Abstract:
An input device has a housing having an operation hole formed therein, an operation member supported in a slidably moving manner in multi-directions within the operation hole, and at least two magnetic sensors, arranged at a periphery of the operation member, for detecting change in magnetic property by displacement of the operation member. The operation member includes a holder having a circular ring-shaped magnet incorporated in a fit-in hole and a central push button having a disc plate made of magnetic material integrated at a lower surface. The central push button is fitted in the circular ring-shaped magnet to adsorb, in a separable manner, the disc plate to the circular ring-shaped magnet and position-regulate the central push button.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to an input device used in an electronic device such as a portable telephone, PC, PDA, television, and videocassette recorder. 
     2. Related Art 
     Conventionally, the input device includes a multi-direction input device including an operation member held in a slidable manner in multi-directions, a plurality of movable contacts having conductivity arranged at an outer peripheral part of the operation member, and a plurality of insulating substrates, including a resistor body, arranged in a range of the operation member, where each of the plurality of movable contacts is arranged facing the plurality of resistor bodies, and the movable contact moves with the slidable movement of the operation member so that the contact area of the movable contact with respect to the resistor body varies. 
     In such multi-direction input device, as shown in FIG. 1 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2002-62985, a collar part 11b of an operation body 11 projecting out from a hole 10d of a drive body 10 is prevented from slipping out in a hole 10c of the drive body 10. 
     SUMMARY 
     However, in the above-described multi-direction input device, the collar part 11b of the operation body 11 needs to be incorporated in the hole 10c of the drive body 10, and the operation body 11 needs to be slidably moved to operate. Thus, a gap in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction constantly is formed between the collar part 11b and the hole 10c. As a result, not only is thinning and miniaturization of the input device limited, but tilt and rattling occur in the operation body 11, and an abnormal noise caused by external vibration etc. tends to easily occur. 
     If the gap in the vertical direction is too small, the operation body 11 is pressed against the drive body 10 in a deformation that occurs when an external force is applied to a housing 12, and malfunction may occur. If the height dimension of the hole 10d of the drive body 10 and the thickness dimension of the collar part 11b of the operation body 11 are increased to increase the opposing slidably moving area in order to reduce tilt and rattling of the operation body 11, thinning cannot be achieved, while wear tends to easily occur by the slidably moving operation in the vertical direction of the operation body 11, and therefore, the durability lowers. 
     One or more embodiments of the present invention provides a thin and miniaturized input device capable of preventing tilt and rattling of the operation member and preventing occurrence of abnormal noise by position-regulating the operation member using magnetic force of a magnet necessary for the input operation, and an electronic device using the same. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an input device includes an operation member supported in a slidably moving manner in multi-directions within an operation hole formed in a housing, and at least two magnetic sensors, arranged at a periphery of the operation member, for detecting change in magnetic property by displacement of the operation member, wherein the operation member includes a holder having a circular ring-shaped magnet incorporated in a fit-in hole and a central push button having a disc plate made of magnetic material integrated at a lower surface, the central push button being fitted in the circular ring-shaped magnet to adsorb, in a separable manner, the disc plate to the circular ring-shaped magnet and position-regulate the central push button. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the disc plate of the central push button is adsorbed to the circular ring-shaped magnet of the holder and the central push button is position-regulated. Thus, tilt or rattling does not occur at the central push button, and generation of abnormal noise by external vibration and the like can be prevented. 
     Furthermore, a thin and miniaturized input device can be obtained since the gap between the holder and the central push button, in particular, the gap in the vertical direction becomes a minimum extent. 
     In another input device according to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the central push button and the disc plate may be integrally molded with same magnetic material. 
     According to one or more embodiments, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps are reduced, and the productivity is enhanced. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an input device includes an operation member supported in a slidably moving manner in multi-directions within an operation hole formed in a housing, and at least two magnetic sensors, arranged at a periphery of the operation member, for detecting change in magnetic property by displacement of the operation member, wherein the operation member includes a holder having a circular ring-shaped magnet incorporated in a fit-in hole and a central push button having a disc plate made of magnetic material integrated at a lower surface, the central push button and the disc plate being integrally molded with same magnet material and having same polarity as the circular ring-shaped magnet, and the central push button being fitted in the circular ring-shaped magnet to position-regulate the operation member by a repulsive force of the magnet. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the central push button is position-regulated as the disc plate is repelled to the circular ring-shaped magnet. Thus, tilt and rattling do not occur at the central push button, and generation of abnormal noise by external vibration and the like can be prevented. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an input device includes an operation member supported in a slidably moving manner in multi-directions within an operation hole of a cover plate configuring a housing, and at least two magnetic sensors, arranged at a periphery of the operation member, for detecting displacement of the operation member with change in magnetic property, wherein the operation member has a circular ring-shaped magnet of a separate body integrally formed at an outer peripheral surface of the central push button, the central push button being operably exposed from the operation hole of the cover plate made of magnetic material, and the circular ring-shaped magnet being adsorbed, in a separable manner, to an inner side of the cover plate. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the circular ring-shaped magnet adsorbs to the inner side of the cover plate, and the central push button is position-regulated. Thus, tilt and rattling do not occur at the central push button, and generation of abnormal noise by external vibration and the like can be prevented. 
