EP0004961B1 - Coding switch - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a coding switch for converting the numerical values of a linear geometric variable that can be set in n steps, for example. an angle, a stroke, or dlg. into a number of closed contacts of an m-bit-pole, n-stage switch assigned according to a code modulo m / n, which can be electronically queried by machine and supplemented with identification data, with a switching device to which contact springs and countercontact or bridge points belong , which lie in two areas parallel to the shifting plane of the geometric size, with a step adjustment mechanism for the n steps that can be operated by hand from the outside, in an at least approximately cuboid-shaped housing, the side faces of which, in the case of a modular stacking of similar coding switches to form a switch package, optionally via an intermediate layer abut, and which has a front and a rear end face, with m contact springs, which are arranged in a fixed plane in parallel with one another, electrical which form a pole of the multi-pole switch and also with fixed contact in a plane parallel to each other ellen cooperate, are acted upon by a cam disc, the cams of which are dimensioned and arranged in m tracks in accordance with the circuit program of the code with regard to the position and length of their sections assigned to the n stages. The tracks can be arranged or formed either concentrically or parallel to one another.

As is known, coding switches of the type described above find their main application wherever directly or manually by means of a mechanical or electromechanical device, indirectly or automatically adjustable data, such as numerical or numerical values, or mechanical quantities in digital form are converted into a machine-electronically readable form, ie. electrically queried and then, if necessary, entered into an electronic data processing circuit arrangement with data or identification data preselected in another way and dor + are linked with the entered or predefined TARGET data. For example, switching signals or pulses for triggering other electrical or mechanical processes or for setting corresponding operating states are to be obtained.

Known coding switches of the type in question here generally have the disadvantages that they are either of complex construction, which means complex production, or the demands placed on them with regard to the reliability of their technical function, possibly only in connection with the operating conditions, not sufficiently fulfilled. A coding switch is known which, in order to enable simple operation and safe function even under conditions which require a good seal against the ambient atmosphere, is equipped with two mutually perpendicular axes for the adjusting knob on the one hand and the numerical roller on the other (DE -A-24 61 231

Coding switches, which are set by a Duamenrad or by one or two pushbuttons, however, in the known embodiments - apart from their complex assembly - have the disadvantage of a switching device with a contact plate, the connection holes of which have to be drilled in a complex manner and have a more or less complicated sliding contact arrangement , which - apart from the known basic disadvantages, such as. that mostly rational manufacturing methods such as sealed with a solder bath (according to DE-A-24 61 231) -high contact quality must be purchased through a cost-intensive effort for the initial assembly and then subsequently for readjustments that are required repeatedly and repeatedly.

In a coding switch with a different design - in connection with an electromechanically scanned counter - a contact spring set is actuated by a cam disc with an axis lying in the surface of the contact springs via a multi-part lever arrangement with springs, separate bearing points, etc. (DE-A-24 31 565 ).

In DE-B-23 22 355 an analog-to-digital converter device is described, in which it is, what is clearly evident from the description and from the drawings, a coding switch with the one specified in the preamble of claim 1 Target acts. This code switch has a switching device, which includes contact springs and a contact bridge bracket with the contact points assigned to the contact springs, a step setting mechanism for the n steps and can be installed in an approximately cuboid housing. The contact springs are arranged in a fixed position parallel to each other in a plane, electrically form the one pole of the multipole switch and also cooperate in a fixed manner in one plane, namely on a contact bridge adjacent contact points; they are otherwise acted upon by a cam, the cams in concentric and mutually parallel and parallel to the plane of displacement in accordance with the circuit program of the code with respect to the position and are dimensioned and arranged along their sections assigned to the n steps.

Since, in this embodiment of a known coding switch, the contact springs cooperate with a common wire contact bridge with naturally rigidly assigned contact points, each contact causes the contact bridge to be acted upon, as a result of which the individual contact points influence one another with regard to their contact pressure, so that the switching functions cannot be reliably controlled even if the contact springs are adjusted with extreme care. This coding switch therefore does not at least meet the minimum requirements with regard to functional reliability.

