JPH0222407B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a multi-item information input device for cordless input of an information processing device, and in particular, to a multi-item information input device that performs cordless input for an information processing device, and particularly to a multi-item information input device on which a large number of input keys are arranged, a large number of items corresponding to each key are written on a key mat surface. The present invention relates to a multi-item information input device configured to sequentially feed out flexible sheets.

This type of device selects a desired sheet from, for example, 24 sheets and feeds it out onto the underside of a transparent key mat, but information other than the information on the 24 built-in sheets is recorded. If you want to use a different sheet, you not only have to replace the sheet, but you also have to go through a procedure to change the registered contents. The need for a procedure to change the registered contents is a very serious problem for a cordless type input device that can be easily operated by anyone without special training.

In view of the above points, the present invention automatically changes the switch function of the input key as the information written on the sheet is replaced, thereby eliminating the need for a procedure to change the registered contents, and also making it possible to eliminate the need for changing the registered contents. It is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-item information input device capable of detecting sheet number information of a sheet identification instruction section between the sheets. Next, means for achieving the above object will be explained with reference to drawings corresponding to embodiments.

That is, the present invention has a large number of input keys 2a on the top surface of the input device main body 1.
A substantially transparent key mat 2 having
A plurality of flexible sheets 11 displaying information items to be input using the input key 2a at locations corresponding to a are attached to the sheet holder 1 with one side thereof.
The key mat 2 is detachably attached to the key mat 2 and stored in a wound state in one direction, and by rotating the seat holder 12 in the opposite direction, the desired seat 11 is fed out onto the lower surface of the key mat 2. In the item information input device, each sheet 1 is placed on the side of the sheet 11.
Sheet identification instruction section 18 formed by a plurality of displays in which sheet number information preset according to No. 1 is written along the feeding direction of the sheet 11.
and a unit for detecting the sheet number information provided at a position where the sheet identification instruction section 18 passes when the sheet 11 is fed out and corresponding to the end of the sheet identification instruction section 18 that has been fed out. Alternatively, when seat number information detected by a pair of opposing detection units 6 and the detection unit is input, the address of the control memory in the control circuit C corresponding to this seat number information is specified. , a control circuit C that matches the item in the item information entry section 17 displayed on the sheet-like member 11 having the sheet number information with the item activated by the input key 2a of the corresponding key mat 2. A multi-item information input device is characterized in that:

Further, in the present invention, the seat holder 12 is formed by disk-shaped holders 12, 12 provided on both left and right sides of the rotation operation shaft 10,
The sheet 11 includes a base sheet 14, a transparent cover sheet 15 attached to the base edge of the base sheet 14 so as to be openable and closable, and projecting from both sides of the base edge of the cover sheet and the base sheet. a mounting rod 13, and a claw 19 that is removably held between the cover sheet 15 and the base sheet 14 and protrudes from the top surface of the base sheet 14.
It is desirable that the information sheet 16 is positioned by extrapolating the hole 20 formed in the sheet plate surface.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to an illustrated embodiment.

FIGS. 1a and 1b are perspective views of a multi-item information input device according to the present invention. Several dozen flexible sheets with items corresponding to each key written on the bottom surface of the transparent key mat are sequentially rolled out. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an input device main body, and a rectangular key mat 2 is provided on the upper surface of the main body 1, and a large number of input keys 2a are arranged on the key mat 2. Furthermore, one side of the key mat 2 is pivotally connected to the main body 1 so that it can be opened and closed in the vertical direction, and a sheet insertion part 3 and a page selection symbol etc. are written on the underside of the key mat 2. A sheet feed-out slit 5 is formed between the general-purpose item entry section 4 and the sheet insertion section 3. The space created by the lower surface of the key mat 2 and the upper surface of the sheet partition plate 7 is the sheet insertion section 3, and a sheet number is provided on the front side of the sheet insertion section 3 with respect to the sheet feeding direction. A detection section 6 for detecting information is provided, and in this embodiment, the detection section 6 is formed at a position corresponding to a light emitting element 6a formed on the lower surface of the key mat 2 and the light emitting element 6a on the sheet partition plate 7. A light receiving element 6b is used. Further, an external connection key portion 8 is provided on the side of the key mat 2 on the main body 1.

On the other hand, a sheet storage section 9 is arranged inside the main body 1 as shown in FIGS. It is rotatably installed,
The sheet 11 that is moved forward and backward through the feeding slit 5 has a sheet holder 12,
It is attached via 12. This holder 1
2 and 12 are disk-shaped, and a large number of seat attachment holes 12a are formed in the outer periphery of the holders 12 and 12, and the attachment rods 13 of the seat 11 are fitted into these attachment holes 12a. (See Figure 3a).
Thus, between the holders 12, 12, one side of the seat 11 is attached parallel to the operating shaft 10 with a constant interval on the same circumference of the holders 12, 12.

The mounting rod 13 is made of a material such as glass fiber, and one side of the sheet 11 is wound around the rod 13, leaving both ends of the rod 13.

