1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a force sense imparting type input apparatus having a force feedback function for imparting external force such as a resistance feeling, propelling force, etc, to an operator operating and rocking an operation lever in accordance with an operating condition of the operation lever. More particularly, the invention relates to a force sense imparting type input apparatus that will be suitable when used for car-mounted controlling apparatuses.
2. Description of the Related Art
A force sense imparting type input apparatus having a force feedback function has been proposed in recent years. When adjustment of functions of car-mounted controlling apparatuses such as an air conditioner, a car audio apparatus, a car navigation apparatus, etc, is consolidated into one operation lever and selection of the apparatuses and function adjustment of the selected apparatus are conducted through this operation lever, the force sense imparting type input apparatus renders an operation feeling pleasant and makes maneuverability more reliable by imparting external force such as a resistance feeling, propelling force, etc in accordance with an operation amount and an operation direction of the operation lever.
As a force sense imparting type input apparatus of this kind, an apparatus is known that includes detection means for detecting an operation amount of an operation lever and its operation direction, an actuator for imparting external force to the operation lever and control means for controlling driving of the actuator on the basis of an output signal outputted from the detection means (refer to Patent Reference 1, for example).
The detection means described above includes a conversion portion for converting rocking motion of an operation lever to rotary motion of two rotary bodies orthogonally intersecting each other, and a detection portion such as a rotary encoder for converting the rotation amounts of these two rotary bodies and their rotary directions into electric signals. The actuator comprises a motor, or the like. The control means stores the detection signal outputted from the detection portion of the detection means, outputs a desired control signal to the actuator on the basis of the detection signal and displays an operation position (cursor) of the operation lever on a monitor provided to an instrument panel inside the car. The control signal is a signal corresponding to an operation feeling imparted to the operation lever, and the kind of the signal includes generation of vibration and a change of operation force. Incidentally, an upper end of the operation lever protrudes from an external decoration surface of a center console box, or the like, inside the car, and a plurality of key switches for selecting functions of various apparatuses displayed on the monitor is arranged on this external decoration surface.
In the force sense imparting type input apparatus roughly constituted as described above, a selection menu representing various apparatuses such as an air conditioner, an audio apparatus, a car navigation apparatus, etc is displayed as an initial screen on a monitor. The operator can select a desired apparatus by pushing one of key switches of a key switch group, and can conduct function adjustment of the selected apparatus by rocking the operation lever. When, for example, the operator selects the air conditioner by pushing an arbitrary key switch, the monitor displays the functions of the air conditioner such as temperature adjustment and wind amount adjustment. When the inclining the operation lever in an arbitrary direction to move the cursor on the monitor, the operator can make temperature adjustment and wind amount adjustment. In this instance, the control means receives the detection signal outputted from the detection means and outputs a desired control signal to an actuator on the basis of the detection signal so that external force corresponding to the operation mount of the operation lever and its operation direction can be imparted to the operation lever. Therefore, the operator can know through blind touch that the operation lever is operated in the intended direction. The operation feeling can be improved and maneuverability can be made more reliable.
Patent Reference 1:
Japanese Unexamined Published Patent Application No. 2002-189560 (pages 4 to 6, FIG. 1)
When the function selection of the desired apparatus is made through the operation lever in the force sense imparting type input apparatus according to the prior art described above, the operator must conduct troublesome operations of first pushing one of key switches of a key switch group arranged in the proximity of the operation lever to select the apparatus, then moving the hand to the operation lever and selecting the function of the selected apparatus. Therefore, the force sense imparting type input apparatus is not easy to operate. The force sense imparting type input apparatus according to the prior art does not take a cancel operation of the function selection through the operation lever into account. When one of the key switches of the key switch group is caused to bear such a cancel operation, the operator must first operate the operation lever for rocking to select the function and must then transfer the hand to the key switch group to conduct the cancel operation. From this point, too, the force sense imparting type input apparatus is not free from the problem that is not easy to operate.
In view of the prior art technologies described above, the invention aims at providing a force sense imparting type input apparatus that makes it possible to conduct a rocking operation of an operation lever and a push-pull operation of a switch, has high maneuverability and is easy to operate.
To accomplish the object described above, the invention provides a force sense imparting type input apparatus comprising an exterior decoration plate having an opening an operation lever having a support point thereof positioned inside the exterior decoration plate and so supported as to be capable of rocking, detection means for detecting an operating condition of the operation lever, an actuator for imparting external force to the operation lever, and control means for controlling driving of the actuator on the basis of an output signal outputted from the detection means, wherein an operation knob is provided to an end part of the operation lever protruding outward from the opening, a push-pull operation is allowed in an axial direction of the operation lever with a neutral position of the operation knob as a reference, and the push-pull operation of the operation knob selectively operates two switches.
