Actuating drive with operator control device, and associated method for operator control

Abstract

To improve the operator control capability of an actuating drive, switches are dispensed with and, instead, at least two rotary elements for rotational operator control are provided, arranged concentrically with respect to one another to be operatable using both hands and, in the process, are rotatable individually and independently of one another, preferably about a common axis of rotation. Rotational adjustment movements of the two rotary elements are transmitted by a magnetic coupling through a housing section, which is designed without apertures, of the actuating drive into an interior space of said actuating drive, such that, for reading out the magnetic fields, use can be made of conventional Hall sensors, and the housing of the actuating drive can be designed to be explosion-proof. In the event of failure of the rotary elements, the magnetic fields required for operator control are transmitted into the interior space using a magnetic pin for high operational reliability under all circumstances.

Claims

1. An actuating drive (1) comprising: an operator control device (2) for controlling the actuating drive (1), the operator control device (2) including: an inner rotary element (3); an outer rotary element (4); the two rotary elements (3, 4) being arranged concentrically with respect to one another and being rotatable independently of one another about a common axis of rotation (5), wherein at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) has at least one equilibrium position (9) that is haptically readable, the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being movable out of the at least one equilibrium position (9) counter to a first restoring force, the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being switchable over from the at least one equilibrium position (9) into an adjacent equilibrium position (9) counter to a second restoring force that is different from the first restoring force.

2. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of (a) the inner rotary element (3) protrudes axially beyond the outer rotary element (4); (b) the outer rotary element (4) protrudes radially beyond the inner rotary element (3); or (c) the operator control device (2) is mounted in a non-destructively removable manner on the actuating drive (1) via a receiving device (6) which defines the axis of rotation (5).

3. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the inner rotary element (3) and the outer rotary element (4) are each held individually by an axle (15) that defines the axis of rotation (5), or the outer rotary element (4) is held axially by the inner rotary element (3).

4. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mechanical lock (8), and at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) has at least one recess (7) for receiving the mechanical lock (8) by which the respective rotary element (3, 4) is blockable.

5. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein an angle range (22) of at least +/5 is provided for deflection movements of the at least one of the rotary element (3, 4) out of an equilibrium position (9), in said angle range (22) the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) is automatically returnable by one of the first or second restoring forces, into the equilibrium position (9) used as initial position, or adjacent ones of the equilibrium positions (9) of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) are spaced apart from one another by at least 25.

6. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a magnetic coupling by which a control command input by at least one of the inner rotary element (3) or the outer rotary element (4) is transmittable in contactless fashion into an interior space (10) of the actuating drive (1).

7. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring element (16) that generates a restoring force during a deflection or switchover of at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4), a rate of a rise of the restoring force increasing with the deflection of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) out of an equilibrium position (9), with different gradients being provided on a bracing ramp (17), with which different gradients the spring element (16) interacts for an increase of a rate of rise of the restoring force.

8. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a detent mechanism (18) that provides an engagement, which can be read out haptically, of at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) in at least one of the equilibrium positions (9), and the spring element (16) is designed for the engagement in the equilibrium position (9).

9. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 7, wherein the spring element (16) is a leaf spring (24), and the leaf spring (24) is held in a region of both of ends (29) thereof by the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4), such that at least one of: (a) the leaf spring (24) is pivotable about support bearings (28) spaced apart from the ends (29) thereof, (b) the ends (29) of the leaf spring (24) are movable, or (c) the leaf spring (24) is M-shaped; or the actuating device further comprises a cam disk (27) with a sequence of different inclines in order, in interaction with the spring element (16) to generate restoring forces of different intensity, the spring (24) forming a projection (30) for engagement into at least one corresponding recess (31) of the cam disk (27), and the cam disk (27) including end stops (32) for a rotational limitation of the operator control movements of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4).

10. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 9, wherein the operator control device (2) is fastenable or fastened by the cam disk (27) to the housing (14) of the actuating drive (1), the cam disk (27) for being connected or connectable to the housing (14) in punctiform fashion against the housing (14), and the cam disk (27) including an encircling rim (35).

11. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the inner rotary element (3), bears at least one of the magnets (11), and is guided through a passage window (38) in at least one of the outer rotary element (4) or the cam disk (27) to the housing (14) of the actuating drive (1).

12. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second restoring force is greater than the first restoring force.

13. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a switching over between adjacent equilibrium positions is distinguished from a deflection out of the at least one equilibrium position in a rocking operator control due to the second restoring force being greater than the first restoring force.

14. An actuating drive (1) having an operator control device (2) for controlling the actuating drive (1), the operator control device comprising: magnetic field sensors (12, 13) in an interior space (10) of a housing of the actuating drive (1); and a device for changing the operator control device (2) over from manual operator control to pin-based operator control, wherein an arrangement of the magnetic field sensors (12, 13) is marked on an outer side of the housing of the actuating drive to identify areas adapted for actuation by an external magnet.

15. A method (1) for operator control of an actuating drive (1), the method comprising: providing the actuating drive (1) with an operator control device (2) having two rotary elements (3, 4); an operator inputting control commands required for operation of the actuating drive (1) via the rotary elements (3, 4) with the operator performing movements of the two rotary elements at least one of partially simultaneously, in parallel, or using two hands; and wherein at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) has at least one equilibrium position (9) that is haptically readable, the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being movable out of the at least one equilibrium position (9) counter to a first restoring force, the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being switchable over from the at least one equilibrium position (9) into an adjacent equilibrium position (9) counter to a second restoring force that is different than the first restoring force.

16. A method (1) for operator control of an actuating drive (1), comprising: providing the actuating drive (1) with an operator control device (2) including at least one rotary element (3, 4) for generating control commands; and contactlessly transmitting all of the control commands required for operation of the actuating drive (1) through a housing (14) into an interior space (10) of the actuating drive (1), wherein control commands are transmitted to the actuating drive (1) by rotating the at least one rotary element (3, 4) from a first equilibrium position (9) into an adjacent equilibrium position (9) and by deflecting the at least one rotary element (3, 4) out of the equilibrium position (9) as far as defined switchover points (31), the equilibrium positions (9) and the switchover points (31) being read out haptically, and the at least one rotary element (3, 4) being held in the equilibrium positions (9) by a detent mechanism (18), and the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being movable out of the at least one equilibrium position (9) counter to a first restoring force, the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being switchable over from the at least one equilibrium position (9) into an adjacent equilibrium position (9) counter to a second restoring force that is different than the first restoring force.

17. An actuating drive (1) having an operator control device (2) for controlling the actuating drive (1), the operator control device (2) comprising: a rotary element (3, 4) which has at least one magnet (11) for transmitting operator control movements into an interior space (10) of the actuating drive, magnetic field sensors (12, 13) that read out operator control movements of the rotary element (3, 4) in an interior space of the operator control device, the at least one magnet (11) being arranged radially at an outside or facing a housing (14) of the actuating drive (1), in or on the rotary element (3, 4), and the rotary element (3, 4) has at least one equilibrium position (9) that is haptically readable, the rotary element (3, 4) being movable out of the at least one equilibrium position (9) counter to a first restoring force, the rotary element (3, 4) being switchable over from the at least one equilibrium position (9) into an adjacent equilibrium position (9) counter to a second restoring force that is different from the first restoring force.

18. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein each said equilibrium position (9) of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) is assigned a pair comprised of one of the magnets (11) held by the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) and a magnetic field sensor of a first type (12) arranged in the desired equilibrium position (9) within a housing (14) of the actuating drive (1), the one of the magnets (11) held by the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) being assigned to all equilibrium positions (9) of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4), and at least one of a further magnetic field sensor of a second type (13) or a further magnet (11) to detect a direction of rotation of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4) upon movement out of an equilibrium position (9).

19. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 18, wherein at least one of: (a) the magnetic field sensors of the first type (12) are, for detection of the equilibrium positions (9), arranged so as to be spaced apart from one another such that magnetic field detection regions thereof do not overlap, or (b) each said equilibrium position (9) of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4), is assigned two magnetic field sensors of the second type (13), which are each designed for detecting a deflection out of the respective equilibrium position (9) in each case in one direction.

20. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least two of the magnets (11) are formed on at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4), one of the at least two magnets (11) interacting with magnetic field sensors of a first type (12) arranged in the desired equilibrium position (9) within a housing (14) of the actuating drive (1), in order to detect the equilibrium positions (9) and a further magnet (11) of the at least two magnets (11) interacting with magnetic field sensors of a second type (13) in order to detect deflections of the rotary element (3, 4) out of an equilibrium position (9), the magnetic field sensors of the first type (12) being spaced apart from the magnetic field sensors of the second type (13) such that magnetic field detection regions thereof do not overlap.

21. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 20, wherein, for N equilibrium positions (9) of the at least one of the rotary elements (3, 4), there are provided in each case N of the magnetic field sensors of the first type (12) for the detection of the equilibrium positions (9), or N+1 of the further magnetic field sensors of the second type (13) for the detection of operator control movements of the rotary element (3, 4), or both.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments, but is not restricted to these exemplary embodiments.

(2) Further exemplary embodiments arise through combination of the features of individual or multiple claims with one another and/or with individual or multiple features of the respective exemplary embodiment. In particular, it is thus possible for embodiments of the invention to be obtained from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment in conjunction with the general description, the claims and the drawings.

(3) In the drawings:

(4) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a frontal housing cover of an actuating drive according to the invention with, attached thereto, an operator control device according to the invention with two rotary elements,

(5) FIG. 2 shows a frontal view from the front of the housing cover of the actuating drive from FIG. 1,

(6) FIG. 3 shows a side-on cross-sectional view of the housing cover of the actuating drive from FIG. 1,

(7) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view from the rear of an inner rotary element of an operator control device according to the invention,

(8) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from the rear of an outer rotary element of an operator control device according to the invention,

(9) FIG. 6 shows a frontal view from the rear of the two rotary elements, inserted one inside the other, of FIGS. 4 and 5, and a detailed view that discloses a detent mechanism,

(10) FIG. 7 shows a view from above of the two rotary elements, inserted one inside the other, of FIGS. 4 and 5,

(11) FIG. 8 shows a rear view of the operator control device, showing the two rotary elements and a cam disk,

(12) FIG. 9 shows a side-on cross-sectional view of the operator control device, which discloses the holding configuration of the two rotary elements,

(13) FIG. 10 shows a frontal view of the actuating drive after removal of the housing cover, such that a circuit board with magnetic field sensors, which is situated behind the housing cover and arranged in the interior space of the actuating drive, can be seen, and

(14) FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of an actuating drive according to the invention with the operator control device described above.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIG. 1 shows a housing cover 20 as part of a housing 14 of an actuating drive 1 which, as illustrated in FIG. 3, delimits a protected interior space 10 of the actuating drive 1 with respect to the outside. For the control of the actuating drive 1, an operator control device 2 is attached to the outside of the housing cover 20, which operator control device, as shown in FIG. 1, has an inner rotary element 3 and an outer rotary element 4.

(16) As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of the housing cover 20 in FIG. 3, the two rotary elements 3, 4 are arranged concentrically with respect to one another, such that they are rotatable independently of one another about a common axis of rotation 5.

(17) For this purpose, the two rotary elements 3, 4 are mounted rotatably on a common static axle 15 (see also FIG. 9). The axle 15 forms a stud 26 with a thread 33 which is screwed into a receiving device 6 on the housing 14, more specifically on the housing cover 20, of the actuating drive 1. The receiving device 6 is designed as a blind hole with an internal thread that fits with the stud 26 of the axle 15. The axle 15 and the receiving device 6 thus together define the axis of rotation 5 of the operator control device 2.

