Electronic devices, such as consumer electronics devices and constrol systems in vehicles are controlled by way of a haptic operating device with a rotating unit. Selectable menu items are displayed on a display unit, and a menu item is selected by rotating the rotating unit. The rotating unit latches at a number of haptically perceptible latching points during rotation. The number and rotational position of the haptically perceptible latching points is dynamically changed in accordance with a specific menu item selected by the user.

Rotary damper (15), comprising a casing (17), an intermediate element (31) mounted movably on the casing (17), a braking fluid provided between the casing (17) and the intermediate element (31) so as to brake the movement of the intermediate element (31) relative to the casing (17), a rotor (50) mounted on the intermediate element (31) rotatably about an axis of rotation (x), and a unidirectional coupling arranged between the intermediate element (31) and the rotor (50). The unidirectional coupling comprises at least one radial block (60) arranged between a radially outer surface (52) of the rotor (50) and a radially inner surface (34) of the intermediate element (31), and at least one actuating lobe (55) formed on the rotor (50) and projecting radially from the radially outer surface (52) thereof, the radial bock (60) comprising a wedge part (61) designed to be engaged by the actuating lobe (55) of the rotor (50) during rotation in the first direction of rotation (A) so as to push the radial block (60) in the centrifugal direction and lock it between the rotor (50) and the intermediate element (31).

Electronic devices, such as consumer electronics devices and control systems in vehicles are controlled by way of a haptic operating device with a rotating unit. Selectable menu items are displayed on a display unit, and a menu item is selected by rotating the rotating unit. The rotating unit latches at a number of haptically perceptible latching points during rotation. The number and rotational position of the haptically perceptible latching points is dynamically changed in accordance with a specific menu item selected by the user.

A control signal is corrected according to the time-varying change of the detection value of a rotational angle, detected in a rotational angle sensor, of a manipulation member so that correction torque that makes the apparent inertia moment of the manipulation member different from intrinsic inertia moment is added to control torque. When the apparent inertia moment of the manipulation member is made different from intrinsic inertia moment, this apparent inertia moment can be made to adapt to the appearance of the texture of the manipulation member. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently reduce inconsistency in manipulation feeling due to the difference between the appearance of the texture of the manipulation member and a load felt in an actual manipulation.

Braking torque based on a friction force is increased in a pulse state in a transition area in which control torque changes from a direction to encourage the rotation of a manipulation member to a direction to suppress the rotation. This braking torque based on a friction force does not cause vibration unlike the driving torque of an electric motor even if the braking torque is steeply increased. Therefore, when the rotational angle passes through the transition area, a clearer click feeling can be generated without a change like vibration being caused in control torque. When the manipulation member is rotated fast, the braking torque in a pulse state is likely to be felt as vibration.

A steering device with a movable steering unit. A movement of the steering unit can be braked by a magnetorheological braking device. The braking device has a stationary holder and two brake components. One brake component can be rotated by the steering unit. One brake component is connected to the holder for conjoint rotation. The two brake components can continuously rotate relative to one another about an axis. A first brake component extends along the axis and has a magnetically conductive core. The second brake component has a casing part around the first brake component. A gap between the first and second brake component is filled with a magnetorheological medium. The gap has two brake gap portions. A disk contour is formed between the casing part and core in a first brake gap portion, and a different disk contour is formed between the casing part and core in a second brake gap portion.

A method for operating an input device. An input element of the input device is manually operated to perform an input into a computer device operatively connected to the input device. Mobility of the input element can be selectively delayed, blocked, and enabled by a controllable magneto-rheological braking device. The mobility of the input element is selectively adjusted by the computer device at least as a function of at least one input condition stored in the computer device. The input device may be a computer mouse.

A hydraulic fluid system is disclosed herein. The hydraulic fluid system includes a hydraulic motor including an output shaft, a reduction gear box having a first side and an opposing second side, the reduction gear box being coupled to the output shaft at the first side and coupled to a reduction shaft at the second side, and a magneto-rheological fluid brake (MRF) brake coupled to the reduction shaft.

Systems and methods for braking a power tool motor using a magnetically susceptible fluid. One power tool includes a housing, a motor within the housing, a drive train coupled to the motor, a magnetically susceptible fluid located within the drive train, and an inductor within the housing and configured to introduce a magnetic field to the magnetically susceptible fluid. An electronic controller is connected to the motor and to the inductor and is configured to receive a signal to initiate a braking process, generate, in response to the initiation of the braking process, a control signal for the inductor, and provide the control signal to the inductor to control a viscosity of the magnetically susceptible fluid located within the drive train.

Electronic devices, such as consumer electronics devices and control systems in vehicles are controlled by way of a haptic operating device with a rotating unit. Selectable menu items are displayed on a display unit, and a menu item is selected by rotating the rotating unit. The rotating unit latches at a number of haptically perceptible latching points during rotation. The number and rotational position of the haptically perceptible latching points is dynamically changed in accordance with a specific menu item selected by the user.