Knob input device including a vibrating member and a magnetic sensor

An input device comprising:

• an operating member including a rotor having a cylindrical outer wall and a knob positioned above the rotor, the operating member configured to allow a user to rotate the operating member;
• a holding member fixed and positioned inside the rotor, the holding member configured to hold the operating member such that the operating member is allowed to rotate about a virtual rotation axis;
• a vibrating member including a casing and a vibrator, including a core and a coil, vibrating in the casing, the vibrating member configured to vibrate the holding member and transmit vibrations to the operating member via the holding member;
• a magnetic sensor positioned above the rotor and positioned below the knob, the magnetic sensor configured to detect a state of rotation of the operating member;
• and
• a control circuit configured to control drive of the vibrating member according to the state of rotation of the operating member,
• wherein the vibrating member is held by the holding member such that a longitudinal direction of an outer shape of the casing is parallel to the virtual rotation axis,
• wherein the vibrating member includes a pair of elastic supports sandwiching the vibrator between the pair of elastic supports, and a pair of magnets that are positioned, respectively, at both longitudinal ends of the vibrating member,
• wherein the vibrating member is a linear resonant actuator configured to allow the vibrator to vibrate,
• wherein the vibrator is positioned between the pair of magnets,
• wherein the pair of elastic supports the vibrator from a first traverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and
• wherein the linear resonant actuator has at least two resonant frequencies, and is configured to allow the vibrator to resonate in both the first transverse direction and a second transverse direction of the outer shape of the vibrating member, the first transverse direction and the second transverse direction being perpendicular to each other and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the outer shape of the vibrating member.

An input device comprising:

• an operating member including a rotor having a cylindrical outer wall and a knob positioned above the rotor, the operating member configured to allow a user to rotate the operating member;
• a holding member fixed and positioned inside the rotor, the holding member configured to hold the operating member such that the operating member is allowed to rotate about a virtual rotation axis;
• a vibrating member configured to vibrate the holding member and transmit vibrations to the operating member via the holding member;
• a magnetic sensor positioned above the rotor and positioned below the knob, the magnetic sensor configured to detect a state of rotation of the operating member;
• a control circuit configured to control drive of the vibrating member according to the state of rotation of the operating member, and
• an annular elastic member configured to:
• be in contact with both the holding member and the operating member;
• produce an anti-rotation force when the user rotates the operating member;
• and
• transmit the vibrations of the vibrating member to the operating member,
• wherein the vibrating member is held by the holding member such that a longitudinal direction of an outer shape of the casing is parallel to the virtual rotation axis.