EP0749135B1 - Control button with latch, particularly for controlling an electrical component - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates generally snap-on control buttons of the type set works for example on a machine to ensure a emergency stop which should be continued. The document EP-A-0 386 844 shows a button control according to the preamble of claim 1.

These control buttons, commonly called "push fist ", because their shape allows them to be operated with the palm of the hand, usually, coaxially, a guide body, by which they are adapted to be mounted on any support, and which, therefore, is fixed, a pusher, which, for action on any underlying component to which is controlled the machine to be controlled, is mounted mobile axially in the guide body, like a piston, between a retracted position and an advanced position, means hooking, which, interposed on the path of the pusher, to a disengageable retention of the latter in at least one axial direction, are erasable, in the sense that they are capable of releasing the pusher, a control member, in the general form of mushroom, which, mounted axially movable relative to the body guide, between a standby position and a position recessed service, has a head, for the action of the user, and an axis, for actuating the pusher, elastic return means, which constantly stress the control member towards its extended position waiting, and, intervening between the pusher and the organ of control, game coupling means which are suitable for allow this control member to exert traction on the pusher in the axial direction opposite to its action on the underlying component, and which, by that, allow this organ command to bring the pusher back when it is itself returned to the standby position.

Usually, the attachment means act on the pusher in the axial direction from its advanced position, to which it acts on the underlying component, at its position moved back, for which it is moved away from it, and, therefore, in the axial direction from the depressed service position in the standby exit position of the control member.

Thus, when the control member is the subject of a sinking action, and that, at its request, the pusher moves itself in the advanced position, which allows to act on the underlying component to be ordered, by for example switching it from a closed state in an open state, the pusher is caught under the attachment means, and therefore retained by them, it keeps the underlying component open while retaining the control member in the depressed service position.

Usually also for the return of the component underlying its initial closed state, i.e. for a reverse switchover of this component from one of its states to the other, it is necessary to exert a traction on the control member sufficient for that, driven by this control member, the pusher can return from its advanced position to its position moved back and thus release this component.

But, in practice, having regard to the races available, the action of the pusher on the underlying component can inadvertently intervene before it crosses the means hanging.

In other words, the switching of the closed state in the open state of the underlying component can intervene inadvertently before hooking the pusher, and therefore the control unit.

Consequently, if this control member is inappropriately released before this hanging, the component underlying inevitably returns to its original state of closing, even though it was temporarily flipped in its open state in the meantime.

In other words, the emergency stop sought is not in this case only temporary, at the expense of security.

The present invention generally has for subject a provision to the contrary to ensure advantageously a sustainability of such an emergency stop once this duly established, and leading, moreover, to other benefits.

More specifically, it relates to a button kind of control comprising, coaxially, a body guide, by which it is adapted to be mounted on a any support, and which, therefore, is fixed, a push-button, which, for action on any underlying component, is mounted axially movable like a piston in the body of guidance, between a retracted position and an advanced position, attachment means, which, interposed on the path of the pusher, for releasable retention thereof in one direction axial at least, are erasable, a control member, which, mounted movable axially with respect to the guide body, between a standby position and a depressed position of service, has a head, for user action, and a axis, for actuating the pusher, elastic means of reminder, which constantly request the control unit direction from its standby position, in which it is associated with this pusher, on the one hand, elastic means of axial polarization, which are able to stress it in direction of its advanced position, and, on the other hand, means elastic bands of circular polarization, which stress it in permanence towards an angular position of rest, and in which unlocking means are provided, which, under user control, are able to allow training in relative rotation of the pusher and / or of the control member one with respect to the other, characterized in that, intervening between the pusher and the control member, it comprises means of coupling to play, which are able to allow this body to command to pull the push rod in the direction axial opposite to its action on the underlying component, this command button being generally speaking and in that said attachment means comprise, on the one hand, a hanging ring, which, rotatably mounted relative to the body guide while being axially wedged thereon, door radially projecting at least one lug, and, on the other hand, two tracks with which the lug of the hooking ring is simultaneously engaged, one on the pusher, the other on the axis of the control member, in that, the pusher being itself rotatably mounted around the axis of the assembly.

