Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Hiroshi Ushimaru

Yukiharu Hayashi

Takuya Maeda

Masaki Sato

Kazumiki Yoshitake

Tomoaki Nakai

A fixed shaft mounted to a lower casing holds a tiltable component used for operating tilt-detecting switches. At the upper portion of the tiltable component, a tilt-operation feel providing member including a first slider unit being slidable by the tiltable component, driving bars in contact with the first slider unit, and springs urging the driving bars toward the first slider unit is arranged. First operational-feel providing portions arranged like flowers are formed on the bottom of the first slider unit. When the tiltable component is tilted, the first slider unit is slid. The driving bars are then moved on recesses constituting the first operational-feel providing portions.

Joystick switching device

A joystick input device includes a casing having a tiltable-component supporter, a tiltable component held in the tiltable-component supporter, tilt-detecting means for detecting a state of tilting of the tiltable component, a pushable component held in the tiltable component, push-detecting means for detecting a state of pushing of the pushable component, and an operation component for performing a tilt operation of the tiltable component and a push operation of the pushable component. The tiltable-component supporter has a pushable-component through-hole through which the leading edge of the pushable component can pass. The tiltable-component supporter regulates a tilt operation of the tiltable component when the leading edge of the pushable component passes through the pushable-component through-hole. A pushable-component stopping portion is formed around the pushable-component through-hole to regulate a push operation of the pushable component when the tiltable component is tilted.

Joystick input device

A fitting member is provided with a base having a flat portion, a stopper protruding forward from the base, and a through hole provided in a flat portion, wherein a knob has a plurality of projections positioned on the same circle. In fitting the knob to the fitting member, when the knob is rotated while being pressed backward in a state in which the projections are kept in contact with the flat portion, the projections slice on and in friction with a flat face, and when the projections hit against the stopper and the rotation of the knob is stopped, the projections and the through hole become opposite each other. After the projections are fitted into the through hole, the knob and the fitting member are enabled to be coupled to each other.

Fitting structure for knobs

A switch device including a case with an open bottom and a holder therein, a first movable contact member secured to the holder and provided with a movable contact section, a bottom plate for covering the open bottom of the case, a slide knob for performing switching operations, a slider joined to the slide knob through a slot formed in the case so as to reciprocate and having a thick-walled section which causes the movable contact section moving vertically as the slider reciprocates, and a printed board inserted into the case and provided with a first fixed contact which comes into contact with the movable contact which moves vertically, whereby electricity is conducted. The switch device makes it possible to minimize sliding at the contact section, so that the contact section does not wear after long use.

Switch device

A lighted knob including a knob body provided with light transmission holes, and nameplates through at least a part of which the light from light sources passes. And in a part of the nameplates are formed incorrect assembly preventive light sections; and on a part of the peripheral edge of the translucent sections are formed shield sections, so that the incorrect assembly preventive light sections will not be shielded unless the specific nameplates are attached to specific translucent sections.

Growing community of inventors

Miyagi-ken, Japan

Hiroshi Ushimaru