Manually operable rotary pulse generating apparatus for pulse counting and similar applications

Claim 2

In electrical apparatus having control means responsive to the number of pulses fed to the input thereof, a manually operable pulse generating apparatus whose output is to be coupled to the input of said control means and comprising: a manually operable dial knob member movable in at least a first operating direction, a cam member having sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, means coupling said dial knob member to said cam member when said dial knob member is moved in said operating direction, a spring force-urged detenting and force-transmitting pawl member mounted to ride upon said sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, said pawl member normally located between adjacent lobes in a manner to detent the movement of said dial knob member and cam member, so that the dial knob member has discrete positions which it assumes as it is advanced in said operating direction, each of said lobes having a gradually rising leading side over which said pawl member rides when said knob member is moved in said operating direction and a sharply dropping trailing side, the spring force on said pawl member being such that the pawl member riding on any point of the gradually rising side of a lobe of said cam member will rotate the cam member to position the pawl member in the crotch between said gradually rising side of a lobe and the trailing side of the adjacent lobe, a stationary piezoelectric element with output terminals across which an appreciable damped waveform appears when the stress on the same is suddenly changed, said spring-urged pawl member applying an initial stress to said piezoelectric element as said pawl member rides up the leading side of a lobe of said cam, which stress reaches a maximum value and is suddenly relieved to generate a damped waveform at said output terminals when said pawl member falls off the high point of one of said lobes, and debouncing circuit means coupled between the output terminal of said piezoelectric element and the input of said control means to convert said damped waveform to a single pulse output.

Claim 3

The electrical apparatus of claim 1 wherein said dial knob and cam members are rotatable members, and wherein there is provided a one-way clutch interconnecting said dial knob member and cam member so that said cam member is moved by said knob member only when said knob member is moved in said operating direction.

Claim 4

In electrical apparatus having control means responsive to the number of pulses fed to the input thereof, a manually operable pulse generating means whose output is to be coupled to the input of said control means and comprising: a manually operable dial knob member movable in at least a first operating direction into discrete detented positions, piezoelectric means having output terminal means across which a single appreciable damped waveform appears when the piezoelectric means is subjected to a sudden change in stress, damped waveform producing means responsive to the movement of said dial knob member from one detented position to the other for effecting the application of said sudden change in stress, and debouncing circuit means coupled between the output terminal means of said piezoelectric element and the input of said control means to convert said damped waveform to a single pulse output.

Claim 5

In electrical apparatus having control means responsive to the number of pulses fed to the input thereof, a manually operable pulse generating means whose output is to be coupled to the input of said control means and comprising: a manually operable dial knob member movable in at least a first operating direction into discrete detented positions, piezoelectric means having output terminal means across which a single appreciable damped waveform appears when the piezoelectric means is subjected to a sudden change in stress, damped waveform producing means responsive to the movement of said dial knob member from one detented position to the other for effecting the application of said sudden change in stress, and debouncing circuit means coupled between the output terminal means of said piezoelectric element and the input of said control means to convert said damped waveform to a single pulse output.

Claim 6

The electrical apparatus of claim 1 wherein there is provided numbered markers along said dial knob member and an index mark opposite which a different numbered marker becomes aligned as said dial knob member is advanced to each detented position, said dial knob member being a transparent rotatable member, and there is provided an inner knob member around which said transparent dial knob member is rotatably mounted, said cam member being a rotatable member coupled for movement with said inner knob member, a one-way clutch interconnecting said outer dial knob member and said inner knob member so that said inner knob member is rotated only when said outer dial knob member is moved in said operating direction, and said numbered markers being placed on the periphery of said inner knob member so as to be seen through the transparent outer dial knob member.

Claim 7

The electrical apparatus of claims 1 or 2 wherein said pawl member is a spring having at one end a pawl-forming end which normally is engaged in the crotch between the trailing side of one lobe and the leading edge of the adjacent lobe of said cam member.

