Abstract
An actuator for switching a switching unit includes a mechanical display having a window and a display surface visible through said window, where the display surface is positioned at a guiding projection that is subjected to a force from an elastic element.
Claims
1. An actuator for switching a switching unit, comprising; a mechanical display having a window and a movable display face discernible through the window; a stationary further display face separate from the mechanical display, said stationary further display face having an indicia and being arranged below and being covered by the movable display face discernible through the window; a resilient element; and a guide web, the movable display face being positioned on the guide web and the guide web being subjected to a force by the resilient element and pivoting to move the movable display face and uncover the stationary further display face.
2. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable display face and the guide web are formed in one piece.
3. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable display face and the guide web comprise a plastic material.
4. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element is configured as a separate component.
5. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guide web is formed in an S-shaped manner; and wherein the movable display face is arranged at one end and a peg-like device is arranged at another other end of the guide web.
6. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element comprises a spring element having two end regions and a tensioning ring.
7. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element comprises a symmetrical spring element in which a central region of the resilient element is arranged on an inner side of the guide web.
8. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element comprises a concentric flat spiral spring.
9. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the resilient element comprises a rubber ring.
10. A control unit, comprising: an actuator for switching a switching unit, the actuator comprising: a mechanical display having a window and a movable display face discernible through the window; a stationary further display face separate from the mechanical display, said stationary further display face having an indicia and being arranged below the movable display face discernible through the window; a resilient element; and a guide web, the movable display face being positioned on the guide web and the guide web being subjected to a force by the resilient element and pivoting to move the movable display face and uncover the stationary further display face.
11. The control unit of claim 10, wherein the control unit comprises an emergency off switch.
12. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary further display face is fixedly attached to a cap of the actuator.
13. The actuator as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movable display face pivots inward towards a center of the actuator in an actuated stated.
14. The control unit of claim 10, wherein the stationary further display face is fixedly attached to a cap of the actuator.
15. The control unit of claim 10, wherein the movable display face pivots inward towards a center of the actuator in an actuated stated.
16. An actuator for switching a switching unit, comprising; a mechanical display circumferentially arranged with respect to a center of the actuator, said mechanical display having a window and a display face discernible through the window; a further display face oriented along a central axis of the actuator, said further display face having an indicia and being arranged below the display face discernible through the window; a resilient element arranged along the central axis of the actuator; and a guide web circumferentially disposed about the central axis of the actuator, the display face being positioned on the guide web and the guide web being subjected to a force by the resilient element.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) Further advantages and embodiments of the invention are explained in the following text by way of exemplary embodiments and by way of the drawing, in which, schematically:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective exploded illustration of a cylindrical main body of an actuator, preferably of a control and signaling unit having display faces and a first exemplary embodiment of a resilient element in accordance with the invention;
(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective illustration of the cylindrical main body with fitted display faces in accordance with the invention;
(4) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of a cap of the actuator, preferably of a control and signaling unit having display faces in accordance with the invention;
(5) FIG. 4 shows a perspective sectional illustration of an actuator with display faces in an unactuated state in accordance with the invention;
(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective sectional illustration of an actuator with display face in an actuated state in accordance with the invention;
(7) FIG. 6 shows a perspective illustration of a cylindrical main body of an actuator with cutouts for receiving the display faces in accordance with the invention;
(8) FIG. 7 shows a side view of the display faces fixed in the cylindrical main body in accordance with the invention;
(9) FIG. 8 shows a perspective exploded illustration of a cylindrical main body of an actuator with fitted display faces and a second exemplary embodiment of a resilient element in accordance with the invention;
(10) FIG. 9 shows a perspective illustration of the cylindrical main body of FIG. 8 with a fitted display face and a fitted second resilient element in accordance with the invention;
(11) FIG. 10 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of an actuator of FIGS. 8 and 9 in an unactuated state in accordance with the invention;
(12) FIG. 11 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of an actuator of FIGS. 8 and 9 in an actuated state in accordance with the invention;
(13) FIG. 12 shows a perspective exploded illustration of a cylindrical main body of an actuator with a third exemplary embodiment of a resilient element in accordance with the invention;
(14) FIG. 13 shows a perspective illustration of the cylindrical main body of FIG. 12 with fitted display face and fitted resilient element in accordance with the invention;
(15) FIG. 14 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of an actuator of FIGS. 12 and 13 in an unactuated state in accordance with the invention;
(16) FIG. 15 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of an actuator of FIGS. 12 and 13 in an actuated state in accordance with the invention;
(17) FIG. 16 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of an actuator with a fourth exemplary embodiment of a resilient element in an unactuated state in accordance with the invention; and
(18) FIG. 17 shows a perspective illustration of a detail of an actuator of FIG. 16 in an actuated state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
(19) FIG. 1 shows a cylindrical main body 1 of an actuator, preferably of a control and signaling unit with a display face 2 and a first exemplary embodiment of a resilient element 3. The display face 2 is positioned at one end of a guide web 4 that is preferably configured in an S-shaped manner. Arranged at the other end of the guide web 4 is a peg-like device 5. Arranged in the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator are cutouts 6 that serve to receive and fix the guide webs 4 and the peg-like device 5. For further fixing of the display faces 2 in the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator, the resilient element 3 is provided, which is configured as a spring element in this exemplary embodiment. The spring element subjects the guide web 4 of the display face 2 to a spring force such that it is possible to reset the display face 2 from the actuated state into the unactuated state. The resilient element 3 with spring properties has two end regions 7, 8 and a tensioning ring 9 mounted between these end regions 7, 8.
