Search

EP-4736971-A1 - OPERATION INPUT APPARATUS

EP4736971A1EP 4736971 A1EP4736971 A1EP 4736971A1EP-4736971-A1

Abstract

An operation input apparatus (1) includes a plurality of operation panel portions (450) disposed to be flush with each other, each of the plurality of operation panel portions (450) being displaceable by an operation of a user; and an actuator (10) including a movable portion (20) connected to the operation panel portion (450), the actuator (10) performing, by electromagnetic driving, a first operation of the movable portion (20) to apply an operation feeling to the user in accordance with a displacement of the operation panel portion (450) and a second operation of the movable portion (20) to present an operation position (450) of the operation panel portion to the user or to prompt the user to operate the operation panel portion (450).

Inventors

  • GOMI, YOSHIHIRO
  • Takanori, KATO
  • IRIE, Takahiko
  • TAKAHASHI, YUKI
  • KITAMURA, YASUTAKA

Assignees

  • Minebea Mitsumi Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251029

Claims (16)

  1. An operation input apparatus (1) comprising: a plurality of operation panel portions (450) disposed to be flush with each other, each of the plurality of operation panel portions (450) being displaceable by an operation of a user; and an actuator (10) including a movable portion (20) connected to the operation panel portion (450), the actuator performing, by electromagnetic driving, a first operation of the movable portion (20) to apply an operation feeling to the user in accordance with a displacement of the operation panel portion (450) and a second operation of the movable portion (20) to present an operation position of the operation panel portion (450) to the user or to prompt the user to operate the operation panel portion (450).
  2. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein, the plurality of operation panel portions (450) are each constituted by a plate-shaped body that is supported in a cantilever manner with a groove portion (456) at a base end and a distal end as a free end, as a part of an operation surface (4a) to be operated by the user, and the movable portion (20) is connected to a back surface of the plate-shaped body on a side of the free end and moves along with a tilt of the free end.
  3. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting portion (300) that connects the operation panel portion (450) and the movable portion (20) each other, wherein, the movable portion (20) includes: an output shaft portion (25) that is disposed to be capable of linearly advancing and retreating toward a back surface of the operation panel portion(450); and a moving member (9) that is provided at a distal end of the output shaft portion (25), is connected to the back surface of the operation panel portion (450) via the connecting portion (300), and moves along the back surface of the operation panel portion (450) during a displacement of the operation panel portion (450).
  4. The operation input apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, the moving member (9) is movably accommodated in an accommodation portion (320) provided in the connecting portion (300), the accommodation portion (320)is provided therein with an elastic member (900) that is contractible by elastically deforming to cover the moving member (9), and the moving member (9) moves by deforming the elastic member (900) in accordance with the displacement of the operation panel portion (450), and advances and retreats the output shaft portion (25).
  5. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein, the moving member (9) slides on the back surface of the operation panel portion (450), and the output shaft portion (25) linearly advances and retreats following the displacement of the operation panel portion (450).
  6. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 3, wherein, at least one of the moving member (9) and the back surface of the operation panel portion (450) is constituted of an elastically deformable elastic resin, and the moving member (9) moves and the output shaft portion (25) linearly advances and retreats, following the displacement of the operation panel portion (450).
  7. The operation input apparatus (1000) according to claim 1, wherein, the plurality of operation panel portions (450) are provided thereon with a deformable planar elastic surface portion (420), and the plurality of operation panel portions (450) are capable of freely pushing the elastic surface portion (420) upward or downward by at least one of the first operation and/or the second operation of the movable portion (20).
  8. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (10) moves the movable portion (20) in a direction normal to a surface of the operation panel portion (450).
  9. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (10) includes an operation amount detection part (91) that performs detection of a movement amount, in a moving direction, of the movable portion (20) moved by the operation of the user via the operation panel portion (450).
  10. The operation input apparatus according to claim 9, wherein, the movable portion (20) includes a magnet (30) that is electromagnetically driven in cooperation with a coil (61,62) of a fixed portion (50), and the operation amount detection part (91) is a magnetic sensor that detects a position of the magnet (30).
  11. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 9, wherein the movable portion (20) performs an operation in accordance with a result of the detection by the operation amount detection part (91).
  12. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (10) operates the movable portion (20) in multiple stages in a moving direction in accordance with an operation amount of the movable portion by the operation of the user to apply the operation feeling to the user.
  13. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 9, wherein the movable portion (20) performs an operation of a click feeling in accordance with a result of the detection by the operation amount detection part (91).
  14. The operation input apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an action detection part (404) that detects an action of the user, wherein, the actuator (10) performs the second operation of the movable portion to present the operation position of the operation panel portion (450) to the user or to prompt the user to operate the operation panel portion, in accordance with the action of the user detected by the action detection part (404).
  15. The operation input apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (10) performs at least one of the first operation and/or the second operation of the movable portion (20) by supplying a current that is variable in accordance with an operation amount of the user to provide the user with the operation feeling by changing hardness or softness of a haptic sensation.
  16. The operation input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actuator performs at least one of the first operation and/or the second operation of the movable portion (20) by supplying a current that is variable in accordance with an operation amount of the user to apply a reaction force to the movable portion (20) and express a buckling haptic sensation to the user as the operation feeling by a current that decreases or flows in a reverse direction when a threshold is exceeded.

