Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Takaya Nakamura

Tamotsu Yamamoto

Masaki Sawada

Tetsuro Hanahara

Naoyuki Takagi

Norifumi Sata

Hiroyasu Okada

Shinji Kamaeguchi

Noriaki Matsui

Takuma Besshi

Yoshihiko Kamimura

Tsutomu Yamagiwa

Shigeru Shibutani

Kohei Fudo

An input device includes a touch panel incorporating a switch electrode region, and an actuator. The switch electrode region includes a switch electrode and a ground electrode disposed side by side with the switch electrode. The actuator includes a push button having an operation surface, an elastic body, a conductor, and a facing surface. The conductor faces the switch electrode region and is separated from the switch and ground electrodes. The conductor moves in line with a press put on the push button such that a capacitance value between the conductor and each of the switch and ground electrodes changes in response to a distance between the conductor and the switch electrode.

Input device and electronic device in which same is used

An input device includes an electrode part, a switching circuit, a driving circuit, a detecting circuit, and a controller. The electrode part includes a plurality of electrode pieces. The switching circuit is formed of a plurality of switches connected to the electrode pieces respectively. The driving circuit and the detecting circuit are connected to the electrode part via the switching circuit. The controller is connected to the driving circuit, the switching circuit, and the detecting circuit. The controller controls the respective switches such that the electrode pieces are individually opened or connected to one of the driving circuit and the detecting circuit.

Input device

A remote control system includes a remote control receiver storing an operation code controlling an electronic device, and a remote control transmitter operable to store a received operation code. The remote control receiver is operable to read the stored operation and to transmit the read operation code to the remote control transmitter. The remote control transmitter is operable to store the transmitted operation code, and to transmit the stored operation code to the remote control receiver according to operation on the operation unit. The remote control receiver is operable to control the electronic device according to the operation code transmitted from the remote control transmitter. The remote control system remotely controls the electronic device reliably with simple operation.

Remote control system

A remote controller includes a case having an upper surface having an opening provided therein, an electrostatic touch panel provided at the opening of the case, a board having an upper surface facing the electrostatic touch panel, a push switch provided on upper surface of the board, a cover sheet provided on the upper surface of the board, a control section operable to detect a position on the upper surface of the electrostatic touch panel where the user touches, and a transmitter to send a remote signal in response to the detected position and an activation of the push switch. The electrostatic touch panel can move toward and away from the circuit board. The cover sheet has a deformable projection projecting. The deformable projection has an upper tip contacting the electrostatic touch panel. The deformable projection has substantially a dome shape having a concave lower surface and a convex upper surface.

Remote controller

The invention relates to a switching device and a remote control unit using the switching device to be used for operating a variety of electronic products. The invention aims to provide a device and unit which can be miniaturized and which can utilize a high-density components mounting technology. A switch () is disposed inside an inner periphery of the rotary operating part (), and a lever () of the switch () is engaged with a cam () formed at an inner boundary of the operating part (), constituting a switching device (). With this constitution, the switching device and the remote control unit using the device can be provided miniaturized using a high-density components mounting.

Switching device and remote control using the switching device

A control section with control keys arranged therein is formed, and upper and lower casings for storing a circuit, and holder capable of loading a button battery and sliding within said casing are respectively provided with stopping portion abutting each other when the holder is pulled out, and thereby, it is possible to obtain a remote-control transmitter which is free from dropping or losing of the holder.

Remote control transmitter

A switching device and a remote control transmitter using the switching device are provided. In the switching device, a driving body rotating in conjunction with an operation body is provided. This rotation of the driving body provides an electrical contact or separation of a switch. A rotation of the operation body causes a great number of electrical contacts and separations of the switch. The operation as described above provides fine detection of an operation angle of the operation body to provide detection of the operation position with a high accuracy.

Switching device and remote control transmitter using the switching device

A substantially ring shaped resistor unit and an conductor unit with a certain space therebetween are provided under an operating unit having a substantially disc shape or a substantially ring shape. When an operating unit is depressed, the resistor unit and the conductor unit are contacted with each other at a position at which the depression is provided. Based on the contact, a controlling part detects the position at which the depression is provided, and a transmitting part transmits a remote control signal corresponding to the position at which the depression is provided.

Remote control transmitter and transmitting and receiving device using the same

A switch substrate (,) is provided on the upper surface with a pluralities of fixed contact points (,A,,B), and a driving body (,) made of an elastic material is placed over the switch substrate (,). The driving body (,) is integrally formed of a center press portion (,) and a periphery press portion (,) corresponding respectively to the fixed contact points (,A and,B). The periphery press portion (,) is provided on the bottom surface at the central end region with a first protrusion (,), the cross sectional end shape of which protrusion being round and making contact to the switch substrate (,). The first protrusion (,) works as a fulcrum separating the functions of center press portion (,) and periphery press portion (,) to be independent to each other. As a result, even when an operating force is given on the operating body (,) at a place somewhat deviating from a right targeted area, the operating force can surely bring only a targeted switch into ON-OFF operation.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Takaya Nakamura