Patent Application
20180329445
The following documents are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth: German Patent Application No. DE 102017110009.1, filed May 9, 2017.
The invention relates to an actuating drive having an operator control device for controlling the actuating drive, and to an associated method for the operator control of an actuating drive of this type.
Actuating drives are used in a large number of applications, in particular in installations for conveying oil and gas. Such installations are in some cases operated under extreme climatic conditions, for example in desert regions or in regions with permafrost ground. Correspondingly harsh ambient conditions can be encountered.
The safe and reliable operation of actuating drives under such conditions represents a challenge, in particular because the persons operating the actuating drives are often wearing gloves, and contamination, for example with oil, additionally occurs during the operation of the installations.
Furthermore, the functionality provided by actuating drives is ever increasing. In the case of actuating drives known from the prior art, there is therefore an observable continuous increase in the number of operator control switches. It is however sought for the actuating drives to be designed to be as compact as possible. This gives rise to conflicts because switches of a certain size required for easy operator control cannot be accommodated in arbitrary numbers in a limited space.
Furthermore, the action of dirt, corrosion or icing can cause switches to become stuck, and can thus result in a total failure of the operator control function controlled using the respective switch. This is critical in particular with regard to operational safety.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the operator control capability of actuating drives and increase the safety thereof. In particular, it is sought to realize a high level of complex operator control functions with the smallest possible number of operator control elements. In this way, it is sought to make a compact design of an actuating drive possible for providing a broad range of functions.
In order to achieve this object, an actuating drive having one or more features of the invention is provided. In particular, it is thus provided according to the invention, in order to achieve the object in the case of an actuating drive of the type mentioned in the introduction, that the operator control device has an inner rotary element and an outer rotary element, and the two rotary elements are arranged concentrically with respect to one another and are rotatable independently of one another about a common axis of rotation.
Through the provision of two concentrically arranged rotary elements, a new approach for the operator control of actuating drives is introduced. Here, the rotary elements permit haptics which are optimized for operator control with gloves. In particular, the operator control device can thus be designed to be free from pushbuttons, that is to say without pushbuttons.
It is also advantageous that, by contrast to the situation with rocker switches, with which only two switching states can be controlled, it is possible for varied and complex operator control functions to be realized by rotation, adjustment and rocking of the rotary elements. This is advantageous in particular if the actuating drive has a display on which the operator control functions performed by the operator control device can be displayed to the user. For example, complex graphical user interfaces depicted on the display can be navigated through easily and quickly by the two rotary switches.
The concentric arrangement of the two rotary elements ensures here that these can be designed to be as large as possible in a given space, in order to thereby permit easy and reliable operator control, in particular using gloves. The provision of a common axis of rotation is advantageous in order, for example, to permit a rotation of the individual rotary elements through 360° and at the same time as large as possible a design of said rotary elements, without the two rotary elements impeding each other in terms of their movement.
According to the invention, the object can also be achieved by further advantageous embodiments described below and in the claims.
For example, in a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the inner rotary element protrudes axially beyond the outer rotary element. It may additionally or alternatively also be provided that the outer rotary element protrudes radially beyond the inner rotary element. By these embodiments, it is ensured that operator control of the operator control device can be performed even using the bulky fingers of a glove, or for example using mittens. Here, it is considered to be particularly advantageous if the entire operator control device is accessible frontally from the front and/or if, at least partially, the circumference of one, preferably both, rotary element(s) is accessible from the side. This is because, in this way, it is made easier to grip the rotary elements.
In a further embodiment, it is advantageous if the operator control device is mounted in a non-destructively removable manner on the actuating drive. This is because, in this way, the operator control device can, in the event of damage, be replaced without the need to make major modifications to the actuating drive. This is preferably realized by a receiving device which defines the axis of rotation of the two rotary elements. A receiving device of said type may be formed for example by a recess on a housing of the actuating drive, into which recess the operator control device, in particular a peg formed on the operator control device, can be inserted. For this purpose, it is for example also possible for a thread to be provided on the peg and a corresponding counterpart thread to be provided on the receiving device. Alternatively or in addition, the receiving device may however also itself form a peg, which in turn fits into a corresponding recess of the operator control device and, with the latter, forms the axis of rotation.
