WO2011012536A1

WO2011012536A1 - Adaptable starter switch

Info

Publication number: WO2011012536A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/060661
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frederic Maltaverne; Alix Della Fiorentina; Victor Villagrasa
Original assignee: Valeo Securite Habitacle; Valeo Sistemas De Seguridad Y Cierre S.A
Priority date: 2009-07-27
Filing date: 2010-07-22
Publication date: 2011-02-03
Also published as: EP2460171B1; EP2460171A1; FR2948489B1; FR2948489A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a starter switch for an automobile including a stator (1), a rotor (2) rotatably mobile inside the stator (1), an electric power input (+Batt), at least one electric output (S2) suitable for being activated by at least one contactor (5) during the rotation of said rotor (2), said at least one contactor (5) being mounted on a rotary contactor unit (3) coupled with the rotor (2), in which said at least one contactor (5) is movably mounted on the rotary contactor unit (3).

Description

Adaptable start switch

The present invention relates to a starter unit for a motor vehicle.

Most new vehicles use a keyless start system; that is to say that an electronic identifier, for example in the form of a badge, is introduced into a reader which verifies electronic coding and when the badge is correctly identified, the central unit of the vehicle authorizes the unlocking of the steering column and allows the ignition of the vehicle functions. In a second step, in order to start the engine start of the vehicle, the user presses a push button.

These systems have the advantage of no longer using mechanical type encodings that can be easily copied, but also they improve the ergonomics of use.

By cons, these systems are relatively expensive since they require a badge reader, a push button system for starting and an electric steering lock. In addition they are only available for vehicles equipped with remote opening system called keyless, since the mechanical coding by the key no longer exists.

Unfortunately, when a manufacturer wants to offer, in a low-cost product approach, the vehicle equipped with a badge and push button device in a purely mechanical version, it must change the entire starting system to switch to a conventional mechanical system that is, with a mechanical steering column lock with a start switch. This requires changing the shells under the steering wheel, the steering column and the electrical architecture of the vehicle. These modifications are very expensive and they go against the goal of offering a low cost vehicle. It would therefore be particularly advantageous to be able to use the existing architecture as economically as possible to implement a mechanical start switch.

But the mechanical start switches operate by permanent contact establishment that is to say that the start circuit is permanently closed until the engine is shut down while in the push buttons the circuit is closed by a pulse for starting and a pulse to shut down the engine.

The present invention aims to provide such a solution by implanting a mechanical switch in the housing dedicated to the push button.

For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a starter switch for a motor vehicle comprising a stator, a rotor movable in rotation in the stator, a power supply input, at least one electrical output able to be activated by at least one contactor during the rotation of said rotor, said at least one contactor being mounted on rotary switch assembly coupled to the rotor, characterized in that said at least one switch is movably mounted on the rotary switch assembly.

The invention may further comprise one or more of the following features, taken alone or in combination:

the displacement of said at least one contactor is radial;

- The coupling of the rotary switch assembly and the rotor is through a central orifice formed in a cover member, said cover member being disposed between the rotor and the rotary switch assembly;

the cover comprises a second eccentric orifice;

- The at least one movable contactor is carried by a slider moving on a slide of the rotary switch assembly;

- The slide comprises two indexing positions;

- The slide is provided with a finger which is adapted to follow the inner contour of the second eccentric orifice of the lid; the inner contour of the second eccentric orifice comprises at least four segments, at least two descending segments and at least two rising segments;

one of the at least two upstanding segments and one of the at least two downward segments has a distance at the center of the fixed rotary contactor and one of the at least two upstanding segments and one of the at least two downstream segments has a distance at the center of the variable rotary contactor. ;

- The at least one movable switch passes, during the rotation of the rotor in the direction of clockwise, a position where the at least one output is activated, at a position where the at least one output is disabled;

the at least one moving switch passes, when the rotor rotates counterclockwise, from a position where the at least one output is activated, to a position where the at least one output is deactivated ;

- It comprises a second electrical output adapted to be activated by a second contactor, said second contactor being fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly.

