Encoder with LED

Abstract

To provide an encoder with a light emitting diode.SOLUTION: An encoder includes a light emitting diode, a switch module, an encoder module, and a control shaft. The switch module includes an insulating base having a terminal part, a conductive elastic piece, and a pressure driver. The conductive elastic piece is arranged in the insulating base and arranged above the terminal part. The pressure driver is arranged in the insulating base and arranged above the conductive elastic piece to accommodate the light emitting diode. At least part of the encoder module is arranged in the insulating base, and the encoder module includes a magnetic sensor, a magnetic ring, and a rotary driver. The control shaft penetrates a through hole in the rotary driver and is arranged above the pressure driver.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of Taiwan Patent Application No. 112132530 filed on August 29, 2023, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to encoders, and more specifically, but not limited thereto, to encoders with light - emitting diodes applicable to electronic products such as stereo systems, sound - mixing engineering equipment, audio - visual equipment, etc., or encoders using both light - emitting diodes and key switches.

Background Art

[0003] Encoders are usually used to provide encoded signals such as high - voltage signals and low - voltage signals in electronic products.

[0004] Furthermore, for general electronic products such as, but not limited to, stereo systems, sound - mixing engineering equipment, and audio - visual equipment, they usually have a control shaft, whereby the switch function of the switch device of the electronic product can be realized by pressing the control shaft. To enhance the function of the switch device of the electronic product, encoders are often mounted on the switch device, whereby the switch device has both a switch function and an encoding function.

[0005] On the other hand, in situations where lighting is relatively dimmed, such as when a switch device for audio-visual equipment is used in a movie theater or home and the lights are turned off for the use of the audio-visual equipment, guide lighting is necessary. In conventional technology, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on the substrate of the aforementioned electronic product to generate light. However, when mounted on a substrate, the LEDs must align with the position of the encoder mentioned above. Therefore, integrating the height and brightness of the LEDs is difficult. Furthermore, the number of steps in the manufacturing process increases when placing LEDs. For example, an additional soldering process must be added to place the LEDs on the substrate, increasing processing time and costs.

[0006] Furthermore, the encoders currently installed in switch devices are typically contact encoders, which require brushes to contact metal contacts to generate a positive electrode signal. Switch modules, including those containing light-emitting diodes, also use brushes that contact metal contacts for power supply, which can easily lead to wear and breakage, shortening the product's lifespan.

[0007] Therefore, it is desirable to provide an improved encoder with a light-emitting diode in order to mitigate and / or avoid the above problems. [Overview of the project]

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an encoder with a light-emitting diode that can use a non-contact magnetic sensor to avoid the problem of shortened product lifespan caused by wear resulting from brush contacts in the prior art. Furthermore, the encoder of the present invention may be equipped with light-emitting diodes to meet the individual needs of different users. In addition, the encoder of the present invention may be combined with a switch function. Through the cooperation of the control shaft and the press drive body, the electrical contact of the switch is triggered without interference with the light-emitting diode, thereby improving the lifespan and quality of the product.

[0009] To achieve the objective, this disclosure provides an encoder comprising: a light-emitting diode; a switch module including an insulating base having a main chamber and terminals; a conductive elastic piece housed in the main chamber and positioned above the terminals; and a press drive body housed in the main chamber and positioned above the conductive elastic piece, the press drive body having a housing for housing a light-emitting diode; an encoder module at least partially housed in the main chamber and provided with a rotary drive body having a magnetic sensor, a magnetic ring, and a through hole; and a control shaft passing through the through hole and positioned above the press drive body.

