JP6945368B2 - Input device and touch panel display - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an input device and a touch panel display.

Conventionally, there is an input device that gives a tactile sensation to a finger by letting a user perform a touch operation in a state (on state) in which a squeeze film effect is generated on the operation surface of the touch panel by vibrating the touch panel. In such an input device, by roughening the operation surface, the slipperiness due to the touch operation on the operation surface when the squeeze film effect is not generated (off state) is improved (for example, patent). Reference 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2016-184391

However, the above-mentioned input device according to the prior art has a problem that a sound that makes the user uncomfortable is generated when the touch operation is performed in the ON state.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object of the present invention is to provide an input device and a touch panel display capable of suppressing a sound generated by a touch operation on an operation surface.

In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the input device of the present invention includes a touch panel and a vibrating unit. The vibrating part vibrates the touch panel. The touch panel has a surface that makes the sound generated by touch operation both below a predetermined level in both the state where the squeeze film effect is generated by applying vibration by the vibrating part and the state where the squeeze film effect is not generated. The operation surface is roughened to the roughness.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, it is possible to provide an input device and a touch panel display capable of suppressing a sound generated by a touch operation on an operation surface.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an application example of the input device according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the input device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement example of the vibrating element according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the input device according to the embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel according to the embodiment in the on state. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the resonance sound and the scraping sound according to the embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel according to the modified example of the embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the input device and the touch panel display disclosed in the present application will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the present embodiment, the case where the input device is connected to the in-vehicle navigation device will be described as an example, but the input device can also be applied to an electronic device such as a tablet terminal. Further, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below.

First, an application example of the input device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an application example of the input device according to the embodiment.

The input device 1 according to the present embodiment is composed of, for example, a capacitance type touch panel that detects an input by detecting a change in capacitance as a voltage change due to contact or movement of a finger on an operation surface. The touch panel is not limited to the capacitance type. For example, upper electrodes and lower electrodes on which an ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) film is formed are arranged at predetermined intervals, and when touched with a finger, contact / conduction between the ITO films is performed. It may be a resistance pressure sensitive type that detects an input by doing so.

Further, the input device 1 includes a vibrating element 5 (see FIG. 3) corresponding to a vibrating portion that vibrates the touch panel. As a result, the input device 1 can generate the squeeze film effect on the operation surface of the touch panel by vibrating the touch panel. The configuration and arrangement of the vibrating element 5 will be described later with reference to FIG.

Here, the squeeze film effect is a pressure fluctuation due to vibration, and air is drawn between the user's finger and the operation surface to form an air layer, and the frictional resistance between the user's finger and the operation surface is reduced. This is a phenomenon in which the pressure is relatively low compared to the case where there is no vibration.

That is, when the user's finger is close to the operation surface, a compressed air layer is generated between the user's finger and the operation surface due to the squeeze film effect. Such an air layer keeps the user's finger floating from the operation surface. As a result, it is possible to give a smooth tactile sensation to the slide operation of the user who moves the finger on the operation surface, and the finger slides on the operation surface is improved.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the input device 1 is mounted on the vehicle 10, for example, and is fixed to the instrument panel (hereinafter, referred to as “instrument panel”) 11 of the vehicle 10. Then, the input device 1 is connected to a navigation device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle 10 and functions as an input device for the navigation device.

By the way, in the conventional input device, by roughening the operation surface of the touch panel, the slipperiness by the touch operation on the operation surface when the squeeze film effect is not generated (off state) is improved. There is.

However, in the conventional input device, when the touch panel is vibrated by the vibrating element to generate the squeeze film effect on the operation surface of the touch panel (on state), the sound is unpleasant for the user. There was a problem that occurred.

Specifically, when a finger is touched in the touch operation, resonance occurs in the closed space between the squeeze film, which is an air layer generated by bringing the finger close to each other, and the fingerprint groove of the finger, and this resonance sound is produced. It was offensive to the user.

