US 11,940,833 B2
Input apparatus and input system, and method for operating an input apparatus
Stefan Battlogg, St. Anton i.M. (AT)
Assigned to INVENTUS Engineering GmbH, St. Anton i.M. (AT)
Appl. No. 17/631,947
Filed by INVENTUS Engineering GmbH, St. Anton i.M. (AT)
PCT Filed Aug. 5, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/072052
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 1, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/023794, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 121 110.7 (DE), filed on Aug. 5, 2019; and application No. 10 2020 104 810.6 (DE), filed on Feb. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0283602 A1, Sep. 8, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G05G 5/03 (2008.04); G05G 9/047 (2006.01)
CPC G05G 5/03 (2013.01) [G05G 9/047 (2013.01); G05G 2009/04766 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An input apparatus, comprising:
an operator control device, a magnetorheological brake device, and a control device for controlling said brake device;
said operator control device including a support and an operator control lever pivotably held on said support about at least one pivot axis; and
at least one sensor for sensing a pivot angle of said operator control lever;
said brake device being configured to dampen a pivoting movement of said operator control lever about said pivot axis under control by said control device;
said control device being configured to control said brake device in dependence on a control command and to convert the control command into a haptic signal that is perceptible at said operator control lever to provide a user of the input apparatus with haptic feedback (force feedback) as a consequence of an input that is being performed or that has been performed; and
said operator control lever being held on said support device for pivoting about at least two pivot axes, and in each case at least one brake device being coupled to at least one pivot axle, and said control device being configured to separately dampen the pivoting about each of said pivot axes during a pivoting movement of said operator control lever.