Other advantages and characteristics will appear on reading the description of the invention, as well as the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the different parts of a start switch according to the invention,

FIG. 2 is a view of the rear face of a slide bearing a contactor according to the invention,

FIG. 3 is a side view of a slide mounted on a slideway of a rotary switch assembly according to the invention,

FIG. 4 is a view from below of a rotary switch assembly according to the invention, FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a curved profile along which the finger of a slider will move,

FIGS. 6a, 6b to 14a, 14b are views of the front face and of the rear face of a start switch according to the invention at different angular positions of the rotor,

FIG. 15 schematizes the voltage at the outputs S1 and S2 as a function of the angular position of the rotor,

FIG. 16 represents the functional diagrams of a starter unit of the badge + push button type and of a starter unit according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a start switch according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which a stator 1, a so-called flake rotor 2, which is rotatably mounted in the stator, is distinguished among others.

On the rotor 2 is fixed a support piece 3, which will be called here the rotary contactor assembly, on which inner face are mounted two contactors 4, 5. The contactors 4, 5, according to the illustrated embodiment consist of metal blades. One of the contactors 4 is fixed directly to the rotary contactor assembly 3, for example by means of gluing, welding or clipping, and the other contactor 5 is carried by a slider 6 movably mounted on the rotary switch assembly 3 The movable mounting of the slider 6 is provided by a guiding device illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, and is based on a non-limiting embodiment on the principle of a slideway arranged in the rotary contactor assembly 3 in which the base of the slide will be able to slide. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the slideway is in the radial direction with respect to the rotary contactor assembly 3, that is to say that the slide can come closer to the center of the rotary switch assembly 3 or to move away from it.

The contactors 4 and 5 face electrical tracks 7, here three, a central channel which corresponds to the battery supply + Batt, and two channels devices that correspond to two outputs S1, S2. Depending on the position of the contactors 4 and 5 with respect to the tracks 7, it will be possible to obtain a signal + Batt on the output S1, this when the contactor blade 4 makes the bridge between the channel + Batt and S1, and / or a signal + Batt on the output S2, this when the contactor blade 5 bridges the channel + Batt and S2. In other embodiments not shown, the contactors 4 and 5 and the tracks 7 may be replaced by an assembly in which the blades 4 and 5 are replaced by projecting elements, and the tracks 7 are replaced by microswitches actuated by these protruding elements. It would be possible in this case to use only two microswitches, one reproducing the closure of the circuit + Batt - S1, and the other reproducing the closure + Batt - S2.

The electrical tracks 7 are arranged in a support parts 8, which will be called here the static contactor assembly, and interface, at the output of the static contactor assembly 8 that is to say towards the inside of the vehicle, with the electrical connection of the vehicle.

Advantageously and non-limitatively, the static contactor assembly 8 is made with the tracks 7, by plastic overmolding of the static contactor assembly 8 on the tracks 7.

Between the rotary contactor assembly 3 and the rotor 2, there is a cover 9. In the center of this cover 9 is provided an orifice through which a central cylindrical portion 10 of the rotary contactor assembly 3 extending towards the outside and disposed on the outer face of the rotary contactor assembly 3. This central cylindrical portion 10 will be able to mate with the rotor 2. The cylindrical portion 10 plays the female role with its central groove and the rotor plays the role male with a central slice complementary to the groove of the cylindrical portion 10. It is not necessary that the two elements are fixed to each other so that the rotation of the rotor 2 causes rotation of the rotary switch assembly 3. The cover 9 also fits on the static contactor assembly 8, the rotary switch assembly 3 thus being sandwiched between the cover 9 and the static contactor assembly 8.

