EP1389786A1

EP1389786A1 - Control button

Info

Publication number: EP1389786A1
Application number: EP02018536A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Klaus Werner Bender; Alexander Dinkel; Thomas Knoop; Markus Rother
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2002-08-16
Filing date: 2002-08-16
Publication date: 2004-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2022-08-16
Also published as: EP1389786B1; DE60209170D1; DE60209170T2

Abstract

A control button is attached to a rotary axis (34) and has a solid structured body provided with a frontal face and with a lateral face (22). The control button is furthermore provided with an anti-slip facility (24, 36, 46, 70) along its lateral face to be operative against tangential slip, and furthermore contains a ring-type facility (36, 38, 48, 56, 64, 72) that is made of anti-slip matter and that is positioned at the frontal face.

In particular, the control button has an inner part (32) that is attached to the rotary axis (34), and an outer part (30, 44, 60, 62) that surrounds and attaches to the inner part (32). The anti-slip facility is constructed with a plurality of protruders (36, 46, 70) that protrude through respective first openings in the outer part. The protruders (36, 46, 70) are kept in place through abutting to an abutting element that is maintained radially fixed with respect to the inner part (32).

Description

The invention relates to a control button which is attached to a rotary axis and which control button has a solid structured body provided with a frontal face and with a lateral face, and which control button is furthermore provided with an anti-slip facility along said lateral face to be operative against tangential slip, and which control button furthermore contains a ring-type facility that is made of anti-slip matter and that is positioned at said frontal face. Such control buttons are in widespread use, and a particular field of their application is in automotive technology. Solid means normally having an unvarying shape, which may be effected in aluminium or other metals, and furthermore in various polymers. Apart from the functional aspects of a particular single button, also its outward appearance plays a part. Next to a pleasing effect on a user person, this appearance can furthermore produce various different button shapes for on the one hand signalling a relation between two or more buttons through similar shaping, and on the other hand setting two buttons more clearly apart through differentiating of their exterior.
The inventors have recognized the possibility to provide extrusion, spraying, and similar manufacturing processes for applying rubber and the like right at the surface of the control button, and to so provide the anti-slip material at both the frontal and at the lateral faces of the button, but have also recognized the less than optimum quality that can be attained by such methods. In particular, when the anti-slip material should be provided in a tangentially segmented way around the control button, quality has been found less than required. An automotive application in particular will dictate a high quality standard.
In consequence, amongst other things, it is an object of the present invention to attain a higher functional and esthetic quality of the control button, and in particular, to realize such through constructing the control button from two or more separate solid parts.
Now therefore, according to one of its aspects the invention is characterized in that said button has an inner part that is attached to said rotary axis, and an outer part that surrounds and attaches to said inner part, and in that said anti-slip facility is constructed with a plurality of protruders that protrude through respective first openings in said outer part, and which protruders are kept in place through abutting to an abutting element that is maintained radially fixed with respect to said inner part.
A preferred embodiment of a control button according to the invention is characterized in that said inner part and outer part are fixated to each other at a position away from said frontal face.
Another preferred embodiment of a control button according to the invention is characterized in that said abutting element is a lateral face of said inner part.
According to yet another aspect of the invention such control button is characterized in that said outer part substantially completely envelops an upper region of said inner part, and in that said ring-type facility is fixed to a frontal face of said outer part through extending through respective second openings unto behind said frontal face.
A further preferred embodiment of a control button according to the invention is characterized in that said ring-type facility is self-operatively locked in said respective second openings.
Alternatively, such control button is characterized in that said ring-type facility is kept in place through connecting to various said protruders.
According to yet another aspect of the invention, a control button is characterized in that said outer part is divided into a frontal plate and a lateral shell, wherein said lateral shell and said inner part are fixated to each other at a position away from said frontal face, wherein and said frontal plate is fixated to said lateral shell through said ring-type facility extending through an annular opening between said frontal plate and said lateral shell.
A further preferred embodiment of a control button according to the invention is characterized in that said ring-type facility connects to said protruders.
Preferably, said ring-type facility connects to a stopper item abutting to said protruders.
Such a control button may furthermore be characterized in that said ring-type facility by way of an insert part through said annular opening fixates in both upward and downward direction along the direction of said control axis.
These and further aspects and advantages of the invention will be discussed more in detail hereinafter with reference to the disclosure of preferred embodiments, and in particular with reference to the appended Figures that show:

Figure 1,: a conceptual image of a rotary control button provided with anti-slip material;
Figure 2,: a first control button embodiment according to the invention;
Figure 3,: a second control button embodiment according to the invention;
Figure 4,: a third control button embodiment according to the invention;
Figure 5,: a fourth control button embodiment according to the invention;
Figure 6,: a fifth control button embodiment according to the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a conceptual image of a rotary control button provided with anti-slip material according to the invention. The body of the control button may be constructed from aluminum or a comparable material that is easy to work, light in weight, and structurally sufficiently solid for the purpose, and which body has generally been indicated by cylinder 22 which abuts to the faceplate 20 of the apparatus that must be controlled. The function of the control proper is irrelevant to the present invention . The size of the control button is such as would be considered functional for manual operation, such as with a diameter between somewhat less than one centimeter up to several centimeters, and a height that is generally in the same range. Note that the cross-section of the control button may have the shape of an ellipse or the like. The cylindrical lateral face of the button carries tangentially non-continuous elements 24 that have been shown as strips, but which may have appropriate shapes to be discussed in detail hereinafter. These elements work against tangential slip, and may furthermore have any decorative or distinguishing effect as required. Finally, ring 26 has been applied to the front face of the control button, again both as a further anti-slip facility, and for decorative or distinguishing purposes if appropriate.
Figure 2 illustrates a first control button embodiment according to the invention. The control button has an inner part 32, and an outer part 30. In the embodiment, both parts have been made from pressure-cast aluminum. The inner part 32 has an opening 34 for engaging a rotary control axis. The outer part 30 has been finished through fine-working on a lathe, and comprises a plurality of spaced apart radial holes that allow for inserting rubber segments 36 from the inside, whereas after assembling they are kept in place through abutting with the lateral face of inner part 32. The segments 36 have been manufactured from rubber or a similar material, such as a polymer, in such manner as would be considered standard in the industry.
Furthermore, the control button has ring 38 made of rubber or the like, and which ring is positioned on the front face of the outer part 30 of the control button. Through protrusions 40 in various axially directed openings in outer part 30, ring 38 is fixed to the outer part 30. The further protrusions may either be integral with the ring, or may have been fixed thereto as separate elements by some convenient technology. Outer part 30 and inner part 32 have been attached to each other, such as by a click-type facility 42 or another appropriate mechanism, at a position near the face plate 20 (Figure 1), away from ring 38.
Figure 3 illustrates a second control button embodiment according to the present invention. Here, similar elements as in Figure 2 have been indicated with corresponding reference numerals. Notably, the outer part of the control button has been further divided in two parts. First, a lateral part 44 clicks at position 42 to the inner part 32, and comprises various radial holes for engaging with protruders 46. In contradistinction with Figure 2 however, rubber ring 48 connects immediately with protruders 46 through an interconnecting part 50 that may be formed as a continuous tube-like element. Finally, front plate 52 that has been finely worked on a lathe, abuts with the frontal face of inner part 32, and is furthermore kept in place, either through some fixating to inner part 32, or by being kept in place through the effect of ring 48 and interconnecting part 50.
Figure 4 illustrates a third control button embodiment according to the invention, which is quite similar to the embodiment of Figure 3, apart from the following. Ring 56 is, like ring 48, continuous in a tangential direction, but has been fixed to protrusions 46 through various separate connective parts 58. On the one hand, this allows to now construct outer part 44 and plate 52 from Figure 3 as a single integral component 60. On the other hand, this necessitates to insert all protruders 46 separately into the associated holes in outer part 60.
Figure 5 illustrates a fourth control button embodiment according to the invention. Items 32, 34, 42, 52 generally correspond to likewise referenced items in Figure 3. Differences with Figure 3 are the somewhat different shape of outer part 62, that cooperates with plate 52 and rubber ring 64 to fixate insert part 66 both in the upward and in the downward direction. The latter part 66 cooperates through being inlet into stopper part or parts 68 that abut to the various protruding elements 36 to keep them in place in a roughly similar manner as in the embodiment of Figure 2. The stopper part 68 may be fixated to the protruders 36 in such manner as considered convenient, such as by glue, vulcanizing, or other means. Furthermore, in contradistinction to earlier embodiments, part 62 has been manufactured on a milling-machine.
Figure 6 illustrates a fifth control button embodiment according to the invention. Here, various elements of earlier Figures combine in a somewhat different manner:

First, inner part 32 as well as elements 34, 42 correspond to Figure 2.
Second, outer part 62 and plate 52 correspond to Figure 5. Ring 72 cooperates with insert part 74 by way of fixating both in the upward and in the downward direction.
Finally, protruding elements 70 abut to the inner part 32 in roughly corresponding manner to Figure 2. Note that also element 74 abuts to inner part 32.

Now, the invention has been disclosed with reference to various preferred embodiments. However, persons skilled in the relevant art will from reading and viewing the above readily recognize various amendments, modifications and combinations. In consequence, the disclosure should not be construed as being restrictive, but rather as illustrative; the scope of the invention should in particular be considered as restricted only by the Claims appended hereto.

Claims

A control button which is attached to a rotary axis (34) and which control button has a solid structured body provided with a frontal face and with a lateral face 22, and which control button is furthermore provided with an anti-slip facility (24, 36, 46, 70) along said lateral face to be operative against tangential slip, and which control button furthermore contains a ring-type facility (36, 38, 48, 56, 64, 72) that is made of anti-slip matter and that is positioned at said frontal face, said button being characterized in that said button has an inner part (32) that is attached to said rotary axis (34), and an outer part (30, 44, 60, 62) that surrounds and attaches to said inner part (32), and in that said anti-slip facility is constructed with a plurality of protruders (36, 46, 70) that protrude through respective first openings in said outer part, and which protruders (36, 46, 70) are kept in place through abutting to an abutting element that is maintained radially fixed with respect to said inner part (32).
A control button as claimed in Claim 1, being characterized in that said inner part (32) and outer part (30, 44, 60, 62) are fixated to each other at a position (42) away from said frontal face.
A control button as claimed in Claim 1, being characterized in that said abutting element is a lateral face of said inner part (32).
A control button as claimed in Claim 1, being characterized in that said outer part (30, 60) substantially completely envelops an upper region of said inner part (32), and in that said ring-type facility (38/40, 56/58) is fixed to a frontal face of said outer part (30, 60) through extending through respective second openings unto behind said frontal face.
A control button as claimed in Claim 4, being characterized in that said ring-type facility (38/40) is self-operatively locked in said respective second openings.
A control button as claimed in Claim 4, being characterized in that said ring-type facility (56/58) is kept in place through connecting to various said protruders (46).
A control button as claimed in Claim 1, being characterized in that said outer part is divided into a frontal plate (52) and a lateral shell (44, 62), wherein said lateral shell (44, 62) and said inner part (32) are fixated to each other at a position (42) away from said frontal face, wherein and said frontal plate (52) is fixated to said lateral shell (44, 62) through said ring-type facility extending through an annular opening between said frontal plate (52) and said lateral shell (44, 62).
A control button as claimed in Claim 7, being characterized in that said ring-type facility (48/50) connects to said protruders (46).
A control button as claimed in Claim 7, being characterized in that said ring-type facility (64/66) connects to a stopper item (68) abutting to said protruders (36).
A control button as claimed in Claim 7, being characterized in that said ring-type facility (64/66, 72/74) by way of an insert part (66, 74) through said annular opening fixates in both upward and downward direction along the direction of said control axis.