GB2051487A

GB2051487A - Control panel

Info

Publication number: GB2051487A
Application number: GB8006025A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Eltro GmbH and Co
Current assignee: Eltro GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1979-06-21
Filing date: 1980-02-22
Publication date: 1981-01-14
Also published as: DE2924980C2; DE2924980A1; FR2459564A1

Abstract

A control panel (6) is connected to a mother instrument (1) by an electrical cable (3) which allows freedom of movement of the panel. To provide for convenient operation, the panel has a permanent magnet mounted on its rear surface so that it may be attached to any nearby metallic surface, for example the casing of the mother instrument (1), the casing of another instrument (2) to which the mother instrument is attached, or any other convenient structure. The panel is shaped to conform to the disposition of the fingers of the operator's hand, and, to allow the panel to be transferred easily from one position or orientation to another, is attached to the armoured sheath of the cable by a rotatable gas-tight bushing (7). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Control panel The invention relates to a control panel which is connected via an electrical cable to a mother instrument with which it is functionally associated.

Conventional operating panels are either integrated into a mother instrument or, for ergonomic reasons, are constructed as a separate unit connected to the mother instrument by an electrical cable. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved control panel which is a component part of a specific mother instrument and which nevertheless has a substantial degree of mobility.

According to this invention, a control panel is connected by an electrical cable to a mother instrument with which the panel is functionally associated, the panel being so constructed that it can be fixed in a removable manner as required to the mother instrument itself, to a further instrument which is mechanically and/or functionally combined with the mother instrument, or to another nearby object. The panel may thus be moved from one object to another without breaking the electrical connection. It is possible for a plurality of mutually adapted instruments to be operated without substantial difficulty by one person, whereas previously individual control panels, i.e. non-removable control panels on different instruments, provided in oppositely located or ergonomically unfavourable locations, presented considerable operating difficulties for one person.

The control panel is preferably attachable in the required position via planar mating surfaces provided on the back of the panel and on the object to which the panel is to be attached. Such a control panel, if it is suitably dimensioned, can without difficulty be mounted on the mother instrument itself. It can however just as easily and in a very short time be removed therefrom and mounted in some other location. For this purpose it is preferable for the mating surfaces to be part of objects which are magnetically attracted to each other, for example a permanent magnet and an iron or steel instrument casing, or two permanent magnets. Alternatively the mating surfaces may be provided with strips of hook and loop fastener such as a "Velcro" strips.

These fixing elements allow the panel to be attached in virtually any location so long as there is a mating surface of sufficient area.

The electrical cable between the panel and the mother instrument is preferably secured at both ends via gas-tight cable bushings, the bushing at the panel end being rotatable in construction to improve the ease with which the panel can be moved from one location to another. In order to protect the connecting cable against damage due to inclement weather or mechanical strain, it is advantageous for the cable to extend through a cut-out in the wall of the instrument or to be enclosed in a protective sheath, e.g. an armoured tube.

The panel may be constructed in a variety of shapes, and may have controls facing in different directions, for example, push buttons on an end face arranged to be operated by the four fingers of the human hand, together with rotary knobs on its front face.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the drawings in which:~ Figure 1 is a side view of two mechanically interconnected instruments, of which the upper instrument has a control panel which can be attached to the upper or the lower instrument; Figure 2 shows the control panel of Fig. 1 by itself and on an enlarged scale; and Figure 3 shows the same control panel rotated through 90D from its position in Fig.

2.

The invention, in this example, is applied to an assembly of two instruments which are capable of functioning independently but which under certain circumstances may be attached to one another for combined operation. Referring to Fig. 1, the mother instrument is a heat image unit 1 which is attached to a day location system 2 only when the latter is to be used at night or in bad weather.

In the case of such an instrument system, the scene 17 is viewed through an eyepiece 16 by the operator who may be lying prone.

In such cases, the operator's distance from a control panel 6 (illustrated by solid lines) of the heat image display unit 1 is so great or his position may be so unfavourable that operation of the heat image display unit while looking into the eyepiece is possible for only a very short period and under serious physical strain. However, since observation takes a prolonged period as a rule and also requires correspondingly prolonged operation of the instrument functions, the control panel can in such a situation be brought into the position illustrated by broken lines in which it is more accessible for the operator.

The control panel 6 is a self-contained unit rigidly connected via a rotatable cable bushing 7 to a cable 3 which is in turn rigidly connected to the heat image display unit 1 via a cable bushing 4. The control panel has plateshaped contacts 8 at its rear (visible in Fig. 3) which require corresponding mating contact surfaces at the place where the control panel is to be fixed. The plate-shaped contacts consist on both sides of at least one permanent magnet or one permanent magnet and one iron surface. In another embodiment, the contacts may also be in the form of a dovetail guide, a hook and loop fastener strip, or a press-stud connection.

Reference numerals 9 to 12 designate but tons provided on the end face of the control panel 6 and which, for operation of digital functions, are associated with the four fingers of the human hand, i.e. apart from the thumb. The front face of the control panel carries controls 13 to 16 which are constructed as push buttons or rotary knobs and can be operated blind when the panel is favourably located with respect to the operator.

If it becomes necessary to move the control panel 6 from the position in which it is locked on the mother instrument (this is the position which would normally be used when the instrument 1 is being transported) into some other position-such as is indicated for example by the broken lines in Fig. 1~the operator need only detach the control panel from the mother instrument and to attach it again at the desired location on the other instrument (locating unit 2).

The invention is not limited to the application described above. For example, in the case of an instrument which is carried on board a vehicle, the vehicle commander may temporarily pass control of the instrument to the vehicle driver in order to perform tasks which are otherwise incumbent upon him. In such a case, it must be possible to change the position of the control panel quickly and without affecting the concentration of the vehicle driver.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a control panel connected by an electrical cable to a mother instrument with which the panel is functionally associated, wherein the panel is constructed so that it can be fixed in removable manner as required to the mother instrument itself, to a further instrument which is mechanically and/or functionally combined with the mother instrument, or to another nearby object.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including-a self-contained control panel which is attachable via planar contact surfaces provided on its back and on the instrument or object to which the panel is to be fixed.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the contact surface of the panel is held in contact with a mating surface on the said instrument or object by magnetic attraction between a permanent magnet and an iron or steel surface.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the contact surface of the panel is held in contact with a mating surface of the said instrument or object by magnetic attraction between a permanent magnet in the panel and a permanent magnet in the instrument or object.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control panel is fixed to the said instrument or panel by means of complementary hook and loop fastener strips attached to the contact surfaces.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control panel and the instrument or object to which it is to be fixed have mating dovetail guide elements.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control panel and the instrument or object to which it is to be fixed have mating press-stud connectors.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the electrical cable is attached at each end via a gas-tight cable bushing, the bushing at the control panel end being constructed to allow rotation of the cable end relative to the panel.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the cable extends through a corresponding cut-out in the wall of the mother instrument or is enclosed in a protective sheath.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the panel has a plurality of push buttons provided on an end face and arranged to be operated by the four fingers of the human hand, and at least one rotary knob provided on its front face.

11. Apparatus comprising a control panel connected by an electrical cable to a mother instrument, the apparatus being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.