Finally, the cover 9 has another orifice 11 eccentric and having a curved profile. This curved profile of the orifice 11 will act as ramp up and down to a finger 12 of the slider 6. As illustrated in Figure 2, the finger 12 is a stud extending outwardly of the slider on the opposite side to the face on which the contactor 5 is fixed. The displacement of the finger 12 along the curve profile will cause, as will be described later, the radial displacement of the slide 6.

In known manner, a return spring 13 is disposed between the stator 1 and the rotor 2. It makes it possible to automatically return the rotor 2 to a predetermined position. This aspect will be described in more detail later in the description.

Finally, towards the end turned towards the inside of the vehicle is the cover 14 which will fit on the stator 1. This makes it possible to hold together the rotor parts 1, cover 9, rotary switch assembly 3, contactor 4 and 5 , and static contactor assembly 8 with the tracks 7. The nesting of the cover 12 on the stator 1 is, in the embodiment chosen, by two lugs coming to be clipped on two lugs formed on the outer walls of the stator 1.

We will now explain, from Figures 6 to 13, the kinematics of the different parts of the start switch according to a preferred embodiment.

First of all, as in the starter switches known in the state of the art, the flake rotor 2 can make rotational movement inside the stator 1 only if a key (not shown) having a Conformal profile is introduced into the rotor 2. This is the standard case of a so-called purely mechanical coding. Of course, in other embodiments not shown here, it is possible to integrate, as is known in the state of the art, a transponder antenna to the start switch in order to add an electronic coding to the mechanical coding. It is also possible in this way to remove the mechanical coding of the key and thus overcome the flakes of the rotor.

Since the coding has been recognized, the rotor 2 is rotated with the key in a clockwise direction.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6a to 10a, the rotation of the rotor 2 in the direction of clockwise will cause rotation of the rotary switch assembly 3 in the same direction, because the rotary switch assembly 3 is coupled. directly to rotor 2 as previously described.

The rotation of the rotor 2 starts in an angular position (not shown) of the key, corresponding to a starting angular position PO of the finger 12 of the slider 6 in the curved profile of the orifice 12 of the cover 9. In all the description, the angular position of the finger 12 is calculated with reference to the axis A-A '.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, the curved profile of the orifice 11 comprises several segments, a descending segment SD which is the most eccentric and which corresponds to the curve followed by the finger 12 when the rotation of the key takes place in clockwise, and a rising segment SM which corresponds to the curve followed by the finger 12 when the rotation of the key is in the opposite direction of the clockwise.

The descending segment SD is itself divided into two segments SD1 and

SD2. The first segment SD1 follows the outer perimeter of the rotary contactor assembly 3 from the starting point D, to the point P. Throughout the segment SD1, the distance at the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 is kept constant at the value R. The second segment SD2 starts at the point

P to reach the stop B. The transition from the point P to the stop B occurs with a decrease in the distance at the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3. It goes from a distance R to a distance R1, the distance R1 being less than the distance R. The finger 12 approaches the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 and thus the slider 6 carrying the contactor 5 moves radially toward the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3. In a not shown embodiment, the segment SD2 is a straight line.

As for the rising segment SM, it is also divided into two segments

SM1 and SM2. The first segment SM1 starts at the stop B to go to an intermediate point I. Throughout this segment SM1, the distance to the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 is kept constant at the value R1. The second segment SM2 starts at point I to return to starting point D. The transition from point I to point of departure D occurs with an increase in the distance to the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3. One goes from a distance R1 at a distance R. The finger 12 thus moves away from the center of the rotary switch assembly 3 and thus the slider 6 carrying the switch 5 moves radially away from the center of the rotary switch assembly 3. In a embodiment not shown, the segment SM2 is a straight line.

Note also that an indexing position 11 and 12 is provided on the slide of the rotary switch assembly 3. This allows to hold a fixed position as the distance to the center of the rotary switch assembly 3 does not change. To do this, and in a non-limiting embodiment illustrated between other FIGS. 2 and 4, the slider has zones z1 and z2 made of flexible material capable of extending into the indexing slots A and B, and adapted to erase during the transition from indexing A to indexing B. In another embodiment, it is possible to mount instead of zones of flexible material z1 and z2 spring-mounted parts, and also to envisage making one or more additional indexing.