Claim 8

In electrical apparatus having control means responsive to the number of pulses fed to the input thereof, a manually operable pulse generating apparatus whose output is to be coupled to the input of said control means and comprising a manually operable dial knob member movable in at least a first operating direction, a cam member having sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, means coupling said dial knob member to said cam member when said dial knob member is moved in said operating direction, said coupling means comprising a spring force-urged detenting and force-transmitting pawl member formed by a spring having at one end a pawl-forming end, each of said lobes having a gradually rising leading side over which said pawl-forming end of the spring rides when said knob member is moved in said operating direction and a sharply dropping trailing side, the spring being stressed at least when the pawl-forming end member of said spring leaves said crotch and rides on any point of the gradually rising side of a lobe of said cam member, such stress in the absence of an external force causing the cam member to rotate to a position where said pawl-forming end of the spring is in the crotch between said gradually rising side of a lobe and the trailing side of the adjacent lobe, to detent the movement of said dial knob member and cam member, so that the dial knob member has discrete positions which it assumes as it is advanced in said operating direction, a stationary piezoelectric element with output terminals across which an appreciable damped waveform appears when the stress on the same is suddenly changed, said pawl-forming end of said spring joining a curved spring portion extending part way around a cylindrical pivot-forming member and terminating in a flat spring end bearing against a side of said piezoelectric element, said pawl-forming end of said spring being urged toward the opposite end of the spring bearing against said piezoelectric element to progressively compress the same as the dial knob member is advanced from one detented position toward the next detented position thereof, said pawl-forming end of the spring applying an initial stress to said piezoelectric element as said pawl member starts to ride up the leading side of a lobe of said cam member, which stress reaches a maximum value and is suddenly relieved to generate a damped waveform at said output terminals when said pawl-forming end of the spring falls off the high point of one of said lobes.

Claim 9

In electrical apparatus having control means responsive to the number of pulses fed to the input thereof, a manually operable pulse generating apparatus whose output is to be coupled to the input of said control means and comprising a manually operable dial knob member movable in at least a first operating direction, a cam member having sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, means coupling said dial knob member to said cam member when said dial knob member is moved in said operating direction, said coupling means comprising a spring force-urged detenting and force-transmitting pawl member formed by a spring having at one end a pawl-forming end, each of said lobes having a gradually rising leading side over which said pawl-forming end of the spring rides when said knob member is moved in said operating direction and a sharply dropping trailing side, the spring being stressed at least when the pawl-forming end member of said spring leaves said crotch and rides on any point of the gradually rising side of a lobe of said cam member, such stress in the absence of an external force causing the cam member to rotate to a position where said pawl-forming end of the spring is in the crotch between said gradually rising side of a lobe and the trailing side of the adjacent lobe, to detent the movement of said dial knob member and cam member, so that the dial knob member has discrete positions which it assumes as it is advanced in said operating direction, a stationary piezoelectric element with output terminals across which an appreciable damped waveform appears when the stress on the same is suddenly changed, said pawl-forming end of said spring joining a curved spring portion extending part way around a cylindrical pivot-forming member and terminating in a flat spring end bearing against a side of said piezoelectric element, said pawl-forming end of said spring being urged toward the opposite end of the spring bearing against said piezoelectric element to progressively compress the same as the dial knob member is advanced from one detented position toward the next detented position thereof, said pawl-forming end of the spring applying an initial stress to said piezoelectric element as said pawl member starts to ride up the leading side of a lobe of said cam member, which stress reaches a maximum value and is suddenly relieved to generate a damped waveform at said output terminals when said pawl-forming end of the spring falls off the high point of one of said lobes.

Claim 11

The electrical apparatus of claim 1 or 3 wherein there is provided numbered markings along said dial knob member and an index mark opposite which a different numbered marking becomes aligned as said dial knob member is advanced to each detented position thereof.

Claim 12

The electrical apparatus of claim 8 wherein said damped waveform producing means includes a cam member having sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, means coupling said dial knob member to said cam member when said dial knob member is moved in said operating direction, a spring-urged force-transmitting pawl member mounted to ride upon said sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, each of said lobes having a gradually rising leading side and a sharply dropping trailing side over which sides said pawl member rides when said knob member is moved in said operating direction between said discrete positions, said piezoelectric means developing an appreciable damped waveform when the stress on the same is suddenly relieved, and said spring-urged pawl member applying an initial stress to said piezoelectric means as said pawl member rides up the leading side of a lobe of said cam, which stress reaches a maximum value and is suddenly relieved to generate an appreciably damped waveform at said output terminal means when said pawl member falls off the high point of one of said lobes.

Claim 13

The electrical apparatus of claim 3 wherein said damped waveform producing means includes a cam member having sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, means coupling said dial knob member to said cam member when said dial knob member is moved in said operating direction, and a spring force-urged detenting and force-transmitting pawl member mounted to ride upon said sawtooth ratchet teeth-forming lobes, wherein there is provided means for operating said damped waveform producing means when said dial knob member is moved in said operating direction.