Input Device With Rotary Wheel

• US 20110156931A1
• Filed: 08/24/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Home Control Signapore Pte., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Ang, Al Tee, Chen, Koh Siang
• Granted Patent: US 9,024,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/35
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to an input device (1) for an electronic apparatus, particularly for a remote-control. The input device (1) comprises a printed circuit board (200) with an opening (201) in which a rotary wheel module (100) is mounted. The design allows to realize the input device (1) with small thickness.

Claims

1. Input device (1) for an electronic apparatus, comprising:

a printed circuit board (200) with a top side (T), a bottom side (B), and an opening (201);

a rotary wheel module (100) that is mounted in the opening (201) and that has a rotary wheel (20) located above the top side of the printed circuit board (200);

a signal generator (40, 50, 210) for generating electrical signals corresponding to an operation of the rotary wheel, said signal generator being connected to the printed circuit board (200).

2. The input device (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the rotary wheel module (100) comprises an undercarriage (30) to which the rotary wheel (20) is rotatably mounted.

3. The input device (1) according to claim 2,

characterized in that the undercarriage (30) comprises at least one adjustment pin (32) for placement in a corresponding hole of the printed circuit board (200).

4. The input device (1) according to claim 2,

characterized in that the undercarriage (30) is attached to the bottom side (B) of the printed circuit board (200).

5. The input device (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the signal generator comprises a lever switch (210) with a lever (211) that can be actuated by teeth (21) of the rotary wheel (20).

6. The input device (1) according to claim 5,

characterized in that the lever switch (210) is attached to the bottom side (B) of the printed circuit board (200).

7. The input device (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that it comprises a button (10) that is mounted on an undercarriage (30).

8. The input device (1) according to claim 7,

characterized in that the button (10) is nor-rotatably mounted in a central opening of the rotary wheel (20).

9. The input device (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the rotary wheel module (100) comprises a circuit layer (40, 50) with at least one switch (41) that can be operated by the rotary wheel (20) and/or by a button (10).

10. The input device (1) according to claim 9,

characterized in that the circuit layer comprises at least one metal dome (41).

11. The input device (1) according to claim 9,

characterized in that the circuit layer comprises a flexible circuit board (50).

12. The input device (1) according to claim 9,

characterized in that the circuit layer (40, 50) is connected to a connector (220) that is attached to the bottom side (B) of the printed circuit board (200).

13. The input device (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that it comprises a housing element (302) and that the rotary wheel module (100) is sandwiched between the printed circuit board (200) and said housing element.

14. The input device (1) according to claim 1,

characterized in that the circuitry on the printed circuit board (200) can assume a sleep-mode that will be left upon operation of the rotary wheel module (100).

15. An electronic apparatus comprising an input device (1) according to claim 1, particularly a remote-control, a portable computer, a mobile phone, a music player, a game device, a digital camera, or a card for a card slot.