The displacement of the contactors 4 and 5 is illustrated in FIGS. 6b to 14b. The correspondence of these displacements from the point of view of the power supply is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 15 with a diagram for the output S1 and another for the output S2. In the starting position illustrated in FIG. 6b, that is to say with the finger 12 in angular position PO as illustrated in FIG. 6a, no supply circuit is closed, that is to say that no blade contactors 5 or 6 bridge between two electrical tracks. Thus none of the channels S1, S2 delivers the signal + Batt.

As illustrated in FIGS. 7a, 7b, when the key has rotated clockwise by an angle A1 (not shown) to allow the finger 12 to reach the angular position P1, the rotary switch assembly 3 has also rotated clockwise an angle A1. The contactor 4 fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly 3 is in this position the bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S1. The output S1 is thus activated and delivers as illustrated in FIG. 15 the voltage + Batt. This information is interpreted by the vehicle computer as a start signal, and the vehicle is turned on, that is, a certain number of vehicle equipment is turned on.

This position also corresponds, in a high-end startup device provided with a badge reader and a push button, the presence of a conforming badge introduced in the badge reader.

From the point of view of the contactor 5 mounted on the slider 6, the finger 12 at the angular position P1 has moved on the segment SD1 at a distance from the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 constant R. Thus the slider n ' has not moved radially and so at this stage the output S2 is still inactivated.

As illustrated in FIGS. 8a, 8b, by further turning the key clockwise by an angle A2 (not shown), to allow the finger 12 to reach the angular position P2, the assembly Rotary contactor 3 has also rotated clockwise an angle A2. The contactor 4 fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly 3 is in this position always the bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S1. Output S1 is always activated. From the point of view of the contactor 5 mounted on the slider 6, the finger 12 in the angular position P2 is passed in the segment SD2 with a decrease in the distance at the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3. The finger 12 has approached the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 causing a radial displacement of the slide towards the center of the rotary switch assembly 3. In this position the contactor blade 5 comes to establish a bridge between the + Batt channel and the S2 channel. The output S2 is thus activated, and delivers as illustrated in FIG. 15 the voltage + Batt. This information is interpreted by the vehicle computer as a start signal of the engine, and the vehicle engine is started.

From the point of view of the device with badge reader + push button, this position is equivalent to pressing the push button to start the engine.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9a, 9b, by further turning the key clockwise by an angle A3 (not shown), to allow the finger 12 to reach the angular position P3, the Rotary contactor assembly 3 has also rotated clockwise by an angle A3. The contactor 4 fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly 3 is still in this position the bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S1. Output S1 is therefore still activated.

From the point of view of the switch 5 mounted on the slider 6, the finger 12 in the P3 position has moved further on the SD2 segment, causing an additional radial displacement of the slider towards the center of the rotary switch assembly 3. In this position the contactor blade 5 no longer establishes the bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S2. The output S2 is thus deactivated and as illustrated in FIG. 15 no longer delivers voltage at the output S2.

From the point of view of the device with badge reader + push button, this position is equivalent to the release of the push button, the motor being always running.

At this stage, the vehicle computer, mounted downstream of the output S2, has therefore interpreted, without resorting to significant changes in relation to the case of the badge reader + push button, the activation then the deactivation of the output S2, as a control pulse of the engine start.

Finally, as illustrated in FIGS. 10a, 10b, by further turning the key in the clockwise direction by an angle A4 (not shown), to allow the finger 12 to reach the angular position P4, the rotary switch assembly 3 has also rotated clockwise by an angle A4. The contactor 4 fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly 3 is still in this position the bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S1. Output S1 is always activated.

