FR2595002A1 - Rotary switch for stepwise adjustment of an analogue quantity - Google Patents

Abstract

Sequential manual control switch in particular for the stepwise adjustment of an analogue quantity, comprising a casing 10 in which is mounted a rotary control member 14 rotating without a stop and whose rotation by an angular increment, in the forward or backward direction, acts on a pulse contact 30 in order to establish in a discontinuous manner an electrical link between a first fixed terminal 20 and a second fixed terminal 22 of the casing, characterised in that it includes a moving contact 54 driven in rotation by the control member and which, following the rotation of the control member by an angular increment, is able to occupy two angular positions in one of which it establishes an electrical link between a third fixed terminal 46 and a fourth fixed terminal 48, the latter electrical link being broken when the moving contact occupies the other angular position.

Description

 The present invention has for cojet a rotary switch. It lives more prticulenement a switch fed to the manual seouential start of the adjustment by peliers of an analogous size.

 The use of sequential commands by imoulsions for the adjustment of an analog quantity is notably used in control and repoage devices with apparatuses such as with alarm radios. sleep ovens, radio, hi-fi channels, etc.

 In existing commands, the adjustment in stages of an analogous magnitude, such as for example the adjustment of the volume of the sound. is ensured by means of two impulse keys, each of which ensures replication in the direction of increases: or respectively of the decrease in size, the control device transmitting on the receiver encoded digital pulses.

 13 has shown, in use, that users of such cisbositife do not appreciate this type of command which forgets them to press several times on the same key to note several increments of the same adjustment and which deprives them of analopic smnsation classic that confers 1 use of a ratetif adjustment member.

 We already offer in FRANGERS patent application FR-A-2541780 an electronic device comprising a switch comprising three terminals jile polarized each with a voltage representative of a first binary velocity, and a rotating member in the direction of stops which can be brought manually , by rotation in the direct direction, or the direction incira. coinciding with one or some of the adjacent ports in a portion where the polarization temperature of the selected fize terminal is modified and takes the opposite binary value. and a trrcuit electronious include myens of Binary state detection oes fine cornea nane the position present ne i rotating organ, means oe oetermination of the enne of rotation of the rotating organ between ic pretedente position and the position in turns by comparison of corresponding binary states of fixed terminals. means for incrementing or decrementing an inoex as a function of the direction of rotation detected, and means for converting the index into a control index C to be selected.

 A device of this type is very compact and very expensive and in particular requires the use of electronic logic circuits for determining the direction of rotation of the control member.

 The object of the present invention is to propose a simplified device which does not include an electronic circuit, but only mechanical components, and the ones of which: outputs deliver aeE sionsus representative of the number of levels of desired regulaps and the direction of this adjustment.

 To this end, the invention provides a manual control switch for the sequential, in particular for the replape for bearings of an analog magnitude, comprising a housing in which) a rotary control member is mounted which rotate in the abutment direction and whose rotation of an angular step, in the direct or indirect direction, acts on a pulse contact to discontinuously break up an electric link between a first TiS terminal and a second terminal terminal of the housing, characterized in that it comprises a component mobile, drives in rotation by 1 control member. and which, following the rotation of an angular step of the control member, is capable of picking up their angular positions in one of the desouellen, it establishes an electrical connection between a third fixed porch and an auatriemen fixed terminal.

this last electrical connection being interrupted
Bonetue the ocnt mobile contnt 1 other possition
appoleire.

the first and third terminal: fies
show a common porch of polarized inputs to a
voltage representative of a binary value, 1i second
fixed terminal constituting a pulse output terminal
and the fourth terminal constituting an output terminal
representative of the direction of rotation of the
order.

The two angular positions are defined by
deu: angular displacement stops of the movable contact,
this vernier being read in rotation at the control member
by means of a friction bond.

The movable contact is formed by a blade
plane conouctrice rotatably mounted on the
order and which has a transverse branch
elastic folded provided with a lug forming a ratchet which
cobper by friction with the teeth of a crown
oentee of 1 control member.

The pulse contect is constituted by a
second elastic connecting blade fitted with a boss
form a cliouet which cooperates with the teeth of a crown
teeth of 1 control member to establish so
continues the electric link, and to maintain
1 ongane oe order su rest in an ancillary pofition
fire.

