HK1174105B - Multiple-axis manual control device - Google Patents

Description

Multi-axis manual control device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a manual control device having an actuating element which is supported on a switching lever so as to be pivotable about at least one actuating element pivot axis which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever, the switching lever being movably supported relative to a base element of the manual control device about or along a plurality of switching lever movement axes, and reset means being provided by means of which an actuating element which deviates from a rest position about the actuating element pivot axis can be reset into the rest position.

Background

Such manual control devices are used to control, for example, manipulators, cranes, vehicles, aircraft, and others. They are sometimes also referred to as compound actuators and may be configured as shift levers or joystick levers. An actuating element (e.g., an actuating cap or handle, etc.) of the manual control device is supported for movement relative to a base element of the manual control device about a plurality of axes of movement. Actuation of the actuating element about one of the aforementioned axes of motion causes, for example, control of an object that is manipulated about an object-related axis of motion (associated with the actuation axis of motion). In other applications, various control elements, such as elevators or ailerons of the aircraft, etc., may be associated with each axis of motion.

A manual control device of the general type is known from US4,555,960. The manual control described therein consists of a 6-axis shift lever for an aircraft. The actuating cover of the switching lever can be moved relative to the base element about or along six different movement axes. In particular, the actuating element is supported at one end of the switching lever so as to pivot about two actuating element pivot axes, and the switching lever itself is supported on the base element so as to pivot about the other two switching lever pivot axes. Since the support of the actuating element pivot axis and the support of the switching lever pivot axis are spatially separated, they can be actuated independently of one another conveniently by the operator.

In the case of the prior art according to US4,555,960, in particular, the actuating element pivot axes are each provided with a resetting unit which in each case resets the actuating element under the action of a spring, to which resting position the actuating element redirected from the resting position is reset. Specifically, the reset unit is formed by: a drive pin, two redirecting arms arranged rotatably relative to each other and a spring element tensioned between the redirecting arms. The actuating pin is securely connected to the pivot axis of the associated actuating member pivot axis. The redirection of the pivot shaft from the rest position causes one of the redirection arms to be redirected by the drive pin, the resilient element disposed between the redirection arms being pulled apart. A spring element tensioned in this way causes a restoring force for the actuating element. The resetting device of the control lever of US4,555,960 is expensive and prone to malfunction.

Disclosure of Invention

Based on the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a manual control device with a robust and compact resetting device for at least one actuating element pivot axis.

This object is achieved by a resetting device according to the invention having at least two spring elements which counter act on the redirection of the actuating element from the rest position or the rest position about the actuating element pivot axis and are arranged diametrically opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever.

Due to the symmetrical arrangement of the elastic element with respect to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever, a force is advantageously or symmetrically introduced with respect to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever. Due to the fact that two resilient elements are used, it is not necessary to use a mechanism which is prone to malfunction and which allows a return force to be generated in case the actuation element is redirected from the rest position in both pivoting directions.

Advantageous further definitions of the invention according to claim 1 will be made clear in claims 2 to 10.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, one spring element serves to reset the actuating element in the event of a redirection of the actuating element about the associated actuating element pivot axis in one pivoting direction, while the other spring element resets the actuating element in the event of a redirection of the actuating element about the associated actuating element pivot axis in the opposite pivoting direction. In this way, it is possible to use an elastic element which is structurally simple and has to work in only one actuation direction.

A particularly fixed arrangement of the spring element is achieved with the preferred configuration of the invention in that the spring element has a pretensioning force which compensates for one another at least in the rest position of the actuating element.

The restoring device is preferably designed in such a way that the first elastic element can be deformed by the reorientation of the actuating element about the actuating pivot axis in one pivoting direction, and the second elastic element can be prevented from being deformed by the end stop. Furthermore, the second elastic element may be deformed by a reorientation of the actuation element about the actuation pivot axis in the opposite pivoting direction, and the first elastic element may be prevented from being deformed by the end stop. Since the end stop for the elastic element acts when it leaves the rest position, the actuating element can be preloaded in a fixed manner in the rest position by the elastic element, but the restoring force can be generated in any case by only one elastic element, the other elastic element not causing a partial compensation of the elastic force. Thereby a reset device is manufactured which is very effective even with a minimum of reorientation of the actuating element.

It has been found that a configuration in which the resilient element is configured as an axially resilient element, in particular as a compression and/or resilient element, is advantageous in applications. In a variant of the invention, the elastic element is configured, for example, as a helical compression spring, which is considered to be particularly simple and efficient.

