Annular Operation Knob with Capacitive Transmission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing operation knob devices for in-vehicle products, such as navigation devices, protrude from the display panel and do not effectively secure the display area, making it difficult to maintain the display area while allowing for both push and rotation operations to be detected by the capacitive touch panel.
Innovation Solution
An annular operation knob device with a holder, rotor, and knob that allows for push and rotation operations to be transmitted to the display panel, featuring conductive transmission members that change capacitance detection, while maintaining a design that secures the display area and allows visual recognition of the panel through an internal space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an operation knob device protrudes from the display panel to enable push and rotation operations, then the operability is improved, but the display area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The transmission members are nested within the annular knob structure, with the first transmission member positioned in the central hole and the second transmission member arranged between the inner and outer wall portions. This nesting allows the operational components to be contained within the knob's annular form, minimizing the space required on the display panel while maintaining full push and rotation functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention utilizes the vertical dimension by having the first transmission member extend in the thickness direction of the display panel. This allows the push operation detection to occur along the Z-axis (thickness direction) rather than requiring additional horizontal space, thereby preserving the display area while enabling tactile push operations.
2Measurement precision
If transmission members are added to detect push and rotation operations, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines push and rotation detection functionalities into a single integrated knob assembly. The first transmission member detects push operations while the second transmission member detects rotation operations, and both are housed within the same annular knob structure. This merging approach allows dual functionality to be achieved without proportionally increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular knob structure serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides the operational interface for both push and rotation actions, houses both transmission members, and maintains a compact form factor. The holder also serves as both a mounting structure and a housing for the transmission members, reducing the need for additional separate components.
3Volume of moving object
If the holder and rotor are made annular to reduce size, then the device size is reduced, but the structural strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The annular (circular) shape of the holder and rotor provides superior structural strength compared to other geometric forms of equivalent size. The curved geometry distributes mechanical stresses more evenly throughout the structure, preventing stress concentration at corners or edges. This curvature allows the components to maintain high strength-to-weight ratios while minimizing the overall device footprint.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables reliable transmission of both push and rotation operations to the display panel while securing the display area, allowing for improved user interaction and reduced device size by using conductive members to detect changes in capacitance, thus enhancing the usability and design of the operation knob device.
Implementation Method 1
The display panel can detect the push operation of a button as the capacitance of the display panel is changed due to the approach of a transmission member in the button
Implementation Method 2
The display panel can detect the rotation operation of the knob as the position where the capacitance changes is moved by the transmission member in the knob
Data Source
AI summary
An operation knob device includes an annular holder having an annular holding portion, an annular rotor arranged in the holding portion so as to allow rotation around an axis, an annular knob for which relative movement in a direction along the axis with respect to the rotor is allowed and relative movement in a circumferential direction around the axis is restricted, a first transmission member arranged on a side of a first end of the rotor so as to move with the knob, and a second transmission member attached to the first end so as to rotate integrally with the rotor. The knob has cylindrical inner and outer wall portions, and an opening through which part of a display panel can be visually recognized is defined by the inner wall portion. The first and second transmission members are arranged between the inner wall portion and the outer wall portion.