With Detent Or Clicker Patents (Class 74/10.41)
  • Patent number: 9003913
    Abstract: An operation input device includes: an operation body having a handle portion, the operation body tilting when the user tilts the operation axis line of the handle portion, and the operation body turning when the user turns the handle portion around the rotation axis line; a stopping portion that abuts on and stops the operation body so as to limit a tilting range of the operation body; a first concavo-convex portion disposed on the operation body; and a second concavo-convex portion. The second concavo-convex portion is disposed at a position corresponding to the first concavo-convex portion of the operation body when the stopping portion stops a tilting motion of the operation body. The first concavo-convex portion and the second concavo-convex portion are engaged with each other so as to restrict a turning motion of the operation body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Yamazaki, Shingo Kitabayashi, Masaaki Hirao
  • Patent number: 8997591
    Abstract: An encoder assembly including control knob return mechanisms and encoder elements. Each control knob return mechanism includes a frame assembly including return spring locators. A return rotor assembly, includes a rotor having a plurality of rotor located spring stops. A return mechanism rotatable shaft is operably positioned within the return rotor assembly and operably connectable to an encoder element. The rotor and the shaft are rotatably stationary relative to each other. A return spring is positioned about the rotatable shaft and operably positioned relative to the return spring locators and the rotor located spring stops to bias the return mechanism rotatable shaft and the rotor in a normally centered position. Each encoder element is connected to an associated return mechanism rotatable shaft of an associated control knob return mechanism, wherein the return mechanism rotatable shafts of the control knob return mechanisms are concentrically positioned relative to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley J. Vircks
  • Publication number: 20130327165
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for locking an adjusting means (5), in particular an electrical addressing device, mounted on a printed circuit board (1) which extends in an x and/or y direction. The device includes an essentially flat base plate (2) having a length (L), a width (B), and a thickness (D), to which a first detent spring (4) is attached for locking engagement with marking means (23, 23?) of the adjusting means (5). The first detent spring preferably has an oblong spring leg (7), wherein in the installed state the base plate (2) is mounted on the printed circuit board (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventor: Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
  • Patent number: 8573092
    Abstract: Disclosed is a rotating actuator with a variable latching profile, the rotating actuator having a housing, a rotary knob and a rotary shaft connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotary knob, and also at least two latching contours connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the rotary shaft, one support per latching contour, on which support at least one latching element is arranged, the latching element engaging in the latching contour assigned to the support, and which support is mounted rotatably about the rotary shaft, and at least one locking device per support, by means of which the support can be locked relative to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Preh GmbH
    Inventor: Andreas Kramlich
  • Publication number: 20130125678
    Abstract: A plunger mechanism (100) is formed of a plunger (102) having a cylindrical body with a half-spherical tip (104). The plunger mechanism (100) is overmolded (108) such that half-spherical tip (104) is exposed. The plunger mechanism provides a drop-in component for a housing (404) having a rotary control (402) with one or more detents (408). The exposed half-spherical tip (104) makes contact with the detents (408) as a rotary control knob (406) is rotated thereby providing improved torque and tactility without the use of springs and without captivation issues.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS, INC.
