A lever assembly (20) has a lever (24) mounted to a lever housing (22), a plunger (26), an auto-return housing (28) pivotable relative to the lever housing (22), a trigger mechanism (30) movable relative to the auto-return housing (28), and a yoke member (32) pivotable relative to the auto-return housing (22) independent of the auto-return housing. The trigger mechanism (30) is movable to an extended position in response to movement of the plunger (26) for engaging a cam element (12) of the steering column (10) for auto-return of the lever to a rest position. The yoke member (32) interacts with the plunger (26) when the plunger (26) pivots with the lever (24) to cause the yoke (32) to pivot toward an engaged position, and the yoke (32) interacts with the trigger mechanism (30) when the yoke (32) is pivoted to move the trigger mechanism (30) toward the extended position.

A switch device includes an operating knob to receive switch operations for plural devices to be controlled, a detection unit attached to the operating knob to detect an operation position on the operating knob, a housing displaceably supporting the operating knob, and a control unit to control at least one of the plural devices to be controlled in response to the operation position detected by the detection unit. The control unit identifies the at least one device to be controlled in response to a displacement state of the operating knob.

A switch device includes an operating knob to receive switch operations for plural devices to be controlled, a detection unit attached to the operating knob to detect an operation position on the operating knob, a housing displaceably supporting the operating knob, and a control unit to control at least one of the plural devices to be controlled in response to the operation position detected by the detection unit. The control unit identifies the at least one device to be controlled in response to a displacement state of the operating knob.

The present teachings provide for a device with a membrane and an underlying switch, an underlying switch actuator, or both that has a unique tactile pattern that is felt through the membrane when the membrane is aligned with the switch, switch actuator, or both, corresponding to the electrical state of the device. The membrane, the switch, the switch actuator or a combination thereof can be repositioned from a first position to a second position so that a different tactile feel is present through the membrane corresponding to a second electrical state.

A multi-directional operation switch device that can smoothly move a slider that is movable in four directions back to a neutral position is provided. The multi-directional operation switch device includes: a slider movable in the four directions; four push switches provided in the four directions to detect a movement of the slider; and four pressing members provided between the slider and the push switches. The slider includes four side face portions, each intersecting a first axis or a second axis, each axis extending in at least one of the four directions. Each side face portion includes a sloped region sloped toward a center of the slider. The push switches include movable portions, each movable portion self-returning and moving to an original position when pressing is released. Each pressing member is in contact with a corresponding one of the movable portions and a corresponding one of the side face portions.

A compound-operation input device includes an operating member; a rotary mechanism configured to hold the operating member such that the operating member is rotatable; a slide mechanism configured to support the operating member such that the operating member is slidable in a sliding direction intersecting a rotation axis of the rotary mechanism; and a noncontact detector including a plurality of noncontact sensors and configured to detect a direction of movement and an amount of movement of a detection object, the detection object moving together with the operating member. The noncontact detector is one of a pair of noncontact detectors provided across the rotation axis from each other on a rotation locus of the detection object, the pair of noncontact detectors being at respective positions on a straight line orthogonal to the sliding direction.

An operation device includes a support portion, a moving body operated by an operator and movably supported by the support portion, a detection unit that detects movement of the moving body, and contact portions respectively provided on the support portion and the moving body and brought into contact with each other. The contact portion of one of the support portion and the moving body has an elastic region that is first brought into contact with the contact portion of the other when the contact portions are brought into contact with each other and a rigid region provided adjacent to the elastic region and continuously brought into contact with the contact portion of the other following the contact of the elastic region to regulate the movement of the moving body.

A roller input device includes a casing and a roller. A roller seat and an encoder are disposed in the casing. The roller is pivotally disposed on the roller seat. The body of the roller includes a shaft portion, a first side, and a second side. The first side and the second side are at opposite sides of the body. The first shaft and the second shaft of the roller are connected to the shaft portion and respectively extend from the first side and the second side. An end portion of the first shaft and an end portion of the second shaft away from the shaft portion respectively have a first connection portion and a second connection portion. A structural strength of the first connection portion is greater than a structural strength of the second connection portion, and the first connection portion is connected to the encoder.

The present teachings provide for a device with a membrane and an underlying switch, an underlying switch actuator, or both that has a unique tactile pattern that is felt through the membrane when the membrane is aligned with the switch, switch actuator, or both, corresponding to the electrical state of the device. The membrane, the switch, the switch actuator or a combination thereof can be repositioned from a first position to a second position so that a different tactile feel is present through the membrane corresponding to a second electrical state.

An input device is configured to provide input to various electronic devices. The input device includes: a manipulation unit; a substrate; a tilting mechanism; and a detector. The manipulation unit includes a handle which is rotatable around a rotation axis and is pressed along the rotation axis, and outputs a first signal corresponding to rotation of the handle and a second signal corresponding to pressing of the handle. The tilting mechanism includes a cylindrical shaft fixed to the substrate, and a bearing fixed to the body, wherein the shaft is perpendicular to the rotation axis, and the tilting mechanism allows the substrate to swing around the shaft between a first manipulation position and a second manipulation position. The detector is disposed on the surface of the substrate facing the body, and outputs a third signal when the substrate is in the second manipulation position.