Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12510979-B2
Application number	US-202418796505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 7, 2024
Priority date	Aug 25, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

An input device includes a strain generation body having a base and a pillar section extending from the base in a vertical direction, and four strain sensors disposed to the base of the strain generation body. The four strain sensors are disposed in four directions different by 90° with respect to a center of the pillar section, the pillar section has protrusions on an outer circumferential surface in a tip portion, the protrusions protruding in a horizontal direction, the protrusions includes two protrusions protruding in directions opposite to each other with respect to the center of the pillar section, and the two protrusions are provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in directions different from the four directions in which the four strain sensors are disposed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An input device comprising:
a strain generation body having a base and a pillar section extending from the base in a vertical direction; and four strain sensors disposed to the base of the strain generation body, wherein the four strain sensors are disposed in four directions different by 90° with respect to a center of the pillar section, the pillar section has protrusions on an outer circumferential surface in a tip portion, and the protrusions protrude in a horizontal direction, the protrusions includes:
two protrusions protruding in directions opposite to each other with respect to the center of the pillar section; and
the two protrusions are provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in directions different from the four directions in which the four strain sensors are disposed, and
when viewed from the horizontal direction, each of the protrusions has a mountain-like shape, and the mountain-like shape includes:
a pair of first slopes provided to face each other in the vertical direction with a top portion provided at a center between the first slopes; and
a pair of second slopes provided to face each other in the horizontal direction with the top portion provided between the second slopes.

2 . The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the protrusions are eight protrusions, and in the eight protrusions:
a first set of four protrusions of the eight protrusions is provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in same four directions as the four directions in which the four strain sensors are provided; and
a second set of the four protrusions of the eight protrusions is provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in four directions different by 45° from the four directions in which the four strain sensors are disposed, and the second set is different from the first set.

3 . An input device comprising:
a strain generation body having a base and a pillar section extending from the base in a vertical direction; and four strain sensors disposed to the base of the strain generation body, wherein the four strain sensors are disposed in four directions different by 90° with respect to a center of the pillar section, the pillar section has eight protrusions on an outer circumferential surface in a tip portion, and the protrusions protrude in a horizontal direction, in the eight protrusions:
a first set of four protrusions of the eight protrusions is provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in same four directions as the four directions in which the four strain sensors are provided; and
a second set of the four protrusions of the eight protrusions is provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in four directions different by 45° from the four directions in which the four strain sensors are disposed, and the second set is different from the first set, and
the pillar section has a shape having a rotational symmetry at an angle of 45°.

4 . The input device according to claim 3 , wherein the tip portion of the pillar section has a non-undercut shape that enables two molds to be released, the two molds being slidable in the opposite directions with respect to the center of the pillar section.

5 . The input device according to claim 4 , wherein
when viewed from the horizontal direction, each of the eight protrusions has a mountain-like shape, and the mountain-like shape is configured with:
a pair of trapezoidal first slopes provided to face each other in the vertical direction with a top portion provided at a center between the first slopes; and
a pair of triangular second slopes provided to face each other in the horizontal direction with the top portion provided between the second slopes.

6 . The input device according to claim 5 , wherein the pillar section has a columnar shape.

7 . An input device comprising:
a strain generation body having a base and a pillar section extending from the base in a vertical direction; four strain sensors disposed to the base of the strain generation body; an operation member disposed above the pillar section, the operation member having a shaft portion passing through the pillar section in the vertical direction; a movable contact disposed under the shaft portion; and a stationary contact disposed under the movable contact, wherein the four strain sensors are disposed in four directions different by 90° with respect to a center of the pillar section, the pillar section has protrusions on an outer circumferential surface in a tip portion, and the protrusions protrude in a horizontal direction, and the protrusions includes:
two protrusions protruding in directions opposite to each other with respect to the center of the pillar section; and
the two protrusions are provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in directions different from the four directions in which the four strain sensors are disposed.

8 . An input device comprising:
a strain generation body having a base and a pillar section extending from the base in a vertical direction; four strain sensors disposed to the base of the strain generation body; and an operation member disposed above the pillar section, the operation member having a shaft portion passing through the pillar section in the vertical direction, wherein the four strain sensors are disposed in four directions different by 90° with respect to a center of the pillar section, the pillar section has eight protrusions on an outer circumferential surface in a tip portion, and the protrusions protrude in a horizontal direction, and in the eight protrusions:
a first set of four protrusions of the eight protrusions is provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in same four directions as the four directions in which the four strain sensors are provided; and
a second set of the four protrusions of the eight protrusions is provided, with respect to the center of the pillar section, in four directions different by 45° from the four directions in which the four strain sensors are disposed, and the second set is different from the first set.

Assignees

• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hosono Kunio
• Yaginuma Sadayuki

Classifications

• H01H25/04

  Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick · CPC title

• G01L5/1627

  of strain gauges (using piezoresistors G01L5/162) · CPC title

• H01H23/14

  Tumblers · CPC title

• H01H23/12

  Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon · CPC title

• G06F3/0338 Primary

  with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks · CPC title