JP2018036818A - Input device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device which can realize a variety of senses of touch and an acoustic feedback effect.SOLUTION: An input device 1 includes: an operation unit 2; a detection unit 3 for detecting an operation to the operation unit 2; a fixing support unit 4 for supporting the operation unit 2 so that the operation unit can vibrate in a horizontal direction; a control unit 7 for generating a driving signal made of a horizontal vibration generation signal and an audio generation signal on the basis of a detection signal from the detection unit 3; and a vibration generation unit 6 for generating an audio by horizontally vibrating the operation unit 2 by the driving signal and flexural-vibrating the fixing support unit 4, the fixing support unit 4 having the minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration set larger than the natural frequency of the operation unit 2 in a horizontal direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device, and more particularly, to an input device having both a tactile sense presentation function and an acoustic presentation function.

  As an input device having a tactile sense presentation function and an acoustic presentation function, a touch panel display device including an actuator that generates a tactile sensation at a user's fingertip and outputs sound has been proposed (for example, see Patent Document 1). .

  The actuator applied to the touch panel display device described in Patent Document 1 includes a housing to which a diaphragm is attached, a coil attached to the diaphragm, a magnet disposed inside the coil, and a magnet. A spring that is movably supported, a yoke member that constitutes a magnetic circuit that guides the magnetic field lines of the magnet to the coil, and a cover that closes the housing are provided.

  When a current signal is supplied to the coil, a magnetic field is generated from the coil. Due to the magnetic interaction between the magnetic field of the coil and the magnetic field of the magnet, both the coil and the magnet relatively vibrate in the axial direction. When the coil vibrates in the axial direction, sound is generated as the diaphragm vibrates in the thickness direction. At the same time, when the magnet vibrates in the axial direction, the vibration is transmitted to the housing, and the housing vibrates.

Japanese Patent No. 4305454

  The touch panel display device described in Patent Document 1 presents a click feeling felt by the user's fingertip in the vertical direction of the display panel by causing both the coil and the magnet to vibrate relatively in the vertical direction of the display panel. In addition, although it is a configuration that presents sound, this type of input device is required to have various tactile sensations and acoustic feedback effects.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an input device capable of realizing various tactile and acoustic feedback effects.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an operation unit, a detection unit that detects an operation on the operation unit, a support unit that supports the operation unit so as to be capable of horizontal vibration, and a detection signal from the detection unit. Based on the control unit that generates a drive signal composed of a horizontal vibration generation signal and a sound generation signal, and the vibration generation that generates sound by causing the operation unit to vibrate horizontally and flexing vibration of the support unit by the drive signal An input device characterized in that the minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration of the support portion is set to be larger than the natural frequency in the horizontal direction of the operation portion. Yes.

  Further, in the present invention, the vibration generating unit is disposed on the lower surface of the operation unit and is at least two or more poles magnetized in the thickness direction, and the support unit is separated from the multipole magnet. It is preferable that it consists of the coil arrange | positioned facing the upper surface of.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, the drive signal is preferably a signal obtained by superimposing the sound generation signal on the horizontal vibration generation signal.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, it is preferable that the natural frequency in the horizontal direction of the operation unit is about 400 Hz or less, and the minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration of the support unit is about 500 Hz or more.

  According to the present invention, various feedback effects can be realized by presenting sound by flexural vibration and presenting tactile sensation by horizontal vibration.

It is a schematic diagram for demonstrating an example of the input device which concerns on embodiment suitable for this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating an example of the horizontal vibration production | generation signal output at the time of a horizontal vibration presentation. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram (a), (b), and (c) for explaining an example of the operation of the input device when a horizontal vibration generation signal is input. It is figure (a) for demonstrating an example of the sound generation signal output at the time of sound presentation, and is a figure (b) for demonstrating an example of the superimposition signal with which a sound generation signal is superimposed on a horizontal vibration generation signal. . It is a schematic diagram (a), (b), and (c) for demonstrating an example of operation | movement of an input device when a sound production | generation signal is input.

  Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(Configuration of input device)
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicating the whole schematically illustrates a typical input device according to the present embodiment. The input device 1 is configured as a touch panel that detects a change in physical quantity when an operation such as a touch operation, a pressing operation, or a tracing operation is performed using a detection target such as an operator's finger.

  The input device 1 includes an operation unit 2 having an operation surface 21 that receives an operation, a detection unit 3 that detects an operation on the operation surface 21, and a fixed support unit 4 that supports the operation unit 2. Between the operation unit 2 and the fixed support unit 4, a plurality of movable support units 5 that support the operation unit 2 movably in the horizontal direction are disposed. The operation unit 2 is fixed via the movable support unit 5. The support portion 4 is supported so as to be movable only in the horizontal direction.

  The operation unit 2 is configured as a vibrating body that gives a tactile stimulus operation feeling to the operator's fingers. The detection unit 3 is not particularly limited, and includes, for example, a touch sensor whose capacitance changes based on an operation on the operation surface 21 and a pressure sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to the contact pressure on the operation surface 21. Have.

  The fixed support part 4 should just be a material which has the rigidity which can support the operation part 2, for example, consists of a resin material. An example of the resin material is polycarbonate.

  On the other hand, it is preferable that the movable support portion 5 is made of a material that can displace the operation portion 2 in the horizontal direction along a plane parallel to the operation surface 21. In the illustrated example, a parallel spring in which two leaf springs are arranged to face each other in parallel is illustrated as the movable support portion 5. The parallel spring can move in parallel in a minute range and is suitable as a horizontal vibration indicating unit. The movable support portion 5 may be an elastic member such as a triple spring as long as the operation portion 2 is supported to be movable only in the horizontal direction. In addition, when performing two-dimensional drive which also enables the orthogonal | vertical horizontal direction vibration, it can be set as the structure which combined the parallel spring in the mutually orthogonal direction.

  The input device 1 further includes a vibration generating unit 6 that horizontally vibrates the operation unit 2 and flexibly vibrates the fixed support unit 4, and a control unit 7 that drives and controls the vibration generating unit 6.

  The control unit 7 includes a CPU that performs calculation and processing on data acquired according to a stored program, a microcomputer having various components such as a RAM and a ROM that are semiconductor memories, and the touch sensor and sensor of the detection unit 3. Means for processing the detection signal S1 obtained from the pressure sensor, and means for generating the drive signal S composed of the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 and the sound generation signal S3 based on the detection signal S1.

  The control unit 7 represents a signal indicating a position where the operator's finger is in contact with the operation surface 21 of the operation unit 2 and a contact pressure of the operation unit 2 based on outputs from the touch sensor and the pressure sensor. The signal is received, and one drive signal S obtained by superimposing the sound generation signal S3 on the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 is sent to the vibration generation unit 6.

  The vibration generating unit 6 is configured as one unit by permanent magnets 61 and 62 magnetized in opposite directions, and a flat coil 63 disposed below the permanent magnets 61 and 62 with a predetermined gap therebetween. ing.

  Each of the permanent magnets 61 and 62 is multipolarly magnetized so that the different magnetic poles of the S and N poles face each other in the thickness direction, and the adjacent permanent magnets 61 and 62 are different from each other. 3 is bonded and fixed to the lower surface.

  The coil 63 is disposed on the same axis as the permanent magnets 61 and 62, and is bonded and fixed to the upper surface of the fixed support portion 4. A drive current as a drive signal S for driving the vibration generator 6 is supplied from the controller 7 to the coil 63. The drive current is controlled by the control unit 7 in terms of the magnitude and direction of the drive current. In addition, the structure which made the arrangement position of the permanent magnets 61 and 62 and the coil 63 the arrangement position opposite to the example of illustration can also be employ | adopted.

(Operation of tactile feedback by horizontal vibration)
FIG. 2 shows an example of the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 output when the horizontal vibration is presented. In the figure, the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents drive current.

