CN1305660C - Tracker ball device for controlling electronic apparatus and manufature thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention proposes a device (20) of the type comprising a generator of control signals which comprises a mobile contact rod (70T) which is elastically restored by a spiral torsion spring (50T) whose cylindrical body (48T) is accommodated in the housing and whose second axial end (54T) is immobilized, characterized in that the span of second axial end of the spring is accommodated in a duct (46L, 46T) of the housing with at least one turn of this span which is thermowelded into the concave wall (47L, 47T) of the duct so as to immobilize it in rotation. According to the process, the thermowelding is carried out by heating by Joule effect of the turns by means of two electrodes (E1, E2).

Description

The Trackball device of control electronic equipment

Technical field

The present invention relates to a kind of control device of electronic equipment, the device of particularly a kind of being commonly referred to " tracking ball (track ball) ".

Background technology

The present invention thereby relate to a kind of control device, this device comprises plastic casing, in this housing, be provided with two and drive the orthogonal rotary coding axle that each all can be rotated towards both direction by control piece, this control piece is for rotating the ball that is contained in this housing, and a kind of wherein each is pivotally attached to the device of the moving meter that belongs to the control signal generator, it is used in particular for cursor moving on this electronic equipment screen, and wherein the control signal generator comprises:

-mobile contact lever, this mobile contact lever be in its elastic recovery towards resting position the time, along basic vertical direction setting, wherein, the lower section of bar (span) is held and in two gaps of opposite side between the contact element of bottom, thereby described lower section is moved between the contact element of bottom at described two opposite sides, and this mobile contact lever is installed with respect to the trunnion axis integral inclination that is parallel to the coding axis that is associated.

-and band tooth pinion, it is pivotally attached on the coding axle that is associated, between two adjacent teeth of this pinion, accept the upper segment of the mobile contact lever of resting position, thereby like this when the coding axle that is associated is driven of rotating in lower section and two fixed contact lug plates or electric contact of another formation, contact lever is tilted to a direction or other direction, and automatic the disengagement exceeding the predetermined angular that the coding axle that is associated rotates from the space that is limited by two adjacent teeth to make upper segment.

According to the Known designs of this device and the NO.01.03579-FR-A-2 that submits to by the applicant, 822, described in 271 french patent applications and show, and it is represented among last a few width of cloth figure in the accompanying drawing, mobile contact lever is pivotally attached on the last circle of helical torsional spring first axial end, this helical torsional spring is made by wire and horizontal axis is arranged, its cylindrical body is contained in the housing, and its second axial end can not rotate, and makes mobile contact lever like this and installs with respect to the trunnion axis integral inclination that is parallel to the coding axis that is associated.

Design according to the present specification proposition, the upper segment of mobile contact lever is 180 ° of bending sections, this section makes mobile contact lever be connected to the last circle of spring first axial end, and is positioned on the vertical plane that is parallel to the helical spring axis and tangent substantially with the periphery of spring body.

Spring second end stops rotation by its last circle, this circle extends by the line (strand) of axial orientation, and this line self extends by free end line, this free end line is semicircle, be positioned on the downward vertical plane, thereby be contained in vertically that lower housing portion forms and in the complementary groove of top vertical openings.

Each side direction bottom contact element is the fixed contact lug plate of vertical orientations.

This contact lug plate can be made up of the conductive connection sheet that belongs to the flat cable section that is provided with along the housing dielectric material block.

Also can form in addition by the metal fixed contact that around it, coats molded (overmoulded) dielectric material block.

Ball-type code device like this is compact especially and have high performance, and the present invention is intended to improve its some aspect.

Provide the design of each coding spring of some functions complicated really, therefore need quite long formation cycle time, particularly in order to guarantee fixedly loop wire plane that can not rotation spring and to comprise the good depth of parallelism between the mobile loop wire plane of mobile contact lever.

Particularly in the known solution of prior art, the mobile contact lever when any nonparallelism between fixing and the mobile loop wire plane can cause in inactive state is with respect to the location mistake of housing vertical plane, and the groove of its middle shell is accepted the retainer ring line.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is intended to propose especially the new design that a kind of spring of encoding can not rotate around its axis.

For this reason, the present invention proposes a kind of control device of the above-mentioned type, wherein mobile contact lever is pivotally attached on the last circle of torsion-coil spring first axial end, this torsion-coil spring is made by wire and trunnion axis is arranged, its cylindrical body is contained in the housing, and its second axial end can not rotate, install with respect to the trunnion axis integral inclination that is parallel to the coding axis that is associated thereby make mobile contact lever, it is characterized in that, the spring second axial end section is contained in the shell channel by at least one circle of this section, at least one circle of this section is thermally welded in the passage recess, thereby it can not be rotated.

