IP Library Granted Patent US 12675178
Granted Patent B2
US 12675178 · App. 18/722,150 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Rotary operator, operation device, and acoustic control device

Inventors: Takanori Hashimoto (Yokohama, JP); Kenji Muratani (Yokohama, JP); Taito Fujioka (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: Alpha Theta Corporation
G06F3/0362G06F3/165
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12675178
App. No.
18/722,150
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rotary operator includes: a first rotating body rotatable around an imaginary rotation axis; a second rotating body being detachably attached, and being configured to rotate integrally with the first rotating body and also being rotatable around the rotation axis independently of the first rotating body; and a friction adjusting member being covered by the second rotating body as viewed from a side of the second rotating body with respect to the first rotating body and being configured to adjust friction force between the first rotating body and the second rotating body, in which the first rotating body includes: an installation portion to which the friction adjusting member is detachably attached; and a first engagement portion, and the second rotating body includes a second engagement portion engageable with the first engagement portion.

Claims (28)

1 . A rotary operator comprising:

a first rotating body rotatable around an imaginary rotation axis;

a second rotating body being detachably attached, the second rotating body being configured to rotate integrally with the first rotating body and also being rotatable around the rotation axis independently of the first rotating body; and

a friction adjusting member covered by the second rotating body as viewed from a side of the second rotating body with respect to the first rotating body, the friction adjusting member being configured to adjust friction force between the first rotating body and the second rotating body, wherein

the first rotating body comprises: an installation portion to which the friction adjusting member is detachably attached; and a first engagement portion, and

the second rotating body comprises a second engagement portion engageable with the first engagement portion.

2 . The rotary operator according to claim 1 , further comprising a drive device configured to rotate the first rotating body.

3 . The rotary operator according to claim 1 , wherein

the friction adjusting member is in an annular shape around the rotation axis, and

the installation portion is provided along a circumferential edge of the first rotating body centered at the rotation axis.

4 . The rotary operator according to claim 3 , further comprising a third rotating body provided between the first rotating body and the second rotating body, the third rotating body being rotatable around the rotation axis independently of the first rotating body, wherein

the second rotating body comprises a coupler coupled to the third rotating body.

5 . The rotary operator according to claim 4 , further comprising a detector configured to detect a rotation state of the third rotating body as a rotation state of the second rotating body.

6 . The rotary operator according to claim 4 , further comprising a display disposed at a position overlapping with the rotation axis as viewed from the side of the second rotating body with respect to the first rotating body.

7 . The rotary operator according to claim 6 , wherein

the second rotating body comprises a light-transmitting portion at a position covering the display as viewed from the side of the second rotating body with respect to the first rotating body.

8 . The rotary operator according to claim 7 , wherein

the first rotating body has a recess including the rotation axis as viewed along the rotation axis, the recess being recessed opposite the second rotating body, and

the third rotating body and the display are disposed within the recess.

9 . The rotary operator according to claim 8 , wherein

the second rotating body comprises a cylindrical portion formed in a cylindrical shape around the rotation axis, the cylindrical portion being inserted in the recess, and

the second engagement portion is provided for the cylindrical portion.

10 . The rotary operator according to claim 6 , wherein the third rotating body is provided opposite the second rotating body with respect to the display.

11 . The rotary operator according to claim 4 , further comprising a shaft defining the rotation axis, the shaft supporting the first rotating body and the third rotating body in a manner for the first rotating body and the third rotating body to be each independently rotatable.

12 . The rotary operator according to claim 1 , wherein the second rotating body comprises a step provided for a circumferential edge of the second rotating body, the step having a portion in a first direction that has a smaller outer diameter than an outer diameter of a portion in a direction opposite to the first direction, the first direction being from the second rotating body toward the first rotating body.

13 . The rotary operator according to claim 1 , wherein the friction adjusting member is formed from a resin containing polyethylene terephthalate.

14 . An operation device comprising the rotary operator according to claim 1 .

15 . A sound control device comprising the operation device according to claim 14 .