Patents by Inventor Robert E. Kerner

Robert E. Kerner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8796566
    Abstract: A rotary pushbutton and touchpad device, a system and a method detect rotary movement, axial displacement and touchpad gestures. The device has a knob which may rotate about an axis of rotation, may move upward and downward on the axis of rotation, and may have a touchpad. The touchpad may be fixedly connected to a rotary girder and/or a shaft clip within the knob which may prevent the touchpad from rotating when the knob is rotated. A substantially hollow and cylindrical outer shaft may be fixedly connected to the knob so that rotation of the knob rotates the outer shaft. The shaft clip may be fixedly connected to an actuator shaft which extends through the interior of the outer shaft and conveys axial displacement of the knob. Shutters extending from the outer shaft may rotate into or away from a position between a light emitter and a light pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Grayhill, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert E. Kerner, Torsten F. Chase, Kevin M. Dooley
  • Publication number: 20130220779
    Abstract: A rotary pushbutton and touchpad device, a system and a method detect rotary movement, axial displacement and touchpad gestures. The device has a knob which may rotate about an axis of rotation, may move upward and downward on the axis of rotation, and may have a touchpad. The touchpad may be fixedly connected to a rotary girder and/or a shaft clip within the knob which may prevent the touchpad from rotating when the knob is rotated. A substantially hollow and cylindrical outer shaft may be fixedly connected to the knob so that rotation of the knob rotates the outer shaft. The shaft clip may be fixedly connected to an actuator shaft which extends through the interior of the outer shaft and conveys axial displacement of the knob. Shutters extending from the outer shaft may rotate into or away from a position between a light emitter and a light pipe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Robert E. Kerner, Torsten F. Chase, Kevin M. Dooley