[0010] Other novel features of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description when interpreted in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an exploded view of an encoder with a light-emitting diode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2A] Figure 2A is a detailed exploded view of a switch module according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B is a schematic diagram showing an assembled switch module and light-emitting diode according to the present disclosure. [Figure 2C] Figure 2C is a top view of an insulating base according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3A] Figure 3A is a detailed structural diagram of an encoder module and control shaft according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 3B] Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of a combined magnetic ring, rotary drive unit, and control shaft according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3C] Figure 3C is a top view of an encoder module according to an embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an assembled encoder with a light-emitting diode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5A] Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view of the encoder with a light-emitting diode before the control shaft is pressed, along the line A1-A1' in Figure 4. [Figure 5B] Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the encoder with a light-emitting diode after the control shaft has been pressed, along the line A1-A1' in Figure 4. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of an encoder with a light-emitting diode along the line B1-B1' in Figure 4. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is an exploded view of an encoder with a light-emitting diode according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0012] Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are referenced in detail hereby, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings and description, the same reference numerals are used to represent the same or similar parts whenever possible.

[0013] Throughout this specification and subsequent claims, specific terms may be used to describe specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that manufacturers of encoder devices may use different names for the same components. This disclosure does not distinguish between components that have the same function but different names. In the following description and claims, words such as “includes” and “equipment” are open-ended and should be interpreted as “includes, but not limited to.”

[0014] Terms indicating direction as described herein, such as “up,” “down,” “front,” “back,” “left,” and “right,” merely describe directions in the drawings. Therefore, the terms used to indicate direction are for illustrative purposes only and are not limiting. Various drawings illustrate general characteristics of methods, structures, and / or materials used in specific embodiments. However, these drawings should not be construed as defining or limiting the scope or properties covered by these embodiments. For example, the relative sizes, thicknesses, and locations of various layers, areas, and / or structures may be reduced or enlarged for clarity.

[0015] When one structure (i.e., a layer, component, or substrate) described in this disclosure is located on / above another structure (i.e., a layer, component, or substrate), it may mean that the two structures are adjacent and directly connected, or it may represent two adjacent structures that are not directly connected. Indirect connection means that there is at least one intermediate structure (i.e., an intermediate layer, intermediate component, intermediate substrate, or intermediate space) between the two structures, where the underside of one structure is adjacent to or directly connected to the upper surface of the intermediate structure, and the upper surface of the other structure is adjacent to or directly connected to the underside of the intermediate structure. The intermediate structure may be a single-layer or multi-layer physical structure or a non-physical structure, but is not limited to this. When a particular structure is located "on" another structure in this disclosure, it may mean that the particular structure is "directly" on the other structure, or that the particular structure is "indirectly" on the other structure, i.e., at least one structure is sandwiched between the particular structure and the other structure.

[0016] Terms such as “approximately,” “equal to,” “same,” “substantially,” or “abstract” are generally interpreted as being within 20% of a given value or range, or within 10%, 5%, 3%, 2%, 1%, or 0.5% of a given value or range.

[0017] Furthermore, any two values or two directions used for comparison may have a specific error. If the first value is equal to the second value, it implies that there may be an error of about 10% between the first value and the second value. If the first direction is perpendicular or "substantially / nearly" perpendicular to the second direction, the angle between the first direction and the second direction can be between 80 degrees and 100 degrees. If the first direction is parallel or "substantially / nearly" parallel to the second direction, the angle between the first direction and the second direction can be between 0 degrees and 10 degrees.

[0018] In this specification and the claims, unless otherwise specified, ordinal numbers such as "first" and "second" used herein do not explicitly or implicitly disclose that the names of the elements have ordinal words, but are used to distinguish elements. Ordinal numbers do not imply the order in which one element exists relative to another in terms of space, time, or steps of a manufacturing method. Thus, what is referred to as the "first element" in this specification may be referred to as the "second element" in the claims.

[0019] Furthermore, the phrase "a given range is from the first value to the second value" or "a given range is within the range from the first value to the second value" means that the given range includes the first value, the second value, and other values therebetween.

[0020] According to the disclosed embodiments, it should be understood that an optical microscope (OM), a scanning electron microscope (SEM), a film thickness profiler (α-step), an ellipsometer thickness gauge, or other suitable means can be used to measure the depth, thickness, width, or height of each component or the spacing or distance between components. According to some embodiments, a scanning electron microscope can be used to acquire a cross-sectional structure image including the component to be measured and measure the depth, thickness, width, or height of each component or the spacing or distance between components.