In a further preferred embodiment, the outer rotary element is held axially by the inner rotary element, preferably in a limited angle range. It may alternatively be provided that the inner rotary element and the outer rotary element are each held individually, preferably by an axle that defines the axis of rotation. It is self-evident that, here, the axle may be of multi-part form. By means of these embodiments, the operator control device can for example be designed such that, during rotation of the outer rotary element, the inner rotary element is moved conjointly therewith or else such that, during rotation of the outer rotary element, the inner rotary element remains static. This is because, in both cases, it can be ensured that the inner rotary element is designed to be rotatable relative to the outer rotary element. It is thus possible for control commands to be input using the inner rotary element independently of the position of the outer rotary element.
In another embodiment, it is provided that at least one of the rotary elements has at least one recess, but preferably three recesses, for receiving a mechanical lock. Here, the recesses may be in particular in the form of a groove. Through the provision of at least one such a recess, the respective rotary element can be blocked by the lock. It is therefore possible to prevent unauthorized persons from performing operator control of the actuating drive. The formation of multiple such recesses has the advantage that the actuating drive can be secured in different states predefined by the position of the rotary element secured by the lock.
To expand operator control functions that can be performed using the operator control device, a further embodiment of the invention provides that, for one of the rotary elements, preferably for both rotary elements, there is formed at least one equilibrium position. An equilibrium position may be understood here to mean in particular a predefined position of a rotary element, proceeding from which control commands can be transmitted to the actuating drive by movement of the rotary element.
It is therefore preferable if the at least one equilibrium position can also be read out haptically by a user. The respective rotary element for which the at least one equilibrium position is formed may furthermore be deflectable out of the equilibrium position clockwise and/or counterclockwise, for example by rocking. It is thus particularly easily possible, within a menu, to navigate through individual points of the menu.
It is particularly advantageous here if the respective rotary element is deflectable out of the at least one equilibrium position counter to a first restoring force. This is because, in this way, a rocking operator control movement of the rotary element is perceptible to a user and better controllable. In other words, the haptics for complex operator control functions are improved. It may particularly preferably be provided here that the respective rotary element is switchable over from the at least one equilibrium position into an adjacent equilibrium position counter to a second restoring force. Through the provision of the second restoring force, the switching over between adjacent equilibrium positions can be distinguished from the deflection out of an equilibrium position, that is to say a rocking operator control movement, by a user. Here, it is advantageous if the second restoring force is greater than the first restoring force. This is because, in this case, the user must overcome a greater force threshold for the switching over from one equilibrium position into an adjacent equilibrium position than during the rocking movement of a rotary element. This is expedient in order to prevent inadvertent incorrect operator control.
In a further advantageous embodiment, it may be provided that an angle range of at least +/−5° is provided for deflection movements of a rotary element out of an equilibrium position, that is to say a rocking movement. This angle range however preferably amounts to at least +/−12.5°.
Such angle ranges for deflection movements may be necessary in order to permit haptics suitable for operator control using gloves. Here, the operator control device may in particular be designed such that, in an angle range provided for deflection movements, the rotary element is automatically returnable, by restoring forces, into the equilibrium position used as initial position. In this way, it is made possible that the respective rotary element, when released, always returns into a defined initial position, from which it can be deflected again. In this way, a high number of operator control movements can be performed quickly and without user fatigue, such that operator control comfort is increased.
It may alternatively or additionally also be provided that adjacent equilibrium positions of a rotary element are spaced apart from one another by at least 25°. This measure is also advantageous in order to realize haptics suitable for operator control using gloves.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that a control command input by the inner rotary element and/or by the outer rotary element can be transmitted in contactless fashion, in particular by a magnetic coupling, into a preferably sealed interior space of the actuating drive. This is because the invention has recognized that, by the use of magnets recessed into the rotary elements, in particular at the rear side, it is possible in a particularly elegant manner for complex control commands to be transmitted through a hermetic housing of an actuating drive, such as is prescribed in particular in explosive environments, that is to say for example in gas conveying installations.
