Operation apparatus

Abstract

An operation unit is used for a user to perform a tilt operation. The operation unit includes a disc-shaped detection subject member with a detection subject plane, which intersects with a basic axis Q of the operation unit and is movable integrally with the operation unit. Three detecting units are fixed in three different disposed positions surrounding a neutral axis N to detect displacement parallel with the neutral axis, which is generated by movement of the detection subject plane. A computing unit determines three-dimensional detected positions M1, M2, M3 of the detection subject plane by using (i) the disposed positions (X, Y) of the three detecting units and (ii) displacement detection outputs Z detected by the three detecting units. A tilt direction, in which the operation unit is tilted, is determined using a displacement plane DP defined by the three-dimensional detected positions M1, M2, M3.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional front view illustrating a main structure of an operation apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a plan view illustrating a main structure of the operation apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional front view of an operation apparatus as a modification;

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a main structure of the operation apparatus in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective exploded view of the operation apparatus in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5A is a cross-sectional front view of a linear variable resistance unit;

FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional plan view taken from a line VB to VB in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional view taken from a line VC to VC in FIG. 5A;

FIG. 6 is an equivalent circuit for a linear variable resistance unit;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of operation characteristics of the linear variable resistance unit;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an electrical configuration of the operation apparatus in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C are diagrams illustrating principles for computing operation output data;

FIG. 10 is a flowchart diagram illustrating an example of a process for computing operation output data in the operation apparatus in FIG. 2;

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional front view of a modification of a detecting unit;

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional front view of another modification of a detecting unit;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional front view of yet another modification of a detecting unit; and

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating definitions of a tilt angle and a tilt direction.

Claims

1. An operation apparatus comprising: an operation unit for a user to hold to perform an operation including a tilt operation, wherein a basic axis of the operation unit tilts in a certain radial direction among at least four radial directions with respect to a neutral axis;a detectable member having a detectable plane, which intersects with the basic axis and makes a movement integrated with the operation of the operation unit;a displacement detector having three detecting units fixed in disposed positions surrounding the neutral axis for detecting displacement, which is generated by the movement of the detectable plane and parallel with the neutral axis; anda computing unit for computing operation output data indicating the certain radial direction, in which the operation unit tilts, by using (i) the disposed positions of the three detecting units and (ii) the displacement which is generated by the movement of the detectable plane and detected by the displacement detector.

2. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the basic axis tilts in the certain radial direction among the at least four radial directions with respect to the neutral axis with a tilt center, at which the basic axis and the neutral axis intersect with each other, functioning as a supporting point.

3. The operation apparatus of claim 2, further comprising: a reception unit for supporting the operation unit and allowing the basic axis to tilt in the certain radial direction among the at least four radial directions with respect to the neutral axis with the tilt center functioning as the supporting point.

4. The operation apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reception unit supports the operation unit and allows the basic axis to tilt in any radial direction with respect to the neutral axis with the tilt center functioning as the supporting point.

5. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detectable member is shaped of a disc outwardly extending from the operation unit to intersect with the basic axis, andthe detectable plane is arranged on one side of the disc to uninterruptedly surround the basic axis.

6. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the detectable member is constructed of segmental members, which individually extend radially from the basic axis while having intervals with each other circumferentially around the basic axis to individually correspond to the detecting units,the detectable plane is defined as a plane including segmental planes, each of which corresponds to an identical side of one of the segmental members, andthe segmental planes are arranged to have intervals with each other circumferentially around the basic axis.

7. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the displacement detector has more than three detecting units fixed in individual disposed positions surrounding the neutral axis, andthree detecting units are selected from the more than three detecting units for detecting the displacement.

8. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the computing unit computes operation output data indicating a tilt angle displacement of the basic axis with respect to the neutral axis, the tilt angle being generated based on the tilt operation, by using (i) the disposed positions of the three detecting units and (ii) the displacement which is generated by the movement of the detectable plane and detected by the displacement detector.

9. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the operation unit receives a press operation parallel with the neutral axis while the basic axis accords with the neutral axis, andthe computing unit computes operation output data indicating a press displacement by using the displacement, which is generated by movement of the detectable plane, the movement being resulting from the press operation, and detected by the displacement detector.

10. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the three detecting units of the displacement detector includes a movable portion to reciprocate parallel with the neutral axis while abutting to the detectable plane, andthe displacement detector detects a linear displacement parallel with the neutral axis to follow the movement of the detectable plane by using the movable portion of the each of the three detecting units.

11. The operation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displacement detector includes a bias unit that biases the movable portion of the each of the three detecting units onto the detectable plane.

12. The operation apparatus of claim 10, wherein the displacement detector includes a slidable electric connector, which moves parallel with the neutral axis integrally with the movable portion of the each of the three detecting units, anda variable resistor including a resistive conductor with a resistance, which is divided in a direction parallel with the neutral axis by the electric connector.

13. The operation apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the three detecting units is fixed in a disposed position to detect as a displacement detection output a displacement, which is generated by the movement of the detectable plane and parallel with the neutral axis, andthe computing unit determines three three-dimensional detected positions, at which the three detecting units abut to and detect the detectable plane, by using (i) the three disposed positions of the three detecting units and (ii) three displacement detection outputs detected by the three detecting units andcomputes the operation output data based on information on a displacement plane defined by the three three-dimensional detected positions.

14. The operation apparatus of claim 13, wherein a displacement detection axis is defined parallel with the neutral axis,a coordinate plane to indicate the disposed positions of the detecting units is defined perpendicularly to the displacement detection axis,a three-dimensional coordinate space is defined to include the displacement detection axis and the coordinate plane,the three three-dimensional detected positions at which the three detecting units individually abut to the detectable plane are represented as three sets of space coordinates in the three-dimensional coordinate space, andthe computing unit computes, as the information on the displacement plane, a normal line vector for a plane including the three sets of space coordinates by using the three sets of space coordinates to thereby obtain a computation result, andcomputes, based on the computation result, operation output data indicating a tilt radial direction around the neutral axis and a tilt angle displacement from the neutral axis, wherein the tilt radial direction and the tilt angle displacement result from the tilt operation.

15. The operation apparatus of claim 14, wherein the detectable plane uninterruptedly surrounds the basic axis,the detectable plane is tilted in a predetermined radial direction with respect to a basic plane, for which a normal line vector is the basic axis,the operation unit performs a rotation operation around the basic axis while the basic axis accords with the neutral axis, andthe computing unit computes operation output data indicating a displacement of the rotation operation, based on the displacement detected by the displacement detector.

16. The operation apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computing unit includes a monitor unit for monitoring a first variation from an initial value with respect to the radial direction and a second variation from an initial value with respect to the tilt angle, anda determination unit for (i) determining that a tilt operation is applied to the operation unit when the first variation exceeds from a first predetermined value and the second variation exceeds from a second predetermined value, and(ii) determining that a rotation operation is applied to the operation unit when the first variation exceeds from the predetermined value and the second variation remains within the second predetermined value.

17. The operation apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detectable plane uninterruptedly surrounds the basic axis,the detectable plane is tilted in a predetermined radial direction with respect to a basic plane, for which a normal line vector is the basic axis,the operation unit performs a rotation operation around the basic axis while the basic axis accords with the neutral axis, andthe computing unit computes operation output data indicating a displacement of the rotation operation, based on the displacement detected by the displacement detector.