[0021] The following embodiments may be substituted, rearranged, and combined without departing from the spirit of this disclosure to complete other embodiments. The features of the various embodiments can be arbitrarily combined and adapted, provided that they do not contradict the spirit of the invention or conflict with each other.

[0022] Unless otherwise specified, all terms used herein (including technical and scientific terms) have the same meaning as generally understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs. These terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be understood to have meaning consistent with the background or context of the relevant art and this disclosure, and should not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal manner unless otherwise specified in the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0023] Furthermore, the term “adjacent” in this specification and the claims is used to describe proximity to each other and does not necessarily mean contact between them.

[0024] Furthermore, descriptions such as "when" or "during" in this disclosure represent aspects such as "currently, before, or after," and are not limited to situations occurring simultaneously; this is to clarify here first. In this disclosure, similar descriptions such as "placed on top" represent the corresponding positional relationship between two components, and unless otherwise specified, do not limit whether or not there is contact between the two components; this is to clarify here first. Moreover, when this disclosure discloses multiple functions, if the word "or" is used between those functions, it means that the functions may exist independently, but this does not exclude the possibility of multiple functions existing simultaneously.

[0025] Furthermore, the terms “electrically connected” or “coupled” in this specification and the claims refer not only to direct electrical connections with other components but also to indirect electrical connections with other components. Electrical connections include direct electrical connections, indirect electrical connections, or communication between two components via radio signals.

[0026] Please refer to Figure 1, which is an exploded view of an encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode of this disclosure mainly includes a switch module A, an encoder module B, a control shaft 2, and a light-emitting diode 7. Switch module A may include a pressing drive body 8, a conductive elastic piece 9, an insulating base 10, and a terminal portion 15. Encoder module B may include a magnetic sensor 3, a magnetic ring 4, and a rotary drive body 5. For convenience of explanation, the Z direction will be used below as the normal direction of the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode. Furthermore, relative relationships such as "upper," "lower," "upper," or "downward" of the components below represent their position with respect to the Z direction.

[0028] First, let's describe the switch module A. Please refer to Figures 1 to 2C simultaneously. Figure 2A is a detailed exploded view of the switch module A according to the embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 2B is a schematic diagram showing the assembled switch module A and light-emitting diode 7 according to the embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2C is a top view of the insulating base 10 according to the embodiment of this disclosure.

[0029] As shown in Figures 1, 2A, and 2C, the insulating base 10 may have a main chamber 100. For example, the upper surface 10a of the insulating base 10 may be concave by the main chamber 100, and the main chamber 100 may include a first small chamber 101 and a second small chamber 102, wherein in the Z direction, the lower portion of the second small chamber 102 is connected to the first small chamber 101, and the Z-direction projection of the first small chamber 101 may surround the Z-direction projection of the second small chamber 102. The first small chamber 101 and the second small chamber 102 may have different sizes and / or shapes. For example, the first small chamber 101 may correspond to the size and / or shape of the rotary drive unit 5 of the encoder module B (for example, it may be slightly larger or equivalent). Thus, the rotary drive unit 5 can be housed in the first small chamber 101. Furthermore, for example, the second small chamber 102 may correspond to the size and / or shape of the press drive unit 8. The pressing drive unit 8 can be housed therein, but is not limited thereto.

[0030] In one embodiment, the insulating base 10 may also have a side chamber 103. In the horizontal direction (such as the ±X, ±Y, or other directions perpendicular to the Z direction), the side chamber 103 is adjacent to the first small chamber 101. The side chamber 103 may correspond to the size and / or shape of the magnetic sensor 3 of the encoder module B. Thereafter, the magnetic sensor 3 can be housed there, however the number may be changed, or the range may be adjusted according to the specifications of various sensors.

[0031] A terminal section 15 may be located inside the insulating base 10. The terminal section 15 may, but is not limited to, be located at the bottom of the main chamber 100. Furthermore, the terminal section 15 may include, for example, a first terminal 17 and a second terminal 18. The first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18 are not interconnected.

