FR2740261A1 - SECURITY KEY FOR ELECTRIC WINDOW SWITCH - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a button 6 for an electric window switch arranged on a locally planar plate P and tilting about a central axis (6a) arranged parallel to the plane of the plate (P) and which divides said button (6). in a first part (6b), which when pressed causes the descent of the window and a second part (6c), which when pressed causes the window to rise, characterized in that there is a point (B) of the surface of the first part (6b) and a reference radius (R) such that all points of the surface of the second part (6c) lie outside a cylinder (Cy) of radius equal to said reference radius (R) and with an axis parallel to the axis (6a) of the key (6), pressing both on said point (B) of the surface of the first part (6b) and on the plate (P).

Description

SECURITY KEY FOR WINDOW REGULATOR SWITCH

ELECTRIC

  The invention relates to a button for an electric window switch.

  whose shape ensures passive safety.

  Motor vehicles fitted with electrically operated side windows may be the subject of an accident when the rise of the window is involuntarily controlled in the presence of an object or a body in the path of said window. This type of accident is made more frequent by the adoption of automation allowing, following a single impulse on

  the control, raising the window to the end of the race.

  This type of accident is particularly common in young children in which it results in limb jamming, pinching of fingers, strangulation ... The involuntary control leading to these accidents can occur in several ways. It can be caused by the deposit, on the switch, of an object heavy enough to cause the triggering of the climb. It can also intervene following an involuntary support of the hand on the control board or even when children play in the vehicle and get on the control board on which they lean with their foot, their knee. In all these cases, accidents are made possible by the shape of the button which authorizes an involuntary command of

window lift.

  We are concerned here with the type of button for an electric window switch placed on a locally flat plate and tilting around an axis arranged parallel to the plane of the plate and which divides said button into a first part, which when is pressed causes the glass to descend and a second part, which when pressed causes the glass to rise. The most classic form of this type consists of a flat key rocking around a central axis. This key, which protrudes from the surface of the plate, will rock, under the effect of a given force applied to one side or the other of its axis, thereby respectively causing the glass to rise or fall. It is very clear that any involuntary pressing on the corresponding side will cause the window to rise with the possible consequences mentioned above. A first known solution making it possible to limit this risk, consists in embedding the flat key in a cavity of the plate, thus avoiding its involuntary actuation. However, if we consider for example the risk represented by the support of a child's knee, it is necessary that the flat key is sufficiently pressed into the cavity so that a sphere of radius equal to that of the knee of the child and pressing on the plate, on either side of said cavity, cannot come into contact with the key. Such an assembly harms the ergonomics of the function and

  results in a prohibitive installation depth.

  A second known solution consists in making a key rocking around a remote axis situated at one end of the key and in providing

  the latter of an inclined lug projecting from the surface of said key.

  The descent will then be caused by pressing the key, causing the latter to tilt down while the ascent will only take place after the key has tilted up. However, this upward tilting can only be obtained by pulling on the inclined lug, which provides a certain degree of security against the involuntary control of raising the window. A variant of this solution consists in retaining a central tilting axis, in having the lug on one side of said axis and in covering the other part of the key situated on the other side of the axis and devoid of lug, by an advance of the plate, thus prohibiting any support on this part. In both cases, the window cannot be raised after pressing the button, but only if the lug is pulled. However, the shape of these keys is complex to produce, their bulk on the surface of the plate and the

  depth required for their placement are important.

  A third solution consists of a button rocking around a central axis and provided vertically above said axis. The key is located at the bottom of a recess made on the surface of the plate so that only the lug protrudes from the wall constituting the recess. The tilting of the button, using the lug, on one side or the other of the axis causes either the raising or lowering of the window. Safety against involuntary operation resulting from support is achieved in that the depth of the hollow is chosen to be sufficient for a sphere of diameter equal to that of a child's knee and which would come to roll in said hollow to enter not in contact with the actuating lug. The size on the surface of the plate does not affect the ergonomics of the function and the shape of the button is simple to carry out. But the total depth of installation is important because of the depth of the hollow which on the other hand must be wide enough to allow the passage of the

  finger to pull the key through the lug.

  The invention aims to solve these drawbacks. To this end, the invention relates to a button for an electric window switch arranged on a locally flat plate and tilting about a central axis arranged parallel to the plane of the plate and which divides said button into a first part, which when '' when pressed causes the glass to descend and a second part, which when pressed causes the glass to rise, characterized in that there is a point on the surface of the first part and a reference radius such that all the points on the surface of the second part are located outside a cylinder of radius equal to said reference radius and with an axis parallel to the axis of the key, pressing both on said point the surface of the first part and on

platinum.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the surface of the second part is concave cylindrical with an axis parallel to the axis of the key and of

  radius smaller than the reference radius.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the surface of the first part joining the top of said first part to the plate is

slightly concave.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, the height joining the top of the first part to the plate is less than the reference radius. According to another characteristic of the invention, the reference radius has for

worth 35 millimeters.

