Alps Electric Co., Ltd.

Takuya Maeda

Noriyuki Fukushima

Satoshi Hayasaka

Ken Mizuta

Ken Matsumoto

Shinji Ishikawa

Atsuo Takahashi

Yukiharu Hayashi

Hiroshi Ushimaru

Kaiji Nonaka

Yoshiaki Kumasaka

A haptic feedback input device includes a pair of driving levers journaled at a frame such that rotary shafts thereof are perpendicular to each other, an operating lever coupled to an intersection of the two driving levers such that it can rock, and a pair of rotary motors that apply feedback force to the operating lever via the two driving levers. In the haptic feedback input device, a pair of rotary encoders detect the relative dislocation amount of the operating level, and an absolute position detecting unit is composed of swing arms fixed to the two driving levers and photo interrupters that detect the existence of blocking portions formed at the swing arms and that output ON/OFF signals. A control unit calculates a reference position of the operating lever based on ON/OFF switching signals of the photo interrupters.

Haptic feedback input device

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 driving body is placed on four sets of push switches which are arranged on a concentric circle at equal intervals of 90 degrees. The driving body is pivotally supported by a holder to be rockable, and a driving rod protruding from the driving body is inserted through a square opening formed in the slider, and respective sides of the opening are set parallel to straight lines connecting two sets of adjacent push switches with each other.

Multidirectional input device

A manual inputting device which includes a sun gear, three planet gears, a motor having an output shaft thereof fixed to the sun gear, a ring gear casing integrally forming a ring gear on an inner peripheral surface thereof, a carrier rotated along with revolution of the planet gears, a carrier shaft mounted on the carrier, a restricting member facing the carrier in an opposed manner while sandwiching the planet gears therebetween, a knob fixed to the carrier shaft, a code plate integrally formed with the sun gear, a light emitting section, a light receiving section, a connector for outputting detection signals generated from the light receiving section, a board connecting these components thereto, a body casing, a bracket served for fixing the motor to the body casing, and a control unit for controlling the motor in response to detection signals from the light receiving section.

Manual inputting device capable of imparting manipulation feeling

A vehicle knob switch apparatus including an operating lever, a cylindrical holder disposed at an end of the operating lever, a plurality of changeover switch portions accommodated in the interior of the holder, a first operating knob, mounted so as to be rotatable substantially coaxially with an axial line of the operating lever and not movable in the axial direction, for operating one of the plurality of changeover switch portions, and a second operating knob, swingably mounted to an end of the holder, for operating the other one of the plurality of changeover switch portions. The vehicle knob switch apparatus has an integrated switch mechanism, allows components to be installed in the vicinity of the steering column after confirmation of functions, and can be reduced in size.

Vehicle knob switch apparatus

A two-stage movement seesaw switch apparatus of the light irradiation type which is compact and superior in operation feeling. The two-stage movement seesaw switch includes a pair of operation plates disposed immediately below a manually operable knob. Two sets of push switches, each set including two push switches, are disposed such that a straight line interconnecting the push switches of each set extends obliquely with respect to a center axis of pivotal motion of the manually operable knob. The push switches are actuated by contact with the operation plates when the manually actuated knob is pivoted. Each of the operation plates has an opening formed therein for passing light emitted from an LED therethrough and has a pair of projections formed thereon next to the opening.

Two-stage movement seesaw switch apparatus

A multi-way flipping switch including a base plate having stationary contacts, a click rubber member placed on the base plate and having hollow protrusions located over the stationary contacts, movable contacts mounted on inner surfaces of the hollow protrusions, a housing mounted on the base plate having a central opening, a holding member mounted on the housing, rotating members having one end rotatably mounted on the holding member and a second end contacting an upper surface of the hollow protrusions, and an operating member pivotally mounted on the housing such that a portion of the operating member protrudes through the central opening, the operating member including driving members contacting middle sections of the rotating members. In operation, pivoting of the operation member in an arbitrary direction causes rotation of one of the rotating members, thereby driving the end of the rotating member downward against the upper surface of a corresponding hollow protrusion, and thereby collapsing the hollow protrusion such that the movable contact located inside the hollow protrusion contacts a corresponding stationary contact on the base plate. The upper surface of each of the hollow protrusions is curved such that the corresponding rotating member contacts the upper surface at a point.

