A rotary encoder includes a shaft and an encoder mechanism that holds the shaft in a rotatably inserted state and detects a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the shaft. The encoder mechanism includes a substrate that rotatably holds the shaft, an insulator portion and a resistor portion provided on one surface of the substrate and alternately provided in the rotation direction of the shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft so as to be integrally rotatable with the shaft, and a slider that is attached to the rotor and alternately slidably contacts the insulator portion and the resistor portion by rotation of the shaft. The insulator portion includes a base material made of a resin, spherical silica, and a fluororesin filler.

A rotary encoder includes a shaft and an encoder mechanism that holds the shaft in a rotatably inserted state and detects a rotation direction and a rotation angle of the shaft. The encoder mechanism includes a substrate that rotatably holds the shaft, an insulator portion and a resistor portion provided on one surface of the substrate and alternately provided in the rotation direction of the shaft, a rotor attached to the shaft so as to be integrally rotatable with the shaft, and a slider that is attached to the rotor and alternately slidably contacts the insulator portion and the resistor portion by rotation of the shaft. The insulator portion includes a base material made of a resin, spherical silica, and a fluororesin filler.

A load control device may be configured to control multiple characteristics of one or more electrical loads such as the intensity and color of a lighting load. The load control device may switch from controlling one characteristic of the electrical loads to controlling another characteristic of the electrical loads based on the position of one or more components of the load control device. Such a position may be manipulated by moving the one or more components relative to an idle position of the load control device. The load control device may be a wall-mounted device or a battery-powered remote control device.

A dial apparatus includes an operation member to be rotatably operated, a contact member including a plurality of contact portions and configured to rotate as the operation member rotates, and a substrate having a signal pattern provided on a plurality of concentric circles with a center at a rotation center of the operation member. The dial apparatus outputs a binary code when the plurality of contact portions contact the signal pattern as the operation member rotates. The signal pattern includes a reference signal area connected to a reference potential, a first signal area configured to output a first signal, and a second signal area configured to output a second signal. Two of the plurality of contact portions are provided on a predetermined concentric circle in the signal pattern and contact a signal pattern that includes the reference signal area and the first signal area.

A dial apparatus includes an operation member to be rotatably operated, a contact member including a plurality of contact portions and configured to rotate as the operation member rotates, and a substrate having a signal pattern provided on a plurality of concentric circles with a center at a rotation center of the operation member. The dial apparatus outputs a binary code when the plurality of contact portions contact the signal pattern as the operation member rotates. The signal pattern includes a reference signal area connected to a reference potential, a first signal area configured to output a first signal, and a second signal area configured to output a second signal. Two of the plurality of contact portions are provided on a predetermined concentric circle in the signal pattern and contact a signal pattern that includes the reference signal area and the first signal area.

A load control device may be configured to control multiple characteristics of one or more electrical loads such as the intensity and color of a lighting load. The load control device may switch from controlling one characteristic of the electrical loads to controlling another characteristic of the electrical loads based on the position of one or more components of the load control device. Such a position may be manipulated by moving the one or more components relative to an idle position of the load control device. The load control device may be a wall-mounted device or a battery-powered remote control device.

A rotary switch with a knob having an axis of rotation and moveable to a plurality of angular positions and an elongated member extending in a longitudinal direction relative to the axis of the knob. A conductive member is positioned near a plurality of angularly displaced traces formed on a Printed Circuit Board. When the knob is rotated, the rotation is translated to longitudinal movement of the conductive member, which contacts at least one trace to close a circuit.

The click mechanism comprises a spring made of a plate material and disposed on a rotatable plate that rotates integrally with a rotationally-manipulated shaft of an electric part; two cylindrical click pieces disposed on an outer perimeter of the rotatable plate in positions forming an angle of 180 with respect to each other so as to retractably protrude from the positions at different heights on the outer perimeter in an axial direction; and projections and depressions formed on an inner perimeter of a housing in a circumferential direction, in two upper and lower tiers in the axial direction. The projections and depressions in the two upper and lower tiers are staggered and the two click pieces are biased by the spring to be in resilient contact with the projections and depressions.

A dimmer switch for controlling a light includes a wheel assembly, a rotational motion detector and a dimmer control. As the wheel assembly is rotated, the light is dimmed. An on/off control is responsive to a push detector for detecting whether the wheel assembly has been pushed. The on/off control controls where the light is on or off.

A rotary switch with a knob having an axis of rotation and moveable to a plurality of angular positions and an elongated member extending in a longitudinal direction relative to the axis of the knob. A conductive member is positioned near a plurality of angularly displaced traces formed on a Printed Circuit Board. When the knob is rotated, the rotation is translated to longitudinal movement of the conductive member, which contacts at least one trace to close a circuit.