Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Denki Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Sony Corporation

Japan Synthetic Rubber Co., Ltd.

Akio Nishijima

Hideki Ito

Nobuhiro Oura

Hirohisa Otake

Satoshi Ozai

Katsutoshi Suzuki

Koei Komatsu

Shuichi Matsumoto

Naoya Iwama

Seiichi Suga

Takashi Asakawa

Kenji Itoyama

Isao Sugihara

Michio Toriguchi

Yuji Miyazaki

Syoji Suganami

Kiyomiki Kawanami

Takashi Asagawa

Tooru Yamagami

Jun Hirota

An input device of an embodiment includes a ring portion (operation body) which has a substantially circular cross-section, of which an outer peripheral surface is used as an operation surface, and which is twist-operated in a cross-section circumferential direction thereof, first sensor members to detect operation position information on the operation surface, second sensor members to detect twist information when the twist operation is performed, and a controller to output the operation position information based on electric changes of the first sensor members and the twist information based on electric changes of the second sensor members, in order to control activation of an electronic device.

Input device and control system of in-vehicle device

A shift lever, a shift knob provided on an upper end of the shift lever, an electrode portion provided on a lower end of the shift lever, an operation fulcrum rotatably supporting the shift lever, and a capacitive coupling sensor located in non-contact with the electrode portion are included. By a movement operation of the shift knob, the shift lever rotates and the electrode portion moves while keeping non-contact with a surface of the capacitive coupling sensor. The capacitive coupling sensor detects a position of the electrode portion on the basis of a capacitance change caused with movement of the electrode portion. By so doing, shift position information and trajectory information between each shift position can be obtained.

Position detection device

In order to provide a keyboard device in which a pad used as a palmrest can be stored in the main body, a lock member and an operating segment are integrally formed by a resin resilient member. An engaging segment is formed at the extremity end of a resilient piece constituting a part of the resilient member, the engaging segment is inserted into an engaging hole formed at the pad and it is locked with the pad stored in a notch. Releasing of the locked state is performed such that the resilient member is resiliently deformed while the operating segment is pressed and then the engaged state between the engaging segment and the engaging hole is released. As a locked state releasing means, the resilient piece is provided with a small projecting piece, the main body is provided with a small protrusion, the engaging segment is resiliently deformed in a direction moving away from the engaging hole against the resilient piece by movement of the small projecting piece and the small protrusion while they are being abutted to each other.

Keyboard device with palmrest stored therein

A keyboard device that has an excellent appearance even when viewed from a rear surface side of a transparent keyboard. The keyboard device has a keyboard main body where plural key tops are provided on a support plate, a control board provided on the rear surface side of the support plate, a shield case provided on the rear surface side of the support plate so as to cover the control board, and a case having a rear surface side formed of transparent resin, accommodating the keyboard main body, the control board and the shield case. A resin sheet is provided on the rear surface of the support plate, and the resin sheet is bonded to the support plate except a region corresponding to an edge of the shield case positioned on the rear side of the support plate.

Transparent keyboard device

In order to perform a stable key inputting operation even if the keyboard device is installed at an inclined surface, a rear surface of a main body is formed with a notch, and the notch is provided with an adjuster member. A turning centerline of the adjuster member is in an inclined angle in respect to the rear surface. The notch has a depth size from the rear surface at the rotatable supporting side of the adjuster member deeper and its depth size becomes smaller as it is farther from the rotatable supporting side. The adjuster member is turned to cause the adjuster member to be changed over between one attitude in which it is protruded out of the notch and the other attitude in which it is stored in the notch. In addition, the adjuster member is formed with a shaft, there is provided a resilient member for resiliently pressing the outer circumference of the shaft and the resilient member is fitted to a sliding notch formed at the outer circumference of the shaft.

Keyboard device capable of changing inclination angle of keyboard main body

In the keyboard assembly, post-like support members are formed sideways of each of the key top housings corresponding to key tops to which torsion bars are attached respectively, out of plural key top housings, the support members being erected integrally from a housing plate and having a hollow structure, through holes are formed respectively in base end portions of the support members so as to extend through the housing plate, and a sheet member is disposed on a back side of the housing plate, the sheet member comprising waterproofing protuberances for closing the through holes in a waterproof manner, spring portions for pushing back the key tops upward, and a sheet body portion which renders the spring portions and the waterproofing protuberances integral with each other.

Keyboard assembly having highly waterproof key switches

A keyboard device is disclosed which can improve a fixed state of a connector coated with a soft resin and can reduce the number of components without deteriorating the structural strength of the keyboard device. The keyboard device comprises a keyboard body having a plurality of key switches, a connector coated with a soft resin and capable of being connected with an external device, and upper and lower cases which cover the keyboard body and the connector. The thicknesses of connecting portions provided for connecting the connector and the keyboard body to the same positions of the upper and lower cases, and the length from the tip of a fitting portion provided in the upper case and fitted through through-holes up to a clamp width setting portion provided on a base end side of the fitting portion, are set equal to each other.

