Stepless rotating knob module and electronic device having the same

A stepless rotating knob module includes a supporting frame, a rotating disk, a suspending assembly, an encoding switch and a transferring element. The support frame has a front wall, a top wall and a bottom wall. The front wall is formed with a through hole. The rotating disk is disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall and is partially exposed outside the through hole. The suspending assembly passes through the rotating disk and is fixed to the bottom wall, so that the rotating disk is rotatably mounted on the suspending screw. The encoding switch is fixed to the bottom wall of the supporting frame and has a rotating rod. The transferring element is fixedly disposed on the bottom of the rotating disk fixed to the bottom of the transferring element. The present disclosure also provides an electronic device having stepless rotating knob module.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure is related to a stepless rotating knob module and an electronic device having the same. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a rotating knob module for adjusting an output volume by rotating, and an electronic device having stepless rotating knob module.

2. Description of Related Art

Rotating knob is widely applied to electronic devices for adjusting volume. A conventional rotating knob, such as Taiwan R.O.C. Patent issued number TW 337392 “ASSISTANT POSITIONING DEVICE FOR VOLUME ADJUSTING KNOB OF MONITOR EXTERNAL SPEAKER” includes a volume knob and a variable resistor with a rotating rod. The volume knob has a linking post extended from a bottom center thereof for connecting to the rotating rod of the variable resistor. When user rotates the volume knob, the rotating rod is rotated simultaneously to adjust the outputting resistance.

However, the above-mentioned structure could not fulfill the current tendency design. For example, during rotating, the volume adjusting knob is not so smoothly because of the friction of the variable resistor, and has “step feeling”. Besides, the variable resistor may be failed after using for a long period time because of poor contact.

Therefore, it is the industry design tendency that how to reduce the rotation friction of volume adjusting knob. Besides, the total thickness of the adjusting knob should be considered to match with the electronic device, such as a miniature audio device. Further, it also needs to consider that how to avoid transmitting the frictional condition from the variable resistor to the volume adjusting knob.

Therefore, it is desirable to propose a rotating knob module to overcome the above-mentioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure provides a stepless rotating knob module, which can achieve a rotation controlling with stepless operating feeling. The rotating knob module not only has smooth rotation, but also controls the outputting value.

Further, the present disclosure provides a stepless rotating knob module, having a small dimension to reduce the occupied space in an electronic device, and being able to change its position according to the appearance design of the electronic device.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure is to provide a stepless rotating knob module, includes a supporting frame, a rotating disk, a suspending assembly, an encoding switch and a transferring element. The supporting frame has a front wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The top wall and the bottom wall are extending from a top edge and a bottom edge of the front wall respectively. The front wall is formed with a front opening The rotating disk is disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall and is partially exposed outside the front opening. The suspending assembly upwardly passes through the rotating disk from a bottom surface of the rotating disk, and is fixed to the top wall. The rotating disk is rotatably disposed on the suspending assembly. The encoding switch is fixedly connected to the bottom wall of the supporting frame, and has a rotating rod toward the top wall. The transferring element is fixedly mounted on the center of the bottom surface of the rotating disk. The rotating rod of the encoding switch is fixed to a bottom surface of the transferring element.

Moreover, the present disclosure provides an electronic device having stepless rotating knob module, equipped with a rotating knob module of lower height and small size, being beneficial to miniaturize electronic device. The position can be arranged according to the demand of appearance design.

In order to achieve the above objectives, the present disclosure is to provide an electronic device having stepless rotating knob module, includes an operating panel and a stepless rotating knob module. The operating panel is formed with a panel opening The stepless rotating knob module has a supporting frame fixed at an inner side of the operating panel, a rotating disk, a suspending assembly, an encoding switch and a transferring element. The supporting frame has a front wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall. The top wall and the bottom wall are extending from a top edge and a bottom edge of the front wall respectively. The front wall is formed with a front opening. The rotating disk is disposed between the top wall and the bottom wall, and a part thereof passes the front opening of the supporting frame and the panel opening of the operating panel, exposed outside the operating panel. The suspending assembly passes through the rotating disk from the bottom surface of the rotating disk, and is fixed to the top wall. The rotating disk is rotatably disposed on the suspending assembly. The encoding switch is fixedly connected to the bottom wall of the supporting frame, and has a rotating rod extended toward the top wall. The transferring element is fixedly disposed on the center of the bottom surface of the rotating disk. The rotating rod of the encoding switch is fixed to the bottom surface of the transferring element.