A particularly advantageous situation arises when the clamping or spring axis of the spring element extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever and thus perpendicularly with respect to the associated actuating element pivot axis. In the example, it should be taken into account that a reorientation of the actuating element about the actuating element pivot axis from the rest position through an angle of 20 ° degrees is sufficient for implementing conventional control measures. In this angular range, the reorientation of the actuation element about the actuation element pivot axis (extending perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever) mainly causes a displacement of the abutment surface of the elastic element along the longitudinal axis of the switching lever. The following are therefore particularly advantageous: the clamping axis of the elastic element extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever, the elastic element thereby being able to serve to absorb a major component of the displacement of the abutment surface of the elastic element in the direction of its clamping axis.

The advantages of the resetting device constructed according to the invention stated above and described in particular below are obtained in particular in the following cases: two actuating element pivot axes are provided, with which two elastic elements are associated, which are each arranged in pairs diametrically opposite to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever. This results in a symmetrical and secure arrangement of the resetting device as a whole.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, all the axes of movement of the actuating element and of the switching lever provide a respective resetting device. The restoring forces generated by the restoring means are preferably adapted to each other such that the risk of a unintentional actuation of one movement axis when the other is actuated is reduced. For this purpose, the restoring force on the actuating element, which is felt by the operator, is at least partially of different magnitude, for example the restoring force of the pivot axis of the actuating element is significantly smaller than the restoring force thereof on the pivot axis of the switching lever. In particular, the restoring force generated when the actuating element is pivoted about the actuating element pivot axis is significantly smaller than the restoring force generated when the actuating element is redirected about the switching lever pivot axis, which is parallel at least in the rest position of the actuating element.

An embodiment of the invention, in which the spring element associated with the pivot axis of the actuating element is supported at one end on one and the same component, differs in that the force is introduced particularly symmetrically and thus in a particularly robust configuration. In a particularly preferred construction, the component assembly is formed by a support ring on opposite end faces of which a pair of resilient elements are in abutment.

The switching lever is preferably supported on the base element so as to rotate about a switching lever rotational axis coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the switching lever. The switching lever axis of rotation is preferably provided with a resetting device which counteracts the redirection from the rest position about the switching lever axis of rotation. A particularly compact configuration of the manual control device can be achieved by the resetting means being associated with the rotating means, and the elastic elements (which are associated with one of the actuating element pivot axes) at least partially overlap one another along the longitudinal axis of the switching lever.

Drawings

The following description is directed to an embodiment of the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a manual control device along a section plane extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the switching lever,

figure 2 is a second schematic section through the manual control device along a section plane rotated by 90 deg. with respect to the section plane shown in figure 1,

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of a manual control device, an

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the manual control device from a different perspective than fig. 3.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a manual control device 1. The manual control device 1 is also referred to as a compound drive, and is used for controlling, for example, manipulators, cranes, vehicles, spacecraft, and others. The manual control device 1 has an actuating element 2 which is configured to actuate the cover. The actuating element 2 is located on the stationary disc 3 and is fixed in this position by a screw, not shown. The stationary plate 3 itself is securely connected to the actuating member connecting piece 5 by means of the threaded rod 4. The actuating element coupling 5 is surrounded by a support ring 6 which is itself arranged in an actuating element receiving sleeve 7.

The actuating element receiving sleeve 7 is fixed to one end of the switching lever 10 in a manner that is reliably rotatable and not axially displaceable. A countersunk screw 8 (fig. 2) is used to fix the actuating element receiving sleeve 7 to the switching lever 10. A central sleeve 11 (not shown in figure 2) surrounds the thinner lower part of the actuating member receiving sleeve 7. The switch lever slide 13, which partially surrounds the switch lever 10, is located behind the actuating element receiving sleeve 7 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10.

Furthermore, the manual control device 1 has a base member 14 and a switch lever support device 15 accommodated in the base member 14. The base element 14 is provided with an attachment flange 16 on its upper side and on the side facing the actuating element 2. The switch lever support device 15 has a switch lever bending pivot element 17, an annular switch lever connection 18 and a switch lever connection sleeve 19.

