface-treated so as to increase the self-adhesiveness of silicon rubber, and does not require an adhesive or the like. Moreover, the surface which touches the surface 11a of the touchscreen 11 in the base sheet 2 can be reliably affixed and fixed to the touchscreen 11 by improving adhesiveness. On the other hand, the surface in contact with the key top 3 is subjected to a smooth surface treatment so that it can be fixed by the adhesiveness of the key top 3.

  The key top 3 is provided with a cavity inside, and is formed of, for example, silicon rubber. As shown in FIG. 2, the plurality of key tops 3 are provided independently for each input region NR, and are arranged at positions corresponding to the input region NR. A specific structure of the key top 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B described later. The key top 3 has a trapezoidal shape formed so that the upper side becomes narrower in a side view. The key top 3 has a small or wide rectangular shape, but is not limited to this, and a plurality of types of shapes may be manufactured in advance assuming various input regions NR. The user can appropriately select the key top 3 to be arranged according to the input area NR.

  In the present embodiment, the key top 3 and the base sheet 2 are formed of transparent silicon rubber, and the user can visually recognize the image displayed on the touch panel 11 through the image. Silicon rubber has static electricity permeability and can be applied to the capacitive touch panel 11.

  As described above, the key top 3 and the base sheet 2 are not limited to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1 and can be appropriately changed according to the position of the input region NR. Therefore, the input auxiliary device 1 having a different arrangement is shown below.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an image processing apparatus to which an input assisting device having a different arrangement is applied.

  In the figure, the arrangement of the key top 3 and the base sheet 2 is different from the case shown in FIG. Specifically, the base sheet 2 is put on substantially the entire touch panel 11 and is different in size from FIG. By covering the touch panel 11 with the base sheet 2, it is possible to prevent an object from touching the touch panel 11 directly and to avoid scratching the touch panel 11. The key top 3 is arranged closer to the short side where the button 12 of the image processing apparatus 10 is provided in accordance with the input area NR. When changing the arrangement, the key top 3 is removed in a state of being fixed to the base sheet 2, and the base sheet 2 to which the key top 3 is fixed in advance is attached to the touch panel 11, so that the input auxiliary device 1 can be attached and detached. Can be simplified. That is, a plurality of key tops 3 can be fixed together on the base sheet 2, and the trouble of attaching and detaching the key tops 3 one by one can be saved.

  5A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the key top in a side view, and FIG. 5B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the depressed key top in FIG. 5A.

  The key top 3 includes a top surface portion 3a pushed down by a user, a contact portion 3b (contact portion 3b1) protruding from the top surface portion 3a toward the base sheet 2, a bottom surface portion 3c fixed to the base sheet 2, and a bottom surface It is set as the structure provided with the wall surface part 3d which lifts and supports the top | upper surface part 3a from the part 3c. The bottom surface portion 3c is provided with an adhesive portion 3e that is adhesively processed on the surface in contact with the base sheet 2. In the figure, a boundary line is drawn between the bottom surface portion 3c and the adhesive portion 3e in consideration of legibility, but the adhesive portion 3e is a portion that has been surface processed so as to increase the adhesiveness. The bottom surface portion 3c and the adhesive portion 3e are integrally formed.

  The key top 3 is provided with a bottom surface portion 3c at both end portions (left and right end portions in the figure) and a top surface portion 3a and a contact portion 3b at the center in a side view. A wall surface portion 3d is provided between the bottom surface portion 3c and the top surface portion 3a. The top surface portion 3a is supported at a position higher than the bottom surface portion 3c by the wall surface portion 3d, and the contact portion 3b is provided with a cavity between the base sheet 2 and the top surface portion 3a. That is, in plan view (see FIG. 2), the key top 3 is configured such that the bottom surface portion 3c provided at the outer edge contacts the base sheet 2 and the contact portion 3b provided in the center is separated from the base sheet 2. Yes.

  The contact portion 3b1 has a curved surface structure and is formed in a dome shape with the center protruding. The top surface portion 3a is a flat surface, but is not limited thereto, and may be a curved surface with a recessed center or a curved surface with a protruding center. Moreover, you may give processes, such as providing a protrusion and a hollow in the top | upper surface part 3a. The wall surface portion 3d has a structure in which the upper side is inclined inward. That is, the wall surface portion 3d is formed in a skirt shape that extends from the peripheral edge portion of the top surface portion 3a toward the bottom surface portion 3c. The bottom surface portion 3c extends outward from the lower outer surface of the wall surface portion 3d.