Thanks to such an arrangement, the pusher is momentarily retained by the attachment means when the control member is the object of a driving action, which prevents it from acting prematurely on the underlying component, and it should be emphasized, on this subject, that these means then intervene on the pusher in one direction axial which, going in this case from its retracted position to its advanced position, and therefore from the standby exit position of the control unit in the depressed service position of this one is the reverse of the previous one.

It is thus possible to have, for the organ of control, with sufficient axial travel so that, throughout temporary retention of the pusher by the means of attachment, the elastic means of axial polarization associated with this pusher are gradually put under constraint.

Therefore, when, under the action of the organ of control, the latching means release the pusher, the elastic means of axial polarization which are associated with this pusher propel it by themselves, and inevitably, by direction of the underlying component, which allows it to act, as before, on this one, by doing it for example switch from its closed state to its open state.

But, if, from this moment, the organ of control is released, the hooking ring that the attachment means according to the invention ensures its retention in depressed service position, the track by which it cooperates with the lug of this hanging ring being duly organized for this purpose.

In other words, thanks to the following provision the invention, from the moment the attachment means have released the pusher, and that, under the action of it, the underlying component has certainly changed state, a unexpected release of the control unit remains advantageously without effect on the opening state which is then that of this component.

It should be emphasized, on this subject, that, unlike of the preceding provisions, the following attachment means the invention act first on the pusher, in a first axial direction, for retaining this pusher against its displacement towards the underlying component on which it must act, and then on the control organ, in the axial direction opposite to the previous one, for the retention of this member control against elastic return means the soliciting towards its standby position, and, therefore, for locking the assembly in the depressed position on duty.

According to the invention, and unlike previous provisions, unlocking involves setting using specific means to allow training in relative rotation of the pusher and / or the control member one compared to each other.

For certain applications, at least, these means of unlocking, which for example comprise a section rod transverse other than circular to be engaged axially in a additional cross section bore provided for this effect in the pusher, can, if desired, be left freely available to the user.

But, for other applications, they can advantageously be under the control of a lock cylinder.

Unlocking the control button, necessary for its return to the standby exit position, and thus to the return in the closed state of the underlying component it controls, requires, in this case, the intervention of personnel authorized to have the required key.

This may be, for example, qualified personnel, responsible for controlling, for the benefit of security, whether the affected machine is actually in a state of repair road.

It can also be a supervisory staff responsible for checking whether the emergency stop previously applied to this machine was well duly justified.

la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un bouton de commande suivant l'invention, pour la position sortie d'attente de son organe de commande ;

la figure 2 en est une vue en perspective pour la position enfoncée de service de cet organe de commande ;

la figure 3 en est une vue en coupe axiale éclatée ;

la figure 4 en est, à échelle supérieure, une vue en coupe axiale montée ;

la figure 5 est, à échelle différente, une vue en coupe transversale de certains, seulement, de ses composants, suivant, globalement, la ligne V-V de la figure 4 ;

la figure 6 est, également à échelle différente, une vue en perspective de certains des composants du bouton de commande suivant l'invention ;

la figure 7 est une vue de dessous d'un de ces composants, suivant la flèche VII de la figure 6 ;

la figure 8 est une vue de dessus d'un autre de ces composants, suivant la flèche VIII de la figure 6 ;

les figures 9A, 9B, 9C sont des vues en coupe axiale qui, analogues à celle de la figure 4, illustrent diverses phases de fonctionnement du bouton de commande suivant l'invention ;

les figures 10, 10', 10A, 10B, 10C sont des vues schématiques illustrant également diverses phases de ce fonctionnement, les figures 10A, 10B, 10C correspondant chacune respectivement aux figures 9A, 9B, 9C précédentes.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, by way of example, with reference to the appended schematic drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a control button according to the invention, for the standby output position of its control member;