When the operation knob provided to the end part of the operation lever is pushed in the force sense imparting type input apparatus having such a construction, one of the switches is operated and when the operation knob is pulled, another switch is operated. Therefore, the operator can continuously conduct the rocking operation of the operation lever and the push/pull operation of the switch, maneuverability can be improved and the apparatus becomes easier to operate.
When the operation knob has a large diameter portion with the operation lever being its proximal end side and a protuberance portion protruding from this large diameter portion, the operator can put his fingers onto these large diameter portion and protuberance portion and can advantageously and easily conduct the push/pull operation. In this instance, when a constriction is defined at a part of the protuberance portion, the operator can easily conduct the push/pull operation while nipping the constriction of the protuberance portion with fingers. When a roughening surface treatment is applied to a ceiling surface of the protuberance portion, the operator can reliably conduct the push operation while putting his finger on the ceiling surface of the protuberance portion. Furthermore, when at least one of the large diameter portion and the protuberance portion has a rectangular planar shape, the operator can know through blind touch the rocking direction of the operation lever from the outer shape of the operation knob.
In the construction described above, it is possible to use switches of a slide type in which a moving contact comes close to and away from two sets of fixed contacts on a substrate as two switches. However, it is preferred to so arrange two push switches on the operation lever as to face each other and to interpose a pusher on the operation knob at a position between stems of the push switches. According to this construction, the operation knob can be stably held at a neutral position by means of return springs built in the two push switches, and wiring of both push switches can be made easily.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
As shown in
As shown in
The operation knob 4 is fitted from outside to the accommodation portion 3a of the operation lever 3. The operation knob 4 is allowed to reciprocate in an axial direction of the operation lever 3 by using the accommodation portion 3a as its slide surface. However, when a stopper protuberance 4a of the operation knob 4 is fitted into an engagement hole 3b of the accommodation portion 3a, the moving distance of the operation knob 4 in the axial direction is limited to a predetermined range and the operation knob 4 is prevented from falling off from the operation lever 3, too. The operation knob 4 has therein a pusher 4b. The pusher 4b is interposed between the stems 14a and 15a of the first and second push switches 14 and 15. Therefore, when the pusher 4b receives uniform urging force in the vertical direction from the return springs built in the first and second push switches 14 and 15, the operation knob 4 is stably held at a neutral position under a non-load state. When the operation knob 4 is pushed with the neutral position as the reference, the pusher 4b turns ON the first push switch 14. When push switch 14 and the operation knob 4 are pulled with the neutral position as the reference, the pusher 4b turns ON the second push switch 15.
Referring to
The control unit 5 has a CPU and a memory that are built in the control unit 5. The CPU receives the detection signals outputted from both encoders 12 and 13, decides a first control signal corresponding to the detection signal on the basis of data and a program stored in the memory and outputs this first control signal to both motors 10 and 11. The first control signal is the one that corresponds to an operation feeling imparted to the operation lever 3 and to the operation knob 4. The kind of the signal includes generation of vibration and a change of operation force. When the kind of the signal is the generation of vibration, a first control signal representing the intensity of vibration, the shape of vibration, a load time, a frequency, etc, is generated. When the kind of the signal is the change of the operation force, a first control signal representing the intensity of the operation force, a generation direction of the operation force (that is, resistance force or propelling force), a load time, etc, is generated. The ON signal of the first and second push switches 14 and 15 is inputted to the control unit 5. The control unit 5 outputs a second control signal to the monitor 6 in accordance with the ON signal of the first and second push switches 14 and 15 and the detection signal of both encoders 12 and 13. The second control signal is the one that decides or cancels a selecting operation of the kind and the function of an apparatus displayed on the monitor 6 and displays a cursor corresponding to the operation position of the operation lever 3 on the monitor 6. The monitor 6 is fitted to an instrument panel inside a car.
Next, the operation of the force sense imparting type input apparatus having the construction described above will be explained with reference to
First, when the system of the force sense imparting type input apparatus is activated, four kinds of menus 19a to 19d of the apparatus such as “AUDIO”, “A/C”, “NAVI” and “TEL” and the cursor 20 representing the present position of the operation lever 3 are displayed on the monitor 6 as shown in FIG. 8. The starting operation of such a system can be conducted by pushing a start button, not shown, disposed at a predetermined position inside the car, or in the interlocking arrangement with an accessory mode of an ignition key, for example.