The sheet 11 is shown in plan view in FIG. 3a.
As shown in FIG. b (cross-sectional view taken along the line - in FIG. It is composed of a cover sheet 15 and an information sheet 16 tightly sandwiched between the base sheet 14, and the cover sheet 15 is attached to the base sheet 1 on one side thereof.
4, and can be opened and closed from the other side to the fixed portion 14a. The base sheet 14 and cover sheet 15 are made of polyester film, and the information sheet 16 sandwiched between the sheets 14 and 15 is made of polyester film, paper, or any other flexible material.
This information sheet 16 has an item information entry section 17 formed at a position corresponding to the key mat 2, and a sheet identification instruction section 18 formed at a position corresponding to the detection section 6 along the feeding direction of the sheet 11. ing. The sheet identification instruction section 18 is 18-
n squares from 1 to 18-n (n is a positive integer) are used, and 2 ⁿ combinations can be identified by filling in the squares as appropriate. In addition, the sheet 11
Identification instruction section 18 that is finally identified by drawing out the
Since the position where the terminal end 18-n stops has been fed out by the detection section 6, all the squares are identified by the detection section 6 until the feeding is finished. moreover,
The base sheet 14 has two protruding claws 19, 19 for positioning it with the information sheet 16, and the information sheet 16 has two corresponding positioning holes 20, 20 formed therein. .

The seats 11, 11 mentioned above are attached to the seat holders 12, 12 by rods 13 at regular intervals along the same circumference, and all the seats 1
1 is wound in a roll shape in the same direction by the rotation of the seat holders 12, 12, and is housed inside the main body 1 as shown in FIG. 2a. As shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, rollers 21a to 21d are provided inside the main body 1 and attached to the side plate 1a, and a belt 22 is stretched around these rollers 21a to 21d. Among these, the rollers 21a to 21c are the side plate 1a.
However, the roller 21d is attached to the side plate 1a via a spring 23, and this spring 23 applies tension to the belt 22, and the sheet 11 is attached to the rollers 21b and 21c of the belt 22. The wound state of the sheet 11 is maintained by being pressed by the portion in between.

On the other hand, one end of the rotary operation shaft 10 to which the seat holders 12, 12 are fixed is connected to a drive shaft of a stepping motor (not shown) to constitute a seat holder drive section M. The leading edge of the sheet partition plate 7 is close to the separating member 7a, and is adapted to receive the separated sheets 11. This sheet separating member 7a is connected to the sheet insertion portion 3.
It has the function of separating a predetermined sheet sent out from other sheets.

The electrical configuration of the above-mentioned device is, for example, as shown in FIG. That is, the key 2a of the key mat 2, the external connection key section 8, and the detection section 6 are each connected to a control circuit C having a memory section, and constitute an input section for specifying the address of the control memory of the control circuit C. The control circuit C is configured to control the power supply section E and also control the seat holder drive section M based on information from the input key 2a of the key mat 2. Further, the control circuit C has a control function of transmitting and receiving control signals and data to and from the outside, and is connected to an external device (eg, a host computer) O.

Next, the operation of the device configured as described above will be explained.

First, when the input key 2a corresponding to the page selection symbol written on the general-purpose item entry section 4 is pressed, the sheet holder 12 rotates in a direction that involves the sheet 11, and Stops at a preset rotation angle position. Therefore, the free end of the desired sheet 11 is located at the sheet separating section 7.
seat holder 1 is located slightly above a.
2 rotates in the opposite direction to the above, and the desired sheet 1
1 is fed into the sheet insertion section 3. Further, the remaining sheets 11 are fed out to the lower part of the sheet partition plate 7. At this time, the sheet identification instruction section 18 written along the feeding direction of the sheet 11
From the starting end 18-1 to the ending end 18-n is the detection section 6.
, the sheet address information is sequentially input to the control circuit C. Further, when the feeding is completed, the desired sheet 11 is positioned on the lower surface of the key mat 2, and a predetermined switch function is displayed on the lower surface of the key mat 2. Here, item information entry section 17
When the user presses the input key 2a corresponding to a desired item among the items described in , the address of the control memory in the control circuit C is designated, and the desired item is input into the information processing device. Furthermore, when the sheet-like member 11 is changed to another sheet 1, the sheet identification instruction section 18 is changed at the same time, so the designated address for the input key 2a is automatically changed based on the sheet number information. Therefore, each input key 2a has a wide range of functions.

Note that the light emitting element 6a and the light receiving element 6 of the detection section 6
b may be arranged in parallel with either the sheet partition plate 7 or the key mat 2 to detect the reflected light from the sheet identification instruction section 18 of the sheet 11. A reflective sheet may be attached based on the number, or punch holes may be formed if the information sheet 16 is made of an opaque material. Furthermore, timing marks may be arranged in parallel. In addition to the three-sheet configuration of the base sheet 14, cover sheet 15, and information sheet 16, the sheet 11 may be a single sheet on which information is written.

