DE102005062283B4 - Electrical switch - Google Patents

Abstract

Electrical switch with a switching element which has at least one spring-loaded latching bolt (4) which interacts with recesses (10) in a latching cam (9) and in which the recesses (10) of the latching cam (9) are provided with elastic material, the latching cam (9) consists of a carrier material (7), characterized in that the locking curve (9) has a coating (8) made of a softer material along the entire path of movement of the locking bolt (4), and in that the coating (8) is made of different materials in sections consists.

Description

The invention relates to an electrical switch with a switching element which has at least one spring-loaded locking pin which interacts with recesses in a locking cam and in which the recesses of the locking cam are provided with elastic material, the locking cam consisting of a carrier material.

Such a switch is from EP 1 304 714 B1 known. To reduce switching noise, the guide link of the switch has damping elements made of elastic material embedded in the latching recesses, whereby a curve follower does not lie directly against the wall of the guide link in the latching positions, since this is covered there by the embedded damping elements. Furthermore, it is proposed to provide a damping layer between wall parts and guide parts of the switch housing. The damping elements are preferably produced using two-component injection molding technology.

The well-known switch thus dampens the latching noise when the spring-loaded latching bolt in the EP 1 304 714 B1 is referred to as a locking cam, achieved a locking receptacle.

The invention was based on the object of creating an electrical switch which is as simple and inexpensive as possible and has further improved damping properties.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the characterizing features of independent claims 1 to 3 in each case.

In each case, it is provided, inter alia, that the detent curve has a coating of a softer material along the entire path of movement of the detent bolt.

As a result, not only is a particularly quiet engagement of the locking bolt achieved, but also a noise-dampened transition between the locking positions.

Choosing a suitable coating material also improves the feel of the switch.

Independent claim 1 also provides that the coating consists of different materials in sections. As a result, different friction properties can be realized when the switch is actuated.

The independent claim 2 also provides that along the path of movement of the locking bolt end stops are provided, which also have a coating of a softer material.

Independent claim 3 also provides that the coating made of a softer material is provided with a further layer of material and forms a plastic core enclosed in the interior of the detent curve wall.

From the pamphlet DE 640 268 A an electrical rotary switch is already known in which an elastic insert piece is arranged in the switch bridge to dampen noise.

The German patent DE 37 27 495 C1 shows a latching device for electrical switches, with a latching cam defining different latching positions of the switch and a latching element which engages with the latching cam, is made of plastic and is held displaceably against the action of a spring element, which is assigned to the latching cam in a manner that causes noise damping, wherein the spring element is made from an elastically deformable plastic, in particular from a hose section made from silicone material.

The German Offenlegungsschrift DE 34 29 442 A1 discloses a rotary switch with a return latching mechanism, which has end stops for limiting the range of rotation. Measures for noise reduction are not evident from this document.

From the German Offenlegungsschrift DE 101 37 883 A1 a rotary switch with a rotor and a stator is known. A switching ring made of an elastomer, for example a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer, is injection-molded onto the inner wall of part of the stator. When the rotor rotates, cylindrical rolling bodies roll on the elastic switching ring.

Advantageous configurations and developments of an electrical switch according to the invention are evident from the dependent claims and the following description of the figures.

In the following an embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. The two figures each show a sectional view of a switch designed according to the invention.

The 1 shows a cross section through an electrical rotary switch. essentials The components of this rotary switch are a stationary lower housing part (1) and an upper housing part (2) that can be rotated relative to the lower housing part (1). The upper housing part (2) can be connected, for example, to an actuating button that is not shown in the figure.

The lower housing part (1) has integrally formed receiving sleeves (3) for mounting two locking bolts (4), each of which is prestressed by a compression spring (5). The end sections of these locking bolts (4) rest against the inside of a peripheral wall (6) of the rotatable upper housing part (2).

As the 1 further shows, the wall (6) of the upper housing part (2) is formed by two surfaces (7, 8), the outer surface (7) being a section of the essentially one-piece upper housing part (2) and the inner surface ( 8) is realized by an additionally applied coating.