Multi-way flipping switch

A seesaw switch including a rigid member bridging first and second elastic click members, each elastic click member carrying a moveable contact positioned over a fixed contact. A lever is pivotably positioned over the rigid member and includes a first projection contacting the rigid member near the first elastic click member, and a second projection contacting the rigid member near the second elastic click member. When the lever is pivoted a first angular amount in a clockwise direction, the first projection presses against the rigid member, causing the rigid member to rotate with respect to the second elastic member to buckle the first elastic click member. Further pivoting of the lever in the clockwise direction causes the rigid member to rotate with respect to the buckled first elastic click member, thereby buckling the second elastic click member. Similarly, when the lever is pivoted a first amount in the counterclockwise direction, the second elastic click member is buckled, and further pivoting of the lever subsequently causes the first elastic click member to buckle.

Seesaw switch

A switch device comprising a first sliding switch operated by a first knob, a second sliding switch operated by a second knob, a connecting member for connecting the slider of the first sliding switch and the slider of the second sliding switch and a mechanism prohibiting operation of the second sliding switch when the first sliding switch is operated and conversely prohibiting operation of the first sliding switch when the second sliding switch is operated. With such an arrangement, the capacity of the electro-conductive network for power source which is shared by the two sliding switches in such a switch device can be significantly reduced and consequently the size and weight as well as the manufacturing cost of such a device can be considerably reduced. Such a switch device can be conveniently used for a power operated automobile seat.

Vehicle seat switch with interlocked actuators

A lever switch for a vehicle windshield wiper having a base for attaching to a steering column, a rotational shaft rotatably connected to the base, a first switch knob connected to the rotational shaft, and a second switch knob rotatable mounted around a portion of the rotational shaft. The lever switch includes mounting the switch mechanisms for the first and second switch knobs around a portion of the rotational shaft, thereby allowing the rotational shaft to be shortened and the lever switch to be connected at an angle to the base.

Lever switch

An automatic cancelling device for a winker is disclosed, in which a locking removing member can efficiently transmit a stroke of a working member of a solenoid when returning a holder to neutral position. Construction of the locking removing member includes an engaging portion that engages with the working member of the solenoid, a first fulcrum portion on one side of the locking removing member which is brought into contact with the holder, and a second fulcrum portion on the other side of the locking removing member which is brought into contact with a supporting portion located on the lower case. Further, engaging protruding portions, disposed on one side of the holder, slide upon cam portions disposed on the locking removing member on either side of the engaging portions. Hence, by using the construction above, the locking removing member is rotated around one of the fulcrum portions without rotation of the working member of the solenoid.

Automatic canceling device for a winker

In a switch device including a case, a partition wall formed in the case, a plurality of switch elements provided under the partition wall, each the switch element having an actuator, and an operating knob rockably mounted over the partition wall for driving the actuator of the each switch element; the improvement comprising a plurality of cylindrical walls formed to upwardly project from the partition wall, each the cylindrical wall defining a through-hole therein, a driving rod vertically movably inserted into the each through-hole and having upper and lower ends abutting against the operating knob and the actuator of the switch element, and a drain passage formed in a side wall of the case for discharging a liquid having entered a space of the case over the partition wall to the outside of the case. That is, the through-hole is closely engaged with the driving rod. The cylindrical wall surrounding the through-hole projects over the partition wall. Accordingly, even when the liquid such as rainwater enters the case from a gap around the operating knob, it is prevented that the liquid will flow to the switch elements. Further, the liquid having entered the case may be positively discharged through the drain passage to the outside of the case.

Multiple circuit switch device with drain passage

An automatic canceling device for a winker which comprises a container, a winker operation lever rockably held in the container, an engaging unit extensibly or contractibly provided through a compression spring mounted in the lever, a locking cam provided in the container for holding the lever engaged with the engaging unit at neutral, right or left positions, a solenoid energized by an unlock signal, an unlocking member for rotating the lever in the unlocking direction in contact with the second cam unit provided on the lever, and an energizing member engaged with the unlocking member for energizing the locking cam toward its neutral position. Thus, the automatic canceling device can hold the compression spring at a neutral position without fluctuation even if the spring tension of the spring is small, and reduce the size and the cost of the solenoid by reducing the operating force in case of unlocking.

Automatic canceling device for winker device

A turn indicator switch cancelling mechanism wherein the motion of a cam member moved by the projection of a cancelling cam is transmitted to a drive member via a slider engaging therewith so that a switch activating member and an operating lever are reliably moved back to their neutral positions by engagement between the drive member and the cam member.

Growing community of inventors

Furukawa, Japan

Takuya Maeda