A switch device of reduced thickness is provided for use in motor vehicles or the like in which a switching element in a casing is operated with an operating knob. Such a switch device can be assembled with ease and is stable in the operation of the switching element. Such a switch device may be installed both on the right side and on the left side, while employing one and the same casing, and is therefore low in manufacturing cost. In the switch device, a switching element is provided inside a casing, and is operated with an operating knob provided on the outer surface of the casing. The switching element is secured to the back of the circuit board by soldering its fixing terminals on the side of the surface of the circuit board, and a driven part of the switching element, which is operated with the operating knob, is stuck out on the side of the surface of the circuit board through an opening formed in the latter. A returning mechanism is provided on the surface of the casing at the position corresponding to the inner surface of the operating knob, and protrudes elastically to abut against the operating knob, thereby to return the latter to its original position. A pair of rocking support pins may be mounted on the outer surface of the casing at the positions which are symmetrical with respect to the middle, in the vertical direction, of the outer surface of the casing, and the operating knob will thus be rocked selectively on one of the pair of rocking support pins.

A switch device of reduced thickness is provided for use in motor vehicles or the like in which a switching element in a casing is operated with an operating knob. Such a switch device can be assembled with ease and is stable in the operation of the switching element. Such a switch device may be installed both on the right side and on the left side, while employing one and the same casing, and is therefore low in manufacturing cost. In the switch device, a switching element is provided inside a casing, and is operated with an operating knob provided on the outer surface of the casing. The switching element is secured to the back of the circuit board by soldering its fixing terminals on the side of the surface of the circuit board, and a driven part of the switching element, which is operated with the operating knob, is stuck out on the side of the surface of the circuit board through an opening formed in the latter. A returning mechanism is provided on the surface of the casing at the position corresponding to the inner surface of the operating knob, and protrudes elastically to abut against the operating knob, thereby to return the latter to its original position. A pair of rocking support pins may be mounted on the outer surface of the casing at the positions which are symmetrical with respect to the middle, in the vertical direction, of the outer surface of the casing, and the operating knob will thus be rocked selectively on one of the pair of rocking support pins.

A button set and switch particularly useful for an automotive power seat switch are disclosed. The button set (12) is a single one-piece, molded set of buttons (20,30,40,50,60,70) each connecting by a living hinge (22,32,42,52,62,72) to a frame (10) such that each button (20,30,40,50,60,70) may be displaced independently but are physically arranged to simulate a preselected design. A printed circuit board (80) may be mounted to the button set (12) and may include a series of clicket switches (82) appropriately positioned to be engaged by each button (20, 30,40,50,60,70) for providing appropriate signals to obtain the desired ouput controlled by the switch.

A dial that is rotatably operable between plural rotary positions is prevented from stopping at a midway position of rotational operation.

In a power seat operation device, a cam portion (52) formed at a dial base (32) has valleys (54A, 54B, 54C) and peaks (56A, 56B) that are alternately arranged in a row along a rotation direction of a dial (58) so as to form an undulation in a radial direction. A slider (78) is supported by the dial (58) so as to be slidable in the radial direction. The slider (78) is abutted against the cam portion (52) by biasing force from a roller spring (88) and fits into one out of the valleys (54A, 54B, 54C) so as to retain the dial (58) at one of the rotary positions. During rotational operation of the dial (58), the slider (78) crosses over at least one out of the peaks (56A, 56B) while elastically deforming the roller spring (88) and sliding with respect to the dial (58).

Control device (10) comprising:

- a carrier (12),

- a control knob (18) which is movably mounted onto the carrier (12),

- actuating levers (26) to be controlled by the displacement of the control knob (18) relative to said carrier (12) in order to cause switching contacts (34) to be actuated,

said control knob (18) being displaceable along a first transverse direction (T1) towards an actuated position, and said control knob (18) being able to be turned on a main axis (X1) towards a first pivoted position,

characterized in that the control knob (18) is connected to an actuating arm (36) which pivots, relative to the carrier (12), only when the control knob (18) is turned on the main axis (X1) towards its pivoted position, said actuating arm (36), when pivoted, causing additional switching contacts (43) to be actuated.

