Patent Application
20070236463
For the description of the invention, in a non-limiting manner, the vertical, longitudinal and transverse orientations will be adopted according to the V, L, T marking indicated in the figures.
In the following description, identical, similar or analogous elements will be indicated by the same reference numbers.
The commutator 20 consists of a vertical stack comprising a lower supporting frame 22 and an upper panel 24 that is mounted so as to be movable generally vertically relative to the frame 22.
According to the embodiment represented in particular in
To control the functions of the electronic apparatus on which the commutator 20 is mounted, the user uses a pointing element (not shown) such as a stylet or a digit, placing the pointing element in contact with the horizontal upper face 24s of the upper panel 24.
In response to this contact of the pointing element, an electronic control device (not shown) of the electronic apparatus applies a predefined action, such as for example the movement of a cursor on a display screen, in a direction associated with the position of the point of contact of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24.
The commutator 20 comprises means 26 for determining the position of the point of contact of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 that comprise a plurality of electric switches 28, here four in number, on which the upper panel 24 is capable of acting selectively, according to the position of the point of contact of the pointing element.
When a switch 28 is actuated by the upper panel 24, this switch 28 closes an electric circuit that is associated with it, allowing an electric current to flow in this circuit to an electronic device for controlling the electronic apparatus. It is then said that the switch 28 establishes a switch way of the commutator 20.
Each switch 28 comprises two electric contacts 32a, 32b that are mounted on the frame 22 and that are capable of being connected electrically via a metal strip 30 under the action of the upper panel 24.
The metal strip 30 is made of an electrically conductive material. It comprises a first end 30a that is connected permanently to a first electric contact 32a, and a second free end 30b that is situated at a distance from the second electric contact 32b. The metal strip 30 is capable of being deformed elastically under the action of the upper panel 24, so that its second end 30b comes into contact with the second electric contact 32b to establish the associated switch way.
For this, the second electric contact 32b of each switch 28 is arranged on the horizontal upper face 22s of the frame 22 and the second end 30b of the associated metal strip 30 is situated vertically above and at a distance from this second electric contact 32b.
The metal strips 30 of all the switches 28 are all made by cutting and bending from a single horizontal metal plate 34 which simplifies the production of the commutator 20.
This metal plate 34 comprises several vertical lugs 36 via which the plate 34 is electrically connected to the first electric contacts 32a of all the switches 28. The first electric contacts 32a are then preferably connected to a common electric contact (not shown) and via which the metal plate 34 is mounted on the frame 22.
The metal plate 34 is held vertically above and at a distance from the upper face 22s of the frame by means of a flat spacer 38 made of an electrically insulating material.
The spacer 38 comprises openings 39 or windows that are situated in line with the second contacts 32b and that are traversed by the metal strips 30 when they come into contact with the second electric contacts 32b.
Each switch 28 is made so that, when it is actuated by the upper panel 24, it applies to the upper panel 24 a resistant force that corresponds to the elastic deformation of the associated strip 30, whose value is continuously variable according to the deformation of the strip 30, and that is transmitted to the pointing element by the upper panel 24.
According to a variant embodiment shown especially in
According to the invention, the switches 28 are capable of being actuated selectively by the upper panel 24 under the action of the pointing element and according to the position of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the switches 28 are arranged on the frame 22 so that they divide the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 into a plurality of zones that will hereafter be called contact zones 44. Each contact zone 44 is associated with at least one switch 28, and only this at least one switch 28, that is associated with a considered contact zone 44, is capable of being actuated by the upper panel 24 when the pointing element is in contact with the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 in this considered contact zone 44.
In addition, and according to a second aspect of the invention, the upper panel 24 is mounted so as to be movable relative to the supporting frame 22 in a generally downward vertical movement under the action of the pointing element, and against a return force of the upper panel 24 to its initial upper position.
Thus, when the user acts on the upper panel 24, to control the electronic apparatus, he applies to the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 an actuation force making it possible to cause the upper panel 24 to move downwards, which counters the return force applied by the return means 46 and which is combined, as appropriate, by the resistant force generated by the metal strips 30 that is also continuously variable.
Since the total value of the return forces applied to the upper panel 24 is continuously variable, the actuation force that the user applies is also continuously variable, and the user feels only this continuous variation of the actuation force.
