Revolving operation electronic component and electronic appliance using the same

An electronic appliance incorporating a revolving operation electronic component, an operating knob and a front panel, said revolving operation electronic component comprising:

• a bearing having a round hole in the center;
• a revolving member having in the cylindrical portion a polygonal opening for a section upper than a middle ring-platform, which ring-platform being perpendicular to central axis of said round hole of the bearing, and a central opening, whose diameter is greater than that of said polygonal opening, for a section lower than the middle ring-platform, said revolving member being supported at the cylindrical portion by said round hole of said bearing in a freely revolving manner and attached on the flat bottom area locating at a level lower than the middle ring-platform with a contact board;
• a substrate, which holds slider contacts that keep elastic contact with the contact board, provided to encounter said revolving member;
• an operating rod comprising a polygonal portion having a polygonal horizontal cross-section and curved surfaces along an axial direction of the operating rod, which curved surfaces being engaged with said polygonal opening of the revolving member for making the same revolution together with said revolving member while it is free to move up and down independently, a pushing portion located below said curved surfaces, and an operating section located above said curved surfaces;
• and
• a movable contact plate of domed shape which provides upward pressure to said pushing portion so that the upper surface of said pushing portion keeps an elastic contact against the middle ring-platform of the revolving member;
• wherein
• said operating knob is attached on said operating rod of said revolving operation electronic component, and
• said operating rod is supported so that it can make a free revolving movement in an aperture of said front panel provided only with a small clearance margin.

A revolving operation electronic component comprising:

• a bearing having a hole extending therethrough;
• a revolving member fitted at least partially within said hole, said revolving member including a first end, a middle ring-platform and a contact board, said revolving member further including a hole extending therethrough defining an inner polygonal surface between said first end and said middle ring-platform, said revolving member being configured to be freely rotatable;
• a substrate holding contacts that elastically engage said contact board, provided to encounter said revolving member;
• an operating rod including a polygonal portion and a pushing portion, said polygonal portion having a polygonal horizontal cross section and curved surfaces along an axial direction of the operating rod, said polygonal portion being engaged with said inner polygonal surface of the revolving member for making the same revolution together with said revolving member while it is free to move up and down independently;
• and
• a movable contact plate for providing upward bias pressure to said pushing portion.