Beion an embodiment of 1 mention,
the pulse and direction contacts CE rotation
cooperate with the same tooth crowns
ordered.

P other features and advantages of
1 invention will appear on reading the description
details of the invention that will follow for the
comarenemaion os which we will refer to the drawings
annexed in which
FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a first embodiment of a switch according to the present invention:
- Figure P is a top view or switch of Figure 1 with the housing cover being enclosed;
- Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of a switch according to the present invention 1
- Figure 4 is a top view of the switch of Figure t, the housing cover being washed; and
FIGS. Sa and 50 are representations of the signals of the output or switch.

 Dn e represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a rotary switch for sequential manual control which is essentially made up of a housing 10, closed by a cover 12. of a rotary control member 14, and of a terminal and of contacts electric. The housing 10 and its cover 1 @ are assembled by pins 1 @.

 The control member 14 is mounted rotating in an alesaqs the formed at the lower part of the housing 10 in which it can be rotated without stops. The opening 18 can be notched and fixed in order to allow direct menu pre-tensioning or mounting india to a rotary control button which is not shown.

 The rotary control member 14 can thus rotate in the stop direction in the direct direction D than in the indirect direction 1 indicated in FIG. 2.

 the switch comprises a first freeze terminal 10 and a second fixed terminal second comprising a perpendicular branch. 24 and 26 respectively, by placing the electrical connection outside the housing 10. The terminals 20 and @@ are positioned @ens the housing 4 1 etoe op pions 28.

the switch has a pulse contact
is formed by an elastioat conductive strip forming a single piece with the first fixed terminal to which it is connected by its base 32.

 The constant pulse counter 30 has a boss 34, obtained by folding, which cooperates with regularly spaced teeth formed on the cylindrical wall of a portion 38 of the control member 14.

 The impulse contact 30 has the promising function of establishing a disconnected electrical connection between the first fixed terminal 20 and the second fixed terminal 22 each time that the control member 14 is in the direct direction D or indirect 1.

 Indeed. the rotation of an angular step, that is to say of the angular deviation separating one or more consecutive teeth Eo, causes the contact between 1 stamped 40 formed at the free end 42 of the impurity contact. 30 and the tab folded back opposite terminal 22.

 @@ the first terminal @ constitutes a poiarized tooth terminal at a voltage representative of a binary value. the same binary value is collected at the fixed output terminal 22 of the pulses os each time that the control member rotates at an angular step, whatever the direction of rotation is and that is shown in channel A in FIGS. 5a and 5o.

 The pulse contact 30 also has the functions of determining the angular pitch of rotation of the control member. which is equal to the annular art securing Beux vents 36 and ensuring the locking function of the switch, that is to say of maintaining the control member 14 at rest in a fixed engular position each time the user relaxes his input on the control unit 18.

 in accordance with the present invention. the switch includes a second channel, channel B, which delivers a representative sipnal of the sensing of the control member 14.

 This second channel is constituted by a third terminal 45 and a fourth terminal 4B.

Like terminals 20 and 22, terminals 46 and 48 have connecting branches 50 and 52.

THE switch comprises a rotary movable contact 54 drives in rotation by the control member 14 which establishes, or interrupts, the electrical connection between the terminals 40 and 48 depending on whether the control member 14 is rotated by an angular step in the indirect direction 1, ov in the direct direction D,
THE movable contact of its Potation plates 54 is constituted by a folded metallic conductive blade whose central part planes of elongated form 56 is mounted to rotate on the upper free end piece 58 of 1 control members 14 which penetrates into a hole 60 of the part central 5 ..

 The movable contact 54 is rotated by the control member 14 to the moven dune lieison by friction.

 This friction entrainment is obtained by a first elastic transverse branch, bent at right angles to and by a second symmetrical branch 64.

 The two branches 62 and 64 form an elastic clamp and each of them comprises a lug and pawl which cooperates with regularly spaced teeth 68 formed on the cylindrical wall of a portion 70 of the control organ 14; this cooperation tests the rotary drive by movable contact friction 54.

 Under 1 ection of the control member 14, and following the rotation of an angular ps on the latter, the mopile container 54 is capable of orcuper two positions aoquleres.