Figure 2 is a perspective view for the depressed service position of this control member;

Figure 3 is an exploded axial sectional view;

Figure 4 is, on a larger scale, an axial sectional view mounted;

Figure 5 is, on a different scale, a cross-sectional view of some, only, of its components, generally along the line VV of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is, also on a different scale, a perspective view of some of the components of the control button according to the invention;

Figure 7 is a bottom view of one of these components, along arrow VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a top view of another of these components, according to arrow VIII of Figure 6;

Figures 9A, 9B, 9C are views in axial section which, similar to that of Figure 4, illustrate various phases of operation of the control button according to the invention;

Figures 10, 10 ', 10A, 10B, 10C are schematic views also illustrating various phases of this operation, Figures 10A, 10B, 10C each corresponding respectively to Figures 9A, 9B, 9C above.

As schematically illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, it is, overall, to act on any component 10, and, for example, for the emergency stop of a machine, on any electrical component, such as a switch, to cause a change of state of this component 10, that is to say to cause it to switch from one state to another, and, for example, to cause a state of closing in an open state.

This component 10 does not by itself fall under the present invention, it will not be described here, nor has it been shown schematically only by an outline in Figures 1 and 2.

For action on this component 10, it is implemented a control button 11 comprising, overall, so coaxial around an axis A common to the whole, a body of guide 12, by which, as shown schematically in lines interrupted in Figure 4, it is adapted to be mounted on a any support 13, a pusher 14, which, for action on the underlying component 10, and, more precisely, on a nipple 15 thereof, is mounted axially movable, in the manner of a piston, in the guide body 12, between a retracted position shown in Figures 4 and 9A and an advanced position shown in Figures 9B and 9C, hooking means 16, which, interposed on the path of the pusher 14, for a detachable retention of the latter in at least one axial direction, are erasable, according to arrangements described more in detail later, a control member 17, which, mounted axially movable relative to the guide body 12, between a standby position, shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, and a depressed service position, shown in the Figures 2 and 9C, includes a head 18, for the action of the user, and an axis 19, for actuating the pusher 14, elastic return means 20, which continuously stress the control member 17 towards its extended position waiting, and intervening between the pusher 14 and the control 17, play coupling means 21, which, according to provisions also described in more detail later, are able to allow this control member 17 to exercise a pull on the pusher 14 in the axial direction opposite to its action on the underlying component 10.

For example, and as shown in lines interrupted in Figure 4, the support 13 is a simple plate in a recess 22 from which the guide body 12 is engaged by a threaded portion 23.

On one side of the support 13, the guide body 12 takes support on this support 13 by a shoulder 24, and, on the other side, a nut 25 is screwed onto its threaded portion 23, for its locking in position on this support 13.

In practice, the shoulder 24 of the guide body 12 is formed by the lower surface of a radial expansion 26 of this guide body 12.

According to the invention, the attachment means 16 comprise, on the one hand, a hooking ring 28, which, mounted rotatable relative to the guide body 12, while being axially wedged thereon, radially projecting at minus a lug 29, and, on the other hand, two tracks 30A, 30B with which this lug 29 is simultaneously engaged, one on the pusher 14, the other on the axis 19 of the control member 17.

The pusher 14 is itself rotatably mounted around axis A of the assembly.

It is associated, with this pusher 14, on the one hand, with elastic axial polarization means 31, which are capable of push it towards its advanced position, and, therefore, towards the underlying component 10, and, on the other hand, elastic circular polarization means 32, which constantly solicit towards an angular position of rest around the axis A, as shown in the figures, and there are provided unlocking means 33 which, under the user control, are able to allow training in relative rotation of this pusher 14 and / or of the command 17 relative to each other around this axis A.

In the embodiment shown, the ring attachment 28 is located axially - at the radial development 26 of the guide body 12, and it located in a housing 35 defined in part by this guide body 12 and partly by a wedged bush 36 axially, and circularly, on the latter.

