Rotary input operation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9791884-B2
Application number	US-201615087572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2016
Priority date	Apr 15, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

In a rotating operation body, a cam part has first cam faces for click feeling generation and second cam faces for return of the rotating operation body. The second cam faces are respectively formed continuously with the first cam faces, and an angle between each of the second cam faces and a direction in which elastic forces of engagement parts are generated is smaller than an angle of each of the first cam faces. That is, each of the second cam faces has a steeper slope than each of the first cam faces.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary input operation device comprising:
a cam part having a cam surface; and
an engagement member configured to be pressed against the cam surface by an elastic force applied in a first direction and to generate a click feeling by sliding along the cam surface according to a rotating operation of the rotary input operation device,
wherein the cam surface includes a plurality of cam faces which have different angles with respect to the first direction, the plurality of cam faces comprising:
first cam faces configured to generate the click feeling, the first cam faces forming first angles with the first direction; and
second cam faces forming second angles with the first direction, the second angles being smaller than the first angles, the second cam faces being configured to return a position of the engagement member toward the first cam faces when a rotating operation force is released, the second cam faces including:
a third cam face located next to the first cam faces; and
a fourth cam face located next to the third cam face on an opposite side of the first cam faces, the fourth cam face having one of the second angles be smaller than another one of the second angles formed on the third cam face.

2. The rotary input operation device according to claim 1 , wherein an end portion of the second cam faces on the opposite side of the first cam faces is located in a vicinity of a maximum rotational position of the rotating operation, and
the elastic force pressing the engagement member against the cam face is strongest at the maximum rotational position.

3. The rotary input operation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotating operation body having a central holding part and the cam part, the rotating operation body being configured to rotate according to the rotating operation.

4. An input operation system comprising:
the rotary input operation device according to claim 1 , the rotary input operation device further including a rotating operation body having the cam part; and
an input operation case which accommodates the rotating operation body and the engagement member,
wherein the engagement member is fixed to the input operation case.

5. A rotary input operation device comprising:
a cam part having a cam surface;
an engagement member configured to be pressed against the cam surface by an elastic force applied in a first direction and to generate a click feeling by sliding along the cam surface according to a rotating operation of the rotary input operation device;
a plurality of fixed contacts provided on a substrate; and
a movable contact configured to rotate together with the cam part and slide along the fixed contacts,
wherein the cam surface includes a plurality of cam faces which have different angles with respect to the first direction, the plurality of first cam faces having a valley portion formed by adjacent two of the first cam faces so as to hold the engagement member at a position where the movable contact comes into contact with a corresponding one of the fixed contacts.

6. The rotary input operation device according to claim 5 , further comprising:
a rotating operation body having a central holding part and the cam part, the rotating operation body being configured to rotate according to the rotating operation.

7. An input operation system comprising:
the rotary input operation device according to claim 5 , the rotary input operation device further including a rotating operation body having the cam part; and
an input operation case which accommodates the rotating operation body and the engagement member,
wherein the engagement member is fixed to the input operation case.

8. A rotary input operation device comprising:
a cam part having a cam surface;
an engagement member configured to be pressed against the cam surface by an elastic force applied in a first direction and to generate a click feeling by sliding along the cam surface according to a rotating operation of the rotary input operation device, the engagement member including:
a first engagement part; and
a second engagement part provided at a position point-symmetrical to the first engagement part with respect to a rotation axis of the rotating operation,

wherein the cam surface includes a plurality of first and second cam faces which have different angles with respect to the first direction,
wherein the first cam faces include:
a first portion of the first faces provided for the first engagement part; and
a second portion of the first faces provided for the second engagement part at a position point-symmetrical to the first portion of the first faces with respect to the rotation axis, and

wherein the second cam faces include:
a first portion of the second faces provided for the first engagement part; and
a second portion of the second faces provided for the second engagement part at a position point-symmetrical to the first portion of the second faces with respect to the rotation axis.

9. The rotary input operation device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a rotating operation body having a central holding part and the cam part, the rotating operation body being configured to rotate according to the rotating operation.

10. An input operation system comprising:
the rotary input operation device according to claim 8 , the rotary input operation device further including a rotating operation body having the cam part; and
an input operation case which accommodates the rotating operation body and the engagement member,
wherein the engagement member is fixed to the input operation case.

Assignees

• Alps Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Konno Satoru
• Choi Yeonjo

Classifications

• G05G1/08 Primary

  Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels · CPC title

• G05G1/10

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

• G05G5/06

  for holding members in one or a limited number of definite positions only ({G05G5/005}, G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05G5/04

  Stops for limiting movement of members, e.g. adjustable stop (G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence) · CPC title

• G05G5/05

  Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title