Hand-actuated transmitter unit
09721738 · 2017-08-01
Assignee
Inventors
- Joachim Hujer (Grabenstetten, DE)
- Christian Neutsch (Reutlingen, DE)
- Richard Penazzi (Grossbettlingen, DE)
Cpc classification
B62L3/023
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
Abstract
In order to improve a hand-actuated transmitter unit for vehicles, in particular for handlebar-controlled vehicles, comprising a housing, an actuating lever which is movable relative to the housing and is coupled to a transmission element such that an actuation of the actuating lever is transmitted by means of the transmission element to a slave unit, such that further functions of a vehicle can be controlled, it is proposed that a detector unit which detects with at least one detector a transition of the actuating lever from a non-actuated state to an actuated state and vice versa is associated with the transmitter unit.
Claims
1. Hand-actuated transmitter unit for vehicles, in particular for handlebar-controlled vehicles, comprising a housing, an actuating lever which is movable relative to the housing and is coupled to a transmission element such that an actuation of the actuating lever is transmitted by means of the transmission element to a slave unit, the transmitter unit being associated with a detector unit which detects with at least one detector a transition of the actuating lever from a non-actuated state into an actuated state and vice versa; wherein the at least one detector is arranged on the actuating lever; and wherein the actuating lever comprises a first lever arm and a second lever arm and that the lever arms are movable relative to one another between an actuation starting position existing in a non-actuated state of the actuating lever and an actuation position existing in an actuated state.
2. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit has a detector output at which an electrically detectable state signal is available on request for an external functional unit.
3. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit converts the respectively detected state of the actuating lever into an electrical switching state forming the state signal.
4. Transmitter unit according to claim 3, wherein the electrical switching state corresponds to an open switch.
5. Transmitter unit according to claim 3, wherein the electrical switching state corresponds to a closed switch.
6. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever influences the at least one detector at least in one of the two actuation states.
7. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the actuating lever influences the at least one detector by means of a transmission element.
8. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the detector unit comprises at least two detectors.
9. Transmitter unit according to claim 8, wherein the detector unit comprises a rocker which transmits an influence to the detectors and which acts on each of the detectors alternatingly.
10. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is a tactile detector.
11. Transmitter unit according to claim 10, wherein the at least one detector is configured as a tactilely actuatable electric switching contact.
12. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detector is arranged on the housing of the transmitter unit such that the actuating lever influences said detector in the actuated or the non-actuated position.
13. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the lever arms are pivotable relative to one another between the actuation starting position and the actuation position.
14. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the lever arms are connected to one another and are movable relative to one another by means of elastic regions.
15. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the lever arms have arm portions arranged facing one another and in that arranged on one arm portion is the at least one detector which the other of the arm portions influences in the actuation starting position or in the actuation position.
16. Transmitter unit according to claim 15, wherein the at least one detector is arranged cooperating with one of the arm portions and engages in the other of the arm portions.
17. Transmitter unit according to claim 16, wherein the at least one detector is arranged in a receptacle of the one of the arm portions and the other of the arm portions overlaps the receptacle.
18. Transmitter unit according to claim 1, wherein the first lever arm and the second lever arm are acted upon relative to each other by a resilient element in the direction of the actuation starting position.
19. Hand-actuated transmitter unit for vehicles, in particular for handlebar-controlled vehicles, comprising a housing, an actuating lever which is movable relative to the housing and is coupled to a transmission element such that an actuation of the actuating lever is transmitted by means of the transmission element to a slave unit, the transmitter unit being associated with a detector unit which detects with at least one detector a transition of the actuating lever from a non-actuated state into an actuated state and vice versa; wherein the at least one detector is associated with a reach adjust device arranged on the housing for the actuating lever.
20. Transmitter unit according to claim 19, wherein the at least one detector is associated with an adjustment element of the reach adjust device.
21. Transmitter unit according to claim 19, wherein a contact arm of the actuating lever influences the at least one detector.
22. Transmitter unit according to claim 21, wherein the contact arm influences the at least one detector in every position of the adjustment element in its respective starting position.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(24) An exemplary embodiment of a transmitter unit 10 according to the invention, as shown in
(25) The housing 14 further comprises a housing body 18 on which an actuating lever 22 is mounted pivotable about a pivot axis 24, wherein the actuating lever 22 has a manually actuatable handle arm 26 with a handle surface 28 for manual actuation of the actuating lever 22, wherein a manual pressure on the handle surface 28 leads to pivoting of the actuating lever 22 in an actuating direction 32 about the pivot axis 24 starting from a starting position.