Thus, the present disclosure has advantages as followed. The present disclosure provides a structure benefited to a slim design of electronic devices, and is able to change the disposition according to the appearance requirements of design. Further, the present disclosure utilizes the suspending assembly passing through the bottom of the rotating disk and fixed to the top wall, so that the rotating disk can be rotated in a suspending manner by the suspending assembly. Therefore, the rotating disk can smoothly rotate in the supporting frame. Moreover, the transferring element is disposed under the rotating disk of the instant embodiment and connected to the encoding switch. The transferring element can absorb any uneven rotation of the encoding switch, so that the rotating disk can rotate smoothly.

For further understanding of the present disclosure, reference is made to the following detailed description illustrating the embodiments and examples of the present disclosure. The description is for illustrative purpose only and is not intended to limit the scope of the claim.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer toFIG. 1, which shown an exploded perspective view of electronic device having stepless rotating knob module according to the present disclosure. The present disclosure provides an electronic device9with a stepless rotating knob module, including an operating panel92, a housing94, and a stepless rotating knob module1mounted to the operating panel92. The operating panel92is fixed to the housing94. The stepless rotating knob module1is partially exposed outside the operating panel92for operating by user. In this instant embodiment, the electronic device9is illustrated as an audio equipment, but it is not limited thereto. The present disclosure can be applied to any electronic device with rotating knob, such as volume adjustment knob of audio equipment, frequency adjustment knob, temperature adjustment knob, and corresponding control knobs of medical equipment . . . etc.

The operating panel92of the instant embodiment has a panel opening920, and a pair of suspending arms922fixed to an inner side thereof and closed to the panel opening920. The bottom of the stepless rotating knob module1is fixed to the pair of suspending arms922. However, the way to fix stepless rotating knob module1of the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the stepless rotating knob module1can be fixed to the operating panel92via the front end or a top end thereof.

Please refer toFIG. 2andFIG. 3, which are different assembled perspective views of the stepless rotating knob module of the present disclosure. The stepless rotating knob module1of the present disclosure, or called as rotating knob module1, includes a supporting frame10of substantial U-shaped, a rotating disk20is mounted to the supporting frame10in a suspending way, and an encoding switch60disposed at a bottom of the supporting frame10and driven by the rotating disk20to produce output signals. The supporting frame10is fixed to the inner side of the operating panel92. The supporting frame10has a front wall12, a top wall14, and a bottom wall16. The top wall14and the bottom wall16are extended from a top and bottom edges of the front wall12respectively.

Please refer toFIG. 1toFIG. 3. The front wall12is formed with a front opening120. The rotating disk20is partially passed outside the front opening120and the panel opening920of the operating panel92, so that it is partially exposed outside the operating panel92. The bottom wall16of the supporting frame10is fixedly screwed to the pair of suspending arms922, so that the stepless rotating knob module1is fixed to the operating panel92. Besides, the front wall12can be screwed to the inner side of the operating panel92. Alternatively, the suspending arms can be fixed to a top surface of the stepless rotating knob module1.

The present disclosure utilizes a suspending means to connect rotating disk20with the top wall14of the supporting frame10. The rotation of rotating disk20is not conflicted or contacted with bottom wall16, so that there is no any friction, and amount resistance is reduced during rotating. The rotating disk20therefore can rotate smoothly, and provides a rotating adjustment with stepless feeling. The suspending means for smooth rotation will be described in detail hereafter.