In practice, this socket 36 is buttressed, axially, by a flange 37 attached by screwing on the guide body 12 in favor of radial expansion 26 of it.

To do this, the bush 36 has, annularly, radially projecting from its outer surface, at the base of this, a flange 38 by which it is pinched axially between the guide body 12 and the flange 37.

It also presents, projecting from place to place on its lower edge, at least two pins 40, by which it engages with recesses 41 provided in correspondence on the guide body 12, and by which it is therefore blocked circularly thereon.

The socket 36 also has, annularly, radially projecting from its inner surface, at a distance both from its lower edge and from its upper edge, a strip 42, by the lower flank of which it delimits the housing 35 of the hooking ring 28, and by the side upper of which it provides support for elastic means 20 of the control member 17.

In practice, these elastic return means 20 are constituted by a simple compression spring, of the type coil spring, which, disposed around the axis 19 of the member control 17, door, at its other end, on the surface bottom of the head 18 thereof.

In the embodiment shown, the flange 37 extends radially away from the bush 36, outside of it, therefore sparing with this socket 36 an annular space 43, and the control member 17 comprises, protruding from the lower surface of its head 18, around its axis 19, and at a distance therefrom, a skirt 44 engaged axially in this annular space 43.

As can be seen in FIG. 7, this skirt 44 present, from place to place, on its interior surface, to its guide, and its blocking in rotation, on the sleeve 36, flats 45, in practice four in number in the form of illustrated embodiment, the socket 36 having, itself in addition, an equal number of flats not visible in the figures.

Likewise, the skirt 44 of the control member 17 has, projecting from its inner surface, at least one rib 46, which, to serve as a keying device, is engaged with a complementary groove provided for this purpose in hollow on the outer surface of socket 36.

In practice, two ribs 46 are thus provided, angularly at a distance from each other.

In practice, too, there are four flats 45 in the embodiment shown.

In the embodiment shown, the ring hooking 28 surrounds the pusher 14, and the latter, which is hollow, itself surrounds the axis 19 of the control member 17, so that the lug 29 worn by the hooking ring 28 goes right through pusher 14, in favor of the runway 30A which this comprises.

The pin 29 therefore protrudes from the inner surface of the hooking ring 28 in this embodiment.

In practice, the hooking ring 28 carries, in diametrically opposite positions with respect to each other, two pins 29, and, consequently, the pusher 14 and the axis 19 of the control member 17 each have two tracks, 30A for pusher 14 and 30B for axis 19 of the command 17.

In the embodiment shown, the pins 29 of the hooking ring 28 have a cross section circular, and, from one to the other of their sides, the tracks 30A, 30B of the pusher 14 and the axis 19 of the control member 17 have a width slightly greater than their diameter.

As it is better visible for one of them on FIGS. 10, each of the tracks 30A of the pusher 14 has, in continuity with each other, two sections 30'A, 30 "A, of which one, the section 30'A, hereinafter called the longitudinal section, extends parallel to the axis A of the assembly from the upper edge 48 of pusher 14, while the other, the 30 "section A, hereinafter called transverse section, extends perpendicular to this axis A, away from the edge superior 48.

For the definition of the angular position of rest pusher 14, the section 30 "A of its perpendicular track 30A to axis A of the assembly is in a dead end.

The tracks 30B which corollary presents the axis 19 of the control member 17 affect a middle section 49 of this having an intermediate diameter between that of a lower section 50, of smaller diameter, and that of a upper section 51, of larger diameter.

While the tracks 30A of the pusher 14 arise in the form of slots, since they pass right through share this pusher 14, and, more precisely, a tubular wall 52 thereof, the tracks 30B of the axis 19 of the body of control 17 are in the form of grooves, in simply hitting the outside surface of the section median 49 of this axis 19.

These tracks 30B extend in practice over the entire height of this middle section 49.

