Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display peripheral interface input device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-07
2002-08-13
Chow, Dennis-Doon (Department: 2675)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display peripheral interface input device
C345S161000, C345S167000, C200S0050EA
Reexamination Certificate
active
06433773
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tablet input device with a switch. More particularly, this invention relates to a tablet input device with a switch capable of controlling the movements of a cursor, a pointer, etc. in accordance with an operating direction and additionally integrated with a deterministic switch for determining positions of the cursor, the pointer, etc.
2. Description of the Background Art
A cursor or a pointer showing a designating position must be able to be smoothly moved on a display such as a personal computer, etc., and a switch must be able to be pushed and inputted in a predetermined moved position. It is desirable to move the cursor or the pointer and input the switch by a series of operations. Therefore, the applicant already proposed “a tablet input device with a switch” (Japanese Patent Application No. 348716 in 1998 as an input device of this kind. The tablet input device with a switch (Japanese Patent Application No. 348716 in 1998) will next be explained on the basis of
FIGS. 10 and 11
.
In this tablet input device with a switch, as shown in
FIGS. 10 and 11
as assembly views, tablet sheets
106
a
,
106
b
as a pair are spaced from each other at a slight distance and are arranged in parallel with each other. An operating button
102
is arranged on the tablet sheets
106
a
,
106
b
. A bottom face
102
b
of the operating button
102
is formed in a spherical crown shape and an operating portion
102
a
is formed on an upper face of the operating button
102
. The operating button
102
and the tablet sheets
106
are stored to a tablet case
105
such that the operating portion
102
a
faces outward and the operating button
102
is freely rolled on the tablet sheets
106
. The tablet case
105
storing the operating button
102
and the tablet sheets
106
in this way is supported and located between an attaching plate
108
for cantilevering a leaf spring piece
107
and the inner face of an outer case
111
having an opening
111
a
bored such that the operating portion
102
a
formed in the operating button
102
faces further outward. A pushbutton switch
113
is arranged inside the leaf spring piece
107
or the tablet case
105
and an actuator
113
a
is arranged in the pushbutton switch
113
.
In the tablet input device
101
with the switch formed in this way, the bottom face
102
b
formed in a spherical crown shape is rolled on the tablet sheets
106
by operating the operating portion
102
a
of the operating button
102
and is pressed in a position shifted from a center of the operating button
102
. The tablet sheets
106
a
and
106
b
then come in contact with each other in a rolling position. Output data showing a shift operating amount from the center of the operating button
102
are outputted from the contact position of the tablet sheets
106
a
and
106
b.
Further, the operating button
102
is pressed against elastic force of the leaf spring piece
107
with pressing force equal to or greater than a predetermined value in a contact state of the tablet sheets
106
a
and
106
b
. Thus, the actuator
113
a
is pushed down by the leaf spring piece
107
or the tablet case
105
and the pushbutton switch
113
is operated.
Thus, in the conventional example, the shift operating, amount in the rolling position is outputted by rolling the operating button
102
and the operating button
102
is pressed by further strengthening the pressing force in this position so that the actuator
113
a
is pushed down and the pushbutton switch
113
can be operated. However, in this tablet input device with the switch, the pressing force for pressing the actuator
113
a
becomes pressing force equal to or greater than a predetermined value and resisting elasticity of the leaf spring piece
107
, but the actuator
113
a
is pressed in a shifting position in which the operating button
102
is rolled. Accordingly, a distance from a cantilever position of the leaf spring piece
107
to a pressing force point on the leaf spring piece
107
is changed in accordance with the shifting position. Therefore, a problem exists in that the pressing force for pressing the actuator
113
a
is different in accordance with the shifting position. Namely, when the actuator
113
a
is pressed on a side close to the attaching plate
108
in the cantilever position of the leaf spring piece
107
, stronger pressing force is required in comparison with a case in which the actuator
113
a
is pressed on a side far from the attaching plate
108
(i.e., a side close to the actuator
113
a
). Thus, a problem exists in that the pressing force is different in accordance with the shifting position for pressing the actuator
113
a
. Further, a supporting portion
108
a
for cantilevering the leaf spring piece
107
is indispensable. It is necessary to fix the supporting portion
108
a
to the outer case
111
in a position. shifted from at least the tablet case
105
. Therefore, for example, when the supporting portion
108
a
is fixed to a portion in which there is no sufficient mounting space as in a remote controller, a problem exists in that the arrangement of switches, etc. arranged on a surface of the outer case
111
is limited.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In consideration of the above problems, an object of this invention is to provide a tablet input device with a switch in which no pressing force for pressing an actuator depends on a shifting position of an operating button and an attaching space to an outer case is reduced.
Therefore, this invention provides a tablet input device with a switch comprising:
a tablet sheet constructed by upper and lower sheets arranged such that surfaces of the upper and lower sheets are oppositely spaced from each other;
an operating button arranged on the tablet sheet such that a bottom face coming in contact with the tablet sheet is formed and an operating portion is formed on a surface of the operating button;
a tablet case in which an outer frame is formed around a bottom portion formed in a plate shape and the operating button and the tablet sheet are opposed to each other so as to freely roll the bottom face of the operating button on the tablet sheet, and the operating portion of the operating button faces. outward and is stored into the outer frame;
an outer case in which an opening for making the operating portion of the operating button face outward is bored;
a substrate set such that the tablet case is nipped and oppositely arranged between the substrate and the outer case;
a pushbutton switch arranged on a substrate surface opposed to the opening bored in the outer case and having an actuator arranged on an opening side; and
an elastic leg body in which a basic end portion is fixed to an outside face of the outer frame arranged in the tablet case and a first leg body slantingly extends from the basic end portion to a substrate side, and a second leg body crosses the first leg body in an X-shape and has a basic end portion slidably engaged along an outside face of the outer frame of the tablet case and is rotatable with respect to the first leg body with a crossing portion as a center, and the first and second leg bodies are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the outer frame;
the tablet input device being constructed such that:
the operating portion of the operating button is shifted from its center and is pressed and operated, and the upper and lower sheets come in contact with the bottom face of the operating button in a shifting position so that the tablet sheet outputs output data showing a shift operating amount from the contact position; and
the operating portion of the operating button is pressed by pressing force resisting elastic force of the elastic leg body, and the bottom portion of the tablet case pushes down the actuator of the pushbutton switch so that the pushbutton switch is operated.
In an operation of this invention, when the operating portion of the operating button is operated in a position shifted from the center, the bottom face of the ope
Chow Dennis-Doon
Foley & Lardner
Nelson Alecia D.
SMK Corporation
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