An operating apparatus for an electrical device has a closed transparent control panel, lighting means underneath the control panel in order to shine through, a plurality of holding magnets underneath the control panel and a movable operating element being held magnetically on the front side of the control panel that can be moved with respect to the lighting means and the holding magnets. A plurality of counter-magnets are provided in the operating element for interacting with the holding magnets in order to guide the operating element as an operating movement and hold it on the control panel, wherein sensor means underneath the control panel detect a rotational position of the operating element. The operating element is transparent in a direction from the lighting means to the operating element, wherein, for this purpose, it has a plurality of transparent regions that are separated from one another without transmission between one another.

An operating apparatus for an electrical device has a closed transparent control panel, lighting means underneath the control panel in order to shine through, a plurality of holding magnets underneath the control panel and a movable operating element being held magnetically on the front side of the control panel that can be moved with respect to the lighting means and the holding magnets. A plurality of counter-magnets are provided in the operating element for interacting with the holding magnets in order to guide the operating element as an operating movement and hold it on the control panel, wherein sensor means underneath the control panel detect a rotational position of the operating element. The operating element is transparent in a direction from the lighting means to the operating element, wherein, for this purpose, it has a plurality of transparent regions that are separated from one another without transmission between one another.

A vehicle pedal for a motor vehicle that includes a base plate, which may be attached to the body of the motor vehicle, a pedal plate, which is configured to absorb a mechanical force from a driver and which is pivotable relative to the base plate, and at least one hinge via which the base plate and the pedal plate are coupled with each other in a pivoting manner. The vehicle pedal also includes a spring unit, which is coupled with the pedal plate and extends in parallel or essentially in parallel to the pedal plate, and a lever unit, which is coupled with the spring unit and includes a lever arm and a sensor. The mechanical force may be transferred to the sensor of the lever unit via the spring unit and the lever arm of the lever unit. The sensor converts the mechanical force into electrical force.

A vehicle pedal for a motor vehicle that includes a base plate, which may be attached to the body of the motor vehicle, a pedal plate, which is configured to absorb a mechanical force from a driver and which is pivotable relative to the base plate, and at least one hinge via which the base plate and the pedal plate are coupled with each other in a pivoting manner. The vehicle pedal also includes a spring unit, which is coupled with the pedal plate and extends in parallel or essentially in parallel to the pedal plate, and a lever unit, which is coupled with the spring unit and includes a lever arm and a sensor. The mechanical force may be transferred to the sensor of the lever unit via the spring unit and the lever arm of the lever unit. The sensor converts the mechanical force into electrical force.

A hydraulic control for an attachment on a work vehicle. Power is provided to the attachment by manually actuating a control lever that is biased toward a first position. This first position corresponds to a deactuated mode of the attachment. By unlocking a lock mechanism, the lever may be maintained in a second position under hand pressure. This second position corresponds to an actuated mode of the attachment. The lock mechanism may be actuated by an operator platform-actuated release mechanism. While an operator is on a platform on the vehicle, the loch mechanism remains unlocked, and the lever may be maintained, without hand pressure, in its second position. The release mechanism actuates the lock mechanism when an operator is not on the platform. As a result, the bias of the control lever returns it to its first position, and the attachment is deactuated. A filter may be utilized to prevent premature actuation of the release mechanism.

A modular control apparatus for actuating hydraulic valve systems includes an actuating section including a tilting control member and a plurality of control rods provided with a pusher, which interacts with the control member so as to translate the control rods in the longitudinal direction, a sensor section including a plurality of sensor members suitable to detect a movement in the longitudinal direction of said control rods and a blocking section comprising a blocking device that is capable of individually blocking in the longitudinal direction each of said control rods. The actuating section can be alternately connected to the blocking section or to the sensor section so that the sensor section can be directly connected to the actuating section, detecting the longitudinal movement of the control rods also if the blocking section is not present.

A modular control apparatus for actuating hydraulic valve systems includes an actuating section including a tilting control member and a plurality of control rods provided with a pusher, which interacts with the control member so as to translate the control rods in the longitudinal direction, a sensor section including a plurality of sensor members suitable to detect a movement in the longitudinal direction of said control rods and a blocking section comprising a blocking device that is capable of individually blocking in the longitudinal direction each of said control rods. The actuating section can be alternately connected to the blocking section or to the sensor section so that the sensor section can be directly connected to the actuating section, detecting the longitudinal movement of the control rods also if the blocking section is not present.

A rotary damper for damping a pivoting motion has two components, one component being an inside component and the other component an outside component. The outside component radially surrounds the inside component at least in sections. Between the components a damping gap is formed that is bordered radially inwardly by the inside component and radially outwardly, by the outside component. The gap is filled with a magnetorheological medium. The damping gap can be exposed to a magnetic field to damp a pivoting motion between the two counter-pivoting components about an axle. One of the components is provided with a plurality of radially extending arms. The arms are equipped with an electric coil having a winding, the winding extending adjacent to the axle and spaced apart from the axle.

A hydraulic control for an attachment on a work vehicle. Power is provided to the attachment by manually actuating a control lever that is biased toward a first position. This first position corresponds to a deactuated mode of the attachment. By unlocking a lock mechanism, the lever may be maintained in a second position under hand pressure. This second position corresponds to an actuated mode of the attachment. The lock mechanism may be actuated by an operator platform-actuated release mechanism. While an operator is on a platform on the vehicle, the loch mechanism remains unlocked, and the lever may be maintained, without hand pressure, in its second position. The release mechanism actuates the lock mechanism when an operator is not on the platform. As a result, the bias of the control lever returns it to its first position, and the attachment is deactuated. A filter may be utilized to prevent premature actuation of the release mechanism.

A vehicle pedal for a motor vehicle that includes a base plate, which may be attached to the body of the motor vehicle, a pedal plate, which is configured to absorb a mechanical force from a driver and which is pivotable relative to the base plate, and at least one hinge via which the base plate and the pedal plate are coupled with each other in a pivoting manner. The vehicle pedal also includes a spring unit, which is coupled with the pedal plate and extends in parallel or essentially in parallel to the pedal plate, and a lever unit, which is coupled with the spring unit and includes a lever arm and a sensor. The mechanical force may be transferred to the sensor of the lever unit via the spring unit and the lever arm of the lever unit. The sensor converts the mechanical force into electrical force.