Patent ID: 7479607

Claim:
An apparatus comprising a hand-operated control including a knob and a hub, the hub coupling axial and rotational motion of the knob to a control input, a first coupling member that (a) axially couples the knob to the hub in a first axial position, relative to the hub, when the knob is subject to a first axial force greater than a first threshold and less than a second threshold, such that axial motion of the knob and the hub caused by the first axial force is applied to the control input, and that (b) releases the axial coupling between the knob and the hub when the knob is subject to a second axial force greater than the second threshold, such that the knob is free to collapse to a second axial position relative to the hub, and a second coupling member that rotationally couples the knob to the hub in at least the first axial position, such that motion of the knob and hub caused by application of a rotational force to the knob is applied to the control input.