All of the relevant prior art devices described thus have, as already explained in part, a rather complicated mechanical structure and more or less serious functional defects. The present invention is therefore based on the object to increase the functional reliability in the required degree in a coding switch of the type described in the introduction and in connection therewith to significantly reduce the assembly effort, in this sense and independently of this to avoid sensitive or difficult-to-adjust modules. This is to ensure that the coding switch can be assembled in series production without specially trained specialists and without complicated auxiliary assembly tools and without rework or adjustment work. This task naturally includes that the number of mechanical and electrical parts of the coding switch is significantly reduced compared to the known designs. An essential prerequisite is that the cam disc can be designed as a cam carrier, the circumferential surface of which can be labeled with characters in accordance with the numerical values to be implemented and a part opposite this, preferably on the front end face of the housing, can be marked with counter characters and is made of thermoplastic material.

The above-described object is achieved according to the invention in a coding switch of the type described in the introduction in that the contact springs together with their connecting lugs are integrally combined by a bridge to form a leaf spring, which cooperate with one contact point each, supporting surfaces for holding the leaf spring in a part of the housing and a clamping counter support surface and mandrels serve to adjust the leaf spring in another part of the housing which is forcibly adjusted with the first part by means of fits. In this case, the connecting lug can expediently be bent at right angles. It is also expedient if the leaf spring has longitudinal sections which are gradual, ie. for the contact springs and the bridge are offset.

Even with this basic configuration of the coding switch and its expedient addition, technical progress has been achieved over the prior art in that the space requirement is reduced by arranging several components or assemblies, for example in a particularly space-saving manner, in a plurality of planes lying one above the other. This technical advantage is further increased by having several components or assemblies simultaneously, for example. perform electrical and mechanical functions, such as. the function of the connection and the contacting or the electrical connection of the contact springs with each other and the mechanical with the connecting lug. This alone saves at least one circuit board together with the necessary bores and soldering, especially if the connections of the contact springs and / or the contact tracks project through the rear end face of the housing, preferably perpendicular to the plane of displacement.

This progress is achieved in that the contact springs together with their connecting lug are integrally combined by a bridge to form a leaf spring. This effect is further increased if the leaf spring is additionally divided into length sections which are offset in steps for the contact spring and the bridge.

The basic idea of reducing the number of parts, which also includes the saving of cost-increasing boreholes for the soldering of electrical components and connecting wires, the saving of assembly time being particularly important, is realized to an even greater extent when the contact tracks are on the one hand as wires are formed in splines that are alternately open on both sides over the length, and the wires can expediently be mounted in guides and / or square openings formed in a spline-like manner. The same purpose is served if, on the other hand, the connecting wires of components, such as, for example, are used as the wires of the contact tracks. Diodes, resistors or the like. And as connecting wires of the coding switch whose connecting wires serve at the opposite end. These peculiarities are therefore based on the fundamental principle of the invention, to see as many parts of the coding switch as possible as a functional unit.

The novel construction principle with the features described above can be easily combined with various step adjustment mechanisms known per se in a simple and logical manner, for example. also with a step adjustment mechanism, which is on the outside, preferably on one of the end faces can be operated by hand and / or can be set by means of a so-called Duamenrads, or also with a ratchet mechanism known per se, in which one push-button protruding through one of the end faces can be adjusted by a positive or, if necessary, a negative step.

A particularly important part of the peculiarities of the application subject to the invention include those which specifically relate to the at least approximately cuboid housing. This includes first of all that the housing consists of only two parts, namely a base body and a counter-fitting, which are designed without joints and / or can be plugged together and / or are made of thermoplastic material.

