1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotatively-operated electronic component with a push switch which is usable in various electronic devices such as a portable device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A rotatively-operated electronic component having a disc member made to output a signal in accordance with a rotation direction and a rotated angle produced by its rotation, and a switch operated by pushing operation of the disc member in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the disc member is known as a jog dial. Such the rotatively-operated electronic component is used, for example, for selecting an item on a display by rotating operation of the disc member, deciding the selected item by the pushing operation of the disc member or executing the decided item by further pushing operation of the disc member.
In another example of such the rotatively-operated electronic component disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open 11-163997, in addition to the above switch (a first switch), another switch (a second switch) is provided. The second switch is operated by pivoting the disc member to one direction about a pivot axis parallel to the rotation plane of the disc member and orthogonal to the pushing direction. By operating this second switch, a function such as canceling (clearing) once decided item is performed, which has been made conventionally by the other operating element such as a pressing operation key.
By providing the second switch, a number of operations may be performed by operating only the disc member, whereby operability extremely increases. Particularly, in a communication terminal apparatus such as a portable phone, a number of operations may be performed with one finger of a thumb or a forefinger while holding it in a hand, thus providing an extremely convenient handling capability.
It would be desired to provide a further increase of the operability in such apparatus.
For example, when the disc member is pivoted about the pivot axis parallel to the rotational plane of the disc member and orthogonal to the pushing direction, operability of the apparatus will be improved further if two switches are provided for being operated by pivoting operations to two directions instead of pivoting the one direction.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide means to improve the operability of an apparatus having a rotatively-operated electronic component.
A rotatively-operated switch apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized to include a rotating operation unit capable of accepting rotating operation and pressing operation in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the rotating operation and outputting a signal in accordance with a rotational movement of the rotating operation, a first push switch operated by pressing the rotating operation unit, and a second and a third push switches disposed at both sides of the rotation plane of the rotating operation unit and operated by pivoting about a pivot axis parallel to the rotation plane of the rotating operation unit and orthogonal to the direction of the pressing operation.
Accordingly, the rotatively-operated switch apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention may perform separate operations by operating the rotating operation unit into five directions, namely, the rotating operation to two directions, the pushing operation, and the pivoting operation to two directions about the pivot axis parallel to the rotation plane of the disc member and orthogonal to the pressing direction. Each of the operations may be provided with different meanings respectively. Accordingly, a number of items may be processed by operating only the rotating operation unit whereby the operability is extremely increased.
A communication terminal apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is characterized to include a housing member, a rotating operation unit which is supported in such a way that a portion thereof protrudes into the housing member, for accepting rotating operation and pressing operation in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the rotating operation, and outputs a signal in accordance with rotational movement of the rotating operation, a first push switch disposed within the housing member and operated by the pressing operation of the rotating operation unit, a second and a third push switches disposed at both sides of the rotation plane of the rotating operation unit within the housing member and are respectively operated by pivoting the rotation operation unit about the pivot axis parallel to the rotation plane of the rotating operation unit and orthogonal to the direction of the pressing operation, to the both sides of the rotation plane of the rotating operation unit, a storage device for storing a plurality of items, a display device for displaying a plurality of the items read from the storage device, and a control device for conducting selection and execution of the items displayed on the display device, and selection and execution of the function required for communications in accordance with the rotation of the rotating operation unit and the operation of the first to the third push switches.
Accordingly, the communication terminal apparatus according to the present invention may effect operation of the rotating operation unit to five directions, namely, the rotating operation to two directions, the pressing operation, and the pivoting operation toward two directions about the pivot axis parallel to the rotation plane of the rotating operation unit and orthogonal to the pressing direction, each operation being provided with different meanings respectively. Therefore, many items may be processed by only operating the rotating operation unit. For example, by holding the apparatus in a hand, considerably many items may be processed only by bending, stretching, pressing down or sliding of the thumb or the forefinger, whereby convenience in handling is extremely increased.
Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following description.