[0032] In one embodiment, the first terminal 17 may include an insertion portion 171, a connecting portion 172, and a contact portion 173. The insertion portion 171 is connected to the connecting portion 172 by a bend between two parts, and the contact portion 173 extends from the connecting portion 172. In one embodiment, the insertion portion 171 may extend in the -Z direction, the contact portion 173 may extend along the X direction, and the connecting portion 172 may extend along the Y direction, but are not limited to these. The second terminal 18 may include an insertion portion 181, a connecting portion 182, and a contact portion 183. The insertion portion 181 is connected to the connecting portion 182 by a bend between two parts, and the contact portion 183 may extend from the connecting portion 182. In one embodiment, the insertion portion 181 may extend along the -Z direction, the contact portion 183 may extend along the -X direction, and the connecting portion 182 may extend along the Y direction, but are not limited to these. In one embodiment, the contact portion 173 of the first terminal 17 and the contact portion 183 of the second terminal 18 may have various shapes and be located at various heights (for example, various heights in the Z direction), but are not limited thereto.

[0033] The conductive elastic piece 9 may be housed in a second small chamber 102 and positioned above the terminal portion 15. For example, the conductive elastic piece 9 may be housed in a second small chamber 102 and positioned at the contact portion 173 of the first terminal 17 and above the contact portion 183 of the second terminal 18. The conductive elastic piece 9 may be an arc-shaped conductive elastic piece or another non-planar conductive elastic piece, which can be crushed by an external force to change its shape or position, and return to its original shape or position when the external force is removed.

[0034] The press drive unit 8 may be housed in a second small chamber 102 of the main chamber 100 and positioned above the conductive elastic piece 9. The press drive unit 8 itself may have a housing portion 81, which can correspond to the shape of the light-emitting diode 7 to accommodate the light-emitting diode 7. When the light-emitting diode 7 is housed in the housing portion 81, the height of the light-emitting diode 7 in the Z direction will be below the upper edge of the press drive unit 8, and therefore the light-emitting diode 7 will not be exposed to the upper edge of the press drive unit 8, thus avoiding interference with the light-emitting diode 7 when an external force is applied toward the press drive unit 8. Furthermore, the insulating base 10 may have at least one second housing portion 107, and when the light-emitting diode 7 and the press drive unit 8 are mounted on the insulating base 10, the second housing portion 107 may, but is not limited to, be used to accommodate the pins 71 of the light-emitting diode 7.

[0035] In one embodiment, the switch module A may further include at least one steel ball 11 and at least one spring 12 (as shown in Figure 1). The insulating base 10 may have at least a third housing 108. The third housing 108 may be used to house the steel ball 11 and the spring 12, with the steel ball 11 positioned above the spring 12 in the Z direction. The functions of the steel ball 11 and the spring 12 are described in the following paragraphs.

[0036] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the switch module A may be assembled with a fixing plate 13 (as shown in Figure 1). The fixing plate 13 has leads 135 so that the body of the encoder can be positioned on a mating surface such as a PCBA (not shown), but is not limited to this.

[0037] As shown in Figure 2B, after the assembly of the switch module A is complete, the press drive unit 8 may be placed in the second small chamber 102 (see Figure 2A), and the insertion portion 171 of the first terminal 17 and the insertion portion 181 of the second terminal 18 may be exposed at the bottom of the switch module A. Furthermore, when the light-emitting diode 7 is housed in the press drive unit 8, the pins 71 of the light-emitting diode 7 may be exposed at the bottom of the switch module A. Furthermore, when the magnetic sensor 3 is housed in the side chamber 103, the pins 31 of the magnetic sensor 3 may be exposed at the bottom of the switch module A through the through hole 103h of the side chamber 103. As a result, when the switch module A is placed on the circuit board, the insertion portions 171, 181, leads 135 and / or pins 31, 71 may be electrically connected to contacts on the circuit board, but are not limited to this.

[0038] This makes switch module A understandable.

