DE29520079U1 - Knob with two actuation functions - Google Patents

Description

Diehl GmbH & Co., Stephanstr. 49, 90478 Nuremberg Rotary knob with two operating functions

The invention relates to a rotary knob with two actuation functions by turning and pressing.

One such function is that of an operating mode selector switch.
5

Basically, such rotary knobs are known, e.g. in car radios, where the volume is regulated by turning a rotary knob, whereas pressing the rotary knob starts a station search.

In contrast, the object of the invention is to use the rotary knob in one position to select functions and in the other to trigger an adjustment function.

A solution to this problem is explained in claim 1.
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Further developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

The basic idea of the invention is to use a rotary knob in its normal position to select several functions on a device, in particular a stove timer, by turning it to several defined positions. In the selected position, the rotary knob can be pressed and triggers an adjustment function by generating a pulse for the selected function. At the same time, a corresponding adjustment is made on a time display. In this way, in addition to the time of day setting, a cooking duration, an end of cooking time or a start of cooking time and a short time can be set on a stove timer. What all of these functions have in common is that they require a time setting. In the sense of the invention, however, it is also possible to select functions in which the adjustment function, for example, sets a temperature. It is important that the size of the adjustment is visible on the display for the adjustment function.

30

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment example and the drawing.

Show it:

Figure 1 is a block diagram showing the functionality of the rotary knob in a device;

Figure 2 shows a section through the rotary knob in normal position along the line II-II (Fig. 4);

Figure 3 shows a section similar to Figure 2 through the rotary knob in the pressed position;

Figure 4 is a top view of the conductor tracks with a transparent contact disk.

The block diagram in Figure 1 shows a rotary knob (1) which has outputs (2) and (3). At the output (2) several lines, shown here schematically with one line, go to a control circuit (4) and transmit the information for the function set by turning the rotary knob. The output (3) is connected to a switch (5) which can connect a pulse generator (6) to a display memory (7). The latter is connected upstream of a display, digital or analog. At the output (3) of the rotary knob (1), after the desired function has been selected by turning, a signal appears by subsequent pressing, which closes the switch (5) and counts pulses from the pulse generator into the display memory (7). From this display memory (7), on the one hand, the display is adjusted according to the pulse input, and on the other hand, information about its counter reading is sent to the control circuit (4), which then controls the desired function in the device at its output (9).

According to Figure 2, the rotary knob (1) is mounted with its housing (10) on a circuit board (11). A slidably mounted switch spindle (12) is provided in the housing (10), which can be moved downwards in the drawing against the force of a spring (13). The shaft of the actuating knob (not shown) can be mounted in a hole (14).

The switch spindle (12) is secured against falling out of the circuit board (11) by a spring-loaded part (10a). A safety hook (15) is provided on the switch spindle (12) which - in the pre-assembled state, i.e. before snapping into the circuit board - prevents a contact disk (17) from being pushed out by the spring (13). A rib (16) is also molded onto the switch spindle (12), which serves to deflect the contact disk (17). This contact disk (17) is mounted on the switch spindle (12) in a way that prevents it from twisting but can be tilted.

It has several contacts, of which contacts (18) and (19) are visible in Figure 2 and interact with conductor tracks (20) and (21) on the circuit board (11). Finally, (22) designates a support contact which, in the exemplary embodiment, rests on the concentric conductor track (20), but in this case has no electrical function. When the rotary knob is not pressed, the pressure spring (13) holds the contact disk (17) in the horizontal position shown, in which the contact (18) interacts with the conductor track (20). The support contact (22) rests on the circuit board (11).
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For precise adjustment of the rotary knob to the desired functional positions, a detent (23) is provided on the switch spindle (12), which interacts with a spring-loaded part (10a) of the housing (10).

In Figure 3, the rotary knob is shown in the pressed position. You can see that the switch spindle (12) has moved downwards and compressed the spring (13). The movement of the switch spindle (12) also moved the rib (16) downwards and tilted the contact disk (17) slightly clockwise. The contact (19) of the contact disk now comes into contact with the conductor track (21). The contact (18) remains on the conductor track (20), whereas the support contact (22) lifts off the circuit board (11).

Figure 4 shows the circuit board (11) with the conductor tracks (20, 21 and 23). The actually opaque contact disk (17) is shown transparent in Figure 4 for better visibility, in order to allow a view of the conductor tracks underneath it and the corresponding contacts. The contact disk (17) rests with its contact (18) on the innermost conductor track (20). The conductor track sections (23) are covered by a contact (24) when the contact disk (17) is rotated. This contact (24) cannot be seen in Figures 2 and 3, as it is located behind the switch axis (12). The conductor track (20) is the central conductor track connected to a pole of the power source, the conductor track (23) is used to select the functions due to its segmentation, i.e. each of these segments is assigned to a different function of the device. Finally, the conductor track (21) is assigned to the adjustment function and, regardless of where the contact (19) is located on this conductor track, always triggers the same pulse generation by the pulse generator (6).

Claims (8)

Expectations 1. Rotary knob with two operating functions by turning and pressing, characterized, that by turning to defined positions, different functions can be selected and when pressed in the selected position, an adjustment function on a device with a time display (8) is carried out by automatically generating pulses. 2. Rotary knob according to claim 1,
characterized, that the rotary knob (1) is used in a cooker timer and contains several functions that can be shown on the time display (8), such as time, cooking duration and/or start of cooking time and/or end of cooking time, and with the adjustment function the desired time is set for this function. 3. Rotary knob according to claims 1 or 2, characterized, that the rotary knob (1) has a rotary axis (12) mounted on a circuit board (11) with conductor tracks (20, 21, 23) with a contact disk (17) mounted on it in a rotationally secure but tiltable manner, and that this contact disk cooperates with different conductor tracks in the two tilted positions (tilted, not tilted). 4. Rotary knob according to claim 3,
characterized, that at least three circular, concentrically arranged conductor tracks (20, 21, 23) are provided on the circuit board (11), of which the innermost (20) is connected to a common pole of the voltage source, the middle (23) consists of several individual track segments, each assigned to a function, and the outermost (21) is assigned to the adjustment function and extends over a partial area of the circular circumference. 5. Rotary knob according to claims 3 and 4, • · · &igr; characterized, that the round, continuously conductive contact disk (17) has at least three contacts (18,24,19) which interact with the conductor tracks (20,21,23) on the printed circuit board (11).
5 6. Rotary knob according to claim 5,
characterized, that a support contact (22) is located opposite the contact (19) for the outermost conductor track (21) on the side facing away from the axis of rotation (12), which supports the contacts on the inner (20) and the middle (23) conductor track when the contact disk (17) is not tilted. 7. Rotary knob according to claim 5,
characterized, that the contact disk (17) tilted against spring force (13) additionally brings the outermost contact (19) into electrical connection with the outermost conductor track (21), whereby the support contact (22) lifts off from its support on the circuit board (11), preferably the inner conductor track (20). 8. Rotary knob according to claims 3 and 7, characterized, that a rib (16) is arranged on its axis of rotation (12), which in the position of the rotary knob "adjust" presses against the spring force on the contact disk (17) on one side and tilts it.