Please refer toFIG. 4andFIG. 5, which are exploded views of the stepless rotating knob module of present disclosure. Concerning the suspending means of the present disclosure, the rotating knob module1has a suspending assembly30. The suspending assembly30passes upward through the rotating disk20from the bottom surface of the rotating disk20, and is fixed to the top wall14. The rotating disk20is rotatably mounted on the suspending assembly30.

The suspending assembly30includes a multi-sectional suspending screw31, a screw nut32disposed on the top wall14, and a washer33. The suspending screw31has a head portion311, a shaft portion312and a screwing portion313. Each of the head portion311and the shaft portion312has smooth peripheral surface. The diameter of the head portion311is larger than that of the shaft portion312.

Please refer toFIG. 4andFIG. 6.FIG. 6is a cross-sectional view of the stepless rotating knob module of the present disclosure. Please note that if the elements mentioned in the following describing refer toFIGS. 6 to 8of this instant embodiment have no labeled number, those can be corresponded to the element numbers inFIG. 1toFIG. 5, for clearly presenting the corresponding positions of those relative elements in the perspective or plan views. To cooperate with the suspending assembly30, the rotating disk20has a disk body21, a sleeve portion22protruded from a center of the disk body21, and a blocking groove23formed on a bottom thereof. An axial hole220formed through the sleeve portion22. The blocking groove23is communicated with the axial hole220(as shown inFIG. 5). The diameter of blocking groove23is larger than that of the axial hole220.

As shown inFIG. 6, after the instant embodiment is assembled, the shaft portion312of the suspending screw31is smoothly disposed the axial hole220, and the head portion311is disposed in the blocking groove23. The rotating disk20therefore is suspended on the head portion311and can be rotated around the shaft portion312. Besides, the shaft portion312is exposed outside a top surface of the rotating disk20and contacts the bottom surface of the top wall14. The diameter of the shaft portion312is larger than that of the screwing portion313. The screwing portion313is protruded outside the rotating disk20and passes through the top hole140of the top wall14to screw with the screw nut32. In other words, the suspending screw31is screwed and fixed to the top wall14, and the rotating disk20is rotatably put on suspending screw31.

Please refer toFIG. 7, which is a cross-sectional assembled view of the stepless rotating knob module of the present disclosure. From the view of cross-section, the total height of the supporting frame10is substantially equal to that of the rotating disk20plus the height of the suspending screw31and the rotating rod61. In an alternative view, the total height of the supporting frame10is substantially equal three-fold high of the rotating disk20. Comparing the prior art, the stepless rotating knob module of the present disclosure does not need the various structure design of axial joints, and has a lower height and a small occupied space. The present disclosure is benefited for the slim development of electronic devices, and can change the position conveniently according to the demand of industrial design.

Please refer toFIG. 4. The encoding switch60is fixedly connected to the bottom wall16of the supporting frame10, which has a circuit board62, a rotary encoder63disposed on the circuit board62, a rotating rod61extended toward the top wall14and perpendicularly connected the rotary encoder63. The rotary encoder63, also called a shaft encoder, is an electro-mechanical device that converts the angular position or motion of a shaft or axle to an analog or digital code, thus increasing or decreasing a signal. The encoding switch60can be applied to volume adjustment of audio device, frequency adjustment, temperature adjustment, and light adjustment . . . etc.

To make the rotating disk20rotating more smoothly in this embodiment, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 5, the rotating knob module1further includes a holding piece40and a transferring element50. For matching with the holding piece40, the rotating disk20has a bottom depression24, which is formed concavely from a bottom thereof and communicated with the blocking groove23. The holding piece40is wedged in the bottom depression24. The transferring element50is held by the holding piece40to the center of the bottom surface of the rotating disk20. The rotating rod61of the encoding switch60is fixed wedged in the transferring element50. In other words, the rotating disk20of this embodiment is not directly pressed on the encoding switch60, so that it will not affected by the precision and stableness of the encoding switch60.

