Foot switch for electromedical apparatus and method of manufacturing such a foot switch

• US 20090205937A1
• Filed: 05/24/2006
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Erbe Elektromedizin GmbH (C. Erbe GmbH)
• Inventors: Kuehner, Ralf, Hundt, Roland
• Granted Patent: US 8,003,905 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/86.500
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/08 Dustproof, splashproof, drip-proof, waterproof, or flameproof casings
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 21/26 adapted for operation by a part of the human body other than the hand, e.g. by foot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

An actuating device for an electromedical apparatus and in particular a foot switch. The foot switch includes a floor part, at least one pedal part that is tiltably connected to the floor part, and at least one switch element that is actuated by the pedal part. Further, at least the floor part is manufactured by one of an extrusion-coating method or a casting method such that at least a portion of the floor part is fully coated by a coating material.

Claims

1. An actuating device for an electromedical apparatus, said device comprising:

a floor part;

at least one pedal part that is tiltably connected to the floor part; and

at least one switch element that is actuated by the pedal part,

wherein at least the floor part is manufactured by one of an extrusion-coating method or a casting method.

2. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the floor part comprises at least one carrier element that at least regionally is enclosed in one of an extrusion-coating material or a casting material, which is substantially matched to the contour of the carrier element.

3. The actuating device according to claim 2, wherein the switch element is either fixed to or within the carrier element.

4. The actuating device according to claim 2, wherein the switch element comprises a keypad composite that is disposed in a recess of the carrier element in such a way that the keypad composite is accessible for actuation by way of the pedal part.

5. The actuating device according to claim 4, wherein the switch element comprises a set of evaluation electronics that is connected to the keypad composite and is disposed in an additional recess of the carrier element, the additional recess being situated on a side of the carrier element opposite the keypad composite.

6. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switch element is selected from the group consisting of microswitches, reed switches, switches that include Hall sensors, switches that include capacitive sensors and switches that include inductive sensors.

7. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of a pedal bearing and an anti-kink sleeve is formed integrally with the floor part.

8. The actuating device according to claim 7, wherein the pedal bearing comprises a pedestal with a bearing surface for the pedal part that is oriented substantially horizontally when the device is in use.

9. The actuating device according to claim 8, wherein the pedestal comprises at least one through-bore which is substantially vertical when the device is in use and serves to receive a connecting means that is used to fix the pedal part to the floor part.

10. The actuating device according to claim 7, wherein the anti-kink sleeve is associated with a cable holder that is integrated into the extrusion-coating material or the casting material.

11. The actuating device according to claim 2, wherein the carrier element comprises at least one opening in the region of the tiltable connection between the floor part and the pedal part.

12. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of pedal parts is provided, the pedal parts being disposed either in parallel or at an angle to one another.

13. A method of manufacturing an actuating device for electromedical apparatus, in which a floor part is produced by an extrusion-coating or a casting process.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein producing the floor part further comprises enclosing a carrier element in one or more sections by an extrusion-coating material or a casting material.

15. An actuating device for electromedical apparatus, comprising:

a floor part;

at least one pedal part that is tiltably connected to the floor part; and

at least one switch element that is actuated by the pedal part,

wherein at least a portion of the floor part is fully coated by a coating material.

16. The actuating device according to claim 15, wherein the coating material comprises one of an extrusion-coating material or a casting material.

17. The actuating device according to claim 15, wherein the floor part comprises at least one carrier element that is at least regionally enclosed in the coating material, wherein the coating material conforms substantially to the contour of the carrier element.

18. The actuating device according to claim 17, wherein the switch element further comprises:

a keypad composite that is disposed in a recess of the carrier element in such a way that the keypad composite is accessible for actuation by way of the pedal part; and

a set of evaluation electronics that is connected to the keypad composite and is disposed in an additional recess of the carrier element, the additional recess being situated on a side of the carrier element opposite the keypad composite.

19. The actuating device according to claim 15, wherein the at least one switch element is selected from the group consisting of microswitches, reed switches, switches that include Hall sensors, switches that include capacitive sensors and switches that include inductive sensors.

20. The actuating device according to claim 15, wherein a pedal bearing is formed integrally with the floor part and comprises a pedestal with a bearing surface for the pedal part that is oriented substantially horizontally when the device is in use, and wherein the pedestal comprises at least one through-bore which is substantially vertical when the device is in use and serves to receive a connecting means that is used to fix the pedal part to the floor part.

21. The actuating device according to claim 15, wherein an anti-kink sleeve is formed integrally with the floor part and is associated with a cable holder that is integrated into the coating material.