This sensation is different from a tactile sensation that corresponds to a sudden variation of the resistant force, as is the case, for example, with the switches described in document U.S. Pat. No. 6,686,906.
In addition, the return force of the upper panel to its initial upper position shown in
According to a variant embodiment of the invention, the return of the upper panel to its initial upper position is made only by the switches 28, particularly by means of the elastic strips 30.
As has been said above, the switches 28 are arranged on the frame 22 so that each of the contact zones 44 is associated with at least one switch 28. Here, the central contact zone 44a is associated with the two switches 28 and each of the two side contact zones 44b is associated with a single switch 28.
Thus, as can be seen in
On the other hand, as can be seen in
The pivoting of the upper panel is also helped by the return means 46. Thus, according to the invention, the upperface 24s of the upper panel 24 comprises three contact zones 44a, 44b, and the commutator 20 comprises two switches 28, and consequently two switch ways, which is less than the number of contact zones 44 that the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 comprises.
As has been said above, the switches 28 are connected to an electronic control device that is made so that it is capable of determining which is the contact zone 44 with which the pointing element is in contact, according to the switch ways that have been established, then of controlling the electronic apparatus according to the command associated with the contact of the pointing element with this contact zone 44.
For example, with reference to the embodiment represented in
According to another aspect of the invention, the commutator 20 comprises means for generating a single impulse on the upper panel 24, in response to the action of the user by means of the pointing element, and irrespective of the number of switches 28 that are actuated by the upper panel 24.
This impulse is transmitted by the upper panel 24 to the pointing element to be felt by the user.
Thus, irrespective of the contact zone 44 with which the pointing element is in contact and the number of switches 28 actuated by the upper panel 24, the user feels a single impulse in response to his action, in the same manner as he feels an impulse when he acts on a conventional button.
As can be seen in
The single element 48 forms a disengageable or retractable stop of the upper panel 24 in a high position, that is capable of changing state when the value of the pressure applied by the pointing element to the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 is greater than a determined threshold value.
When it changes state, the single element 48 no longer forms a stop of the upper panel 24 which may then move suddenly downwards. During this sudden movement of the upper panel 24, the user feels a discontinuous variation of the resistance to the movement of the upper panel 24 that is interpreted by the user as a tactile sensation.
The disengageable element 48 here is dome-shaped, that is to say that it has a concave shape open downwards and with a vertical principal axis. It is arranged beneath the upper panel 24, and it is situated generally horizontally in line with the center of the upper panel 24. The disengageable element 48 is capable of collapsing by elastic deformation when the value of the pressure is greater than the threshold value. The disengageable element 48 then suddenly changes state according to an operation also called “collapsing”.
As can be seen in
Consequently, the upper panel 24 is kept by the disengageable element 48 in an intermediate position in which only the switches 28 are actuated according to the contact zone 44 with which the contact element is in contact.
On the other hand, as has been shown in
This sudden movement of the upper panel 24 is transmitted to the user via the pointing element, and is felt by the user as a tactile sensation representative of the control action that he has just made.
When the user ceases to apply this pressure, the upper panel 24 is returned elastically to the high rest position represented in
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elastic return is provided by the disengageable element 48 itself.
As a variant shown in
As the upper panel 24 returns to its initial upper position, the disengageable element 48 again changes state to resume its initial shape, and it then applies a brief upward force to the upper panel 24. This new impulse thus generated by the disengageable element 48 reproduces another tactile sensation that is perceived by the user as confirmation of the end of the control action.
Here, the disengageable element 48 is situated generally in line with the geometric center of the upper panel 24. This positioning of the disengageable element makes it possible to limit the difference in amplitude of the pressure to be applied to the upper panel 24 to cause the deformation of the disengageable element, according to the location of the point of contact of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, the commutator 20 comprises means for detecting an additional control action consisting in applying to the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 a pressure whose value is greater than a predefined threshold value, and irrespective of the contact zone 44 to which this control action is applied.
This allows the user to keep the pointing element in contact with the same contact zone 44 when he applies the control action.
It is therefore possible to apply a function of the electronic apparatus that is directly connected to the contact zone 44 with which the pointing element is in contact.
According to the invention, the means for detecting the control action consist in an electric switch that is capable of establishing another switch way of the commutator 20.
According to a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, the means for detecting the control action and the element 48 for generating the impulse form a single sensor.
