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US 8,508,511 B2Granted
Inputting device
AssigneePanasonic Corporation
InventorsToshio Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Tanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An inputting device includes an actuator that can move and rotate, a rotation sensor for detecting a rotation of the actuator, a movement sensor for detecting that the actuator moves to a predetermined position, and a rotation suppressor for preventing the actuator from rotating when the actuator moves to the predetermined position and for allowing the actuator to rotate when the actuator is not positioned at the predetermined position. This input device prevents erroneous operation and performs various operations.
Claims16
An inputting device comprising:
- a casing comprising a case with an opening, and a cover disposed on the case over the opening;
- an actuator mounted in said casing and configured to rotate relative to said casing in a rotation direction about a rotation axis, and move relative to said casing in a predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis and parallel to a rotating plane that includes the rotation direction;
- an actuator rotation sensor;
- an actuator movement sensor;
- and
- wherein said actuator rotation suppressor comprises an actuator-side rotation suppressor portion fixed for rotation with said actuator, and a casing-side rotation suppressor portion fixed to said casing;
- wherein said actuator-side rotation suppressor portion is constituted by a movable body fixed to and projecting radially outwardly from said actuator;
- and
- wherein the casing, the actuator, and the rotation suppressor are arranged such that the shortest distance between the actuator-side rotation suppressor portion and the casing-side rotation suppressor portion in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is shorter than the shortest distance between the actuator and the casing in the predetermined movement direction perpendicular to the rotation axis.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.