In the case of a coding switch with a concentric arrangement of the cams, it is then particularly advantageous if bores are provided for adjusting coding switches against one another or with an end piece during packaging, and for adjusting the parts or fitting pieces and mating pieces in one or the other part of the housing are. This compulsory adjustment is supported if a stub shaft for the circular carrier disk of the cams in one part, in the base body of the housing, and / or a fitting hole for the stub shaft or its shoulder, or other bores for associated pins of the adjacent coding switch or end piece in an end part of the housing, preferably a mating piece. It is similarly advantageous if support surfaces for holding the leaf spring and / or a clamping counter support surface and mandrels for adjusting the leaf spring in the housing are assigned to one another. All partial measures described for the forced adjustment of the component of the coding switch are further promoted by the use of snap elements.

The technical advancement step is thus brought about in the subject of the invention by the design of the coding switch - apart from the already mentioned possibility of a space-saving construction - mainly by the fact that during assembly only a few automatically prefabricated parts without specially trained auxiliary tools and without additional neighboring work (e.g. . for adjustment) can already be held, spatially arranged and positively adjusted by assembling as a result of the ingenious shaping of the parts with molded parts adapted to one another in the tightest of spaces and corresponding counterparts.

• Fig. 1: den Codierschalter im zusammengebauten Zustand,
  • a) in Unteransicht,
  • b) im Schnitt (A-A in Fig. 1 c),
  • c) in Draufsicht;
• Fig. 2: das Gegen-Paßstück des Gehäuses
  • a) im (seitlichen) Schnitt A-B der Fig. 2b,
  • b) in Untersicht (Innenseite)
  • c) in (seitlichem) Schnitt C-D in Fig. 2b
• Fig 3 die aus Kontaktfedern und einem Anschluß durch eine Brucke vereinigte Blattfeder, im Schnitt
• Fig. 4 die Nockenscheibe, teilweise im Schnitt
• Fig. 5 den Schieber des Klinkenmechanismus für die Schritteinstellung der Nockenscheibe
• Fig. 6 den Grundkörper des Gehäuses
  • a) in einer Seitenansicht (von außen)
  • b) in der Draufsicht
  • c) in der anderen Seitenansicht
• Fig. 7 das Paß-Gegenstück des Gehäuses
  • a) in der einen Seitenansicht
  • b) in der Vorderansicht
  • c) in der anderen Seitenansicht
• Fig. 8 die Blattfeder von Fig. 3 in der Draufsicht
• Fig. 9 die Nockenscheibe
  • a) in der Draufsicht
  • b) in der Unteransicht
• Fig. 10 den Grundkörper des Gehäuses
  • a) seitlich im Schnitt E-F (Fig. 10b)
  • b) im Schnitt A-B (Fig. 6b)
  • c) seitlich im Schnitt G-H (Fig. 10b)

In the following an embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. They represent:

• 1: the coding switch in the assembled state,
  • a) in bottom view,
  • b) in section (AA in Fig. 1 c),
  • c) in top view;
• Fig. 2: the counter-fitting of the housing
  • a) in the (lateral) section AB of FIG. 2b,
  • b) from below (inside)
  • c) in (side) section CD in Fig. 2b
• 3 shows the leaf spring combined from contact springs and a connection through a bridge, in section
• Fig. 4 shows the cam, partly in section
• Fig. 5 shows the slide of the pawl mechanism for the step adjustment of the cam disc
• Fig. 6 shows the basic body of the housing
  • a) in a side view (from the outside)
  • b) in the top view
  • c) in the other side view
• Fig. 7 the fitting counterpart of the housing
  • a) in a side view
  • b) in the front view
  • c) in the other side view
• Fig. 8, the leaf spring of Fig. 3 in plan view
• Fig. 9 the cam disc
  • a) in plan view
  • b) in the bottom view
• Fig. 10 shows the basic body of the housing
  • a) laterally in section EF (Fig. 10b)
  • b) in section AB (Fig. 6b)
  • c) laterally in section GH (Fig. 10b)

