Patent ID: 7902468

Claim:
A detent changeover switch apparatus performing a selection function operation, comprising: a housing; an operating portion to be operated by an operator to rotate with respect to the housing; an operating shaft extending integrally from the operating portion; a plurality of detent mechanisms, each including a detent member and a piece member rotatable relatively to a detent crest member to generate a click feeling; an electromagnet that is provided at the housing and selectively fixes the crest members of the detent mechanisms to the housing by a magnetic attracting action; an auxiliary magnetic field generating member capable of imparting an auxiliary electric field to a magnetic circuit generated by the electromagnet; a magnetic attracting member that fixes the operating shaft to the housing by the magnetic attracting action of the electromagnet when a large magnetic field is imparted to the magnetic attracting member; a detector that detects an operation state when the operator operates the operating portion; and a controller that performs a drive control of the electromagnet based on a detection quantity of the detector for changing over a circuit state of a magnetic circuit generated in the housing by the electromagnet and the auxiliary magnetic field generating member, thereby changing over the click feeling and a fixed state of the operating portion.