JPH0762815B2 - Flexible surface sheet for keyboard - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial field of application] The present invention is provided with a plurality of pressing areas, and by selectively pressing the pressing areas, the contact points are respectively provided behind the pressing areas. The present invention relates to a flexible surface sheet for a keyboard used for operating a keyboard.

[Prior Art] Providing a ridge in each pressing area in a flexible surface sheet for a keyboard is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication 57-51405.
It is described in Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. JP-A-2003-242, and is known.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Keyboards are used in many fields such as computer, robot operation teaching, and bank terminals.

Of these, it is desirable to consider things such as bank terminals so that even blind people can operate them.

Also, in order to teach the robot to operate, the keyboard must be operated while paying attention to the periphery of the robot and especially the tip of the wrist of the robot. Therefore, you cannot see much on the keyboard.

It is desirable to be able to sense the operated key by tactile sense so that even a visually handicapped person can operate it, or to operate it without looking too much on the keyboard. However, they have not paid much attention to this point.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to be able to sense with a tactile sensation, particularly when a key having a function having an opposing relationship is operated, and moreover, a finger can be definitely moved. (EN) Provided is a flexible surface sheet for a keyboard.

[Means for Solving the Problems] That is, according to the present invention, a sheet is provided with a plurality of pressing areas, and at least a part of the pressing areas has a shape and / or
Alternatively, the sheet is provided with raised portions having different sizes, and the sheet is used to operate the contacts provided corresponding to the back of the pressing area by selectively pressing the pressing area. In at least a part of the pressing areas, the functions to be achieved by pressing the pressing areas are displayed, and the pressing areas in which the functions having a mutually opposing relationship are displayed are arranged adjacent to each other. The gradual slope of the ridges of these two pressing areas is smaller in the side portions facing each other than in the side portions facing outward.

[Operation] In the present invention, since the ridge is provided in at least a part of the pressing area and the shape and / or the size of the ridge is made different among a plurality of types, the pressing operation to be performed or the pressing operation being performed is performed. The area can be sensed by touch.

In the pressing area, the functions to be achieved by pressing the pressing area are displayed, and the pressing areas in which the functions having a mutually opposing relationship are displayed are arranged adjacent to each other, and the inclination of the ridge of the pressing area is further arranged. If the smoothness is different between the side surface parts facing each other and the side surface parts facing each other, it is possible to move the finger from one pressing area in the opposite relationship to the other pressing area without fail. You can do it, and you can sense the change by touch.

The gentleness of the inclination is that, when the side surface portions facing each other are smaller than the side surface portions facing each other, it is more preferable from one pressing area to the other pressing area in the opposing relationship. You can definitely move your finger,
Moreover, it is possible to more reliably sense the movement by touch.

When using it for teaching the robot, for example, the work tip position of the robot was moved to the right, but to correct the overshoot, this time it is moved slightly to the left and positioned, and that point is set as the teaching point. As it is often the case that the other function is selected from one of the mutually opposing functions, it is necessary to definitely move the finger from one of the opposing pressing areas to the other pressing area. Is really convenient.

If a ridge and / or a recess having a height different from that of the reference surface of the sheet is provided on the side of the pressing area that is collected and arranged, the ridge and / or the recess when the finger is rested from the pressing area and resting. By touching the depression with a finger, the position of the pressing area to be pressed can be known without looking at it with the eyes.

[Example] An example in which the present invention is applied to a teaching box of a robot will be described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 11, a keyboard section B provided with a flexible surface sheet B1 for keyboard, a display section C on which a liquid crystal is arranged, and an emergency stop push button switch D are provided on the front surface of the teaching box indicated by A as a whole. Is provided.

Of these, the display unit C displays the contents taught by using the keyboard unit B as symbols or sentences.

The emergency stop push button switch D is operated when an unillustrated robot is brought to an emergency stop.

The keyboard unit B has various keys necessary for teaching the robot.

Explaining the role of the keys, F1 to F6 are menu selection keys, and 2A is already displayed on the display section C by key operation, but cancels the contents not transferred to the user RAM (not shown). 2B is a key to be pressed to turn on and off the backlight of the C display.

The surface of the sheet B1 in each of the pressing areas F1'-F6 ', 2A', 2B 'shown in FIG. 1 of these keys F1-F6 and 2A, 2B is shown in FIGS. 2 (a), (b), ( As shown in detail in plan view, cross-sectional view and vertical cross-sectional view respectively in c), reference plane B2
It has a first-stage ridge a2 slightly protruding from the
Further, it has a horizontally elongated elliptical second-step raised portion b2 at the center thereof. The top of the first-stage raised portion a2 is flat, but the top of the second-stage raised portion b2 is gradually raised so that the central portion becomes the highest.