Further feature according to apparatus of the present invention:

-thermal weld work is finished by the described circle of heating;

-described circle utilizes Joule effect to heat by making electric current flow through described circle;

-passage integral body is half-cylindrical, its opening surface vertically upward, and in the thermal weld course of work, load vertically downward is applied on the circle of spring;

-load is applied to the circle that will weld by two electrodes that are used to heat described circle, and described electrode is applied on the axial end portion circle of hot weld adapter ring group in the passage recess;

-this device comprises fixedly conductive contact lug plate, and this lug plate is located in the part of passage recess, and is relative with at least one of described hot weld adapter ring;

-this fixedly the conductive contact lug plate belong to the upper surface that is contained in the flat cable end in the housing;

For being parallel to the horizontally disposed straight-bar of mobile contact lever tilt axis, it is installed in the housing to each of bottom contact element for-two opposite sides, and its free end section is positioned at the opposite of mobile contact lever lower section, and on horizontal plane elastically deformable;

The lower section of-mobile contact lever and fixedly the free end section of contact lever be two sections of cylindrical bar;

-each relative with its free contact jaw section fixedly contact lever end is connecting line, and it contacts with fixedly conductive contact lug plate in being located at housing wall;

-described fixedly conductive contact lug plate belongs to the upper surface that is contained in the flat cable end in the housing;

-mobile contact lever and helical spring are made integral body;

-signal generator comprises the band tooth pinion that is pivotally attached on the coding axle that is associated, between two adjacent teeth of this pinion, accept the upper segment of the mobile contact lever of resting position, thereby when being driven, the coding axle that is associated rotates like this lower section of mobile contact lever and two opposite sides in the contact element of bottom or between another during electric contact of formation, contact lever is tilted to a direction or another direction, and make upper segment throw off the rotational angle that exceeds the axis convention of encoding automatically from the space that limits by two adjacent teeth;

-it comprises two quadrature rotary coding axles, and each coding axle is contained in tracking ball in the housing by rotation and drives towards both direction and rotate, and each is pivotally attached on the mobile coding element that belongs to the control signal generator;

-torsionspring is made by wire, and its external diameter equals this diameter wiry, so that constitute the torsion bar spring.

Description of drawings

Other characteristic of the present invention and advantage will become more very clear by reading the detailed description of doing with reference to accompanying drawing, wherein:

-Fig. 1 is plane and 3/4ths right front external perspective view, control device and connection " rubber-insulated wire (flex) " thereof that expression is instructed according to the present invention;

-Fig. 2 is the amplification decomposition diagram of each parts of Fig. 1 device;

-Fig. 3 is the amplification view of the naked lower housing portion of Fig. 1 and 2 device;

-Fig. 4 to 6,7A, 7B and 8 are according to the profile of apparatus of the present invention along vertical section 4-4 to 8-8 shown in Figure 3, and contact lever shown in it is positioned at it and stablizes vertical resting position, except being positioned at two relative contact positions at Fig. 7 A with contact lever shown in the 7B;

-Fig. 9 is an amplification view, the various conductive contact lug plates of expression " rubber-insulated wire " end segments, and this section is contained in housing bottom.

-Figure 10 to 13 is illustrated in each step that lower housing portion is provided with parts for being similar to the view of Fig. 3;

-Figure 14 to 16 is the perspective view corresponding to Figure 10,11 and 13 views;

-Figure 17 looks 3/4ths back perspective view from the top of lower housing portion and right side;

-Figure 18 is the perspective view that the below is looked from the top that forms case lid;

-Figure 19 is an enlarged perspective, and expression is according to coding spring of the present invention;

-Figure 20 is an enlarged perspective, and expression is according to fixedly contact lever of the present invention;

-Figure 21 is the perspective view that is similar to Fig. 1, represents a variant embodiment of the present invention, wherein connects " rubber-insulated wire " and replaces by connecting contact pin, along contact pin overmolded lower housing portion; With

-Figure 22 is the view that is similar to Fig. 3, the lower housing portion of expression Figure 21 device;

-Figure 23 and 24 is the views that are similar to Fig. 3 and 4, and expression is according to one type of prior art syringe described in the above-mentioned french patent application.

The specific embodiment

For describing the present invention, we will adopt vertical, vertical and horizontal orientation according to V shown in Figure 1, L, T coordinate system in non-limiting mode.

By convention, we also adopt term upper and lower, forward and backward and left and right with reference to Fig. 1.

In the following description, belong to according to embodiments of the invention or according to identical, the similar or similar element of prior art and will represent with same numeral or alphanumeric Ref. No..

The first of this explanation will mainly describe for prior art and the total element of the embodiment of the invention.

Device 20 comprises by two parts forms the basic general shape of cuboid that is, the top 26 of the lid of main bottom 24 and formation sealing bottom, the critical piece of bottom storing apparatus 20.

This device mainly comprises center tracking ball or spheroid 30, and it drives two orthogonal coding axles at this by the friction rotation, and each coding axle is associated with signal generator.

Two axles and signal generator are whole symmetric design, and with respect to the symmetrical vertical plane symmetric arrangement corresponding with Fig. 3 and 24 center line S-S, the center C of ball 30 is positioned on this plane.