[0039] Next, encoder module B will be described. Please refer to Figures 1 and 3A to 3C simultaneously. Figure 3A is a detailed structural diagram of encoder module B and control shaft 2 according to an embodiment of this disclosure, Figure 3B is a schematic diagram of the combined magnetic ring 4, rotary drive unit 5 and control shaft 2 according to an embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 3C is a top view of encoder module B according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1, 3A, and 3B, the Z-direction projection on the outer circumference of the magnetic ring 4 may be, for example, circular or circular in shape, while the Z-direction projection on the inner circumference of the magnetic ring 4 may be, for example, elliptical in shape having two tangent planes 4e, but is not limited to this, and may be other shapes having two tangent planes 4e. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3C, in one embodiment, the magnetic ring 4 may be provided with a plurality of first magnetic polarities 41 (such as north poles) and second magnetic polarities (such as south poles) arranged alternately. In one embodiment, the number of first magnetic polarities 41 (north poles) and second magnetic polarities 42 (south poles) is the same.

[0041] As shown in Figures 1, 3A, and 3B, the rotary drive body 5 has an upper surface 5a, the upper surface 5a has a protruding structure 51, the protruding structure 51 extends along the Z direction, and a through hole 5S is provided in the protruding structure 51. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the rotary drive body 5 also has a tooth-like structure 52 positioned relative to the upper surface 5a, the tooth-like structure 52 has a plurality of partial teeth 53 positioned along the edge of the rotary drive body 5, each partial tooth 53 facing in the -Z direction, and for example, the tip of the partial tooth 53 may be separated from the upper surface 5a. In one embodiment, the shape of the partial tooth 53 may be, for example, triangular or triangular, but may also be other shapes such as semicircles, and is not limited thereto. A partial tooth spacing space 531 may exist between adjacent partial teeth 53.

[0042] In one embodiment, the Z-direction projection on the outer circumference of the rotary drive body 5 may be, for example, circular or round in shape. The Z-direction projection on the outer circumference of the projection structure 51 may be elliptical in shape having two tangent planes 5e, and may correspond to the shape and / or size of the inner circumference 4c of the magnetic ring 4. Thus, the magnetic ring 4 is sleeved to the projection structure 51 for tight engagement, thereby fixing the magnetic ring 4 and the rotary drive body 5 to each other. Furthermore, the Z-direction projection on the inner circumference of the projection structure 51 (i.e., the outer shape of the through hole 5S) may be elliptical in shape (or other shape) having two tangent planes 5f, and the bottom 21 of the control shaft 2 may correspond to the shape and / or size of the inner circumference 51d of the projection structure 51. Thus, the bottom 21 of the control shaft 2 passes through the through hole 5S, thereby enabling the control shaft 2 to drive the rotary drive body 5 to rotate horizontally. Furthermore, due to the structural geometry matching between the control shaft 2 and the bearing 16 in the vertical direction (as shown in Figure 5A), the control shaft 2 can move in the Z direction.

[0043] As shown in Figure 3C, when the encoder module B is placed on the insulating base 10, the magnetic sensor 3 can detect the magnetic polarity of the magnetic ring 4 and output a signal according to the detected magnetic polarity of the magnetic ring 4. Therefore, when the control shaft 2 rotates, it simultaneously drives the rotary drive body 5 and the magnetic ring 4 fixed to the rotary drive body 5, causing them to rotate together, and the magnetic polarity detected by the magnetic sensor 3 also changes according to the rotation of the magnetic ring 4. As a result, the output of the magnetic sensor 3 can be controlled by rotating the control shaft 2 so as to be used as an encoder, but is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the encoder output may include one or more signal channels, but is not limited thereto. In one embodiment, the magnetic sensor 3 may have one or more pins, but is not limited thereto.

[0044] This makes encoder module B understandable.

[0045] Next, the diffusion member 6, bearing 16, and control shaft 2 of the encoder 1 with light-emitting diode will be described. Please refer to Figure 1 again.