(18) Due to the screw connection produced between the receiving device 6 and the stud 26 of the axle 15, the operator control device 2 can be non-destructively removed from the actuating drive 1 by virtue of the axle 15 being unscrewed from the receiving device 6. After the removal of the operator control device 2, the outer surface, situated beneath said operator control device, of the housing cover 20 is accessible, which permits the above-discussed operator control of the actuating drive 1 by the use of a magnetic pin.

(19) As can also be seen in FIG. 3, further studs 26 are formed on the operator control device 2, more specifically on a cam disk 27, which studs engage into corresponding recesses 7 of the housing cover 20. The cam disk 27 thus serves as a holding plate for further fixtures.

(20) The studs 26 of the cam disk 27 secure the operator control device 2 against rotation. Therefore, a single screw connection is sufficient for connecting the operator control device 2 to the actuating drive 1 in rotationally fixed fashion.

(21) A notable feature of the technical solution illustrated in FIG. 3 is that the housing cover 20 can be designed to be free from apertures, in particular in the region of the operator control device 2, because control commands can be transmitted into the interior space 10 by the above-described magnetic coupling. The operator control device 2 therefore also has no electronics whatsoever, and is therefore highly failsafe.

(22) As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1, three groove-like recesses 7 are formed on the outer rotary element 4. Into said recesses 7 there can be inserted, in each case, a mechanical lock 8 in order to fix the position of the outer rotary element 4 and secure the latter against unauthorized access. For this purpose, the mechanical lock 8 engages into a corresponding recess 7 of the housing 14, as can be seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

(23) The outer rotary element 4 can be positioned in three different equilibrium positions 9, which are denoted in FIG. 2 by the lowercase alphabetic characters a, b and c, in order to set different operating modes of the actuating drive 1. The equilibrium positions 9a, 9b and 9c illustrated in the frontal view of FIG. 2 correspond here to the equilibrium positions 9, likewise designated with the lowercase alphabetic characters a, b and c, in the rear view of the operator control device 2 in FIG. 6, wherein, owing to the rear view, the directional orientation in FIG. 6 is reversed in relation to FIG. 2.

(24) As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the two rotary elements 3, 4 has in each case one spring element 16. In the case of the outer rotary element 4, the spring element 16 is in the form of a leaf spring 24.

(25) By contrast, the spring element 16 of the inner rotary element 3 is formed as a helical spring 25. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the ends of the spring element 16 of the inner rotary element 3 are in this case equipped with legs, such that said spring element forms a leg spring. For the bracing of said leg spring, a driver 37 is formed on the inner rotary element. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 11, it is furthermore the case that a holding element 36 is formed on a cam disk 27, which holding element holds one of the two legs of the leg spring fixed in a manner dependent on the deflection of the inner rotary element 3.

(26) By use of the spring elements 16 (that is to say the leaf spring 24 and the helical spring 25), restoring forces can be generated which can be read out haptically by a user, such that the user can feel the adjustment of the respective rotary element 3, 4.

(27) As can be seen viewing FIGS. 5 and 6 together, on the leaf spring 24 of the outer rotary element 4, there is formed a projection 30 by which the leaf spring 24 can engage into corresponding recesses 7 that are formed on a cam disk 27 of the operator control device 2. From the detailed view of FIG. 6, it can be seen that the recess 7 of the cam disk 27 is designed so as to fit with the convex tip of the projection 30 of the leaf spring 24, which forms a detent lug 23 (see FIG. 5). Therefore, the leaf spring 24 can engage securely in the recess 7. In other words, a detent mechanism 18 is formed by the interaction of the leaf spring 24 with the cam disk 27.

(28) During rotation of the outer rotary element 4 relative to the static cam disk 27, which bears areally against the housing 14, the projection 30 of the leaf spring 24, which is moved conjointly with the outer rotary element 4, moves along a bracing ramp 17 of the cam disk 27. Here, different gradients are formed on the bracing ramp 17, such that, with increasing deflection out of an equilibrium position 9, the restoring force generated by the leaf spring 24 and acting on the outer rotary element 4 increases continuously.