The axis of movement of the actuating element 2 relative to the base element 14 is described in detail below. The actuating member linkage 5, which is securely connected to the actuating member 2 by means of the fixed disk 3, is supported by two pivotally supported pins 21, which are arranged at one end in a cylindrical recess 22 on the actuating member linkage 5 and at the other end in a cylindrical recess 23 on the support ring 6, in order to pivot about a first actuating member pivot axis 24 (fig. 1). A countersunk screw 25 is used to secure the pivotally supported pin 21 in the cylindrical recess 22 on the actuating element linkage 5. The first actuating element pivot axis 24 extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10 and lies in the projection plane of fig. 1.

Fig. 2, which is a sectional illustration of the manual control device 1 (section taken 90 ° rotated with respect to the section of fig. 1), it can be seen from fig. 2 that the support ring 6 is supported on the actuating element receiving sleeve 7 by means of two pivotally supported pins 28 so as to pivot about a second actuating element pivot axis 29. The pivotally supported pins 28 are arranged in a cylindrical recess 30 on the support ring 6 and a cylindrical recess 31 on the actuating element receiving sleeve 7. A countersunk screw 32 is used to secure the pivotally supported pin 28 within a cylindrical recess 31 located on the actuating member receiving sleeve 7. The second actuating element pivot axis 29 likewise extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10 and lies in the projection plane of fig. 2. The second actuating member pivot axis 29 is perpendicular to the first actuating member pivot axis 24.

The actuating element 2 can be pivoted by an angle of up to approximately 20 ° in both pivoting directions about the actuating element pivot axis 24, 29 from the rest position or rest position shown in fig. 1 and 2.

The actuating element 2 is also supported with the switch lever 10 for movement about or along four different switch lever movement axes relative to the base element 14. The switch lever 10 is supported on the switch lever slider 13 and the switch lever connection bushing 19 so as to pivot about a switch lever pivot axis 34 coinciding with the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10. Furthermore, the switch lever 10 is displaceably guided along the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10 (switch lever translation axis 35) together with the actuating element 2 on the switch lever slide 13 and the switch lever connection bushing 19, which actuating element 2 is connected to the switch lever 10 in a rotationally secure and axially non-displaceable manner by means of the actuating element receiving bushing 7.

Furthermore, the switch lever 10, which comprises the switch lever connection bushing 19, is supported on the base element 14 by the switch lever connection 18 so as to pivot about the first switch lever pivot axis 36. The first switching lever pivot axis 36 extends in the projection plane of fig. 1. The switch lever link 18 is supported on the base member 14 by means of two screwed-in pivot support pins (not shown) so as to pivot about a first switch lever pivot axis 36.

In the rest position or the stop position of the manual control device 1, the first switch lever pivot axis 36 extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10. In the rest position, the first switching lever pivot axis also extends parallel to the first actuating member pivot axis 24.

Finally, the switch lever 10 is supported on the switch lever connection 18 about a second switch lever pivot axis 37, which extends in the projection plane of fig. 2 and is perpendicular relative to the first switch lever pivot axis 36. In its rest position of the manual control device 1, it is also oriented parallel to the second actuating element pivot axis 29.

The pivoting support defining the second switch lever pivot axis 37 is formed by two pivoting support pins (not shown) which can be screwed into corresponding grooves (fig. 2) on the switch lever link 18 and on the support extension of the switch lever connection sleeve 19.

When the switch lever 10 is pivoted about the second switch lever pivot axis 37, the switch lever bending pivot element 17 is entrained. For this purpose, the switching lever bending pivot element 17 is supported on the base element so as to be pivotable about the second switching lever pivot axis 37 by means of a not shown screwed-in pivot support pin.

A hole 39 (only shown in fig. 1) in the shift lever connection 18 ensures that the shift lever 10, including the pivot lever connection sleeve 19, pivots relative to the shift lever connection 18 about the second shift lever pivot axis 37 without interference.

Overall, the actuating element 2 can thus be moved relative to the base element 14 about the first and second actuating element pivot axes 24, 29, the switch lever rotation axis 34, the first and second switch lever pivot axes 36, 37, and can be moved along the switch lever translation axis 35. Thus, a 6-axis manual control device is fully achieved.

The actuating member pivot axes 24, 29 and the switch lever rotation axis 34 intersect at a central engagement point 38 of the actuating member 2. As can be seen from fig. 1 and 2, the components associated with the actuating element pivot axes 24, 29 can be accommodated in a compact manner in an actuating element 2 configured as an actuating cover.