Therefore, will represent with the same Reference numeral that indicates " L " and " T " respectively with identical, the similar or similar element that transverse axis coding axle is associated with longitudinal axis coding axle.

Like this, each coding axle 32L, 32T comprises stairstepping cylinder 34L, 34T, two relative minor diameter free end 36L, 36T and major diameter free end 38L, 38T are mounted to can be around rotating shaft 40L in housing 22, and 40T rotates towards both direction.

Each body 34L, 34T comprise drive drum or the roller 42L of its outer surface by frictional force and ball 30 common runnings, 42T, and toothed coding pinion 44L, and 44T, these pinions are along the body 34L that is rotationally connected with it, and 34T is axial arranged.

At each coding axle 32L, the below of 32T, the bottom 24 of housing 22 comprises the groove 46L to the general tunnel-shaped of open-topped semicolumn, 46T (referring to Figure 17 and 18).

Each groove 46L, 46T hold by wire around axle 52L, the torsion-coil spring 50L of the last formation of 52T, the cylinder-shaped body 48L of 50T, 48T.

According to prior art, the last circle 54L of each spring, 54T is along axis 52L, 52T extends axially outlet 56L, and 56T himself extends free end line 58L again, 58T, this free end line extends semicircular in shape on a vertical plane downwards, is formed in the lower housing portion 24 and vertically to open-topped complementary groove 62L, among the 62T thereby can vertically be contained in.

Be positioned at its associated groove 62L, the line 58L of appropriate location leans against on relative the rubber-insulated wire lug plate P4L and P4T vertically downward with 58T in the 62T.

Spring 50L, with last circle 54T, 54L is relative first lap 64L axially among the 50T, and 64T extends upward vertical line 66L, 66T, it is by the 180 ° of sweep 68L in top, and 68T is connected to the vertical contact lever 70L that moves with first lap, on the 70T.

Therefore, the described end of each spring is configured as and makes connecting line 66L, and 66T, contact lever 70L, 70T and sweep 68L, the 68T upper end section of contact lever (its constitute) are positioned at basically and spring 50L, and 50T cylinder 48L is on the tangent vertical plane of the periphery of 48T.

According to prior art, contact lever 70L, 70T in the vertical orientations of resting position by each spring 50L, 50T and contact lever 70L thereof, 70T and its sweep 58L, the design of 58T produces, and the latter is at groove 62L, vertical guide in the 62T, so that spring 50L, the angled location of 50T, and it is comprised circle 54L, the rotation of the end of 54T is fixing.

The bottom 24 of housing 22 is the general shape of hollow cuboid, and it is limited by the bottom 71 with horizontal flat upper surface 74 especially.

Each vertical junction feeler lever 70L, the height of 70T will make its underpart contact-segment 78L, the free end 76L of 78T, 76T extends to form the gap above the part that exceeds upper surface 74.

According to prior art, each bottom contact- segment 78L, 78T also accommodate and belong to material block 81L, 81T and 83L, two vertical connection faces of 83T 80L, 80T and 82L, the sideshake between the 82T, material block 81L, 81T and 83L, 83T and bottom 72 are molded as integral body and outstanding vertically upward.

As the function that ball 30 rotates, each control lever 70L, 70T can be with respect to its upright position to abutted surface 80L-82L, and 80T-82T tilts to make bottom contact- segment 78L, and 78T produces corresponding displacement.

In order to rotate each coding axle 32L is installed, 32T, the bottom 24 of housing 22 is including near its upper horizontal surface 25 vertically to open-topped groove 84L, 84T and 86L, 86T, these grooves admit each coding axle 32L, 32T body 34L respectively, the end 36L of 34T, 36T and 38L, 38T.

Though groove 86L, 86T be to the enclosure interior lateral openings, groove 84L, the horizontal width of 84T still equals end pivot 36L substantially, and the diameter of 36T, each groove are supplemented with the resilient key 90L of hairpin shape, 90T, this resilient key 90L, 90T vertically is contained in complemental groove 88L, in the 88T, the feasible pin free end 92L of top set that points to enclosure interior, 92T elasticity advances corresponding pivot 38L, 38T, thereby promote roller 32L, 32T leans against on the ball 30.

Device 20 also comprises input switch, and it triggers part 94 by monostable type elasticity basically forms, and is the known conventional design of the star with four branches.

Trigger part 94 and include the core 96 that comprises spherical caps shape disk 98, the concave surface of disk 98 up, above tracking ball 30 leans against, trigger the radial branching 100L that part 94 also comprises two pairs of 90 ° of distributions, 100T, each branch terminates in lower support and its convex surface circular arc engagement edge 102L down, 102T.

Groove by holding two end edge 102T is to 104T with by holding the 3rd groove 104L of one of two end edge 102L, and another edge 102L is contained among the last groove 104L that covers formation, guarantees to trigger the angle orientation (see Figure 18) of part 94 in lower housing portion 24.

In Figure 17, can see especially, the bottom 24 of housing 22 is limited by two parallel relative sidewall 106L left and right sides, and limit by horizontal back transverse wall 106T, 72 upper surface 74 includes opening 108 up to the bottom and preceding transverse wall 106T is at its whole height, and the function of this opening will illustrate subsequently.