(26) As
(27) A master cylinder 44 which is mounted in the housing body 18 is actuable by the plunger 42.
(28) The master cylinder 44 is preferably formed by a cylinder housing 46 arranged, in particular integrally, in the housing body 18, in which cylinder housing a piston 48 is arranged movable in a movement direction 52, wherein the cylinder housing 46 and the piston 48 delimit a cylinder chamber 54 the volume of which varies depending on the position of the piston 48 so that in the event that a hydraulic medium is provided in the cylinder chamber 54, the master cylinder 44 operates as a hydraulic master cylinder by which the hydraulic medium can be fed via a hydraulic line 55 to a slave unit, for example, for actuating a brake unit.
(29) In order to move the piston 48 in the movement direction 52, it is provided with a pressure surface 56 on which the plunger 42 acts with a plunger head 58.
(30) Furthermore, the piston 48 is acted upon in the direction of an end position defining a maximum volume of the cylinder chamber 54 by a compression spring 62 arranged in the cylinder chamber 54 which therefore constantly displaces the piston 48 toward an enlargement of the cylinder chamber 54, so that the piston preferably acts constantly with the pressure surface 56 against a rounded plunger head surface 64 of the plunger head 58 and constantly pivots the actuating lever 22 until a contact arm 66 abuts a reach adjust device 72 which is also provided in the housing 14 and which defines the starting position of the actuating lever 22.
(31) As shown in
(32) In order to turn the plunger 42, it is provided at its end remote from the plunger head 58 with a rotary control element 92 which is held non-rotatably on an end portion 94 of the plunger 42 opposite to the plunger head 58.
(33) The threaded guide 86 and the pressure arm 36 thus lie between the plunger head 58 and the rotary control element 92.
(34) The rotary control element 92 is herein provided peripherally, as shown in
(35) Due to the arrangement of the internal thread 82 of the threaded guide 86 directly in the pressure arm 36, the orientation of the longitudinal axis 88 of the plunger 42 relative to the actuating lever 22 is also pre-determined, so that the plunger 42 is always oriented in a defined manner relative to the actuating lever 22 and particularly also to the handle arm 26.
(36) For this reason, the plunger head 58 is preferably provided with the rounded head surface 64 which acts on the pressure surface 56 of the piston 48.
(37) In order to prevent the free rotatability of the plunger 42 in the threaded guide 86, a locking element 102 is preferably provided which has a locking nose 104 which can be brought into engagement with the grip recesses 96 of the rotary control element 92 in order thereby to fix the rotary control element 92 in a rotary position.
(38) The locking nose 104 is herein preferably mounted on a tongue 106 which is elastically movable relative to the actuating lever 22, particularly relative to the handle arm 26 of the actuating lever 22.
(39) In the exemplary embodiment shown, the actuating lever 22 is provided in the region of the handle arm 26 with a recess 116 lying between side cheeks 112 and 114 of the handle arm 26, and extending as far as the tongue 106 with the locking nose 104, wherein a U-shaped slit 118 which extends round the tongue 106 and the locking nose 104 is provided which frees the tongue 106 with the locking nose 104, so that consequently the tongue 106 is connected on one side only by a tongue root 122 to the handle arm 26 (
(40) This design enables the tongue 106 with the locking nose 104 to be configured as one part integrally with the handle arm 26 if the actuating lever 22 is manufactured, for example, with the handle arm 26 as a plastics part.
(41) If, however, the actuating lever 22 is configured with the handle arm 26 as a metal part, the tongue 106 bearing the locking nose 104 is to be configured as a resilient element and is to be connected to the actuating lever 22, in particular the handle arm 26.
(42) By means of the locking of the rotary control element 92 in the different positions, a setting of the plunger 42 once pre-determined by means of the threaded guide 86 and thus the position of the piston 48 pre-determined by the plunger 42 in the starting position of the actuating lever 22 pre-determined by the reach adjust device 72 can thus be maintained without any change in the position of the plunger 42 taking place independently.
(43) In this way, in particular, adaptations of the master cylinder 44 to slave-side changes, for example, changes of brake linings through wear can be carried out.