Please refer toFIG. 4andFIG. 5. In this embodiment, the holding piece40is shaped in disk-plate, and the bottom depression24of the rotating disk20is correspondingly shaped in a concaved circular indention. The holding piece40is formed a hollow protruding ring43on a top surface thereof, and a plurality of engaging posts41formed around the protruding ring43. A central portion of the protruding ring43is formed with a ring hole430. As shown inFIG. 5, the rotating disk20has a plurality of wedging holes241concaved upward from the bottom depression24. The engaging post41are inserted and fixed in the wedging holes241respectively. The protruding ring43is wedged in the blocking groove23, and propped against the suspending screw31.

The bottom of the holding piece40has a transferring recess45which has a contour corresponded to that of the transferring element50. In this embodiment, the transferring recess45is square, but it is not limited thereto. The transferring element50has a bottom portion51of square-shaped, and a matching portion53extended from the bottom portion51upward. The matching portion53is formed with a matching hole55, which has a contour matching with the rotating rod61of encoding switch60and is substantially semicircular-shaped. The bottom portion51of the transferring element50is wedged in the transferring recess45, and the matching portion53is wedged in the ring hole430of the protruding ring43.

The present disclosure arranges the rotating disk20to be suspended to the top wall14of the supporting frame10, so that the rotating disk20is independent from the encoding switch60. Since it cannot avoid the friction or step feeling when the encoding switch60is rotating, through the holding piece40and transferring element50, the rotation vibration of the encoding switch60is not directly transmitted to the rotating disk20. Therefore, the rotating feeling of the rotating disk20is avoided from being affected. The transferring element50preferably is made of flexible and vibration-absorbable material, such as rubber, so that the friction or step feeling of the encoding switch60can be absorbed by the flexible transferring element50and is not directly transmitted the rotating disk20. In other words, the transferring element50can provide amendatory compensation for tolerance, and the rotating characteristics of the rotating disk20will not be affected by the vibration and interval tolerance of the encoding switch60. Therefore, the present disclosure utilizes the transferring element50to make the rotating disk20rotating more smoothly, and especially it can be applied in volume knob. Comparing with the prior art, the conventional knob is directly connected to the volume encoding switch, and the vibration condition is much and unstable during rotating.

A supplemental description is given for this instant embodiment. The bottom surface of the transferring element50is flat, and the purpose is to reduce the contacting area between the transferring element50and the encoding switch60. The friction is reduced, and a smooth rotation is kept. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Another comprehendible embodiment, the transferring element50can be fixedly disposed in the bottom center of the rotating disk20, such as a wedging manner or screwing manner. The rotating rod61of the encoding switch60is fixed to the transferring element50.

Please refer toFIG. 4andFIG. 5. In this instant embodiment, the rotating knob module1further includes an upper rotating supporter80fixedly disposed between the top surface of the rotating disk20and the top wall14of the supporting frame10. In detail, the upper rotating supporter80is fixed to a top surface of the sleeve portion22. The upper rotating supporter80is preferably made of wear-proof material, and has a plurality of bumps81formed on the top surface of the upper rotating supporter80and contacted with the bottom surface of the top wall14. The upper rotating supporter80has a plurality of fixing protrusions82formed on a bottom surface thereof, which are correspondingly inserted in positioning indentation222of the sleeve portion22. The assembled cross-sectional view is shown inFIG. 7.

Please refer toFIG. 4andFIG. 5. In this embodiment, the rotating knob module1further has a lower rotating supporter70, which is passing through and fixed to the bottom wall16of the supporting frame10. By the lower rotating supporter70, the encoding switch60is fixed to the bottom wall16. In detail, the lower rotating supporter70has a base board72fixed to the bottom wall16of the supporting frame10by screws76, and an annular portion74upwardly protruded from the base board72. The bottom wall16is formed with a bottom hole160, and the annular portion74passes through the bottom hole160. In this embodiment, the annular portion74of the lower rotating supporter70has a top surface not contacted the bottom surface of the rotating disk20, so that the friction is reduced when the rotating disk20is rotating. However, in other kinds of designs, the top surface of the lower rotating supporter70is formed with a plurality of bumps741to assist the lower rotating supporter70in contacting the bottom of the rotating disk20. The bumps741are formed on a top edge of the annular portion74. The bumps741can selectively contact with the bottom surface of the rotating disk20to assist the lower rotating supporter70in supporting the rotating disk20.