For this purpose, the invention proposes in particular the provision of a circuit board on an inner side of a housing cover of the actuating drive, to which circuit board magnetic field sensors, preferably Hall sensors, are attached in a manner corresponding to the magnets of the rotary element, as will be discussed in more detail below. A magnetic coupling between the operator control device and the actuating drive is thus produced by the magnets on the outside in relation to the housing of the actuating drive and the magnetic field sensors on the inside in relation to the housing of the actuating drive.
The contactless transmission of control commands input by the rotary elements is advantageous because, here, by contrast to the situation with conventional switches, apertures in the housing of the actuating drive can be omitted. In other words, the operator control device can thus be mounted on a housing cover which, aside from bores for fastening screws, is designed to be free from apertures.
To achieve the object mentioned in the introduction in the case of an actuating drive with an operator control device for controlling the actuating drive, it is alternatively or additionally provided that the operator control device has a rotary element which has at least one magnet for transmitting operator control movements or control commands into an interior space of the actuating drive. Here, magnetic field sensors for reading out the operator control movements of the rotary element may be arranged in particular in the interior space of the actuating drive.
According to the invention, with regard to the specific arrangement of the magnet or of the magnets within the respective rotary element, it is advantageous if the at least one magnet, in particular the magnets, is/are arranged radially at the outside, and/or so as to face a housing of the actuating drive, in or on the rotary element. The arrangement radially at the outside has the advantage here that the distance covered by a magnet during a rotational movement of the rotary element is maximized. This enables said movement to be read out with high precision. The arrangement axially at the inside, that is to say in particular at or on a rear side, facing toward the housing of the actuating drive, of the respective rotary element has the advantage that a spacing between the respective magnet and a magnetic field sensor corresponding thereto in the interior space of the actuating drive is minimized, whereby a high magnetic field strength at the magnetic field sensor is realized. This is also advantageous for being able to reliably read out the movements of the respective rotary element, in particular allowing for temperature fluctuations, which can influence the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensors.
In a further embodiment, implementing the magnetic transmission concept, complex operator control functions can be realized particularly easily if each equilibrium position of a rotary element is assigned a pair composed of a magnet held by the rotary element and of a magnetic field sensor of a first type arranged in the desired equilibrium position within a housing of the actuating drive. Here, it may be provided in particular that a magnet held by the rotary element is assigned to all equilibrium positions of the rotary element. In other words, this magnet thus generates, in all equilibrium positions used for the control of the actuating drive, a magnetic field strength which can be detected by a magnetic field sensor arranged in the equilibrium position, such that the equilibrium positions can be reliably detected.
It is particularly preferable here if at least one further magnetic field sensor of a second type and/or at least one further magnet are/is provided. This is because, by use of these alternative or additional embodiments, a deflection of the respective rotary element out of an equilibrium position, and preferably the direction of rotation used in the process, is detectable. This is possible because, in addition to a first field strength that is detected by the magnetic field sensor of the first type, a second field strength, which in particular differs from said first field strength, can be detected by the magnetic field sensor of the second type. Through continuous measurement of these two field strengths by the magnetic field sensors of the first and second types, it is made possible to draw conclusions regarding the deflection of the rotary element and in particular regarding the direction of rotation used in the process.
In one refinement of the invention, it is particularly advantageous if the magnetic field sensors of the first type are, for the detection of the set equilibrium positions, arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another such that their magnetic field detection regions do not overlap. Here, a magnetic field detection region may be understood to mean a region, in particular angle range, within which the respective magnetic field sensor is still capable of detecting the presence of a magnet attached to one of the rotary elements. Through the avoidance of overlaps, it can thus be ensured that, in an equilibrium position, always only one of the magnetic field sensors of the first type responds, such that undefined states are avoided.
Alternatively or in addition, it may also be provided here that each equilibrium position of a rotary element, that is to say in particular of the inner and/or of the outer rotary element, is assigned two magnetic field sensors of the second type. Each of these two magnetic field sensors of the second type is designed here for detecting a deflection out of the respective equilibrium position in in each case one direction. By this embodiment, it is for example possible, proceeding from an equilibrium position, for two different direction commands to be transmitted to the actuating drive by rocking the respective rotary element clockwise or counterclockwise. In this way, it is for example possible to navigate up or down within a menu, or it is for example possible for an actuating drive to be moved in a forward or reverse direction.
In a further embodiment, the operator control device may be designed such that at least two magnets are formed on a rotary element. Here, one of the at least two magnets interacts with the magnetic field sensors of the first type in order to detect the equilibrium positions, whereas a further magnet of the at least two magnets interacts with the magnetic field sensors of the second type in order to detect deflections of the rotary element out of an equilibrium position. In this embodiment, too, it is advantageous if the magnetic field sensors of the first type are spaced apart from the magnetic field sensors of the second type such that their magnetic field detection regions do not overlap.
To permit the most efficient possible utilization of the magnetic field sensors, the invention provides inter alia that, for N equilibrium positions of a rotary element, there are provided in each case N magnetic field sensors of the first type for the detection of the equilibrium positions. Alternatively or in addition, it is also provided that, in the case of N equilibrium positions, N+1 further magnetic field sensors of the second type are provided for the detection of operator control movements of the rotary element (3, 4). Said N+1 magnetic field sensors of the second type may in this case be provided in particular for the detection of a direction of rotation of the rotary element.
To achieve the object mentioned in the introduction in the case of an actuating drive with an operator control device for controlling the actuating drive, it is alternatively or additionally suggested that a spring element is provided for generating a restoring force during the deflection and/or switchover of a rotary element. By use of the spring element, it is thus possible for restoring forces to be exerted on the rotary element during deflection of said rotary element, which restoring forces provide feedback, which can be read out haptically by a user, regarding the adjustment of the rotary element. In this way, the operator control of the operator control device is made much more convenient and less strenuous for a user.
Here, the spring element preferably interacts with the rotary element such that a rate of a rise of the restoring force increases with the deflection of the rotary element out of an equilibrium position. Here, it may be provided in particular that said rate of the rise of the restoring force increases before the engagement of the rotary element into a new, adjacent equilibrium position. In a particularly preferred embodiment, for this purpose, different gradients may be provided on a bracing ramp, with which different gradients the spring element interacts in order to increase the rate of the rise of the restoring force.
A refinement of this mechanism with spring element provides that a detent mechanism is provided which provides an engagement, which can be read out haptically, of the respective rotary element in at least one equilibrium position. For this purpose, for example, the spring element itself may be designed for the engagement in the equilibrium position. An engagement into more than one equilibrium position, for example in two, three, four or more than four equilibrium positions, is preferably configured so as to be capable of being read out haptically.
In one embodiment of the invention, the spring element is a leaf spring. In the case of a leaf spring being used, it is advantageous if this is held, in the region of its two ends, by a rotary element. This holding configuration may be configured in particular such that the leaf spring is pivotable about support bearings spaced apart from the ends thereof. Furthermore, it may alternatively or additionally be provided that the ends of the leaf spring are movable, and/or that the leaf spring is of M-shaped configuration.
In one specific embodiment, a cam disk with a sequence of different inclines may be provided. This cam disk can interact with the spring element, preferably with the leaf spring, in order to generate restoring forces of different intensity. In a preferred embodiment, for this purpose, the leaf spring forms a projection, preferably in the form of a convex detent lug, for engagement into at least one corresponding recess of the cam disk, wherein it is self-evidently also possible for multiple such recesses to be provided, depending on the number of equilibrium positions. In a particularly preferred variant, the cam disk furthermore forms end stops. This is because, with these end stops, operator control movements of the rotary element can be rotationally limited. In this way, it is for example possible to prevent the rotary element from being rotated too far.
In a further embodiment, it may be provided that the operator control device is fastenable or fastened by the above-described cam disk to the housing of the actuating drive. For this purpose, the cam disk may be connected or connectable to the housing in particular in punctiform fashion, preferably by a single screw connection. Alternatively or in addition, the cam disk may be connected or connectable to the housing by an axle, in particular the axle described above. Furthermore, the cam disk may bear areally against the housing.
In a preferred embodiment, the cam disk has an encircling rim. The rim is advantageous for increasing the mechanical stability of the cam disk and for providing wide surfaces for the above-described end stops and for the engagement of the spring element.
To realize a particularly efficient and reliable magnetic coupling, the invention proposes that the inner rotary element, in particular a section, which bears a magnet, of the rotary element, is guided through the outer rotary element and/or through the cam disk to the housing of the actuating drive.
Here, it is preferable if a passage window is formed on the cam disk and/or on the outer rotary element. This is because, in this case, it is for example possible for the above-described rim to be of encircling design, which serves for the stability of the cam disk.
To achieve the object in the case of an actuating drive as described in the introduction, the invention alternatively or additionally provides that operator control of the actuating drive can be performed by a magnetic pin. For this purpose, the pin has a magnet at its tip, which magnet, if it is moved close to the outer side of the housing of the actuating drive, can trigger a magnetic field sensor in the interior of the actuating drive and thus impart a control command. It is advantageous here for such pin-based operator control to be configured in particular so as to be possible without actuation of a rotary element or of some other operator control element. In this way, an alternative is thus created with which operator control of the actuating drive can still be reliably performed even in the event of a failure of a rotary or operator control element, for example owing to icing, in an emergency situation.
It is self-evidently possible, for the purposes of the pin-based operator control, for magnetic field sensors to be provided in particular in a (protected) interior space of the actuating drive. According to the invention, it is furthermore advantageous if a facility for changing the operator control device over from manual operator control (that is to say by rotary or other operator control elements) to pin-based operator control is provided. This changeover between the operating modes may in this case be performed using the magnetic pin.
To simplify the operator control by the magnetic pin, it may furthermore be provided that an arrangement of magnetic field sensors of the actuating drive is marked on an outer side of the housing of the actuating drive. Such a marking may for example also be applied below the, preferably removable, operator control device, such that no additional surface area is required. The markings or operator control symbols may be easily formed for example by adhesive labels or inscribed metallic plates.
According to the invention, to achieve the stated object, one or more features of the method may be used. In particular, according to the invention, to achieve the object in the case of a method for the operator control of an actuating drive, wherein the actuating drive has an operator control device with at least one rotary element and may be designed in particular as described above, it is provided that all of the control commands required for the operation of the actuating drive can be input by operator control of the at least one rotary element, that is to say in particular by operator control of two rotary elements. This method thus provides, in a complete departure from previous approaches, that the number of operator control elements be kept as low as possible and that the required complexity of operator control be ensured not by a high number of operator control elements but by complex operator control capability of the rotary elements. Here, in the case of at least two rotary elements being used, it is preferable if operator control of these is performed partially simultaneously and/or in parallel and/or using two hands. This is because, in this way, it is possible for even complex control commands to be transmitted easily, reliably and quickly to the actuating drive.
To achieve the stated object, the invention alternatively or additionally provides a further method. This provides that, for the operator control of an actuating drive using an operator control device with at least one rotary element, all of the control commands required for the operation of the actuating drive are transmitted in contactless fashion through a housing of the actuating drive into an interior space of the actuating drive. This method is expedient in particular for applications in which high demands are placed on explosion protection, such that leadthroughs through the housing of the actuating drive should be avoided as far as possible.
According to the invention, the methods presented above can be advantageously further refined if control commands are transmitted to the actuating drive preferably exclusively by virtue of at least one rotary element being rotated from a first equilibrium position into an adjacent equilibrium position. Alternatively or in addition, it is also possible for a rotary element to be deflected out of an equilibrium position as far as defined switchover points in order to transmit control commands. For easy operator control, it is particularly advantageous here if both the equilibrium positions and the switchover points can be read out haptically. For this purpose, the invention proposes in particular that the at least one rotary element is held in the equilibrium positions by a detent mechanism.
A further refinement of the method provides for providing a possibility, preferably using the abovementioned magnetic pin, of switching over between manual operator control by the at least one rotary element and operator control by the magnetic pin. Here, the switchover between the operator control modes may advantageously be performed by using of the magnetic pin.
The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments, but is not restricted to these exemplary embodiments.
Further exemplary embodiments arise through combination of the features of individual or multiple claims with one another and/or with individual or multiple features of the respective exemplary embodiment. In particular, it is thus possible for embodiments of the invention to be obtained from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the general description, the claims and the drawings.
In the drawings:
As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of the housing cover 20 in
For this purpose, the two rotary elements 3, 4 are mounted rotatably on a common static axle 15 (see also
Due to the screw connection produced between the receiving device 6 and the stud 26 of the axle 15, the operator control device 2 can be non-destructively removed from the actuating drive 1 by virtue of the axle 15 being unscrewed from the receiving device 6. After the removal of the operator control device 2, the outer surface, situated beneath said operator control device, of the housing cover 20 is accessible, which permits the above-discussed operator control of the actuating drive 1 by the use of a magnetic pin.
As can also be seen in
The studs 26 of the cam disk 27 secure the operator control device 2 against rotation. Therefore, a single screw connection is sufficient for connecting the operator control device 2 to the actuating drive 1 in rotationally fixed fashion.
A notable feature of the technical solution illustrated in
As can be clearly seen in
The outer rotary element 4 can be positioned in three different equilibrium positions 9, which are denoted in
As shown in
By contrast, the spring element 16 of the inner rotary element 3 is formed as a helical spring 25. In the exemplary embodiment shown in
By use of the spring elements 16 (that is to say the leaf spring 24 and the helical spring 25), restoring forces can be generated which can be read out haptically by a user, such that the user can feel the adjustment of the respective rotary element 3, 4.
As can be seen viewing
During rotation of the outer rotary element 4 relative to the static cam disk 27, which bears areally against the housing 14, the projection 30 of the leaf spring 24, which is moved conjointly with the outer rotary element 4, moves along a bracing ramp 17 of the cam disk 27. Here, different gradients are formed on the bracing ramp 17, such that, with increasing deflection out of an equilibrium position 9, the restoring force generated by the leaf spring 24 and acting on the outer rotary element 4 increases continuously.
Considering the detailed view of
Furthermore, two end stops 32 in the form of protuberances are formed on the cam disk 27. The projections 30 formed on the outer rotary element 4 abut against said end stops 32, such that the rotation of the outer rotary element 4 is limited to a predefinable angle range, as can be easily comprehended when viewing
As shown in the cross-sectional view of
If, for example, the outer rotary element 4 is rotated while the inner rotary element 3 is stationary, then, owing to the leaf spring 24 discussed above, a first restoring force acts as soon as the outer rotary element 4 is deflected out of one of the three equilibrium positions 9a, b and c.