In FIG. 1, all three parts a, b and c are expediently viewed simultaneously, as on or in the base body 1. the counter adapter 2 is plugged in or plugged in, so that the housing formed from them is at least approximately cuboid. When the same coding switches are stacked in modules, the molded-in fitting pins 5, 6 on the upper side of the counter-fitting piece 2 dip into the holes 3, 4 on the underside of the base body 1 in the case of the coding switch (or end piece) and thus lead to a spatially defined one and matching and, if desired, clamped assembly of the housing of two coding switches. In the bottom opening 7 of the pin 8 is visible, on which the spring 9 for the bias of the slider 10 for the step adjustment mechanism is held on one side and on the opposite side is attached to the conical extension 13, so that the slider 10 with its front Front surface 11 of the main body 1 protruding push button 12 in the rest position abuts against the inner surface of the front end face 11 of the housing (1, 2).

On the other bottom surface 14 of the base body 1, which functions as a side surface in the form of a modular stack, the stub shaft 15 is formed, which is used for mounting the cam disk 16, which in turn is designed as a numerical roller, the stub shaft with its shoulder 17 in the fitting bore 18 of the counter-adapter 2 dips and thereby both its adjustment and the spatial assignment of base body 1 and counter-adapter 2 is forcibly determined. Between the latter, the leaf spring 19 with the contact springs 21 to 24 mechanically integrally connected by the bridge 20 and thus also electrically connected is shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 c between the support surfaces and the clamping counter support surfaces, as still in connection with FIGS. 2, 6 , 7 and 10 will be shown in more detail, clamped with the aid of mandrels 25 and bores 26, etc. and fastened in a positively adjusted manner.

The contact springs 21 to 24 are deflected upwards by the cams 27 on corresponding sections of the reference circles 28 to 31 in FIG. 1b, i.e. in the direction of the counter-fitting 2. In this lie, held in keyways 32, 33 or keyway-shaped guides 34, the wires 35 acting as contact paths, between which and the contact lug 36 a contact is closed when the contact spring 22 is acted on, so that the circuit between the associated rear one End face 37 protruding connection 38 and the connecting lug 39 of the leaf spring 19 or its bridge 20 is closed. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, a coding of n = 10 levels corresponding to decade 0 to 9 on m = 4 bit lines is thus implemented, for example according to the BSD code.

In Fig. 1, a further developed embodiment is already shown, because the one connecting wire 40 of the diode 41 installed as a component and as the wire 35, which acts as a mating contact for the contact spring 19, the other connecting wire 42 of the diode 41 is used as the connection 38. This illustrates particularly convincingly the fundamental thought of the invention of reducing the number of parts, connections, mechanical and electrical connections, etc.

Fig. 2 shows - again useful when looking at parts a, b and v - the epee adapter (2 in Fig. 1, the cover plate has four different thick zones 51, 52, 53 and 54, the relatively thin zone 51 of the thicker 52 is separated by the intermediate wall 55, which - as can already be seen in FIG. 1 (but without reference numerals) - clamps the leaf spring 19 or its bridge 20 between itself and the counter support surfaces (not shown here) of the base body. Between the thick zones 52 and 54 is the thinner 53 with wedge-shaped guides 56 which, together with the keyways 57 of the thicker zones 52 and 54, hold the wires 35 serving as contact tracks, so that these are on one side in the central zone 53 and are fixed to the other side in both outer zones 52 and 54.

In addition, the mandrels 57, 58 for the adjustment of the leaf spring 19 or its bridge 20, as well as the snap elements fingers 59, 60 or nose 61 can be seen in FIG of the housing are firmly but releasably connected to one another at least approximately seamlessly and in a force-adjusting manner. The fitting bore 62 is also shown in broken section in FIG. 2a.

Fig. 3 shows the leaf spring used in the embodiment (19 in Fig. 1 b) in section with - from left to right - the right-angled connecting lug 71, the part 72 serving as a bridge and the actual contact springs 73, which against the bridge in the The height is gradually offset and at the longitudinal point 75 assigned to the axis 74 of the cam disk (not shown) has the nose-shaped offset 76 and at the end of the contact fingers 77, which are also bent, the latter being acted upon by the cams with the wires (35 in FIG 1 b) interacts.

