Operating device

• US 6,918,313 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 07/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kojima, Shinichi, Sogabe, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Fenstermacher, David M.
• Application Number:
  US10/333,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20040007450A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 74/10.R, 74/101, 74/102, 74/102.2, 74/102.7, 74/105
• US Class Current: 74/10.27
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/14 Operating parts, e.g. turn knob
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/143 having at least two concentric turn knobs
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2084 Knob or dial

Abstract

An operating device having a rotary knob capable of rotation operations exhibits compatibility between speed and precision in operation and does not require use of a plurality of rotary knobs includes a rotation detecting device for detecting the rotated angle of the rotary knob. The rotary knob includes a small-diameter component for operating the rotary knob quickly, and a large-diameter component for operating the rotary knob slowly or for fine adjustment. A determining unit is provided for determining the rotated position of the rotary knob when the rotary knob is operated.

Claims

1. An operating device comprising:

a rotary knob; and

rotation-detecting means for detecting a rotated angle of the rotary knob and providing a rotary position output, where in

the rotary knob includes a small-diameter component to facilitate a user quickly rotating the rotary knob and a large-diameter component to permit the user to slowly rotate the rotary knob so as to finely adjust a rotary position of the rotary knob,

the rotation-detecting means includes determining means for determining a rotated position of the rotary knob when the rotary knob is rotated by the user, and

wherein the small-diameter component and the large-diameter component of the rotary knob are arranged coaxially on a shaft, and the rotation-detection means provides the rotary-position output when the rotary knob is pressed in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the shaft of the rotary knob.