The outer surface (7) consists of the solid and relatively hard material of the upper housing part (2), while the inner surface (8) or a plastic core enclosed inside the detent curve wall consists of a comparatively soft material, for example an elastomer , preferably a silicone, or a thermoplastic elastomer. The inner surface (8) is preferably applied to the outer surface (7) by an injection molding process, but can also be glued or connected in some other way to the upper housing part (2).

A section through the level of the locking bolts is in the 2 shown. It can be seen that the wall (6) of the upper housing part (2) has a wavy contour which forms a detent cam (9) with detent recesses (10) for the spring-loaded detent bolts (4) inside the housing.

The detent curve (9) consists of a hard carrier material (7) and a coating (8) applied to it made of a soft material to dampen the movement of the detent bolt (4) along the detent curve (9) and to dampen the impact of the detent bolt (4) in the recesses (10). Furthermore, blocks (11) molded onto the upper housing part can be seen, which form end stops (12) for the movement of the housing part (2). If necessary, the locking bolts can also be provided with a noise-dampening coating, preferably in the area of the tip of the locking bolt, which is in contact with the locking curve.

The application of the coating to the carrier material (7) and the blocks (11) to form a damped end stop (12) can advantageously be carried out in one work step by suitably designing the housing shape and the injection-molded core. By choosing a suitable material for the coating and by using adhesion promoters, a firm bond between the materials can be achieved. The gliding properties can also be varied by using lubricating additives. Different shore hardnesses of the coating material(s) enable different haptics to be realised.

A particular advantage of a fully coated detent cam is that the use of grease in the detent cam becomes completely unnecessary.

Reference List

1

lower housing part

2

upper housing part

3

receiving sleeves

4

detent bolt

5

compression springs

6

Wall

7

outer surface (carrier material)

8th

inner surface (coating)

9

detent curve

10

(locking) recesses

11

bucks

12

end stops

Claims (13)

Electrical switch with a switching element which has at least one spring-loaded latching bolt (4) which interacts with recesses (10) in a latching cam (9) and in which the recesses (10) of the latching cam (9) are provided with elastic material, the latching cam (9) consists of a carrier material (7), characterized in that the detent curve (9) has a coating (8) made of a softer material along the entire path of movement of the detent bolt (4), and that the coating (8) consists of different materials. Electrical switch with a switching element which has at least one spring-loaded latching bolt (4) which interacts with recesses (10) in a latching cam (9) and in which the recesses (10) of the latching cam (9) are provided with elastic material, the latching cam (9) from a carrier material (7), characterized in that the locking curve (9) has a coating (8) made of a softer material along the entire path of movement of the locking bolt (4), and that end stops (12) are provided along the path of movement of the locking bolt (4), which also have a coating of a softer material. Electrical switch with a switching element which has at least one spring-loaded latching bolt (4) which interacts with recesses (10) in a latching cam (9) and in which the recesses (10) of the latching cam (9) are provided with elastic material, the latching cam (9) consists of a carrier material (7), characterized in that the detent curve (9) has a coating (8) made of a softer material along the entire path of movement of the detent bolt (4), and that the coating (8) made of a softer Material is provided with another layer of material and forms a plastic core enclosed inside the detent curve wall. Electrical switch after claim 1 , characterized in that the coating (8) is glued to the carrier material (7) or is connected in one piece to the carrier material (7). Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the coating (8) is positively connected to the carrier material (7). Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the coating material is an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer. Electrical switch after claim 6 , characterized in that the coating material is a silicone. Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the coating material contains slip additives or is made slippery by subsequent surface finishing. Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the detent curve (9) forms a circular section or full circle. Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the switch forms a rotary switch or a steering column switch. Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the locking bolts (4) have a coating and are coated at least in the areas in contact with the locking cam (9). Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that the switch has a plurality of latching bolts (4). Electrical switch according to one of Claims 1 until 3 or 11 , characterized in that the coating (8) is applied to the carrier material (7) by injection molding.

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