3A to 3D are scroll keys, which are operated when a cursor (not shown) in the display unit C is moved in the directions of arrows indicated by 3A to 3D. Press area 3A ′ of these scroll keys
The surface of the sheet B1 of each of ~ 3D 'is shown in Fig. 3 (a), (b), (c) in plan view, cross-sectional view, respectively.
As shown in detail in the vertical cross-sectional view, it has a first-stage ridge a3 slightly protruding from the reference plane B2 in a square shape, and further has an arrow-shaped second-stage ridge that is aligned with the scroll direction at the center thereof. It has a part b3. In FIG. 3, only the arrow corresponding to the direction of the scroll key 3C is shown as a representative. The top of the first-stage raised portion a3 is flat, but the center of the second-stage raised portion b3 in the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the arrow extends is the highest.

4A is a key used to select the teaching coordinate system of the robot,
4B is a key used to select the operation speed of the robot during teaching, 4C is a key used to select the teaching mode or the automatic operation mode, and 4D is a display unit C and menu selection keys F1 to F6 4E is a key operated when the display section C and menu selection keys F1 to F6 are used for utility operation, and 4F is a teaching operation and a utility operation.
Key to operate when transferring teaching point to user RAM, 4G is key to operate when adding information in teaching operation or utility operation, 4H
Is a key operated when the user wants to change the information in the teaching operation or the utility operation, and 4I is a key operated when he wants to delete the information in the teaching operation or the utility operation.

The surface of the sheet B1 in each of the pressing areas 4A 'to 4I' of the keys 4A to 4I has a reference plane as shown in detail in plan views and cross sectional views in FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b). It has a first step raised portion a4 slightly protruding from B2 in a substantially square shape, and further has a circular second step raised portion b4 in the center thereof. The top of the first-step raised portion a4 is flat, but the top of the second-step raised portion b4 gradually rises so that the central portion becomes highest.

5A is a manual welding control start key, 5B is a manual output control start key, and 5C is an auxiliary axis operation interlock key.

The surface of the sheet B1 in each of the pressing areas 5A 'to 5C' of these keys 5A to 5C has a reference plane as shown in detail in plan views and cross sectional views in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b). It has a first step raised portion a5 slightly protruding from B2 in a substantially square shape, and further has a circular second step raised portion b5 in the center thereof. The tops of the first step raised portion a5 and the second step raised portion b5 are both flat.

6A to 6J are numeric keys, and 6K and 6L are spare keys.

The surface of the sheet B1 in each of the pressing areas 6A 'to 6L' of these keys 6A to 6L is a reference plane as shown in detail in FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). It has a first step ridge a6 that is circular from the surface B2 and is flat at the top. The diameter of the first step raised portion a6 is much smaller than the diameter of the second step raised portion b5 shown in FIG.

7A is a key for instructing to move the robot to the taught position during teaching or utility operation, 7B is a key used to start the test run in teaching mode, and 7C is for returning the robot to the standby origin. Key, 7D is a servo operation key, 7E is a key to operate when intentionally ignoring an abnormal state and continue the operation, 7F is a key for interlocking so as not to enter the automatic operation mode depending on a signal from the outside, 7G and 7H are spare keys used for adding special functions.

The surface of the sheet B1 in each of the pressing areas 7A 'to 7H' of these keys 7A to 7H is a reference plane as shown in detail in plan views and cross sectional views in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b). It has a first step raised portion a7 slightly protruding from B2 in a substantially square shape, and further has an elliptical second step raised portion b7 in the center thereof. The tops of the first step raised portion a7 and the second step raised portion b7 are both flat.

8A is a numerical input setting key.

The surface of the sheet B1 of 8A 'in the pressing area of the key 8A is slightly slightly square from the reference plane B2, as shown in detail in the plan view and cross-sectional view in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b). It has the protruding first step bulge a8, and further has an oval second step ridge b8 in the center thereof. The tops of the first step raised portion a8 and the second step raised portion b8 are both flat. The lateral widths of the first step raised portion a8 and the second step raised portion are much larger than those of the first step raised portion a7 and the second step raised portion b7 shown in FIG.

9A is a right rotation direction twist command key that commands the robot's wrist twist direction, 9B is a left rotation direction twist command key, 9C is an upward bending command key that commands the wrist bending direction, and 9D is a downward bending command key. 8E is a right rotation command key that commands the rotation direction of the wrist, 9F is a left rotation command key, 9G is an upward movement command key that commands the robot's forearm to move vertically, and 9H is a downward movement command key. , 9I is a forward movement command key that commands the robot's upper arm to move forward and backward, 9J is a backward motion command key, 9K is a rightward rotation command key that commands the robot's base turning direction, and 9L is a leftward direction command key. A turn command key.

