Remote control lever module
First Claim
1. A remote control lever module comprising:
- a lever including an inner shaft, and an actuating arm extending from said inner shaft at an angle thereto;
an intermediate bearing coaxially surrounding a portion of said inner shaft;
an outer shaft coaxially surrounding a portion of said intermediate bearing enabling relative rotation between said inner and outer shafts, said outer shaft having an outer shaft stop engageable with said inner shaft to limit rotation in a backward direction of said inner shaft with respect to said outer shaft when said inner shaft is in a rearmost position;
a support means including an inner shaft bearing which pivotably supports said inner shaft so that, displacement of said actuating arm causes said inner shaft to rotate in a forward or backward direction about its axis, and an outer shaft bearing which pivotably supports said outer shaft enabling said outer shaft to forwardly or backwardly rotate about its axis;
a return means engageable with said inner and outer shafts enabling forward rotation of said inner shaft to cause forward rotation of said outer shaft, said return means further enabling forward rotation of said inner shaft to cause forward rotation of said inner shaft away from said rearmost position, said return means being adapted to urge said inner shaft toward said rearmost position when said inner shaft has forwardly rotated away from said rearmost position, said return means limiting backward rotation of said outer shaft beyond a nonactuating position, said engagement between said inner shaft and outer shaft stop limiting backward rotation of said inner shaft beyond said nonactuating position;
a force spring having one end anchored to said outer shaft and another end anchored to said support means, said force spring being adapted to urge said outer shaft toward said nonactuating position when said outer shaft has forwardly rotated away from said nonactuating position, said force spring being sufficiently yielding so that forward rotation of said inner shaft causes forward rotation of said outer shaft;
an inner shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said inner shaft, said inner shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical position signal proportional to the angular displacement of said inner shaft with respect to said support means; and
an outer shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said outer shaft, said outer shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical nonactuating signal when said outer shaft is in said nonactuating position and an electrical actuating signal when said outer shaft is forwardly rotated away from said nonactuating position.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control lever module comprises an inner shaft coaxially located inside an outer shaft. The inner and outer shafts are rotatably mounted on a support and can rotate with respect to one another. A return mechanism is engageable with the inner and outer shafts enabling forward rotation of the inner shaft to cause forward rotation of the outer shaft. The return mechanism further enables extended forward rotation of the inner shaft with respect to the outer shaft, and urges backward rotation of the inner shaft to a rearmost position. The return mechanism limits backward rotation of the inner and outer shafts beyond a nonactuating position. A force spring urges the outer shaft to the nonactuating position. Sensors produce electrical signals proportional to the angular position of the inner and outer shafts. A friction pad can be disposed between the inner shaft and support to frictionally resist rotation of the inner shaft with respect to the support.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A remote control lever module comprising:
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a lever including an inner shaft, and an actuating arm extending from said inner shaft at an angle thereto; an intermediate bearing coaxially surrounding a portion of said inner shaft; an outer shaft coaxially surrounding a portion of said intermediate bearing enabling relative rotation between said inner and outer shafts, said outer shaft having an outer shaft stop engageable with said inner shaft to limit rotation in a backward direction of said inner shaft with respect to said outer shaft when said inner shaft is in a rearmost position; a support means including an inner shaft bearing which pivotably supports said inner shaft so that, displacement of said actuating arm causes said inner shaft to rotate in a forward or backward direction about its axis, and an outer shaft bearing which pivotably supports said outer shaft enabling said outer shaft to forwardly or backwardly rotate about its axis; a return means engageable with said inner and outer shafts enabling forward rotation of said inner shaft to cause forward rotation of said outer shaft, said return means further enabling forward rotation of said inner shaft to cause forward rotation of said inner shaft away from said rearmost position, said return means being adapted to urge said inner shaft toward said rearmost position when said inner shaft has forwardly rotated away from said rearmost position, said return means limiting backward rotation of said outer shaft beyond a nonactuating position, said engagement between said inner shaft and outer shaft stop limiting backward rotation of said inner shaft beyond said nonactuating position; a force spring having one end anchored to said outer shaft and another end anchored to said support means, said force spring being adapted to urge said outer shaft toward said nonactuating position when said outer shaft has forwardly rotated