Device and method for selecting a switch position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9777813-B2
Application number	US-201314439294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 1, 2013
Priority date	Oct 30, 2012
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a device for selecting a desired switch position out of a plurality of switch positions, and a switch position depends on a position of at least one locking bolt relative to a snap-in cam, with a support member for a control element. The support member is arranged below a user interface and rotatable around a shaft relative to the locking bolt. The snap-in cam is designed in the support member, and a Maltese cross transmission structure is formed in the support member. A drive device is in engagement with the Maltese cross transmission structure so as to rotate the support member with the snap-in cam around the shaft relative to the locking bolt depending on the desired switch position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for selecting a desired switch position out of a plurality of switch positions, said device comprising:
a support member being rotatable around a shaft, relative to at least one locking bolt and a control element, wherein a snap-in cam is formed in the support member forming a Maltese cross transmission structure, and a switch position depends on a position of the at least one locking bolt relative to the snap-in cam; and
a drive device engaging with the Maltese cross transmission structure, the drive device configured to rotate the support member with the snap-in cam relative to the locking bolt depending on the desired switch position.

2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising a fixing device configured to fix the at least one locking bolt in an absolute angular position.

3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the fixing device comprises:
a locking disc coupled rotation-resistant to the at least one locking bolt, wherein on the circumference of the locking disc is arranged a plurality of recesses, each of said recesses corresponding to one of the switch positions; and
a locking device configured to guide a locking pin in at least one of the recesses of the locking disc in order to fix the absolute angular position of the locking bolt.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein said locking disc is arranged between the support member and the control element and is fixed rotation-resistant to the shaft.

5. The device according to claim 3 , wherein said locking device comprises an electromagnet for actuating the at least one locking bolt.

6. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the drive device rotates the support member relative to the at least one locking bolt while the at least one locking bolt is fixed in the absolute position by means of the fixing device.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the drive device comprises:
an electric motor that is controllable as a function of an absolute angular position of the Maltese cross transmission structure or as a function of an absolute angular position of the at least one locking bolt or a component coupled thereto; and
a drive structure for the support member, the drive structure driven by an electric motor and being in engagement with the Maltese cross transmission structure.

8. The device according to claim 7 , wherein for detecting the absolute angular position of the Maltese cross transmission structure, the support member further comprises an annular cogwheel structure, which is in engagement with a sensor cogwheel for determining the absolute angular position.

9. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the drive structure comprising:
a cogwheel structure comprising a first engagement member arranged on a front side of the cogwheel structure facing the Maltese cross transmission structure and a second engagement member arranged on an end face, wherein the first engagement member and the second engagement member upon rotation of the cogwheel structure alternately engage in the Maltese cross transmission structure to cause an intermittent rotation of the Maltese cross transmission structure; and
a screw rotatable by means of the electric motor and being in engagement with cogs disposed on the circumference of the cogwheel structure in order to bring the cogwheel structure to rotation by interaction between the screw and the cogs.

10. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the device further comprises an angle detecting means configured to detect the absolute angular position of the at least one locking bolt or the shaft.

11. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the control element comprises a rotary knob, and the at least one locking bolt is rotation-resistant coupled by the shaft to the rotary knob of the device.

12. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the Maltese cross transmission structure is formed on a side of the support member that is facing away from the control element.

13. A motor vehicle with the device according to the claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to select a desired gear out of a plurality of gears of the motor vehicle.

14. A method for selecting a desired switch position from a plurality of switch positions, the method comprising:
arranging a support member rotatable around a shaft relative to at least one locking bolt and a control element, wherein a snap-in cam is formed in the support member, and a Maltese cross transmission structure is formed in the support member, a gear position depending on a position of the at least one locking bolt relative to the snap-in cam; and
rotating the support member by a drive device that is in engagement with the Maltese cross transmission structure so that the support member with the snap-in cam rotates around the shaft relative to the at least one locking bolt depending on a desired switch position.

15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the snap-in cam is formed in an inner peripheral region of the support member.

16. The device according to claim 15 , wherein detents of the snap-in cam correspond to the plurality of switch positions, and at least one detent is located in an axially lower position than the rest of the detents.

17. The device according to claim 7 , wherein the drive structure comprises a screw driven by the electric motor, the screw driving an annular cogwheel structure of the support member.

18. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the cogwheel structure and the Maltese cross transmission structure are formed concentric to each other and rotationally symmetric.

19. The device according to claim 9 , wherein the Maltese cross transmission structure further comprises:
radial slots configured to engage with the first engagement member; and
circular segment locks configured to engage with the second engagement member, the radial slots and circuit segment locks alternately arranged on a side of the Maltese cross transmission structure.

20. A device for selecting a desired switch position out of a plurality of switch positions, said device comprising:
a control element;
a support member arranged axially below the control element, the support member configured to rotate around a shaft, relative to at least one locking bolt and the control element, wherein a snap-in cam is formed in the support member forming a Maltese cross transmission structure, and a switch position depends on a position of the at least one locking bolt relative to the snap-in cam;
a drive device rotating the support member via an engagement with the Maltese cross transmission structure; and
a fixing device comprising a locking disc rotationally coupled to the at least one locking bolt by which an absolute angular position of the at least one locking bolt is fixed while the drive device rotates the Maltese cross transmission structure.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Rake Ludger
• Rosentreter Sascha
• Giefer Andreas

Classifications

• F16H2059/081

  using knops or discs for rotary range selection · CPC title

• F16H59/08 Primary

  Range selector apparatus · CPC title

• Y10T74/19879

  Geneva · CPC title

• F16H2061/247

  Detents for range selectors · CPC title

• F16H2061/241

  Actuators providing feel or simulating a shift gate, i.e. with active force generation for providing counter forces for feed back · CPC title