Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H21/00—Switches operated by an operating part in the form of a pivotable member acted upon directly by a solid body, e.g. by a hand
  • H01H21/02—Details
  • H01H21/18—Movable parts; Contacts mounted thereon
  • H01H21/36—Driving mechanisms
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H19/00—Switches operated by an operating part which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and which is acted upon directly by a solid body external to the switch, e.g. by a hand
  • H01H19/54—Switches operated by an operating part which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and which is acted upon directly by a solid body external to the switch, e.g. by a hand the operating part having at least five or an unspecified number of operative positions
  • H01H19/60—Angularly-movable actuating part carrying no contacts
  • H01H19/635—Contacts actuated by rectilinearly-movable member linked to operating part, e.g. by pin and slot
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
  • H01H19/00—Switches operated by an operating part which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and which is acted upon directly by a solid body external to the switch, e.g. by a hand
  • H01H19/005—Electromechanical pulse generators
  • H01H2019/006—Electromechanical pulse generators being rotation direction sensitive, e.g. the generated pulse or code depends on the direction of rotation of the operating part

Definitions

• the invention relates to the field of electrical switching, and more precisely switches provided with a body placed in front of a facade, for example of a control panel, and intended to be rotated in a plane parallel to this facade of so as to manage at least one function, in particular in a motor vehicle.
• Certain switches of this type are intended to control an electrical device in a so-called "impulse” manner.
• the user by driving the body in rotation between a rest position and a first angularly offset position "opens” or “closes” an electrical circuit like a switch, or else passes the electrical device concerned from one state to another, the body then spontaneously returning to its rest position.
• buttons capable of providing impulse control by actuation of a rotary button. This is in particular the case of buttons provided with a body integral either with a cam or with brushes or contactors intended to establish contacts with electrically conductive tracks.
• the invention provides for this purpose an electrical switch of the type described above, in which, on the one hand, there is provided an actuating member provided with at least one rear end portion which can be moved between a rest position and a first position in which it actuates an impulse contactor with elastic return of an electrical device fixed on a support, placed behind the facade, and on the other hand, the body comprises on a face oriented towards the facade, between its center of rotation and its periphery, a retaining means which receives a front end portion of the member.
• the switch may include an actuating member provided with two rear end portions opposite to each other so as to allow actuation of two impulse contactors with elastic return controlling either the same electrical device or two different electrical devices.
• the drive of the body in rotation in a first direction makes it possible to actuate one of the impulse contactors, while the drive in the opposite direction makes it possible to actuate the other impulse contactor, the body then returning spontaneously to its rest position.
• the actuating member is produced in the form of a lever capable of rotating around an axis, real or virtual according to the variants, substantially perpendicular to the axis defining the rotation of the body.
• the impulse contactor is preferably placed in a position substantially perpendicular to the front, and the rear end part of the actuating member (or lever) extends substantially parallel to this. facade.
• the body rotates, it drives with it the front end portion of the lever, which forces it to rotate about its own axis of rotation and causes the contactor concerned to be pushed in and therefore actuated.
• the impulse contactor (s) is (are) placed in a position substantially parallel to the facade.
• the member consists of a substantially axial rod extended substantially perpendicularly by the rear end part, which is therefore placed substantially parallel to the facade, at the level of the contactor.
• the member only consists of a substantially axial rod (perpendicular to the facade) extending up to the level of the contactor (s), the rear end portions (s) and front being substantially aligned.
• the body is integral with an axis mounted for rotation and passing through the facade in a substantially perpendicular direction.
• the axis can be mounted in a manner allowing its translation between at least two positions, so that the switch can perform at least one other function.
• the body may include, in a central area, signaling means to allow viewing the operating state of a device, for example that controlled by the switch.
• FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a switch according to a first embodiment of the invention, in a perspective view
• FIG. 2 illustrates very schematically a variant of the switch of Figure 1, in a side view
• FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a switch according to a second embodiment of the invention, in a perspective view