In contrast, the first and second switch lever pivot axes 36, 37 intersect the switch lever 10 with a considerable space compared to the central engagement point 38 of the actuating element 2, so that the actuating element 2 moves along a circular path with a relatively large radius during a pivoting movement about one of the switch lever pivot axes 36, 37. Although the space or pivoting lever differs depending on the position of the actuating element 2 along the control or translation axis 35, it is significantly larger than the actuating element pivot axis 24, 29 in all positions of the actuating element 2 along the switching lever translation axis 35.

Thus, the actuation element pivot axis 24, 29 and the switching lever pivot axis 36, 37 can be actuated independently of one another. Furthermore, the restoring forces of the restoring means described below are adapted to one another in order to enable: independent actuation of the actuating element pivot axes 24, 29 and of the switching lever pivot axes 36, 37, in particular, is easily achieved by the restoring force which is generated when the actuating element 2 is redirected about one of the actuating element pivot axes 24, 29, the restoring force which is generated when the actuating element 2 is redirected about one of the switching lever pivot axes 24, 29 being significantly smaller for the operator than the restoring force which is generated when the actuating element 2 is redirected about one of the switching lever pivot axes 36, 37.

A resetting device 40 is associated with each axis of motion 24, 29, 34 to 37. Using the resetting device 40, an actuating element 42 which has been redirected from a rest position relative to the associated movement axis 24, 29, 34 to 37 can be reset to the rest position.

The resetting device 40 of the first actuating element pivot axis 24 has two elastic elements which are arranged diametrically opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10 and are in the form of helical compression springs 41 (fig. 2). The two helical compression springs 41 are radially spaced the same distance from the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10. Their clamping axis 42 or spring axis extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10. At one end, the helical compression spring 41 is supported on the actuating element 2, at the other end, the helical compression spring 41 is supported on the upper end face of the support ring 6 by means of an abutment actuator 43.

The abutment actuator 43 is displaceably guided in a cylindrical actuator receiving element 45 located on the stationary disc 3. If the actuating element 2 is arranged in the rest position of fig. 2 about the first actuating element pivot axis 24, the radial projection 46 of the abutment actuator 43 abuts an abutment surface 47 located in the actuator receiving element 45. At the same time, the pressure head 48 abutting against the actuator 43 acts on the upper end face of the support ring 6 by means of the biasing force of the helical compression spring 41, wherein the actuating element 2 is held fixedly in the rest position.

If the actuating element 2 is moved in the clockwise direction, for example in the case of a pivoting movement caused by the operator about the first actuating element pivot axis 24 in fig. 2, the helical compression spring 41 on the right in fig. 2 is compressed. However, the left helical compression spring 41 remains unchanged, since the abutment actuator 43 of the left helical compression spring 41 abuts with its radial projection 46 the abutment face 47 of the actuator receiving element 45. In fig. 2, downward movement of the abutment actuator 43 is prevented. Thus, the actuator receiving element 45 forms an end stop for the abutment actuator 43 or the left helical compression spring 41, on which the abutment actuator 43 is arranged when the actuating element 42 is arranged in the rest position, and which prevents decompression of the left compression spring 41 from the rest position.

Due to the end stop, the upper end face of the support ring 6 abutting the actuator 43 on the left and the ram 48 are moved away from each other during the pivoting movement of the actuating element 2. As soon as the actuating element 2 has thus moved out of the rest position, only the increasing spring force of the right-hand helical compression spring 41 acts on the support ring 6 as a restoring force which, owing to the end stop for the left-hand helical compression spring 41, is not reduced by the opposing spring force of the left-hand helical compression spring 41.

The restoring force, which is increased by the compression of the helical compression spring 41 on the right, acts counter to the redirecting movement of the actuating element 2, so that the actuating element 2 is moved into the rest position shown in fig. 2 when the operator releases the actuating element 2. A similar situation arises in the case of a pivoting movement in the counterclockwise direction in fig. 2, in which case only the left-hand helical compression spring 41 acts.

The resetting means 40 associated with the second actuating member pivot axis 29 is similar in construction to the resetting means 40 of the first actuating member pivot axis 24 described above. They likewise comprise two elastic elements in the form of helical compression springs 50 (fig. 1). The helical compression springs 50 are likewise arranged diametrically opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10 and have the same radial spacing with respect to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switch lever 10. The clamping axis 51 of the helical compression spring 50 extends perpendicularly to the second actuating element pivot axis 29 and parallel to the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10. The helical compression spring 50 is supported at one end on the bending element 55 and at the other end on the lower front end of the support ring 6 by means of the abutment actuator 52.