(29) Considering the detailed view of FIG. 6 more closely, it can also be seen that the gradient of the bracing ramp 17 increases abruptly at a point at which a pointed lug is formed on the cam disk 27. The rate of the rise of the restoring force thus not only increases with the deflection of the outer rotary element 4 but also noticeably increases once again, specifically when the leaf spring 24 reaches the lug of the cam disk 27. In this way, a switchover point 31 that can be read out haptically can be defined, which switchover point must be overcome for example if the user wishes to switch over from the equilibrium position 9a illustrated in FIG. 6 into the equilibrium position 9b.

(30) Furthermore, two end stops 32 in the form of protuberances are formed on the cam disk 27. The projections 30 formed on the outer rotary element 4 abut against said end stops 32, such that the rotation of the outer rotary element 4 is limited to a predefinable angle range, as can be easily comprehended when viewing FIG. 6.

(31) As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 9, the inner rotary element 3 and the outer rotary element 4 are each held individually by the static axle 15, which also predefines the common axis of rotation 5. Thus, the two rotary elements 3, 4 can be rotated independently of one another and in particular counter to one another, which permits complex operator control functions.

(32) If, for example, the outer rotary element 4 is rotated while the inner rotary element 3 is stationary, then, owing to the leaf spring 24 discussed above, a first restoring force acts as soon as the outer rotary element 4 is deflected out of one of the three equilibrium positions 9a, b and c.

(33) By contrast, if it is sought to adjust the outer rotary element 4 for example from the equilibrium position 9a illustrated in FIG. 6 into the equilibrium position 9b, the user must overcome a second restoring force which is greater than the restoring force mentioned above.

(34) This second restoring force acts at the above-described switchover points 31. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the second restoring force acts specifically when the leaf spring 24 must overcome the lug formed on the cam disk 27 between the equilibrium positions 9a and 9b. Here, the abrupt steepening of the gradient of the bracing ramp ensures that this switchover is noticeable to the user.

(35) In particular, two-handed and simultaneous operator control of the inner rotary element 3 and of the outer rotary element 4 is, as illustrated in FIG. 7, made much easier in that, firstly, the outer rotary element 4 protrudes radially beyond the inner rotary element 3 (see the two dotted vertical lines) and in that, furthermore, the inner rotary element 3 protrudes axially beyond the outer rotary element 4 (as indicated by the two dotted horizontal lines in FIG. 7). This is because, in this way, in the case of operator control using gloves, the respective rotary element can be easily gripped.

(36) The exemplary embodiment of an operator control device 2 shown in FIG. 6 has a yet further functionality, as indicated by the angle ranges denoted by the reference designation 22: the outer rotary element 4 can, in each case proceeding from one of the equilibrium positions 9a, 9b or 9c, be deflected counter to the above-described first restoring force, specifically in both directions of rotation. By this rocking of the outer rotary element 4, it is for example possible in an elegant manner to navigate up and down within a menu. Here, due to the acting restoring forces, the outer rotary element 4 returns in each case automatically into the equilibrium position 9 used as initial position.

(37) In order that an adequately large deflection range is available for such rocking movements, it is the case in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6 that the adjacent equilibrium positions 9, that is to say for example the positions 9a and 9b, are spaced apart from one another by 25. For the rocking movements themselves, an angle range of approximately +/10 is available, which can be read out by the magnetic field sensors of a second type 13 (cf. FIG. 10).

(38) A further aspect of the invention illustrated in the figures consists in the contactless transmission of control commands, input by the rotary elements 3 and 4, to the actuating drive 1, more specifically into the protected interior space 10 of the actuating drive 1. This is because, as can be clearly seen in FIG. 3, the housing cover 20 is formed without apertures in the region of the operator control device 2. In each case on the rear side facing toward the housing 14, two magnets 11 are recessed into the outer rotary element 4 and a further magnet 11 is recessed into the inner rotary element 3, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In a manner corresponding to these magnets 11, at the inner side, that is to say in the protected interior space 10 and thus behind the housing cover 20, multiple magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 are arranged on a circuit board 21, which magnetic field sensors are illustrated as hatched circular areas in FIG. 10.