Further, in this embodiment, the sheet identification instruction sections 18 provided along the feeding direction are 18-1 to 18-18.
-n, but if you want to increase the number of information sheets 16, sheet identification instruction section 1
By providing multiple columns of 8, more information can be input.

Furthermore, in the explanation so far, the key mat 2 is pushed from the top surface of the seat 11, but
Seat 11 is not provided with a switch on key mat 2.
A switch (for example, a flat switch) may be provided on the seat partition plate 7 on the lower surface of the seat. Further, the sheet holders 12, 12, rollers 21a to 21d, etc. are stored in a cartridge-shaped box so that all the sheets wound around the sheet holders 12, 12 can be replaced at once, and the sheets are replaced in cartridge units. You can do it like this.

As explained above, according to the present invention, sheet number information preset for each sheet is written on the side of each sheet 11 in a plurality of displays along the feeding direction of the sheet 11. 1 to form a sheet identification instruction section 18, and one or opposing one for detecting sheet number information is placed at a location corresponding to the end of the sheet identification instruction section 18 from which the sheet 11 is fed out.
Since the configuration includes a pair of detection sections 6, a single detection section 6 can identify a plurality of sheet identification instruction sections.
This has the effect of minimizing the number of detection units for the row of sheet identification instruction units.

Furthermore, when the sheet number information detected by the detection section 6 is input, the switch function of the input key 2a is automatically changed in accordance with the replacement of the information written on the sheet. There is no room for discrepancy between the input key items written on the sheet 11 that has been rolled out and the items operated by the input keys 2a of the key mat 2;
This has the advantage that there is no risk of malfunctions due to human errors that may occur during the procedure for changing registered contents.

Further, in the present invention, mounting rods 13 protruding from both sides of the base of each seat 11 are formed at predetermined intervals along the outer peripheral edges of the left and right disc-shaped holders 12, 12 facing each other. By inserting and holding the sheets into the sheet attachment holes 12a, 12a, the mutual contact pressure when the sheet-like members 11 are rolled up is reduced compared to conventional sheets held on the outer periphery of the roll. , the unwinding and taking out operation is facilitated. Moreover, since it is lightweight and compact, its rotational operation becomes easy.

Further, in the present invention, the information sheet 16 can be replaced by opening the cover sheet 15 and replacing it with another information sheet 16, and by inserting the hole 20 into the claw 19 on the upper surface of the base sheet 14. This has the effect that the work is facilitated and the information sheet 16 is positioned and held at the normal position by the claws 19.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1a and 1b are perspective views of the multi-item information input device according to the present invention, Figures 2a and 2b are sectional views showing the internal structure, and Figure 3a is a diagram showing how the seat is attached to the seat holder. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the main part, FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the same line, and FIG. 3... Sheet insertion part, 6... Detection part, 11... Sheet, 12... Sheet holder, 14... Base sheet,
15...cover sheet, 16...information sheet, 18...
Sheet identification instruction section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A large number of input keys 2 on the top surface of the input device main body 1.
A substantially transparent key mat 2 is provided inside the input device main body 1, and when the key mat 2 is extended to the lower surface of the key mat 2, the input key 2
A plurality of flexible sheets 11 displaying information items to be input using the input key 2a at locations corresponding to a are attached to the sheet holder 1 with one side thereof.
The key mat 2 is detachably attached to the key mat 2 and stored in a wound state in one direction, and by rotating the seat holder 12 in the opposite direction, the desired seat 11 is fed out onto the lower surface of the key mat 2. In the item information input device, each sheet 1 is placed on the side of the sheet 11.
Sheet identification instruction section 18 formed by a plurality of displays in which sheet number information preset according to No. 1 is written along the feeding direction of the sheet 11.
and a unit for detecting the sheet number information provided at a position where the sheet identification instruction section 18 passes when the sheet 11 is fed out and corresponding to the end of the sheet identification instruction section 18 that has been fed out. Alternatively, when seat number information detected by a pair of opposing detection units 6 and the detection unit is input, the address of the control memory in the control circuit C corresponding to this seat number information is specified. , a control circuit C that matches the item in the item information entry section 17 displayed on the sheet-like member 11 having the sheet number information with the item activated by the input key 2a of the corresponding key mat 2. A multi-item information input device characterized by: 2 The seat holder 12 has a rotary operation shaft 10
Disk-shaped holders 12, 1 provided on both left and right sides of
2, the sheet 11 includes a base sheet 14, a transparent cover sheet 15 attached to the base edge of the base sheet 14 so as to be openable and closable, and a base of the cover sheet and the base sheet. Attachment rods 13 protrude from both sides of the edge, and claws 19 are removably held between the cover sheet 15 and the base sheet 14 and protrude from the upper surface of the base sheet 14.
and an information sheet 16 positioned by extrapolating a hole 20 formed in the sheet plate surface.
Multi-item information input device described in Section 1.