[0046] As shown in Figure 1, in one embodiment, the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode may further include a diffuser 6. The diffuser 6 is positioned on the light-emitting diode 7, and the control shaft 2 may be positioned above the diffuser 6, passing through a through-hole 5S. The diffuser 6 may, but is not limited to, a transparent material or a material that is at least partially transparent. In other embodiments, the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode may not be provided with a diffuser 6.

[0047] In one embodiment, the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode further includes a bearing 16 having a through hole 16S. The bearing 16 may be sleeved onto a control shaft 2 via the through hole 16S and positioned on an insulating base 10. A portion of the control shaft 2 may be exposed to the outside of the bearing 16. Furthermore, the control shaft 2 may be rotatable relative to the bearing 16. In one embodiment, the bearing 16 may have, but is not limited to, a threaded portion 161 for locking with a tool (such as a nut) other than that disclosed herein. In one embodiment, the bearing 16 may have a top surface 16a, the top surface 16a provided with one or more fixing holes 162. The fixing holes 162 of the bearing 16 may correspond to one or more fixing holes 106 of the insulating base 10 (shown in Figures 1 and 2A) and one or more fixing holes 136 of the fixing plate 13 (shown in Figure 1). Thereafter, the bearing 16, the insulating base 10 and the fixing plate 13 may be locked together by a fixing member 14, but is not limited to that.

[0048] In other embodiments, at least a portion of the control shaft 2 may be made of a transparent material. Furthermore, the control shaft 2 may be made of a completely transparent material, and the type of transparent material may include, but is not limited to, acrylic, PC, other suitable materials, or any combination of the above. Alternatively, the control shaft 2 may be a partially transparent and partially opaque structure, for example, it may be made of a partially metallic and partially transparent material, but is not limited to this. Thus, the light emitted by the light-emitting diode 7 can be emitted to the outside through the control shaft 2. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5A, in other embodiments, the control shaft 2 may be made of an opaque material. In this case, the inside of the control shaft 2 will be a hollow structure, thereby allowing, but is not limited to, the light emitted by the light-emitting diode 7 to pass through the hollow structure in order to be scattered.

[0049] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an assembled encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode according to an embodiment of this disclosure. See also Figures 1 to 3C for reference.

[0050] In one embodiment, when the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode is placed on a circuit board (not shown), the pin 71 of the light-emitting diode 7 (shown in Figure 2A) may be electrically connected to an external circuit on the circuit board so as to be controlled by an external circuit (not shown) to emit light and adjust the color of the light. However, this is not limited to this embodiment.

[0051] Next, the operation of the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode acting as a push switch will be described. Please refer to Figures 1, 5A, and 5B simultaneously. Figure 5A is a cross-sectional view of the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode along line A1-A1' in Figure 4 before the control shaft 2 is pressed, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view of the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode along line A1-A1' in Figure 4 after the control shaft 2 has been pressed, according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 5A shows the situation before the switch is pressed, and Figure 5B shows the situation after the switch is pressed. Furthermore, Figures 5A and 5B are cross-sectional views formed corresponding to line A1-A1' in Figure 4.

[0052] As shown in Figures 5A and 5B, when an external force is applied to the control shaft 2 such that the control shaft 2 moves toward the press drive body 8, the control shaft 2 biases the diffusion member 6, which in turn biases the press drive body 8 after receiving the force (for example, if the encoder 1 does not have a diffusion member 6, it may be designed so that the control shaft 2 directly biases the press drive body 8). The press drive body 8 then biases the conductive elastic piece 9 after receiving the force, which moves downward after receiving the force to establish an electrical connection between the first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18, thereby enabling the switch to turn on. In one embodiment, the conductive elastic piece 9 may be designed to contact one of the first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18 but not the other before receiving the force, and after receiving the force, the conductive elastic piece 9 will be in contact with the other of the first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18, but is not limited to this. In other embodiments, the conductive elastic piece 9 may be designed not to contact the first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18 before being subjected to a force, but to contact the first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18 after being subjected to a force, but is not limited thereto. Furthermore, when the external force applied to the control shaft 2 is removed, the conductive elastic piece 9 springs up by its own elastic force and returns to its original shape or position, thereby returning the first terminal 17 and the second terminal 18 to an electrically disconnected state, thereby realizing the switch's off function.

