GB2417837A

GB2417837A - A drive mechanism capable of simultaneously operating rotary elements.

Info

Publication number: GB2417837A
Application number: GB0419788A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ranko Raskovic
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-09-07
Filing date: 2004-09-07
Publication date: 2006-03-08
Anticipated expiration: 2024-09-07
Also published as: GB0419788D0; GB2417837B

Abstract

The drive mechanism includes a rail 1 with mounting brackets 2 disposed at the ends of the rail. Each bracket can accommodate a rotary element 8. A helical ribbon screw 5 is disposed between said mounting brackets and is coupled to shafts 15 via coupling elements 6. A slider (3, fig.2) comprises a pair of jaws 21 and a lever 7. The lever protrudes through a slot 9 in the rail and is capable of sliding along the rail. The jaws of the slider are engaged with the helical screw. Limit blocks 4 are positioned to limit the rectilinear movement of the slider. The rectilinear motion of the slider engaged with the helical screw causes simultaneous rotation of the rotary elements. Preferably these rotary elements could be potentiometers, switches, encoders, tuners, electric motors and valves or combinations there of.

Description

DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known that rotary elements (potentiometers, switches, encoders, valves, etc.) are often smaller, mechanically robust and more resilient to the environmental conditions than the ones with the reciprocating control. On the other hand there are a lot of applications where elements with reciprocating operating motion can be more suitable. (Slider potentiometers as audio faders, slider switches as function selectors, position encoders, etc.) Also, in the automation and control circuitry there is often need to mechanically couple elements in order to achieve simultaneous control of different parameters. For example, mechanically coupling bodies and shafts of two potentiometers produce a device that can simultaneously alter the voltages of two independent circuits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and reliable interface mechanism that would host two elements with a rotary shaft, such as potentiometers, switches, encoders, tuners, electric motors, valves and similar devices, in various combinations and allow them to be operated simultaneously either by external reciprocating force applied to the sliding element or by a hosted rotary element.

The invention comprises motion interface and rotary device coupler having: a rail with two mounting brackets at the ends so each can accommodate an element with the rotary shaft coaxially facing each other, a helical ribbon screw that is coupled to the shafts via coupling elements on its ends, a slider that can slide along the rail between a pair of adjustable limiter blocks and having a groove engaged to the helical ribbon screw and a lever from a side of the slider.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a side view of the interface with mounted rotary elements.

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the interface with mounted rotary elements.

Fig 3 is an exploded view of the interface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to Fig. 1 and Fig.2 a motion interface and coupler for rotary elements 11 is shown which embodies the present invention.

The interface 11 comprises a rail I with elongated hole 9 which provides enough space for longitudinal movement of the lever 7.The mounting brackets 2 with a slot 1 2,that can accommodate an element with rotary shaft 8, are fixed symmetrically to the opposite longitudinal sides of the rail l.The slider 3 is shaped so that it can easily slide along rail I with the lever 7 fixed to the top side having a pair of jaws 21 that form the groove 10 which is big enough to allow helical ribbon screw 5 to move in between with a low friction. The helical ribbon screw 5 may be done by twisting metal ribbon where the application of the interface 11 determines what number of turns should be made. The helical ribbon screw 5 has coupling elements 6 on its ends.

Coupling elements 6 may be permanently attached to the helical ribbon screw 5 and may have slotted, dented or some other shape of the hole 22, which engages with the shaft 15 of the rotary element 8. The limiter blocks 4 are shaped in a similar fashion as the slider 3, so they can slide along the rail and may have a couple of threaded holes with bolts 14 which can be tightened against the top plate of rail I and make the barrier to the movement of slider 3 at the desirable position.

All elements of the interface 11 are shown in the exploded view Fig. 3.

While one preferred embodiment of the invention has thus been described, the invention is not intended to be limited thereby and is to be taken solely by an interpretation of claims, which follow.

Claims

1. A motion interface and coupler for rotary elements comprising a rail with mounting brackets at the longitudinal ends of said rail so each said bracket can accommodate an element with the rotary shaft coaxially facing each other, a helical ribbon screw that is coupled to the shafts of said rotary elements via coupling elements on its longitudinal ends, a slider that can slide along said rail between a pair of adjustable limiter blocks and having jaws with a groove engaged to said helical ribbon screw and a lever from a side of said slider,whereby said elements with rotary shaft can be simultaneously operated either by external reciprocating force applied to said lever or by hosted rotary element.