Inputting device

• US 8,508,511 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Toshio, Tanaka, Tsuyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Alexander S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ngo, Tony N
• Application Number:
  US12/240,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 345/184
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• 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

An inputting device includes an actuator that can move and rotate, a rotation sensor for detecting a rotation of the actuator, a movement sensor for detecting that the actuator moves to a predetermined position, and a rotation suppressor for preventing the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to the predetermined position and for allowing the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at the predetermined position. This input device prevents erroneous operation and performs various operations.

Claims

1. An inputting device comprising:

a casing comprising a case with an opening, and a cover disposed on the case over the opening;

an actuator mounted in said casing and configured to rotate relative to said casing in a rotation direction about a rotation axis, and move relative to said casing in a predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and parallel to a rotating plane that includes the rotation direction;

an actuator rotation sensor;

an actuator movement sensor; and

wherein said actuator rotation suppressor comprises an actuator-side rotation suppressor portion fixed for rotation with said actuator, and a casing-side rotation suppressor portion fixed to said casing;

wherein said actuator-side rotation suppressor portion is constituted by a movable body fixed to and projecting radially outwardly from said actuator; and

wherein the casing, the actuator, and the rotation suppressor are arranged such that the shortest distance between the actuator-side rotation suppressor portion and the casing-side rotation suppressor portion in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is shorter than the shortest distance between the actuator and the casing in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

2. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the predetermined position is one of a plurality of predetermined positions,

the movement sensor detects that the actuator moves to any one of the plurality of predetermined positions, and

the rotation suppressor prevents the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to any one of the plurality of the predetermined positions such that the actuator cannot be rotated when the actuator is positioned at any one of the plurality of the predetermined positions, and allows the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at one of the plurality of the predetermined positions.

3. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the predetermined position is one of a plurality of predetermined positions,

the actuator is configured to move in a plurality of movement directions perpendicular to the rotation axis and parallel to the rotating plane, the plurality of movement directions including said predetermined movement direction, and

the actuator is configured to move in the plurality of movement directions to reach the predetermined positions, respectively.

4. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the actuator is configured to move in said predetermined movement direction to reach said predetermined position.

5. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the predetermined position is one of a plurality of predetermined positions,

the movement sensor detects that the actuator moves to any one of the plurality of predetermined positions, and

the rotation suppressor is arranged so as to prevent the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to any one of the plurality of the predetermined positions and allows the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at one of the plurality of the predetermined positions.

6. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the predetermined position is one of a plurality of predetermined positions,

the actuator is configured to move in a plurality of movement directions perpendicular to the rotation axis and parallel to the rotating plane, the plurality of movement directions including said predetermined movement direction, and

the actuator is configured to move in the plurality of movement directions to reach the predetermined positions, respectively.

7. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the actuator is configured to move in said predetermined movement direction to reach said predetermined position.

8. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the shortest distance between the movable body and the casing-side rotation suppressor portion of the rotation suppressor in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is shorter than the shortest distance between the actuator and the casing in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

9. The inputting device of claim 8, wherein

the casing-side rotation suppressor portion of the rotation suppressor is composed of an elastic ring, and

the shortest distance between the movable body and the elastic ring in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is shorter than the shortest distance between the actuator and the casing in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

10. The inputting device of claim 9, wherein

the actuator rotation sensor detects rotation of the actuator,

the actuator movement sensor detects that the actuator moves to a predetermined position,

the rotation suppressor is arranged so as to prevent the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to the predetermined position due to frictional engagement of an outer end of the movable body with the elastic ring when the actuator moves to said predetermined position, and so as to allow the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at the predetermined position.

11. The inputting device of claim 8, wherein

the movable body has a first projection facing the cover,

the casing-side rotation suppressor portion of the rotation suppressor is composed of a second projection facing the movable body, the second projection being fixed to the cover, and

the shortest distance between the first projection and the second projection in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is shorter than the shortest distance between the actuator and the casing in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

12. The inputting device of claim 11, wherein

the actuator rotation sensor detects rotation of the actuator,

the actuator movement sensor detects that the actuator moves to a predetermined position,

the rotation suppressor is arranged to prevent the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to the predetermined position due to engagement of the first projection of the movable body with the second projection when the actuator moves to said predetermined position, and so as to allow the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at the predetermined position.

13. The inputting device of claim 11, wherein

the first projection of the movable body is one of a plurality of first projections of the movable body that face the cover, and

the actuator is surrounded by the plurality of first projections in plan view.

14. The inputting device of claim 13, wherein

the second projection of the casing-side rotation suppressor portion is one of a plurality of second projections of the casing-side rotation suppressor portion that face the movable body and are fixed to the cover, and

the actuator is surrounded by the plurality of second projections in plan view.

15. The inputting device of claim 1, further comprising

a slider mounted to said casing, said slider being movable relative to said casing in directions perpendicular to said rotation axis;

wherein the shortest distance between the actuator-side rotation suppressor portion and the casing-side rotation suppressor portion in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is shorter than the shortest distance between the slider and casing in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.

16. The inputting device of claim 1, wherein

the actuator rotation sensor detects rotation of the actuator,

the actuator movement sensor detects that the actuator moves to a predetermined position, and

the rotation suppressor is arranged so as to prevent the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to the predetermined position such that the actuator cannot be rotated when the actuator is positioned at the predetermined position, and so as to allow the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at the predetermined position.