Input device

• US 8,698,030 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2012
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yokoyama, Tatsuya, McCurdy, Anthony, Urayama, Shinya, Igarashi, Yu, Nakazawa, Shunsuke
• Primary Examiner(s): Leon, Edwin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jimenez, Anthony R.
• Application Number:
  US13/439,360
• Publication Number:
  US 20120261243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 200/600, 200/176, 200/11.R, 200/11.TW, 200/19.07, 200/440, 200/520, 200/329, 200/336, 200/341, 200/345, 345/161, 345/157, 345/184, 345/173
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement

Abstract

An input device includes: a base member including a hollow support body; and an operation body supported so as to at least freely rotate relative to the hollow support body. The operation body includes an operation knob formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and having a top surface portion and a plate-shaped capacitance type touch pad provided on a back side of the top surface portion for detecting approach or contact of a finger with respect to the top surface portion. A support body supporting the capacitance type touch pad is mounted on the base member and supports the capacitance type touch pad through an elastic body which elastically urges the capacitance type touch pad against the top surface portion of the operation knob.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a base member including a first hollow support body;

an operation body supported so as to at least freely rotate relative to the first hollow support body, the operation body including an operation knob formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom and having a top surface portion, wherein a second hollow cylindrical support body is configured to rotationally hold the operation knob through a bearing portion, and a plate-shaped capacitance type touch pad provided on a back side of the top surface portion for detecting approach or contact of a finger with respect to the top surface portion; and

wherein the second hollow cylindrical support body is mounted on the base member for supporting the capacitance type touch pad, the second hollow cylindrical support body supporting the capacitance type touch pad through an elastic body which elastically urges the capacitance type touch pad against the back side of the top surface portion, wherein the second hollow cylindrical support body is arranged to freely reciprocate relative to the first hollow support body together with the operation knob.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein a spacer portion is provided between the top surface portion and the capacitance type touch pad for keeping an interval between a front surface of the capacitance type touch pad and a back surface of the top surface portion uniform.

3. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the spacer portion is formed by a ring-shaped projection formed integrally in the top surface portion or the capacitance type touch pad.