Mainly be made up of level board at the lid shown in Figure 18 26 especially, its lower surface 27 is designed to lean against on the upper surface 25 of bottom 24.

Lower surface 27 comprises the cylindrical radial breach with permission roller 42L, 42T and pinion 44L, and 44T freely passes through and rotates.

Lid 26 also comprises the vertical partition plate 110 that replenishes bottom 24 openings 108, and this vertical partition plate 110 comprises along the rib 112 of the groove 114 that forms on two additional opening 108 edges of its vertical edge, slidably installs to vertically downward on the bottom 24 thereby allow to cover 26.

At confined state, for example in Fig. 1 and 23, will see the whole closure casings 22 of lid 26 complete sums like this.

Being electrically connected by flat flexible cord that is also referred to as " rubber-insulated wire " or cable 28 of control device 20 guarantees that this is known design and technology.

Dividing plate 110 vertically is slightly less than the height of opening 108 towards the height of base plate by what its horizontal edge 111 limited, thereby the body 29 of rubber-insulated wire 28 is passed through.

In whole figure, except that Fig. 9, shown in the upper surface of the rubber-insulated wire upper strata of not insulating cover on the conducting wire of the rubber-insulated wire that connects lug plate Pi and terminal Bi.This " layer " or " cover layer " can guarantee the electric insulation between the circuit, and eliminates the short circuit risk during importing by the displacement of dome 94.

Therefore, rubber-insulated wire 28 comprises and is shaped as that thin thickness is about 0.12mm with 29 body that its inside is made by conductive filament or line.

The rear portion free end section 120 on right side comprises and makes whole a series of conductive welding disk or lug plate Pi that are connected to electric wire Fi when reference example such as Fig. 9, they each all constitute the fixed contact that will combine with various active components.

The profile of this rear section 120 presents the profile of incision, so that it can place in the bottom 24, thereby level leans against on the upper surface 74 of bottom 72.

For input switch is associated with triggering part 94, the upper surface 122 of rear section 120 comprises and is connected to the center conductive lug plate P1 that electric wire F1 is the insert form, it is positioned at the position vertical with core 98, and link together and be connected to two lug plate P2 of electric wire F2, it vertically is positioned at lug plate P1 both sides, center, and each lug plate supporting triggers a bottom engagement edge 102L of part 94.

The conductive connection sheet also is provided in addition, is used to transmit the code signal that signal generator produced that is associated by with engagement shaft 32L and 32T.

Therefore, according to prior art, each spring 50L, the body of 50T is by lug plate P4L, and P4T is connected to electric wire F4L, on the F4T, corresponding bend arm 58L, the free end 60L of 58T, 60T flexibly leans against above it.

Therefore, each moves contact lever 70L, and 70T is by spring 50L, and the body 48L of 50T, 48T are connected to conductive connection sheet P4L, P4T, thus be connected to corresponding electric wire F4L, on the F4T.

Each moves contact lever 70L, the bottom contact-segment 78L of 70T, 78T is contained in connecting of two vertical direction and touches lug plate P5L, and P5T and P6L are between the P6T, its section 120 from rubber-insulated wire 28 is downcut and is constituted, and after installation, it is erect on a vertical plane, leans against corresponding abutment 80L simultaneously, 80T and 82L are on the vertical surface of 82T.

By the section 120 of rubber-insulated wire 28 being placed the bottom 72 of housing 22 bottoms 24,74 appropriate location, make the various fixed contacts of forming by conductive connection sheet Pi, and rubber-insulated wire 28,29 is drawn the part of housing 22 by lower edge 111 clampings of dividing plate 110 by opening 108.

Mode of operation according to the signal generator of prior art will be described now.

This explanation is with reference to coding axle 32L statement, and all identical parts are similarly to the mode of operation of other coding axle for it, except spring 50L owing to the load balance reason is the symmetric design with respect to vertical plane S-S.

In the resting position shown in Fig. 4 to 6, mobile contact lever 70L is vertical, and its crooked upper segment 68L is contained between the relative root face 45L of coding pinion 44L two adjacent teeth, and has sideshake along direction T.

By ball 30 is rotated around its center C, and rotate around the vertical equity axle, cause a 32L to rotate around its rotating shaft 40L at this.

Above-mentioned rotation causes contacting with the root face 45L of right-hand teeth, thereby will laterally promote upper segment 68L from right to left.

Because the body 48L of spring 50L might the elasticity of torsion be out of shape, and this spring 50L links to each other with bar 70 and play the effect that makes bar 70L get back to the back-moving spring of its resting position, bar 70L tilts with respect to axle 52L fully, up to its underpart contact-segment 78L be close to lug plate P5L with its electric contact and near the abutted surface 80L that crosses rubber-insulated wire till, be electrically connected thereby between lug plate P4L and P5L, form.