Therefore, in the input device 1 according to the present embodiment, the operation surface is roughened to a surface roughness such that the sound generated by the touch operation in both the on state and the off state is below a predetermined level. .. Hereinafter, the input device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7.

In FIG. 2, for convenience of explanation, the Z-axis with the upper side facing the operation surface of the input device 1 as the positive direction, the depth direction (thickness direction) of the input device 1 as the Y-axis, and the input device 1 A three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system with the width direction (horizontal direction) as the X axis is shown. Such a Cartesian coordinate system may also be shown in other drawings used in the following description.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the input device 1 according to the embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the input device 1 includes a touch panel 2. Note that FIG. 2 shows a touch panel display 4 including a display device 3 in addition to the input device 1.

The touch panel 2 is, for example, a rectangular capacitive touch panel. Here, the surface of the touch panel 2 on the negative direction side of the Y axis serves as the operation surface 2a. Further, the touch panel 2 has a continuous first uneven shape on the operation surface 2a. The detailed structure of the touch panel 2 will be described later.

The display device 3 is, for example, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) liquid crystal display, an organic EL (Electro Luminescence) liquid crystal display, or the like, and displays, for example, a map image which is an output result of the navigation device via a cable (not shown). As a result, the user can visually recognize the image displayed on the display device 3 via the touch panel 2 described above. Therefore, it is preferable that the member of the touch panel 2 described above is made of a transparent member.

Although the touch panel display 4 including the input device 1 is illustrated in FIG. 2, the input device 1 can also be used as a single input device such as a touch pad. That is, the display device 3 shown in FIG. 2 may be omitted.

Next, an example of arranging the vibrating element will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an arrangement example of the vibrating element according to the embodiment. Of the components shown in FIG. 3, the same components as those shown in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 2, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the input device 1 includes four vibrating elements 5a to 5d. The four vibrating elements 5a to 5d are, for example, piezoelectric elements, and are arranged at predetermined intervals of two at each end of the touch panel 2 on the positive direction side and the negative direction side of the X axis. In the following, the vibrating elements 5a to 5d may be collectively referred to as the vibrating element 5.

Further, the number of the vibrating elements 5 is not limited to the above four, and may be three or less, or five or more. For example, one vibrating element 5 may be arranged at each end of the touch panel 2 on the positive direction side and the negative direction side of the X axis.

Further, the vibrating elements 5 may be arranged at predetermined intervals of two at each end of the touch panel 2 on the positive direction side and the negative direction side of the Z axis. Further, one vibrating element 5 is arranged at each end of the touch panel 2 on the positive direction side and one negative direction side of the X axis, and one vibration element 5 is arranged at each end of the touch panel 2 on the positive direction side and the negative direction side of the Z axis. They may be arranged one by one.

That is, the number and arrangement of the vibrating elements 5 on the touch panel 2 may be configured as long as the squeeze film effect can be uniformly generated regardless of where the user's finger is brought close to the operation surface 2a.

Next, a configuration example of the input device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration example of the input device 1 according to the embodiment. Of the components shown in FIG. 4, the same components as those shown in FIG. 3 are designated by the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 3, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 4, the input device 1 includes a control unit 6. The control unit 6 controls the vibrating element 5. The control unit 6 includes a drive unit 61 and a detection unit 62.

The drive unit 61 applies a drive waveform having a frequency in the ultrasonic region to the vibrating element 5 and vibrates the vibrating element 5 to vibrate the operation surface 2a. As a result, the above-mentioned squeeze film effect can be generated on the operation surface 2a of the touch panel 2. The ultrasonic wave is an elastic vibration wave having a high frequency that cannot be heard by the user's ear and is equal to or higher than the audible range, and is, for example, a frequency band of about 20 kHz to 40 kHz.