[0053] Next, please refer to Figures 4 to 6. Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along line B1-B1' of an encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, which corresponds to the cross-section formed by line B1-B1' in Figure 4. As shown in Figure 6, the steel ball 11 is positioned corresponding to the lower part of the toothed structure 52 of the rotary drive body 5, and the spring 12 may be positioned below the steel ball 11. In one embodiment, as the rotary drive body 5 rotates, the toothed structure 52 rotates horizontally, and during this rotation, the steel ball 11 may contact the partial teeth 53 of the toothed structure 52 or be positioned within the partial tooth spacing space 531. If the steel ball 11 is in contact with the tip of a partial tooth 53 of the toothed structure 52, the steel ball 11 is biased by the partial tooth 53, and at this moment, the spring 12 is also crushed and deformed by the steel ball 11. If the steel ball 11 is not in contact with the partial tooth 53 or is not positioned within the partial tooth spacing space 531, the spring 12 may be released from its deformed state and restored to its original state. When the elastic potential energy of the spring 12 changes, the steel ball 11 collides with the rotating drive body 5, which can give the user a continuous clicking sensation, similar to the vibration of a ratchet wrench. As a result, the rotation process can become a stepwise rotation. The operator will perceive the rotational speed of the control shaft 2 through feedback of the magnitude of the vibration frequency.

[0054] The above functions may be achieved by other designs. Figure 7 is an exploded view of an encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; please also refer to Figures 1 to 6. Most of the features of the embodiment in Figure 7 will be covered in the description of the embodiment in Figure 1, so the following description will mainly focus on the differences.

[0055] In the embodiment of Figure 7, the encoder 1 with a light-emitting diode may not have a steel ball 11 or a spring 12, but may have an annular elastic piece 19. The annular elastic piece 19 is arranged on an insulating base 10, and the rotary drive body 5 may be arranged above the annular elastic piece 19. The annular elastic piece 19 is provided with at least one protruding portion 19h. The protruding portion 19h may be arranged in correspondence with the tooth structure 52. Therefore, when the rotary drive body 5 is not rotating, the protruding portion 19h may be located in the partial tooth spacing space 531 between adjacent partial teeth 53, and when the rotary drive body 5 is rotating, the protruding portion 19h may slide into the partial tooth spacing space 531 between other pairs of adjacent partial teeth due to the biasing of the partial teeth 53. As a result, the effects of the steel ball 11 and spring 12 in the embodiment of Figure 6 (e.g., feedback of the sense of motion) are also achieved.

[0056] Furthermore, in one embodiment, if the aforementioned functions such as feedback motion sensation are not required, the steel ball 11, spring 12 or annular elastic piece 19 and other related components may be removed, or the toothed structure 52 of the rotary drive body 5 may be directly removed, but is not limited thereto.

[0057] Therefore, it should be seen that in this disclosure, the switch module A, encoder module B, and light-emitting diode 7 are integrated and operate independently to simultaneously provide different mixed-color light emission, switching, and encoding functions, thereby simplifying the structural design and manufacturing process and achieving the objectives of thinning and weight reduction. Furthermore, the encoder module B of the present invention employs non-contact magnetic induction technology, which can significantly extend its lifespan. In addition, the insulating base 10 of this disclosure may be provided with a steel ball 11 and a spring 12, or equipped with an annular elastic piece 19, thereby providing a user-responsive feedback effect when combined with the rotary drive body 5.

[0058] In one embodiment, the present disclosure may compare products by observing mechanisms, such as the presence or absence of components or the operational relationships between components, for use as a criterion for determining whether a product falls within the scope of the patent protection of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, observation of mechanisms may be achieved, for example, by using equipment such as an optical microscope or a scanning microscope, but is not limited thereto.

[0059] This makes the disclosure understandable.

[0060] The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and should be construed as not limiting the remainder of this disclosure in any embodiment.