    Inventor: Patrick S. Claeys
  • Patent number: 8322239
    Abstract: A controller capable of realizing continuous click feelings within an operation range of the controller and a specific click feeling at a specific position of the operation range with continuous natural maneuvering feeling. When a first member to which an element shaft of an electronic device is fixed is rotated relatively to a second member to which an element body of the electronic device is fixed to rotate the shaft, the controller adjusts the control amount the element. A notch array, formed of a serration and a first pawl, and a position confirmation means, formed of a notch and a pawl, are disposed between the first member and the second member. Both members are disposed oppositely with respect to the shaft. A center click feeling, different from the feeling in the notch array, can be obtained at the center within the range of the notch array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Futaba Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Isono, Masashi Tokita
  • Patent number: 8028593
    Abstract: At both of the upper and lower faces of flange section (24A) of rotation body (24) rotatably retained between lower case (21) and upper case (23) opposed to each other via inner case (22), inner concavo-convex section (25) and outer concavo-convex section (26) are provided at point-symmetric positions on concentric circles of an inner circumference-side circle and an outer circumference-side circle. Inner elastic contact projection (27C) and outer elastic contact projection (27D) of double ring-like click spring (27) respectively elastically contact inner concavo-convex section (25) and outer concavo-convex section (26) respectively corresponding to both of the upper and lower faces of flange section (24A), thereby providing a clear click feeling and a high click degree.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Seiki Miura, Jun Sato, Takumi Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 7987738
    Abstract: A rotary selector forms a control element for inputting a setting value to an electronic control system, in particular for a control device of an electronic domestic appliance, such as a washing machine, a dishwasher, or the like. The rotary selector has a rotatably mounted control portion and an adapter non-rotatably connected to the control portion. The adapter has a latching section with side faces arranged uniformly about its periphery. Coaxially with the latching section of the adapter is a stationary spring element formed with elastic legs arranged uniformly about a periphery of the latching section and which extend tangentially relative to the side faces of the latching section. The number of the side faces of the latching section is an integral multiple of the number of the elastic legs of the spring element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Diehl Ako Stiftung & Co. KG
    Inventors: Werner Kaps, Harald Rapp, Andreas Brauchle
  • Patent number: 7971498
    Abstract: A control device is provided for a technical system (17), e.g. for a shift-by-wire vehicle transmission. The control device includes a control (actuating) element, e.g. a rotary knob (1), with at least two shifting positions. The control element (1), itself, can rotate without limitation, whereas the control device has at least one stop device (2, 3), which can be adjusted in a controlled manner and which limits the angle of rotation (W) of the control element (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
    Inventors: Joerg Meyer, Andreas Giefer
  • Publication number: 20110132112
    Abstract: In a rotary electronic component, the rotor includes a flange with the first face on which grooves are formed radially and the second face. The plate spring with a ring shape in the top view, includes resilient arms and flat parts. The upper member has the bottom face covering the plate spring and the first face, and retains the flat part such that the flat part can be attached to or detached from the bottom face of the upper member while preventing the plate spring from rotating responsive to rotation of the rotor. A spring constant of the resilient arms and the shape of the flat part are set to achieve the state such that the resilient, arms bend and the flat part is partially released from the bottom face of the upper member when the resilient arms go over a position between adjacent grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroaki HISAMUNE, Akira Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7804036
    Abstract: A control switch is equipped with a detent mechanism that generates a click feeling in a dial knob as a result of a detent piece of a plunger member gets over detent crests of a detent crest member. A stopper is provided in the plunger member, and the position of vertical motion of the stopper is switched by means of a rectilinear actuator, thereby switching rotational operation of the dial knob between an enabled state and a disabled state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Seiji Ishigaki, Terukazu Hiroe
  • Patent number: 7767916
    Abstract: A switch device that adjusts tactile sensation of a switch knob without control delay. The switch device includes a knob operated to switch an actuation state of an apparatus. A click mechanism is connected to the knob and includes a recess and a projection. Engagement of the projection and the recess provides a tactile sensation to a person operating the knob when the knob is operated. An adjustment mechanism generates a magnetic field to adjust tactile sensation of the click mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masayuki Kurihara, Seiji Ishigaki, Masahiko Miyata
  • Publication number: 20090272207
    Abstract: A rotary actuating mechanism for a center stack of a vehicle is disclosed including a knob and a plurality of rotary wheels. An indexing device, disposed adjacent the rotary actuating mechanism, includes a guide adapted to contact one of the rotary wheels and travel along the outer surface thereof to provide a desired tactile feel, wherein the guide is selectively positioned by one of a mechanical device and an electromechanical device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas John Buckingham, David Michael Whitton, James Joseph Kornacki