They therefore extend from the shoulder 53 which is from its upper part this middle section 49, and where they are blind, with shoulder 54 which limits its part lower this middle section 49, and where they emerge freely.

Each of the tracks 30B that comprises the axis 19 of the control member 17 has, one continuously with the other, in the axial direction going from the head 18 of this member 17 to push button 14, and therefore from top to bottom on the figures, two sections 30'B, 30 "B, which extend one and the other parallel to the axis A of the assembly, and which are circularly offset from each other, with, on one of its sides, at the connection of these sections 30'B, 30 "B, a release facet 55 oblique to this axis A.

In practice, this facet of release 55 extends substantially at 45 ° relative to the axis A of the assembly.

At the connection between its two sections 30'B, 30 "B, each of the tracks 30B also presents, on the other of its sides, a retaining facet 56 perpendicular to the axis A of all.

In practice, in the axial direction from the head 18 from the control member 17 to the pusher 14, the facet of retainer 56 extends beyond the release facet 55.

In other words, it is further from head 18 by the control member 17 as the release facet 55.

In the embodiment shown, the means axial polarization elastics 31 associated with the pusher 14 and the elastic circular polarization means 32 also associated with it are made up of one and same spring, compression and torsion, spring type sausage, which, by one of its ends, is wedged on the pusher 14, and which, by the other of its ends, is wedged on the axis 19 of the control member 17.

In practice, this spring 31, 32 is supported on a bottom 57 closing the pusher 14 at its lower part, surrounding a boss 58 provided projecting from this bottom 57 for its centering.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, it comprises, at its corresponding end, a return square 59, which is directed towards axis A of the assembly, and by which it is engaged in a notch 60 provided for this purpose on the boss 58.

At its upper end, the spring 31, 32 surrounds the lower section 50 of the axis 19 of the control member 17, and it is engaged, for its centering, in a groove 61 provided for this purpose hollowed out on the shoulder 54 delimiting at its lower part the middle section 49 of this axis 19.

By a return to square 62 directed parallel to axis A of the assembly, the spring 31, 32 is engaged with a housing 63 provided in hollow on the bottom of the groove 61.

In the embodiment shown, the axis 19 of the control member 17 is hollow, and the coupling means to clearance 21 provided between the pusher 14 and it comprise at least a coupling lug 65, which, integral with the pusher 14, and radially elastically deformable, extends parallel to the axis A of the assembly, and which, forming a hook 66 at its free end, is capable of engaging with a shoulder 67 provided transversely for this purpose in the internal bore 68 of the axis 19 of the control member 17.

In practice, two coupling lugs 65 are provided, in diametrically opposite positions, one with respect to the other, inside the pusher 14.

In the embodiment shown, they belong to a part 69, which, by a screw 70, is reported axially in this pusher 14, at the end of a column 71 protruding axially from the boss 58 of its background 57.

It goes without saying, however, that, alternatively, these two hitch legs 65 can be integral with the pusher 14, forming a single piece with it.

In the embodiment shown, the means unlocking 33 are adapted to allow training in rotation of the single pusher 14, such as to separate temporarily this one from its rest position, and they're constituted by a rod, of cross section other than circular, and for example of hexagonal cross section, as shown, the pusher 14 having, axially, for cooperation with this rod, a bore 72 of section complementary transverse.

In practice, this bore 72 extends between the legs hitch 65.

In other words, these coupling lugs 65 are established at the edge of this bore 72.

They are therefore buttressed by the rod forming the unlocking means 33, which prevents them from escaping at the shoulder 67 of the axis 19 of the control member 17.

In the embodiment shown, the means release 33 are under the control of a barrel of lock 74 available to the user.

In practice, this lock cylinder 74 is arranged in a housing 75 formed by the upper part, enlarged to this effect, the internal bore 68 of the axis 19 of the command 17.

It therefore leads to the façade, in the central area of the head 18 of this control member 17.

Of course, the lock cylinder 74 is suitably wedged axially, and circularly, in its housing 75, using a retaining member 76, which intervenes like a pin, and which, for example, is formed by one of its discs, commonly called "glitter".

