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Rotary/push operating device for a man-machine interface

  • US 9,535,447 B2
  • Filed: 11/30/2011
  • Issued: 01/03/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A rotary/push operating device for a man-machine interface, for an operating unit of a vehicle, comprising:

  • a manually operable rotary/push element which can be rotated about a rotational axis and which can be pushed down in a direction parallel to the rotational axis,a rolling-body bearing defining the rotational axis, said rolling-body bearing comprising an immobile bearing ring, a movable bearing ring, and a rolling-body cage arranged between said bearing rings, the rotary/push element being tightly coupled to the movable bearing ring,the rolling-body bearing having a first plurality of rolling bodies and a second plurality of rolling bodies, the second plurality of rolling bodies axially spaced from the first plurality of rolling bodies, the rolling-body cage extending from the first plurality of rolling bodies to the second plurality of rolling bodies, andthe immobile bearing ring and the movable bearing ring forming at least one circular moving channel in which the first and second pluralities of rolling bodies, upon rotation of the rotary/push element, are movable in a circumferential direction of the two bearing rings with rolling movements on a moving track formed by the immobile bearing ring and a moving track formed by the movable bearing ring that are located on opposite sides of the at least one circular moving channel and each have a respective length greater than a respective diameter of each rolling body of the first and second pluralities of rolling bodies that extends in the direction parallel to the rotational axis, whereby when the rotary/push element is being pushed, the first and second pluralities of rolling bodies are movable in the direction parallel to the rotational axis on the moving tracks at a right angle relative to said circumferential direction, and wherein each rolling body of the first and second pluralities of rolling bodies has a center of mass that is axially displaceable along the moving track of the immobile bearing ring and the moving track of the movable bearing ring, and end abutment elements for limiting the movement of the rotary/push element in the direction parallel to the rotational axis between a base position and a push-down position.

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