Roller 32L continues to clockwise rotate, and this rotation breaks away from the upper segment 68L that continues its banking motion in " Ma Erte cruciform joint " type mechanism mode automatically, stablizes vertical resting position thereby return it automatically with contact lever 70L subsequently.

If rotatablely moving of ball 30 proceeded in same direction, bar 70L will tilt to same direction shown in Fig. 7 B once more, so that produce new signal owing to form electric contact once more between lug plate P5L and P4L.

On the contrary, rotate if ball 30 is driven to other direction, tooth 45L then makes contact lever 70L tilt, up to its underpart contact-segment 78 be close to that conductive connection sheet P6L is in contact with it and near vertical surface 82L till.

Therefore, this contact forms electric contact between lug plate P6L and P4L, and generation is different from the signal that is produced that is connected owing to the spring 50L of lug plate P5L and P4L.

The difference of this two kinds of signals that produce between P4L and P5L or P4L and P6L makes its rotation direction that can distinguish the correlative coding axle, thereby by single moving contacting piece 70L or 70T each signal generator is accomplished to distinguish the rotation direction of ball.

Certainly, according to the action type that the user uses ball, the user can make two coding axle 32L, and 32T rotates to a direction or other rightabout simultaneously.

In fact, ball always rotates around trunnion axis, and as the function in ball rotational plane orientation, proportional with X and Y component that onscreen cursor is detected respectively by the umber of pulse that two generators produce.

Driving is by axle 32L, the roller 42L of 32T carrying, and 42T guarantees by the outer surface frictional force of tracking ball 30.

The situation lower shaft that leans against on the ball in elasticity is promoted by hairpin spring 90L-92L and 90T-92T with roller.

Along the direction parallel, apply towards the normal load F in the whole world to tracking ball 30 and to finish input with direction V.

The effect of above-mentioned action is that it is changed with respect to the state that lower housing portion 24 produces displacement downward vertically and monostable triggering part 94, up to its core 98 with till conductive connection sheet P1 contacts, thereby cause between lug plate P1 and P2, and then between electric wire F1 and F2, produce and be electrically connected, the sense of touch of input switch action is provided for the user simultaneously.

Because the center C of ball 30 is positioned at about 0.1mm place, below, plane of axis 40L and 40T, input action certainly will make ball 30 and roller 42L, 42T " separation ", thereby it neither can hinder roller 42L and 42T, thereby also can not hinder code oscillator, this code oscillator remains on corresponding its state in angle position that input time reaches.

In Fig. 3 and 10 to 16, can find out parts each installation step before mounting cover 26 of device 20 in succession.

According to prior art, four edge 102L by parts 94 and the line 58L of 102T and spring 50L and 50T and 58T contact the fixed-site of section 120 in the bottom 72,74 of housing 22 bottoms 24 that pressure is guaranteed rubber-insulated wire 28.In addition, the thermo-compressed of column bolt 152 will cover 26 install and fix on the part 24 after, the lower surface 148 that covers 26 centre bottom 149 presses the relative part of rubber-insulated wire.

Above-mentioned pressing and the acting in conjunction of pressing that is formed by lid dividing plate 110 lower edge 11, it can be finished as projection and/or complementary recess by the complementary shape (not shown) that forms on the end face part of edge 111 and/or bottom, opposite 74.

Now to various aspects of the present invention especially by with being described of prior art.

Generally, each spring 50,50T is used to make it can not rotate carrying out mobile contact lever 70L by removing originally, the free end line 58L of the ring-type that 70T angle orientation and spring are electrically connected, 58T and obtain simplifying.

Bottom 24 also simplification to the same extent.

According to the present invention, for former cause loop wire 58L, the function that 58T finished are provided, comprise last circle 54L, the spring 50L of 54T, second axial end of 50T is fixed on the passage 46L that is in relative status with relevant circle by the thermal weld of this section adjacent turn, 46T is accordingly to face portion 47L, in the 47T.

For example, can thermal weld eight or nine spring end circles on right side during with reference to Figure 16.

Shown in Fig. 8 summary, thermal weld work is applied to by two and utilizes the Jiao Er effect that the correspondent section of spring is heated by the electrode E1 of the fixing section respective end circle of thermal weld and E2 to finish.

Electrode E1, the electric current between the E2 flow through circle because the Jiao Er effect causes the wire segments transient heating of the corresponding winding of spring of forming these circles.

In addition, two electrode E1 and E2 also apply vertically downward supporting force to the spring section.

The heating that obtains by the Jiao Er effect and then cause passage 46L, the recess 47L of 46T, 47T local melting.

In addition, " suction " and/or capillarity also appear, because this phenomenon makes plastic of conduit 46L, and the concave surface 47L of 46T, the molded surface of 47T is heated the whole outer surface of circle near this group, but also is being heated between the circle.

After electric current stops to flow through, fast cooling, the periphery that the plastics that originally melted solidify and enclose near this group with extremely strong adhesive force.

Current strength and the selection of time that flows through thereof are for making spring 50L, and the electric wire Ohmic resistance of 50T and lower housing portion 224 constitute the function of plastic molting temperature.

