Differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc

• US 20050156916A1
• Filed: 12/30/2003
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Inventec Multimedia & Telecom Corporation
• Original Assignee: Inventec Multimedia & Telecom Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Nien-Tsu
• Application Number:
  US10/750,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156916A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/06 for holding members in one or a limited number of definite positions only G05G5/005, G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/045 having a rotating dial around the operating member for additional switching functions
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/048 having a separate central push, slide or tumbler button which is not integral with the operating part that surrounds it
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/04 Operating part movable angularly in more than one plane, e.g. joystick
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/065 using separate operating parts, e.g. a push button surrounded by a rotating knob

Abstract

A differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc includes a ring body having a plurality of positioning grooves on its outer circumference and a knob having at least one protrusion on its inner circumference, wherein a sensing switch is provided between every two adjacent positioning grooves. The knob is ring-shaped and coaxially surrounds the ring body. The protrusion on the knob corresponds in position to one of the positioning grooves on the ring body. When the knob is turned, the protrusion on the knob turns is moved from the corresponding positioning groove to another adjacent positioning groove and actuates the sensing switch between the two adjacent positioning grooves so as to achieve differentially sectioned actuation.

Claims

1. A differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc, comprising:

a ring body having a plurality of positioning grooves and a plurality of sensing switches on its outer circumference, wherein each of the sensing switches is provided between every two adjacent positioning grooves; and

a ring-shaped knob coaxially surrounding the ring body and formed with at least one protrusion on its inner circumference, the protrusion corresponding in position to one of the positioning grooves on the ring body such that when the knob is turned, the protrusion on the knob is moved from the corresponding positioning groove to an adjacent one of the positioning grooves and actuates the sensing switch between the two adjacent positioning grooves so as to achieve differentially sectioned actuation of the sensing switches.

2. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 1, wherein the knob is capable of returning to its starting position via an elastic member.

3. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 2, wherein the elastic member is a spring.

4. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 1, wherein the sensing switch is a spring-actuated switch.

5. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 1, wherein the knob is capable of being turned clockwise or counterclockwise to actuate the sensing switches.

6. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 1, wherein an operating panel is provided at the center of the ring body.

7. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 6, wherein the operating panel comprises a plurality of contact switches.

8. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 7, wherein the plurality of contact switches comprise a confirmation button at the center and four direction buttons around the confirmation button.

9. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 1, wherein a joystick mechanism is provided at the center of the ring body, with a plurality of contact switches formed underneath the joystick mechanism and capable of being actuated by the joystick mechanism.

10. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 1, wherein the sensing switches are connected to a display unit that displays an actuation status of the sensing switches.

11. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 10, wherein the display unit comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

12. The differentially sectioned sensing rotary disc of claim 10, wherein the display unit is a liquid crystal display (LCD).