An operation knob apparatus includes a base a conductive transmitting member, an operation member that brings the transmitting member near to and away from a display panel, and a stabilizer disposed between the bases and the operation member. The stabilizer includes a main body, a pair of arms connected to respective ends of the main body, and a pair of base portions and connected to the respective arms. One of the base and the operation member has a holding portion configured to rotatably hold the main body, and the other has a pair of holding grooves respectively configured to slidably and rotatably hold the base portions.

In certain embodiments, an electronic input device includes a knob assembly defining an annular cavity and including a magnetically attractable armature. The electronic input device also includes a ratchet assembly disposed within the annular cavity and includes a ring magnet. The electronic input device includes a clutch mechanism that has a friction disc assembly, and an electromagnet configured to generate a magnetic field that shifts the friction disc assembly between a first position in which the friction disc assembly prevents rotation of the ratchet assembly and a second position in which the ratchet assembly is free to rotate with the knob assembly. The ring magnet of the ratchet assembly interacts with the magnetically attractable armature to generate a ratcheting feedback in response to rotation of the knob assembly when the friction disc assembly is in the first position.

A multi-functional control, a control system, and a method of controlling a system in a vehicle. The multi-functional control includes a base plate, a post extending through a slot in the base plate, and at least two stacked knobs, rotatably and tilt-ably attached to the post. The stacked knobs include a display knob and a base knob. The multi-functional control further includes a plurality of sensors. The sensors include a first touch sensor integrated in the display knob, a second touch sensor integrated in the base knob, a first rotary sensor integrated in the display knob, a second rotary sensor integrated in the base knob, a rocker switch connected to the stacked knobs, and a push-button switch connected to the stacked knobs. The multi-functional control also includes a sliding sensor. The post and stacked knobs are mounted to the sliding sensor.

A push button consists of component parts including a plunger, a retainer, a spring and an end cap. The plunger reciprocates within the retainer which has three main portions: an upper portion closely holds the button on the top of the plunger and includes a rectilinear recess that can receive a square midsection of the plunger. A middle portion of the retainer comprises an enlarged cavity that provides the side clearance for the plunger pin's enlarged square midsection to rotate. The cavity is bounded above and below by opposing roof and floor camming structures which engage the corners of the plunger midsection that causes it to rotate. A spring within the retainer biases the plunger upward. An end cap affixed to the bottom of the retainer captivates the plunger and spring assembly and provides attachment means to affix the push button assembly to a supporting structure.

A push button consists of component parts including a plunger, a retainer, a spring and an end cap. The plunger reciprocates within the retainer which has three main portions: an upper portion closely holds the button on the top of the plunger and includes a rectilinear recess that can receive a square midsection of the plunger. A middle portion of the retainer comprises an enlarged cavity that provides the side clearance for the plunger pin's enlarged square midsection to rotate. The cavity is bounded above and below by opposing roof and floor camming structures which engage the corners of the plunger midsection that causes it to rotate. A spring within the retainer biases the plunger upward. An end cap affixed to the bottom of the retainer captivates the plunger and spring assembly and provides attachment means to affix the push button assembly to a supporting structure.

A control button which includes a button head having an upper end acting as a pressing surface for initiating an action, and a lower end having at least one electrical connector; an internal button body into which the button head can be inserted; an external button body comprising an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being open for the insertion of the internal button body such that it comes into abutment and the pressing surface of the button head protrudes, and such that the at least one electrical connector emerges from the lower end of the external button body, the flanks of the external button body between the upper end and the lower end not being solid and having material openings, the open structure of the external button body allowing compression of the external body along the axis of the button, the control button being wherein the lower base of the external body of the button has housings for accommodating different contacts of the internal body of the button when the latter is inserted.

A control button which includes a button head having an upper end acting as a pressing surface for initiating an action, and a lower end having at least one electrical connector; an internal button body into which the button head can be inserted; an external button body comprising an upper end and a lower end, the upper end being open for the insertion of the internal button body such that it comes into abutment and the pressing surface of the button head protrudes, and such that the at least one electrical connector emerges from the lower end of the external button body, the flanks of the external button body between the upper end and the lower end not being solid and having material openings, the open structure of the external button body allowing compression of the external body along the axis of the button, the control button being wherein the lower base of the external body of the button has housings for accommodating different contacts of the internal body of the button when the latter is inserted.

A driving assistance apparatus that includes a brake operation portion that applies a brake to a vehicle, the brake operation portion allowing a manual brake operation by a hand of a driver of the vehicle, the brake operation portion including a brake operation body and a grip portion to be gripped by the hand of the driver, the grip portion being provided at an upper end of the brake operation body, and a shift-down switch that shifts-down the vehicle is provided on the grip portion, the shift-down switch allowing a manual shift-down operation by the hand of the driver.

A pneumatic remote actuating device includes an actuator block, an actuated block and a tube connecting the actuator block to the actuated block. The actuator block includes an enclosure that can be mounted on a generally flat surface. A pushbutton protrudes in front of the actuator block. Depressing the pushbutton causes an increase of pressure within an internal chamber of the enclosure. This pressure is transmitted from the actuator block, via the tube, to the actuated block. The actuated block comprises its own enclosure that can be mounted on a generally flat surface to place the actuated block in an overlapping position over an external pushbutton. The pressure transmitted from the actuator block to the actuated block causes a displacement of a pusher mounted in the enclosure of the actuated block. As a result, the pusher actuates the external pushbutton.

One or more examples relate to a knob-on-display. An apparatus of such a knob-on-display includes a touch surface, a dome switch pad, a dome switch, a rotation electrode pad, and an electrically conductive structure. The touch surface may include an electrically conductive material, the touch surface movable to a released position and to a depressed position. The dome switch may include an electrically conductive material. The dome switch may be physically mounted to and electrically connected to the dome switch pad. The rotation electrode pad may be in engagement proximity to a touch sensor of a touch screen device in both the released position and the depressed position. The electrically conductive structure may be physically and electrically connected to the dome switch pad and the rotation electrode pad, the electrically conductive structure defining a continuous electrically conductive path from the rotation electrode pad, through the dome switch, to the electrically conductive material of the touch surface in both the released position and the depressed position.