Rotary input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9793075-B2
Application number	US-201615238603-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Sep 8, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2017
Grant date	Oct 17, 2017

Abstract

A connection state (conduction/non-conduction) between a slide electrode and a first electrode pattern is switched with a first rotation angle as a boundary, and the switching of the connection state is generated by switching a contact state (contact/non-contact) between a first contact and a first electrode pattern. A connection state between a slide electrode and a second electrode pattern is switched with a third rotation angle as a boundary, and the switching of the connection state is generated by switching a contact state between a first contact and a second electrode pattern. That is, the contact state between the first contact farther away from a rotation center than the second contact and the electrode pattern defines a connection state between the slide electrode and an electrode pattern.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotary input device, comprising:
a substrate;
a plurality of electrode patterns formed on the substrate;
a rotary member configured to rotate relative to the substrate according to a rotation input operation; and
a slide electrode held by the rotary member, the slide electrode including a plurality of contacts configured to slide on the plurality of electrode patterns, a state of connection between the plurality of contacts of the slide electrode and the plurality of electrode patterns switching in accordance with a rotation of the rotary member, the plurality of contacts including a first contact, and a second contact disposed closer to a rotation center of the rotary member than the first contact,
wherein the plurality of electrode patterns include:
a first electrode pattern configured to be connected to the slide electrode via the first contact when a rotation angle of the rotary member is within a first range from a reference rotation angle to a first rotation angle in a predetermined direction, the first electrode pattern being configured to be disconnected from the slide electrode when the rotation angle is over the first range as the rotary member further rotates beyond the first rotation angle in the predetermined direction, and
a second electrode pattern configured to be connected to the slide electrode via the second contact when the rotation angle of the rotary member is within a second range from the reference rotation angle to a second rotation angle in the predetermined direction, the second rotation angle being greater than the first rotation angle, the second electrode pattern being configured to be connected to the slide electrode via the first contact when the rotation angle is within a third range from the second rotation angle to a third rotation angle in the predetermined direction, the third rotation angle being greater than the second rotation angle, and the second electrode pattern being further configured to be disconnected from the slide electrode when the rotation angle is over the third range as the rotary member further rotates beyond the third rotation angle in the predetermined direction.

2. The rotary input device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second electrode pattern becomes disconnected from the second contact when the rotation angle of the rotary member in the predetermined direction is greater than a fourth rotation angle between the second rotation angle and the third rotation angle.

3. The rotary input device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first electrode pattern includes:
a first edge portion corresponding to the first rotation angle at which a contact state between the first electrode pattern and the first contact is switched, and

wherein the second electrode pattern includes,
a second edge portion corresponding to the second rotation angle at which a contact state between the second electrode pattern and the first contact is switched;
a third edge portion corresponding to the third rotation angle at which a contact state between the second electrode pattern and the first contact is switched; and
a fourth edge portion corresponding to the fourth rotation angle at which a contact state between the second electrode pattern and the second contact is switched.

4. The rotary input device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first electrode pattern includes:
a first sliding surface for the first contact, the first sliding surface being formed in an arc shape around the rotation center, and having the first edge portion at an end thereof in a circumferential direction, and

wherein the second electrode pattern includes:
a first electrode portion having a second sliding surface for the first contact, the second sliding surface being formed in an arc shape around the rotation center, and having the second edge portion at one end thereof and the third edge portion at another end thereof in the circumferential direction;
a second electrode portion having a third sliding surface for the second contact, the third sliding surface being formed in an arc shape around the rotation center, and having the fourth edge portion at an end thereof in the circumferential direction; and
a connection portion electrically connecting the first electrode portion and the second electrode portion.

5. The rotary input device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrode patterns further include:
a ground electrode pattern configured to be connected to the slide electrode via a third contact between an initial rotation angle and a final rotation angle of the rotary member, the third contact being farther away from the rotation center than the first contact among the plurality of contacts.

Assignees

• Alps Electric Co Ltd

Inventors

• Noguchi Takashi
• Kashiwabara Fumihiko

Classifications

• B60Q1/1476

  comprising switch controlling means located near the free end of the lever, e.g. press buttons, rotatable rings · CPC title

• H01H19/585 Primary

  provided with printed circuit contacts · CPC title