A rotary shifter includes a knob, a cam mechanism to hold the knob at holding positions corresponding to respective predetermined shift positions whose number is N, an electromagnetic brake including a yoke and an armature to restrict the rotation of the armature and the knob, and a hardware processor to determine a predetermined shift position of the knob to control the operation of the electromagnetic brake. The rotation pitch angle between the holding positions of the knob at the time of switching the predetermined shift positions is set to an angle obtained by dividing 360 degrees by a first integer A (AN). The rotation pitch angle between stopping positions of the armature corresponding to the holding positions at the time of switching the predetermined shift positions is set to an angle obtained by dividing 360 degrees by a second integer B (A>BN).

An elevation mechanism for a central input selector knob includes: a cylindrical cam having two cylindrical rails; a central input device mounted on a slider cylinder having two opposite ends of a pin that run in the two cylindrical rails to move the central input device between an operation position and a storage position; a cap that has two opposite guiding ribs configured to slide into rails of a main housing, the cap being attached to the main housing such that the slider cylinder is enclosed by the main housing and the cap; and a motor having an axis where a second gear is mounted, the second gear being configured and arranged to transmit movement to a first gear thereby causing the slider cylinder to move thereby moving the central input device between the operation position and the storage position.

An elevation mechanism for a central input selector knob includes: a cylindrical cam having two cylindrical rails; a central input device mounted on a slider cylinder having two opposite ends of a pin that run in the two cylindrical rails to move the central input device between an operation position and a storage position; a cap that has two opposite guiding ribs configured to slide into rails of a main housing, the cap being attached to the main housing such that the slider cylinder is enclosed by the main housing and the cap; and a motor having an axis where a second gear is mounted, the second gear being configured and arranged to transmit movement to a first gear thereby causing the slider cylinder to move thereby moving the central input device between the operation position and the storage position.

An input device includes a base member, a motor, a rotation shaft, a worm gear, a first gear, a second gear, an elastic member, a rotor, an angle detection unit, and a controller. The rotation shaft is rotated by the motor. The worm gear is unitarily rotated with the rotation shaft. The first gear is rotatable and engaged with the worm gear. The second gear is coaxial with the first gear. The elastic member generates urging force. The rotor is rotatable relative to the base member, includes a third gear engaged with the second gear, and is rotated by an operator. The angle detection unit detects a first rotation angle of the first gear and a second rotation angle of the second gear. The controller performs drive control for the motor to change a sense of force applied to the operator.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a multi-purpose removable gear shift knob disposed on a gear shift lever in a vehicle. In one aspect, a removable gear shift knob includes a body comprising a central aperture for receiving the gear shift lever and a plurality of compartments disposed around the central aperture. An individual compartment of the plurality of compartments is configured to hold one or more accessories, where the one or more accessories are selected from: one or more screwdriver bits, one or more light emitting diodes (LED), and a battery.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to a multi-purpose removable gear shift knob disposed on a gear shift lever in a vehicle. In one aspect, a removable gear shift knob includes a body comprising a central aperture for receiving the gear shift lever and a plurality of compartments disposed around the central aperture. An individual compartment of the plurality of compartments is configured to hold one or more accessories, where the one or more accessories are selected from: one or more screwdriver bits, one or more light emitting diodes (LED), and a battery.

An operating device includes: an operating lever extending in a first direction and including a first end-side part in the first direction, the first end-side part being operable; a casing supporting a first-direction intermediate part of the operating lever; first and second sensors arranged in the casing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and be adjacent to a second end-side part in the first direction of the operating lever; and third and fourth sensors arranged in the casing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and be adjacent to the second end-side part of the operating lever, wherein each of the first to fourth sensors outputs a signal in accordance with a load applied from the operating lever.

An operating device includes: an operating lever extending in a first direction and including a first end-side part in the first direction, the first end-side part being operable; a casing supporting a first-direction intermediate part of the operating lever; first and second sensors arranged in the casing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and be adjacent to a second end-side part in the first direction of the operating lever; and third and fourth sensors arranged in the casing so as to be spaced apart from each other in a third direction perpendicular to the first and second directions and be adjacent to the second end-side part of the operating lever, wherein each of the first to fourth sensors outputs a signal in accordance with a load applied from the operating lever.

An input device includes a base member, a motor, a rotation shaft, a worm gear, a first gear, a rotor, a movement member, an elastic member, a change amount detection unit, and a controller. The rotation shaft is rotated by the motor. The worm gear is rotated by the rotation shaft. The first gear is rotatable and engaged with the worm gear. The rotor is rotatable relative to the base member, includes a second gear engaged with the first gear, and is rotated by an operator. The movement member is moved as the worm gear is moved. The elastic member generates urging force. The change amount detection unit detects a change amount of a state that is changed in accordance with the movement of the movement member. The controller performs drive control for the motor to change a sense of force applied to the operator.

A knob assembly includes a knob located at a front panel of the knob assembly and configured to rotate about an axis, a knob ring that is located at the front panel, that surrounds the knob, and that rotates about the axis independently of rotation of the knob, an adjusting shaft that extends from the knob through the knob ring in a direction rearward of the front panel and that rotates based on rotation of the knob and causes operation of a device, a first rotation sensing part that senses rotation of the adjusting shaft, and a first sensing target that rotates based on rotation of the adjusting shaft. A position of the first sensing target changes based on rotation of the first sensing target, and the first rotation sensing part senses at least one of the position or a change of the position of the first sensing target.