Input apparatus having a touch panel held by a holder movable relative to a circuit board
An input apparatus includes a casing having an opening on one side in a first direction, a panel at least partly exposed through the opening and configured to receive a touch operation and a pressing operation, a holder supporting the panel and reciprocating together with the panel along with the pressing operation, a board in the casing, a sensor provided on the panel and configured to detect the touch operation, a pressure detecting portion configured to detect the pressing operation, and a connector that is provided on the board and connects to a signal cable extending from the sensor. The holder includes a temporary holding portion that holds the board in a state where the board is movable at least in the first direction relative to the holder. The casing includes a stopper that comes into contact with the board from the other side in the first direction.
1 . An input apparatus comprising:
a casing having an opening on one side in a first direction and a stopper, the stopper having a first part and a second part different from the first part, the first part of the stopper being located at an inner surface of the casing;
a panel at least partly exposed through the opening, the panel being configured to receive a touch operation on an operation surface and a pressing operation toward the other side in the first direction;
a holder disposed in the casing and supporting the panel, the holder reciprocating in the first direction together with the panel along with the pressing operation on the panel;
a circuit board disposed in the casing;
a sensor provided on the panel, the sensor being configured to detect the touch operation;
a pressure detecting portion provided on the circuit board, the pressure detecting portion being configured to detect the pressing operation; and
a connector that is provided on the circuit board and connects to a signal cable extending from the sensor,
wherein the holder includes a temporary holding portion that holds the circuit board in a state where the circuit board is movable at least in the first direction relative to the holder, and
the second part of the stopper abuts the circuit board held by the temporary holding portion from the other side in the first direction.
2 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the casing includes an elastic holding portion that holds the circuit board by snapping-in from the one side in the first direction.
3 . The input apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the elastic holding portion is hook-shaped, and the elastic holding portion is configured with an arm and an engaging portion,
the arm is elastically deformable in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
the engaging portion is provided at an end of the arm on the one side in the first direction and engages with the circuit board.
4 . The input apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the engaging portion of the elastic holding portion has, at the one side in the first direction, a guide surface inclined with respect to the first direction.
5 . The input apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the engaging portion of the elastic holding portion has, at the other side in the first direction, an urging surface that is inclined with respect to an extending direction of the circuit board to abuts the circuit board.
6 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the connector is provided on a first mount surface of the circuit board on the other side in the first direction.
7 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the holder holds a light guide, and
a light source is provided, at a position facing the light guide, on a second mount surface of the circuit board on the one side in the first direction.
8 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an electrostatic sensor.
9 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure detecting portion is a load sensor.
10 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure detecting portion is a distance sensor.
11 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure detecting portion is a push switch.
12 . An assembly method for the input apparatus according to claim 1 , the assembly method comprising:
a first process for holding the circuit board with the temporary holding portion of the holder;
a second process for connecting the signal cable to the connector on the circuit board; and
a third process for inserting the holder that holds the circuit board with the temporary holding portion toward the other side in the first direction through the opening of the casing to bring the circuit board into contact with the stopper of the casing.
13 . The input apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the stopper continuously extends from the inner surface of the casing.
14 . An input apparatus comprising:
a casing having an opening on one side in a first direction and a stopper, the stopper having a first part and a second part different from the first part, the first part of the stopper being located at an inner surface of the casing;
a panel at least partly exposed through the opening, the panel being configured to receive a touch operation on an operation surface and a pressing operation toward the other side in the first direction;
a holder disposed in the casing and supporting the panel, the holder reciprocating in the first direction together with the panel along with the pressing operation on the panel;
a circuit board disposed in the casing;
a sensor provided on the panel, the sensor being configured to detect the touch operation; and
a connector that is provided on the circuit board and connects to a signal cable extending from the sensor,
wherein the holder includes a temporary holding portion that holds the circuit board in a state where the circuit board is movable at least in the first direction relative to the holder, and
the second part of the stopper abuts the circuit board held by the temporary holding portion from the other side in the first direction.
15 . The input apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the casing includes an elastic holding portion that holds the circuit board by snapping-in from the one side in the first direction.
16 . The input apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the elastic holding portion is hook-shaped, and the elastic holding portion is configured with an arm and an engaging portion,
the arm is elastically deformable in a direction perpendicular to the first direction, and
the engaging portion is provided at an end of the arm on the one side in the first direction and engages with the circuit board.
17 . The input apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the connector is provided on a first mount surface of the circuit board on the other side in the first direction.
18 . The input apparatus according to claim 14 ,
wherein the holder holds a light guide, and
a light source is provided, at a position facing the light guide, on a second mount surface of the circuit board on the one side in the first direction.
19 . The input apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the sensor is an electrostatic sensor.
20 . An assembly method for the input apparatus according to claim 14 , the assembly method comprising:
a first process for holding the circuit board with the temporary holding portion of the holder;
a second process for connecting the signal cable to the connector on the circuit board; and
a third process for inserting the holder that holds the circuit board with the temporary holding portion toward the other side in the first direction through the opening of the casing to bring the circuit board into contact with the stopper of the casing.