For this, as can be seen in
The outer circular edge 48a of the disengageable element 48 is in permanent contact with a first electric contact 52a that is of circular shape, and the upper central portion 48b of the disengageable element 48, or the point, can be moved downwards when the disengageable element 48 deforms, so that its point 48b is capable of coming into contact with the second electric contact 52b.
An intermediate pushbutton 54 is arranged between the upper panel 24 and the disengageable element 48, to concentrate the forces making it possible to cause the deformation of the disengageable element 48 at the central portion 48b of the disengageable element 48.
Thus, when the commutator 20 is controlled, the upper panel 24 is capable of making two distinct and successive vertical movements under the action of the pointing element, namely a first movement downwards relative to the frame 22, for the selective actuation of the switches 28, and a second movement for the actuation of the sensor 48.
To make it possible to selectively actuate the switches 28 and the sensor 48, the commutator 20 comprises a plate 56 that is mounted so as to be movable relative to the frame 22 and relative to the upper panel 24.
According to a first embodiment, the plate 56 is mounted so as to be movable relative to the frame 22 and relative to the upper panel 24 so that the plate 56 is integral with the upper panel 24 in movement relative to the frame 22 when the switches 28 are actuated for the detection of the position of contact of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24, that is to say when the value of the pressure applied by the pointing element is less than the threshold value, and so that subsequently, when the value of the pressure becomes greater than or equal to the threshold value causing the change of state of the disengageable element 48, the plate 56 is then integral with the frame 22 and the upper panel 24 moves relative to the frame 22 and relative to the plate 56.
Consequently, since the switches 28 are arranged on the frame 22, the switches 28 are actuated by the upper panel 24 via the plate 56.
In addition, the sensor 48 is arranged between the plate 56 and the upper panel 24, so that the mechanical impulse is applied directly to the upper panel.
The disengageable element 48 is also made so that it is compressed vertically and without vertical clearance between the upper panel 24 and the plate 56.
The outer transverse and longitudinal ends 24e of the upper panel 24 are extended vertically downwards by lower hooks 66 that are capable of pressing upwards against the lower horizontal face 56i of the plate 56, keeping the disengageable element 48 in a prestress position making it possible to remove the vertical clearances between the upper panel 24, the plate 56 and the disengageable element 48.
The plate 56 also comprises lower hooks 68 that press upwards against a lower face 70i of a peripheral rim 70 of the frame 22.
Thus, the disengageable element 48 applies to the upper panel 24 and to the plate 56 opposite forces tending to vertically separate the upper panel 24 from the plate 56. The disengageable element 48 is made so that the value of the forces that it applies to the upper panel 24 and to the plate 56 is sufficient for the plate 56 to remain immobile relative to the upper panel 24 when the pressing element applies to the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 a pressure whose value is less than the predefined threshold value, and irrespective of the location of contact of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24.
Thus, as can be seen in
Also, as can be seen in
On the other hand, as can be seen in
The pressure F1, F2 applied by the pointing element to the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 usually increases from a zero value to a value greater than the threshold value causing the deformation of the disengageable element 48.
Consequently, during the actuation of the commutator 20, the plate 56 moves first relative to the frame and in a manner integral with the upper panel 24, as has been shown in
In addition, as can be seen in
When the action of the pointing element is relaxed, the plate 56 is moved upwards relative to the plate by the return means 46 and the disengageable element 48 causes an upward movement of the upper panel 24 relative to the plate 56.
According to the embodiment shown in
According to this variant, the hooks 66 of the upper panel are capable of pressing upwards against the lower face 56i of the plate 56 and also against the opposite lower face 70i of the rim 70 of the frame 22.
Consequently, according to this variant, the upper panel 24 supports the plate 56 so that they are integral in vertical downward movement when the value of the pressure F1 is less than the threshold value, as has been shown in
The metal plate 34 is therefore rigid and not deformable, and it comprises lower bosses (not shown) each of which is capable of coming into contact with a second associated fixed contact 32b to establish the associated switch way, according to the contact zone 44 with which the pointing element is in contact.
The commutator also comprises elastic means, for returning the metal plate 34 to its high position represented in
In addition, according to this embodiment, the metal plate 34 is covered with a protective film 72 providing protection for the fixed contacts 32a, 32b from water and pollutants.
In addition, the electric contacts 52a, 52b associated with the disengageable element 48 are mounted on the upper face 22s of the frame 22, similarly to the fixed contacts 32a, 32b of the means 26 for detecting the position of the point of contact of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24.