From the point of view of the switch 5 mounted on the slider 6, the finger 12 in the P4 position, has moved further on the SD2 segment, to reach the stop causing an additional radial displacement of the slider towards the center of the contactor assembly 3. In this position the contactor blade 5 does not establish a bridge between the + Batt channel and the S2 channel. Output S2 is always off.

From the point of view of the device with badge reader + push button, this position is equivalent to the push button in the released position.

The rotation of the key in the direction of clockwise an angle A4 (not shown), to allow the finger 12 to reach the angular position P4 in abutment, was made against the return spring 13 .

As illustrated in FIGS. 11a and 11b, by releasing the key, the return spring 13 automatically returns, by rotation in the counterclockwise direction, by an angle A5, and allows the finger 12 to reach the position angular P5.

The contactor 4 fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly 3 is still in this position the bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S1. Output S1 is therefore still activated.

From the point of view of the contactor 5 mounted on the slider 6, the finger 12 in position P5, has now moved on the rising segment SM, and more specifically here on the segment SM1, at a distance to the center of the assembly rotary switch 3 R1 constant. The slider 6 thus remains in its most recessed position toward the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 because the distance to the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3 R1 has not changed. In this position the contactor blade 5 does not establish a bridge between the + Batt channel and the S2 channel. Output S2 remains disabled.

At this stage, the user did not feel any difference in the behavior of the start switch with respect to a conventional type rotor switch.

In order to extract the key from the rotor 2 it is necessary to continue the rotation in the counterclockwise direction to the starting angular position AO. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12a, 12b to 14a, 14b and diagrammatically from the point of view of the electrical power supply by FIG.

As illustrated in Figure 12a and 12b, when the key reaches the angular position A6, this results in that the finger 12 of the slider 6 passes through a position P6. This is reflected at the level of the contactor 4 by the fact that the contactor blade 4 passes through a position where it no longer establishes a bridge between the channel + Batt and the channel S1, which causes a deactivation of the channel S1.

This deactivation of the S1 output as the first significant step in the removal of the key simulates the extraction of a badge before stopping the engine, a process that is possible in some vehicles. In an alternative, the output S1 remains activated at this stage and in particular until the engine shutdown, ie second activation of the output S2, or even after this step.

At this stage, and at the same time, the finger 12 of the slider 6 has reached the position P6, illustrated in FIG. 12a, 12b, by taking the segment SM2 with a distance at the center of the rotating contactor assembly 3 increasing from R1 to A. The slider 6 has thus started moving away from the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3, but the contactor blade 5 does not yet establish a bridge between the + Batt channel and the S2 channel. Output S2 remains disabled. As illustrated in Figure 13a and 13b, when the key reaches the angular position A7, this results in that the finger 12 of the slider 6 passes through a position P7. This is reflected in the switch 4 by the fact that the contactor blade 4 is always in a position where it no longer establishes a bridge between the + Batt channel and the S1 channel. Channel S1 is always off.

At the same time, the finger 12 of the slider 6 has reached the position P7, by taking the segment SM2 with a distance at the center of the rotating contactor assembly 3 increasing from R1 to R. The slider 6 has continued its distance from the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3, and the contactor blade 5 now comes to bridge the channel + Batt and the path S2. The output S2 is now activated and delivers, as illustrated in FIG. 15, the voltage + Batt. This information is interpreted by the vehicle computer as an engine shutdown signal, and the vehicle engine is shut down.

Finally, as illustrated in Figure 14a and 14b, when the key returns to the starting position AO, this results in that the finger 12 of the slider 6 returns to the starting position PO. This is reflected in the switch 4 by the fact that the contactor blade 4 is always in a position where it no longer establishes a bridge between the + Batt channel and the S1 channel. Channel S1 is always off.

At the same time, the finger 12 of the slider 6 has reached the position PO, by taking the segment SM2 with a distance at the center of the rotating contactor assembly 3 increasing from R1 to R. The slider 6 has continued its distance from the center of the rotary contactor assembly 3, and the contactor blade 5 no longer establishes the bridge between the + Batt channel and the S2 channel. Output S2 is now disabled.