     Furthermore, a thin and miniaturized input device is obtained since the holder is unnecessary, the number of parts and number of assembly steps are reduced, the productivity is high, and the gap between the cover plate and the central push button, in particular, the gap in the vertical direction becomes a minimum extent. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, the central push button of the operation member may be integrally molded with a magnet material same as the circular ring—shaped magnet. 
     According to one or more embodiments, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps are reduced, and the productivity is enhanced. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, a central push button switch may be arranged at a portion positioned immediately below the central push button of a print substrate assembled in the housing so as to be positioned on a lower side of the operation member. 
     According to one or more embodiments, a compound operation can be performed with the central push button, and a user friendly input device is obtained. 
     According to an electronic device according to one or more embodiments of the invention, the operation member of the input device may be assembled to be operable from outside. 
     According to one or more embodiments of the present invention, an electronic device in which tilt and rattling do not occur at the central push button, and generation of abnormal noise by external vibration and the like does not occur is obtained. 
     A thinner and miniaturized electronic device is obtained by incorporating a thin and miniaturized input device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A to 1C  are a plan view, a front view, and a bottom view showing a an input device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are a partially enlarged plan view and a cross-sectional view of the input device shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1C ; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view seen from the upper side of the input device shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1C ; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view seen from the lower side of the input device shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1C ; 
         FIGS. 5A to 5C  are a perspective view, a plan view, and a front view of the base shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIGS. 6A to 6C  are a plan view, a front view, and a perspective view of a return spring shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIGS. 7A to 7C  are a partial plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing the input device shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1C ; 
         FIGS. 8A to 8C  are a partial plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a second embodiment of the input device; 
         FIGS. 9A to 9C  are a partial plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a third embodiment of the input device; and 
         FIGS. 10A to 10C  are a partial plan view, a cross-sectional view, and a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing a fourth embodiment of the input device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1A to 10C . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1A to 7C , the first embodiment includes a base plate  10 , a flexible print substrate  20 , a base  30 , a position-regulation spring  40 , an operation member  50 , and a cover plate  60 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the base plate  10  is a metal thin plate having a substantially square shape in plane that includes a caulking hole  11  at the four corners and a jig hole  12  diagonally. 
     The flexible print substrate  20  has a lead portion  22  extending from a substantially circular print substrate main body  21  that can be mounted on the base plate  10 . A dome sheet  23  having a substantially X-shape in plane is adhered and integrated to and with the print substrate main body  21 , and a center push button switch  24  is formed at the central part and a jig hole  25  is formed. A Hall element  26  is mounted at the periphery of the dome sheet  23 . A control IC  27  is mounted on the lead portion  22 , and the lead portion  22  has a free end formed with a connecting portion  28 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 5A to 5C , the base  30  has a substantially H-shape in cross-section and has a square shape in plane so as to cover the base plate  10 . The base  30  has a caulking projection  31  arranged in a projecting manner at four corners on the front and back surfaces, and a through groove  33  for engaging a return spring, to be hereinafter described, at the corner of recesses  32   a ,  32   b  formed on the front and back surfaces. A fit-in hole  34  for fitting an operation member  50 , to be hereinafter described, is formed at the central part of the recesses  32   a ,  32   b , and a cutout  35  for fitting to the Hall element  26  is formed at the outer peripheral edge of the fit-in hole  34 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6A to 6C , the return spring  40  has a shape in which an elastic band-like material is bent to a substantially J-shape in plane, where an engagement projection  41  arranged in a projecting manner at one end is engaged to the through groove  33  of the base  30  to be positioned. 
     The operation member  50  includes a holder  51  assembled with a circular ring-shaped magnet  55 , and a central push button  56  assembled with a disc plate  58 . 
     The holder  51  has a disc shape with an outer diameter that can be arranged between the return spring  40  positioned in the base  30 , where a collar part  53  is integrally molded at the edge of the upper surface of the fit-in hole  52  formed at its center and an annular rib  54  is arranged in a projecting manner at the edge of the lower surface. The circular ring-shaped magnet  55  is fitted and integrated to and with the fit-in hole  52 . The circular ring-shaped magnet is arranged with the N pole and the S pole to the inside and outside, up and down, or front and back alternately. 
