Provided are a switch and an operation device which can expand the application range of switches using magnets, etc. A switch incorporated in an operation device includes a movable member with a first end side fixed and a second end side swinging when receiving a pressing, and a pressing member which presses the movable member, and further includes a permanent magnet (magnet) on the tip of the movable member, and a magnetic field detection part which detects a magnetic field. In response to an operation on the operation device, the pressing member of the switch presses the movable member downward. The magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet (magnet) and detected by the magnetic field detection part changes due to the pressing of the pressing member, and the switch outputs a signal based on the magnetic field detected by the magnetic field detection part.

A touch button, a control method, and an electronic device are provided. The touch button includes a first conductive part, a second conductive part, and a touch part, where the second conductive part surrounds the first conductive part to form a capacitance structure. The method includes receiving a touch input acting on the touch part; detecting whether the second conductive part has any capacitance change in a plurality of preset directions; and determining, in a case a capacitance change exists in a target direction among the plurality of preset directions, a control instruction corresponding to the target direction. According to the method, when the touch button receives the touch input, the touch part transfers pressure to the first conductive part, so that the first conductive part moves relative to the second conductive part resulting in a change of capacitance.

An input device includes: a first electrode; a support body that supports the first electrode; a fixed body fixed above the support body; a second electrode; a movable body that holds the second electrode in a state where the second electrode faces the first electrode with a predetermined space being provided therebetween, and causes the second electrode to approach and recede from the first electrode in a movement direction by rotating; an operation body that is fixed movably relative to the fixed body in a state where the operation body is engaged with the movable body, and causes, by being operated by a user, the movable body to rotate; and a biasing part that is disposed between the movable body and the fixed body, and applies, to the movable body, a biasing force toward the support body.

A pair of first electrodes 111, 112 is arranged in a state being separated in a direction parallel to a contact surface 102 of a base material 10 made of a dielectric and being at least partially in contact with the base material 10. A pair of second electrodes 121, 122 is arranged in a state of overlapping at least one of the pair of first electrodes and sandwiching the base material 10 at a position farther from the contact surface 102 of the base material 10 than the pair of first electrodes 111 and 112 in a direction perpendicular to the contact surface 102 of the base material 10. The proximity state of an object Q with respect to the contact surface 102 of the base material 10 is detected according to the measurement result of the capacitance C1 between the pair of first electrodes 111 and 112.

A device including a piezoelectric actuator that can detect the actuation force and provide haptic feedback. The longitudinal extension of the actuator, generated for this purpose, can be reinforced in the desired direction by a deformable metal sheet. The deformable metal sheet is adhered on and has a borehole for pressure equalization.

A push button switch assembly for a vehicle includes an elastic button that is moveable between a first unactuated position and a second actuated position. An actuator is disposed adjacent a plate and is pivotable between a first position and a second position. The actuator includes a magnetic element. When the elastic button is in the first unactuated position the magnetic element biases the actuator into the first position, and when the elastic button is moved to the second actuated position, a force applied to the elastic button is transmitted to the actuator such that the force overcomes the magnetic attraction and permits the actuator to pivot to the second position while providing a tactile haptic response. When the actuator is moved to the second position, a hall sensor senses a change in the magnetic field of the magnetic element.

A user-input system includes a force-measuring device, a cover member, and an elastic circuit board substrate interposed between the force-measuring device and the cover member and mechanically coupled to the cover member and to the force-measuring device. The force-measuring device includes a strain-sensing element. The force-measuring device is mounted to and electrically connected to the elastic circuit board substrate. The cover member undergoes a primary mechanical deformation in response to forces imparted at the cover member. The elastic circuit board substrate transmits a portion of the primary mechanical deformation to the force-measuring device resulting in a concurrent secondary mechanical deformation of the force-measuring device. The strain-sensing element is configured to output voltage signals in accordance with a time-varying strain at the strain-sensing element resulting from the secondary mechanical deformation.

A method and an apparatus for generating a horn actuation signal. A load cell is placed inside a steering wheel, which changes its resistance when being stressed or deformed by a force transmitting part of the steering wheel. An actual voltage (V.sub.a) depending on the resistance of the load cell is measured and the horn actuation signal is generated based on the measurement of the actual voltage (V.sub.a). The actual voltage (V.sub.a) depends additionally to the resistance of the load cell and on an adjustable voltage (V.sub.ad) generated by an adjustable voltage generation unit. Additionally, the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (V.sub.a) is permanently compared to a defined value, and the adjustable voltage (V.sub.ad) is adjusted in response to the difference between the result of the measurement of the actual voltage (V.sub.a) and the defined value at least as long as no horn actuation signal is generated, such that closed circuit for controlling the actual voltage (V.sub.a) is provided.

A dual touch sensor with XY-position and Z-force sensing, such as for implementing a touch button, includes a touch sensor assembly with: (a) an XY-position sensor (such as capacitive, single ended or differential) including an XY electrode disposed at the backside of the touch surface opposite the button area to define an XY sensing area corresponding to the button area, the XY-position sensor to sense a touch within the XY sensing area, as a button-touch event; and (b) a Z-force sensor (such as inductive or capacitive) including a Z-electrode to sense touch-pressure deflection of the touch surface, including to sense a touch-pressure deflection that exceeds a button-press threshold as a button-press event. Sensor electronics coupled to the XY-position sensor and the Z-force sensor detects, as a button touch-press condition, the capacitive XY-position sensor sensing a button-touch event, substantially contemporaneous with the Z-Force sensor sensing a button-press event.

A touch sensing device, applicable to an electric device including a touch member integrated with a housing, includes an inductor element spaced apart from an internal side surface of the touch member, a support member attached to an internal side surface of the housing or the touch member to support the inductor element disposed thereon, a substrate on which the inductor element is mounted, the substrate being disposed on the support member, and a circuit part connected to the inductor element and configured to detect a touch input and a touch-force input in response to different frequency change characteristics depending on the touch input and the touch-force input through the touch member.