For the standby exit position of the control 17 shown in FIG. 4, the coupling lugs 65 of the pusher 14 are engaged with the shoulder 67 of the axis 19 of this control member 17, and the spring constituting the elastic return means 20 of the latter is then preferably under a slight prestress, while can be relaxed if desired.

Jointly, the spring constituting the means elastic of axial polarization 31 and the elastic means circular polarization 32 associated with the pusher 14 is then itself relaxed or under a slight prestress.

For this standby exit position of the command 17, and as shown for one of them in the figure 10, the pins 29 of the hooking ring 28 are engaged, on the one hand, with the transverse section 30 "A of tracks 30A of the pusher 14, so that this pusher 14 is retained axially in the retracted position, away from component 10 underlying, and, on the other hand, with the lower 30 "B section tracks 30B of the axis 19 of the control member 17.

Under the stress of elastic means of circular polarization 32 associated with it, the pusher 14 is then in abutment against the pins 29 of the ring attachment 28, by the bottom of the transverse section 30 "A of its tracks 30A, which defines its angular position of rest.

In practice, and as shown in Figures 1 and 4, the bottom 57 of the pusher 14 is then jointly widely set back from the free end of the body guide 12, which, in the embodiment shown, is open laterally by two slots 78.

In practice, also, the hooking ring 28, which, is also freely rotatable, with slight play, in its housing 35, is then jointly blocked angularly in position on the axis 19 of the control member 17 by its pins 29, which ensures the durability of the reservoir pusher 14.

We will now assume that a driving action is exerted on the control member 17, along arrow F1 Figures 1, 4, 9A and 10.

First, the control unit 17 sinks, without any particular effect, into the guide body 12, keeping the hooking ring locked in its position 28 by the lower section 30 "B of its tracks 30B.

This situation continues until, as shown in Figure 10 ', the release facet 55 of these tracks 30B come into contact with the pins 29 of the ring hanging 28.

Due to the obliquity of this facet of liberation 55, and insofar as the driving action exerted on the control member 17 is continued, the pins 29 of the hanging ring 28 are subject to stress transverse due to the corresponding component of the effect developed axial, and the hooking ring 28 is therefore constraint to rotate around the axis A of the assembly, following the arrow F2 in FIG. 10 '.

Due to this rotation, the pins 29 of the ring attachment 28 arrive at the right of the upper section 30'B of the tracks 30B of the axis 19 of the control member 17, such as shown in Figure 10A, and, by construction, the provisions are such that after previously describing the transverse section 30 "A of the tracks 30A of the pusher 14, they arrive simultaneously at the right of the longitudinal section 30'A of these tracks 30A, as also shown in the figure 10A.

The attachment means 16 thus being in some way so "erased", the pusher 14 is released, and, under the biasing of the elastic axial polarization means 31 associated with it, gradually put under stress elastic by the control member 17 as and when the penetration of it, it passes suddenly, according to the arrow F3 in FIGS. 9A and 10A, from the retracted position which had remained until then hers, as depicted on the FIG. 9A, in the advanced position, represented in FIG. 9B, for which it acts frankly on the underlying component 10, and, more precisely, on the nipple 15 thereof, in causing the change of state of this component 10, and, in practice, by causing it to pass from its state of closing in its open state.

But the pins 29 of the hooking ring 28 are then find at the right of the retaining facet 56 tracks 30B of the axis 19 of the control member 17.

If, therefore, this control member 17 is released, and initiates a return towards its exit from waiting position, along arrow F4 of FIGS. 9B and 10B, under the use of its elastic return means 20 placed under elastic stress in the meantime, it just hooks by this retaining facet 56 on the pins 29 of the ring attachment 28, as shown in Figures 9C and 10C.

The control member 17 is therefore retained in depressed service position by the hooking ring 28, and, the elastic axial polarization means 31 being themselves maintained under elastic stress by this control member 17, the pusher 14 remains itself in the advanced position, in now in turn in its new state component 10 underlying.

