Reset device for turn signal reset switch with trigger finger te

Details Reset device for turn signal reset switch with trigger finger te Reset device for turn signal reset switch with trigger finger te

1997-02-07

1999-01-19

Gellner, Michael L.

Electricity: circuit makers and breakers

Special application

Turn indicator type switches

200 6134, H01H 316

Patent

active

058615920

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention pertains to a reset device with overshift protection for a turn signal reset switch in motor vehicles.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Turn signal reset switches of this kind are located near the steering wheel on the steering column and the automatic reset from one of the two switched-on settings into the neutral middle setting takes place by means of a trigger finger located on the switch, and extending into the circular path of a cam located on the steering spindle.
A reset device of this kind is known, for example, from DE-PS 2,826,597. A similar unit is also described in DE-OS 3,502,650 and also in DE-PS 2,914,742.
For all these known systems, it is important that the trigger finger be tensioned against the steering spindle, and also that it be aligned by spring force in its standard position, with the trigger finger pointing toward the steering spindle in the standard position.
In the reset device described in DE-PS 3,502,650 and also in all the other above-referenced devices, the trigger finger is tensioned in such a manner that two coil springs, attached to one end of it at the switch housing, engage symmetrically in two lateral lugs of the trigger finger. Both springs having a common force component toward the steering column, whereas the torque exerted by both springs jointly onto the trigger finger tends to pull it into its standard position.
A disadvantage in the known reset devices is that the two springs acting on the trigger finger tend to make noise and are comparatively bulky, since they extend through a significant region of the interior of the housing. In addition, the attachment of the four ends of these springs requires an additional effort which cannot be automated, in particular, when the accidental release of one of these springs from one of the mounting points is to be dependably prevented.
Therefore, it is the purpose of the invention to specify a reset unit of the kind specified above, which is of simple design and does not need the reset devices described above nor the two tension springs acting in opposite directions and constructed as draw springs.
The present invention does not use the aforementioned two draw springs, but instead uses a single compression spring, which will also act with a flat contact surface on the flat contact surface of the guide lug. The added advantage of the present invention is that the guide lug is always tensioned against the steering spindle. On the other hand, care is taken that in a pivot movement of the trigger finger--due to the simultaneously pivoted contact surface of the trigger finger against the flat contact surface of the spring--the spring's point of contact is moved from the middle line of the trigger finger and thus an additional torque is applied by the compression spring, which attempts to return the trigger finger into its standard position.
In order to ensure that the contact surface for the guide lug is as large as possible with respect to the spring, and on the other hand, in order not to prevent a potential pivot motion of the guide finger, in a refinement of the invention the guide lug 11 is square having side surfaces adjoining the lateral groove walls 10 having an arc-shaped contour. This further allows the side surfaces of the guide lug to engage, on the one hand, essentially in a line with the side surfaces of the longitudinal groove. On the other hand, due to the arc-like contour of the side surfaces, a pivot motion of the trigger finger will not be prevented.
In order to make the contact surface of the spring as large as possible with respect to the guide lug and thus to obtain the greatest possible torque for a specified groove width during a pivot motion of the trigger finger, in a refinement of the invention, the radius of the side surface is curved like an arc sector is smaller than or equal to one-half the width of groove 10. Accordingly, the contour of the guide lug coincides with sections of a circle whose circumference is in contact with the side walls of the gro

REFERENCES:
patent: 3796846 (1974-03-01), Wilkinson et al.
patent: 4149048 (1979-04-01), Winter et al.
patent: 4315117 (1982-02-01), Kokubu et al.
patent: 4570041 (1986-02-01), Ishiguro
patent: 5030802 (1991-07-01), Noro
Search Report of the German Patent Office for Application P4418328.3.
English Translation of the International Preliminary Examination Report for PCT/EP95/01727.

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