Patent · US Active

Rotary pushbutton and touchpad device and system and method for detecting rotary movement, axial displacement and touchpad gestures

US8796566B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
34References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 28, 2012
Grant dateAug 5, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 23, 2032

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H2239/074
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A rotary pushbutton and touchpad device, a system and a method detect rotary movement, axial displacement and touchpad gestures. The device has a knob which may rotate about an axis of rotation, may move upward and downward on the axis of rotation, and may have a touchpad. The touchpad may be fixedly connected to a rotary girder and/or a shaft clip within the knob which may prevent the touchpad from rotating when the knob is rotated. A substantially hollow and cylindrical outer shaft may be fixedly connected to the knob so that rotation of the knob rotates the outer shaft. The shaft clip may be fixedly connected to an actuator shaft which extends through the interior of the outer shaft and conveys axial displacement of the knob. Shutters extending from the outer shaft may rotate into or away from a position between a light emitter and a light pipe.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.