By contrast, if it is sought to adjust the outer rotary element 4 for example from the equilibrium position 9a illustrated in
This second restoring force acts at the above-described switchover points 31. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in
In particular, two-handed and simultaneous operator control of the inner rotary element 3 and of the outer rotary element 4 is, as illustrated in
The exemplary embodiment of an operator control device 2 shown in
In order that an adequately large deflection range is available for such rocking movements, it is the case in the exemplary embodiment shown in
A further aspect of the invention illustrated in the figures consists in the contactless transmission of control commands, input by the rotary elements 3 and 4, to the actuating drive 1, more specifically into the protected interior space 10 of the actuating drive 1. This is because, as can be clearly seen in
Here, for the detection of the three equilibrium positions 9a, 9b and 9c (see
As shown in
For the reading-out of rotary operator control movements of the inner rotary element, more specifically of the magnet 11 thereof, two further magnetic field sensors of a third type 34 are arranged on the circuit board 21 in
In
Furthermore, in
In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures, the magnet 11, illustrated at the bottom left in the rear view of
If the outer rotary element 4 is situated for example in the equilibrium position 9c shown in
Here, in
Viewing
A further aspect of the present invention consists in the formation of a complex detent mechanism 18, the functioning of which has already been discussed in detail on the basis of
By use of the above-described projection 30 which is formed on the leaf spring 24, which engages into the corresponding recesses 7 on the cam disk 27 and which in particular interacts with the different gradients of the bracing ramps 17 of the cam disk 27, it is possible for both holding forces and restoring forces to be exerted on the rotary element 4, which forces can be read out haptically by a user. It is advantageous here that, during the operator control of the operator control device 2, a user can direct his or her view to the display 19 shown in
In the case of the M-shaped leaf spring 24 shown in
To increase reliability in the operator control of the actuating drive 1, the invention furthermore proposes a method with which operator control of the actuating drive 1 can be performed by a magnetic pin. This is because, viewing
Here, to simplify the operator control, it may be provided that, after removing the operator control device 2 from the actuating drive 1, a user, using the magnetic pin and with guidance being given for example by a user interface presented on the display 19, firstly changes the actuating drive 1 over from manual operator control to pin-based operator control. For this purpose, it may for example be provided that certain magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 must be triggered successively in a particular sequence using the magnetic pin.
As shown in
To be able to utilize rocking movements of the outer rotary element 4 for inputting control commands, the defined switchover points 31 shown in
As a result of the engagement of the projection 30 of the leaf spring 24 in the corresponding receptacle 7 of the cam disks 27, it is ensured that the outer rotary element 4 is held securely in the respective equilibrium position 9. There is thus always a defined initial position available, proceeding from which rotational operator control movements can be performed.
Finally,
In summary, to improve the operator control capability of an actuating drive 1, it is provided that switches be dispensed with and, instead, at least two rotary elements 3, 4, that is to say actuating elements for rotational operator control, be arranged concentrically with respect to one another such that these can be operated using both hands and, in the process, are rotatable individually and independently of one another, preferably about a common axis of rotation 5. It is also provided that rotational adjustment movements of the two rotary elements 3, 4 be transmitted in each case by a magnetic coupling through a housing section, which is designed without apertures, of the actuating drive 1 into an interior space 10 of said actuating drive, such that, for reading out the magnetic fields, use can be made of conventional Hall sensors, and the housing 14 of the actuating drive 1 can be designed to be explosion-proof. This approach furthermore makes it possible, in the event of a failure of the rotary elements 3, 4, for example owing to icing, for the magnetic fields required for operator control to be transmitted into the interior space 10 by using a magnetic pin, such that high operational reliability can be ensured under all circumstances.
1 Actuating drive
2 Operator control device
3 Inner rotary element
4 Outer rotary element
5 Axis of rotation
6 Receiving device
7 Recess
8 Mechanical lock
9 Equilibrium position
10 Interior space
11 Magnet
12 Magnetic field sensor of a first type
13 Magnetic field sensor of a second type
14 Housing (of the actuating drive)
15 Axle
16 Spring element
17 Bracing ramp
18 Detent mechanism
19 Display
20 Housing cover
21 Circuit board
22 Angle range
23 Detent lugs
24 Leaf spring
25 Helical spring
26 Stud
27 Cam disk
28 Support bearing
29 End (of the leaf spring)
30 Projection
31 Switchover point
32 End stop
33 Thread
34 Magnetic field sensor of a third type
35 Rim
36 Holding element
37 Driver
38 Passage window
39 Viewing window
40 Receptacle (of the housing)
41 Recess (of the housing)
42 Recess (for spring element)
43 Step
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102017110009.1 | May 2017 | DE | national |