(44) As mentioned above, with the transmitter unit 10 according to the invention, by means of the reach adjust device 72 in cooperation with the contact arm 66, the starting position of the actuating lever 22 and thus a reach, that is, the spacing of the handle arm 26 from the handlebar 12 can also be set.
(45) For this purpose, as shown in
(46) As shown in
(47) This first stop surface 134 is arranged so that it permits a starting position of the handle arm 26 which, relative to the pivot axis 24, represents a maximum angular spacing W1 from the holding unit 14, as
(48) The second stop surface 136 is effective when the adjustment element 132 is displaced, starting from the first position shown in
(49) In order to move the third stop surface 138 into its active position, the adjustment element 132 is to be displaced in the direction of the pivot axis 24 far enough so that the adjustment element assumes the position closest to the pivot axis 24.
(50) The third stop surface 138 is herein arranged so that the angular spacing W3 between the handle arm 26 and the holding unit 16 is smaller than the angular spacing W2 (
(51) In order to be able to position the adjustment element 132 reliably in the different positions corresponding to the different angular spacings W1, W2, W3 in which the different stop surfaces 134, 136 and 138 are effective, the adjustment element 132 is lockable relative to the housing body 18 with a locking device identified overall as 152, as shown in
(52) The locking device 152 herein comprises a first locking element 154 which is connected, for example, to the housing body 18 and can be configured as a cam or a pin, and comprises a second locking element 156 which has a plurality of locking surfaces 162, 164 and 166 with which the first locking element 154 can cooperate in order to fix the adjustment element 132 in the different positions corresponding, for example, to the angular spacings W1 or W2 or W3 relative to the housing body 18.
(53) Preferably, the second locking element 156 is configured as a resilient tongue 168 formed onto the adjustment element 132.
(54) In order to guide the adjustment element 132 in the housing body, as shown in
(55) Also associated with the adjustment element 132 is a detector unit identified overall as 182, which is arranged in a recess 184 of the adjustment element 132.
(56) The detector unit 182 comprises a detector carrier 186 on which two detectors 192 and 194 are arranged spaced apart from one another.
(57) The detector unit 182 generates electrically detectable state signals corresponding to an influence on the detectors 192 and 194, which can be interrogated, for example, by means of a detector line 188.
(58) Each of the detectors 192 and 194 is provided with a tactilely actuatable element 196, 198 on which an influence is exerted by means of a transmission element 202.
(59) The transmission element 202 is configured, for example, as a rocker 204 which is pivotable about a pivot axis 206, wherein the pivot axis 206 is formed, as shown for example in
(60) Preferably, the pivot axis 206 of the rocker 204 lies between the two detectors 192 and 194.
(61) The rocker 204 further comprises two arched influencing surfaces 216, 218 wherein the influencing surface 216 influences the tactilely actuatable element 196, whilst the influencing surface 218 influences the tactilely actuatable element 198.
(62) The rocker 204 is further arranged relative to the detectors 192 and 194 so that it either influences the tactilely actuatable element 196 with the influencing surface 216 or influences the tactilely actuatable element 198 with the influencing surface 218 so that an actuation state signal is generated by the respective detector 192 or 194.
(63) Furthermore, the rocker 204 is provided with a tongue 222 which extends along the adjustment element 132 in the region of the stop surfaces 134, 136, 138 so that with the contact arm 66 acting upon one of the stop surfaces 134, 136 or 138, an influence acts upon the tongue 222 and thus an influence acts upon the rocker 204, specifically such that the rocker influences the tactile element 196 so that the detector 192 generates an actuation state signal.
(64) This influence on the tongue 222 of the rocker 204 simultaneously leads, as for example
(65) If, however, as shown in
(66) In this case, a spring element 224 is associated with the rocker 204, said spring element being arranged, for example, in a receptacle 226 of the adjustment element 132 and acting, for example, on the tongue 222 in a direction opposite to the influencing direction of the contact arm 66 so that when the contact arm 66, as shown in
(67) With the solution according to the invention, the detectors 192 and 194 can be configured in widely varying ways.
(68) For example, the detectors can be configured as capacitive sensors.
(69) A particularly simple and robust solution provides, however, that the detectors 192, 194 are configured as electrical switching contacts wherein the tactilely actuatable elements 196 and 198 either close or open the electrical switching contacts, that is they are capable, in order to generate the actuation state signal, of generating a defined electrical switching state, specifically open or closed.
