Back to results
US 7,479,607 B2Granted
Control knob with safety feature
AssigneeBose Corporation
InventorsJames A. Sack, Thomas Nilsen, Arnold E. Vandoren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a dual-concentric knob, an inner knob acts as a solid ergonomically functional knob for forces below a threshold and collapses into an outer knob for forces above the threshold. In some examples the inner knob also acts as a push button for forces below the threshold. A hand-operated control is mounted on a hub for axial movement between a first position and a second position relative to the hub, a mechanism axially rigidly couples the control to the hub in the first position unless a force greater than a threshold is applied to the control, and a mechanism rotationally couples the control to the hub in both the first and the second positions.
Claims27
An apparatus comprising
- a hand-operated control including a knob and a hub, the hub coupling axial and rotational motion of the knob to a control input,
- a first coupling member that
- (a) axially couples the knob to the hub in a first axial position, relative to the hub, when the knob is subject to a first axial force greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, such that axial motion of the knob and the hub caused by the first axial force is applied to the control input, and that
- (b) releases the axial coupling between the knob and the hub when the knob is subject to a second axial force greater than the second threshold, such that the knob is free to collapse to a second axial position relative to the hub, and
- a second coupling member that rotationally couples the knob to the hub in at least the first axial position, such that motion of the knob and hub caused by application of a rotational force to the knob is applied to the control input.
2 more elements
An apparatus comprising
- a first hand-operated control including a knob and a hub, the hub coupling axial and rotational motion of the knob to a control input,
- a first coupling member that
- (a) axially couples the knob to the hub in a first axial position, relative to the hub, when the knob is subject to a first axial force greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, such that motion of the knob and the hub caused by the first axial force is applied to the control input, and that
- (b) releases the axial coupling between the knob and the hub when the knob is subject to a second axial force greater than the second threshold, such that the knob is free to move to a second axial position relative to the hub,
- a second coupling member that rotationally couples the knob to the hub in at least the first axial position, such that motion of the knob and hub caused by application of a rotational force to the knob is applied to the control input, and
- a second hand-operated control that surrounds the first control,
- in which in the first axial position a first portion of the knob extends beyond a plane defined by a surface of the second control, and
- in the second axial position the first portion of the knob does not extend beyond the plane.
5 more elements
An apparatus comprising
- a first hand-operated control including a knob and a hub, the knob comprising a first portion having a hardness greater than about 50 shore A and a second portion having a hardness less than about 50 shore A, the hub coupling axial and rotational motion of the knob to a control input,
- a first coupling member that
- (a) axially couples the knob to the hub in a first axial position, relative to the hub, when the knob is subject to a first axial force greater than a first threshold and less than about 57 newtons, such that motion of the knob and the hub caused by the first axial force is applied to the control input, and that
- (b) releases the axial coupling between the knob and the hub when the knob is subject to a second axial force greater than the second threshold, such that the knob is free to move to a second axial position relative to the hub,
- a second coupling member that rotationally couples the knob to the hub in at least the first axial position, such that motion of the knob and hub caused by application of a rotational force to the knob is applied to the control input, and
- a second hand-operated control comprising a ring concentric with the knob of the first control,
- in which, in the first axial position the first portion of the knob extends beyond a plane defined by a surface of the second control,
- in which, in the second axial position the first portion of the knob does not extend beyond the plane, and
- in which, the second portion of the knob extends beyond the plane in both the first and second axial positions.
6 more elements
A user interface device for use in automobiles, the device comprising
- a control knob for controlling at least one function of the device and mounted on a hub, the hub coupling axial and rotational motion of the first control to a control input of the device,
- a first coupling member that
- (a) axially couples the control knob to the hub in a first axial position, relative to the hub, when the control knob is subject to a first axial force greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, such that motion of the control knob and the hub caused by the first axial force is applied to the control input, and that
- (b) releases the axial coupling between the control knob and the hub when the control knob is subject to a second axial force greater than the second threshold, such that the control knob is free to move to a second axial position relative to the hub,
- a second coupling member that rotationally couples the control knob to the hub in at least the first axial position, such that motion of the control knob and hub caused by application of a rotational force to the first control is applied to the control input, and
- a hand-operated control ring for controlling at least one second function of the device and that surrounds the control knob;
- in which, in the first axial position a first portion of the control knob extends beyond a plane defined by a surface of the control ring, and
- in which, in the second axial position the first portion of the control knob does not extend beyond the plane.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.