ROTATIONAL OPERATION DEVICE

• US 20160355207A1
• Filed: 05/23/2016
• Published: 12/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: URUSHIBATA, Takanori
• Granted Patent: US 9,878,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/16 Steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/005 means for generating torque on steering wheel or input member, e.g. feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/03 Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/05 Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops G05G5/28 takes precedence

Abstract

A rotational operation device includes a holder fixed to a rotation shaft, a torsion coil spring, and a case accommodating the holder and the torsion coil spring. The torsion coil spring includes a coil, fitted to the rotation shaft, and two protrusions, located at opposite ends of the coil. When the rotation shaft is rotated, the case restricts movement of the first protrusion, and the holder pushes the second protrusion in a rotation direction of the rotation shaft. The case includes a first groove that receives the first protrusion. The holder includes a second groove that receives the second protrusion. The first and second protrusions are spaced apart by an invariable interval set by a fixed length between the first and second grooves. The fixed length is set to a distance that produces a gap between coil windings when the coil is in a load-free state.

Claims

1. A rotational operation device comprising:

a rotation shaft rotated when an operation member is rotated;

a holder fixed to the rotation shaft;

a torsion coil spring including a coil and two protrusions located at opposite ends of the coil, wherein the rotation shaft is inserted through the coil; and

a case that accommodates the holder and the torsion coil spring, wherein

the holder and the case are configured to twist the coil when the rotation shaft is rotated by restricting movement of one of the protrusions with the case and pushing the other one of the protrusions in a rotation direction of the rotation shaft with the holder,

the case includes a first groove that receives the one of the protrusions,

the holder includes a second groove that receives the other one of the protrusions,

the two protrusions are spaced apart in an axial direction of the rotation shaft by an interval that is invariable and set by a fixed length between the first groove of the case and the second groove of the holder, and

the fixed length is set to a distance that produces a gap between windings of the coil when the torsion coil spring is in a load-free state, with the two protrusions supported by the first and second grooves.

2. The rotational operation device according to claim 1, wherein:

the two protrusions comprise a first protrusion and a second protrusion;

the case includes

the first groove that receives the first protrusion, and

a third groove that receives the second protrusion;

the holder includes

the second groove that receives the second protrusion, and

a fourth groove that receives the first protrusion;

the holder and the case are configured so that when the rotation shaft is rotated in a forward direction, the holder holds the second protrusion with the second groove and pushes the second protrusion in the forward direction, while the case holds the first protrusion with the first groove and restricts movement of the first protrusion; and

the holder and the case are configured so that when the rotation shaft is rotated in a reverse direction, the holder holds the first protrusion with the fourth groove and pushes the first protrusion in the reverse direction, while the case holds the second protrusion with the third groove and restricts movement of the second protrusion.

3. The rotational operation device according to claim 2, wherein:

the holder and the case are configured so that when the rotation shaft is rotated in the forward direction, the first protrusion is separated from the fourth groove of the holder, and the second protrusion is separated from the third groove of the case; and

the holder and the case are configured so that when the rotation shaft is rotated in the reverse direction, the second protrusion is separated from the second groove of the holder, and the first protrusion is separated from the first groove of the case.

4. The rotational operation device according to claim 2, wherein

the first groove of the case and the fourth groove of the holder define a first cooperative groove that supports the first protrusion when the torsion coil spring is in the load-free state, and

the third groove of the case and the second groove of the holder define a second cooperative group that supports the second protrusion when the torsion coil spring is in the load-free state.