(70) If no actuation of the relevant element 196 and 198 takes place, then the respective other switching state exists and a non-actuation state signal can be associated therewith.
(71) These state signals corresponding to the switching states of the detectors 192 and 194 are read by an external functional unit 232.
(72) The fact that two detectors 192, 194 are provided which are actuatable by means of the switching rocker 204, that always only one of the detectors 192, 194 generates the actuating signal, whilst the other of the detectors 194, 192 generates no actuating signal can be utilized in widely differing ways.
(73) For example, the detectors 192 and 194 can be connected to external functional units 232 so that the actuating signals of the detectors 192, 194 are transmitted to different external functional units 232.
(74) However, the detectors 192 and 194 can also be connected as redundant detectors so that the external functional unit 232 is always capable of checking whether a malfunction of one of the detectors 192, 194 has occurred or whether both detectors 192, 194 function reliably, specifically in that a check is always performed of whether the actuating state signal of one of the detectors 192, 194 is correspondingly present with the non-actuation state signal of the other of the detectors 194, 192.
(75) As the external functional units 232, for example, drive circuits are provided, particularly when the transmitter unit according to the invention is used to actuate a braking unit as the slave unit.
(76) It can thus always be ensured when the braking unit is actuated that a drive switch-off takes place and thus that the drive of the handlebar-controlled vehicle does not operate against the effect of the brake.
(77) Alternatively, or in addition, however, the functional unit 232 can also be provided as a drive of a recuperator for energy recovery.
(78) In a second exemplary embodiment of a transmitter unit 10 according to the invention 10, as shown in
(79) In the second exemplary embodiment, all those elements which are identical with the first exemplary embodiment are identified with the same reference signs so that reference is made to the statements relating to this exemplary embodiment.
(80) In the second exemplary embodiment, the actuating lever 22′ has, as shown particularly in
(81) The lever arms 242 and 244 have arm portions 246, 248 facing one another which are also mounted pivotable relative to one another about a pivot axis 252.
(82) If it is assumed that the actuating lever 22′ is in its starting position described, for example, in relation to the first exemplary embodiment, then the first lever arm 242 is arranged in the defined starting position and the second lever arm 244 is pivotable relative to the first lever arm about the pivot axis 252, as shown particularly in
(83) In the second exemplary embodiment, the whole detector unit 182 is held with the detector carrier 186 and the two detectors 192 and 194 on one of the lever arms 242, 244, for example, on the arm portion 248 of the second lever arm 244 and extends with the detectors 192 and 194 into a recess 272 in the arm portion 296, wherein on the base side of the recess, influencing surfaces 216′ and 218′ which act upon the tactilely actuatable elements 196 and 198 are provided.
(84) In this case, the first arm portion 246 of the first lever arm 242 forms a rocker which is pivotable about the pivot axis 252 relative to the detector unit 182 which is firmly held on the second arm portion 248 and therefore influences the tactilely actuatable elements 196, 198, specifically also alternatingly as described in relation to the first exemplary embodiment, so that either the actuating state signal is generated in one of the detectors 192, 194, whilst in the other of the detectors 194, 192, no actuating state signal or a non-actuation state signal is generated.
(85) Furthermore, between the arm portions 246 and 248, a spring element 274 is effective which presses the arm portions 246 and 248 relative to one another such that they always abut against one another with the side regions 254 and 256 when, in an actuation starting position, no actuation of the handle lever 26′ takes place. Thus, on actuation of the handle lever 26′, the second lever arm 244 moves about the pivot axis 252 relative to the first lever arm 242 and thus also the second arm portion 248 moves relative to the first arm portion 246 contrary to the force effect of the spring element 274 so that in an actuation position, the side regions 262 and 264 contact one another.
(86) This leads to an influence on the detector unit 182 such that in this case, for example, the detector 192 transitions from the non-actuated state into the actuated state, whilst the detector 194 transitions from the actuated state into the non-actuated state and generates the corresponding state signals.
(87) Only when the side regions 262 and 264 of the arm portions 246, 248 abut against one another, on further influence on the handle lever 26′, does pivoting of the actuating lever 22′ take place in the actuating direction 32 and thus a movement of the whole actuating lever 22′ from the starting position into an actuated position.
(88) In a third exemplary embodiment of a transmitter unit 10, as shown in
(89) In the third exemplary embodiment also, all those elements which are identical with the exemplary embodiments described above are identified with the same reference signs so that reference is made to the statements relating to these exemplary embodiments.
