Abstract:
An input device includes an operation portion, a holding portion, a detection portion and at least a switch. The holding portion holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis. The detection portion detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion. A condition of the switch changes according to an external force exerted to the operation portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention generally relates to an input device which can be applied to an electronics device such as a mobile terminal device like a cellular phone or a PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), a personal computer, an electrical component of a car, or a game machine.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     There are some types of input devices for an electronics device, as typified by a mouse and so on. Japanese Patent No. 3530764 and Japanese patent Application Publication No. 2003-306149 disclose examples of the input devices. It is necessary to reduce the size or the thickness of the input device in order to apply the input device to a small electronics device.  
         [0005]     For example, it is necessary to reduce number of switches or to remove movable portions in order to reduce the size or the thickness of the input device.  
         [0006]     However, a function of the input device is decreased and operating feeling is degraded, when the number of switches is reduced or movable portions are removed. That is, an operator can operate the input device easily and can carry out many operations with the input device, if there are as many as switch functions and rotary portions.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides an input device that has multiple functions, has high operability and has small thickness and size.  
         [0008]     According to an aspect of the present invention, preferably, there is provided an input device including an operation portion, a holding portion, a detection portion and at least a switch. The holding portion holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis. The detection portion detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion. A condition of the switch changes according to an external force exerted to the operation portion.  
         [0009]     In accordance with the present invention, operability of the input device is improved because the operation portion is rotatable. And it is possible to operate multiple functions with the input device because a signal is output from the switch and the detection portion.  
         [0010]     According to another aspect of the present invention, preferably, there is provided an input device including an operation portion, a holding portion, and a detection portion. The holding portion holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis. The detection portion detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion. At least a part of the detection portion is provided on a facing surface of the operation portion and on a facing surface of the holding portion. The facing surfaces face to each other.  
         [0011]     In accordance with the present invention, the input device is downsized and particularly the thickness of the input device is reduced, because the detection portion is provided on the facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding member.  
         [0012]     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electronics device including an operation portion, a holding portion, and a detection portion. The holding portion holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis. The detection portion detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion. At least a part of the detection portion is provided on a facing surface of the operation portion and on a facing surface of the holding portion. The facing surfaces face to each other. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings, wherein:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates an external perspective view of an input device in accordance with an embodiment;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of an input device shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a main body of an input device;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of a main body of an input device;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of an operation body;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of a holding member;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  illustrates an action of a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates a functional block diagram of an electrical structure example of an. input device;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a cellular phone as an electronics device to which an input device is applied;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of another resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position;  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  illustrates a top view of a resistance-variable-type of detection portion of a rotational position in accordance with another embodiment;  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  illustrates a functional block diagram of an electrical configuration of an input device including a detection portion of a rotational position shown in  FIG. 11 ;  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  illustrates a top view of a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position in accordance with another embodiment;  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  illustrates another example of a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position;  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  illustrates an exploded perspective view of an input device in accordance with another embodiment;  
         [0029]      FIG. 16  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of an operation portion;  
         [0030]      FIG. 17  illustrates an exploded perspective view of an input device in accordance with another embodiment;  
         [0031]      FIG. 18  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of an operation portion;  
         [0032]      FIG. 19  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of a holding member; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 20A  and  FIG. 20B  illustrate an action of a detection portion of a rotational position. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0034]     A description will now be given with reference to accompanying drawings, of embodiments of an input device in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0035]     A description will be given, with reference to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 9 , of an input device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates an external perspective view of the input device operated by an operator.  FIG. 2  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the input device shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded perspective view of a main body of the input device.  FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of the main body of the input device.  FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of an operation portion.  FIG. 6  illustrates a top view of a facing surface of a holding member.  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B  illustrate an action of a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position.  FIG. 8  illustrates a functional block diagram of an electrical structure example of the input device.  FIG. 9  illustrates a perspective view of a cellular phone as an electronics device to which the input device is applied.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , an input device  10  has a main body  20 , a switch member  100  and so on.  
         [0037]     The main body  20  has an operation portion  30 , a holding member  40 , an electrical resistor  50 , a conductive coupler  60  as a first conductive coupler, and a conductive coupler  70  as a second conductive coupler. The operation portion  30  and the holding member  40  are made of an electrically insulating material such as a resin, and are formed to be a disk. The electrical resistor  50  is formed on a facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30  facing to the holding member  40 . The conductive couplers  60  and  70  are formed on a facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40  facing to the operation portion  30 .  