Thus, all the electric contacts 32a, 32b, 52a, 52b are mounted on the upper face 22s of the frame 22 which makes it possible to simplify the electric connections between the commutator and the electronic control device.
In addition, the commutator 29 here also comprises a protective film 72 for all the electric contacts against polluting elements.
Finally, the commutator comprises an elastic element such as a spring 76 that is arranged between the pushbutton 54 and the upper panel, that is made on the one hand to limit the vertical clearances of the upper panel 24 relative to the frame when it is in the rest position represented in
The commutator also comprises elastic return means 50 making it possible to keep the plate 56 away from the upper panel when the value of the pressure F1 is less than the threshold value.
According to a second embodiment shown in
Consequently, the upper panel 24 directly actuates the switches 28 and the impulse generated by the disengageable element 48 is transmitted to the upper panel 24 by means of the frame 22.
The metal plate 34 also comprises a connecting strip 80 that is capable of deforming elastically and that interacts with the disengageable element 48 for the upward return of the frame 22 when the user relaxes his action on the upper panel.
According to a variant embodiment, the connecting strip supports the electric contacts 52a, 52b associated with the disengageable element 48.
According to a variant embodiment, not shown, of this embodiment, the disengageable element is directly connected to the upper panel to apply the impulse.
Accordingly, the frame 22 comprises a central orifice that is traversed by the pushbutton 54, similarly to the embodiment represented in
With reference to
However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment of the detection means, which may comprise a larger number of different switches 28 and contact zones 44.
Thus, according to another embodiment of the invention, as can be seen for example in
In addition, the switches are arranged so that the polygon 40 is horizontally centered relative to the upper panel 24, that is to say that the center of the polygon 40 is situated vertically in line with the center of the upper panel 24.
The upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 is divided into a plurality of contact zones 44, here nine contact zones 44, as can be seen in
As has been said above, each contact zone 44 is associated with at least one of the switches 28, so that, when the pointing element comes into contact with a contact zone 44, only the switch or switches 28 that are associated with this contact zone 44 are actuated.
The upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 comprises a central contact zone 44a, that is situated inside the polygon 40, and that is associated with all the switches 28, so that, when all the switch ways are established, the electronic control device is capable of determining that the pointing element is in contact with this central contact zone 44a.
According to a variant embodiment, the electronic control device is made so that it is capable of determining that the pointing element is in contact with the central contact zone 44a when at least two switch ways associated with two switches 28 that are not adjacent are established, for example two switch ways associated with two switches that are diametrically opposed relative to the center of the polygon 40, or else when three switch ways are established.
The upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 also comprises a first series of contact zones 44b, each contact zone 44b of this first series comprising a side that is common with a side 42 of the polygon, and this contact zone 44b is associated with the two switches 28 delimiting this side 42 of the polygon 40.
Here, the first series of contact zones 44b comprises four contact zones 44b that are respectively situated transversely to the right and to the left of the central contact zone 44a, and longitudinally in front of and behind the central contact zone 44a.
Finally, the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 comprises a second series of contact zones 44c, of which each contact zone 44c of this first series is associated with the switch 28 forming a point of the polygon 40.
The contact zones 44c of the second series of contact zones are therefore generally offset at a 45? angle relative to the contact zones 44b of the first series of contact zones, about a central vertical axis (not shown) of the upper panel 24.
The contact zones 44b, 44c of the first series of contact zones and of the second series of contact zones are therefore distributed alternately about the center of the polygon so that each contact zone 44c of the second series of contact zones is arranged between two contact zones 44b of the first series of contact zones and each contact zone 44b of the first series of contact zones is arranged between two contact zones 44c of the second series of contact zones.
As has been said above, the electronic control device is capable of controlling the electronic apparatus according to the contact zone 44 with which the pointing element is in contact, that is to say according to the switch 28 or the switches 28 that have been actuated.
For example, when the pointing element is in contact with a contact zone 44b of the first series of contact zones, the electronic control device is capable of controlling a movement of a cursor on a display screen of the electronic apparatus, in a direction associated with the position of the contact zone 44b, such as a slide towards the right when the pointing element is in contact with the contact zone 44b situated transversely to the right of the polygon 40.