• FIG. 4 illustrates a variant of the switch of Figure 3.
• the electrical switch shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1 is part, for example, of a control panel, in particular of a motor vehicle. In this case, it can be used to manage a function, at least, of a heating, ventilation and / or air conditioning device.
• the switch comprises a rotary body (or button) 1 made, for example, of molded plastic.
• the body 1 is integral with an axis 2 rotatably mounted.
• the body 1 is positioned in front of the front 3 of the control unit 4.
• the axis 2 of the switch crosses the front 3 through an opening (not shown).
• the direction of extension XX of this axis 2 is substantially perpendicular to the plane materializing the facade 3.
• the body 1 (or button) of the switch can be rotated in a plane substantially parallel to the plane which materializes the facade 3.
• the function of the switch is to start or stop two electrical devices. This could, for example, be the device for switching on the air conditioning and the lighting device for the control panel 4.
• Each of these electrical devices is provided with an impulse switch (or contactor) 5 or 6 installed in a fixed position on a support 7, constituted for example by the bottom of the box of the control panel, or more directly by a circuit board. prints.
• Each switch comprises an axial displacement contactor 8 and 9 which each time it is translated, in an impulse manner, activates or deactivates the device in which it is integrated.
• the actuation of the impulse contactor 8 will cause the actuation of said device, and the following actuation will result in the deactivation of this same device, and thus right now.
• the purpose of the switch according to the invention is therefore to control the electrical switches 5 and 6 using simple rotations of the body 1.
• the switch comprises an actuating member 10 comprising a front end portion 11 secured to the body 1 and a rear end portion 12 arranged so as to allow actuation of the pulse contactors 8 and 9.
• the rear part 12 comprises, in this example, two terminal extensions 14 and 15 oriented substantially parallel to the plane defining the facade 3, thus, here, than to the plane defining the support 7 on which the electrical switches 5 are installed and 6.
• the actuating member 10 therefore, has, in this example, an inverted T-shape, the horizontal part of the T, consisting of the rear end parts 14 and 15, used to actuate the impulse contactors 8 and 9, and the vertical bar of said T, having an end consisting of the front end portion 11, being held by the clip 16 which projects from the internal face 13 of the body 1 and serving to transmit the displacements of the body 1 to the rear part 12.
• the body 1 has at a selected location a conformation 18 allowing a user to drive it in rotation.
• a marking 19 is also preferably provided, on the external face 17 of this conformation 18, a marking 19 allowing the user to determine the position in which the body 1 is located.
• the body 1 is capable of being driven in rotation between a rest position materialized on the facade 3 by the number "0", as well as by a line opposite the marking 19 of the conformation 18 when the body 1 is at rest, and two positions angularly offset by an angle ⁇ on either side of the rest position, and materialized on the facade 3, in this example, by the letters "A” and "B". It's clear that the angular shifts between the markings 0 and A and 0 and B are not necessarily equal.
• the actuating member 10 constitutes, in a way, a lever capable of being driven in rotation about an axis YY substantially perpendicular to the axis XX.
• the drive along FI of the front end part 11 of the actuating member 10 has the consequence of tilting the first rear end part 14 downwards, while the second rear end part 15 tilts up.
• the retaining clip 16 is placed near the periphery of the body 1, rather than near the axis 2 of which this body is integral.
• the depressing of the pulse contactor over a height Hl causes, for example, the operation of the air conditioning device if it is out of operation before this actuation.
• each rear end portion 14 or 15 is also in a rest position (as illustrated in FIG. 1).
• the rear end portion considered (14 or 15) is said to be its first position (which is shown by dashes in Figure 1).
• the impulse contactors are of the so-called elastic return type.
• the impulse contactors are of the so-called elastic return type.
• the front end portion 11 is then driven in rotation, which brings the body 1 back to its rest position 0 (the marking 19 is then again opposite the marking 0).
• the axis of rotation YY must be substantially fixed relative to the support 7. This can be obtained either by using a rigid axis maintained substantially parallel to the support 7, or by conforming the rear end portions 14 and 15 substantially to the shapes of the ends of contactors 8 and 9, as in the example illustrated in FIG. 1.
• the rear end portions 14 and 15 each have an end stop 20 substantially perpendicular to the axis YY.
• the rear end parts 14 and 15 thus frame, thanks to the two end stops 20 the ends of the contactors 8 and 9, preventing the displacement in translation of the rear part 12 of the actuating member 10, in a direction perpendicular to the YY axis. Any movement of the body 1, and therefore of the front end portion 11, forces the actuating member 10 to pivot in rotation on one side of the YY axis or the other.