         [0038]     A through-hole  31 , in which a support shaft  41  of the holding member  40  is inserted, is formed at the center of the operation portion  30 , as shown in  FIG. 2  through  FIG. 5 . When the support shaft  41  is inserted into the through-hole  31 , the operation portion  30  is held by the holding member  40  so as to be rotatably around an axis J. It is, therefore, possible to rotate the operation portion  30  in an optional direction with an operation by a finger FG, as shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0039]     The support shaft  41  projects from the center of the holding member  40 , as shown in  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 . The operation portion  30  is held by the holding member  40  so as to be rotatably around the support shaft  41 . The holding member  40  is fixed to an electronics device to which the input device is applied. The holding member  40  may be a part of the electronics device to which the input device is applied.  
         [0040]     The electrical resistor  50  is formed linear, as shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 5 . For example, the electrical resistor  50  is made of such as carbon resistor or a ceramics resistor extending linearly along a radial direction from center of the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30 .  
         [0041]     The conductive couplers  60  and  70  are made of such as copper pattern or an aluminum pattern. The conductive coupler  60  is formed along a circumference of a circle around the support shaft  41  on the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 . The conductive coupler  70  has a spiral shape inside of the conductive coupler  60 .  
         [0042]     The electrical resistor  50  and the conductive couplers  60  and  70  are in touch with each other and are connected electrically, when the support shaft  41  is inserted into the through-hole  31  and the operation portion  30  is held by the holding member  40 .  
         [0043]     Here, a connecting points of the electrical resistor  50  and the conductive couplers  60  and  70  change as shown in  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B , when the operation portion  30  rotates around the axis J.  
         [0044]     A distance L between the connecting points of the conductive couplers  60  and  70  the electrical resistor  50  gets lower and lower, when the operation portion  30  rotates in a direction R 1  from a position shown in  FIG. 7A . An electrical resistance between the conductive couplers  60  and  70  changes sequentially, when the distance L changes. It is, therefore, possible to detect a rotational position of the operation portion  30 , when a change amount of the electrical resistance is converted and detected. That is, the electrical resistor  50  and the conductive couplers  60  and  70  configure a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position.  
         [0045]     The switch member  100  is fixed to a surface  30 B of the operation portion  30 , as shown in  FIG. 1 . The switch member  100  configures a switch SW mentioned later of which condition changes when the finger FG contacts to an operation surface  101  of the switch member  100  or presses the surface  101  as an external pressure. Particularly, the switch member  100  is of a capacitance type or a resistive film type.  
         [0046]     An electrical system of the input device  10  has, for example, a variable resistor  55 , an amplifier  301 , an A/D converter  302 , a switch SW, a processor unit  310  and so on, as shown in  FIG. 8 .  
         [0047]     The variable resistor  55  has the electrical resistor  50  and the conductive couplers  60  and  70 . One of the conductive couplers  60  and  70  is coupled to an electrical power supply Vcc. The other is coupled to a grand GND. A voltage Va in a case where the electrical resistor  50  is positioned at a given position is output to the amplifier  301 . The voltage Va changes according to the change of the electrical resistance between the conductive couplers  60  and  70 .  
         [0048]     The amplifier  301  amplifies the voltage Va by a given gain and outputs the amplified voltage to the A/D converter  302 . The A/D converter  302  converts an analog signal into a digital signal, and outputs the digital signal to the processor unit  310 .  
         [0049]     The switch SW has the switch member  100  mentioned-above and is coupled electrically to the processor unit  310 . For example, a current is provided to the switch SW when the switch member  100  is pressed to the operation portion  30 . And the current is not provided to the switch SW when the switch SW is relaxed.  
         [0050]     The processor unit  310  has a processor (CPU)  311 , an interface circuit  312 , a memory  313  and so on. The interface circuit  312  outputs a data to an electronics device  500 . The memory  313  stores a program for creating information to be fed into the electronics device  500 . The processor  311  executes the program stored in the memory  313 , and creates an input-code (input-information) to be fed into the electronics device  500 , according to a data from the A/D converter  302  and a line connection status of the switch SW. The processor  311  outputs the input-code to the electronics device  500  through the interface circuit  312 . Other method for creating the input-information may be adopted.  
         [0051]     The input device  10  is, for example, applied to such as a cellular phone, as shown in  FIG. 9 . A cellular phone  500 A shown in  FIG. 9  is a type of portfolio having a display  502  made of a liquid crystal panel and an operation portion including buttons  501 . The input device  10  is provided at upper side of the operation portion.  
         [0052]     For example, an operator of the cellular phone  500 A can move a pointer displayed on the display  502  to a desirable position and can operate desirably, when the operator rotates the operation portion  30  of the input device  10  and presses the switch member  100 .  
         [0053]      FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of another resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position. The same components have the same reference numerals in order to avoid a duplicated explanation.  
         [0054]     Being different from the conductive coupler  70 , a conductive coupler  70 A as the second conductive coupler shown in  FIG. 10  is formed circular having a given radius. And a center of the circle is shifted with respect to the center (support shaft  41 ) of the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 .  
