Rotary control knob assembly

• US 20090064809A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 03/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Briz, Alberto Garcia, Miret, Josep Jacas
• Granted Patent: US 8,336,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/10.R
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2403 by moving plates, not forming part of the capacitor itself, e.g. shields
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/2412 by varying overlap
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/14 Operating parts, e.g. turn knob
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2084 Knob or dial

Abstract

A control knob assembly includes a housing and a knob mounted for rotary motion on the housing about a pivot axis. A cursor is mounted on the knob and spaced from the pivot axis. The cursor moves in a circular path as the knob is rotated. The assembly further includes a plurality of sensors spaced in a linear arrangement along a linear axis. Each of the sensors generates a signal upon detection of the presence of the cursor when the cursor is adjacent the sensor as the cursor moves along its circular path. The signal is representative of an angular position of the knob relative to the housing.

Claims

1. A control knob assembly comprising:

a housing;

a knob mounted for rotary motion on said housing about a pivot axis;

a cursor mounted on said knob and spaced from said pivot axis, said cursor moving in a circular path as said knob is rotated;

wherein said assembly further includes a plurality of sensors spaced in a linear arrangement along a linear axis, each of said sensors generating a signal upon detection of the presence of said cursor when said cursor is adjacent said sensor as said cursor moves along its circular path, wherein said signal is representative of an angular position of said knob relative to said housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said sensors are each in the form of a pad defining an area such that said sensors are capable of detecting the presence of said cursor when adjacent to the area of said pad.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said plurality of sensors have a common width, said width defined as the dimension generally perpendicular relative to the linear axis.

4. The assembly of claim 3, wherein said plurality of sensors generally have the same shape.

5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein at least two of the plurality of sensors have different areas from one another.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the areas of said sensors changes dependent upon their distance from said pivot axis.

7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the areas of the plurality of sensors decreases relative to one another as the distance from said pivot axis to said plurality of sensors increases.

8. The assembly of claim 2, wherein said sensors are each in the form of a rectangular pad.

9. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said knob includes a plurality of cursors spaced at an angular distance from one another.

10. The assembly of claim 9, wherein there are four cursors spaced 90 degrees from one another.

11. The assembly of claim 9, wherein said sensors are each in the form of a pad defining an area such that said sensors are capable of detecting the presence of said cursor when adjacent to the area of said pad, and wherein the dimensions of the pads of said sensors and the spacing of said cursors on said knob are such that at least one cursor will be above one of the pads regardless of the rotational position of said knob.

12. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said sensor detects the presence of said cursor by capacitive sensing.

13. The assembly of claim 12, wherein said cursors are metallic.

14. The assembly of claim 1, wherein said knob is connected to a push switch assembly.