Multidirectional input apparatus with switch and multidirectional input system with switch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11417478-B2
Application number	US-202117305190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2021
Priority date	Jul 10, 2020
Publication date	Aug 16, 2022
Grant date	Aug 16, 2022

Abstract

A multidirectional input apparatus with a switch includes a strain generating body including at least a cylindrical portion and a first plate portion; a plurality of strain sensors; a wiring substrate; a contact rubber configuring the switch together with an electrode on the wiring substrate; and a button. The contact rubber includes a base portion, a movable portion, and a deformable portion. The movable portion is movable to a first position when the deformable portion is not deformed, and to a second position when the deformable portion is deformed. A center of a lower surface of the button contacts an upper surface of the movable portion when the movable portion is at the first and second positions. When the movable portion moves from the first position to the second position and contacts the electrode, a protruding portion on the lower surface of the button presses the wiring substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multidirectional input apparatus with a switch comprising:
a strain generating body including at least a cylindrical portion and a first plate portion provided under the cylindrical portion;
a plurality of strain sensors provided at the first plate portion;
a wiring substrate mounted on the cylindrical portion of the strain generating body;
a contact rubber mounted on the wiring substrate and configuring the switch together with an electrode on the wiring substrate; and
a button mounted on the contact rubber, wherein
the contact rubber includes
a base portion positioned on a periphery of the contact rubber,
a movable portion positioned at a center of the contact rubber, and
a deformable portion linking the base portion and the movable portion, wherein
the movable portion is movable to a first position with respect to the base portion in a state where the deformable portion is not deformed, and to a second position with respect to the base portion in a state where the deformable portion is deformed,

a center of a lower surface of the button contacts an upper surface of the movable portion of the contact rubber when the movable portion is at the first position or the second position, and
when the movable portion moves from the first position to the second position and a lower surface of the movable portion contacts the electrode on the wiring substrate, a protruding portion provided on a periphery of the lower surface of the button presses the wiring substrate.

2. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion on the periphery of the lower surface of the button presses the wiring substrate through the base portion of the contact rubber.

3. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 2 , wherein the movable portion of the contact rubber is thicker than the base portion of the contact rubber.

4. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , wherein the protruding portion on the periphery of the lower surface of the button is positioned on an outer side of the base portion of the contact rubber in a planar view, and directly presses the wiring substrate.

5. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , wherein
the strain generating body further includes a second plate portion provided on the cylindrical portion,
the wiring substrate is mounted on the second plate portion, and
the protruding portion on the periphery of the lower surface of the button is provided at a position overlapping the second plate portion in a planar view.

6. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , wherein
the electrode includes a first electrode portion and a second electrode portion divided by an S shape in a planar view, and
the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion are electrically connected when the lower surface of the movable portion of the contact rubber contacts the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion.

7. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , wherein
the contact rubber is formed by two-color molding, and includes a conductive rubber portion including carbon at a lower end of the movable portion.

8. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , wherein the button includes a recess portion configured to accommodate at least an upper portion of the movable portion of the contact rubber.

9. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 8 , wherein a width of the recess portion is wider than a width of a portion of the movable portion to be accommodated within the recess portion.

10. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a flexible wiring substrate provided under the first plate portion of the strain generating body and having the plurality of the strain sensors disposed thereon, wherein
the plurality of the strain sensors are adhered to the first plate portion through the flexible wiring substrate.

11. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 10 , wherein the plurality of the strain sensors are a plurality of resistive elements printed onto the flexible wiring substrate.

12. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 10 , further comprising:
a holding portion configured to hold the strain generating element.

13. The multidirectional input apparatus with the switch according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a cover configured to expose an upper end side of the button and to cover a lower end side of the button.

14. A multidirectional input system with a switch comprising:
a first multidirectional input apparatus with a switch; and
a second multidirectional input apparatus with a switch, wherein
each of the first multidirectional input apparatus with the switch and the second multidirectional input apparatus with the switch includes:
a strain generating body including at least a cylindrical portion and a first plate portion provided under the cylindrical portion;
a plurality of strain sensors provided at the first plate portion;
a wiring substrate mounted on the cylindrical portion of the strain generating body;
a contact rubber mounted on the wiring substrate and configuring a switch together with an electrode on the wiring substrate; and
a button mounted on the contact rubber; and
a common substrate configured to hold the strain generating body of the first multidirectional input apparatus with the switch and the strain generating body of the second multidirectional input apparatus with the switch, wherein
the contact rubber includes
a base portion positioned on a periphery of the contact rubber,
a movable portion positioned at a center of the contact rubber, and
a deformable portion linking the base portion and the movable portion, wherein
the movable portion is movable to a first position with respect to the base portion in a state where the deformable portion is not deformed, and to a second position with respect to the base portion in a state where the deformable portion is deformed,

a center of a lower surface of the button contacts an upper surface of the movable portion of the contact rubber when the movable portion is at the first position or the second position,
when the movable portion moves from the first position to the second position and a lower surface of the movable portion contacts the electrode on the wiring substrate, a protruding portion provided on a periphery of the lower surface of the button presses the wiring substrate, and
a plurality of the strain generating bodies, the plurality of strain sensors, a plurality of the wiring substrates, and the common substrate are fixed to each other.

15. The multidirectional input system with switch according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a flexible wiring substrate provided under the first plate portion of the strain generating body of the first multidirectional input apparatus with the switch and under the first plate portion of the strain generating body of the second multidirectional input apparatus with the switch, and having the plurality of the strain sensors of the first multidirectional input apparatus with the switch and the plurality of the strain sensors of the second multidirectional input apparatus with the switch disposed thereon, wherein
the plurality of the strain sensors of the first multidirectional input apparatus with the switch and the plurality

Assignees

• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yaginuma Sadayuki
• Hosono Kunio
• Muranaka Tetsuo
• Hagiwara Yasuji

Classifications

• H01H2239/078

  Variable resistance by variable contact area or point · CPC title

• H01H2201/032

  Conductive polymer; Rubber · CPC title

• H01H25/041 Primary

  having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls · CPC title

• H01H13/785 Primary

  characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers · CPC title

• H01H25/06 Primary

  Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement · CPC title