         [0055]     It is, therefore, possible to form the conductive coupler  70 A easily. And it is possible to sequentially change the electrical resistance between the conductive couplers  60  and  70  according to the rotation of the operation portion  30 . An electrical system of the input device may be as same as that mentioned above.  
         [0056]     Next, a description will be given of an input device in accordance with another embodiment, with reference to  FIG. 11  and  FIG. 12 .  
         [0057]      FIG. 11  illustrates a top view of a resistance-variable-type of detection portion of a rotational position in accordance with the embodiment.  FIG. 12  illustrates a functional block diagram of an electrical configuration of an input device including the detection portion of a rotational position shown in  FIG. 11 . The same components have the same reference numerals in order to avoid a duplicated explanation.  
         [0058]     Two conductive couplers  70 B are provided separately on a circumference of which center is shifted with respect to the center (support shaft  41 ) of the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 .  
         [0059]     The electrical resistor  50  is provided on the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30  (not shown) corresponding to the conductive couplers  70 B, and is extending along the diameter direction of the operation portion  30 .  
         [0060]     Therefore, an electrical resistance between one of the conductive couplers  70 B and the conductive coupler  60  is different from that between the other conductive coupler  70 B and the conductive coupler  60 . And one of the electrical resistances is reduced when the other one is enlarged because of the rotation of the operation portion  30 . It is possible to detect the rotational position of the operation portion  30  with high accuracy, when the electrical resistances are converted into electrical signals and a differential between the signals is calculated.  
         [0061]     An electrical system of the input device is shown in  FIG. 12 . That is, the conductive coupler  60 , two conductive couplers  70 B and two electrical resistors  50  configure variable resistors  55 A and  55 B.  
         [0062]     The variable resistors  55 A and  55 B output voltages Va 1  and Va 2 . The voltages are amplified by amplifiers  301 A and  301 B respectively and are fed into an A/D converter  302 A. The A/D converter  302 A outputs digital signals of the voltages Va 1  and Va 2  to the processor unit  310 . The processor unit  310  creates an input-information to the electronics device  500  according to the voltages Va 1  and Va 2  and the condition of the switch SW.  
         [0063]      FIG. 13  illustrates a top view of a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position in accordance with another embodiment. The same components have the same reference numerals in order to avoid a duplicated explanation.  
         [0064]     As shown in  FIG. 13 , conductive couplers  70 C 1 ,  70 C 2 ,  70 D 1  and  70 D 2  are provided on the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 . A plurality of electrical resistors  50  are provided on the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30  (not shown). Each of the electrical resistors  50  is provided corresponding to each of the conductive couplers  70 C 1 ,  70 C 2 ,  70 D 1  and  70 D 2 .  
         [0065]     Electrical resistances between the conductive couplers  60  and  7 OC 1  and between the conductive coupler  60  and  70 C 2  are enlarged and electrical resistances between the conductive coupler  60  and  70 D 1  and between the conductive couplers  60  and  70 D 2  are reduced, when the operation portion  30  rotates in a direction R 1 . It is, therefore, possible to detect the rotational position and the rotational direction of the operation portion  30  with high accuracy, by using a change of the electrical resistances.  
         [0066]      FIG. 14  illustrates another example of a resistance-variable-type of a detection portion of a rotational position. The same components have the same reference numerals in order to avoid a duplicated explanation.  
         [0067]     Four conductive couplers  70 E are arranged at even intervals in a circumferential direction on the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 , as shown in  FIG. 14 . Four electrical resistors  50  are arranged respectively corresponding to each of the conductive couplers  70 E on the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30  (not shown).  
         [0068]     Each of the electrical resistances between the conductive coupler  60  and the four conductive couplers  70 E is enlarged, when the operation portion  30  rotates in the direction R 1 . For example, it is possible to detect the rotational position of the operation portion  30  with high accuracy, by calculating an average of the electrical resistances.  
         [0069]     A description will be given of an input device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, with reference to  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16 . The same components have the same reference numerals in order to avoid a duplicated explanation. The input device in accordance with the embodiment does not have the switch member  100  mentioned above.  
         [0070]     As shown in  FIG. 15 , a plurality of contact members  260 A through  260 D are arranged at even intervals along a circumference of the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 , the contact members having a projection shape. The contact members  260 A through  260 D are made of a metal such as copper and aluminum or a carbon. The contact members  260 A through  260 D are coupled electrically to the grand GND.  
         [0071]     On the other hand, a conductive coupler  250  is provided on the circumference of the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30  as shown in  FIG. 16 , the conductive coupler  250  having a ring shape. The conductive coupler  250  is made of such as a copper pattern or an aluminum pattern, and is, for example, coupled electrically to the processor unit  310 .  
         [0072]     The contact members  260 A through  260 D and the conductive coupler  250  are arranged facing so as to be electrically contactable to each other, and configure a switch.  