According to a variant embodiment of the invention, the electronic control device is capable of detecting the transition of the contact of the pointing element from one contact zone 44 to another adjacent contact zone 44.
This is particularly the case when the pointing element moves over the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 in a circular movement, rotating about the central contact zone 44a.
In this case, the electronic device detects that the point of contact of the pointing element on the upper panel moves from a contact zone 44 of the first or of the second series of contact zones to the adjacent contact zone of the second or of the first series of contact zones respectively.
According to this variant embodiment, the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 comprises seventeen contact zones 44, that is to say a central contact zone 44a, eight contact zones 44b of the first series of contact zones, three of which contact zones 44b are shaded in
Finally, the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 comprises eight contact zones 44c of the second series of contact zones of which each contact zone 44c is associated with a single switch 28.
According to this embodiment, the commutator 20 comprises a larger number of contact zones 44 which makes it possible to increase the number of functions that may be controlled from the commutator 20.
When the pointing element is in contact with a contact zone 44c of the second series of contact zones, the upper panel 24 is moved relative to the frame 22 so that it actuates a single switch 28 associated with this contact zone 44c.
However, such a position of actuation of a single switch 28 by the upper panel 24 is a relatively unstable position of the upper panel 24 relative to the frame, and consequently the upper panel 24 may move relative to the position in which it actuates a single switch 28 to a position in which it actuates two adjacent switches 28. Two switch ways are then established, and the electronic device may then interpret this movement of the upper panel 24 as a movement of the pointing element on the upper face 24s of the upper panel 24 from one contact zone 44 to another.
Thus, the commutator 20 comprises two switches 28 associated with each switch way, and consequently, according to the embodiment represented in
In a manner similar to the embodiment described above, for which the commutator 20 comprises four switches 28, the first series of contact zones then comprises first contact zones 44b that are respectively situated transversely to the right and to the left of the central contact zone 44a and longitudinally in front of and behind the central contact zone 44a, of which each of these first contact zones 44b is associated with the two switches 28 of one and the same pair of switches 58, and is therefore associated with a single switch way.
The first series of contact zones also comprises second contact zones 44b that are offset angularly at 45? relative to the first contact zones 44b, and each of which second contact zones 44b is associated with two switches 28 of two distinct pairs of switches 58, and hence with two switch ways.
Thus, when a single switch way is established, it means that a single switch 28 is actuated, that is to say that the pointing element is in contact with a contact zone 44c of the second series of contact zones or else it means that the two switches 28 of one and the same pair of switches 58 are both actuated, that is to say that the pointing element is in contact with a first contact zone 44b of the first series of contact zones.
Each switch way is then associated with a first contact zone 44b of the first series of contact zones and with two contact zones 44c of the second series of contact zones that are arranged on either side of the first contact zone.
Thus, according to this embodiment of the invention, the position of actuation of the upper panel 24 corresponding to the establishment of a single switch way is relatively stable relative to the embodiment shown in
For this, the upper panel 24 of the commutator 20 consists of a horizontal disc, and its upper face is divided so that the contact zones 44 of the first series of contact zones and/or of the second series of contact zones form angular sectors of a circular ring, the central contact zone 44a being arranged in the center of this ring.
In addition, each of these angular sectors is associated with a character 60 such as a number or one of the symbols hash “#” or asterisk “*” of the telephone keypad, and the central contact zone 44a is associated with one or more functions of the telephone, particularly those for establishing or terminating a telephone call.
According to a preferred embodiment, the commutator 20 comprises twelve switches 28, so that each angular sector of the ring corresponds to a contact zone 44b of the first series of contact zones defined above.
According to a variant of this embodiment, the twelve switches 28 are grouped in pairs of switches 58, as has been described with reference to the embodiment represented in
The commutator 20 then comprises six switch ways that are associated with thirteen actuation positions of the upper panel 24.
According to another variant embodiment, the commutator 20 shown in
Here, the lighting means are made so as to light the numbers 60 and the symbols 62 that have been shown darkened in
Accordingly, the upper panel 24 comprises translucent portions that are capable of conducting the light produced by these selective lighting means. For example, the translucent portions form the numbers 60, the symbols 62 and the arrows 64 of the upper panel 24.
In addition, the commutator comprises several light sources (not shown) that are arranged beneath the upper panel 24 and that are capable of being activated selectively for the lighting of the translucent portions.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| FR 0651319 | Apr 2006 | FR | national |