(39) Here, for the detection of the three equilibrium positions 9a, 9b and 9c (see FIG. 2) of the outer rotary element 4, N=3 magnetic field sensors of a first type 12 are provided (see FIG. 10). By contrast, N=3+1=4 magnetic field sensors of the second type 13 are arranged on the circuit board 21. These four further magnetic field sensors 13 are exactly sufficient for detecting in each case, in each of the three equilibrium positions 9a, 9b and 9c, rocking movements, that is to say rotational operator control movements, of the outer rotary element 4, and in particular the direction of rotation used in the process (clockwise or counterclockwise).

(40) As shown in FIG. 10, all seven magnetic field sensors of the first and second types 12, 13 used for the detection of equilibrium positions 9 or of operator control movements of the rotary element 4 are situated on a common circular line. This circular line corresponds specifically to the path covered by the two magnets 11 of the outer rotary element 4 (illustrated in FIG. 8) during a rotation of the rotary element 4. As can be clearly seen on the basis of FIG. 8, the two magnets 11 of the outer rotary element 4 are arranged radially at the outside on the outer rotary element 4, resulting in a correspondingly large diameter of the above-described circle in FIG. 10. Such an arrangement is advantageous in order to increase the angular resolution for the reading-out of the operator control movements of the rotary element 4.

(41) For the reading-out of rotary operator control movements of the inner rotary element, more specifically of the magnet 11 thereof, two further magnetic field sensors of a third type 34 are arranged on the circuit board 21 in FIG. 10.

(42) In FIG. 9, it can be clearly seen that the single magnet 11 of the inner rotary element 3 is, analogously to the two magnets 11 of the outer rotary element 4, arranged axially at the inside, that is to say on the rear side of the rotary element 3, so as to face toward the housing 14 of the actuating drive 1. From the cross section of FIG. 3, it can be seen that such an arrangement is advantageous for minimizing the distance between the magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 at the inner side and the respective magnet 11.

(43) Furthermore, in FIGS. 5, 8 and 9, it can be seen that a section of the inner rotary element 3, which bears the single magnet 11 thereof, is guided firstly through a passage window 38 formed in the cam disk 27 and secondly through a further passage window 38 of the outer rotary element 4 (cf. FIG. 5). It is thereby achieved, as illustrated on the basis of FIG. 3, that the magnet 11 is positioned as close as possible to the outer wall of the housing 14 of the actuating drive and thus as close as possible to the magnetic field sensors 34 in the interior space 10. This is advantageous in order that as strong as possible a magnetic field acts on the magnetic field sensor.

(44) In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figures, the magnet 11, illustrated at the bottom left in the rear view of FIG. 8, of the outer rotary element 4 is assigned to all equilibrium positions 9a, 9b and 9c (see FIG. 2). If, for example in FIG. 2, the outer rotary element 4 is rotated counterclockwise from the equilibrium position 9c into the equilibrium position 9b and subsequently into the equilibrium position 9a, the above-describe magnet 11, described immediately above, of the outer rotary element 4 passes through the positions designated by the alphabetic characters c, b, a in FIG. 10. In other words, it is thus the case in each equilibrium position 9 that one of the magnetic field sensors of the first type 12 illustrated in FIG. 10 forms a pair together with the above-described magnet 11 (at the bottom left on the outer rotary element 4 in FIG. 8), which pair is assigned to the respective equilibrium position 9a, 9b or 9c.

(45) If the outer rotary element 4 is situated for example in the equilibrium position 9c shown in FIG. 2, then the two upper magnetic field sensors of the second type, denoted by the reference designations 13 in FIG. 10, on the circuit board 21 serve for detecting deflections of the outer rotary element 4 clockwise or counterclockwise out of the equilibrium position 9c. By processing the signals of the magnetic field sensors of the first type 12 and second type 13, it is also possible here to draw conclusions regarding the present direction of rotation of the rotary element 4.