As example, intensity and is about several seconds zero point heat time heating time between 1A and 2A.

Because the elastic deformation characteristic of circle, each circle is basically perpendicular to body 48L at it, and 48T axis 52L on the plane of 52T, uses electrode can cause the slight deformation of enclosing, and makes them become elliptical shape.

This distortion is favourable, because the appropriate section that it has increased circle penetrates path partially fusing concave surface 47L, the penetration of 47T.

For accomplishing spring 50L, 50T body 48L, 48T is electrically connected, rubber-insulated wire 29 includes conductive connection sheet P4L, P4T, and this conductive connection sheet vertically is positioned at the top of bottom 24 base plane, so that surperficial 130L with bottom 24 bossings, 130T is oppositely arranged, and this surface is positioned on the horizontal plane of passage concave bottom, and below this group hot weld adapter ring.

In the thermal weld course of work, the supporting force that is applied vertically downward by two electrode E1 and E2 makes the appropriate section of circle periphery lean against conductive connection sheet P4L, on the P4T.

Because perpendicular to axis 52L, the elastic characteristic of the circle on the vertical plane of 52T will be after thermal weld finishes, that is to say when electrode no longer when spring applies any load, keep this group circle to be applied to and himself be bearing in surperficial 130L, the conductive connection sheet P4L on the 130T, the supporting force of P4T.

For guaranteeing lug plate P4L and P4T good location below will welding the circle group accordingly, rubber-insulated wire can include locating hole, inserts in this locating hole with lower housing portion 24 and is molded as whole column bolt 132L, 132T.

Column bolt 132L, 132T also hot pressing connect, and comprise lug plate P4L so that further improve, and P4T is in the fixed-site of interior rubber-insulated wire 29 joints.

The quantity of hot weld adapter ring depends on to be the even rigidity value of spring torsion that the desired acquisition of function that makes mobile contact lever 70L, 70T be returned to its vertical resting position is provided, and is maintenance and fixing spring 50L, the required mechanical strength value of thermal weld section of 50T.

Spring moves contact lever 70L, and the vertical angle orientation of 70T obtains by the not shown anchor clamps that belong to thermal weld work used tool.

Each tunnel-shaped groove 46L, 46T are designed to be able to avoid any radially clamping of circle of respective springs, thereby can not produce the danger that is caused twisting stress by thermal weld during spring setting and the steady job in circle.

Therefore, after the spring steady job, when anchor clamps take off, can not produce the danger of the mobile loop wire counterflange displacement that comprises mobile contact lever.

In design according to prior art, especially shown in Figure 23 and 24, at fixing conductive connection sheet P5L, P5T and P6L, the last carriage release lever 70L of P6T, the lower end 76L of 70T, form direct electric contact between the 75T and can bring out certain stress, thereby guarantee good electric property, and avoid loop wire 68L, 68T is coupled to pinion 44L, the excessive variation of used snap-fastener (snap-fastening) power among the 44T.

Especially need to guarantee bar 70L, the pin-point accuracy of 70T length, and bottom free end 76L, the ideal of 76T does not have the burr cross section.

In addition, repeat to take place the too early wearing and tearing that the electric contact of thousands of times can cause covering the layer of precious metal of aft section between lower end section edges and the conductive connection sheet apparent surface.

For overcoming these defectives, the present invention proposes a kind of new design that is intended to produce the holding electrical contact of elastically deformable.

For this reason, mobile contact lever 70L, the lower section 78L of 70T, 78T are contained in two parallel and relatively-stationary horizontal contact lever 134L, between the 134T.

The contact that is associated with mobile contact lever 70L or 70T right two fixedly contact lever 134L or 134T is identical.

Therefore, the present invention advantageously requires four identical bars.

Can see at Figure 20, each is contact lever 134L fixedly, 134T is made by the wire of bending, and mainly by straight line main body 138L, 138T constitutes, its axial end ends at free end contact- segment 140L, 140T, and its other end terminates at end 142L, the 142T of the hairpin loop wire form of elastically deformable on the perpendicular.

Main body 138L, the end 142L of 138T and loop wire form, 142T are contained in housing 22 bottoms 240 corresponding vertical channel 144L, and among the 144T, it is positioned on the vertical plane parallel with the corresponding contact axle of spring.

Therefore, except its free end contact-segment 140L, outside 140T did not fixedly install, each is contact lever 134L fixedly, was separately fixed at vertical mobile contact lever 70L, the both sides of 70T the 134T bunchy.

So, each free end section 140L, 140T can free transverse elasticity be out of shape on horizontal plane, fixes two right parallel relative bar preferred alignment of contact in same horizontal plane.

The vertical end 142L of each loop wire form, 142T provides fixedly contact lever 134L, 134T is electrically connected with the fixedly conductive connection sheet that is associated, this fixedly the conductive connection sheet 24 bottom 74 is oppositely arranged in the bottom, belong to the pair of conductive lug plate P5L-P6L or the P5T-P6T of rubber-insulated wire 28 joints.

