The invention relates to a switch assembly for devices for handling value documents, for example for automatic teller machines, for automatic safes or for cashier systems. The value documents can be in particular banknotes or cheques. The switch assembly comprises a shaft which is connected to a switch body for rotation therewith, wherein the switch body is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft between a first switch body position and a second switch body position. The shaft is rotatable about its longitudinal axis with the aid of a switch lever. The switch lever is in engagement with an armature of a solenoid, wherein the solenoid can be actuated in such a manner that the armature can be moved between a first armature position and a second armature position such that the movement of the armature causes the switch lever to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
Switch assemblies in which the switch bodies are positioned with the aid of solenoids are known from the prior art. When a voltage is applied to a coil arranged in a solenoid housing of the solenoid, current flows through the coil, thus generating a magnetic field. The magnetic field causes the armature to be drawn into the solenoid housing and to be moved in translatory fashion. Said translatory movement of the armature ends at an inner stop in the solenoid housing. The inner stop defines a second armature position which the armature reaches when it is drawn into the solenoid housing and lies against the inner stop. In the second armature position, the armature is held securely by the magnetic field generated by the coil. If the current flow through the coil is interrupted, the armature is released from the second armature position and is moved, for example with the aid of a spring or by gravity, into a dropped first armature position.
The translatory movement of the armature is converted via the switch lever into a rotational movement of the shaft. However, in the solutions known from the prior art, there is frequently not a complete conversion of said predefined rotational movement since, inter alia, the engagement of the switch lever with the armature typically has play. Due to the play and due to manufacturing tolerances of the components, the second switch body position of the switch body, which is fixedly connected to the shaft, in which the switch body is moved by a predefined angle out of the first switch body position, is not always reliably reached. The more the switch body position which is realized differs from the predefined second switch body position, the more the guiding function of the switch body is impaired, which may lead to malfunctions of the device, in particular to jamming of the value documents to be processed.
To eliminate the problem, solutions are conceivable in which the position is corrected at the switch assembly.
The switch assembly is linearly displaced, taking tolerances into account, to an extent until the position deviation from the second switch body position is eliminated. The stroke travel of the switch body can be limited here by a mechanical stop in the guiding element, with the switch body being able to reach the stop before the solenoid armature reaches the stop in the solenoid housing. The holding force with which the magnetic field generated by the coil holds the armature in the solenoid housing becomes smaller as the distance between the armature and the stop in the solenoid housing increases. Undesired, undefined functional states may thereby occur.
It is an object of the invention to specify a switch assembly in which it is ensured that the armature of a solenoid used for the drive reliably reaches the mechanical stop in the solenoid housing and the switch body reliably reaches the second switch body position. This object is achieved by a switch assembly having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments are specified in the dependent claims.
The effect achieved by the switch assembly as claimed in claim 1 is that an elastically deformable element of the switch assembly is deformed at least whenever the switch body has reached the second switch body position and the armature has not yet reached the second armature position. The angle about which the shaft without the provision of the elastically deformable element, i.e. during play-free coupling of the armature of the solenoid to the shaft, has to be rotated further after the switch body has reached the second switch body position and until the armature reaches the second armature position, is also referred to as the compensating angle. In preferred embodiments, said compensating angle can have a value in the range from 0.1° to 3°, preferably in the range from 0.2° to 2°, in particular in the range from 0.2° to 1°, for example from 0.3° to 1°. In other embodiments, the compensating angle can also have a value in the range from 0.01° to 1°, in particular in the range from 0.05° to 0.5°. In another embodiment of the invention, this angle has a value in the range between 3° and 10°, in particular between 5.5° and 7.5°, for example 6.5°. In an alternative embodiment, this angle has a value in the range between 5° and 15°, in particular between 10° and 13°, for example 11.5°.
It is particularly advantageous if the elastically deformable element is deformed from the time at which the switch body has reached the second switch body position and the armature is still moved further as far as the second armature position. It is thereby ensured that the armature reliably reaches the second armature position after the predefined rotational movement of the shaft is already completely converted.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the armature in the second armature position reaches a mechanical stop provided in the solenoid. The effect achieved by this is that the armature is reliably held by the magnetic field generated by the coil. In one embodiment of the invention, the force by which the magnet is held in the second position is 3N to 10N, in particular 6N to 7N. In further embodiments, this holding force can correspond to two to three times said specified range limits.
It is particularly advantageous if the switch lever is rotatable on the shaft about a predefined angular range, and if the elastically deformable element is a torsion spring, wherein one end of the torsion spring is connected to the shaft and the other end of the torsion spring is connected to the switch lever. The predefined functional state, in which the switch body is in the second switch body position and the armature is in the second armature position, is thereby reliably reached. In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the elastically deformable element is a leaf spring.