  The button according to the invention is simple to carry out and it makes it possible to keep the pull-push logic which corresponds to the direction of raising and lowering of the windows. It provides total security against the support of a child's knee materialized by a sphere of given radius and considered to be the most restrictive risk. It allows to keep an implantation depth unchanged compared to the solution constituted by a flat key. Finally,

  it does not require a large housing to pass the finger.

  Other characteristics and advantages will appear on reading the

  description of an example of a device according to the invention, with reference to

  drawings in which - Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional flat key, - Figure 2 is a sectional view showing a first type of key according to the prior art, - Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line III-II of Figure 2, - Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a second type of button according to the prior art, - Figure 5 is a sectional view showing a variant of the button of Figure 4, - Figure 6 is a sectional view showing a third type of button

according to the prior art.

  FIG. 7 is a sectional view along line VII-VII of FIG. 6,

  - Figure 8 is a sectional view showing the button according to the invention.

  FIG. 1 represents a flat key 1 rocking around an axis the central unit which, as we have already seen, presents no security against involuntary pressing. Indeed, a force Fd, Fm applied respectively to the left, to the right of the axis la on the key 1 will respectively cause the descent, the rise of the window. Given that said key 1 exceeds the value D1 of the surface of the plate P. an involuntary pressing on the right side of key 1 is quite possible. The depth P1 of implantation of the key 1, which corresponds to the dimension between the tilting axis la and the upper level of the plate is also relatively modest. This dimension makes it possible to compare the relative size of a type of key with central axis compared to another because the size of the switch mechanism located below said axis

is independent of the type of key.

  Figures 2 and 3 show a first solution according to the prior art aimed at improving safety and in which a key 2 of the type of the previous key 1 is embedded in a cavity made in the wall of the plate P. So as to be able provide good passive safety, key 2 must be embedded deep enough so as not to be touched by an S sphere, materializing the knee of a child and

  rolling on the surface of the plate P as shown in FIG. 3.

  This embedding leads to a depth P2 of implantation of the key 2 greater than the depth P1 of the conventional key 1. FIG. 4 represents a second solution according to the prior art in which a key 3 rocking about an offset axis 3a situated at one end of said key 3 is provided with an inclined lug 3b projecting at the center of the surface of said key 3. The descent will then be caused by a pressure Fd on the key 3 causing the latter to tilt downwards around the axis 3a while the ascent will only occur following a tilting of the button 3 up, tilting obtained by pulling on lug 3b with a force Fm directed upwards. Also, an involuntary press can never cause the window to rise. This solution is interesting but has the drawback of using a remote axis. However, the switches used in the window regulators are always of central axis technology. Also, it is necessary, in the case of a remote axis, to provide a return system to reduce to the case of the central axis, which leads to a depth of implantation of the key 3 there also important. This drawback can be resolved with the variant shown in FIG. 5 in which a key 4 has a lug 4b offset with respect to a central axis 4a of tilting of said key 4. The part of the key 4 located opposite the lug 4b relative to axis 4a, is embedded under an extension of

  plate P. This embedding results in a complicated form of plate P.

  In general, in these two solutions, since the raising of the window must be able to be ensured only by pulling on the lug 3b, 4b, the latter must be sufficiently protruding on the surface of the button 3,4 . However, such a lug 3b, 4b presents a risk of snagging, for example by the strap of a handbag. This is why the key 3,4 must be deeply embedded, on the side of the lug 3b, 4b while preserving a clearance necessary for access to said lug 3b, 4b. This results in a complex and therefore expensive form of the plate P, an example of which is given on

Figures 4 and 5.

  Figures 6 and 7 show a third solution according to the prior art in which the key 5 switches around a central axis Sa and is provided directly above said axis 5a with a vertical lug 5b. The key 5 is located at the bottom of a hollow Sc produced on the surface of the plate P so that the lug 5b is accessible. The tilting of the lug 5b by a horizontal force directed on one side, Fd or the other, Fm will respectively cause the tilting of the key 5 and consequently the descent, the rise of the window. Safety against involuntary operation results from the fact that the depth of the hollow 5c is chosen to be sufficient for a sphere S of diameter equal to that of a child's knee and which would come to roll in said hollow 5c to rest on the edges of this last and does not come into contact with the actuating lug 5b, as shown in FIG. 7. The implantation depth PS is important due to the depth of the hollow 5c which, on the other hand, must be wide enough to allow the passage of the finger to pull the key by

through its lug 5b.