From the point of view of the device with badge reader + push button, this position is equivalent to the release after the second pressing of the push button to shut down the engine.

The vehicle computer has therefore received a signal equivalent to an engine stop control pulse as is the case with a button conventional pusher, thus causing no significant modification of the computer.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment which has just been described. As already indicated, the tracks can be replaced by microswitches. On the other hand it is possible to consider the displacement of the slider other than radial, for example transverse. The device may also be provided with a plurality of fixed contactors movable on the rotary switch assembly.

As shown diagrammatically in FIG. 16, the starter switch, according to the embodiment of the invention which has just been described and which is nonlimiting, is entirely adapted to allow in the simplest and most economical way possible , the passage of a vehicle in a so-called "high-end" version, including a badge, a badge reader, a push button, a computer, a starter and an electric steering lock, to the same vehicle in its version called "low end" with a key, a start switch, a computer, a starter and an electric steering lock.

The passage of the so-called "high-end" version to the so-called "low-end" version is done by introducing into the housing of the push button a start switch according to the invention. The entry of the badge reader can be condemned, and the rest of the mechanical and electrical architecture of the vehicle can be retained.

In another simplified embodiment, not shown, of a starting switch according to the invention, there is only one electrical output activated by a single switch mounted on the rotary switch assembly. In this configuration the activation and deactivation of the single output, during the rotation of the rotor in a first direction, will be interpreted by the computer as the start of the vehicle and the start of the engine, and the activation and deactivation of the single output when rotating the rotor in the opposite direction, will be interpreted by the computer as the shutdown of the engine and the vehicle power supply.

Claims

Motor vehicle starter switch comprising a stator (1), a rotor (2) rotatable in the stator (1), a power supply input (+ Batt), at least one electrical output (S2) capable of to be activated by at least one contactor (5) during the rotation of said rotor (2), said at least one contactor (5) being mounted on a rotary switch assembly (3) coupled to the rotor (2), characterized in that said at least one switch (5) is movably mounted on the rotary switch assembly (3).

2. Start switch according to claim 1, characterized in that the movement of the at least one contactor (5) is radial.

Starter switch according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coupling of the rotary switch assembly (3) and the rotor (2) takes place through a central orifice arranged in a cover piece (9). ), said cover piece being disposed between the rotor (2) and the rotary switch assembly (3).

Start switch according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover (9) comprises a second eccentric opening (11).

Starter switch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one movable contactor (5) is carried by a slider (6) moving on a slide of the rotary switch assembly (3).

6. Start switch according to claim 5, characterized in that the slide comprises at least two indexing positions (11, 12).

Starting switch according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the slider (6) is provided with a finger (12) which is adapted to follow the inner contour of the second eccentric orifice (11) of the cover (9). .

Starting switch according to claim 7, characterized in that the inner contour of the second eccentric orifice (11) comprises at least one minus four segments, at least two descendant segments (SD1, SD2) and minus two upstream segments (SM1, SM2).

Starting switch according to Claim 8, characterized in that one of the at least two upstanding segments (SM1) and one of the at least two downward segments (SD1) has a distance at the center of the rotary contactor assembly (3). fixed and in that one of the at least two rising segments (SM2) and one of the at least two falling segments (SD2) has a distance at the center of the variable rotary switch assembly (3).

Starting switch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one movable contactor (5) is rotated during the rotation of the rotor (2) in a clockwise direction. position where the at least one output (S2) is activated at a position where the at least one output (S2) is deactivated.

Starting switch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one movable contactor (5) passes, when the rotor (2) rotates counterclockwise, a position where the at least one output (S2) is turned on, at a position where the at least one output (S2) is turned off.

12. Start switch according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a second electrical output

(S1) adapted to be activated by a second switch (4), said second switch (4) being fixedly mounted on the rotary switch assembly;