(20) FIG. 2 illustrates the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator with fitted display faces 2 and fitted elastic element 3. The guide web 4 of the display face 2 is positioned in the cutout 6 in the cylindrical main body 1. Indentations 10, 11 in which the peg-like device 5 on the guide web 4 engages are additionally positioned in the cutout 6. The guide web 4 is furthermore fixed by the resilient element 3 with spring properties. In this case, the end region 8 of the resilient element bears against the guide web 4 on the inner side of the cylindrical main body 1. The tensioning ring 9 of the resilient element 3 is positioned laterally next to the guide web 4 in the interior of the cylindrical main body 1. The end region 7 of the resilient element 3 is firmly fixed in a receiving pocket in the inner side of the cylindrical main body 1.
(21) FIG. 3 illustrates a cap 12 of an actuator, preferably of a control and signaling unit with display faces 2 that are visible through windows 13 in the cap 12. Preferably, a plurality of windows 13 and thus a plurality of display faces 2 are also provided in the cap 12.
(22) FIG. 4 shows the actuator in accordance with the invention with display faces 2 in the unactuated state. It is also apparent from this illustration that the tensioning ring 9 of the resilient element 3 has been plugged onto the peg-like device 5 on the guide web 4, while the end region 8 of the resilient element 3 rests on the inner side of the guide web 4. Positioned beneath the display face 2 is a further display face 14 that is firmly fixed to the cap 12 of the actuator and can be seen in the actuated state of the actuator, because in this case the display face 2 pivots away inward.
(23) FIG. 5 shows the actuator in accordance with the invention with display faces 2 in the actuated state. It is apparent from this illustration that the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator serves as a guide rail for the guide web 4, such that the display face 2 pivots away inward toward the center of the actuator in the actuated state.
(24) FIGS. 6 and 7 once again illustrate the fixing of the guide web 4 in the cutout 6 in the cylindrical main body 1. The engagement of the peg-like device 5 in the indentation 11 is apparent in particular from FIG. 7.
(25) FIG. 8 shows a cylindrical main body 1 of an actuator with fitted display faces 2 and a second exemplary embodiment of a resilient element 15 with spring properties. The resilient element 15 in accordance with the invention is preferably constructed symmetrically with end regions 16, 17 that serve as lateral means for fixing in the cylindrical main body 1, and with a central region 18 that is preferably configured as a U-shaped bow.
(26) FIG. 9 shows the cylindrical main body 1 of FIG. 8 with fitted resilient element 15. It is apparent from this illustration that the central region 18 of the resilient element 15 is positioned on the inner side of the guide web 4 of the display face 2, and the end regions 16, 17 of the resilient element 15 are fixed to the right and left of the guide web 4 in the housing region, which is preferably made of a plastic material, of the cylindrical main body 1.
(27) FIG. 10 illustrates the actuator in accordance with the invention with display faces 2 in the unactuated state. It is particularly apparent from this illustration that the central region 18 of the resilient element 15 rests on the lower region of the guide web 4 configured in an S-shaped manner. In this case, the additional display face 14 is also positioned beneath the display face 2, which is firmly fixed to the cap 12 of the actuator and can be seen in the actuated state of the actuator, because the display face 2 pivots away inward here.
(28) FIG. 11 shows the actuator in accordance with the invention with display face 2 in the actuated state. It is apparent from this illustration that the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator serves as a guide rail for the guide web 4 such that the display face 2 pivots away inward toward the center of the actuator in the actuated state.
(29) FIG. 12 illustrates a cylindrical main body 1 of an actuator with a third exemplary embodiment of a resilient element 19. The resilient element 19 in accordance with the invention is preferably configured as a flat spiral spring and formed in a concentric manner. Provision is made for this flat spiral spring to engage in a groove 20 in the cylindrical main body 1.
(30) FIG. 13 shows the cylindrical main body 1 of FIG. 12 with fitted, resilient element 19 and a fitted display face 2. It is apparent from the illustration in FIG. 13 that the resilient element 19 bears against the inner side of the guide web 4 configured in an S-shaped manner.
(31) FIG. 14 illustrates the actuator in accordance with the invention with display faces 2 in the unactuated state. It is apparent from this illustration that the resilient element 19 in the form of a flat spiral spring is also positioned in the central region of the S-shaped guide web 4. Positioned beneath the display face 2, here too, is a further display face 14 that is firmly fixed to the cap 12 of the actuator and can be seen in the actuated state of the actuator, because here the display face 2 pivots away inward.
(32) FIG. 15 shows the actuator of FIG. 14 in accordance with the invention with display faces 2 in the actuated state. It is apparent from this illustration that the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator serves as a guide rail for the guide web 4 such that this display face 2 pivots away inward toward the center of the actuator in the actuated state.
(33) FIG. 16 shows a cylindrical main body 1 of an actuator with fitted display faces and a fourth exemplary embodiment of a resilient element 21 in the unactuated state. The resilient element 21 in accordance with the invention is preferably configured as a rubber ring, in particular as a sealing ring. Just like the resilient element 19, the resilient element 21 also bears against the inner side of the guide web 4 of the display face 2 in the central region. Positioned beneath the display face 2, here too, is a further display face 14 that is firmly fixed to the cap 12 of the actuator and can be seen in the actuated state of the actuator, because the display face 2 pivots away inward in this case.
(34) FIG. 17 shows the actuator of FIG. 16 in accordance with the invention with display faces 2 in the actuated state. It is apparent from this illustration that the cylindrical main body 1 of the actuator serves as a guide rail for the guide web, such that the display face 2 pivots away inward toward the center of the actuator in the actuated state.
(35) The actuator in accordance with the disclosed embodiments the invention having a mechanical signal display is distinguished by a robust, structurally simple configuration that allows a reliable operation and is additionally cost-effective to implement, because it is possible to dispense with punched and bent parts. The configuration of the display allows preassembly, which contributes as a whole to making the assembly of the entire unit significantly easier.
(36) Thus, while there have been shown, described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.
