Controlling device of turning knob and controlling method of touch panel

• US 8,912,457 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 12/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Original Assignee: Wistron Corporation
• Inventors: Tseng, Tien-Chung
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fishman, Marina
• Application Number:
  US13/649,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20140042004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 200/329, 200/336, 200/292, 200/570, 200/571
• US Class Current: 200/336
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A controlling device of turning knob is disposed on a touch panel removably so as to control the touch panel. The controlling device of turning knob includes a base and a turning knob. The base has a bottom side, a top side, a plurality of first pads disposed at the bottom side, and at least two second pads disposed at the top side. The second pads are electrically connected to parts of the first pads. The base is assembled to the touch panel with its bottom side, such that the first pads touch the touch panel. The turning knob disposed on the top side rotates about a rotating axis. The turning knob has a plurality of third pads surrounding the rotating axis. When the turning knob rotates along a direction relative to the base, the third pads are electrically connected to the corresponding second pads sequentially.

Claims

1. A turning knob control device, disposed on a touch panel removably to control the touch panel, the turning knob control device comprising:

a base having a bottom side, a top side, a plurality of first pads, and at least two second pads, wherein the first pads are disposed at the bottom side, the at least two second pads are disposed at the top side, and the at least two second pads are electrically connected to corresponding parts of the first pads, the base is assembled to the touch panel with the bottom side, such that the first pads touch the touch panel; and

a turning knob disposed on the top side of the base rotating about a rotating axis, the turning knob having a plurality of third pads facing the base and surrounding the rotating axis, when the turning knob rotates along a direction relative to the base, the third pads are electrically connected to the corresponding at least one of the second pads sequentially.

2. The turning knob control device of claim 1, wherein the third pads are arranged as at least two concentric circles relative to the rotating axis, an orthographic projection of the at least two second pads on the turning knob being disposed on the at least two concentric circles.

3. The turning knob control device of claim 2, wherein the third pads located on different concentric circles are disposed alternating on the radial direction relative to the rotating axis of the turning knob.

4. The turning knob control device of claim 2, wherein the at least two second pads corresponding to different concentric circles are disposed alternating on the radial direction relative to the rotating axis of the turning knob.

5. The turning knob control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first button movably disposed at the top side of the base, the first button having a fourth pad facing the top side, the base having a fifth pad disposed at the top side and corresponding to the fourth pad, the fifth pad being electrically connected to one of the first pads, the first button being adapted to receive an external press so the fourth pad touches the fifth pad, and the fifth pad and the fourth pad are electrically connected to the corresponding one of the first pads.

6. The turning knob control device of claim 5, wherein the turning knob has a through hole, and the first button is disposed in the through hole, such that the turning knob and the first button are disposed in a same axis relative to the base.

7. The turning knob control device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the base has a center portion and a disc portion surrounding the center portion, and the first button and the turning knob are disposed at the center portion.

8. The turning knob control device of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one second button disposed at the disc portion of the base, the at least one second button having a sixth pad, the base having at least one seventh pad disposed at the disc portion and corresponding to the sixth pad, the at least one seventh pad electrically connected to at least one of the first pads, the at least one second button being adapted to receive an external press so the sixth pad touches the seventh pad, and the sixth pad and the seventh pad are electrically connected to the corresponding one of the first pads.

9. The turning knob control device of claim 7, wherein the base has a window disposed at the disc portion, the window exposing a portion of the touch panel when the base is assembled to the touch panel.

10. The turning knob control device of claim 1, wherein the turning knob comprises a first rotating element, a second rotating element, and a third rotating element disposed in a same axis relative to the rotating axis, the first rotating element and the second rotating element being assembled to the top side on a same plane, the second rotating element surrounding the first rotating element and the first and second rotating elements being independent from each other, the third rotating element being disposed on the first rotating element and the second rotating element, and the third pads being respectively disposed on the first rotating element and the second rotating element.