(46) Here, in FIG. 10, adjacent magnetic field sensors of the first and second types 12, 13 are spaced apart from one another on the circuit board 21 to such an extent that their magnetic field detection regions do not quite overlap. It is ensured in this way that, in every position of the outer rotary element 4, in each case only one of the magnetic field sensors of the first type 12 or only one of the magnetic field sensors of the second type 13 is excited by the magnet 11 of the outer rotary element 4 and thus generates a corresponding signal.

(47) Viewing FIGS. 2, 8 and 10 together, it is very clear that the uppermost magnetic field sensor of the second type 13 in FIG. 10 is designed for detecting a deflection of the outer rotary element 4 clockwise out of the equilibrium position 9c, and the magnetic field sensor of the second type 13 arranged therebelow, that is to say the second-uppermost magnetic field sensor of the second type 13, is correspondingly designed for detecting a deflection of the outer rotary element 4 counterclockwise out of the equilibrium position 9c (see also FIG. 2).

(48) A further aspect of the present invention consists in the formation of a complex detent mechanism 18, the functioning of which has already been discussed in detail on the basis of FIG. 6. As illustrated in the detail of FIG. 6, the M-shaped leaf spring 24 is fixedly connected to the outer rotary element 4. Said spring element 16 is in this case inserted into the outer rotary element 4 such that the two ends 29 of the leaf spring 24 are freely movable. This is achieved in that the leaf spring 24 is braced between two support bearings 28 which are formed on the outer rotary element 4, in each case spaced apart from the ends 29 of the leaf spring 24. Since the leaf spring 24 is pivotable about said support bearings 28, rigid bracing and thus premature fatigue of the leaf spring 24 can be avoided.

(49) By use of the above-described projection 30 which is formed on the leaf spring 24, which engages into the corresponding recesses 7 on the cam disk 27 and which in particular interacts with the different gradients of the bracing ramps 17 of the cam disk 27, it is possible for both holding forces and restoring forces to be exerted on the rotary element 4, which forces can be read out haptically by a user. It is advantageous here that, during the operator control of the operator control device 2, a user can direct his or her view to the display 19 shown in FIG. 1. The user can thus, even without having to direct his or her view to the operator control device 2, perform operator control of the operator control device 2 quickly, precisely and in a fatigue-free manner solely on the basis of the haptic feedback during the deflection of the rotary elements 3 and 4 or during the switchover between the individual equilibrium positions 9. Thus, the operator control of the actuating drive 1 is made much easier and faster in relation to conventional switch elements.

(50) In the case of the M-shaped leaf spring 24 shown in FIG. 6, the restoring force is greater the further radially to the outside the convex tip of the centrally formed projection 30 of the leaf spring 24 is situated. Therefore, in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the restoring force exerted by the leaf spring 24 is at a maximum specifically when the leaf spring 24 passes over the lugs arranged radially at the outside between adjacent bracing ramps 17 of the cam disk 27.

(51) To increase reliability in the operator control of the actuating drive 1, the invention furthermore proposes a method with which operator control of the actuating drive 1 can be performed by a magnetic pin. This is because, viewing FIGS. 3 and 10 together, it can be seen that, after the removal of the operator control device 2 from the housing cover 20 of the actuating drive 1 (see FIG. 3), the magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 arranged on the inner side on the circuit board 21 are separated from the outside environment only by the housing cover 20. It is thus sufficient for a pin with a magnetic tip to be brought into the vicinity of the positions, marked by hatched circular areas in FIG. 10, of the magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 in order to trigger corresponding control commands.

(52) Here, to simplify the operator control, it may be provided that, after removing the operator control device 2 from the actuating drive 1, a user, using the magnetic pin and with guidance being given for example by a user interface presented on the display 19, firstly changes the actuating drive 1 over from manual operator control to pin-based operator control. For this purpose, it may for example be provided that certain magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 must be triggered successively in a particular sequence using the magnetic pin.

