Multidirectional input device

Details Multidirectional input device Multidirectional input device

2001-03-07

2002-08-27

Luebke, Renee (Department: 2832)

Electricity: circuit makers and breakers

Multiple circuit control

Combined pivoted and reciprocating contact

C200S018000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06441325

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a multidirectional input device for use, for example, in a computer terminal device such as a mouse or a portable electronic device such as a portable telephone set.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The configuration of a conventional multidirectional input device will now be described with reference to
FIG. 18. A
rotary electric part
50
is constituted by a rotary encoder, and an insulating base
51
formed by molding a synthetic resin and constituting the rotary electric part
50
is provided with a substrate portion
51
b
having a central circular hole
51
a
, with plural contact pieces
52
being embedded in the substrate portion
51
b
.
A cover
53
of the rotary electric part
50
is provided with a cylindrical portion
53
b
having a circular hole
53
a
. The cover
53
is attached to the insulating base
51
so as to cover an opening portion of the insulating base.
A rotor
54
of the rotary electric part
50
, which rotor is formed by molding a synthetic resin, is provided with a disc portion
54
a
, shaft portions
54
b
and
54
c
projecting from both sides of the disc portion
54
a
, and a hexagonal, non-circular through hole
54
d
formed in a central part of the rotor
54
. Code patterns
55
are formed on a surface of the disc portion
54
a.
In the rotor
54
constructed as above, the shaft portion
54
b
is fitted in the hole
51
a
of the insulating base
51
and the shaft portion
54
c
is fitted in the hole
53
a
of the cylindrical portion
53
b
. Further, the rotor
54
is sandwiched axially and rotatably between the insulating base
51
and the cover
53
.
By both insulating base
51
and cover
53
the rotor
54
is held so as not to tilt in the axial direction.
When the rotor
54
is mounted, the code patterns
55
formed on the rotor come into contact with the contact pieces
52
, and upon rotation of the rotor
54
, the code patterns
55
also rotate in sliding contact with the contact pieces
52
and produce pulse signals. The rotary electric part
50
thus constructed is mounted to a printed circuit board P
2
.
The conventional multidirectional input device has a push-switch
56
. The push-switch
56
is provided with a housing
56
a
formed by molding a synthetic resin and with a contact portion (not shown) housed therein and is also provided with a push-button
56
b
attached to the housing
56
a
movably. The push-switch
56
is mounted to the printed circuit board P
2
in a predetermined spaced position from the rotary electric part
50
.
An operating member
57
is provided with an operating portion
57
a
of a large diameter, shafts
57
b
and
57
c
projecting from both sides of the operating portion
57
a
, and a regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
formed at one end of the shaft
57
b.
The operating member
57
is mounted by inserting the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
on the shaft
57
b
side into the through hole
54
a
of the rotor
54
from the insulating base
51
side and by holding the shaft
57
c
with the housing
56
a
. A coiled spring
58
is disposed between the shaft
57
c
and the housing
56
a
so that the operating member
57
is positioned on a horizontal line Z
2
.
According to this arrangement, the operating member
57
can perform both a rotating motion and a tilting motion with the abutment portion of the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
against the rotor
54
as fulcrum.
In the conventional multidirectional input device having such a configuration, when the operating portion
57
a
of the operating member
57
is rotated, the rotor
54
is rotated by the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
of the shaft
57
b
and the code patterns
55
rotate in sliding contact with the contact pieces
52
, producing pulse signals.
If the operating member
57
is pushed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (i.e., horizontal line Z
2
), the shaft
57
c
moves against the coiled spring
58
with the abutment portion of the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
against the rotor
54
as fulcrum, the operating member
57
tilts to the position indicated with an inclined line Y
2
, and the push-button
56
b
is pushed by the shaft
57
c
to operate the push-switch
56
.
Upon release of the operating member
57
, the operating member returns to its original position on the horizontal line Z
2
under the action of the coiled spring
58
and the push-switch
56
also reverts to its original state.
In the case where the conventional multidirectional input device, which is operated in such a manner, is used in a portable electronic device for example, a vertical or transverse scrolling operation is performed by the rotary electric part
51
, and an operation for decision may be performed by the push-switch
56
.
When the operating member
57
tilts in the conventional multidirectional input device, the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
performs a circular motion with respect to the rotor
54
, and for allowing the circular motion to be carried out smoothly, the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
is fitted in the through hole
54
d
loosely. Consequently, between the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
and the rotor
54
there occurs a play in the rotational direction upon rotation of the operating member
57
, so that the rotation of the operating member
57
cannot immediately be transmitted to the rotor
54
.
Further, as the tilting motion of the operating member
57
is repeated, there occurs wear between the regular hexagonal sphere portion
57
d
and the rotor
54
, so that the play in the rotational direction becomes larger, making it more and more distant from the possibility of immediate transfer of the rotation of the operating member
57
to the rotor
54
.
In the conventional multidirectional input device, one rotary electric part
51
and one push-switch
56
are operated by the operating member
57
and thus the number of electric parts operated by one operating member
57
is small. This is not suitable for a portable electronic device for which various functions are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a small-sized, multidirectional input device wherein many electric parts can be operated by a single operating member and which is suitable for use in a portable electronic device.
According to the first solving means adopted by the invention for solving the above-mentioned problems there is provided a multidirectional input device comprising a rotary electric part having a rotor and an operating member having a shaft and an operating portion, the shaft being splined to a non-circular hole formed in the rotor, the operating portion being formed on an outer peripheral portion in an axial direction of the shaft and thicker than the shaft, wherein two first and second push-switches are disposed side by side in parallel with the axial direction of the shaft, an actuating member capable of performing a rotating motion and a sliding motion in the axial direction and capable of coming into abutment against the operating member is provided, the actuating member extending in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction, the rotary electric part is operated by rotation of the operating member, and the two first and second push-switches are operated through the actuating member by the sliding motion in the axial direction of the operating member.
According to the second solving means adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above first means, a multidirectional input device wherein the actuating member has a pair of branched arm portions, the arm portions being put in abutment against both side faces of the operating portion positioned lower than the operating side.
According to the third solving means adopted by the invention there is provided, in combination with the above first means, a multidirectional input device wherein the two first and second push-switches are disposed in positions spaced from and op

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