The detail of fixing the lower rotating supporter70to the encoding switch60is described as followed. The base board72is formed with a rod hole740. The encoding switch60has a screwing cylinder-portion65disposed in a periphery of the rotating rod61. The screwing cylinder-portion65passes through the rod hole740and is fixed to the base board72by a fixing nut64.

Please refer toFIG. 4andFIG. 7. Specifically, the supporting frame10of this embodiment preferably has a linking assembly18for linking two outer corners of the top wall14and the bottom wall16. The linking assembly18and the front wall12are oppositely disposed at two sides of the rotating disk20. The linking assembly18includes a supporting post181, and a pair of screws182respectively passed through the top wall14and the bottom wall16to screwed two ends of the supporting post181. The supporting post181can be metallic posts by lathe, having advantage of ensuring parallel accuracy of the supporting frame10after being bent in U-shaped. In other words, it can keep the rotating disk20being parallel with the top wall14and the bottom wall16during rotating. It therefore can avoid the rotating disk20happening to sway during rotating. The linking assembly18can revise the potential problems of structural assembly and manufacturing accuracy.

Please refer toFIG. 8, which shows a cross-sectional view of stepless rotating knob module of another embodiment according to the present disclosure. The different of this embodiment from the above embodiment is that the upper rotating supporter80′ is a ball bearing. The upper rotating supporter80′ has a bearing seat84and a plurality of rolling balls86received in the bearing seat84. This embodiment uses the rolling balls86to contact with a top surface of the rotating disk20and the top wall14of the supporting frame10.

Please refer toFIG. 9, which is a perspective assembled view of electronic device having stepless rotating knob module according to the present disclosure. Because the rotating knob module of this embodiment has a small height overall, which occupying a small space, so that the present disclosure is benefited to the slim-design of electronic device, as shown inFIG. 9. Besides, the position of the present disclosure can be changed according to the demand of industrial design.

In conclusion, this present disclosure has at least advantages and functions as followed.

As shown inFIG. 7, the present disclosure utilizes the suspending assembly30passing through the bottom surface of the rotating disk20and is fixed to the top wall14. The rotating disk20is rotatably disposed on the suspending assembly30in a suspending manner. Besides, the upper rotating supporter80is fixed to the top surface of the sleeve portion22, so that the friction force is reduced when the rotating disk20is rotating. Therefore, the rotating disk20can rotate smoothly in the supporting frame10.

The suspending assembly30of the present disclosure has less elements and is assembled easily. Its thickness is low, so that the total height of the rotating knob module1can be reduced efficiently. In anther view, the inner space of electronic device9can be reduced. The present disclosure is advantageous to slim development of the electronic device, and the position can be altered according to the demands of appearance design.

The rotating disk20of this embodiment has a flexible transferring element50disposed on its bottom surface to connect with the encoding switch60. The transferring element50can absorb any uneven rotation of the encoding switch60. Therefore, the rotating disk20can be rotated more smoothly.

The linking assembly18is used to link outer ends of the top wall14and the bottom wall16, which can keep the rotating disk20being parallel to the top wall14and the bottom wall16during rotating, to ensure the parallel accuracy of the supporting frame10after being bent in U-shaped.

Some modifications of these examples, as well as other possibilities will, on reading or having read this description, or having comprehended these examples, will occur to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and variations are comprehended within this invention as described here and claimed below. The description above illustrates only a relative few specific embodiments and examples of the invention. The invention, indeed, does include various modifications and variations made to the structures and operations described herein, which still fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.