Information input device and electronic device using the same

An information input device comprising:

• a rotating member rotatable in forward and backward directions with a force applied in the direction of the plane thereof;
• a holder for holding the rotating member from below while allowing the rotating member to rotate;
• and
• a rotation detecting means including a rotation detecting electrode provided on a side, opposite to the holder, of the rotating member to detect a rotated extent or both rotated extent and direction of the rotating member and a plurality of brushes which are in elastic with the electrode,
• the rotation detecting electrode including a common portion which is in contact with one of the plurality of brushes irrespectively of any rotation angle of the rotating member, and multiple rotation detecting portions disposed at a constant angular pitch so that they will be in or out of contact with the other brush depending upon the angle of the rotating member;
• and
• the rotating member being formed from a single member.

An information input device comprising:

• a rotating member rotatable in forward and backward directions with a force applied in the direction of the plane thereof;
• a holder for holding the rotating member from below while allowing the rotating member to rotate;
• a rotation detecting means including a rotation detecting electrode provided on a side, opposite to the holder, of the rotating member to detect a rotated extent or both rotated extent and direction of the rotating member and a plurality of brushes which are in elastic with the electrode;
• and
• a printed wiring board provided on the bottom of the holder and having wires electrically connected to at least the brushes,
• the rotation detecting electrode including a common portion which is in contact with one of the plurality of brushes irrespectively of any rotation angle of the rotating member, and multiple rotation detecting portions disposed at a constant angular pitch so that they will be in or out of contact with the other brush depending upon the angle of the rotating member;
• the holder having formed therein a plurality of brush holes for receiving the brushes;
• and
• each of the brushes being received in the brush hole and connected at one end thereof to one of the wires of the printed wiring board while being in elastic contact with, or able to be in elastic contact with, the common portion or rotation detecting portion of the rotation detecting electrode.

(Amended) An information input device comprising:

• a rotating member rotatable in forward and backward directions with a force applied in the direction of the plane thereof;
• a disk-shaped or annular magnet provided circumferentially of the rotating member and having poles alternately different in polarity from each other;
• and
• a detent magnet magnetically acting upon the pole provided on at least a part of a portion other than the portion where a strength of the magnetic field developed by a magnet pole is detected, at the side where the rotating member is rotatably supported,
• detecting a strength of a magnetic field developed by a magnet pole, passing over the detent magnet as the rotating member is rotated;
• and
• a rotated extent and/or direction of the rotating member being detected on the basis of the result of the magnetic field strength detection.

(Amended) An information input device comprising:

• a rotating member rotatable in forward and backward directions with a force applied in the direction of the plane thereof;
• a magnet having a plurality of sets of N and S poles and disposed at a constant angular pitch on the circumference of a circle taking, as the center thereof, the center of rotation of the rotating member;
• a base supporting the rotating member while allowing the latter to rotate;
• a central switch activator provided at the center of rotation of the rotating member, and a switch provided on the base and which is turned on or off or makes a shift between on and off states when the central switch activator is operated;
• and
• a hall element provided on at least a part of the base to detect a strength of a magnetic field developed by each set of N and S poles of the magnet, passing over that part as the rotating member is rotated,
• at least a rotated extent of the rotating member being detected on the basis of an output from the hall element.