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A rotary actuator includes a shaft with a knob which are rotatable about a shaft axis. The actuator includes a haptic effect device connected to the knob via the shaft. The haptic device is rotatable about the axis and includes a detent ring and a bolt fixed to the shaft. The haptic device and geari

A rotary actuator includes a shaft with a knob which are rotatable about a shaft axis. The actuator includes a haptic effect device connected to the knob via the shaft. The haptic device is rotatable about the axis and includes a detent ring and a bolt fixed to the shaft. The haptic device and gearing engage one another such that haptic device is fixed in place unless the gearing is driven and the haptic device rotates when the gearing is driven. The bolt engages the detent ring to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect when the haptic device is fixed in place and the knob is manually rotated. The bolt engages the detent ring such that the haptic device together with the knob rotate when the gearing is being driven by a motor whereby the knob is rotated without manual intervention.

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What is claimed is: 1. A rotary actuator comprising: a knob; a shaft rotatable about an axis, wherein the shaft and the knob are connected such that the knob is rotatable with the shaft about the shaft axis; a detent ring having a plurality of detents, the detent ring concentrically surrounds the s

What is claimed is: 1. A rotary actuator comprising: a knob; a shaft rotatable about an axis, wherein the shaft and the knob are connected such that the knob is rotatable with the shaft about the shaft axis; a detent ring having a plurality of detents, the detent ring concentrically surrounds the shaft and is rotatable about the shaft axis; a spring-loaded bolt fixed to the shaft; a gear assembly engaging the detent ring, wherein the gear assembly is fixed in place unless driven such that the detent ring is fixed in place unless the gear assembly is driven, wherein the detent ring rotates about the shaft axis upon the gear assembly being driven; and a motor for driving the gear assembly; wherein, when the detent ring is fixed in place and the knob is being manually rotated about the shaft axis by an operator, the knob, the shaft, and the bolt together rotate relative to the detent ring about the shaft axis and the bolt engages the detents of the detent ring one at a time to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect; wherein, when the motor is driving the gear assembly such that the detent ring is being rotated about the shaft axis, the bolt engages one of the detents of the detent ring such that the bolt, the shaft, and the knob together with the detent ring rotate about the shaft axis whereby the knob is rotated about the shaft axis without an operator manually rotating the knob; wherein, when the motor is driving the gear assembly such that the detent ring is being rotated about the shaft axis and the knob is being manually held in place by an operator, the knob and the shaft together with the bolt are held in place and the bolt engages the detents of the detent ring one at a time to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect as the detent ring rotates about the shaft axis. 2. The rotary actuator of claim 1 further comprising: an annular element having inner and outer surfaces, the annular element concentrically surrounding the shaft and is rotatable about the shaft axis; wherein the detent ring is on the inner surface of the annular element; wherein the gear assembly engages the outer surface of the annular element to engage the detent ring. 3. The rotary actuator of claim 2 wherein: the outer surface of the annular element includes a circumferential outer gearing, wherein the gear assembly engages the outer gearing of the outer surface of the annular element to engage the detent ring. 4. The rotary actuator of claim 1 wherein: the shaft includes a stop cam which in an angular rotation position of the shaft about the shaft axis rests against a corresponding counter-stop in a housing of the rotary actuator. 5. The rotary actuator of claim 1 further comprising: a circuit board having an electronic controller for controlling operation of the motor, wherein the circuit board at least partially surrounds a portion of the shaft along the shaft axis. 6. The rotary actuator of claim 5 wherein: the circuit board further includes an angle measuring device for determining the angular rotational position of the shaft about the shaft axis. 7. The rotary actuator of claim 6 wherein: the angle measuring device includes scanning elements and initiator elements which are fixedly connected to the shaft to rotate with the shaft about the shaft axis relative to the scanning elements. 8. The rotary actuator of claim 1 wherein: the shaft includes a sleeve-like receptacle fixed to the shaft, wherein the bolt is contained in the sleeve-like receptacle. 9. The rotary actuator of claim 1 further comprising: a second spring-loaded bolt fixed to the shaft, wherein the bolts are oppositely situated from one another. 10. The rotary actuator of claim 1 further comprising: a housing; wherein the housing contains the shaft, the detent ring, the bolt, the gear assembly, and the motor; wherein the knob is located outside of the housing for manual access by the operator. 11. A rotary actuator comprising: a knob; a shaft rotatable about an axis, wherein the shaft and the knob are connected such that the knob is rotatable with the shaft rotate about the shaft axis; a haptic effect device connected to the knob via the shaft, the haptic effect device being rotatable about the shaft axis, the haptic effect device including a detent ring and a bolt, wherein the bolt is fixed to the shaft; a gear assembly; and a motor for driving the gear assembly; wherein the haptic effect device and the gear assembly are engaged to one another such that detent ring is fixed in place unless the gear assembly is driven and the detent ring rotates about the shaft axis when the gear assembly is driven; wherein, when the detent ring is fixed in place and the knob is being manually rotated about the shaft axis by an operator, the knob, the shaft, and the bolt together rotate relative to the detent ring about the shaft axis and the bolt engages the detent ring to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect; wherein, when the motor is driving the gear assembly such that the detent ring is being rotated about the shaft axis, the bolt engages the detent ring such that the bolt, the knob, and the shaft together with the detent ring rotate about the shaft axis whereby the knob is rotated about the shaft axis without an operator manually rotating the knob; wherein, when the motor is driving the gear assembly such that the detent ring is being rotated about the shaft axis and the knob is being manually held in place by an operator, the knob and the shaft together with the bolt are held in place and the bolt engages the detent ring to act as a mechanical catch for producing a haptic effect as the detent ring rotates about the shaft axis. 12. The rotary actuator of claim 11 wherein: the haptic effect device includes an annular element having inner and outer surfaces, the annular element concentrically surrounding the shaft and is rotatable about the shaft axis, wherein the detent ring is on the inner surface of the annular element, wherein the gear assembly engages the outer surface of the annular element to engage the haptic effect device. 13. The rotary actuator of claim 12 wherein: the outer surface of the annular element includes a circumferential outer gearing, wherein the gear assembly engages the outer gearing of the outer surface of the annular element to engage the haptic effect device. 14. The rotary actuator of claim 11 wherein: the shaft includes a stop cam which in an angular rotation position of the shaft about the shaft axis rests against a corresponding counter-stop in a housing of the rotary actuator. 15. The rotary actuator of claim 11 further comprising: a circuit board having an electronic controller for controlling operation of the motor, wherein the circuit board at least partially surrounds a portion of the shaft along the shaft axis. 16. The rotary actuator of claim 15 wherein: the circuit board further includes an angle measuring device for determining the angular rotational position of the shaft about the shaft axis. 17. The rotary actuator of claim 16 wherein: the angle measuring device includes scanning elements and initiator elements which are fixedly connected to the shaft to rotate with the shaft about the shaft axis relative to the scanning elements. 18. The rotary actuator of claim 11 wherein: the shaft includes a sleeve-like receptacle fixed to the shaft, wherein the bolt is contained in the sleeve-like receptacle. 19. The rotary actuator of claim 11 wherein: the haptic effect device further includes a second bolt fixed to the shaft, wherein the bolts are oppositely situated from one another. 20. The rotary actuator of claim 11 wherein: the bolt is spring-loaded.