         [0073]     One of the contact members  260 A through  260 D is coupled to the conductive coupler  250 , when the operation portion  30  is under a force so as to incline.  
         [0074]     All of the contact members  260 A through  260 D may be coupled to the conductive coupler  250  when the operation portion  30  is pressed.  
         [0075]     The operation portion  30  may be elastically deformable, and one of the contact members  260 A through  260 D is coupled electrically to the conductive coupler  250  when the operation portion deforms with a force of a finger.  
         [0076]     As mentioned above, the switch including the contact members  260 A through  260 D and the conductive coupler  250  is provided on the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30  and on the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 . And it is possible to reduce the thickness of the input device and to generate various signals with various operations to the operation portion  30 .  
         [0077]     A description will be given of an input device in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, with reference to  FIG. 17  through  FIG. 20B .  
         [0078]      FIG. 17  illustrates an exploded perspective view of the input device in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 18  illustrates a top view of the facing surface of the operation portion.  FIG. 19  illustrates a top view of the facing surface of the holding member.  FIG. 20A  and  FIG. 20B  illustrate an action of the detection portion of a rotational position. The same components have the same reference numerals in order to avoid a duplicated explanation, in  FIG. 17  through  FIG. 20B .  
         [0079]     The input device has contact patterns  150 A through  150 H on the facing surface  30 A of the operation portion  30 , instead of the electrical resistor  50  and the conductive couplers  60  and  70 , as shown in  FIG. 18 . The input device has contact patterns  160  on the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 , as shown in  FIG. 17  and  FIG. 19 . The contact patterns  150 A through  150 H and the contact patterns  160  are arranged to be electrically contactable to each other according to the rotation of the operation portion  30 .  
         [0080]     As shown in  FIG. 18 , the contact patterns  150 A through  150 H have electrical contacts  151  arranged in various patterns, and are arranged at substantially even intervals in the circumference direction of the facing surface  30 A. The electrical contact  151  is made of a metal such as copper or aluminum or a carbon. Each of the electrical contacts  151  is, for example, coupled to the power supply Vcc.  
         [0081]     As shown in  FIG. 19 , each of the contact patterns  160  has a same pattern configured with electrical contacts  161 . There are four contact patterns  160  at substantially even intervals on the circumference direction of the facing surface  40 A of the holding member  40 . The electrical contact  161  is made of a metal such as copper or aluminum or carbon. Each of the electrical contacts  161  is, for example, coupled to the processor unit  310 .  
         [0082]     As shown in  FIG. 20A , the contact patterns  160  output a signal to the processor unit  310  and the signals through contact patterns  150 B,  150 D,  15 OF and  150 H are different from each other, when the contact patterns  150 B,  150 D,  15 OF and  150 H are coupled electrically to the contact patterns  160  respectively.  
         [0083]     As shown in  FIG. 20B , contact patterns  150 A,  150 C,  150 E and  150 G are coupled electrically to the contact patterns  160 , when the operation portion (not shown) rotates by a given angle in the direction Rl shown in  FIG. 20A . In this case, the contact patterns  160  output a signal to the processor unit  310  and the signals through the contact patterns  150 A,  150 C,  150 E and  150 G are different from each other and different from those mentioned above. Accordingly, the processor unit  310  can detect the rotational position of the operation portion  30 .  
         [0084]     The switch member  100  mentioned above and the switch shown in  FIG. 15  and  FIG. 16  may be provided in the embodiment.  
         [0085]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the operation portion has a disk shape. The operation portion may have other shapes such as a wheel.  
         [0086]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the electrical resistor is provided on the operation portion and the conductive coupler is provided on the holding member. -The electrical resistor may be provided on the holding member and the conductive coupler may be provided on the operation portion.  
         [0087]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the electrical resistor is formed linear. The electrical resistor may have other shapes such as a curved shape.  
         [0088]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the first conductive coupler is arranged outside of the second conductive coupler. The first conductive coupler may be arranged inside of the second coupler.  
         [0089]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the input device has the A/D converter, processor unit and so on. These components are provided in the electronics device.  
         [0090]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the contact patterns  150 A through  150 H are provided on the operation portion  30  and the contact patterns are provided on the holding member  40 . The contact patterns  150 A through  150 H may be provided on the holding member  40  and the contact patterns  160  may be provided on the operation portion  30 .  
         [0091]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the cellular phone is described as an electronics device. The input device may be applied to various electronics devices such as a mobile terminal device like a cellular phone or a PDA, a personal computer, an electrical component of a car, or a game machine.  
         [0092]     The embodiments mentioned above include but not limited to the case where the detection portion of a rotational position is a type of contact. An optical sensor may detect a rotational position of the operation portion and the holding member without contact.  
         [0093]     While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.  
         [0094]     The present invention is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-314747 filed on Oct. 28, 2005, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.