  • Publication number: 20080289439
    Abstract: Rotary body 22 is provided with storing hole 22E, 22F in two positions point-symmetrical to the rotational center at the upper part of flange 22C, and retainers 26, 27 having steel balls 25A, 25B, steel ball receiving holes 26A, 27A, coil springs 28A, 28B are stored therein from the opening side in order, and steel ball receiving hole 26A of one retainer 26 is provided with a tolerance that enables steel ball 25A to slightly move in the horizontal direction, and click plate 24 on which steel balls 25A, 25B are resiliently contacted is disposed between rotary body 22 and bearing 23, and as a result, it is possible to maintain rhythmical clicking and clicking sound even in case of repeating the rotating operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiki Miura, Takumi Nishimoto
  • Publication number: 20080197004
    Abstract: A control switch is equipped with a detent mechanism that generates a click feeling in a dial knob as a result of a detent piece of a plunger member gets over detent crests of a detent crest member. A stopper is provided in the plunger member, and the position of vertical motion of the stopper is switched by means of a rectilinear actuator, thereby switching rotational operation of the dial knob between an enabled state and a disabled state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventors: Seiji Ishigaki, Terukazu Hiroe
  • Publication number: 20080173112
    Abstract: A shaft of an operating member is provided with a rotation detention receiving member having a substantially V-shaped concave portion. A detention giving unit includes a coil spring of a steel wire and a pressing member and presses the pressing member against the concave portion of the rotation detention receiving member to give rotation detention thereto. An electromagnet is arranged on a device base. A rotary encoder is attached to the shaft. Of the rotation detention receiving member and the detention giving unit, as regards the rotation detention receiving member is rotatable integrally to the operating member; and as regards the detention giving unit, while the electromagnet is de-energized, it is rotated integrally to the operating member whereas while the electromagnet is de-energized, it is attracted by the electromagnet so that it is fixed in a non-rotating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Terukazu Hiroe, Masahiko Miyata, Seiji Ishigaki
  • Patent number: 6380733
    Abstract: So that a device for producing selector positions is easy to operate, the stop positions of which can be taken in securely and largely free of mechanical wear, and so that it is easily adaptable, in particular to the respective operating conditions, a position transmitter unit (1) is provided which is movable along a longitudinal axis, and thereby its position transmitter teeth can be fixed with respect to the teeth of a first position detector element (6.1., . . . 6.n). The position transmitter unit (1) can be shifted with a finger body along the longitudinal axis into a recess, and thereby a second rotation body can be placed on a second position selector unit, and this position can be detected by a second position detector element (57). The position transmitter unit (1) can be moved with a moving device (32.1, . . . 32.n) via a second position selector unit two dimensionally with respect to a base body (4), and this position can be detected by third position detector elements (8.1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: AB Elektronik GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Apel, Klaus Fallak
  • Patent number: 6374696
    Abstract: A detent assembly (30) includes a rotatable index member (34) having a series (44) of minor index positions (46) disposed in a circular array and a series (52) of major index positions (54) disposed in a circular array which is axially offset from the circular array of minor index positions. A plurality of first spring sections (124) are integrally formed as one piece with a housing (32) which encloses the index member (34). The first spring sections (124) are disposed in a circular array which extends around the index member (34). Each of the first spring sections (124) is disposed in engagement with the series (44) of minor index positions (46). A second spring section (66) is integrally formed as one piece with the housing and is disposed in engagement with the series (52) of major index positions (54). A stem (40) extends axially from one end of the index member (34) and is engageable by a handle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2002
    Assignee: TRW Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas E. Blake, III, Ignacio Gutierrez, Vu Le
  • Patent number: 6336605
    Abstract: A braking apparatus for a fishing reel comprising: a side cover; a brake dial rotatably positioned in the side cover such that the brake dial is externally accessible and operable from outside of the side cover, the brake dial having a plurality of predetermined positions; at least one cam lobe provided on either the brake dial or the side cover; and a V-spring operably attached to the other of the brake dial or the side cover for interaction with the cam lobe such that, when the V-spring is positioned against a portion of the cam lobe and the brake dial is not located in one of its predetermined positions, the V-spring will act against the portion of the cam lobe to urge the brake dial to rotate to one of the predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2002
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher S. Littau, Hyunkyu Kim
  • Patent number: 6223610
    Abstract: When a leaf spring 22 is rotated integrally with the rotation of a knob dial 18, the leaf spring 22 is pushed and deflected by three corners of a cylindrical section 17a. After that, when three corners of the cylindrical section 17a get over the leaf spring 22 and new three surfaces are engaged with the leaf spring 22, rotation of the knob dial 18 is regulated. In this case, the pushing direction of the leaf spring 22 is the same as the direction of deflection. Therefore, the rotational resistance of the knob dial 18 can be reduced. Accordingly, a feeling of operation of the knob dial 18 becomes light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Ishiguro, Mitsuru Naka