The bending element 55 is guided through about 190 deg. around the lower part of the actuating element receiving sleeve 7. The bending element 55 is securely connected to the upper part of the actuating element receiving sleeve 7 by two connecting rods 59 (fig. 3 and 4), which has a larger diameter than the lower part. The lower end of the helical compression spring 50 is fixed to the bending element 55 by means of a screw rivet 64.

The abutment actuator 52 of the helical compression spring 50 is displaceably guided in an actuator receiving element 54 on the actuator receiving sleeve 7. Similar to actuator receiving elements 45 located on stationary disk 3, actuator receiving elements 54 form end stops that abut actuators 52, wherein abutting actuators 52 abut in the rest position of actuating elements 2.

The helical compression spring 50 on the left in fig. 1 acts counter to the redirection of the actuating element 2 about the second actuating element pivot axis 29 in the counterclockwise direction in fig. 1. The helical compression spring 50 on the right in fig. 1 acts against the redirection of the actuating element 2 in the clockwise direction in fig. 1. That is to say, in the case shown in fig. 1, in the rest position of the actuating element, the helical compression spring 50 is likewise provided with a pretension. As soon as the actuating element 2 leaves the rest position relative to the second actuating element pivot axis 29, only one helical compression spring 50 is active due to the end stop.

Because the helical compression spring 41 associated with the first actuating element pivot axis 24 is supported at the upper front end of the support ring 6 and the helical compression spring 50 associated with the second actuating element pivot axis 29 is supported at the lower front end of the support ring 6, the forces caused by the pretensioning of the helical compression springs 41, 50 along the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10 advantageously cancel each other out.

The return device 40 associated with the switch lever axis of rotation 34 has a leg spring 56 which surrounds the lower (narrow) portion of the switch lever 10 and the actuating element receiving sleeve 7 (fig. 2). An upper sliding sleeve 65 and a lower sliding sleeve 66 are arranged between the carrier spring 56 and the lower part of the actuating element receiving sleeve 7.

As can be seen from fig. 2, the lower sliding sleeve 66 is provided with radially projecting abutment tabs 67. The upper sliding sleeve has a corresponding abutment tab (not shown). Two bearing pins 68 and 69 are also provided (fig. 2 and 4). The carrier pin 68 is securely connected to the actuating element receiving bushing 7 and the carrier pin 69 is securely connected to the switch lever slider 13.

The lower end of the carrier spring 56 abuts the bearing pin 68 in the circumferential direction of the switching lever rotational axis 34 via an abutment tab 67 of the lower slide sleeve 66 (fig. 2), and the upper end of the carrier spring 56 abuts the bearing pin 69 in the opposite circumferential direction via an abutment tab (not shown) of the upper slide sleeve 67.

When the actuating element 2 is redirected from the rest position along the switching lever rotational axis 34 as shown, the bearing pin 68 or the bearing pin 69 bears the respective end of the carrier spring 56 in the rotational direction, depending on the pivoting direction, so that the carrier spring 56 is deformed and thus generates a restoring force. A compact and robust reset of the switching lever rotation axis 34 is made.

Furthermore, the maximum rotational reorientation angle of the switch lever rotational axis 34 is limited to about 5 ° in both rotational directions by the pivot stop. The head 80 (fig. 4) of the fixation screw for fixing the rod 59 acts as a rotational stop. The head 80 protrudes into a lateral groove on the switch lever slider 13. They limit the rotational movement of the actuating element 32 about the switch lever rotational axis 34, which moves into abutment against the switch lever slide 13 at the maximum pivoting position of the actuating element 2.

According to fig. 1, the helical compression spring 50 and the carrier spring 56 associated with the second actuating element pivot axis 29 at least partially overlap in the direction of the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10, thus making a particularly compact hand control tool.

The return means 40 of the switching lever translation axis 35 are formed by two helical compression springs 60 supported on the switching lever 10 and arranged on opposite sides of the switching lever connection bushing 19. A helical compression spring 60 is supported between the switch lever slider 19 and an abutment sleeve 61 which abuts a radial projection of the switch lever 10. The other helical compression spring 60 is supported between an abutment ring 62 fixed to the switch lever 10 and an abutment sleeve 63 which abuts the switch lever connection sleeve 19. As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the two helical compression springs are biased against each other in the rest position of the actuating element 2 or of the switching lever 10.