• the YY axis is of virtual type. There is therefore a transformation of the rotation of the body in a first plane, into a rotation of the organ in a second plane substantially perpendicular to the first plane. It is obvious that, due to the presence of the retaining clip 16, the rotation drive of the body 1, is made possible due to the presence of a through passage formed in the facade 3 on the path of said clip of deduction 16.
• the retaining means here the clip 16
• the actuating member 10 are made in a single piece.
• said actuating member 10 is made of a flexible material.
• return means such as springs.
• springs could be, for example, fixed by a first end to the support 7 and by a second end to an intermediate part of the actuating member 10 connecting its front end part 11 to its lower part 12.
• the body 1 of the switch can also include, in a central zone, signaling means making it possible to indicate the operating state of a device, for example the one whose operation it manages by means of the electric switch, or another.
• signaling means may be produced in the form of illumination means such as a bulb or an optical fiber.
• These signaling means may include display means, such as for example a liquid crystal device (LCD).
• LCD liquid crystal device
• the actuating member 10 may comprise first 14 'and second 15' rear end portions of respective lengths adapted so as to each allow the actuation of one or more impulse contactors 8 ', 8''and9', 9 '' belonging to different 5 ', 5''and6', 6 '' switches.
• the shape of each terminal part rear can be adapted to allow 1 actuation, using one of the first or second rear end parts, of a single contactor when the body is placed in a first position corresponding to a first rotation, then that of another contactor when said body is placed in a second position corresponding to a second rotation greater than the first. It may also be advantageous for the first and / or second rear end portions to be made of a flexible and not rigid material.
• this axis can be adapted so that it can be translated axially between at least two positions.
• FIG. 3 to describe a second embodiment of a switch according to the invention.
• This embodiment differs from the first mode described with reference to FIG. 1 at the level of its actuating member and of the orientations of the electrical switches. Consequently, all the elements of FIG. 3 identical to those of FIG. 1 have identical references.
• the electrical switches 5 and 6 have impulse contactors 8 and 9 placed, substantially perpendicular to their position in the first embodiment, their electrical contactors being substantially facing each other. .
• they can be translated axially in a plane substantially parallel to the support 7 and to the plane defining the facade 3, that is to say perpendicular to the axis XX.
• Each pulse contactor 8 or 9 can therefore translate over a length LI or L2, respectively.
• the switching member is produced in the form of a substantially axial bar which extends from the retaining clip 16 to the level of the pulse contactors 8 and 9, at least.
• the actuating member 30 extends in a direction substantially parallel to the axis XX, its front end portion 31 being substantially aligned with its rear end portion 32.
• the retaining means 16 When the body 1 is rotated between its rest position 0 and position A or B, the retaining means 16 also rotates the actuating member 30, which then comes, thanks to its rear end portion 32, press (or activate) one of the impulse contactors.
• the rear end portion 32 of the actuating member 30 is considered to be in its rest position when the body 1 is itself in its rest position and therefore when it is placed between the two impulse contactors, without putting pressure on one of them.
• the rear end portion 32 is considered to be in a first position (on one side or the other) when, on the one hand, the marking 19 of the body 1 is placed opposite the marking defining the position a or B, and on the other hand, that one of the pulse switches 8 or 9 is' down, that is to say has undergone a translation amplitude LI or L2.
• the switch illustrated in FIG. 4 schematically represents a variant of the switch illustrated in FIG. 3.
• the conformation of the actuating member 40 has been substantially modified, and more precisely at its lower part 42.
• This actuator 40 has an inverted T shape close to that illustrated in FIG. 1.
• the lower part 42 of the actuating member 40 comprises a first rear end part 43 and a second rear end part 44 substantially parallel to the support 7 as well as in the plane defining the facade 3.
• the various rotary switches had the function of managing two electrical switches.
• the invention applies to rotary switches which manage only one electric switch.
• the rear part of the actuating member 10 or 40 need only comprise a single rear end part.

Landscapes

• Rotary Switch, Piano Key Switch, And Lever Switch (AREA)
• Mechanisms For Operating Contacts (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=9529624

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (2)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-08-12 FR FR9810340A patent/FR2782413B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 1999
  • 1999-07-28 DE DE69932799T patent/DE69932799T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1999-07-28 WO PCT/FR1999/001859 patent/WO2000010184A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 1999-07-28 EP EP99934794A patent/EP1019932B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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