In practice, due to the play coupling means 21, it results from the retraction of the control member 17, at the end which this control member 17 engages by the shoulder 67 of the internal bore 68 of its axis 19 with the hooks 66 of the coupling lugs 65 of the pusher 14, a slight recoil of this pusher 14, as appears from a comparison between Figures 9B and 9C, but this decline is insufficient for cause a new state change of component 10 underlying, which therefore remains in its open state.

Overall, when it is thus in the remote position, the pusher 14 is substantially flush with the free end of the guide body 12, as shown.

To unlock the assembly, and thus allow the return of the underlying component 10 in the closed state, it must act accordingly on the unlocking means 33, using a key not shown.

Introduced into lock cylinder 74, this key causes the rotation of the rod constituting the means of unlocking 33, and thereby rotation of the pusher 14 by relation to the control member 17, against the means elastic bands of circular polarization 32 associated therewith, along arrow F5 in Figure 10C.

Because of this rotation, which drives it momentarily from the angular position of rest shown in solid lines in Figure 10C at another position angular, angularly separated from the previous one, and shown schematically in broken lines in this figure 10C, the pusher 14 itself causes rotation in the same direction, of the hooking ring 28, the lugs 29 thereof being in engagement with the longitudinal section 30'A of its tracks 30A.

It follows that these pins 29 arrive at the right of the lower section 30 "B of tracks 30B of axis 19 of the member 17, which frees it.

Under the stress of its elastic means of reminder 20, the control member 17 returns by itself in standby position, and, by means of coupling to play 21, it brings the pusher 14 back to the retracted position.

Jointly, momentarily discarded, as previously indicated, from its angular position of rest by the unlocking means 33, the pusher 14 returns by itself to this angular position of rest under the stress of elastic circular polarization means 32 which are there associated, as soon as the rotation action previously exerted on these unlocking means 33 is released.

Preferably, it is made so that the rotation of pusher 14 necessary for unlocking either relatively large, around 30 ° to 50 ° for example, so that unlocking cannot take place involuntary, by a simple touch of the key.

To do this, it can for example be provided, at the beginning of this rotation, a dead game which results in has no effect.

In particular, in one embodiment of the invention, the unlocking means are not not under the control of a lock cylinder.

They are therefore limited in this case to a rod specific to a rotary drive of the pusher, either that this rod either permanently installed in the command button, or that it can be removed, the accessible part of this rod can then have any shape, and, for example, a shape similar to that of the head of the control member, in place of it.

In addition, the unlocking may be due to a rotation of the control member, rather than that of the pusher, especially when the unlocking means are not are not under the control of a lock cylinder.

Claims (17)