  As shown in FIG. 5B, when the top surface portion 3 a is pushed down by the user, the wall surface portion 3 d is bent and elastically deformed, and the contact portion 3 b is in contact with the base sheet 2. When the user's finger is released and the top surface portion 3a is released from the depressed state, the wall surface portion 3d returns to the original state shown in FIG. 5A due to its elasticity.

  Next, Modification 1 and Modification 2 in which the key tops 3 have different shapes will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing Modification 1 of the key top.

  In the modification 1, the contact part 3b (contact part 3b2) is made into a different shape with respect to FIG. 5A, and it is formed in a prismatic shape with a flat surface protruding.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a second modification of the key top.

  In Modification 2, the bottom surface portion 3c has a different shape from that in FIG. 5A. In the second modification, the bottom surface portion 3c extends from the lower inner surface of the wall surface portion 3d toward the inner cavity side of the key top 3. By providing the bottom surface portion 3c inside the key top 3, the width of the bottom surface portion 3c when the key top 3 is arranged can be ignored, and the interval between the top surface portions 3a in the key tops 3 arranged side by side is reduced. Can do. Further, when the intervals between the input areas NR are narrow, it is easy to arrange the key tops 3 densely.

  Next, an input auxiliary device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an image processing apparatus to which the input assist device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 9 is an image process to which the input assist device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a top view of an apparatus. In addition, about the component which a function is substantially equal to 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the input auxiliary device 1 is composed of only the key top 3. Specifically, in the first embodiment, the key top 3 is fixed to the touch panel 11 via the base sheet 2, whereas in the second embodiment, the key top 3 is placed on the touch panel 11. Directly fixed. That is, the description of “base sheet 2” in the first embodiment corresponds to the description of “touch panel 11” in the second embodiment. The specific structure of the key top 3 is the same as the structure shown in FIGS.

  A summary of the configurations of the input auxiliary device 1 and the image processing device 10 according to the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be described below.

  The input assist device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is configured to be placed on the touch panel 11 to assist the user's input operation, and to the base sheet 2 placed on the surface 11a of the touch panel 11 and the user. And a key top 3 which is pushed down to be deformed. The key top 3 is formed detachably with respect to the base sheet 2, and is freely arranged on the base sheet 2 in accordance with the input area NR of the touch panel 11. According to this configuration, when the touch panel 11 is operated by the key top 3, it is possible to give the user a feeling of operation similar to that of a conventional keyboard. In addition, the key top 3 can be freely arranged regardless of the size and position of the touch panel 11, and it is possible to cope with a change in the arrangement of the buttons (input area NR) of the touch panel 11. In addition, a plurality of key tops 3 can be fixed to the base sheet 2 in a lump, and the labor of attaching and detaching the key tops 3 one by one can be saved.

  The input assist device 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention is configured to be placed on the touch panel 11 to assist the user's input operation, and is provided for each input area NR of the touch panel 11 and is deformed by being pushed down by the user. A plurality of key tops 3 are provided. The plurality of key tops 3 are formed so as to be detachable from the touch panel 11, and are freely arranged according to the input area NR of the touch panel 11. According to this configuration, the key top 3 can be freely arranged regardless of the size and position of the touch panel 11, and it is possible to cope with a change in the arrangement of the buttons (input area NR) of the touch panel 11.

  Further, in the input assist device 1, the key top 3 and / or the base sheet 2 are configured of a material having static electricity permeability. According to this configuration, the input auxiliary device 1 corresponding to the capacitive touch panel 11 can be obtained.

  Moreover, in the input auxiliary device 1, the key top 3 and / or the base sheet 2 are configured of a transparent material. According to this configuration, the user can see the display on the touch panel 11 through the transparent material, and can omit the marking on the key top 3.

  In the input assist device 1, a plurality of types of key tops 3 are prepared according to the shape of the input area NR of the touch panel 11. According to this configuration, by providing a plurality of key tops 3 having different shapes, the user can select the key top 3 corresponding to the input area NR of the touch panel 11, and can deal with various types of touch panels 11. .