  The control unit 7 generates a drive current as a drive signal S for driving the vibration generating unit 6 based on the detection signal S <b> 1 from the detection unit 3, and applies the drive current to the coil 63. The drive current S includes a component corresponding to the horizontal vibration generation signal S2. Since the operation unit 2 vibrates horizontally along a plane parallel to the operation surface 21 according to the waveform of the drive current, a tactile sensation corresponding to the waveform of the drive current is applied to the finger of the operator touching the operation surface 21. Feedback is given.

  Referring to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C, these diagrams show an example of the operation of the input device 1 when the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 is input. These drawings show an example of the operation of the input device 1 corresponding to each of the times t0 to t1, the times t1 to t2, and the times t2 to t3 shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, a magnetic field MH is generated from the N pole of the permanent magnets 61 and 62 fixed to the operation unit 2 toward the S pole. As shown in FIG. 3B, when a drive current is supplied to the coil 63 between the time t1 and the time t2 shown in FIG. 2, the direction of the magnetic pole (N pole) ) Is generated.

  According to such a configuration, the permanent magnet 61 is attracted to the magnetic field H1 indicating the direction of the magnetic pole of the coil 63 (N pole), so that the S pole of the permanent magnet 61 approaches the magnetic field H1 generated at the center of the coil 63. To do. At the same time, the permanent magnet 62 is repelled by the magnetic field H <b> 1 of the coil 63, whereby the N pole of the permanent magnet 62 is separated from the magnetic field H <b> 1 generated at the center of the coil 63. Due to the magnetic attractive force and the magnetic repulsive force, the operation unit 2 and the permanent magnets 61 and 62 move horizontally to the left side of the drawing along the plane parallel to the operation surface 21 via the movable support unit 5. The coil 63 does not move because it is fixed to the fixed support portion 4.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3C, the direction of the flow of the drive current supplied to the coil 63 is switched in the reverse direction between the time t2 and the time t3 shown in FIG. Will generate a magnetic field H2 indicating the direction of the magnetic pole (S pole).

  Therefore, when the permanent magnet 61 is repelled by the magnetic field H <b> 2 of the coil 63, the south pole of the permanent magnet 61 is separated from the magnetic field H <b> 2 generated at the center of the coil 63. At the same time, the permanent magnet 62 is attracted to the magnetic field H <b> 2 of the coil 63, so that the N pole of the permanent magnet 62 approaches the magnetic field H <b> 2 generated at the center of the coil 63. Due to the magnetic attractive force and the magnetic repulsive force, the operation unit 2 and the permanent magnets 61 and 62 move horizontally along the plane parallel to the operation surface 21 via the movable support unit 5 to the right side of the drawing.

  By the series of operations described above, the reciprocating horizontal movement of the operation unit 2 becomes tactile feedback given to the finger of the operator who is touching the operation surface 21.

(Acoustic feedback operation by flexural vibration)
FIG. 4A shows an example of the sound generation signal S3 output at the time of sound presentation, and FIG. 4B shows a superposition in which the sound generation signal S3 is superimposed on the horizontal vibration generation signal S2. An example of signal S4 is shown. These figures are shown corresponding to the times shown in FIG.

  Based on the detection signal S1 from the detection unit 3, the control unit 7 generates a superimposed signal S4 in which the acoustic generation signal S3 is superimposed on the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 as a drive signal S, and a drive current as the drive signal S Is applied to the coil 63. Since the fixed support portion 4 flexures vibration (deflection deformation) in accordance with the drive current waveform including the natural frequency of the fixed support portion 4, the fixed support portion 4 becomes an acoustic generation source and generates acoustic feedback according to the drive current waveform.

  FIGS. 5A, 5 </ b> B, and 5 </ b> C show an example of the operation of the input device 1 when the sound generation signal S <b> 3 is input. These drawings are shown corresponding to FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C.

  The horizontal vibration generation signal S2 has a frequency substantially equal to the natural frequency in the horizontal direction of the operation unit 2, and the sound generation signal S3 superimposed on the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 is equal to the natural frequency of the fixed support unit 4. It has substantially the same frequency.

