# US 10,768,657 B2 · Operation device and control method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,657 B2 - Document ID: US10768657B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/225,470 - Filed: 2018-12-19 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-27 - Assignees: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Atsushi Goto; Kazunari Takahashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768657B2 ## CPC - G05G 5/03: Means for enhancing the operator's awareness of arrival of the controlling member at a command or datum position; Providing feel, e.g. means for creating a counterforce (arrangements for indicating the position of the controlling member G05G1/015) - F16F 9/12: Devices with one or more rotary vanes turning in the fluid any throttling effect being immaterial, {i.e. damping by viscous shear effect only (F16F9/53 takes precedence; pivoting supports for apparatus or articles placed on stands or trestles F16M11/06)} - F16F 9/53: Means for adjusting damping characteristics by varying fluid viscosity, e.g. electromagnetically {(F16F13/30 takes precedence; brakes comprising a medium with electrically or magnetically controlled friction F16D57/002; electrorheological fluids per se C10M171/001; magnetorheological fluids per se H01F1/447)} - F16F 9/535: {Magnetorheological [MR] fluid dampers (springs comprising magnetorheological [MR] elastomers F16F1/361)} - G05G 1/08: Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels - G05G 5/06: for holding members in one or a limited number of definite positions only ({G05G5/005}, G05G5/03, G05G5/05, G05G5/28 take precedence) - G05G 25/00: Other details or appurtenances of control mechanisms, e.g. supporting intermediate members elastically - G06F 3/01: Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer (G06F3/16 takes precedence) - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - 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 - G08B 7/06: using electric transmission {, e.g. involving audible and visible signalling through the use of sound and light sources} - G09G 3/36: using liquid crystals - H10N 52/00: Hall-effect devices (integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N59/00) - H10N 52/80: Constructional details - G05G 1/025: {actuated by sliding movement} - G05G 2505/00: Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member - G08B 3/10: using electric transmission; using electromagnetic transmission - G08B 6/00: Tactile signalling systems, e.g. tactile personal calling systems - G05G: CONTROL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS INSOFAR AS CHARACTERISED BY MECHANICAL FEATURES ONLY ("Bowden" or like mechanisms F16C1/10; gearings or mechanisms not peculiar to this purpose F16H; speed changing or reversing mechanisms for gearings conveying rotary motion F16H59/00 - F16H63/00) - F16F: SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G09G: ARRANGEMENTS OR CIRCUITS FOR CONTROL OF INDICATING DEVICES USING STATIC MEANS TO PRESENT VARIABLE INFORMATION (arrangements for transferring data between digital computers and displays G06F3/14; static indicating arrangements comprising an association of a number of separate sources or light control cells G09F9/00; static indicating arrangements comprising integral associations of a number of light sources H01J, H01K, H10H, H05B33/12; scanning, transmission or reproduction of documents or the like, e.g. facsimile transmission, details thereof H04N1/00) - H10N: ELECTRIC SOLID-STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An operation device includes an operation unit including an operation body worked by an operator's manipulation; a position detecting part detecting a position of the operation body; and a display unit displaying a position of the operation body. The display unit includes an operation member, a supporting body, and a movable load applying mechanism including a movable member, a magnetic generating mechanism, a magnetorheological fluid, and an operation controlling part. The display unit includes a display part displaying the operation position. A display controlling part PS controls a display. A controller is included to control the operation controlling part and the display controlling part. In a control method of the operation device, the controller controls to display a state of the operation position of the operation body on the display part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operation device, comprising: an operation unit including an operation body worked by a manipulation of an operator; a position detecting pan that detects a position of an operation where the operation body is located; and a display unit that displays an operation position of the operation body, wherein the operation unit includes an operation member that includes an operation member manipulated by the operator and having the operation body, a support body that freely supports the operation of the operation body, and a movable load applying mechanism that applies a load to the operation body, in which the operation body includes a movable shaft enabling the operation, wherein the movable load applying mechanism includes a movable member that operates in engagement with a movable shaft, a magnetic generating mechanism that sandwiches the movable member and a gap, and races one side thereof, a magnetic viscous fluid that exists in at least a part of the gap and whose viscosity changes according to a strength of a magnetic field, and an operation controlling part that controls the magnetic generation mechanism, wherein the magnetic generation mechanism includes a coil that generates a magnetic field by energization by the operation controlling part, and a first yoke that is provided so as to surround the coil and is disposed on one side of the movable member, wherein a load curve having a plurality of peak values and a plurality of bottom values of the load is formed depending on a strength of a current value to the coil by the operation controlling part, and wherein the display unit includes a display part that displays the operation position, and a display controlling part that controls a display on the display part, and a controller that controls the operation controlling part and the display controlling part, wherein the controller controls the display controlling, part to display, on the display part, a shift state of the operation position in a case of shifting from a first peak value to a first bottom value and from the first bottom value to a next second peak value among the plurality of peak values and the plurality of bottom values. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operation device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a sound generating member that generates electronic sound; and a sound controlling part that controls the sound generating member, wherein the sound controlling part is controlled by the controller. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operation device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the movable member is made of a soft magnetic material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The operation device as claimed in claim 1,. wherein the magnetic generating mechanism includes a second yoke disposed facing the movable member on an other side of the movable member, and the gap between the movable member and the second yoke is filled with the magnetic viscous fluid. ### Claim 5 A control method of an operation device including an operation unit including, an operation body worked by a manipulation of an operator; a position detecting part that detects a position of the manipulation where the operation body is located; a display unit that displays an operation position of the operation body; and a controller that controls the operation controlling part and the display controlling part, wherein the operation unit includes an operation member that includes an operation member manipulated by the operator and having the operation body, a support body that freely supports the operation of the operation body, and a movable load applying mechanism that applies a load to the operation body, in which the operation body includes a movable shaft enabling the operation, wherein the movable load applying mechanism includes a movable member that operates in engagement with a movable shaft, a magnetic generating mechanism that sandwiches the movable member and a gap, and faces one side thereof, and a magnetic viscous fluid that exists in at least a part of the gap and whose viscosity changes according to a strength of a magnetic field, wherein the magnetic generation mechanism includes a coil that generates a magnetic field by energization by the operation controlling part, a first yoke that is provided so as to surround the coil and is disposed on one side of the movable member, and an operation controlling part that controls energization to the coil, wherein the display unit includes a display part that displays the operation position, and a display controlling part that controls a display on the display part, the control method comprising: forming a load curve having a plurality of peak values and a plurality of bottom values of the load depending on a strength of a current value to the coil by the operation controlling part, and controlling, by the controller, the display controlling part to display, on the display part, a shift state of the operation position in a case of shilling from a first peak value to a first bottom value and from the first bottom value to a next second peak value among the plurality of peak values and the plurality of bottom values. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The control, method of the operation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the controller causes the operation position to be displayed at a desired position on the display part in a case in which the operation body is located in a predetermined range including a bottom value of the load curve. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The control method of the operation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the operation device further includes a sound generating member that generates electronic sound, and a sound controlling part that controls the sound generating member, wherein the controller controls the sound controlling part to generate the electronic sound, in a case of shifting from a peak value to a bottom value and from the bottom value to a next peak value. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The control method of the operation device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the controller generates the electronic sound when the operation body is located in a predetermined range including the bottom value.