In Fig. 4 - spatially in turn in a gelciher way as the leaf spring of Fig. 3 according to the actual installation position assigned axially - the cam disc 81 is shown, the left half cut the bore 82 for the stub shaft (15 in Fig. 1b) and Guide neck 83 with the shoulder 84 and the upper edge 85, both of which serve to fix the height on the stub shaft (15 in FIG. 1) between the slide (10 in FIG. 1) and counter-fitting (2 in FIG. 1). On the circumference 86 (not shown here), the digits are in accordance with the selected angle division and the code applicable for the implementation, ie. attached as digital values according to the adjustable angle levels.

The sliding bar belonging to the step adjustment mechanism (10 in FIG. 1 b) - cf. Fig. 5 consists of the base plate 91, the molded push button 92, the guide plate 93 with the conical extension 94 (13 in Fig. 1 b) for the spring shown in Fig. 1 b, and the oval-shaped because of the displaceability Breakthrough 95 for the stub shaft (15 in Fig. 1b) and finally the two tooth-like attachment finder 96, 97, one of which 96 when the first engagement in the star ring 98 (shown in dashed lines) the cam disk against a partial rotation movement of the cam disk when the push button 92 is pressed in clockwise, whereupon when the push button 92 is released, the attachment finger 97 makes this rotation continues and closes - forcing the cam in the position advanced by an angular step. The oval-like breakthrough leads and limits the displacement of the arbiter (10 in Fig. 1b). The outer contours of the housing are roughly indicated by the dashed lines 99 in order to show the position assignment.

6 shows the base body from the front face 101 (a), from one side face (here above, b) and from the other rear face (face) 102 (c); The opening 103 for the pushbutton (92 in FIG. 5) is shown in FIG. 6a; cutouts 104 to 107 for the external connections can be seen in FIG. 6c. 6b, the clamping counter support surfaces 108, 109 with the bores 110, 111 (26, in FIG. 1b) for the aforementioned mandrels (57, 58 in FIG. 2) for clamping the leaf spring (19 in Fig. 1b) to highlight. otherwise, the molded-on tenon (8 in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b), the bottom opening (7 in FIG. 1 a) and the stub shaft 112 with a projection 113 (15, 17 in FIG. 1 b) correspond exactly to the drawing in FIG 1 designed and arranged; only in the interest of better understanding is the slide (10 in FIG. 1b) of the adjusting mechanism shown in broken lines.

Fig. 7 is also intended only for a better understanding of the counter-adapter (2 in Fig. 1); with 121 the pins (5, 6 in Fig. 1 c), with 122, 123 the snap fingers (59, 60 in Fig. 2), with 124 the mandrels (57, 58 in Fig. 2), with 125 the different thick zones labeled with the guides, keyways, etc. In this illustration, the stepped cutouts in area 126 are to be emphasized, which, together with the corresponding cutouts (104 to 107 in FIG. 6) or the lobes lying in between, leave openings for the connecting wires.

The representation of Fig. 8 shows the leaf spring (19 in Fig. 1b) in plan in its details, with the contact springs 131 to 135, the bridge 136, the connecting lug 137, the bore 138 and the recess 139 for receiving the mandrels (57, 58 in FIG. 2), the cranked portions 140 and the contact fingers 141, the axial assignment in the drawing in comparison with FIG. 7 and FIG. 9 being consistent with the spatial conditions in the installed state.

In FIG. 9, part a shows the cam disk with a view of the cams 152 of corresponding length distributed in sections according to the code on the partial circles 151, and part b shows the bottom view with the star ring 153 for the stepping mechanism.

