Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-18
2001-03-06
Paladini, Albert W. (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C318S286000, C318S445000, C318S671000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06198175
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to two switching devices and a process for controlling external force actuated driving devices of a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Switching devices are already known from the prior art such as touch switches, rocker switches, pressure switches or pull switches which have defined on and off switching states. An electric displacement drive which is to be switched by a switch of this kind consequently knows only two switching states: switched on and switched off.
An exception to this is the rotary switch and sliding switch with integrated potentiometer. With defined end positions of the potentiometer or rotary switch which correspond to the end positions of an object to be displaced a normally linear area is formed between the end positions where a signal clearly determined by the position of the rotary switch is issued by the rotary switch. Absolute positions of the object being displaced are thereby allocated to the potentiometer values. It is thereby possible for example when adjusting a window pane by means of an electric window winder drive to set and preselect intermediate positions of the window pane.
Known rotary switches with integrated potentiometer do not allow however a control over the displacement, more particularly the dynamic characteristic values of the displacement of an object being displaced, from each and every switch position. More particularly it is not possible to control the displacement speed and fine adjustment of the displacement. Also the possibility of controlling the displacement speed of an adjustment would considerably increase the general operating comfort.
A switching device according to the preamble of claim
1
is known from European Patent EP A 0 324 291. This relates to an ideal value transmitter for controlling the position of an object with an endlessly rotatable control button which during rotation of the control button produces impulses whose number is proportional to the turning angle of the button. An ideal value relating to the position of the object to be controlled is detected from the number of impulses received, the position of the object to be controlled and the direction of movement. The number of impulses received is thereby calculated from the ratio between the turning angle of a displacement undertaken and the maximum angle accessible for an operator so that the impulses produced code the path which the object to be controlled is to run through starting from the starting position.
French Patent FR A 2 484 168 describes an electrical switching device for a window winder device with an operating element which can swivel in both directions and which depending on the swivel direction causes a closing or opening of a window pane. It is thereby proposed that with a short activation of the operating element the window pane is displaced at high speed. With a long activation of the operating element the window pane is displaced at a slower speed. Corresponding current circuits are provided for this.
German Patent DE 44 04 594 A1 discloses an operating device for steering, accelerating or braking a motor vehicle with an operating element which has a defined neutral position and starting from the neutral position can be displaced in two deflection directions. An adjustment of the steering, of the engine or braking system of the motor vehicle is carried out in dependence on the degree of deflection of the operating element from its rest position or in dependence on the time length of the deflection of the operating element.
From German Patent DE 35 32 575 A1 an electric switch is known for a drive motor with an operating slider. The operating slider is in active connection with a sliding resistance as well as an associated control electronics so that the sliding path of the operating slider is directly proportional to the displacement path of a sliding roof, window or the like.
German Patent DE 37 36 400 A1 discloses a safety device for movable parts, more particularly for window winders and sliding roofs of motor vehicles. A movable part such as a window pane is moved into a closed position by means of a drive motor over a dangerous clamping area where foreign bodies can be clamped between the movable part and a resting part. The displacement speed is thereby reduced in the dangerous clamping area during closing of the movable part.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a switch device and a process for controlling an external force actuated displacement drive in a motor vehicle which allows the operator not only to determine the end values of a displacement but also to have the greatest possible influence on the displacement of the object being displaced, more particularly to influence the displacement speed.
This is achieved according to the invention through a switching device with the features of claim
1
, alternatively through a switching device with the features of claim
16
as well as through a process with the features of claim
26
.
The solutions according to the invention propose adjusting the displacement speed of the displacement drive or an object to be displaced in dependence on the frequency of a control signal impulse sequence which is produced during rotation of the operating element through associated signal producing means. The frequency or period duration of the control signal impulse sequence and thus the dynamics of a displacement is thereby provided by the user through a corresponding operation of the operating element. The greatest possible individual influence on the displacement of an object to be displaced is thereby possible. In particular it becomes possible to influence the displacement speed and thus the positioning accuracy.
The frequency of the control signal impulse sequence is in the case of a rotatable operating element thereby dependent on the speed of rotation of the operating element and in the case of an operating element with definite neutral position dependent on the dynamics and/or degree of displacement of the operating element from its rest position. By dynamics of a displacement of the operating element is meant the speed or acceleration of the displacement. By degree of displacement of the operating element is meant in particular the displacement path, i.e. the deflection of the operating element during a displacement or the deflection angle.
It is likewise within the scope of the invention that when using an operating element with definite neutral position in dependence on the degree and/or dynamics or the displacement of the operating element a resistance value and/or voltage value and/or current value is formed. A resistance-dependent value can be produced for example through expansion measuring strips and a voltage-dependent value can be produced by means of a piezo element. The relevant value is supplied to the control unit and represents a control signal on the basis of which the displacement speed is determined. With a change in the degree and/or dynamics of the displacement of the operating element the resistance value or voltage or current value changes accordingly.
The invention allows the dynamics of the displacement of the displacement drive to be individually determined through the dynamics of a displacement of the operating element. By way of example a rapid rotation of a rotatable operating element, such as a rotatable wheel leads to a high frequency of the control signal impulse sequence and thus to a corresponding high displacement speed of the displacement drive or of the object to be displaced, such as a window pane. The exact dependence between the frequency of the control signal impulse sequence and the displacement speed of the displacement drive can thereby be fixed in a suitable way. By way of example a proportional dependence is carried out, i.e. the displacement speed of the displacement drive is proportional to the speed of displacement of the operating element provided by the user. In another example a discreet association takes place, i.e. certain displacement speeds of the
Bittner Günter
Kalb Roland
Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Co. KG Coburg
Christie Parker & Hale LLP
Paladini Albert W.
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