Description

Technical Field The present invention relates to an operation input apparatus. Background Art A game controller has been widely used as an input device for a home video game apparatus. Such a game controller generally includes, for example, as an operation portion operated by a user (player), a stick in an upright state that can be tilted, a directional key, and various buttons, as described in Patent Literature (hereinafter referred to as PTL) 1. The user can perform a desired operation input via the game controller by tilting the stick or appropriately pressing a key or button. The input can be adjusted according to the angle at which the stick is tilted (such as the amount of movement) by the user varying the force applied. Further, the game controller is equipped with an actuator that vibrates in response to stick or button operations, and the vibration of the actuator provides the user with a sense of operation through the game controller, thereby enhancing a sense of presence and enjoyability of the game. Citation List Patent Literature PTL 1 Japanese Patent No. 5379250 Summary of Invention Technical Problem Generally, a stick, a key, a button, or the like in an operation portion of an operation input apparatus, such as a game controller, has a protruding shape and is designed to be easily recognized by a player. In recent years, there has been a demand for an operation input apparatus, such as a game controller, that features a high level of design aesthetics while a protrusion of an operation portion does not interfere when not in use. An object of the present invention is to provide an operation input apparatus that has high design aesthetics and enables a thin profile. Solution to Problem To achieve the object, the present invention includes: a plurality of operation panel portions disposed to be flush with each other, each of the plurality of operation panel portions being displaceable by an operation of a user; and an actuator including a movable portion connected to the operation panel portion, the actuator performing, by electromagnetic driving, a first operation of the movable portion to apply an operation feeling to the user in accordance with a displacement of the operation panel portion and a second operation of the movable portion to present an operation position of the operation panel portion to the user or to prompt the user to operate the operation panel portion. Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to achieve high design aesthetics and a thin profile. Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an operation input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line A-A in FIG. 1;FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the operation input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention in which an operation panel portion is displaced;FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line B-B in FIG. 3;FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the operation input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a back side of an upper case illustrating a structure of the operation panel portion;FIGS. 7A and 7B are partial sectional views illustrating a connection relationship between an operation panel portion to which a cap portion is attached and an output shaft portion;FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view illustrating a movement range of the operation panel portion at the vibration actuator;FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view illustrating a movement range of a panel portion at the vibration actuator that does not include a sliding member;FIG. 10 is a partially enlarged sectional view illustrating Variation 1 of a connecting portion;FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the displacement of the operation panel portion in a reference example and an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 12 is an external perspective view of an actuator of the operation input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a configuration of a principal part of the actuator;FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating an internal structure of the actuator with a case removed;FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view of the actuator;FIG. 16 is a perspective view of movable portion;FIG. 17 is a diagram for describing an operation of the actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIGS. 18A and 18B are diagrams for describing sensing of a magnetic sensor;FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a principal part of the operation input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 20 is a diagram schematically illustrating a configuration of a principal part of a variation of the operation input apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;FIG. 21 is a diagram for describing an operation o