Disclosed is a power seat control unit which comprises a dial-type manual operation switch knob 6 for a reclining adjustment, a seesaw-type manual operation switch knob 7 for a slide adjustment, and a plurality of button-type manual operation switch knobs 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B for tilt and lift adjustments. The dial-type manual operation switch knob 6 is formed in a ring shape, and adapted to allow a seat occupant to selectively perform a frontward inclining adjustment and a rearward inclining adjustment of a seat back of a power seat, depending on a rotation direction thereof, and the seesaw-type manual operation switch knob 7 is disposed on an inward side of the dial-type manual operation switch knob 6 and across a center of the dial-type manual operation switch knob 6, and adapted to allow the seat occupant to selectively perform a frontward displacement adjustment and a rearward displacement adjustment of the seat, depending on a pushed position thereof. The plurality of button-type manual operation switch knobs 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B are disposed on the inward side of the dial-type manual operation switch knob 6 and on both sides of the seesaw-type manual operation switch knob 7, and adapted to allow the seat occupant to selectively perform a tilt-up adjustment and a tilt-down adjustment of a front portion of a seat cushion of the seat, and a lift-up adjustment and a lift-down adjustment of a rear portion of the seat cushion, depending on which of the button-type manual operation switch knobs 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B is pushed.

A keyless entry touch pad system for a vehicle includes a substrate with a plurality of touch zones disposed on one surface of the substrate, and a plurality of electrode patterns disposed on the opposite surface. An inner electrode of each pattern is aligned with one of the touch zones. Each pattern is electrically coupled to an integrated control circuit, which outputs a signal to and energizes the electrodes of the pattern such that electric fields emanate therefrom. The electrode patterns may be capacitively coupled to the integrated control circuit. When the electric field of the inner electrode is disturbed by a stimulus proximate the corresponding touch zone, the component is activated. Upon activation of the components in a predetermined sequence, a controller causes the vehicle door to unlock. A method of unlocking a vehicle is also disclosed.

Die Erfindung betrifft eine Sitzsteuereinrichtung mit einem Berührungssensor und einem Steuerschaltkreis, der in Abhängigkeit von Signalen des Berührungssensors Steuersignale zum Steuern eines Fahrzeugsitzes erzeugt. Der Berührungssensor enthält ein auf einer Trägerschicht aufgebrachtes berührungsempfindliches Gewebe und erzeugt Signale in Antwort auf eine auf dem berührungsempfindlichen Gewebe ausgeübten Kraft. Der Steuerschaltkreis empfängt die vom Berührungssensor erzeugten Signale, bestimmt den Ort der auf dem berührungsempfindlichen Gewebe ausgeübten Kraft und erzeugt Steuersignale zum Steuern des Fahrzeugsitzes in Abhängigkeit vom Ort der auf dem berührungsempfindlichen Gewebe ausgeübten Kraft.

Organe de commande doté d'un bouton de manipulation rotatif autour d'un premier axe et qui peut être au moins sollicité en rotation autour d'au moins un axe secondaire contenu dans un plan perpendiculaire au premier axe, par appui élastique sur au moins un emplacement localisé au voisinage de la périphérie du bouton de manipulation, et d'un circuit électrique muni de composants aptes à commuter selon les sollicitations appliquées au bouton.

Ce dernier est solidarisé à un actionneur qui transmet le mouvement de manipulation qui lui est imprimé auxdits composants, lesquels sont disposés sur une face d'un support de circuit électrique orientée en regard dudit bouton, transmission effectuée via au moins deux pièces formant interface entre ledit actionneur et ledit circuit, d'une part un rotor solidaire en rotation de l'actionneur selon le premier axe, la liaison mécanique entre eux étant prévue pour autoriser des déplacements relatifs selon le ou les axes secondaires, et d'autre part une platine comportant des moyens élastiques de liaison avec le circuit électrique, lesquels sont disposés sensiblement au droit des emplacements périphériques d'appui.