Electronic device and knob module thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11810739-B2
Application number	US-202217569074-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2022
Priority date	Jan 7, 2021
Publication date	Nov 7, 2023
Grant date	Nov 7, 2023

Abstract

An electronic device and a knob module thereof are provided. The knob module includes a circuit board, a rotary encoder, a light guide structure, a plurality of light emitting units, and a rotation cover. The rotary encoder is disposed on the circuit board. The light guide structure is disposed on the circuit board. The light guide structure includes a light guide ring and an annular light guide wall. The light guide ring surrounds the rotary encoder. The annular light guide wall extends downward from the light guide ring to abut against the circuit board. The plurality of light emitting units is disposed on the circuit board and located between the annular light guide wall and the rotary encoder for emitting light toward the annular light guide wall. The rotation cover is disposed on the rotary encoder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A knob module, comprising:
a circuit board;
a rotary encoder, disposed on the circuit board;
a light guide structure, disposed on the circuit board, wherein the light guide structure comprises a light guide ring and an annular light guide wall, the light guide ring surrounds the rotary encoder, and the annular light guide wall extends downward from the light guide ring to abut against the circuit board;
a plurality of light emitting units, disposed on the circuit board and located between the annular light guide wall and the rotary encoder for emitting light toward the annular light guide wall; and
a rotation cover, disposed on the rotary encoder, wherein
an outer side surface of the annular light guide wall is flush with an outer side surface of the light guide ring,
the light guide structure further comprises a plurality of fixing columns, the fixing columns are located on an outer side of the light guide ring and are connected to the light guide ring, for positioning the light guide ring above the light emitting units, and
upper edges of the fixing columns protrude upward from an upper surface the light guide ring.

2. The knob module according to claim 1 , wherein the light emitting units are located in an annular space defined by the light guide ring and the annular light guide wall.

3. The knob module according to claim 1 , wherein a minimum height of the rotary encoder is greater than a height of the light guide structure.

4. The knob module according to claim 1 , wherein the light emitting units are symmetrically distributed around the rotary encoder.

5. The knob module according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the rotation cover is greater than an inner diameter of the light guide ring.

6. The knob module according to claim 1 , wherein the circuit board comprises a connector.

7. The knob module according to claim 1 , wherein the rotation cover is made of a transparent material.

8. An electronic device, comprising:
a working area;
a keyboard module, disposed on the working area;
a touchpad, disposed on the working area; and
a knob module, disposed on the working area and located between the keyboard module and the touchpad, wherein the knob module comprises:
a circuit board;
a rotary encoder, disposed on the circuit board;
a light guide structure, disposed on the circuit board, wherein the light guide structure comprises a light guide ring and an annular light guide wall, the light guide ring surrounds the rotary encoder, and the annular light guide wall extends downward from the light guide ring to abut against the circuit board;
a plurality of light emitting units, disposed on the circuit board and located between the annular light guide wall and the rotary encoder for emitting light toward the annular light guide wall; and
a rotation cover, disposed on the rotary encoder,

wherein an outer side surface of the annular light guide wall is flush with an outer side surface of the light guide ring,
wherein the light guide structure further comprises a plurality of fixing columns, the fixing columns are located on an outer side of the light guide ring and are connected to the light guide ring, for positioning the light guide ring above the light emitting units, and
wherein upper edges of the fixing columns protrude upward from an upper surface the light guide ring.

Assignees

• Asustek Comp Inc

Inventors

• Cheng Chao-Chieh
• Wang Yi-Ou
• Fang Jia-Ruei
• Huang Chienyi
• Wang Chao-Shun

Classifications

• H01H25/04 Primary

  Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick · CPC title

• H01H9/18

  Distinguishing marks on switches, e.g. for indicating switch location in the dark; Adaptation of switches to receive distinguishing marks · CPC title

• H01H19/02

  Details · CPC title

• H01H25/06 Primary

  Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement · CPC title

• H01H19/025

  Light-emitting indicators · CPC title