The frequency applied to the vibrating element 5 is not limited to the frequency in the ultrasonic region, and may be any frequency band as long as the above-mentioned squeeze film effect can be generated on the operation surface 2a of the touch panel 2.

The detection unit 62 detects the touch position on the operation surface 2a by detecting the change in capacitance as a voltage change due to the contact or movement of the finger 7 with the operation surface 2a.

Next, with reference to FIG. 5, the first uneven shape 8 formed on the operation surface 2a of the touch panel 2 will be described in detail. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel 2 according to the embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 5, the touch panel 2 has a first concave-convex shape 8 continuous with the operation surface 2a. Specifically, the first uneven shape 8 is formed by allowing the first fine particles 81 having different sizes to exist on the operation surface 2a.

That is, in this example, the first fine particles 81 are filled in a mold finely processed at the nano level, and the mold is thermally transferred in a state of being superposed on the operation surface 2a, so that the first operation surface 2a has a different size. Fine particles 81 of the above are present. As described above, the operation surface 2a is roughened by forming the unevenness by allowing the first fine particles 81 having different sizes to exist on the operation surface 2a by the nanoprint technique.

The roughness of the operation surface 2a is determined by the sound generated by the touch operation in both the state where the squeeze film effect is generated by applying vibration by the vibrating element 5 and the state where the squeeze film effect is not generated. It is preferable that the roughness is below the level.

Specifically, the roughness of the operation surface 2a is preferably a value in which Rz, which is an index showing the surface roughness, is in the range of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less. Here, Rz is the highest portion (the apex of the first fine particle 81) and the deepest portion (operation surface 2a) when a part of the roughness curve measured by the roughness meter is extracted with a reference length. ) Is the sum value.

Further, the first fine particles 81 existing on the operation surface 2a may all have the same size. In such a case, if Rz, which is an index indicating the surface roughness, is, for example, 50 μm, the protrusion height from the operation surface 2a to the apex of the first fine particles 81 is 50 μm in all the first fine particles 81. Is.

Further, the first uneven shape 8 described above is formed by a nanoprint technique in which the first fine particles 81 filled in a mold finely processed at the nano level are transferred to the operation surface 2a of the touch panel 2. Not exclusively. The method for forming the first uneven shape 8 may be, for example, a combination of a photolithography technique and an etching technique to form the first uneven shape 8 on the operation surface 2a.

That is, even when unevenness is directly formed on the operation surface 2a by etching, the roughness of the operation surface 2a is a value in which Rz, which is an index indicating the surface roughness, is in the range of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less.

Next, the operation and effect of the touch panel 2 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the touch panel 2 according to the embodiment in the on state. Of the components shown in FIG. 6, the same components as those shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 5, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

Further, FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the resonance sound and the scraping sound according to the embodiment. Here, the "resonant sound" means a sound generated by touching the operation surface 2a in a state (on state) in which the squeeze film effect is generated by applying vibration by the vibrating element 5. It is a thing. Further, the “scratch sound” here means a sound generated by touching the operation surface 2a in a state where the squeeze film effect is not generated (off state).

As shown in FIG. 6, when the touch operation of moving the finger 7 on the operation surface 2a is performed in the on state, the first uneven shape 8 is formed on the operation surface 2a, so that the squeeze film which is an air layer is formed. The closed space between the 100 and the groove of the fingerprint 71 (the portion of the fingerprint 71 that is convex upward) is narrowed.

That is, in the present embodiment, the space of the groove portion of the fingerprint 71 is reduced by the first fine particles 81 protruding from the operation surface 2a entering the groove portion of the fingerprint 71. As a result, it is possible to suppress resonance with the squeeze film 100 when the touch operation is performed with the finger 7 in the touch operation.