  It is preferable that the minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration fv is set larger than the natural frequency in the horizontal direction. The natural frequency in the horizontal direction of the operation unit 2 is preferably about 400 Hz or less, and the minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration fv of the fixed support unit 4 is preferably about 500 Hz or more.

  When the drive current including the sound generation signal S3 superimposed on the horizontal vibration generation signal S2 is supplied to the coil 63 between the time t2 and the time t3 illustrated in FIG. 4, as indicated by a broken line fv in FIG. The fixed support portion 4 is flexibly vibrated according to the waveform of the drive current. This flexural vibration fv becomes acoustic feedback.

  Even when the sound generation signal S3 is superimposed on the horizontal vibration generation signal S2, the operation unit 2 remains held at a predetermined holding position without horizontal vibration. As a result, the flexural vibration fv of the fixed support part 4 can be generated efficiently, and a high-quality acoustic feedback is given by generating a click feeling such as a click with the flexural vibration fv. be able to.

  As the input device 1 configured as described above, for example, a remote operation type that selects and determines an item button of a vehicle center display capable of displaying various selection screens such as a menu screen, a map screen, an audio screen, and an air conditioner screen. It can be configured as an input device.

  The center display is provided on the design surface side of the center cluster arranged near the center of the instrument panel of the vehicle. The in-vehicle device that is the operation target of the input device 1 is, for example, a car navigation device, an audio device, an air conditioner device, a communication device, or the like.

(Effect of embodiment)
In addition to the above effects, the input device 1 according to the present embodiment has the following effects.

  The tactile sensation by the horizontal vibration and the acoustic presentation by the flexural vibration fv can be effectively performed by the single vibration generator 6.

  By making each of the tactile presentation by horizontal vibration and the acoustic presentation by the flexural vibration fv independent, it can be configured to operate independently.

  Note that the operation unit 2 and the vibration generating unit 6 may select the number of arrangement, the arrangement position, the arrangement form, and the like as appropriate according to the purpose of use, for example, and can achieve the initial object of the present invention. The configuration shown above is one-way horizontal vibration, but can also be applied to two-dimensional horizontal vibration feedback orthogonal to the one-way horizontal vibration.

  The input device 1 can of course be used as an input device for various terminal devices such as in-vehicle devices for various work vehicles such as construction machines and agricultural machines, personal computers, mobile phones and game machines. .

  As is clear from the above description, the representative embodiments, modified examples, and illustrated examples according to the present invention do not limit the invention according to the claims. Therefore, it should be noted that not all the combinations of features described in the above embodiments, modifications, and illustrated examples are necessarily essential to the means for solving the problems of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Input device, 2 ... Operation part, 3 ... Detection part, 4 ... Fixed support part, 5 ... Movable support part, 6 ... Vibration generation part, 7 ... Control part, 21 ... Operation surface, 61,62 ... Permanent magnet, 63 ... Coil, fv ... Flexural vibration, H1, H2 ... Coil magnetic field, MH ... Permanent magnet magnetic field, S ... Drive signal, S1 ... Detection signal, S2 ... Horizontal vibration generation signal, S3 ... Sound generation signal, S4 ... Superposition signal

Claims (4)

An operation unit;
A detection unit for detecting an operation on the operation unit;
A support portion for supporting the operation portion so as to be capable of horizontal vibration;
A control unit that generates a drive signal including a horizontal vibration generation signal and a sound generation signal based on a detection signal from the detection unit;
With the drive signal, the operation unit horizontally vibrates and the support unit is flexibly vibrated to generate sound,
With
The minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration of the support portion is set to be larger than the natural frequency in the horizontal direction of the operation portion.   The vibration generating unit is disposed on the lower surface of the operation unit, and is disposed opposite to the upper surface of the support unit spaced apart from the multipolar magnet and at least two or more multipolar magnets magnetized in the thickness direction. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a coil.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the drive signal is a signal obtained by superimposing the sound generation signal on the horizontal vibration generation signal. The natural frequency in the horizontal direction of the operation unit is about 400 Hz or less,
The input device according to claim 1, wherein the minimum natural frequency of the flexural vibration of the support portion is about 500 Hz or more.

Images