Electricity: circuit makers and breakers – Multiple circuit control – Combined pivoted and reciprocating contact
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2003-04-29
Enad, Elvin (Department: 2832)
Electricity: circuit makers and breakers
Multiple circuit control
Combined pivoted and reciprocating contact
C200S0110TC, C200S0110TC
Reexamination Certificate
active
06555768
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to encoder-switch assemblies such as electromechanical roller-key assemblies that comprise an encoder part and two or more actuator switches. The encoder part may operate according to magnetic, optical and/or electromechanical principles and may provide one or several electrical output signals indicating the instantaneous change of angular position of a rotating roller or tuning wheel. The actuator switches provide two or more electrical output signals indicating a first or a second displaced position of the roller or wheel of the assembly.
The present encoder-switch assemblies are particularly well adapted for use in mobile phones or, generally, in any type of electronic equipment that will benefit from the very small outer dimensions and simple construction of the present encoder-switch assemblies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Electromechanical roller-key assemblies which may be used to generate digital control signals in response to a rotation of a roller or tuning knob and to generate an actuator switch signal in response to a depression of the roller are known from e.g. mobile phones. However, the mechanical constructions of these known devices have certain drawbacks due to a large number of miniature movable and stationary parts, often including a tiny detent spring element. This large number of separate parts requires a quite complex and labour intensive assembly procedure to assure that all parts are carefully aligned with respect to each other.
Electromechanical roller-key assemblies are often used to navigate in menus on an electric display of an apparatus. The number and the complexity of functions require that the navigation means can operate in tables and extended menu structures.
Accordingly, there is a need for an encoder-switch assembly of simplified construction with fewer parts than prior art assemblies so as to simplify the assembly procedure, reduce the assembly time and, consequently, lower the costs of integrating such encoder-switch assemblies in today's mobile phones and similar compact electronic equipment. Also, there is a need for an encoder-switch assembly, which provides extended navigation possibilities.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly of simple and robust construction which assembly may be integrated in electronic equipment and generate digital control signals in response to the instantaneous change in angular position of a user operated roller.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly suitable for being manufactured with very small outer dimensions, since such miniaturisation is a key requirement for applications such as hearing aids, compact mobile phones pagers, medical dispensing devices and similar handheld or body-worn devices, etc.
It is further an object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly comprising fewer and simpler mechanical parts compared to prior art roller-key assemblies, thereby making the present electromechanical roller-key assembly suitable for a simplified and automated factory assembly.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide an electromechanical roller-key assembly which in addition to the signals representing the rotation of the roller key provides switch signal outputs corresponding to at least four different logic states.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide methods for navigating and selecting items in tables and menus on an electronic display using a single roller key.
In a first aspect, the present invention provides a roller-key assembly, which is of a specific type comprising:
a carrier,
a roller member supported by the carrier and being rotatably mounted in relation to the carrier,
a coding member engaging the roller member in a manner so as to rotate when the roller member rotates,
the carrier being mounted in a supporting structure and being at least partly displaceable relative to the supporting structure so as to render the roller member displaceable from an initial position to a selected displaced position out of at least two predetermined displaced positions,
means for detecting rotation of the coding member in relation to the supporting structure,
means for generating a return spring force that returns the roller member to the initial position from the selected displaced position, and
switching means being adapted to indicate the selected displaced position of the roller member.
The switching means typically comprises at least two separate switching means such as two actuator contacts, wherein the first is adapted to generate a first switch signal indicating that the roller member is in a first predetermined position, and the second is adapted to generate a second switch signal indicating that the roller member is in a second predetermined position. Optionally, the roller member is furthermore displaceable to a third predetermined displaced position. In this case, the switching means may further comprise a third switching means adapted to generate a third switch signal indicating that the roller member is in the third predetermined position. Alternatively the third predetermined displaced position of the roller member is indicated by a combination of the first and second switch signals.
Preferably the selected displaced position is chosen by applying a predetermined force to an associated part of the roller member:
the first predetermined displaced position is selected by applying the predetermined force to a first end part of the roller member,
the second predetermined displaced position is selected by applying the predetermined force to a second end part of the roller member, and
if the roller member is furthermore displaceable to a third predetermined displaced position, the third displaced position is selected by applying the predetermined force to a substantially middle part of the roller member.
The carrier may comprise a first and a second part, where the first part is substantially rigidly connected to the frame and the second part is adapted to support the roller member and is displaceable relative to the first part of the carrier. Thereby, a torque spring force are constituted by the carrier so as to return the second part to a relaxed position when the second part is displaced to a relative to the first part. In this case, the carrier is preferably made from a plate-shaped resilient material. One or more indentations may separate first and second parts of the carrier in order to provide regions with a higher resiliency than regions of the carrier abutting the one or more indentations.
When the roller member is displaced to one of the predetermined displaced positions, it is preferred that the carrier actuates the switching means, e.g. by protrusions on the second part of the carrier. Alternatively the roller member is adapted to actuate the switching means when it is displaced.
The switching means may comprise one or several membrane switches. Optionally, such membrane switches may comprise a resilient material and be adapted to provide a return spring force to the roller member or the carrier when the roller member and the carrier are displaced towards the switching means. Alternatively, the resilient material may not form part of the switching means but be arranged between the switching means and the roller member so as to provide the return spring force to the roller member or the carrier when the roller member and the carrier are displaced towards the switching means. The resilient material may be any material selected from the group of: rubber, plastic, foam, metal, metal alloys.
The supporting structure of the roller-key assembly according to the present invention may constitute a frame supporting at least part of the carrier.
In order to transmit the rotation from the roller member to the coding member, the roller-key assembly may comprise a shaft providing a substantially rotationally rigid connection between the roller member and the codin
Deruginsky Michael
Ravnkilde Soren
Enad Elvin
Harness Dickey & Pierce PLC.
Lee Kyung S.
Soniontech A/S
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