 In one of these positions, shown in FIG. 2, the movable contact establishes the electrical connection between the terminals 4e and 4E. This connection is established by the free ends 7 of the central portion 50 which compe with the respective extensions s 74 and 7e of the terminals 4 and 48.

 In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the third terminal 48 is connected to the first terminal 20, with which it constitutes a common terminal d between. In the position represented by the flower 2, a continuous signal equal to the bias voltage of the terminal begins at 36-40 is collected at the output terminal 48 and represents in FIG. 56.

 In 1 other nfåular position. that the movable contact reached by rotation in the direct sen9 D of a nes interroglaire from the position shown. the extensions 74 and 76 and the free extremity 72 of the contact are agencies and dimensions so that the alactric connection between the horns 46 and 46 is interrupted and that the output terminal 46 delivers a zero signal as shown in FIG. 5a.

 The two angular positions are defined by those mechanical abutments of anpular deflection of the movable container constituted by two stop suriates 75 and @@ formed in viestéivis in the roof and with which the cooperates the opposite edges 82 and 84 of 1 free estremite 72 of the mobile contact 54.

 In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first position 70 and the nosonde setonde 38 of the control member are constituted by two toothed crowns auperposees out comborts the same number of hundred angularly wedged on the same radius.

The switch which comes from a working bermit does the following:
- do not take the position of the figure @@ if 1 user rotates 1 orgene in mans control without inairect 1e the pulse contact produced, der identical pulses for each step rotated. tenois that the mobile contact remains. in abutment against the ace of stops 78 9 curating this manipulation, the bond by friction constancy by the erpots 86 of the branches 62 and 64 "gives way" under the effect of the torque applied to the tail of order 18. the nignaux collected at the terminals we exit 22 and 48 are represented in Figure St,
- if the user rotates the control member by a low angle in the direct direction D, the impolision contact 30 produces a tangent pulse which, concomitantly, the movable contact is rotated in the direct direction b, by its connection by friction with 1 control member 14, and comes to occupy the second anquiety position in which the edge 84 of the free end 11 or movable counter 54 is in abutment against the worn surface 80 of the housing 10 and nene which the electrical connection between fixed terminals 45 and 45 is interrupted,
- If 1 user continues to rotate in the direct direction D, the link for friction "cene" and the signers picked up at terminals no outlet 29 and 48 are shown in FIG. 5a.

 We now identify a second embodiment of the invention by referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 in which the pieces similar or identical to those represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 are marked with the same reference numbers increased by 100.

 The first terminal 120 is a common input terminal for the two channels of the switch, the A channel for exiting the output terminal is the ceu beme terminal 111 and the E channel for the direction of kingetion whose output terminal is constituted by the fourth berne fing 148 located at 1 location of the third terminal 45 of the first realization mooe; the first terminal 120 being the terminal as polarized input of the two channels.

In comparison with the first embodiment 1 1 control member 114 has only one toothed ring 135 whose cylindrical wall, and the teeth 1 or that it comprises, ensures the double dream of eurfaces of friction, so short the boss 134 of the impulse contert 120 as for the lug 168 of the first folded elastic transverse branch 1611
The central portion 15e of the rotary movable contact 154 is extended at its left end (by consioing FIG. 4) 180 by a re-joined edge 180 from which depart, on the one hand the transverse branch 1 ed and @ other cert, a second trenaversele latch 184, avmatric of branch 182.

 The second branch 184 Is constituted by a lug 188, obtained by folding, which cooperates with the extensions 174 and 175 to establish or interrupt the electrical connection between the terminals 120 and 148 depending on whether the movable contact occupies one bu the other of his two ancient coaitions.

 These Beur anièires positions of mobile content 154 are defined by two botead of ancillary travel constituted by two suriates 190 and 192 in life s siE formed on the mobile contact 154 and which are here in fact the connecting elbows connecting the branches 162 and 184 to the boro reblie 182.

The surjeces ob butte 190 and 192 cooperate with a stopper euniace 194 constituted by an internal lateral edge or housing 110
We will now describe the operating mode of the repressing commatatser on fipures @ and @.

