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申请号 | US12590523 | 申请日 | 2009-11-10 | 公开(公告)号 | US20100155208A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2010-06-24 |
申请人 | Theo Beil; Ralf Siegler; Axel Mueller; | 发明人 | Theo Beil; Ralf Siegler; Axel Mueller; | ||||
摘要 | A switch (1) for converting mechanically generated movements into electrical switching signals, consisting of a cover (2) and a carrier plate (3) at a distance from one another and fixedly connected together, a switching element (4) that can be moved to a limited extent relative to the cover (2) and be actuated by one or more pushbuttons (5) facing the carrier plate (3), by means of which the particular adjustment movements of the switching element (4) can be measured and are converted into switching signals, the movement direction of the switching element (4) being perceived as the movement direction of an object, in particular a vehicle seat, and the switch (1) can be operated in at least six different movement directions. | ||||||
权利要求 | What is claimed is: |
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说明书全文 | The invention relates to a switch for converting mechanically generated movements into electrical switching signals in accordance with the pre-characterising clause of patent claim 1 Switches of this kind are often used in motor vehicles, for example as window regulators or for adjusting the seats. Normally, the switching element that is held on a pin in the cover of the switch can be swivelled into two positions, with the effect that two different switching signals can be generated. If, therefore, the switching element is pressed forwards then the seat base is moved in the direction of the steering wheel and if the switching element is pressed backwards then the seat base is moved in the direction of the rear seat bench. It has proven to be a disadvantage with these switches that one switch has to be provided for each movement direction. However, because the seat adjustment has got to be adapted to the individual conditions, it is not only necessary to set the distance from the seat base to the steering wheel but also the inclination of the backrest, the curvature of the backrest, the angle of the seat base in relation to the horizontal plane as well as the height that the seat base should be positioned at in relation to the floor of the vehicle. Furthermore, the switches of prior art can only be pressed or moved to two switching positions, namely forwards and backwards. The movement direction of the switching element in this case often does not correspond to the actual movement direction of the seat that is to be adjusted, with the effect that users have to experiment with switches of this kind in order to establish which switching direction corresponds to the desired movement direction of the seat that is to be adjusted. Due to the large number of switches that have to be provided, their operation is complicated and often leads to considerable confusion amongst users until they are able to find out which switches need to be operated in order to achieve which movement direction of the seat position. It is therefore a task of the present invention to provide a switch of the aforementioned kind by means of which three or more different movement directions can be implemented, for example in order to adjust the a seat in a motor vehicle, and in which it is guaranteed that the particular switching position that is selected is allocated exactly to a movement direction of the object to be moved, in particular a seat. These purposes are achieved by the features that are listed in the characterising part of patent claim 1. Other advantageous further embodiments of the invention are disclosed on the subordinate claims. The actuator plate can be both moved axially and swivelled in the guide groove that is worked into the carrier plate by means of the lever arm and the transmission element, therefore the manual mechanical movements adopted by the switching element can, for example, be allocated to the corresponding movement direction of a vehicle seat. Each actuation direction of the switching element in this case is exactly allocated to the movement direction of the object to be adjusted, in particular a vehicle seat, with the effect that the corresponding user of the switch can operate the vehicle seat adjustment function without the need for trial and error. It is particularly advantageous for blocking elements to be provided, which are connected in a non-positive manner to the actuator plate and the carrier plate, because this guarantees that, when the actuator plate is deflected to a certain switching position, the actuator plate is blocked in other movement directions. The actuator plate can only be guided back from a switching position into the initial position. The pushbuttons facing the carrier plate are arranged offset from one another in such a manner that they are exactly allocated to an advancing movement of the actuator plate, in which case it is guaranteed that the particular movement of the switching element corresponds to the required movement direction of the vehicle seat. The mounting of the actuator plate and therefore of the switching element means that the corresponding adjustment movement of the switching element is perceived as the movement direction of the object to be adjusted. The drawing shows a sample embodiment configured in accordance with the present invention, the details of which are explained below. In detail: The drive motors 40 are provided on the vehicle seat 8 in order to adjust the distance from the seat base cushion 9 to the steering wheel of the car, the height of the vehicle seat 8 above the floor of the vehicle, the angle of the seat base cushion 9 in relation to the horizontal plane. These three adjustment options of the vehicle seat 8 are adopted by one of the two switches 1. The second switch 1 is allocated to the backrest 10 of the vehicle seat 8, by means of which the three other drive motors 40 are controlled in order to allow the angle of the backrest 10, the curvature of the backrest 10 and the height position of the backrest 10 in relation to the seat base cushion 9 to be adjusted. A circuit board 7 is mounted on the outside of the carrier plate 3 and has six pushbuttons 5 arranged on it in various positions. The pushbutton 5 therefore enables a switching signal to be generated which is used for controlling the corresponding drive motor 40. The adjustment of the switching element 4 therefore causes a certain pushbutton 5 triggering. A guide groove 11 is worked into the carrier plate 3 and is aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis 6. Two guide slides 13 are inserted in the longitudinal direction of the guide groove 