Actuating mechanism for setting a manipulatable member in at least two degrees of freedom

• US 6,650,080 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2000
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Buhler Motor GmbH
• Original Assignee: Buhler Motor GmbH
• Inventors: Guttenberger, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US09/691,093
• Time in Patent Office: 1,125 Days
• Field of Search: 318/663, 318/264, 318/265, 318/266, 318/286, 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 361/736, 361/738, 361/760, 361/761, 361/763, 361/772
• US Class Current: 318/663
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/072 for adjusting the mirror relative to its housing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/095 for polymer thick films, i.e. having a permanent organic polymeric binder
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/202 using self-supporting metal foil pattern

Abstract

An actuating mechanism for setting a manipulatable member in at least two degrees of freedom of movement. The actuating mechanism includes at least one drive motor, whose output shaft is gear-connected to a manipulatable member-driven reduction gear, and includes two potentiometers, which measure the actual position of the manipulatable member and are mounted on a printed circuit board and include resistance paths and wipers and a drive housing. The actuating mechanisms are constructed at least in part modularly and where the function of the potentiometer can be tested before installation into the actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism includes as few components as possible, can be mounted as easily as possible, and its potentiometer can be mounted easily without play with reference to the manipulatable member and/or the reduction gear. The printed circuit board includes a deflector, which is at least partially embedded in plastic material and electrically connects the ends of the individual resistance paths to the contact points so that the resistance paths are carried between their ends by the plastic material. The wipers are fastened on wiper carriers, which are in the form of gearwheels, frictional wheels or crank disks, are pivot-mounted on the printed circuit board and are gear-connected to the reduction gear and/or the manipulatable member. The printed circuit board is bent at an angle at at least one point so that the resistance paths of both potentiometers are configured in different planes. The circuit board with the potentiometers and the contact points form one component, with the two potentiometers of the component being easily rigidly mounted.

Claims

1. Actuating mechanism for setting a manipulatable member in at least two degrees of freedom of movement, said actuating mechanism comprising

a drive housing,

at least one drive motor,

an output shaft of said at least one drive motor being gear-connected to a manipulatable member-driven reduction gear,

two potentiometers measuring a position of the manipulatable member and being mounted on a printed circuit board including resistance paths and wipers, the printed circuit board including a deflector, at least partially embedded in plastic material of said printed circuit board and electrically connecting ends of individual ones of said resistance paths to contact points, the resistance paths being carried between their ends by the plastic material of said printed circuit board, the wipers being fastened on wiper carriers in the form of gearwheels, pivot-mounted on the printed circuit board and gear-connected to one of the manipulatable member-driven reduction gears and the manipulatable member, the printed circuit board being bent at an angle at at least one point, whereby the resistance paths of both potentiometers are configured in different planes, and the circuit board with the potentiometers and the contact points form one component.

2. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plastic material of the printed circuit board is one piece with a fastening means for fastening the circuit board in the drive housing.

3. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board snaps into the drive housing.

4. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one part of the printed circuit board is tiltable to a limited degree in the drive housing.

5. Actuating mechanism, as claimed claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is guided in the drive housing.

6. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 5, wherein guides are at a right angle to an axis of gear elements coupled directly to the wiper carriers of the potentiometers.

7. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 6, wherein the deflector is one piece with springy areas producing freedom of play between the wiper carrier and a gear element.

8. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 7, wherein the circuit board is divided into a contact area and two potentiometer areas, the contact area is connected, on the one hand, via several conducting paths of the deflector to one potentiometer area and, on the other hand, to the other potentiometer area, whereby the conducting paths form the springy areas.

9. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 8, wherein the potentiometer areas are provided with guide areas so as to tilt in guides of the drive housing.

10. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 8, wherein each of the two potentiometer areas is provided with one connecting part as part of a snap connection with said drive housing, said connecting part is snapable into a complementary connecting part of the drive housing.

11. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one swivel axis of each snap connection runs parallel to an axis of rotation of a corresponding gear element.

12. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wiper carriers are rotatable in the circuit board by rotating snap connections.

13. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wiper carriers are guided by guides provided on the circuit board and on the drive housing.

14. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one drive motor is connected electrically and mechanically to the circuit board.

15. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit board is electrically connected via a contact area to conductors of the drive housing.

16. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 15, wherein contact points of the contact area comprise opposing tongue-shaped contacts, with corresponding counter contacts including flat contact pins, having a thickness greater than a free space between the tongue-shaped contacts.

17. Actuating mechanism, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drive housing is made as one piece with the circuit board.