11. The turning knob control device of claim 10, wherein the first rotating element and the second rotating element are respectively a ratchet wheel, the first rotating element and the second rotating element respectively having a plurality of first ratchets and a plurality of second ratchets disposed at a top portion, the first ratchets inclining toward a second rotating direction relative to the rotating axis, the second ratchets inclining toward a first rotating direction relative to the rotating axis, the first rotating direction being opposite to the second rotating direction, the third rotating element having at least one first drive gear and at least one second drive gear disposed at a bottom portion, when the third rotating element rotates along the first rotating direction, the first drive gear engages with one of the first ratchets, and the second drive gear slides past the second ratchets, such that the third rotating element only drives the first rotating element to rotate, when the third rotating element rotates along the second rotating direction, the first drive gear slides past the first ratchets, and the second drive gear engages with one of the second ratchets, such that the third rotating element only drives the second rotating element to rotate.

12. The turning knob control device of claim 11, the base having an inner ratchet structure and an outer ratchet structure disposed at the top side, the ratchets of the inner ratchet structure matching the first ratchets, the ratchets of the outer ratchet structure matching the second ratchets, the first rotating element and the second rotating element being disposed between the inner ratchet structure and the outer ratchet structure, wherein the first rotating element is coupled to the inner ratchet structure, and the second rotating element is coupled to the outer ratchet structure.

13. The turning knob control device of claim 12, wherein the first rotating element and the second rotating element are respectively a ring structure, and the first rotating element has a first fastening elastic arm disposed at an inner wall, the second rotating element has a second fastening elastic arm disposed at an outer wall, the first fastening elastic arm following the direction of the inner ratchet structure and slidably fastening between any two adjacent ratchets of the inner ratchet structure, and the second fastening elastic arm following the direction of the outer ratchet structure and slidably fastening between any two adjacent ratchets of the outer ratchet structure.

14. The turning knob control device of claim 1, wherein the base has four second pads each having semicircular outlines, and the four second pads are disposed in pairs on different concentric circles relative to the rotating axis.

15. The turning knob control device of claim 14, wherein in the two second pads forming a pair, one of the second pads is electrically connected to one of the first pads, and the other one of the second pads is electrically connected to the turning knob, and when the third pad bridges the pair of second pads, the turning knob, the pair of the second pads, and the third pad are electrically connected to the corresponding first pad.

16. The turning knob control device of claim 1, further comprising:

an attaching element disposed at the bottom side of the base to attach the base to the touch panel.

17. A controlling method of a touch panel, comprising:

disposing the turning knob control device of claim 1 on the touch panel so the first pads are attached on the touch panel;

turning on a control mode when a control unit of the touch panel detects the first pads; and

when the turning knob rotates relative to the base, the turning knob controlling a response property of the touch panel under the control mode.

18. The controlling method of the touch panel of claim 17, wherein the turning knob control device further comprises a first button movably disposed at the top side of the base, the first button having a fourth pad facing the top side, the base having a fifth pad disposed at the top side and corresponding to the fourth pad, the fifth pad being electrically connected to one of the first pads, the controlling method of the touch panel further comprising:

pressing the first button so the fourth pad touches the fifth pad, the fifth pad and the fourth pad are electrically connected to the corresponding one of the first pads, and the control mode is turned on.

19. The controlling method of the touch panel of claim 17, wherein the third pads are arranged as at least two concentric circles relative to the rotating axis, an orthographic projection of the at least two second pads on the turning knob being disposed on the at least two concentric circles, the controlling method of the touch panel further comprising:

when the turning knob rotates relative to the base, having a time difference between the third pads disposed on a first concentric circle touching the corresponding second pad, and the third pads disposed on a second concentric circle touching the corresponding second pad.

20. The controlling method of the touch panel of claim 19, wherein when the turning knob rotates along a first rotating direction relative to the base, the third pads disposed on the first concentric circle touch the corresponding second pad before the third pads disposed on the second concentric circle, and when the turning knob rotates along a second rotating direction relative to the base, the third pads disposed on the first concentric circle touch the corresponding second pad after the third pads disposed on the second concentric circle, and the first rotating direction is opposite to the second rotating direction.

21. The controlling method of the touch panel of claim 17, wherein the turning knob control device further comprises at least one second button disposed at the base, the at least one second button having a sixth pad, the base having at least one seventh pad corresponding to the sixth pad, the at least one seventh pad electrically connected to at least one of the first pads, the controlling method of the touch panel further comprising:

pressing the second button to switch between a plurality of sub modes of the control mode.

22. The controlling method of the touch panel of claim 17, wherein the base has a window exposing a portion of the touch panel, the controlling method of the touch panel further comprising:

after the touch panel turns on the control mode, displaying the response property in the window.