A device for sensing a rotational position of a rotatable element for a household appliance includes: a stator having a plurality of capacitive sensor surfaces spaced apart from one another in a plane of extension of the stator; and a rotor rotatably positionable or disposed relative to the stator and having an electrically conductive section and a dielectric non-conductive section, the conductive section being larger in area than the non-conductive section, the rotor being disposed opposite the plane of extension of the stator in a rotatable condition relative to the stator, and the rotor being couplable or coupled to the rotatable element.

An input device includes a first component with an actuating layer and a first electrode arranged adjacent thereto, a second component with a carrier and a second electrode, and a device which electrically contacts the first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes face each other with an air gap therebetween. The first electrode, under an influence of an actuating force acting on the actuating surface undergoes, upon an actuation, a displacement so as to move the first electrode closer to the second electrode against an elastic restoring force. A detection and evaluation device applies a measuring capacitance to the first and second electrodes and detects a change in the measuring capacitance dependent on the displacement moving the first and second electrodes closer to each other in order to associate the actuation with a switching or controlling function after detecting a predetermined change in the measuring capacitance.

An input device includes a first component with an actuating layer and a first electrode arranged adjacent thereto, a second component with a carrier and a second electrode, and a device which electrically contacts the first and second electrodes. The first and second electrodes face each other with an air gap therebetween. The first electrode, under an influence of an actuating force acting on the actuating surface undergoes, upon an actuation, a displacement so as to move the first electrode closer to the second electrode against an elastic restoring force. A detection and evaluation device applies a measuring capacitance to the first and second electrodes and detects a change in the measuring capacitance dependent on the displacement moving the first and second electrodes closer to each other in order to associate the actuation with a switching or controlling function after detecting a predetermined change in the measuring capacitance.

A hand-held machine tool including a drive device by which a tool that can be brought into operative connection with the machine tool can be actuated, with a control device for actuating the drive device and at least one capacitive sensor element (40) operatively connected to the control device being provided. The at least one sensor element (40) has a first element (42) connected to the control device via a line (44) and a second element (43) which is arranged at a distance from and so as to be displaceable relative to the first element (42) and can be actuated by a user.

A vehicle input knob assembly is provided that includes a stationary knob located in a vehicle and having an outer peripheral surface with a plurality of radial extending surfaces such as ribs and a plurality of proximity sensors located proximate to the knob to detect a user rotating a hand around the knob. The assembly also includes a controller generating a control signal based on the detected rotation of the hand. The knob may further include proximity sensors on a front surface for added user input.

A vehicle input knob assembly is provided that includes a stationary knob located in a vehicle and having an outer peripheral surface with a plurality of radial extending surfaces such as ribs and a plurality of proximity sensors located proximate to the knob to detect a user rotating a hand around the knob. The assembly also includes a controller generating a control signal based on the detected rotation of the hand. The knob may further include proximity sensors on a front surface for added user input.

Provided are an element applicable to a high-precision, high-sensitivity pressure detecting sensor and switch, a manufacturing method for the element; and a sensor, an electronic circuit, and an input device that include the element. The electret element of the present invention has a semiconductor sandwiched between a pair of electrodes, and an electret film disposed at a location opposite to the semiconductor via a gap. The electret element of the present invention may be structured so that the semiconductor contacts with the electret film, or so as to have micro-sized gaps therebetween. The electret film is semi-permanently kept in a positively or negatively charged state. By having a structure in which the electret film can contact with or approach the semiconductor, an amount of electric currents flowing between the pair of electrodes can be controlled.

A method is provided for actuating a hand-held machine tool including a drive device, with a control device for actuating the drive device and at least two capacitive sensor elements operatively connected to the control device being provided. The method includes the following method steps of determining an electrical charge of the first and second sensor element comparing the determined first electrical charge with a defined first threshold value and the determined second electrical charge with a defined second threshold value; enabling the actuation of the drive device and/or defined activation of the drive device via the control device when a predefined condition exists between the determined first electrical charge of the first sensor element and the determined detected second electrical charge of the second sensor element. A machine tool for carrying out a method of this kind is also described.

An input device is provided which is configured such that no matter which position on an operation surface is pushed, the detection sensitivity of the pushing load is suppressed from varying due to different operation positions on the operation surface. An input device includes a first pressing member, a second pressing member, and a substrate. The first pressing member has an operation surface and a first axis and is tiltable around the first axis by the operation surface being pushed. The second pressing member has a second shaft and is tiltable around the second shaft by being pushed by a tilt of the first pressing member. The substrate includes at least one pressure sensor which is to be pushed by the second pressing member. A position of the first axis in the first pressing member is variable in accordance with a pushed position on the operation surface.

A portable electronic device includes a housing, a user input unit configured to detect touch input and push input, and a carrier, on which the user input unit is seated and which is inserted into the housing, wherein the user input unit includes a first input unit, closely disposed on an inner surface of the housing so as to detect touch input, and a second input unit, disposed inside the first input unit in the state of overlapping the first input unit so as to detect push input, the second input unit including a metal spring that changes in shape in response to the push input. The portable electronic device is capable of detecting two types of input and thus of ensuring that is possible to input a sufficient number of user instructions.