For making each fixedly contact lever 134L, 134T maintains static in the 144T at the corresponding vertical channel 144L of housing, and it can be contained in this groove by a little laterally being clamped between the relative wall of groove.

With to the same manner that turn was adopted, each fixedly contact lever fixing can by under for the help of two electrodes realizing this purpose to straight line main body 138L, the local heat of the section of 138T and the thermal weld work carried out improves.

With to the same manner that spring was adopted, the supporting force that during electric current flows through, is applied by electrode then on the fixedly conductive connection sheet that is associated to the end of loop wire form 142L, 142T applies supporting force, and keeps this power after electrode is used.

At mobile contact lever 70L, the lower section 78L of 70T, 78T and two section 140L, one or the electric contact (seeing Fig. 7 A and 7B) that forms between another being in contact with one another among the 140T corresponding to two cylindrical surfaces with normal axis, contact that Here it is so-called " decussation roller ", this contact is the optimum pattern of semipermanent electric contact.

In addition, each free end section 140L, 140T presents the elastic deformability, so that free end section 78L, 78T energy " association ".

This attendant phenomenon changes its coding spring that can absorb virtually any size, thereby avoids the bigger variation of snap-fastener load.

In addition, it has cushioned section 78L, 78T and section 140L, the mechanical shock between the 140T.

As under the situation of ball 30 quick rotation, the time interval between twice impact can be less than 2ms, thereby has reduced false danger of beating.

In addition, association strain also can reach automatic cleaning action between the contact matrix.

Move and fixedly contact lever can make by gold-plated or silver-plated in advance steel or copper alloy metal silk.

Mobile contact lever 70L is no longer depended in electric contact, and the exact length of 70T also no longer depends on its free end 78L, the cross section quality of 78T.

The volume of new fixed contact is with respect to obviously reducing according to prior art solutions, and this makes each spring can increase its number of total coils greatly, thereby and as loop wire 68L, 68T is coupled to pinion 44L, in the time of among the 44T, reduces the snap-fastener couple pro rata.

Therefore, just might be like this reduce each roller 42L need not to change under the situation of frictional force, the diameter of 42T, thus and reduce each elastomer roller 42L, possible slip danger between 42T and tracking ball 30 surfaces.

With respect to prior art, the diameter of each roller for example reduces 1/3.This umber of pulse that reduces to make the ball revolution move a week may increase by 3/2 ratio.

Also might reduce the eccentricity of ball with respect to the center of device upper surface.

In modifier total height not, just between the summit of the lower surface of lower housing portion 24 and tracking ball 30 under the situation of height, reduce the total height of housing.

Therefore, just might increase the height that ball exceeds housing 22 upper surfaces 144 parts, this device might be installed in the bigger equipment of housing wall thereby make.

According to a kind of modification (not shown), the fixed contact number of spring of also each can being encoded doubles, this realizes by two highly slightly different indirect feeler levers are provided, and is put into an indirect feeler lever on another in same groove and is pressed on the conductive connection sheet separately.

This solution enables to provide the output quantity of the device of synchronizing signal to double separately.

At last, the eccentricity of ball reduces to make the better layout of internal part of device, especially light emitting diode 150L, 150T can advantageously be arranged close to each other, and being excited simultaneously with two adjacent diodes of box lunch suitably obtains the preferable mixing of color when obtaining the third color.

Figure 21 22 shown in embodiment comprise a lower housing portion 24, connection contact pin or the outward extending fixed contact of lead-out wire overmolded is on every side being passed through in its bottom, and these connect contact pin or lead-out wire evenly distributes for lateral orientation and in housing two opposite sides triplets herein.Be equal to the terminal of rubber-insulated wire 28 from the outstanding coplane contact pin of housing, and they are connected on the fixed contact Pi that is located on the bottom 72,74 by the band Fi that embeds in the insulator die prepared material of bottom.

Lug plate P4L and P4T are for replacing the martingale sheet that is electrically connected " grid " of rubber-insulated wire 29.

As open in WO-A-02/075641 and expression, contact spring and bar 50L, 50T-70L, the 70T preferably form of the single element of symmetry realize, and it can be used as vertical or horizontal element 50L, T-58L, T-68L, T-70L, T.

According to the size of housing, the total length of spring-rod element is being important in varying degrees.When the ratio of this length and the wire diameter that is used to make this element during greater than 75 (75), just can use the torsion bar spring, promptly make and its outer dia equals the torsionspring replacement torsion-coil spring 50L of wire diameter, 50T by wire.

By loop wire 68L, 68T and the pinion 44L that is associated keep below tracking ball at roller 42L in conjunction with the elasticity momentum or the moment of torsion that produce between the 44T, and driving momentum on the 42T or moment of torsion are just enough.

Therefore spring is simplified greatly, equally also make corresponding bottom accept part and simplify, and the whole length of spring has reduced, and this can see from this paper Figure 23-29.

In this case, be that correspondent section with torsion bar spring second axial end is thermally welded in the complementary recess of housing.

