Switch handle

• US 6,691,589 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DeltaTech Controls USA LLC (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hans-Georg, Jost, Michael, Stoffers, Klaus, Lamm, Maurer, Rainer, Gillman, Uwe
• Primary Examiner(s): Fenstermacher, David
• Application Number:
  US10/164,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184735A1
• Time in Patent Office: 622 Days
• Field of Search: 744/71.XY, 248/118, 248/118.3, 248/124.1, 248/145.6
• US Class Current: 74/471.0XY
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/10 Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles G05G1/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 2009/04774 with additional switches or sensors on the handle
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/047 the controlling member being movable by hand about orthogonal axes, e.g. joysticks for switches H01H25/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20201 Control moves in two planes

Abstract

A control handle (10) for operating a machine, includes a largely vertical shaft (12) that can be grasped by a person'"'"'s hand and a hand rest assembly (20) that supports a lower end of the hand opposite the thumb. The hand rest assembly is slidable along the shaft and includes a clamp that clamps against the shaft to fix the position of the hand rest assembly at substantially continuously variable positions along the shaft. The hand rest assembly has front and rear sections (26, 27) that are pivotally connected together, with the rear section being pivotable between a clamping position (27) wherein it draws the front section firmly against the front of the shaft to fix the hand rest position, and a release position (27A) wherein it allows the hand rest assembly to slide to a desired position. The shaft has recesses (36) on laterally opposite sides, that form vertically-extending fixing edges (41) that face largely rearwardly. The rear section forms a pair of clamping surface parts (34) that each clamps against one of the fixing edges as the rear section pivots to the clamp position.

Claims

1. A control handle for operating a machine, which includes a largely vertically elongated shaft for holding by a person'"'"'s hand, a switch apparatus at an upper end of the shaft for operation by at least one finger of the hand, and a hand rest assembly with a support surface part for supporting a side of the hand opposite the thumb, wherein:

said hand rest assembly is slidable along said shaft, and includes a clamp that clamps against said shaft to fix the position of the support surface part at substantially continuously variable positions along said shaft.

2. The control handle described in claim 1 wherein:

said hand rest assembly includes first and second sections that forms said support surface part and that are pivotally connected together, said second section forming said clamp and being pivotable between a clamping position wherein said second section draws a location on said first section firmly against said shaft, and a release position wherein said second section allows said location on said first section to separate slightly from said shaft to slide therealong.

3. The control handle described in claim 1 wherein:

said shaft has front and rear sides and said switch apparatus faces largely in a front direction;

said hand rest assembly includes a front section that is vertically slideable along the shaft, and a rear section that forms said clamp and that is pivotally connected to the front section about a largely horizontal axis to pivot between release and clamping positions, said rear section forming a clamping surface that clamps against said shaft and that draws said front section against said shaft in said clamping position.

4. The control handle described in claim 3 wherein:

said shaft has laterally opposite sides and has a recess in each side, each recess forming a largely rearwardly-facing and primarily vertically-extending fixing edge, said rear section forming a pair of clamping surface parts that each clamps against a corresponding ones of said fixing edges as said rear section pivots from said release position to said clamping position.

5. The control handle described in claim 4 wherein:

said fixing edges form vertically spaced teeth.

6. The control handle described in claim 2 wherein:

said shaft has laterally opposite sides and has a recess at each of said sides;

said second section is a rear section that has laterally opposite rear side walls that project forwardly and that have pin receiving holes, said first section is a front section that has laterally opposite front side walls that project rearwardly and that have pin receiving holes and that overlap with said rear side walls;

at least one pin that projects through corresponding ones of said pin receiving holes to pivotally connect said side walls of said front and rear sections.

7. The control handle described in claim 2 wherein:

said second section is a rear section that has a rear end that moves up and down as said rear section moves respectively to said clamping and release positions, whereby to enable release of the hand rest assembly by pressing down forcefully against the rear section.

8. The control handle described in claim 1 wherein:

said support surface part has an upper hand-support surface for supporting the lower end of the hand, said hand-support surface tilted from the horizontal when a shaft lower portion extends vertically, so the hand-support surface faces at a forward and upward incline.

9. A control handle, comprising:

a largely vertically-extending shaft for grasping by a person'"'"'s hand;

a switch assembly mounted at an upper end of said shaft;

a hand rest assembly lying at a lower portion of said shaft, said hand rest assembly including first and second sections lying on opposite sides of said shaft and coupled together, said second section being pivotable against said shaft to press thereagainst and resist sliding of said hand rest assembly along said shaft.

10. The control handle described in claim 9 wherein:

said shaft has a front, a rear, and laterally opposite sides;

said first section extends around said shaft front and has laterally opposite first sections sides;

said second section extends largely around said shaft rear and has second sections sides that are each pivotally connected to a corresponding one of said first section sides;

said second section is pivotable between a clamping position and a release position, said second section forming a cam surface that presses against said shaft when said second section is in said clamping position, to press said first section firmly against said shaft.

11. The control handle described in claim 9 wherein:

said shaft has laterally opposite sides and forms a pair of largely rearwardly-facing shoulders at said laterally opposite sides, and said second section forms two laterally-spaced cams that are each pivotable against one of said shoulders.

12. The control handle described in claim 9 wherein:

said shaft has laterally opposite sides and has a recess in each of said laterally opposite sides, said recesses each forming a largely vertically-extending fixing surface, said second section having laterally opposite clamping surfaces that each clamp against a corresponding one of said fixing surfaces.

13. The control handle described in claim 12 wherein:

each of said recesses forms a guide surface at the rear of the recess, said guide surfaces facing laterally away from one another, and said second section has flanges that slide against said guide surfaces.

14. A control handle which includes a largely vertical shaft and a switch apparatus at an upper end of the shaft, comprising

hand rest assembly means which includes first and second sections that surround a lower portion of said shaft and that are pivotally connected about a horizontal axis, said second section having clamping means for clamping against said shaft.