In an advantageous embodiment, the elastically deformable element is a torsion bushing which comprises two sleeves which are connected to each other by an elastomer element and are rotatable relative to each other, wherein the first sleeve is connected to the switch lever and the second sleeve is connected to the shaft, and wherein the switch lever is rotatable at least about an angular range or freely. This achieves a robust, yielding connection between the switch lever and the shaft.
In an alternative advantageous embodiment, the shaft is connected to the switch lever in a recess of the switch lever via an elastomer. The elastomer can be produced in particular by a 2-component injection molding method. As a result, only a small construction space is required for the elastic connection of the switch lever to the shaft.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the elastically deformable element is a torsion disk assembly which comprises two disks which are connected to each other by an elastomer element and are rotatable relative to each other, wherein the first disk is connected to the switch lever and the second disk is connected to the shaft. This achieves a robust, yielding connection between the shaft and the lever, which connection is simply constructed and takes up little construction space.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the shaft comprises a first shaft part and a second shaft part, wherein the first shaft part and the second shaft part are connected to each other with the aid of the elastically deformable element, preferably with the aid of a spring or with the aid of an elastomer element, and are rotatable relative to each other. The switch lever can be connected here to the first shaft part for rotation therewith. The effect achieved by this is that the predefined functional state, in which the armature is in the second armature position and the switch body is in the second switch body position, can also be achieved in embodiments of the invention, in which the switch lever and the shaft are connected in a form-fitting manner.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the solenoid comprises a solenoid housing, and the switch lever engages in a groove, preferably in an annular groove, of the armature, wherein the elastically deformable element is arranged between the switch lever of the flange of the groove facing away from the stop. It is particularly advantageous if a spacer, in particular a washer, is arranged between the switch lever and the elastically deformable element. The elastically deformable element is preferably a wave washer, a disk spring, an elastomer washer or an O ring. In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the armature comprises a first and a second section, the switch lever is in engagement with the first section, and the first section and the second section are connected via the elastically deformable element. The effect achieved by these embodiments is that already existing switch structures, in which the switch lever and the shaft are connected to each other fixedly or in a form-fitting manner, can be simply and cost-effectively retrofitted. Also in this solution, only a small construction space is required.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the switch body comprises an elastically deformable guiding element which comprises and/or forms the elastically deformable element of the switch arrangement.
It is particularly advantageous if the guiding element comprises at least one elastically deformable switch finger. As a result, no construction space is required in the environment of the switch lever.
Furthermore, it is advantageous if the elastically deformable element presses the switch body against a first stop with a prestress. The prestress can correspond to a force between 1N and 5N, in particular between 2.5N and 3N. The effect achieved by this is that the switch body reliably reaches the first switch body position and is reliably held in this first switch body position.
It is particularly advantageous if the elastically deformable element is arranged and designed in such a manner that, after the prestress has been overcome, a force in the range between 0.05N and 0.15N is necessary per 1 cm stroke of the armature.
Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the description below which explains the invention in more detail with reference to exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the attached figures, in which:
An outer wall 20 of the device 10 for handling value documents accommodates the solenoid 200 and is connected to an inner wall 24 via a bolt 22. The outer wall 20 is illustrated by dashed lines, and the elements located therebehind are illustrated by a solid line. The inner wall 24 accommodates a first guiding element 26 and a second guiding element 28, which is illustrated in
The first guiding element 26 and the second guiding element 28 form a first transport path (T1 in
The rotation also causes a movement of the switch body 120 from the first switch body position P1 shown in
The switch body 120 reaches the second switch body position P2 before the armature 210 has reached the second armature position A2. During the movement of the armature 210 that takes place after the switch body 120 has reached the switch body position P2, the torsion spring 300 which is already prestressed is stressed further by the further movement of the armature 210. During said further movement of the armature, the switch lever 130 is rotated further by a predefined angle about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 110. In another embodiment of the invention, this angle has a value in the range between 3° and 10°, in particular between 5.5° and 7.5°, for example 6.5°. In an alternative embodiment, this angle has a value in the range between 5° and 15°, in particular between 10° and 13°, for example 11.5°.
In the second operating state shown in
In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the armature 210 comprises a first and a second section, wherein the switch lever 130 is in engagement with the first section, and wherein the first section and the second section are connected via an elastically deformable element, in particular via a compression spring. A movement of the armature 210 into the second armature position A2 is thus possible even if the switch body 120 has already reached the second switch body position P2 since the spring is stressed counter to the spring force during the remaining stroke of the armature 210.
In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the switch body 120 comprises switch fingers which are connected elastically to the switch body 120. It is thus ensured that a movement of the armature 210 into the second armature position A2 is possible even if the switch body 120 has already reached the second switch body position P2 since a relative movement between the shaft and the switch fingers of the switch body is possible during the remaining stroke of the armature 210. In a further alternative embodiment of the invention, the switch fingers 120 themselves are elastically deformable, additionally or alternatively to an elastic connection to the switch body 120.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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102017131208.0 | Dec 2017 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/EP2018/086175 | 12/20/2018 | WO | 00 |