Rocker switch element for motor vehicles with protection against unwanted actuation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10614978-B2
Application number	US-201715806519-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2017
Priority date	Nov 28, 2016
Publication date	Apr 7, 2020
Grant date	Apr 7, 2020

Abstract

A rocker switching control element for electrical sliding roofs on a vehicle overhead panel has an actuation rocker formed as a switch with switching positions and is arranged on a substantially planar control panel. The actuation rocker is recessed such that it does not project beyond the panel edge region. The transition between the panel edge region and the actuation rocker is formed with the panel edge region forming over a first width a goblet-like edge set back by a first depth, and an adjoining edge, separated by a gap of width, of the actuation rocker, which edge is recessed by more than the first depth in the non-actuated state and set further back continuously over a second width by a second depth. The recess is shaped overall such that inadvertent actuation of the actuation rocker by an object significantly larger than a human finger is prevented.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rocker switching element as a control element in motor vehicle interiors, comprising:
an actuation rocker formed as a switch with at least two switching positions; and
a control panel of substantially planar form at least in its panel edge region adjoining the rocker switching element, the actuation rocker arranged on the control panel to be recessed such that it does not project beyond the panel edge region at least in the non-actuated state, wherein with regard to a height profile, a transition between the panel edge region and the actuation rocker is formed in section as follows:
starting from a surrounding panel level, the panel edge region forms over a first width a goblet-like edge which is set back by a first depth, and an adjoining edge, separated by a gap, of the actuation rocker, which edge is recessed by slightly more than the first depth in the non-actuated state, is, in continuation of the goblet-like recess, set further back continuously over a second width by a second depth until a maximum depth is reached, the recess being shaped overall such that inadvertent actuation of the actuation rocker by an object which is significantly larger than a human finger is prevented, wherein the profile of the recess is formed with angles of not more than 60° with respect to the panel plane.

2. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the profile of the recess is formed with angles not more than 45° with respect to the panel plane.

3. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second width is at least twice as large as the first width, and the second depth is at least twice as large as the first depth.

4. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gap width between the panel edge region and the edge of the actuation rocker is less than 1 mm.

5. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the gap width between the panel edge region and the edge of the actuation rocker is less than 0.5 mm.

6. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the recess is geometrically shaped such that a test ball with a diameter of 40 mm, which is intended to be representative of a knee or an elbow of a child, cannot touch the actuation rocker.

7. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuation rocker is formed as a rocker switch with three switching positions.

8. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the three switching positions comprise two touch positions and a central rest position.

9. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said element is used as an actuation element for a sliding roof in an overhead console in the interior of a motor vehicle.

10. A rocker switching element comprising:
an actuation rocker formed as a switch with at least two switching positions and recessed in a substantially planar control panel, wherein a panel edge region forms over a first width a first edge set back by a first depth, and an adjoining second edge is separated by a gap and recessed more than the first depth and set further back continuously over a second width by a second depth, the recess being shaped overall such that inadvertent actuation of the actuation rocker by an object which is significantly larger than a human finger is prevented, wherein the profile of the recess is formed with angles of not more than 60° with respect to the panel plane.

11. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 10 wherein the profile of the recess is formed with angles not more than 45° with respect to the panel plane.

12. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the second width is at least twice as large as the first width, and the second depth is at least twice as large as the first depth.

13. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the gap width between the panel edge region and the edge of the actuation rocker is less than 1 mm.

14. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 13 wherein the gap width between the panel edge region and the edge of the actuation rocker is less than 0.5 mm.

15. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the recess is geometrically shaped such that a test ball with a diameter of 40 mm, which is intended to be representative of a knee or an elbow of a child, cannot touch the actuation rocker.

16. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the actuation rocker is formed as a rocker switch with three switching positions, wherein the three switching positions comprise two touch positions and a central rest position.

17. The rocker switching element as claimed in claim 10 wherein said element is used as an actuation element for a sliding roof in an overhead console in the interior of a motor vehicle.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Bechtel Nikolaus Alexander

Classifications

• B60R16/005

  Electro-mechanical devices, e.g. switched (electric switches in general H01H) · CPC title

• H01H23/08 Primary

  Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon · CPC title

• H01H2221/06

  to avoid sticking in on position · CPC title

• H01H2300/006

  Application power roofs · CPC title

• H01H23/28 Primary

  with three operating positions · CPC title