Claims

1. It is an encoder, Light-emitting diodes and It is a switch module, Insulating base having main chamber and terminal section, A conductive elastic piece housed in the main chamber and positioned above the terminal portion, and A pressing drive body housed in the main chamber and positioned above the conductive elastic piece, wherein a housing portion for housing the light-emitting diode is provided. A switch module including, An encoder module at least partially housed in the main chamber, the encoder module being provided with a magnetic sensor, a magnetic ring, and a rotary drive body having a through hole, A control shaft is positioned above the pressing drive body, passing through the aforementioned through hole, Equipped with, The magnetic ring has a plurality of first magnetic polarities and a plurality of second magnetic polarities arranged alternately. The magnetic sensor outputs a signal that is directed toward the magnetic sensor and corresponds to the magnetic polarity of the magnetic ring detected by the magnetic sensor. The control shaft drives the rotating drive body to rotate it horizontally, and the magnetic ring is fixed to the outer surface of the rotating drive body. An encoder wherein the insulating base further includes a side chamber adjacent to the main chamber, and the magnetic sensor is disposed within the side chamber.

2. The encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a bearing having a through hole, the bearing being sleeved onto the control shaft through the through hole and positioned on the insulating base.

3. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the control shaft has a hollow structure, or at least a portion of the control shaft is made of a transparent material.

4. The insulating base is further provided with at least one steel ball and at least one spring, wherein the at least one steel ball is positioned correspondingly below the toothed structure of the rotational drive body, and the at least one spring is positioned below the at least one steel ball, or The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the switch module further includes an annular elastic piece disposed within the insulating base, the rotary drive body is disposed above the annular elastic piece, and the protruding portion of the annular elastic piece is disposed corresponding to the toothed structure of the rotary drive body.

5. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the terminal portion includes a first terminal and a second terminal that are not interconnected.

6. The encoder according to claim 5, wherein when the control shaft moves toward the pressing drive body, the pressing drive body biases the conductive elastic piece so that the conductive elastic piece makes an electrical connection between the first terminal and the second terminal.

7. The encoder according to claim 6, further comprising a diffusion member disposed on the light-emitting diode for biasing the pressing drive body.

8. The encoder according to claim 7, wherein the diffusion member is made of a transparent material, or at least a part of the diffusion member is made of a transparent material.

9. The encoder according to claim 1, wherein the pressing drive body has a housing portion corresponding to the shape of the light-emitting diode for housing the light-emitting diode, and when the light-emitting diode is housed in the pressing drive body, the pins of the light-emitting diode are exposed at the bottom of the switch module for electrical connection to a circuit board.

10. The encoder according to claim 1, further comprising a fixing plate attached to the insulating base, the fixing plate having at least one lead that enables the body of the encoder to be positioned toward the mating side.

11. An encoder, Light-emitting diodes and It is a switch module, Insulating base having main chamber and terminal section, A conductive elastic piece housed in the main chamber and positioned above the terminal portion, and A pressing drive body housed in the main chamber and positioned above the conductive elastic piece, wherein a housing portion for housing the light-emitting diode is provided. A switch module including, An encoder module at least partially housed in the main chamber, the encoder module being provided with a magnetic sensor, a magnetic ring, and a rotary drive body having a through hole, A control shaft is positioned above the pressing drive body, passing through the aforementioned through hole, Equipped with, The magnetic ring has a plurality of first magnetic polarities and a plurality of second magnetic polarities arranged alternately. The magnetic sensor outputs a signal that is directed toward the magnetic sensor and corresponds to the magnetic polarity of the magnetic ring detected by the magnetic sensor. The insulating base further comprises a fixing plate attached thereto, the fixing plate having at least one lead that allows the body of the encoder to be positioned toward the mating side, An encoder further comprising a fixing member and a bearing provided with one or more fixing holes, wherein the one or more fixing holes of the bearing correspond to one or more fixing holes of the insulating base and one or more fixing holes of the fixing plate, and thereby the bearing, the insulating base and the fixing plate are locked together by the fixing member.

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