Keyboard device having a resin-coated connector held in improved fixed

In a keyboard device, a cooling heat pipe containing a coolant is formed integrally with a support plate. The cooling heat pipe is incorporated in a personal computer in close proximity to an IC component that generates a large quantity of heat, it is possible to cool both IC component and switch member. It is therefore possible to suppress elongation of the sheets that comprise the switch member. The keyboard is kept free of any contact defect formed as a result of this expansion due to heating and subsequent contraction due to cooling.

Keyboard device

Disclosed are an image control device and a data input device, which comprises an apparatus housing section for removably housing a portable coordinate input apparatus having a control face and a light emitting element, a key control section having many keys, and a light receiving element; in the apparatus housing section are disposed a movable mounting base which is movable between an upper limit position and a lower limit position, so that when the portable coordinate input apparatus is inserted and housed in the apparatus housing section, the movable mounting base is engaged and held in the lower limit position, where the entire upper surface of the portable coordinate input apparatus is nearly flush with the control face of the key control section; and on the other hand, when the portable coordinate input apparatus is removed from the apparatus housing section, the movable mounting base moves up to the upper limit position and a part of the lower surface of the portable coordinate input apparatus becomes nearly flush with the control face of the key control section.

Image control device and data input device to be used therefor

A combined-operation type switching apparatus which is downsized and exhibits excellent operability. An operation unit is rotatably and slidably held by a housing. An operation ring is also rotatably held by the housing. The operation ring is rotated together with the operation unit only when the operation unit is pressed. A drive unit is movably supported by a shaft of the operation unit via a spring. A push switch (swell) actuated by pressing the drive unit and rotation detecting switches (projections) actuated by rotating a drive rod of the operation ring are placed inside the housing. A first pair of rotation detecting switches is actuated by rotation of the operation unit when the operation unit is not pressed. The push switch and a second pair of rotation detection switches are actuated by pressing the operation unit such that the operation unit slides along its axis toward the push switch, and then rotating the operation unit. The second pair of rotation detecting switches is actuated (without actuating the push switch) by rotation of the operation ring without pressing the operation unit. In this manner, a plurality of switch operations are performed with a minimal number of members.

Combined-operation type switching apparatus including rotational and

A multidirection input apparatus including a housing, a driving member movably positioned within the housing, and an operation member fixedly attached to the driving member and extending from the housing for manual manipulation. The driving body is supported by an elastic member over an input switch. The elastic member includes six protrusions (two rotation protrusions and four tilt protrusions), each protrusion having a movable contact formed on a lower surface of the elastic member, and each movable contact is positioned over an associated fixed contact located on a lower substrate of the housing. Manual rotation of the operation member causes rotation of the driving member which, in turn, presses against one of the two rotation protrusions, thereby causing the movable contact associated with the rotation protrusion to contact its associated fixed contact on the lower substrate. Manual tilting of the operation member causes tilting of the driving member which, in turn, presses against one or more of the tilt protrusions, thereby causing the movable contacts associated with the tilt protrusions to contact their associated fixed contact on the lower substrate. Downward pressure on the operation member causes the driving member to actuate the input switch.

Rotary operation switch and multidirection input apparatus

A display screen control apparatus for producing a plurality of control signals in response to pressing, tilting and rotating a single operation lever, the control signals being transmitted to control circuitry for controlling the position of a cursor on the display screen in response to the control signals. The display screen control apparatus includes a base upon which are formed a plurality of control switches, the operation lever being resiliently positioned over the control switches such that pressing the operation lever actuates a first control switch, tilting the operation lever actuates one of a plurality of second control switches, and rotating the operation lever actuates one of two third control switches.

Display screen control apparatus

A binder resin for a heat transfer layer, which consists essentially of a polyvinyl acetacetal resin (I) having an acetacetalation degree of at least 87% by weight, the weight ratio of cis-vinyl acetacetal moiety/trans-vinyl acetacetal moiety in the acetacetal moiety of the resin (I) being from 1 to 4.

Binder resin for a heat transfer layer and heat transfer ink ribbon

An electrically conductive composition comprises 100 parts by weight of synthetic resin and/or rubber, 5 to 100 parts by weight of a conductivity-affording agent, and 1 to 100 parts by weight of carbon fiber. The agent used is carbon or acetylene black having resistivity of no higher than 0.3 .OMEGA.cm, a hydrochloric acid absorption of 20 to 40 ml/5 g and a specific surface area of 100 to 400 m.sup.2 /g, which is obtained by continuous thermal cracking of acethlene gas by a mixed gas flow of oxygen-containing gas and steam in the presence or absence of unsaturated hydrocarbons.

Growing community of inventors

Fukushima-ken, Japan

Akio Nishijima