  The key 6 according to the invention shown in FIG. 8 has a central pivot axis 6a which divides said key 6 into a first part 6b, which when pressed causes the window to descend and a second part 6c, which when 'it is pressed causes the window to rise. The limit between the two parts 6b, 6c is located vertical to the axis 6a. The key 6 is mounted in a locally flat plate P with its tilting axis 6a situated in a plane parallel to the plane of said plate P. In order to ensure that an involuntary press on the key 6 cannot cause a rise dangerous of the window, the surface of said button 6 is such that there is a point B on the surface of the first part 6b and a reference radius R such that all the points on the surface of the second part 6c are located at the outside of a cylinder Cy of radius equal to said radius R and of axis parallel to the axis 6a of the key 6, pressing both on said point B of the surface of the first part 6b and on the plate P. The reference radius R is chosen equal to that of a child's knee. Anatomical readings have given an approximate value of 35 millimeters for such a reference radius R. This form of the key 6 means that a sphere, materializing the knee of a child and therefore of radius greater than or equal to the reference radius R which would roll on the plate P in the direction of the second part 6c of the key 6 would enter into contact with said key 6 by a point of its first part 6b before leaving its point of contact A with the plate P. The contact point located on the first part 6b will be located beyond or at worst at point B. The surface of the key 6 can be such that said sphere comes into contact simultaneously with a point C of the second part 6c. In all cases, the key 6 cannot be pushed in through its second part 6c and cause the window to descend because the sphere will be in contact both with the first part 6b and with the plate P at point A. If the sphere continues its movement towards the first part 6b, the key 6 will sink through said first part 6b and cause the window to descend. In any case, the child's knee cannot cause the second part 6c of the button to be pushed in and therefore the dangerous rise of the window. According to a particular variant of the invention, the second part 6c of the key 6 has a concave cylindrical surface with an axis parallel to

  the axis 6a of the key 6 and of radius smaller than the radius R of reference.

  During the voluntary actuation of the button, the raising of the window may be caused by pressing the second part 6c of the button with the finger. In order to facilitate this actuation of the ascent, the key 6 has, according to a variant, a first part 6b of a shape suitable for attachment with the finger making it possible to pull said key 6 by its first part 6b in order to cause the depression of the second part 6c and therefore the raising of the window. Unlike keys 3 and 4 of the prior art, it is possible to actuate the raising of the window by pulling on the first part 6b while simultaneously pushing on the second part 6c, which makes it possible to be satisfied with a first part 6b having a very slightly pronounced lug and thus avoids the risks of catching mentioned for the keys 3 and 4. For this purpose, the substantially vertical flank joining the top of the first part 6b of the

  key 6 on stage P may have a slightly concave profile.

  In this case, and in order to ensure that the sphere cannot cause the glass to rise by rolling against this concave surface, the top of the first part 6b of the key 6 must be located at a height, by relative to the plate P. less than the reference radius R. The plate P can therefore remain simple in shape and the installation depth P6 is comparable to the depth P1 of the flat key.

  classic and therefore extremely weak.

  Of course, the shape of the key according to the invention is in no way limited to the embodiment described and illustrated which has been given only by way of

example.

Claims (5)

  1) button (6) for an electric window switch arranged on a plate (P) locally planar and tilting about a central axis (6a) arranged parallel to the plane of the plate (P) and which divides said button (6 ) in a first part (6b), which when pressed causes the glass to descend and a second part (6c), which when pressed 0 causes the glass to rise, characterized in that there is a point (B) of the surface of the first part (6b) and a reference radius (R) such that all the points of the surface of the second part (6c) are located outside of a cylinder (Cy ) of radius equal to said reference radius (R) and of axis parallel to the axis (6a) of the key (6), bearing both on said point (B) of the surface of the first part (6b ) and on the plate (P).   2) key (6) according to the preceding claim characterized in that the surface of the second part (6c) is concave cylindrical with an axis parallel to the axis (6a) of the key (6) and of radius smaller than the radius ( R) of reference.   3) button (6) according to any one of the preceding claims   characterized in that the surface of the first part (6b) joining the top of said first part (6b) to the plate (P) is slightly concave.   4) button (6) according to any one of the preceding claims   characterized in that the height joining the top of the first   part (6b) at the plate (P) is less than the reference radius (R).   5) key (6) according to any one of the preceding claims   characterized in that the reference radius (R) has the value 35 millimeters.