1. A control button of the kind comprising in coaxial relationship a guide body (12), by way of which it is adapted to be mounted on any support and which is therefore fixed, a push member (14), which, for acting on any subjacent component (10), is mounted axially movably in the manner of a piston in said guide body (12) between a retracted position and an advanced position, latching means (16) which, interposed on the path of movement of the push member (14), for disengageably retaining same in one axial direction at least, are releasable, a control member (17) which, mounted movably axially with respect to the guide body (12) between an extended waiting position and a pressed operational position comprises a head (18) for action by the user and an axis portion (19) for actuation of the push member (14), resilient return means (20) which continuously urge the control member (19) in the direction of its extended waiting position, wherein associated with said push member (14) are on the one hand resilient axial biasing means (31) which are capable of urging it in the direction of its advanced position and on the other hand resilient circular biasing means (31) which continuously urge it in the direction of an angular rest position, and wherein there are provided unlocking means (33) which, under the control of the user, are capable of permitting relative rotational entrainment of the push member (14) and/or the control member (17) with respect to each other, characterised in that, operatively disposed between the push member (14) and the control member (17), it comprises free-motion coupling means (21) which are capable of permitting said control member (17) to apply a pulling force to the push member (14) in the axial direction opposite to its action on the subjacent component (10), and that said latching means (16) comprise on the one hand a latching ring (28) which, mounted rotatably with respect to the guide body (12) while being axially fixed thereon, carries radially in projecting relationship at least one lug (29), and, on the other hand, two tracks (30A, 30B) with which said lug (29) is simultaneously in engagement, one on the push member (14) and the other on the axis portion (19) of the control member (17), the push member (14) itself being mounted rotatably about the axis (A) of the assembly.
2. A control button according to claim 1 characterised in that the track (30B) that the axis portion (19) of the control member (17) comprises has in mutual continuity two portions (30'B, 30"B) which both extend parallel to the axis (A) of the assembly and which are circularly displaced relative to each other, with, on one of its flanks, at the junction of said portions (30'B, 30"B), a liberation face (55) which is inclined with respect to said axis (A).
3. A control button according to claim 2 characterised in that, at the junction between its two portions (30'B, 30"B), the track (30B) that the axis portion (19) of the control member (17) comprises has on the other of its flanks a retaining face (56) perpendicular to the axis (A) of the assembly.
4. A control button according to claims 2 and 3 in combination characterised in that, in the axial direction from the head (18) of the control member (17) to the push member (14), the retaining face (56) extends beyond the liberation face (55).
5. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterised in that the track (30A) that the push member (14) comprises has in mutual continuity two portions (30'A, 30"A) of which one extends parallel to the axis of the assembly while the other extends perpendicularly thereto.
6. A control button according to claim 5 characterised in that the portion (30"A) of the track (30A) of the push member (14) which is perpendicular to the axis (A) of the assembly is of a blind configuration.
7. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 6 characterised in that the latching ring (28) surrounds the push member (14) which itself surrounds the axis portion (19) of the control member (17) in such a way that the lug (29) that it carries passes through the push member (14) by way of the track (30A) that it comprises.
8. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 7 characterised in that the latching ring (28) comprises two lugs (29) at mutually diametrally opposite positions and in corresponding relationship the push member (14) and the axis portion (19) of the control member (17) each comprise two tracks (30A, 30B).
9. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the resilient axial biasing means (31) of the push member (14) and its resilient circular biasing means (32) are formed by one and the same compression and torsion spring which is fixed by way of one of its ends to the push member (14) and which is fixed by way of the other of its ends to the axis portion (19) of the control member (17).
10. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 9 characterised in that unlocking means (33) are under the control of a lock barrel (74).
11. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 10 characterised in that the unlocking means (33) are capable of permitting rotational entrainment of the push member (14) so as to temporarily move it away from its angular rest position.
12. A control button according to claim 11 characterised in that the unlocking means (33) are formed by a rod of cross-section other than circular and that the push member (14), for co-operation with said rod, axially has a bore (72) of complementary cross-section.
13. A control button according to claim 12 characterised in that, the free-motion coupling means (21) between the push member (14) and the axis portion (19) of the control member (17) comprising at least one coupling leg (65) which, fixed with respect to the push member (14) and being radially resiliently deformable, extends parallel to the axis (A) of the assembly, said coupling leg (65) is disposed at the edge of the bore (72) in the push member (14) and it is therefore braced by the rod constituting the unlocking means (33).
14. A control button according to any one of claims 1 to 13 characterised in that the latching ring (28) is disposed in a housing (35) defined in part by the guide body (12) and in part by a sleeve (36) axially fixed on the latter.
15. A control button according to claim 14 characterised in that the sleeve (36) is axially braced by a collar portion (37) which is fitted on to the guide body (12).
16. A control button according to claim 15 characterised in that the collar portion (37) extends radially at a spacing from the sleeve (36) and the control member (17) comprises a skirt (44) engaged axially in the corresponding annular space (43).
17. A control button according to any one of claims 14 to 16 characterised in that the sleeve (36) provides a support for the resilient return means (20) of the control member (17).

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