According to another solution, this wire or bar spring can be to reverse and flexural spring (as disclosed the sort of spring among the french patent application n that submitted on June 11st, 2003 by the applicant ° 03.06970), the guide length very short and approaching vibration or the inclination loop wire 68L that particularly work as " bar shaped " section are during 68T.

Claims (15)

1. a control device (20), this device comprises plastic casing (22,24,26), being provided with at least one in this housing can be towards the rotary coding axle (32L of both direction rotation by control piece (30) driving that is rotatably installed in this housing, 32T), and wherein each is pivotally attached to the mobile coding element (44L that belongs to the control signal generator, 44T), this control signal generator comprises mobile contact lever (70L, 70T), this mobile contact lever its elastic recovery towards resting position the time, be provided with along basic vertical direction (V), wherein, lower section (the 78L of bar, 78T) hold and between two opposite sides to bottom contact element (134L, in the gap 134T) and make described lower section (78L, 78T) can be at described two opposite sides to bottom contact element (134L, move 134T), and it is pivotally attached to torsion-coil spring (50L, last circle (the 64L of first axial end 50T), 64T), described spring is made by wire and horizontal axis (52L is arranged, 52T), cylindrical body (the 48L of spring, 48T) be contained in the housing, and its second axial end (54L 54T) can not rotate, make described mobile contact lever like this with respect to being parallel to the coding axle (32L that is associated, 32T) axis (40L, horizontal axis 40T) (52L, 52T) integral inclination installation, it is characterized in that, at least one circle of section by this section of spring second axial end be contained in shell channel (46L, 46T) in, at least one circle of this section is thermally welded to passage recess (47L, 47T), thereby it can not be rotated.

2. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, this thermal weld work is finished by the described circle of heating.

3. device according to claim 2 is characterized in that, described circle utilizes Joule effect to heat by making electric current flow through described circle.

4. according to the described device of one of claim 1-3, it is characterized in that, passage (46L, 46T) integral body is half-cylindrical, its opening surface straight up, and in the thermal weld course of work, load straight down is applied on the described circle of spring.

5. device according to claim 4 is characterized in that, by two electrode (E1 that are used to heat described circle, E2) apply described load, described electrode is applied to that (46L, (47L is 47T) on the axial end portion circle of Nei hot weld adapter ring group for recess 46T) at passage.

6. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, it comprise fixedly the conductive contact lug plate (P4L, P4T), this lug plate be located at the recess of passage a part (130L, 130T) in, relative with at least one of described hot weld adapter ring.

7. device according to claim 6 is characterized in that, (P4L P4T) belongs to the upper surface that is contained in flat cable (29) end (120) in the housing to described fixedly conductive contact lug plate.

8. device according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, two opposite sides are to bottom contact element (134L, 134T) each is for being parallel to mobile contact lever (70L, the horizontally disposed straight-bar of tilt axis 70T), it is built in the housing, and its free end section (140L, 140T) be positioned at mobile contact lever lower section (78L, opposite 78T) and elastically deformable on horizontal plane.

9. device according to claim 8 is characterized in that, (78L, 78T) and fixedly (134L, (140L 140T) is two sections of cylindrical bar to free end section 134T) to contact lever to the lower section of mobile contact lever.

10. described device according to Claim 8 or in 9, it is characterized in that, each is the contact jaw section (140L free with it of contact lever fixedly, 140T) relative end (142L, 142T) be connecting line, itself and the fixedly conductive contact lug plate (P5L, the P6L that are located in the housing wall, P5T, P6T) contact.

11. device according to claim 10 is characterized in that, (P5T P6T) belongs to the upper surface that is contained in flat cable (29) end (120) in the housing to described fixedly conductive contact lug plate for P5L, P6L.

12. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that, (70L, 70T) (50L 50T) makes integral body to mobile contact lever with helical spring.

13. device according to claim 1, it is characterized in that, signal generator comprises the band tooth pinion (44L that is pivotally attached on the coding axle that is associated, 44T), two adjacent teeth (45L at this pinion, accept the mobile contact lever (70L of resting position 45T), upper segment (68L 70T), 68T), and the coding axle that ought be associated like this (32L, thus 32T) be driven the lower section (78L that rotates at mobile contact lever, 78T) with two opposite sides to bottom contact element (134L, when forming electric contact between 134T) one or another, (70L is 70T) to a direction or the inclination of another direction to make contact lever, and make upper segment (68L, 68T) from (45L, 45T) space of Xian Dinging is thrown off automatically and exceeded coding axle (32L, 32T) Gui Ding rotational angle by two adjacent teeth.

14. device according to claim 13, it is characterized in that, it comprises two quadrature rotary coding axle (32L, 32T), each coding axle is rotated towards both direction by tracking ball (30) driving that is rotatably installed in the housing, each be pivotally attached to the mobile coding element that belongs to the control signal generator (44L, 44T) on.

15. device according to claim 1 is characterized in that torsionspring is made by wire, and its external diameter equals this diameter wiry, so that constitute the torsion bar spring.

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