     The central push button  56  has a circular column shape having an outer diameter that can be fitted in the circular ring-shaped magnet, and includes an operation projection  57  on the bottom surface. The operation projection  57  is fitted and integrated to and with a concentric disc plate  58  made of magnetic material. Thus, when the central push button  56  is assembled in the circular ring-shaped magnet  55 , the disc plate  58  is adsorbed and integrated in a separable manner to and with the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  to thereby position-regulate the central push button  56 . 
     The cover plate  60  is a metal thin plate having a substantially square shape in plane that can cover the base  30 , and includes an operation hole  61  of a diameter that can prevent the operation member  50  from slipping out at the middle, and a caulking hole  62  at four corners. 
     The assembly method of the input device made of the above-described configuring parts will now be described. 
     First, a pair of positioning pins, or a jig (not shown), is inserted and positioned in the jig hole  12  of the base plate  10 . The Hall element  26  etc. is then mounted, and the jig hole  25  of the flexible print substrate  20  applied with an adhesive material on the back surface is inserted to the positioning pin to be adhered and integrated to and with the base plate  10 . 
     The caulking projection  31  of the base  30  is then fitted and caulking fixed to the caulking hole  11  of the base plate  10 . The engagement projection  41  of the return spring  40  is then fitted and positioned in the through groove  33  of the base  30 . Furthermore, the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  is fitted and integrated to and with the fit-in hole  52  of the holder  51 , and the disc plate  58  is fitted and integrated to and with the operation projection  57  of the central push button  56 . The disc plate  58  is adsorbed and integrated to and with the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  by fitting and assembling the central push button  56  in the circular ring-shaped magnet  55 . 
     The operation member  50  is then positioned between the return spring  40  positioned to face each other in the base  30 , and the annular rib  54  is fitted and assembled to the fit-in hole  34  of the base  30 . Lastly, the caulking hole  62  of the cover plate  60  is fitted and caulking fixed to the caulking projection  31  of the base  30 . 
     The operation method in a case where the input device is assembled in the portable telephone will now be described. 
     First, when the operation member  50  is slidably moved or rotated, the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  integrated therewith also slidably moves or rotates. Thus, the Hall element  26  detects the change of the magnetic force, and the movement amount, the rotating direction, and the rotation amount of the operation member  50  are detected based thereon. 
     Such detection result enables the movement of the screen displayed scroll bar of the monitor through the control circuit (not shown) or the monitor screen display up and down or left and right. When the scroll bar reaches the desired position, the central push button  56  is pushed so that the inversion spring in the central push button switch  24  inverts thereby conducting the corresponding central conducting portion and outputting a selection command. 
     When the operation force is released from the central push button  56 , the inversion spring in the central push button switch  24  returns and the operation member  50  automatically returns to the original position by the spring force of the return spring  40 . 
     In the operation member  50  of the present embodiment, the disc plate  58  integrated with the central push button  56  is adsorbed and integrated in a separable manner to and with the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  integrated with the holder  51 . Thus, the input device can be thinned and miniaturized, and furthermore, tilt and rattling of the central push button  56  do not occur, and abnormal noise by external vibration etc. does not occur. As such drawbacks do not occur, the configuring parts do not need to be manufactured and assembled at high dimensional accuracy, the productivity is enhanced and the yield is enhanced. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8A to 8C , the second embodiment is a case where the central push button  56  and a disc plate portion  58   a  are integrally molded with a magnetic material. 
     According to the present embodiment, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps are reduced, and the productivity is enhanced. 
     In the first and second embodiments, if the polarity of the disc plate portion  58   a  is made the same polarity as the circular ring-like magnet  55 , the central push button  56  can be position-regulated using the repulsive force thereof to thereby prevent tilt and rattling. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9A to 9C , the third embodiment is a case where the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  is integrally assembled to the central push button  56 , the cover plate  60  is made of magnetic material, and the circular ring-shaped magnet  55  is adsorbed thereto. 
     According to the present embodiment, the holder is unnecessary, whereby the number of parts and number of assembly steps are reduced, the productivity is enhanced, and the input device can be further thinned and miniaturized. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 10A to 10C , the fourth embodiment is a case where the central push button  56  including a magnet and the circular ring-shaped portion  55   a  are integrally molded. 
     According to the present embodiment, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps are reduced, the productivity is enhanced, and the input device can be further thinned and miniaturized. 
     In the third and fourth embodiments, if the cover plate  60  and the circular ring-shaped magnet portion  55   a  have the same polarity, the central push button  56  can be position-regulated using the repulsive force thereof. 
     A case of applying to a portable telephone has been described in the present invention, but may also be applied to other electronic devices such as PC.