As is clear from the above description, the keys 9A and 9B, 9C and 9D,
9E and 9F, 9G and 9H, 9I and 9J, and 9K and 9L have their functions instructed against each other.

The surface of the sheet B1 in each of the pressing areas 9A 'to 9L' of these keys 9A to 9L has a pair of plan views whose functions are opposed to FIGS. 9 (a), (b) and (c). As shown in detail in the horizontal sectional view and the vertical sectional view, it has a first step raised portion a9 slightly protruding from the reference plane B2, and further has a second step raised portion b9 in the center thereof.

The planar shape of the first-stage raised portion a9 is substantially claw-shaped, and, for example, as in 9A and 9B, the pressing areas 9A 'and 9B' of the keys for instructing the functions opposing each other, of both areas. The sides 9c adjacent to each other are straight lines, and the sides 9d apart from each other are formed in an arc shape. The rising angles of 9c and 9d from the reference plane B1 are almost the same and are about 90 degrees. The top of the first step raised portion a9 is flat.

The planar shape of the second step raised portion b9 is also substantially claw-shaped, and, for example, as in 9A and 9B, the pressing area of the key for instructing the functions opposing each other, both areas are adjacent to each other. The side 9e that is formed is a straight line, and the side 9f that is separated is formed in an arc shape. 9e is far from 9c and 9f and 9d are far from 9c.
And the rising angle from the first step raised portion a9 of 9e is about 90.
Although it is a degree, 9f is rising gently.

With the above configuration, it is possible to recognize by tactile sense the pressing areas of the keys that command the mutually opposing functions.

In each of the pressing areas described above, the function to be achieved by pressing the pressing area is displayed as shown in FIG.

As representatively shown in FIG. 2B, a movable contact C1 and a fixed contact C2 are provided behind each pressing area, and the movable contact C1 becomes a fixed contact C2 by pressing each pressing area. Contacted.

Reference numeral a10 denotes a ridge provided on the side where the pressing areas are gathered and arranged so that the height is different from the reference surface B2 of the sheet B1. As shown in FIG. 1, the numbers are different from one to three, and one of them is shown in plan view and cross sectional view in FIGS. 10 (a) and (b). is there. As is clear from the figure, this is a small protrusion from the reference plane B2. Needless to say, the small protrusions may be recessed from the reference surface. Also, if you can tell which small protrusion or depression is being touched by the operator when you hold the teaching box with your hand, do not change the number of small protrusions or depressions provided at each position. Good.

It is also possible to change the shape of the raised portions of all the pressing areas.

[Advantages of the Invention] According to the present invention, the pressing area of the flexible surface sheet for a keyboard is provided with raised portions having different shapes and / or sizes, and the functions in a mutually opposing relationship are displayed. Place the pressing areas adjacent to each other,
Since the gentleness of the slope of the ridges of these two pressing areas is smaller than that of the side surfaces facing each other, the sloping slopingness of the bulging portions is smaller than that of one pressing area in the opposing relationship. There is an effect that the finger can be definitely moved to the other area, and that the movement can be sensed by touch.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the seat of the present invention, and FIGS. 2 to 9 show different shapes of the pressing area shown in FIG. 1 one by one, respectively. (A) is its plan view, (b) is its cross-sectional view,
(C) is a longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 10 shows the shape of the protrusion shown in FIG. 1 as a representative, (a) is a plan view thereof, and (b) is a transverse sectional view thereof. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a teaching box equipped with the seat shown in FIG. B1 is a seat, F1 'to F6'2A' to 9L 'are pressing areas, a2 to a
9 is the first-stage protrusion, b2-b9 are the second-stage protrusions, and a10 is a ridge

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazuyuki Tsuburaya 1-280, Higashi Koikekubo, Kokubunji, Tokyo (56) Reference Design, Hitachi, Ltd. (56) References: 62-171241 (JP, U) 61-168426 (JP, U) Actual opening Sho 60-124824 (JP, U) Actual opening Sho 51-20726 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A sheet is provided with a plurality of pressing areas, and at least some of the pressing areas are provided with raised portions having different shapes and / or sizes, and the pressing area is selected. In the sheet used for operating the contacts provided behind the pressing area in correspondence with each other, by pressing the pressing area, at least a part of the pressing area is achieved. The pressing areas on which the functions to be displayed are displayed and the functions that are in the opposite relationship to each other are displayed are arranged adjacent to each other, and the gentle slopes of the ridges of these pressing areas face each other. A flexible surface sheet for a keyboard, characterized in that the side surface portions that are formed are smaller than the side surface portions that face each other outward.