# US 10,372,242 B2 · Scroll wheel module with touch sensing mechanism > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,242 B2 - Document ID: US10372242B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/879,800 - Filed: 2018-01-25 - Published: 2019-05-02 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-27 - Assignees: Primax Electronics Ltd. - Applicants: Primax Electronics Ltd. - Inventors: Chia-Yuan Chang; Chun-Lin Chu; Li-Kuei Cheng - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372242B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/0362: with detection of one-dimensional [1D] translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts - G06F 3/0312: {for tracking the rotation of a spherical or circular member, e.g. optical rotary encoders used in mice or trackballs using a tracking ball or in mouse scroll wheels (tracking relative movement in co-operation with a regularly or irregularly patterned surface, e.g. as in optical mice G06F3/0317; constructional details of scroll or thumb-wheels G06F3/0362; optical rotary encoders G01D5/3473)} - G06F 3/03543: {Mice or pucks (G06F3/03541 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/04847: Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials - H03K 17/9622: {using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard} - H03K 2217/94057: Rotary switches - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract The present invention provides a scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism, where the scroll wheel module includes a scroll wheel body, a touch sensing element, and an encoding element; the scroll wheel body is pivotally connected to a housing, and the middle of the scroll wheel body is provided with a cavity; the touch sensing element is installed in the cavity; the touch sensing element includes a connecting portion and a fixing portion; the connecting portion is pivotally connected to the scroll wheel body; the fixing portion is connected to the housing; and the encoding element is connected to the scroll wheel body. In this way, an effect of arbitrarily switching different function modes to be adjusted is achieved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism, installed in a housing, wherein the scroll wheel module comprises: a scroll wheel body, pivotally connected to the housing, wherein the middle of the scroll wheel body is provided with a cavity; a touch sensing element, installed in the cavity, wherein one end of the touch sensing element comprises a connecting portion and another end of the touch sensing element comprises a fixing portion; the connecting portion is pivotally connected to the scroll wheel body; and the fixing portion extends out of the scroll wheel body and is connected to the housing; and an encoding element, connected to the scroll wheel body, wherein the encoding element is located on a side of the scroll wheel body away from the fixing portion; and the encoding element rotates along with the scroll wheel body, wherein the touch sensing element can generate a position recognition signal according to a touched position on the scroll wheel body. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein an outer surface of the scroll wheel body is provided with a first touch area, a second touch area, and a third touch area; the first touch area is adjacent to the fixing portion; the first touch area is adjacent to the connecting portion; and the second touch area is located between the first touch area and the third touch area. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 2, wherein a middle part of the touch sensing element comprises a sensing portion; and the sensing portion is arranged corresponding to the first touch area, the second touch area, and the third touch area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the sensing portion is located between the connecting portion and the fixing portion. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the first touch area, the second touch area, and the third touch area are touched so that the position recognition signal of the touch sensing element can be generated by using the sensing portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 5, further comprising a bearing, wherein the bearing is installed in the cavity; one side of the bearing is pivotally connected to the scroll wheel body and is located on a side of the cavity adjacent to the encoding element; the connecting portion is fixed on a side of the bearing away from the encoding element; and the touch sensing element is pivotally connected to the scroll wheel body by using the bearing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the side of the bearing away from the encoding element is provided with a slot; and the connecting portion is plugged into the slot to be connected to the bearing. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the touch sensing element is located in the cavity and divides the cavity into a first chamber and a second chamber. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the bearing, the scroll wheel body, the cavity, and the encoding element are on a same central axis. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 6, further comprising a supporting frame, wherein the bottom of the supporting frame is fixed on the housing; the fixing portion is fixed on the supporting frame; and the fixing portion is fixed on the housing by using the supporting frame. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 10, wherein a side of the scroll wheel body adjacent to the supporting frame is provided with a through hole; the through hole is in communication with the cavity; and the fixing portion extends out of the through hole to be fixed on the supporting frame. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 11, further comprising a fixing member, wherein the fixing member is sequentially connected to the fixing portion and the supporting frame, so that the fixing portion is fixed on the supporting frame by using the fixing member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the fixing member is a screw. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing element is a capacitive touch sensor, a capacitive touch sensing circuit board, or a capacitive touch sensing module. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The scroll wheel module with a touch sensing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the encoding element is an encoder.