Compact data input device having transparent touch panel

摘要

Disclosed is the tape printer 1 constructed from the main body 2 shaped nearly a rectangular parallelpiped having a front face slightly inclined rearward and the input part 3 shaped like as a flat plate which is extended from a front bottom of the main body 2. On the front face of the main body 2, the liquid crystal display 5 is arranged. In the input part 3, the plate 7, on which the keyboard pattern is printed, is movably arranged under the transparent touch panel 10. The position of the plate 7 is detected based on combinations of ON state and OFF state of the first position sensor 131 and the second position sensor 132. When it is detected by the sensors 131,132 that the plate 7 is positioned under the transparent touch panel 10, the character data is input by using the positional data output from the transparent touch panel 10 through the input pen 6. When it is detected by the sensors 131, 132 that the plate is positioned substantially out of the transparent touch panel 10, the figure data is input by using the positional data output from the transparent touch panel 10 through the input pen 6.