More specifically, it will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the vertical axis represents the abnormal sound level (dB), and the horizontal axis represents Rz (μm), which is an index showing the surface roughness of the operation surface 2a. In the graph of FIG. 7, the curve A shows a “resonant sound” and the curve B shows a “scratch sound”. The abnormal sound level expresses the user's discomfort with respect to the "resonant sound" and the "scratch sound". Further, in FIG. 7, Th is a threshold value indicating a criterion for determining the user's discomfort with respect to the “resonance sound” and the “scratch sound”. Such a threshold value may be set to, for example, −90 dB.

In FIG. 7, as shown by the curve A, the “resonance sound” becomes smaller as Rz, which is an index showing the surface roughness of the operation surface 2a, becomes larger. On the other hand, as shown in the curve B, the "scratch sound" increases as Rz, which is an index indicating the surface roughness of the operation surface 2a, increases.

That is, when Rz is increased in order to suppress the "resonance sound", the "scratch sound" becomes large. Specifically, when Rz is set to 50 μm or more in order to suppress the “resonance sound”, the slipperiness due to the touch operation to the operation surface 2a in the off state becomes worse, and the “scratch sound” is the criterion for determining the discomfort of the user. The threshold value Th indicating the above is exceeded. Further, when Rz is set to 10 μm or less in order to suppress the “scratch sound”, the slipperiness due to the touch operation to the operation surface 2a in the off state is improved, but conversely, the “resonance sound” is the criterion for determining the discomfort of the user. The threshold value Th indicating the above is exceeded.

For this reason, it is necessary to suppress the "resonance sound" and to set the level so as not to cause discomfort to the user even for the "scratch sound". Therefore, in the present embodiment, the operation surface 2a is roughened to a surface roughness of not less than the threshold value Th, which is a level that does not cause discomfort to the user with respect to the “resonance sound” and the “scratch sound”.

That is, as shown in FIG. 7, the roughness of the operation surface 2a is preferably a value in which Rz, which is an index showing the surface roughness, is in the range of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less. As a result, both the "resonance sound" and the "scratch sound" can be suppressed to the threshold value Th or less.

Further, more preferably, the roughness of the operation surface 2a is a value in which Rz, which is an index showing the surface roughness, is in the range of 20 μm or more and 40 μm or less. As a result, both the "resonance sound" and the "scratch sound" can be suppressed more effectively and low.

Further, more preferably, Rz, which is an index showing the surface roughness, is a value P corresponding to the intersection 200 where the curve A and the curve B intersect. As a result, both the "resonant sound" and the "scratch sound" have the same abnormal sound level, so that there is no sense of discomfort with the sound when the operation surface 2a is touched.

As described above, the input device 1 according to the embodiment includes the touch panel 2 and the vibrating element 5. The vibrating element 5 vibrates the touch panel 2 by ultrasonic vibration.

In the touch panel 2, the sound generated by the touch operation in both the state in which the squeeze film effect is generated by applying vibration by the vibrating element 5 and the state in which the squeeze film effect is not generated is reduced to a predetermined level or less. The operation surface 2a is roughened to a smooth surface roughness.

As a result, the input device 1 according to the embodiment can suppress the sound generated by the touch operation on the operation surface 2a.

Further, as described above, the roughness of the operation surface 2a on the touch panel 2 is preferably a value in which Rz, which is an index indicating the surface roughness, is in the range of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less. As a result, both the "resonance sound" and the "scratch sound" can be suppressed to the threshold value Th or less.

Further, more preferably, the roughness of the operation surface 2a is a value in which Rz, which is an index showing the surface roughness, is in the range of 20 μm or more and 40 μm or less. As a result, both the "resonance sound" and the "scratch sound" can be suppressed more effectively and low.

Next, the input device 1a according to the modified example of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the input device 1a according to the modified example of the embodiment. Of the components shown in FIG. 8, the same components as those shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals as those shown in FIG. 5, and the description thereof will be omitted here.

As shown in FIG. 8, in the input device 1a according to the modified example, the second unevenness on the surface of the first uneven shape 8 has a smaller uneven period than the first uneven shape 8 and is continuous. It differs from the configuration of FIG. 5 in that it has a shape 9.

