Final operating element positioning device

• US 6,480,752 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Schmidt, Peter, Blume, Jochen, Breinich, Herbert
• Primary Examiner(s): Gordon, Paul P.
• Application Number:
  US09/381,553
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 700/56, 700/65, 700/83, 700/85, 702/41, 345/701, 345/702, 345/156, 345/157, 345/184
• US Class Current: 700/56
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/25 using haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2003/008 with a haptic or a tactile feedback controlled by electrical means, e.g. a motor or magnetofriction
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/94068 with magnetic detection

Abstract

In a control device for manually inputting information into a device, having a final control element whose position can be changed under the effect of an activation force and which is connected to a converter for generating electrical signals which characterize the position of the final control element, and having a motor element which is connected to the final control element and which exerts, under the control of the electrical signals, a force on the final control element, the size and direction of which force is dependent on the position of the final control element and/or on the information which is to be input, there is provision for the converter to be composed of the rotor (3) of the motor element and sensors (9, 10) which respectively emit an electrical signal as a function of the position of the rotor.

Claims

1. A control device for manually inputting information into a device, having a final control element whose position can be changed under an effect of an activation force and which is connected to a converter for generating electrical signals which characterize the position of the final control element, and having a motor element comprising a rotor, the motor element which is connected to the final control element and which exerts, under the control of the electrical signals, a force with a size and direction on the final control element, the size and direction of which force is dependent on the position of the final control element and/or on the information which is to be input, wherein the converter is composed of the rotor (3) of the motor element and sensors (9, 10) which respectively emit an electrical signal as a function of the position of the rotor.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rotor (3) is composed of a diametrically magnetized disk.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors (9, 10) are Hall sensors.

4. The control device as claimed in claim 3, wherein two Hall sensors (9, 10) are present.

5. The control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the Hall sensors (9, 10) are arranged offset by 90°

, with a same radial interval, in the direction of rotation.

6. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors are composed of reed contacts.

7. The control device as claimed in one of the claim 1, wherein the motor element has a pair of cross coils (4, 5).

8. The control device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a device is present for energizing the pair of cross coils (4, 5) in order to generate predefined moment characteristic curves, in which device there is a memory element for storing the moment characteristic curve.

9. The control device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the moment characteristic curves can be read out of the memory.

10. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the coils (4, 5) are wound onto a coil former (6, 7).

11. The control device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the coil former (6, 7) completely encloses the rotor (3).

12. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a gear mechanism (15, 16) between the final control element (1) and the motor element (3, 4, 5).

13. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the final control element (1) is implemented as an adjusting knob.

14. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensors (9, 10) are arranged on a printed circuit board which is located underneath the coil and/or the coil former.

15. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein it is enclosed on its underside, and largely on its sides, by a return pot (13).

16. The control device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the return pot (13) is made of magnetically soft material with a high magnetic hysteresis.