Knob device for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926713-B2
Application number	US-202016932868-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Jun 30, 2019
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a knob device for vehicle which includes a knob unit and a locking unit. The knob unit includes a rotating cover, a rotary shaft and a motor configured to drive the rotating cover to vibrate. The locking unit includes a rotary wheel which includes a main body fixed to the rotary shaft and locking teeth formed at a periphery of the main body. The locking tooth includes a first end, a second end and a surface connecting the first end and the second end. A distance between the first end and the central axis of the rotary wheel is greater than a distance between the second end and the central axis. The locking unit further includes a locking pole configured to abut the first end to limit rotation of the rotary wheel clockwise, and an actuator configured to drive the locking pole to move.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A knob device for vehicle comprising a knob unit and a locking unit,
the knob unit comprising:
a rotating cover with an open end;
a rotary shaft mounted to the open end of the rotating cover; and
a motor fixed to the rotating cover and configured to drive the rotating cover to vibrate;

the locking unit comprising:
a rotary wheel mounted to the rotary shaft, the rotary wheel comprising a main body fixed to the rotary shaft, and a plurality of locking teeth being arranged at a periphery of the main body, the plurality of locking teeth being distributed in a ring around a central axis of the rotary wheel, the locking tooth comprising a first end, a second end and a surface connecting the first end and the second end, a distance between the first end and the central axis of the rotary wheel being greater than a distance between the second end and the central axis of the rotary wheel;
a locking pole being provided corresponding to the first end and configured to abut the first end to block rotation of the rotary wheel; and
an actuator connected to the locking pole and configured to drive the locking pole to move.

2. The knob device of claim 1 , wherein the number of the locking teeth is eight, and an angle spanned by each locking tooth is 45°.

3. The knob device of claim 1 , wherein the transition surface is curved.

4. The knob device of claim 1 , wherein the rotating cover comprises an outer surface and an inner surface opposite to the outer surface, the inner surface comprises two mounting surfaces arranged in parallel and spaced from each other and two connecting surfaces connecting the two mounting surfaces.

5. The knob device of claim 4 , wherein two symmetrical first connecting poles extend from the connecting surfaces along directions away from the outer surface, two symmetrical latching slots are recessed from the mounting surfaces along directions towards the outer surface, the two first connecting poles are arranged along a Y-axis direction, and the two latching slots are arranged along an X-axis direction, wherein the Y-axis direction is parallel to a vibration direction of the motor, and the X-axis direction is perpendicular to the Y-axis direction.

6. The knob device of claim 5 , wherein the rotary shaft comprises a connecting portion and a shaft body connected to the connecting portion, the connecting portion is received in the open end of the rotating cover, the connecting portion comprises a first portion connected to the shaft body, and a second portion and a third portion which extend from opposite two ends of the first portion along a direction away from the shaft body, the second portion and the third portion are arranged in parallel and spaced from each other, and the second portion and the third portion abut on the mounting surfaces respectively.

7. The knob device of claim 6 , wherein a protrusion extends from each of the two ends of the first portion along a direction towards a corresponding mounting surface of the rotating cover, the protrusions conform to the latching slots respectively, and the protrusions are engaged in the latching slots respectively.

8. The knob device of claim 6 , wherein a second connecting pole extends from each of opposite two sides of the first portion along a direction towards the connecting surface of the rotating cover, each second connecting pole is aligned with a corresponding first connecting pole, the knob unit further comprises a spring, one end of the spring is mounted around the first connecting pole, the other end of the spring is mounted around the second connecting pole, adjacent ends of the first connecting pole and the second connecting pole are spaced from each other, and a middle portion of the spring between the adjacent ends of the first connecting pole and the second connecting pole is suspended.

9. The knob device of claim 6 , wherein a space is formed between the second portion and the third portion, and the motor is received in the space.

10. The knob device of claim 6 , wherein the connecting portion and the shaft body are integrally formed.

11. The knob device of claim 1 , wherein the knob device further comprises an encoder and a processor, the encoder is connected to the rotary shaft by a coupling, the encoder is configured to detect a rotation angle of the rotary wheel and transmit a detection data in response to the rotation angle to the processor, and the processor is configured to control operation of the actuator in response to the detection data.

12. The knob device of claim 1 , wherein the locking pole is made of iron, and the actuator comprises a solenoid which comprises a stationary part and a moveable part moveable relative to the stationary part, the locking pole being a portion of the moveable part or connected to the moveable part.

13. The knob device of claim 1 , further comprising a brush slip ring unit which comprises a pair of slip rings fixed around the rotary shaft and brushes slidably contacting with the slip rings respectively, wherein the rotary shaft defines a wire channel, and power wires and control wires of the motor are arranged in the wire channel and electrically connected to the slip rings respectively.

14. The knob device of claim 13 , wherein the brush slip ring unit comprises a pair of brushes corresponding to each of the slip rings, and an elastic member connected between the pair of brushes and configured to urge the pair of brushes to firmly contact with the corresponding slip ring.

Assignees

• Aac Technologies Pte Ltd

Inventors

• Qin Yingming
• Xie Bing

Classifications

• G05G5/005

  for preventing unintentional use of a control mechanism (G05G5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G05G5/22

  by friction · CPC title

• G05G5/03 Primary

  Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce (arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015) · CPC title

• B60R11/0264 Primary

  for control means · CPC title

• G05G1/10

  Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles {(G05G1/085 takes precedence)} · CPC title