10 shows the section BF (cf. FIG. 10b) of FIG. 10a against the rear cutouts 161 of the base body and the counter-supporting surfaces 162, 163 for the leaf spring, not shown, and the pin 164 for the likewise not shown, for Spring belonging to the stepping mechanism. Fig. 10b corresponds approximately to the drawing in Fig. 1 b, so that further details can be dispensed with and referred to instead; otherwise it only serves to provide a better overview. The section GH of FIG. 10c shows the inner surface of the front end wall with the recess 165, which, if necessary, if not the entire base body, must be made of transparent material at least in itself, so that the inscription on the circumference of the cam disk (16 in FIG. 1 b) is legible from the outside. The other structural details are, if not already per se, understandable in connection with the other figures. This is also the purpose of assigning all sub-drawings as per axis, both in FIGS. 2 to 6 and in FIGS. 7 to 10.

Claims (8)

1. Coding switch

for the conversion of the digital values of a linear geometric quantity settable in n stages, for example an angle, a stroke or the like, into a number allocated according to a code modulo m/n, of closed contacts of an m-bit-pole, n-stage switch, which are electrically interrogat- able by machine and supplementable with characteristic data,

with a circuit arrangement to which there pertain contact springs and counter-contact or bridge positions which lie in two surfaces paral- iel to the plane of displacement of the geometric quantity, with an externally manually operable step-setting mechanism for the n stages,

in an at least approximately parallelepipedic housing the side faces of which, in the case of stacking of similar coding switches in building block manner into a switch pack, abut on one another possibly through an interlayer, and which possesses a front and a rear face,

with m contact springs (21 to 24) which are non-displaceably arranged in one plane parallel with one another, electrically form the one poles of the multi-pole switch and co-operate with contact points likewise lying non-displaceably in one plane parallel with one another, are acted upon by a cam disc (16), the cams (27) of which are adaptedly dimensioned and arranged in m paths (part circles 28 to 31) according to the switch programme of the code as regards the position and length of their sections allocated to the n stages,

characterised in that the contact springs (21 to 24) together with their connection terminal (39) are united by a bridge (20) integrally into a leaf spring (19) (Figure 1 and Figure 3), which co-operate each with a contact point,
while support faces (108, 109 in Figure 6) serve for the retention of the leaf spring (19) in one part of the housing and a clamping counter-support face (55 in Figure 2) and pegs (56, 57) serve for the adjustment of the leaf spring (19 in Figure 1) in another part of the housing which is positively adjusted with the first part by skeleton forms.

2. Coding switch according to Claim 1, characterised in that the leaf spring (19) is divided into length sections which are staggered in step manner, that is for the contact springs (21 to 24) and the bridge (20).

3. Coding switch according to one of Claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the contact points lie separately on m wires (35) which are formed in V-grooves (32, 33 in Figure 1) which are open alternately over the length to the two sides of the relevant part of the housing.

4. Coding switch according to Claim 3, characterised in that the wires (35) of the contact points are mounted in guides (34 in Figure 1) shaped open in V-groove manner and/or square piercings (34 or 56, 57 in Figure 2).

5. Coding switch according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterised in that as wires of the contact points there serve the connection wires (40, 42) of the components (41), for example diodes, resistors or the like, and as connection wires of the coding switch there serve their connection wires at the opposite end (Figure 1).

6. Coding switch according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterised by a housing having a basic body (1) and a mating counterpart (2) as one part and another part of the housing, which are gaplessly formed and/or fittable together and/or manufactured from thermoplastic material (Figures 1,2 and 6).

7. Coding switch according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised by bores (3, 4, in Figure 1) for the adjustment of coding switches against one another and/or with an end piece in packet- ing, and for the adjustment of the parts or fitting pieces and counter-parts in the one and other part of the housing.

8. Coding switch according to one of Claims 1 to 7, with a concentric arrangement of the cams, characterised by a shaft stub (15 in Figure 1 b) for the circular carrier disc (16) of the cams in one part, a basic body (1) of the housing and/or a fitting bore (62) for the shaft stub (15) or its extension piece (17) for three-dimensional mutual adjustment.

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