away from said nonactuating position, said force spring being sufficiently yielding so that forward rotation of said inner shaft causes forward rotation of said outer shaft; an inner shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said inner shaft, said inner shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical position signal proportional to the angular displacement of said inner shaft with respect to said support means; and an outer shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said outer shaft, said outer shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical nonactuating signal when said outer shaft is in said nonactuating position and an electrical actuating signal when said outer shaft is forwardly rotated away from said nonactuating position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A remote control lever module comprising:
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a lever including an inner shaft, and an actuating arm extending from said inner shaft at an angle thereto; a support means including an inner shaft bearing which pivotably supports said inner shaft so that, displacement of said actuating arm causes said inner shaft to rotate in a forward or backward direction about its axis; a return means including a rear stop formed on said support means, said inner shaft being engageable with said rear stop to limit backward rotation of said inner shaft beyond a rearmost position, said return means being adapted to urge said inner shaft toward said rearmost position when said inner shaft has forwardly rotated away from said rearmost position; an inner shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said inner shaft, said inner shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical position signal proportional to the angular displacement of said inner shaft with respect to said support means; and a switch mounted on said rear stop so that, when said inner shaft is in said rearmost position, said switch is sandwiched between said rear stop and inner shaft, said force switch being adapted so that said sandwiching causes said force switch to produce an electrical nonactuating signal, said switch being sized so that, when said inner shaft is forwardly rotated away from said rearmost position, said inner shaft is disengaged from said switch, said switch being adapted so that said disengagement causes said switch to produce an electrical actuating signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A remote control lever module comprising:
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a lever including an inner shaft, and an actuating arm extending from said inner shaft at an angle thereto; a support means including an inner shaft bearing which pivotably supports said inner shaft so that, displacement of said actuating arm causes said inner shaft to rotate in a forward or backward direction about its axis, said support means including a support member which is fixed to said support means during at least a portion of said rotation of said inner shaft; a return means engageable with said inner shaft to limit backward rotation of said inner shaft beyond a rearmost position, said return means being adapted to urge said inner shaft toward said rearmost position when said inner shaft has forwardly rotated away from said rearmost position; a friction pad disposed between said inner shaft and said support member, said friction pad being adapted to rotate about the axis of said inner shaft with respect to said inner shaft and support member, said friction pad having a first friction surface in engagement with said inner shaft to frictionally resist relative displacement between said friction pad and said inner shaft, said friction pad having a second friction surface in engagement with said support member, said second friction surface frictionally resisting relative displacement between said friction pad and said support member; and an inner shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said inner shaft, said inner shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical position signal proportional to the angular displacement of said inner shaft with respect to said support means. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A remote control lever module comprising:
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a lever including an inner shaft, and an actuating arm extending from said inner shaft at an angle thereto; a support means including an inner shaft bearing which pivotably supports said inner shaft so that, displacement of said actuating arm causes said inner shaft to rotate in a forward or backward direction about its axis; a return means engageable with said inner shaft to limit backward rotation of said inner shaft beyond a rearmost position, said return means being adapted to urge said inner shaft toward said rearmost position when said inner shaft has forwardly rotated away from said rearmost position; a friction pad disposed between said inner shaft and said support means, said friction pad having a first friction surface in engagement with said inner shaft to frictionally resist relative displacement between said friction pad and said inner shaft; a Belleville spring disposed between said support means and friction pad to urge said friction pad into engagement with said inner shaft to cause said frictional resistance; and an inner shaft sensor connected to said support means and engageable with said inner shaft, said inner shaft sensor being adapted to produce an electrical position signal proportional to the angular displacement of said inner shaft with respect to said support means. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification