The invention relates to operators for fluid flow control devices, such as valves, for example. In particular, this invention relates to operators for air valves, for example of the type including a manually engageable button mounted on a plunger for controlling the position of the plunger and thus the operation of the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,208 shows a knob and shaft assembly for operating, for example, a vehicle air brake control valve. The assembly includes a knob having a front face and a barrel projecting from the face, and a shaft which is threadedly engaged with threads on the barrel. The assembly is provided with locking detents comprising protrusions on the shaft which are received within apertures on the barrel to releasably lock the knob to the shaft, thereby preventing the parts from being accidentally becoming disengaged. This also helps to assure the proper orientation of the knob with respect to the shaft to permit indicia embossed on the knob to be easily read by the operator.
In some vehicles, for example tractor-trailers with air brake systems, there is a module or assembly in which there are two vehicle air flow control devices (referred to herein as “switches”) next to each other, forming the assembly. The switches have plungers on which the switch buttons are mounted, with labels on the buttons.
In one such switch assembly, one device is labeled as a “red” switch, that is to be installed in a vehicle dashboard for controlling trailer air supply. The other device is labeled as a “yellow” switch, that is to be installed in a vehicle dashboard for controlling a different function, for example, parking brake. The switches are different colors to distinguish them.
Depending on the vehicle, the switch assembly can be mounted in the vehicle cab in either a horizontal (two switches left and right) orientation, or in a vertical orientation. In either case, when the switch assembly is in the installed position, the labels on the two buttons must be upright—that is, the text on the labels must be oriented upright for reading by the driver.
The buttons and switches may be manufactured so that either button can physically fit onto either switch, to minimize the number of unique parts, for cost purposes. In such a case, it is important that the buttons for the red and yellow switches not be swapped on their switches, to prevent having the incorrect switch be activated when the supposedly correct button is engaged.
In accordance with the present invention, the three parts—switch, button, label—are designed to minimize the possibility of two labeled buttons being swapped on their switches. The invention provides a method and apparatus that ensures that if the parts are assembled incorrectly or mislabeled, or if the buttons are thereafter swapped on the switches, it will be very obvious; then, if one attempts to fix such a problem, it (a) can only be fixed by placing the buttons on the correct switches, and (b) it can not be fixed by leaving the buttons on the wrong switches.
At least two similar air flow control devices (
The device designated 10r is a “red” switch, that is to be installed in a vehicle dashboard for controlling a particular function for example, trailer air supply. The device designated 10y is a “yellow” switch, that is to be installed in a vehicle dashboard for controlling a different particular function, for example, parking brake. It is important, as discussed above, that the control buttons for the red and yellow switches 10r and 10y not be swapped, to prevent having the incorrect switch be activated when the supposedly correct button is engaged.
By “similar” is meant that the two devices 10r and 10y, although they may operate differently and control different functions, are effectively the same as to their plunger configurations. Thus, if a button physically fits on a plunger of one device 10r or 10y, it will physically fit on the plunger of the other device 10y or 10r. The flow control devices may be similar or, in some cases, even identical, to minimize the number of unique parts, for cost purposes.
Each button (control button) 14r or 14y is an item that is manually engaged by the driver to apply force for changing the state of the associated flow control device. The “plunger” 12r or 12y is the portion that receives force from an associated button to operate the device. It could be a portion that moves in and out, for example, in an air valve; it could be a portion that rotates; etc.
The devices 10r and 10y could be two air valves, or two electric switches. The two devices 10r and 10y could be in one housing with two projecting plungers. The two devices 10r and 10y together form a “switch assembly” 16. In one embodiment, the devices 10r and 10y are push-pull air valves and the plunger is a shaft that moves in and out in the valve. In
Each device 10r and 10y (
The plunger 12 of each device 10 has a button orientation feature—pin, track, detent, slot, etc. The button orientation feature is designed to interact with a feature on a button that is placed on the plunger, to help ensure proper orientation of the button on the plunger. Such orientation of the button on the plunger is independent of the orientation of the device as a whole. In the illustrated embodiment, each plunger has an axially extending rib that serves as the button orientation feature. Thus, the plunger 12r of the device 10r has a button orientation feature 22r, and the plunger 12y of the device 10y has a button orientation feature 22y. In each case the button orientation feature 22 is at a particular circumferential location about the axis of the plunger 12, relative to the timing mark 20 of the device 10 itself.
When the two devices 10r and 10y are assembled together for use in a vehicle, they are oriented 180° apart, as shown in
At least two similar (or identical) buttons (
Each button also has a label space 29 for receiving a label, such as, for example, an adhesive label. In the illustrated embodiment, the label spaces 29 are circular. Each button 14r or 14y has a timing mark 28 at or near or adjacent its label space 30. The timing mark 28 is used as described below to help orient a label on the button. In each button the timing mark 28 is at a particular circumferential location about the button, relative to the plunger orientation feature 24 of the button.
At least two labels (
The labels 30 and 32 are different from each other, having different visual indicia such as color and symbols and words, to indicate the different function of the device on which the label is placed. This concept is brought out in the illustrated example, in which one label 30 is red, with the letter R thereon, and is used on a device 10r that controls trailer air supply, while the other label 32 is yellow with the letter Y thereon, and is used on a device 10y that controls parking brake. Otherwise, the labels 30 and 32 may have the same configuration or shape, that is, both being circular, for example, as shown, to minimize cost.
Each label 30, 32 has a respective timing mark 34 for association with a timing mark 28 of a button. The timing mark 34 is used as described below to help orient the label in a particular rotational position on a button. Between the two labels 30 and 32, the timing marks 34 may, as shown in
One step in the assembly process (
In the illustrated example, the label 30 is placed on the button 14r, and the label 32 is placed on the button 14y, aligning their timing marks 34 and 28 as shown. The step of aligning the timing marks 34 and 28 on the yellow button 14y and label 34, and the timing marks 34 and 28 in the red button 14r and label 32, causes one of the two labels (in this case the yellow label 32) to appear to read “upside down” if the two identical buttons are oriented the same as each other as shown in
With the “R” label 30 on the button 14r, that button 14r becomes a “Red” button. Similarly, with the “Y” label 32 on the other button 14y, that button 14y becomes a “Yellow” button.
Another step in the assembly process (
The plungers as noted above have button orientation features 22 for receiving and engaging the buttons, features that are orientation specific. When the two devices are oriented 180° apart in this manner, these button orientation features 22 on the plungers 12 are, as a result, 180° apart.
When the labeled buttons 14r and 14y are installed onto the plungers, the buttons are to be set to particular rotational positions on the plungers. Specifically, the required or desired positions are ones in which, for each button/switch combination, the text is upright. This can be done as shown in
With the two devices 10r and 10y (
Putting the buttons 14r and 14y on the correct plungers, as shown in
This assured upright positioning of the buttons on the plungers can be accomplished in this manner, if the switch assembly 16 does not need to be configured so that it could be mounted either vertically and horizontally in the vehicle 18 (
As noted above, however, there is a requirement that the switch assembly 16 be able to be mounted in either a horizontal or a vertical (90° rotated) orientation in the vehicle 18. This is accomplished by providing (
The detent range can be provided with multiple features on the button and one feature on the plunger, or vice versa. In the particular example shown in the drawings, which is only one of the various different ways in which this can be accomplished, each one of the buttons 14 shown in
Each detent range as a result includes two “correct” positions—a first one in which the button 14 is oriented correctly on the plunger 12 for the case in which the switch assembly 16 is to be mounted horizontally, and a second one in which the button is oriented correctly on the plunger for the case in which the assembly is to be mounted vertically. These two “correct” positions are at opposite ends of the 90° range of detent positions.
The “detented” engagement between the plunger 12 and the button 14 can be provided, for example, with a male detent feature on the button and a female detent feature on the plunger, or vice versa. Alternatively, it can be provided via a simple push on then detent (rotate) into correct rotational position movement. Or, alternatively, it can be provided by the use of any rotatable path with detents: push a button 14 on at a predetermined point, then rotate it to its to final detented position.
Because of the 90° range of engagement that is provided when the button 14 (
With two devices being assembled, there are several possibilities, as shown schematically in
Thus, if the two buttons 14r and 14y are mistakenly put on the wrong plungers, (that is, if the R button is on the Y plunger and the Y button is on the R plunger), which could be called an “impostor” assembly, the indicia on the two labels can not both be upright—whether in the vertical (
It can be seen that for each “impostor” assembly, that is, with the buttons on the wrong switches, the two buttons 14r and 14y can be oriented so that their indicia extend in the same direction, as is desired. However, the range of possible rotational positions of each button 14 on its plunger 12 is such that there is no position within that range in which both (a) the text is upright and (b) both labels' texts extend in the same direction if the buttons are on the wrong switches.
In such a case, then, with the Y and R buttons being swapped on the two air flow control devices 10, this “impostor” positioning can not be fixed by keeping the buttons on the same plungers and rotating them thereon, to make all text on both buttons be upright. An assembler or operator, for example, can remove the buttons 14 and try to replace them upright on the same plungers 12, but will necessarily fail to produce a result in which both (a) the text is upright and (b) both labels' texts extend in the same direction. When this is noticed, the assembler or operator will realize that the buttons 14 are swapped (in an “impostor” position), and will know to fix the problem by removing the buttons completely from the incorrect plungers 12, and by then placing them onto the other/correct plungers.
The switches as manufactured may be identical to each other, to minimize expense. The buttons as manufactured may also be identical to each other. Only the labels need to be different from each other, as it is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture different labels.
From the above description of the invention, those skilled in the art will perceive improvements, changes, and modifications in the invention. For example, other types of air flow control device operators are usable. Thus, the invention is applicable to a plunger for an electric switch that controls an air valve; to a manually controlled electric switch located in, for example, a vehicle dashboard, that provides electric current to a solenoid (near or remote) or valve that the provides the control of the air flow. Such improvements, changes, and modifications within the skill of the art are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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