 Starting from the position shown in figure 4. if the user turns the organ, this commends the direct feeling D, the impulse constant 130 produces as many pulses as angular steps of rotation, while the movable contact 154 remains fixed in abutment in the illvstr6e position in which the electrical connection between the extensions 174 and 176, and therefore between the terminals 120 and 148, is interrupted. The signals delivered by the two switch channels are shown in Figure Sa.

 Es the user turns the control member 114 by an angular step in the indirect direction I. the pulse contact 130 produces a pulse while, connomitmment, the movable contact 154 is rotated in the indirect direction 1, by is read by friction 180-186 with the control member 114, and comes to occupy this second nane angular position which the surface 190 is in abutments shows the suriace of abutment 394.

 This rotation in the indirect direction I of the movable contact 184 causes the engagement of the end lug 182 between the extensions 174 and 176 and sonc 1 establishment of the eiactrious connection between the horns 120 and 148.

 If the user continues to rotate the starting member in the inoirect direction, the output terminals 122 and 148 are collected at the signals shown in FIG. 5a.

Claims (11)

FEVENDICATIONS  1. Manual control switch required, in particular for the adjustment by paliess to an analog quantity, comprising a box (10) in which is mounted a rotary control oroane (14) rotating without stop and whose rotation by an angular step, in the direct or indirect direction, acts on an impulse contact (30) to establish in a discontinuous fashion an electrical connection between a first fixed terminal (20) and a second fixed pborne (22) of the housing, characterized in that it comprises a movable contact (54), driven in rotation by the control member, and which, following the rotation of an ancillary step of the control member, is zusceptible to occupy two angular positions or one of which it establishes an electrical connection between a third fixed terminal (48) and a fourth fixed terminal (48), this latter electrical connection being interrupted when the manile contact occupies 1 other angular position.  Switch according to claim i character, in that said first and third terminals bound constitute a common terminal input polarized at a voltage representative of a binary value, said second fine terminal constituting an impulse output terminal and the fourth bonanite constituting a representie terminal of the direction of rotation goose 1 orpane goose control.  3. Switch according to claim 1 or 2 characterization, in cje that said two angular positions are defined by deun stops (76, 80) of angular movement of the movable contact, the latter being linked in rotation to said control member by means of a link by friction (62-66-68-70).  4. Switch according to the characterized claim. in that said movable contact is constituted by a flat conductive blade (54i mounted to rotate on said control member (55. @@ and dui carries a Folded transverse elastic leg (62) which cooperates by friction with the cardio avlanbrique (6E) of a first portion (70) oe 1 organ that commences.  5. Switch according to claim 4 characterized in that said transverse branch comprises a lug (66) forming a pawl which cooperates with aeE teeth (36) regularly spaced from said cylindrical wall.  6. Switch according to claim 5 characterized. in that the angular deviation between two consecutive teeth is equal to the angular value of said anouiary step of rotation of the control member.  7. A switch according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that said lou conouctrice comprises two elastic transverse lugs folded symmetrically (62, c4) which cooperate respectively with two diametrically coposed portions of said cylindrical peroi.  8. Switch according to any one of claims 3 to 7, characterizes in that said abutment of ancillary movement are constituted by two abutment parts (78, 80) formed opposite in the housing (10) with which to cut a portion of labite leme conductrice 972, 82, 84).  5. Switch according to 1 any one of claims 3 to 6, ca4ractérise in that said anqueire debt stops consist of two surfaces (190. 192) opposite formed on said movable contact (154) which cooperate with a stop surface of said housing (194).  10.Switch according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said impulse contact (30) is constituted by a second elastic conductive strip provided with a boss (34) forming a pawl which cooperates with teeth regularly species  (@@ 0 dornes on the cylinarione wall of a second  portion (38) of the order orpane to establish  niscontinue said link electrioue, and to meintention 1 commends body at rest in an angular position f i e.  11. Switch according to claim 10 taken  in combination with claim E, caracterist in that  that said first and second wall portions  cylindrical consist of two toothed rings  (38, 70) of said control member comprising the same  Number of teeth.  12. Switch according to claim here taken  in combination with claim 9, characterized in  that said first and second portions of pror  cylindrical consist of one and the same  ring gear (138) of said control member (114).