  Further, in the input auxiliary device 1, the key top 3 is configured such that an adhesive portion 3 e that is adhesively processed is provided on a surface placed on the touch panel 11. In other words, the key top 3 is provided with an adhesive portion 3e that is adhesively processed on the surface in contact with the base sheet 2 or the touch panel 11. According to this configuration, the key top 3 can be reliably fixed to the base sheet 2 or the touch panel 11 by providing the adhesive portion 3e.

  Further, in the input auxiliary device 1, the key top 3 is provided on the surface facing the touch panel 11, the top surface portion 3 a pushed down by the user, the contact portion 3 b protruding from the top surface portion 3 a toward the base sheet 2 or the touch panel 11. It is set as the structure provided with the provided bottom face part 3c, and the wall surface part 3d which lifts and supports the top surface part 3a from the bottom face part 3c, and the wall surface part 3d is the structure which elastically deforms when the top surface part 3a is pushed down. Has been. That is, the bottom surface portion 3 c is fixed to the base sheet 2 or the touch panel 11. According to this configuration, the wall surface portion 3d is elastically deformed and gives a repulsive force to the user's finger, so that the user can feel a click.

  Moreover, in the input auxiliary device 1, the contact part 3b1 is configured to be formed in a dome shape with the center projected in plan view. According to this configuration, the pressure concentrates at one point of the contact portion 3b1, and it becomes easy to apply pressure necessary for detection to the touch panel 11. Further, since the contact is narrowed, the detection rate of the touched position can be improved.

  Moreover, in the input auxiliary device 1, the contact part 3b2 is good also as a structure formed in the prism shape which the plane protruded. According to this configuration, it is possible to increase the area that is pressed down and contact, and since the force is dispersed, local damage to the touch panel 11 and the base sheet 2 can be prevented. Moreover, when it is set as the transparent key top 3, it can be set as the structure which does not produce the image distortion by refraction of light, and the visibility of the touch panel 11 can be improved.

  An image processing apparatus 10 according to the present invention includes an input auxiliary device 1 according to the present invention and a touch panel 11 on which the input auxiliary device 1 is placed. According to this structure, there exists the same effect as the input auxiliary apparatus 1 which concerns on this invention by providing the input auxiliary apparatus 1 which concerns on this invention.

  It should be noted that the embodiment disclosed herein is illustrative in all respects and does not serve as a basis for limited interpretation. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention is not interpreted only by the above-described embodiment, but is defined based on the description of the scope of claims. Moreover, all the changes within the meaning and range equivalent to a claim are included.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input auxiliary device 2 Base sheet 3 Key top 3a Top surface part 3b, 3b1, 3b2 Contact part 3c Bottom face part 3d Wall surface part 3e Adhesion part 10 Image processing apparatus 11 Touch panel 11a Surface 12 Button NR input area VK Virtual keyboard

Claims (10)

An input assist device that is placed on a touch panel and assists a user's input operation,
A base sheet placed on the surface of the touch panel;
A key top that is deformed by being pushed down by the user,
The input auxiliary device, wherein the key top is formed to be detachable from the base sheet, and is freely arranged on the base sheet according to an input area of the touch panel. An input assist device that is placed on a touch panel and assists a user's input operation,
A plurality of key tops provided for each input area of the touch panel and deformed by being pushed down by the user,
The plurality of key tops are formed so as to be detachable from the touch panel, and are respectively arranged freely according to the input area of the touch panel. The input auxiliary device according to claim 1 or 2,
The key top is made of a material having static electricity permeability, and is an input auxiliary device. The input assist device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein
The input auxiliary device, wherein the key top is made of a transparent material. An input auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The key top has a plurality of types according to the shape of the input area of the touch panel. An input auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 5,
The input auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein the key top is provided with an adhesive portion that is adhesively processed on a surface placed on the touch panel. The input auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
The key top includes a top surface pressed by a user, a contact portion protruding from the top surface toward the touch panel, a bottom surface provided on a surface facing the touch panel, and the top surface from the bottom surface. And a wall portion for lifting and supporting
The input auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface portion is elastically deformed when the top surface portion is pushed down. The input auxiliary device according to claim 7,
The input auxiliary device according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is formed in a dome shape with a projecting center in a plan view. The input auxiliary device according to claim 7,
The input auxiliary device, wherein the contact portion is formed in a prismatic shape with a flat surface protruding.   An image processing apparatus comprising: the input auxiliary device according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and a touch panel on which the input auxiliary device is placed.

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