Input apparatus
AssigneePanasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
InventorsHITOKAZU SHITANAKA, HIDEAKI ETO, NAOAKI MATSUI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An input apparatus includes a pressing part, a spacer, a rotating cam, and a sensor. The pressing part is capable of reciprocating along a first direction. The spacer is disposed in the first direction with respect to pressing part and is capable of reciprocating along the first direction with reciprocation of the pressing part. The rotating cam is disposed at a side of the spacer opposite to the pressing part and rotates in a plane perpendicular to the first direction with reciprocation of the spacer. The sensor detects rotation of the rotating cam.
Claims10
An input apparatus comprising:
- a pressing part capable of reciprocating along a first direction;
- a spacer disposed in the first direction with respect to the pressing part, and capable of reciprocating along the first direction with reciprocation of the pressing part;
- a rotating cam that is disposed at a side of the spacer opposite to the pressing part and rotates in a plane perpendicular to the first direction with reciprocation of the spacer;
- and
- a sensor that detects rotation of the rotating cam, wherein
- either
- a plurality of projections are provided on a surface of the spacer facing the rotating cam, whereas a plurality of recesses are provided in the rotating cam at locations facing the plurality of projections of the spacer,
- or
- a plurality of projections are provided on a surface of the rotating cam facing the spacer, whereas a plurality of recesses are provided in the spacer at locations facing the plurality of projections of the rotating cam,
- each of the plurality of recesses has a slope, and
- pressing of the pressing part causes the spacer to be pressed, and at least one of the plurality of projections presses the slope so that the rotating cam rotates and the sensor detects rotation of the rotating cam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.