In-car rotation detecting apparatus

• US 5,819,597 A
• Filed: 10/28/1996
• Issued: 10/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Tatsuya, Murakami, Takashi, Sato, Hiroyuki, Numata, Hidetaka, Miyasaka, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): LUONG, VINH
• Application Number:
  US08/738,568
• Time in Patent Office: 715 Days
• Field of Search: 74/553, 74/527, 74/567-568, 200/11 A, 200/13, 200/14, 200/11 B, 200/11 C, 200/6 B, 116/315
• US Class Current: 74/553
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/0065 Control members, e.g. levers or knobs B60H1/00985 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/005 Electromechanical pulse generators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/63 Contacts actuated by axial cams H01H19/6355 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/006 being rotation direction sensitive, e.g. the generated pulse or code depends on the direction of rotation of the operating part
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/143 having at least two concentric turn knobs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20636 Detents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2084 Knob or dial

Abstract

A rotation detecting device which issues a plurality of code signals by a simple configuration so as to detect the rotational angle position and the direction of rotation of a rotor according to the code signals. The rotation detecting device has a knob member which is rotatably attached to a part of an enclosure, a plurality of projections which are formed on the periphery of one end of the knob member, and two detection switches which selectively engage with the projections to turn ON/OFF and issue signals. These detection switches are disposed on a printed circuit board in such a manner that they turn ON/OFF at different timings as the knob member rotates. Thus, the rotational position and the direction of rotation of the knob member are detected by the combinations of the ON/OFF signals of the detection switches.

Claims

1. An in-car rotation detecting device comprising:

a knob member which is rotatably attached to a part of an enclosure;

a plurality of engaging sections formed on one end of said knob member; and

a plurality of detecting switches with operating projections which selectively engage with said engaging sections to turn ON/OFF and issue signals;

wherein said detecting switches with operating projections are arranged so that said detecting switches with operating projections are turned ON/OFF at different timings by the rotation of said knob member, and the amount and direction of the rotation of the knob member are determined by the combinations of ON/OFF signals.

2. An in-car rotation detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said knob member is provided with a display unit therein and a window for visually checking said display unit on the outer surface thereof.

3. An in-car rotation detecting device comprising:

a knob member which is rotatably attached to a part of an enclosure;

a plurality of engaging sections formed on one end of said knob member; and

at least three detecting switches with operating projections which selectively engage with said engaging sections to turn ON/OFF and issue signals;

wherein said detecting switches with operating projections are arranged so that said detecting switches with operating projections are turned ON/OFF at different timings by the rotation of said knob member, and the rotational angle position of said knob member is determined by the combinations of ON/OFF signals.

4. An in-car rotational detecting device comprising:

an outer knob member which is rotatably attached to a part of an enclosure;

an inner knob member which is rotatably fitted in said outer knob member;

a plurality of first engaging sections formed on one end of either said outer knob member or said inner knob member;

at least two first engaging section detecting means which selectively engage with said first engaging sections to turn ON/OFF and issue signals;

a plurality of second engaging sections formed on one end of said outer knob member or said inner knob member free of said first engaging sections; and

at least three second engaging section detecting means which selectively engage with said second engaging sections and issue signals;

wherein said first engaging section detecting means are so arranged that said first engaging section detecting means turn ON/OFF by the rotation of the corresponding one of said knob members at different timings;

the amount and direction of rotation of one of said knob members are determined by the combinations of the ON/OFF signals;

said second engaging section detecting means are so arranged that said second engaging section detecting means turn ON/OFF by the rotation of the corresponding other knob member at different timings; and

the rotational angle position of the other knob member is determined by the combinations of the ON/OFF signals.