Patent ID: 7834865
Filing Date: 2010-11-16
Classification: B60K,G05G,H01H,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A rotary actuator comprising: a knob; a shaft rotatable about an axis, wherein the shaft and the knob are connected such that the knob is rotatable with the shaft about the shaft axis; a detent ring having a plurality of detents, the detent ring concentrically surrounds the shaft and is rotatable about the shaft axis; a spring-loaded bolt fixed to the shaft; a gear assembly engaging the detent ring, wherein the gear assembly is fixed in place unless driven such that the detent ring is fixed in place unless the gear assembly is driven, wherein the detent ring rotates about the shaft axis upon the gear assembly being driven; and a motor for driving the gear assembly; wherein, when the detent ring is fixed in place and the knob is being manually rotated about the shaft axis by an operator, the knob, the shaft, and the bolt together rotate relative to the detent ring about the shaft axis and the bolt engages the detents of the detent ring one at a time to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect; wherein, when the motor is driving the gear assembly such that the detent ring is being rotated about the shaft axis, the bolt engages one of the detents of the detent ring such that the bolt, the shaft, and the knob together with the detent ring rotate about the shaft axis whereby the knob is rotated about the shaft axis without an operator manually rotating the knob; wherein, when the motor is driving the gear assembly such that the detent ring is being rotated about the shaft axis and the knob is being manually held in place by an operator, the knob and the shaft together with the bolt are held in place and the bolt engages the detents of the detent ring one at a time to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect as the detent ring rotates about the shaft axis.