IP Library Granted Patent US 12,685,927
Granted Patent B2
US 12,685,927 · App. 18/781,202 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Controller

Inventors: Tetsu Numata (Miyagi, JP); Tetsuo Muranaka (Miyagi, JP); Masaki Ota (Miyagi, JP); Kunio Hosono (Fukushima, JP); Yasuji Hagiwara (Miyagi, JP)
Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
A63F13/211A63F13/214A63F13/24
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,685,927
App. No.
18/781,202
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A controller has: a case; a manipulation unit, in a plate-like shape, disposed in the case so as to be exposed from the case; and a haptic sensor that detects a rotation manipulation for the manipulation unit. The haptic sensor has a distortion generating body fixed to the center of the manipulation unit and also has a distortion sensor disposed on the distortion generating body. The manipulation unit has non-slip portions, which are paired in the left-right direction, in the vicinity of both ends of the upper surface of the manipulation unit in the left-right direction.

Claims (26)

1 . A controller comprising:

a case;

a manipulation unit, in a plate-like shape, disposed in the case so as to be exposed from the case; and

a haptic sensor that detects a rotation manipulation for the manipulation unit; wherein

the haptic sensor has

a distortion generating body fixed to the manipulation unit, and

a distortion sensor disposed on the distortion generating body, and

the manipulation unit has non-slip portions, which are paired in a left-right direction, near both ends of an upper surface of the manipulation unit in the left-right direction.

2 . The controller according to claim 1 , wherein each of the non-slip portions is a protrusion formed integrally with the manipulation unit.

3 . The controller according to claim 2 , wherein:

the manipulation unit has a touch pad of capacitive type; and

the touch pad is disposed between the non-slip portions paired in the left-right direction.

4 . The controller according to claim 2 , wherein:

the manipulation unit is disposed in the recess in the case; and

one side surface of the manipulation unit is flush with one side surface of the case.

5 . The controller according to claim 4 , wherein the haptic sensor concurrently detects a tilt manipulation for the manipulation unit in a front-back direction and a tilt manipulation for the manipulation unit in the left-right direction.

6 . The controller according to claim 5 , further comprising:

a substrate that is disposed below the haptic sensor and to which the haptic sensor is fixed; and

a push switch disposed below the substrate.

7 . The controller according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the non-slip portions is a row of a plurality of grooves formed in the manipulation unit;

each of the plurality of grooves is along the left-right direction; and

the plurality of grooves in each row are arranged in a front-back direction.

8 . The controller according to claim 7 , wherein:

the manipulation unit has a touch pad of capacitive type; and

the non-slip portions are disposed on the touch pad.