11 and are secured in this. Guide channels 12 with a dovetailed profile are worked into both guide slides 12. The guide slides 13 are securely inserted in the guide channels 12 and have a guide channel 12 with a transmission element 16 inserted in it in a mobile arrangement in alignment with the longitudinal axis 6 of the carrier plate. A collar 14 is formed onto the underside of the transmission element 16 facing the circuit board 7, which is consequently arranged between the two guide slides 13. A compression spring 15 is provided between the collar 14 and the each of the guide slides 13. The two compression springs 15 therefore hold the transmission element 16 clamped centrally in the guide groove 11. When the transmission element 16 is moved axially in the guide groove 11, one of the two compression springs 15 is compressed, namely the one that has the transmission element 16 pushed in its direction. The other of the two compression springs 15, on the other hand, is extended; once the manual actuating force acting on the transmission element 16 is released, the transmission element 16 is moved back to the initial position by the two compression springs 15. A peg 22 formed on the transmission element 16 projects from the level formed by the carrier plate 3, with the effect that an equalisation arm 17 with a hole 23 worked into it can be connected to the peg 22. In this case, the connection between the peg 22 of the transmission element 16 and the hole 23 in the equalisation arm 17 forms a first rotating joint, the axis of rotation of which is aligned at right angles to the longitudinal axis 6 and the transmission element 16. Another hole 23 is provided in the equalisation arm 17 opposite to the rotating joint 21 and has a peg 22 formed on an actuator plate 18 pushed into it, meaning that the connection between the peg 22 of the actuator plate 18 and the hole 23 in the equalisation arm 17 forms a second rotating joint 20. The two rotating joints 20 and 21 are located at a distance from one another and their axes of rotation run in parallel to one another. The surface of the actuator plate 18 facing towards the cover 2 has a peg 19 formed onto it which projects through and out of a slot 37 worked into the cover 2. The switching element 4 has a hole corresponding with and intended for accommodating the rectangular shaped peg 19, with the effect that the switching element 4 is in a form-fitting connection with the actuator plate 18. The mechanical movements adopted by the switching element 4 are therefore transmitted to the actuator plate 18 following the equalisation arm 17, and are passed on from here to the transmission element 16. The peg 19 is arranged at an identical distance from the two rotating joints 20 and 21. In order for the adjustment movements of the actuator plate 18 to be assigned to the six pushbuttons 5, there are first of all four through-holes 24 worked into the carrier plate 3 with a tappet 25 inserted in each of the through-holes 24. The position of the through-holes 24 in this case corresponds to the four outer pushbuttons 5 on the circuit board 7. If this causes one of the tappets 25 to be moved in the direction of the corresponding pushbutton 5 then it is compressed and this produces an electrical switching signal because a short circuit is created in the pushbutton 5. Two cams 6 are formed onto the two internal end faces of the guide groove 11 aligned at right angles to the longitudinal axis 6 of the carrier plate 3, and these cams 6 can be moved in the direction of the pushbutton 5 arranged below it. The transmission element 16 has two actuator pegs 27 formed onto it and these act on the cams 16 by the axial advancing movement of the actuator plate 18 and move the cams 16 in the direction of the pushbutton 5 arranged below it with the effect that the pushbutton 5 can be switched electrically. This switching position can be seen in In order for the deflection of the actuator plate 18 to be transferred to the axes of rotation 20 and 21, there are two guide slots 41 worked into the carrier plate 3 running in parallel to one another and there is a guide slide 44 inserted into each of the guide slots 41. The two guide slots 41 run at right angles to the longitudinal axis 6 of the carrier plate 3; the guide groove 11 is arranged between these two guide slots 41. A holding slot 47 aligned in the direction of the actuator plate 18 is worked into both of the guide slots 44, and the free end 45 of the actuator plate 18, in particular the peg 27 protruding from it, is inserted into the holding slot 47, with the effect that the actuator plate 18 is in a form-fitting connection with the guide slide 44. Openings are worked into the two end faces of the corresponding guide slide 44 that are opposite one another, and a compression spring 42 is pushed into each of the openings, with the opposite end of each spring 42 supported against the end face of the corresponding guide slot 41. The two compression springs 42 form a spring pair 43 by means of which the guide slide 44 is held centrally in the guide slot 41. If the actuator plate 18 is now swivelled in accordance with Two blocking elements 28 arranged parallel to one another are provided in order to block further deflections of the actuator plate 18 in one of the six switch positions, with these blocking elements 28 taking the form of a rocker, which means they are supported in a swivelling arrangement on a pin 29 on the carrier plate and can move to a limited extent. In order not to prevent the deflection of the blocking elements 28, there are four slots 39 worked into the circuit board 7 into which the corresponding blocking element 28 can penetrate depending on the axial movement direction of the actuator plate 18, which is shown in Two slots 31 running in alignment with one another are worked into the blocking elements. A guide pin 32 is inserted in the slots 31 and passes through a through-hole 47 worked into the transmission element 16. There are two cheeks 34 formed on the actuator plate 18 in order to establish a non-positive connection between the blocking elements 28 and the actuator plate 18, with the cheeks 34 projecting in the direction of the blocking element 28. Each of the cheeks 34 has two guide grooves 35 worked into it, that are aligned in parallel with the longitudinal axis 6 of the carrier plate 3. In the installed condition, the two blocking elements 28 are inserted in the guide slots 41 of the carrier plate 3. Furthermore, each of the cheeks has a trapezoidal opening 36 provided in it, in order to avoid preventing the movements of the actuator plate 18 during this movement. This is because the inner contour of the opening 36 is larger than the outer contour of the blocking elements 28. |