Input device using touch panel

Abstract

There provided is an input device comprising a pressure-sensitive type touch panel; a housing for supporting the touch panel so as to contact the touch panel at a position which is away from a detection area on a surface of the touch panel; and a guide frame which is disposed on the surface of the touch panel so as to be attached to a periphery of an opening portion of the housing and is a member independent from the housing. By employing such an input device, even if the housing is strongly pressed, no erroneous inputting will arise and operability will not be impaired.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an external view of a game device according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of the game device;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an internal structure of the game device;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view, along a line A-A, of the game device;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an enlarged cross-sectional view, along a line A-A, of a part of the game device;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view, along a line B-B, of the game device;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an enlarged cross-sectional view, along a line B-B, of a part of the game device;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a positional relationship between a detection area of the touch panel and a guide frame;

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary disposition of the guide frame;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another exemplary disposition of the guide frame;

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating further another exemplary disposition of the guide frame;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing effect of making a thickness of the guide frame smaller than a thickness of a housing;

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing effect of forming a gradient portion in the housing;

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating one example of a conventional input device using a pressure-sensitive type touch panel; and

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating another example of a conventional input device using a pressure-sensitive type touch panel.

Claims

1. An input device, comprising: a pressure-sensitive type touch panel;a housing for supporting the touch panel so as to contact the touch panel at a position which is away from a detection area on a surface of the touch panel; anda guide frame which is disposed on the surface of the touch panel so as to be attached on a periphery of an opening portion of the housing and is a member independent from the housing.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the guide frame covers at least one part of a portion, which is not covered by the housing, of a non-detection area of the touch panel.

3. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a pen for operating the touch panel, wherein in the guide frame, a position of a tip of the pen, which contacts the touch panel, is limited so that the tip of the pen does not contact the non-detection area of the touch panel.

4. The input device according to claim 3, wherein when a side face of the pen is caused to contact the guide frame while the pen is caused to contact the touch panel in a perpendicular manner, the tip of the pen is positioned in a detection area of the touch panel.

5. The input device according to claim 1, wherein in a side view, a top of the guide frame is lower than a top of a portion neighboring the guide frame in the housing.

6. The input device according to claim 1, wherein in the housing, a gradient which slopes toward an opening portion of the housing in a gentle or step-like manner is formed.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the guide frame is attached to the surface of the touch panel.

8. The input device according to claim 1, wherein at least one operation switch is provided on a surface where the opening portion of the housing is disposed.

9. A mobile game device comprising the input device according to claim 1.

10. A controller for a game device comprising the input device according to claim 1.

11. An input device comprising a housing having an opening portion and a pressure-sensitive type touch panel which is disposed inside of the housing and exposed from the opening portion, wherein the touch panel has a detection area and a non-detection area surrounding the detection area and is disposed so that an edge of the opening portion of the housing contacts or faces the non-detection area and a part of the non-detection area is exposed from the opening portion, the input device comprisinga guide frame which is disposed so as to cover the exposed portion of the non-detection area and is a member independent from the housing.