Push button device with push actuation with improved kinematics for application in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10907387-B2
Application number	US-201515518695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Feb 2, 2021
Grant date	Feb 2, 2021

Abstract

Push button device for a motor vehicle, has: a mechanical and/or electric function controller with a first control state and a second control state; a push button element pressable from a disengaged state into a pressed state, wherein the function controller has the first control state when the push button element is in the disengaged state and the second control state when the push button element is in the pressed state, the push button element connected to the function controller by a first pivot arm mounted rotatably about a first axis of rotation and by a second pivot arm mounted rotatably about a different axis of rotation spaced apart from the first axis of rotation, wherein the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm are designed to be pivoted in an identical direction of rotation as a consequence of a movement of the push button element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Push button device ( 1 ) for actuating a functionality in a motor vehicle, wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has:
a mechanical and/or electric function controller ( 10 ) which has a first control state and a second control state;
a push button element ( 20 ) with a manually actuable push button surface, wherein the push button element ( 20 ) is pressable from a disengaged state into a pressed state by means of a pressing force ( 100 ), wherein the push button element has a rest position when in the disengaged state, wherein the function controller ( 10 ) has the first control state when the push button element ( 20 ) is in the disengaged state, and the function controller ( 10 ) has the second control state when the push button element ( 20 ) is in the pressed state,
wherein the push button element ( 20 ) is connected to the function controller ( 10 ) via a first pivot arm ( 51 ) which is mounted rotatably about a first axis of rotation and via a second pivot arm ( 52 ) which is mounted rotatably about a second axis of rotation which is spaced apart from the first axis of rotation, wherein the first pivot arm ( 51 ) and the second pivot arm ( 52 ) are designed to be pivoted in an identical direction of rotation as a consequence of a movement of the push button element ( 20 ), and wherein the push button device has:
a first spring ( 61 ) which acts upon the push button element ( 20 ) with a first force in the direction of the disengaged state,
a retaining device ( 62 ) which defines the rest position of the disengaged state of the push button element ( 20 ), and
an adjuster ( 70 ) by means of which the rest position of the disengaged state of the push button element ( 20 ) is adjustable.

2. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) is a door opener of a side door of a motor vehicle.

3. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first pivot arm is mounted between the push button element ( 20 ) and the function controller ( 10 ) via a rotary joint having a rotary joint axis that defines the first axis of rotation.

4. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has a first rotary joint ( 31 ) having a first rotary joint axis and a second rotary joint ( 32 ) having a second rotary joint axis, wherein the first rotary joint axis is spaced apart from the second rotary joint axis, and the push button element ( 20 ) and the function controller ( 10 ) are connected to each other via the first rotary joint ( 31 ), the first pivot arm ( 51 ) and the second rotary joint ( 32 ), wherein the first and the second rotary joint ( 31 , 32 ) are connected in series via the first pivot arm ( 51 ), wherein the first rotary joint axis defines the first axis of rotation, wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has a third rotary joint ( 33 ) having a third rotary joint axis and a fourth rotary joint ( 34 ) having a fourth rotary joint axis, wherein the third rotary joint axis defines the second axis of rotation, and the push button element ( 20 ) and the function controller ( 10 ) are furthermore connected to each other via the third rotary joint ( 33 ) and the fourth rotary joint ( 34 ), and the third rotary joint ( 33 ) and the fourth rotary joint ( 34 ) are connected in series via the second pivot arm ( 52 ).

5. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 4 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has a coupling arm ( 53 ) which is spaced apart from the push button element ( 20 ) and which couples the first pivot arm ( 51 ) to the second pivot arm ( 52 ).

6. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 5 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has a fifth rotary joint ( 35 ) having a fifth rotary joint axis and a sixth rotary joint ( 36 ) having a sixth rotary joint axis, wherein the first pivot arm ( 51 ) is connected to the coupling arm ( 53 ) via the fifth rotary joint ( 35 ) and the second pivot arm ( 52 ) is connected to the coupling arm ( 53 ) via the sixth rotary joint ( 36 ).

7. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the push button surface has a long side ( 21 ) and a short side ( 22 ), and wherein the axis of the direction of rotation of the first and of the second pivot arm ( 51 , 25 ) is perpendicular with respect to the long side ( 21 ).

8. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the first spring ( 61 ) is a catch spring.

9. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has a second spring ( 62 . 1 ) as part of the retaining device ( 62 ), which spring acts upon the push button element ( 20 ) with a second force in the direction of the pressed state.

10. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein by means of the adjuster the magnitude of the first force and/or the magnitude of the second force is adjustable and therefore the rest position of the disengaged state of the push button element ( 20 ) is adjustable.

11. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has at least one adjustable stop ( 80 ) which defines a position of a maximally pressed state of the push button element ( 20 ).

12. Push button device ( 1 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the push button device ( 1 ) has a sealing element ( 90 ) which surrounds the push button element ( 20 ) at least in regions and bears thereagainst and which has a bead ( 91 ) which, in the installed state of the push button device ( 1 ), bears against the lower side of the immediately surrounding surface ( 110 ) of the vehicle.

13. A push button device for actuating a functionality in a motor vehicle, wherein the push button device comprises:
a mechanical and/or electric function controller configured with a first control state and a second control state;
a push button element with a manually actuable push button surface, wherein the push button element is pressable from a disengaged state into a pressed state by a pressing force that moves the push button element toward the function controller, wherein the push button element has a rest position when in the disengaged state and the rest position defines a spacing between the push button element and the function controller,
wherein the function controller is placed in the first control state when the push button element is in the disengaged state, and the function controller is placed in the second control state when the push button element is in the pressed state,
wherein the push button element is connected to the function controller by a connection that includes a first pivot arm that is mounted rotatably about a first axis of rotation and by another connection that includes a second pivot arm that is mounted rotatably about a second axis of rotation that is spaced apart from the first axis of rotation, wherein the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm are arranged to be pivoted in an identical direction of rotation in response to movement of the push button element;
wherein the push button device includes:
a first spring that acts upon the push button element with a first force in a direction toward the disengaged state of the push button element,
a retaining device configured to define the rest position of the disengaged state of the push button element, and
an adjuster, located on the retaining device, and by which the rest position of the disengaged state of the push button element, and thereby the spacing between the push button element and the function controller when the push button element is in the disengaged state, is adjustable.

14. A push button device according to claim 13 , wherein th

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Och Roland
• Wilke Zsolt
• Hamacher Kai

Classifications

• E05B81/76 Primary

  Detection of handle operation; Detection of a user approaching a handle; Electrical switching actions performed by door handles · CPC title

• H01H3/122

  with enlarged actuating area, e.g. of the elongated bar-type; Stabilising means therefor · CPC title

• E05B2015/0431

  Modifying spring characteristic or tension (E05B2015/0441 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05B85/10

  Handles · CPC title

• G05G1/02

  Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons · CPC title