When the operation force in the rocking direction is not imparted to the operation lever 3, the operation lever 3 is kept under the standup state at the center position through the return springs of both encoders 12 and 13. When the operator puts his fingers to the operation knob 4 and rocks the operation lever 3 in an arbitrary direction, the control unit 5 receives the detection signals outputted from both encoders 12 and 13 of the stick controller 2 and outputs the second control signal corresponding to the detection signals to the monitor 6. In consequence, the cursor 20 is moved to the position corresponding to the present position of the operation lever 3. The rocking operation of the operation lever 3 can be made by various operation methods as the operator puts his fingers to each part of the operation knob 4 while keeping his palm on the exterior decoration plate 1. More concretely, the operator may put his finger on the ceiling surface of the protuberance portion 18 as shown in
When the operation lever 3 is rocked in the desired direction in this way and the cursor 20 is moved in the direction of the kind menu 19a representing “AUDIO”, for example, the control unit 5 receives the detection signals outputted from both encoders 12 and 13 and outputs the first control signal corresponding to the detection signals to both motors 10 and 11. In consequence, the desired operation feeling can be imparted to the operation lever 3. For example, the resistance operation force in the rocking direction of the operation lever 3 is imparted when the cursor 20 reaches the range of the kind menu 19a, and the operation force for promoting the rocking direction of the operation lever 3 is imparted when the cursor 20 enters the range of the kind menu 19a. Consequently, the operator keeping his fingers put on the operation knob 4 can know through blind-touch the rocking operation of the operation lever 3 in the intended direction. In the case of this example, the operator can know through the click feeling that the cursor 20 reaches the range of the kind menu 19a and can then acquire the feeling that the cursor 20 is pulled towards the center of the kind menu 19a. Incidentally, when the display color of the kind menu 19a is changed in addition to the application of the external force to the operation lever 3 when the cursor 20 reaches the range of the menu 19a, the operator can know both haptically and visually that the operation lever 3 is rocked in the intended direction.
As described above, “AUDIO” corresponding to the kind menu 19a is selected when the cursor 20 is moved to the central position of the kind menu 19a. This operation is decided when the operator operates and pushes the operation knob 4 in the axial direction of the operation lever 3. In other words, when the operator pushes the operation knob 4, the pusher 4b pushes the stem 14a of the first push switch 14 and the first push switch 14 is turned ON. The control unit 5 receives this ON signal and outputs the second control signal to the monitor 6. In consequence, the display screen of the monitor 6 changes to four kinds of menus 21a to 21d of “RADIO (AM)”, “RADIO (FM)”, “CASSETTE” and “CD”. Such a push operation of the operation knob 4 is conducted as the operator pushes the ceiling surface of the protuberance portion 18 with his finger as shown in
In this case, too, the operation is conducted in the same way as described above. When the operation lever 3 is operated for rocking in such a manner as to move the cursor 20 on the menu 21a, for example, and when the operation knob 4 is pushed under this state, “RADIO (FM)” is selected and the display screen of the monitor 6 changes to “NHK 1ST”, “NHK 2ND”, “COMMERCIAL STATIONS 1 TO 10”, etc, as shown in FIG. 10. When the operation lever 3 is rocked to select “NHK 1ST”, for example, and the operation knob 4 is pushed to decide the menu, the operator can listen to the NHK 1st program from the car radio.
When the operator desires to cancel the menu selected by rocking the operation lever 3 in the menu selection operation described above, the operator pulls the operation knob 4 in the axial direction of the operation lever 3 and can thus cancel the selected menu. For example, when the operation knob 4 is pulled under the state where the menu shown in
The explanation given above represents the case of “selection of radio stations” from an audio apparatus, but the selection operation of functions of other apparatuses is basically the same with the exception that the display of the monitor 6 changes. For example, it is possible to select temperature adjustment and wind quantity adjustment of an air conditioner when “A/C” is selected from the kind menus 19a to 19d shown in FIG. 8.
In the force sense imparting type input apparatus according to this embodiment, the first push switch 14 is turned ON when the operation knob 4 fitted to the end part of the operation lever 3 is pushed, and the second push switch 15 is turned ON when the operation knob 4 is pulled. Therefore, the operations of selecting and deciding the menu or canceling the menu can be continuously conducted through the rocking operation of the operation lever 3 and the push/pull operation of the operation knob 4, and maneuverability can be remarkably improved. The operation knob 4 has the large diameter portion 17 and the protuberance portion 18, and the constriction 18a is defined at a part of the protuberance portion 18. Therefore, the operator can easily conduct the push/pull operation by nipping the large diameter portion 17 or the constriction 18a of the protuberance portion 18 with two fingers, or putting the finger onto the ceiling surface of the protuberance portion 18. Furthermore, because knurling 17a and 18b is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 17 and on the ceiling surface of the protuberance portion 18, slip of the fingers can be prevented and in this point, too, maneuverability can be improved.
Incidentally, the shape of the operation knob 4 is not particularly limited to the shape in the embodiment described above. For example, the large diameter portion 17 may have a prismatic shape as shown in
The invention is practiced in the form explained above and provides the following effects.
When the operation knob provided to the end part of the operation lever is pushed, one of the switches is operated and when the operation knob is pulled, the other switch is operated. Therefore, the operator can continuously conduct the rocking operation of the operation lever and the push-pull operation for switching, and a force sense imparting type input apparatus that is easy-to-operate and is excellent in an operation factor can be accomplished.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2002-303392 | Oct 2002 | JP | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20040140950 A1 | Jul 2004 | US |