(53) As shown in FIG. 1, the operator control device 2 is accessible both from the side, specifically from below, and frontally, such that in particular, operator control using two hands simultaneously is possible. Here, it is for example possible for operator control of the outer rotary element 4 to be performed using the left hand and of the inner rotary element 3 to be performed using the right hand.

(54) To be able to utilize rocking movements of the outer rotary element 4 for inputting control commands, the defined switchover points 31 shown in FIG. 6 are provided. It may for example be provided that a corresponding control command is first triggered when the rotary element 4, or the magnet 11 used for the same, reaches the above-described switchover point 31 or the switchover points 31 illustrated in FIG. 6.

(55) As a result of the engagement of the projection 30 of the leaf spring 24 in the corresponding receptacle 7 of the cam disks 27, it is ensured that the outer rotary element 4 is held securely in the respective equilibrium position 9. There is thus always a defined initial position available, proceeding from which rotational operator control movements can be performed.

(56) Finally, FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of the operator control device 2 and of the housing cover 20 and of the circuit board 21 protected by said housing cover. In particular, the thread 33 formed on the axle 15, the encircling rim 35 of the cam disk 27, and the receiving device 6, in the form of a blind bore with internal thread and provided for receiving the axle 15, can be clearly seen.

(57) FIG. 3 shows a further feature which, on its own, possibly has an independent inventive quality: it can be seen that the viewing window 39 is inserted into a receptacle 40 of the housing 14, wherein the receptacle 40 is dimensioned and arranged such that the circuit board 21, which bears the magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34, can be arranged directly behind the viewing window 39. Here, in particular, a depth of the receptacle 40 is in particular coordinated with a thickness of the viewing window 39. In this way, on the outer side, a step 43 is formed on the housing 14, which step forms a mechanical guard for the operator control device 2. Here, it is also advantageous that a single circuit board can be used, which bears both the magnetic field sensors 12, 13, 34 and the above-described display 19.

(58) In summary, to improve the operator control capability of an actuating drive 1, it is provided that switches be dispensed with and, instead, at least two rotary elements 3, 4, that is to say actuating elements for rotational operator control, be arranged concentrically with respect to one another such that these can be operated using both hands and, in the process, are rotatable individually and independently of one another, preferably about a common axis of rotation 5. It is also provided that rotational adjustment movements of the two rotary elements 3, 4 be transmitted in each case by a magnetic coupling through a housing section, which is designed without apertures, of the actuating drive 1 into an interior space 10 of said actuating drive, such that, for reading out the magnetic fields, use can be made of conventional Hall sensors, and the housing 14 of the actuating drive 1 can be designed to be explosion-proof. This approach furthermore makes it possible, in the event of a failure of the rotary elements 3, 4, for example owing to icing, for the magnetic fields required for operator control to be transmitted into the interior space 10 by using a magnetic pin, such that high operational reliability can be ensured under all circumstances.

LIST OF REFERENCE DESIGNATIONS

(59) 1 Actuating drive 2 Operator control device 3 Inner rotary element 4 Outer rotary element 5 Axis of rotation 6 Receiving device 7 Recess 8 Mechanical lock 9 Equilibrium position 10 Interior space 11 Magnet 12 Magnetic field sensor of a first type 13 Magnetic field sensor of a second type 14 Housing (of the actuating drive) 15 Axle 16 Spring element 17 Bracing ramp 18 Detent mechanism 19 Display 20 Housing cover 21 Circuit board 22 Angle range 23 Detent lugs 24 Leaf spring 25 Helical spring 26 Stud 27 Cam disk 28 Support bearing 29 End (of the leaf spring) 30 Projection 31 Switchover point 32 End stop 33 Thread 34 Magnetic field sensor of a third type 35 Rim 36 Holding element 37 Driver 38 Passage window 39 Viewing window 40 Receptacle (of the housing) 41 Recess (of the housing) 42 Recess (for spring element) 43 Step