(90) In the third exemplary embodiment, the actuating lever 22″ has, as shown in
(91) The lever arms 242′ and 244′ have arm portions 246′, 248′ facing one another which are movable relative to one another, wherein the movability does not result from a joint which connects the arm portions 246′ and 248′ which are movable relative to one another.
(92) Rather, the lever arms 242′ and 244′ are manufactured as an integral part. As shown, for example, in
(93) The lever base 282 transitions directly to the first lever arm 242′ which is integrally connected to the lever base 282 via the two web regions 284 and 286 and, due to the two web regions 284 and 286, forms a rigid unit with the lever base 282.
(94) The two web regions 284 and 286 transition, as shown in
(95) Herein, the two side webs 294 and 296 extend starting from the central web 292 in the direction of the arm portion 248′ so that the groove 298 has a groove opening 302 facing toward the arm portion 248′, wherein in the groove 298, opposite the groove opening 302, a groove bottom 304 is formed.
(96) The second lever arm 244′ is also held on the lever base 282, specifically outer elastic struts 312 and 314 extend from the lever base 282 to the arm portion 248′ which, in the non-actuated state extends at a distance from the side webs 294 and 296 of the arm portion 246′ and thus also extends at a distance from the groove opening 302.
(97) The arm portion 248′ also comprises, for example, a central web 322 which is adjoined by stabilising side webs 324 and 326 which extend, for example, in the direction of the arm portion 246′ and accept the arm portion 246′ with its upper end regions 334 and 336 between them.
(98) Furthermore, the central web 322 carries on its side facing toward the arm portion 246′ the detector carrier 186′ on which, for example, a detector 192′ is placed which is arranged so that, although it is held by the detector carrier 186′, it extends through the groove opening 302 into the groove 298 and rests with its tactilely actuatable element 196 on the groove bottom 304 when the arm portion 248′ moves, due to the elastic behaviour of the struts 312 and 314 in the direction of the arm portion 246′, which occurs when a manual intervention on the handle arm 26 to actuate the actuating lever 22″ takes place.
(99) Preferably, the lever base 282 is provided on a side facing away from the pivot axis 24 with a recess 342 for guiding the detector cable 188, which recess guides the detector cable 188 round the internal thread 82 and then transitions to a free space 344 which is formed between the elastic struts 312 and 314, holding the struts apart from one another and also providing a separation between the arm portion 248′ and the arm portion 246′ in order to bind the arm portion 248′ of the second lever arm 244′ exclusively by means of the struts 312 and 314 to the lever base 282, by means of which an integral connection to the first lever arm 242′ again comes about.
(100) Furthermore, the free space 344 is dimensioned so that the detector carrier 186′ can be introduced with the detector 192′ between the arm portion 246′ and the arm portion 248′, wherein the detector 192′ engages through the groove opening 302 into the groove 298 and can be inserted therealong together with the detector carrier 186′ into a functional position shown in
(101) In the third exemplary embodiment, as soon as a manual influence acts on the handle arm 26, said handle arm acts on the arm portion 248′ of the lever arm 244′ which is rigidly connected to it and thus the arm portion 248′ moves by means of the elastic struts 312 and 314 relative to the arm portion 246′ of the second lever 242′ disposed in the starting position of said arm portion, said second lever 242′ remaining static due to the starting position, pre-determined by the transmitter unit.
(102) By this means, the detector 192′ is moved deeper into the groove 298 so that the tactilely actuatable element 198 is located against the groove bottom 304 and thus transitions the detector 192′ from the non-actuated state into the actuated state.
(103) In order to protect the detector 192′, the first arm portion 246′ is provided at an end region 352 facing away from the elastic struts 312 and 314 with a support surface 354 on which the arm portion 248′ abuts with a contact surface 356 in the actuated state of the detector 192′ so that the actual force for actuating the transmitter unit can be transmitted from the arm portion 248′ via the contact surface 356 and the support surface 354 to the arm portion 246′ in order to actuate the transmitter unit itself.
(104) As soon as the influence on the handle region 26 is ended, the arm portion 246′ moves, due to the tendency of the elastic struts 312 and 314 to transition to their starting state, away from the arm portion 246′ again so that thereby the detector 192′ is again moved away from the groove bottom 304 and actuation of the tactilely actuatable element 196′ is ended.