Specifically, the touch panel 2 has a second fine particle 91 having a smaller particle size than the first fine particle 81 on the surface of the first fine particle 81 on the operation surface 2a.

That is, in this example, the first fine particles 81 and the second fine particles 91 are filled in this order in a mold finely processed at the nano level, and the mold is thermally transferred in a state of being superposed on the operation surface 2a. On the operation surface 2a, the first fine particles 81 having the second fine particles 91 on the surface are present.

The distance T2 between the vertices of the adjacent second fine particles 91 and the vertices of the second fine particles 91 is smaller than the distance T1 between the vertices of the adjacent first fine particles 81 and the vertices of the first fine particles 81. ing. In this form, the highest portion of Rz described above is the apex of the second fine particles 91.

In the method of forming the second uneven shape 9, the first fine particles 81 are made to exist on the operation surface 2a by the nanoprinting technique to form the unevenness, and then, for example, a combination of the photolithography technique and the etching technique is used. The second uneven shape 9 may be formed on the surface of the uneven shape 8 of 1.

In this way, by providing the second concave-convex shape 9 having a smaller concave-convex cycle than the first concave-convex shape 8 and being continuous on the surface of the first concave-convex shape 8, the operation surface 2a in the off state can be obtained. The slipperiness by touch operation can be improved.

That is, as Rz is brought closer to 50 μm in order to suppress the “resonance sound”, the slipperiness due to the touch operation to the operation surface 2a in the off state becomes worse. However, as described above, by providing the continuous second uneven shape 9, even when the Rz is brought close to 50 μm in order to suppress the “resonance sound”, the touch operation to the operation surface 2a in the off state is performed. In, high slipperiness can be obtained.

As described above, the input device 1a according to the modified example of the embodiment has a continuous first concave-convex shape 8 on the operation surface 2a in the touch panel 2, and the first concave-convex shape 8 is placed on the surface of the first concave-convex shape 8. The concave-convex period is smaller than that of the concave-convex shape 8 and has a continuous second concave-convex shape 9.

As a result, the input device 1a according to the modified example of the embodiment can improve the slipperiness by the touch operation to the operation surface 2a in the off state by reducing the contact area with the finger 7 on the operation surface 2a.

Further effects and variations can be easily derived by those skilled in the art. For this reason, the broader aspects of the invention are not limited to the particular details and representative embodiments expressed and described above. Therefore, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general concept of the invention as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

1 Input device 10 Vehicle 11 Instrument panel 2 Touch panel 2a Operation surface 3 Display device 4 Touch panel display 5 Vibration element 6 Control unit 61 Drive unit 62 Detection unit 7 Finger 71 Fingerprint 8 First uneven shape 81 First fine particles 9 Second Concavo-convex shape 91 Second fine particles 100 Squeeze film 200 Intersection points

Claims (6)

Touch panel and
It is equipped with a vibrating part that vibrates the touch panel.
The touch panel is
Surface roughness such that the sound generated by touch operation is below a predetermined level in both the state where the squeeze film effect is generated by applying vibration by the vibrating part and the state where the squeeze film effect is not generated. An input device characterized by a roughened operation surface. The touch panel is
The operation surface has a continuous first uneven shape.
The first uneven shape is
The input device according to claim 1, wherein the concavo-convex period is smaller than that of the first concavo-convex shape, and the surface has a continuous second concavo-convex shape. The touch panel is
The input device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein Rz, which is an index representing the surface roughness, is a value in the range of 10 μm or more and 50 μm or less. The touch panel is
The input device according to claim 3, wherein Rz, which is an index representing the surface roughness, is a value in the range of 20 μm or more and 40 μm or less. The vibrating part is
The input device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the touch panel is vibrated by ultrasonic vibration. The input device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
A touch panel display including a display device provided on a surface of the input device opposite to the operation surface.

Images