Input device and electronics device

• US 20070095644A1
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Component Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Harada, Keita, Sakurai, Satoshi, Akieda, Shinichiro, Uchiyama, Takuya, Yatsu, Nobuo, Akama, Junichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,655,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/531
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/24 the contact moving along turns of a helical resistive element, or vica versa
• CPC Class Codes: H01C 10/26 resistive element moving H01C10/16, H01C10/24 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/14 Operating parts, e.g. push-button
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/0213 Combined operation of electric switch and variable impedance, e.g. resistor, capacitor H01H9/061 takes precedence

Abstract

An input device includes an operation portion, a holding portion, a detection portion and at least a switch. The holding portion holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis. The detection portion detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion. A condition of the switch changes according to an external force exerted to the operation portion.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

an operation portion;

a holding portion that holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis;

a detection portion that detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion; and

at least a switch of which condition changes according to an external force exerted to the operation portion.

3. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the detection portion has an electrical resistor, a first conductive coupler and a second conductive coupler,

the electrical resistor being provided on one of the facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding portion,

the first conductive coupler and the second conductive coupler being provided on the other facing surface and being electrically coupled to each other through the electrical resistor; and

an electrical resistance between the first conductive coupler and the second conductive coupler changes according to a rotation of the operation portion.

4. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the detection portion has a first contact pattern and second contact patterns,

the first contact pattern comprising electrical contacts arranged in a given pattern on one of the facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding portion,

the second contact patterns comprising a pattern of electrical contacts on the other facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding portion,

the patterns of the electrical contacts being different from each other; and

the first contact pattern is coupled electrically to other second contact pattern according to a rotation of the operation portion.

11. The input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the electrical resistor is formed substantially linear in a radial direction of a circle around the given axis.

12. The input device as claimed in claim 11, wherein one of the first and the second conductive couplers is provided on a circumference of a circle around the given axis and the other has a different shape from the conductive coupler on the circumference.

15. The input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operation portion has a disk shape or a wheel shape.

2. An input device comprising:

an operation portion;

a holding portion that holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis; and

a detection portion that detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion,

wherein at least a part of the detection portion is provided on a facing surface of the operation portion and on a facing surface of the holding portion,

the facing surfaces facing to each other.

5. The input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the detection portion has an electrical resistor, a first conductive coupler and a second conductive coupler,

the electrical resistor being provided on one of the facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding portion,

the first conductive coupler and the second conductive coupler being provided on the other facing surface and being electrically coupled to each other through the electrical resistor; and

an electrical resistance between the first conductive coupler and the second conductive coupler changes according to a rotation of the operation portion.

6. The input device as claimed in claim 2, wherein:

the detection portion has a first contact pattern and second contact patterns,

the first contact pattern comprising electrical contacts arranged in a given pattern on one of the facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding portion,

the second contact patterns comprising a pattern of electrical contacts on the other facing surfaces of the operation portion and the holding portion,

the patterns of the electrical contacts being different from each other; and

the first contact patterns is coupled electrically to other second contact pattern according to a rotation of the operation portion.

7. The input device as claimed in claim 2 further comprising at least a switch of which condition changes according to a contact or an external force.

8. The input device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the switch is provided on the facing surface.

9. The input device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the switch has a contact member and a conductive coupler,

the contact member being provided on one of the facing surfaces,

the conductive coupler being provided on the other facing surface so as to be contactable to the contact member.

10. The input device as claimed in claim 8, wherein a plurality of the switches are arranged on a circumference of a circle around the given axis.

13. The input device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the switch is provided on a surface side of the operation portion.

14. The input device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the switch is of a capacitance type or a resistive film type.

16. An electronics device comprising:

an operation portion;

a holding portion that holds the operation portion so that the operation portion is rotatable around a given axis; and

a detection portion that detects a rotational position of the operation portion with respect to the holding portion,

wherein at least a part of the detection portion is provided on a facing surface of the operation portion and on a facing surface of the holding portion,

the facing surfaces facing to each other.