The resetting means of the first and second switch lever pivot axes 36, 37 are also constructed from elastic elements, not shown, which are provided between the switch lever connection 18 and the base element 14 for the first switch lever pivot axis 36 and between the switch lever bent pivot element 17 and the base element 14 for the second switch lever pivot axis 37.

Fig. 3 and 4 are exploded schematic views of the manual control device 1 from two different viewing directions. From top to bottom, fig. 3 and 4 show the actuating element 2, the helical compression spring 41 comprising the abutment actuator 43, the actuating element connector 5, the support ring 6, the actuating element receiving sleeve 7, the helical compression spring 50 comprising the abutment actuator 52 and the central sleeve 11.

Furthermore, fig. 3 and 4 show the bracket spring 56, the switch lever slide 13, the attachment flange 16, the switch lever connection bushing 19, the base element 14 and the switch lever bent connection element 17.

In order to detect the position of the actuating element 2 relative to the actuating element pivot axis 24, 29, a sensor unit 70 based on the hall effect is provided. The sensor unit 70 has a permanent magnet 71 which is fixed to the underside of the actuating element linkage 6 (fig. 1). The 2D hall sensor 72 is fixed to the actuating element receiving sleeve 7, opposite the permanent magnet 71. In the case of a pivoting movement of the actuating element 2 along one of the actuating element pivot axes 24, 29, the permanent magnet 71 changes position relative to the 2D hall sensor 72 and then generates a corresponding measuring signal. The 2D hall sensor 72 is connected to an evaluation unit (not shown) via a signal line (not shown) which extends through an axial through-hole 73 of the switching lever 10. A particularly compact sensor unit 70 of the actuating element pivot axes 24, 29 is thereby produced.

In order to detect the pivoting position of the actuating element 2 about the switching lever axis of rotation 34, a sensor unit 74 based on the hall effect is also provided. A permanent magnet 75 (fig. 4) is arranged on a fastening rod 76, which extends along the longitudinal axis 12 of the switching lever 10 and is screwed securely into the switching lever slide 13. A hall effect sensor (not shown) generates a measuring signal depending on the relative position of the permanent magnet 75 and is arranged on the underside of the actuating element receiving sleeve 7 opposite the permanent magnet 75, the permanent magnet signal being supplied to the evaluation unit via signal lines, not shown, which extend through the axially through-going bore 73 of the switching lever 10.

For detecting the position of the actuating element 2 relative to the remaining movement axes 35, 36, 37, a sensor unit based on the hall effect, a conventional electronic pivot sensor or other sensors are also provided.

It is to be understood that the actuating element 2 may have different forms. For example, the actuating element 2 can be hemispherical. Furthermore, the manual control device may optionally be provided in a protective manner between the actuating element 2 and the base element 14 with a protective sleeve, which in particular surrounds the switching lever 10.

Claims (9)

1. Manual control device having an actuating element (2) which is supported on a switching lever (10) so as to pivot about a first actuating element pivot axis (24) and a second actuating element pivot axis (29), the first actuating element pivot axis (24) and the second actuating element pivot axis (29) each extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis (12) of the switching lever (10), and the first actuating element pivot axis (24) and the second actuating element pivot axis (29) being mutually perpendicular, the switching lever (10) being movably supported about or along a plurality of switching lever movement axes (34, 35, 36, 37) with respect to a base element (14) of the manual control device, which are different from the first actuating element pivot axis (24) and the second actuating element pivot axis (29), wherein a first switching lever pivot axis (36) in the rest position of the manual control device (1) extends parallel to the first actuating element pivot axis (24) and a second switching lever pivot axis (37) in the rest position of the manual control device (1) extends parallel to the second actuating element pivot axis (29), and wherein the actuating element (2) is movable about a switching lever rotation axis (34) and along a switching lever translation axis (35), and a resetting device (40) is provided, by means of which the actuating element (2) redirected out of the rest position about the first actuating element pivot axis (24) or the second actuating element pivot axis (29) can be reset into the rest position,

wherein the resetting device (40) comprises:

two elastic elements (41) associated with the first actuating element pivot axis (24), the two elastic elements (41) associated with the first actuating element pivot axis (24) acting against the redirection of the actuating element (2) from the rest position about the first actuating element pivot axis (24), and the two elastic elements (41) associated with the first actuating element pivot axis (24) being arranged diametrically opposite to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis (12) of the switch lever (10); and

two elastic elements (50) associated with the second actuating element pivot axis (29), the two elastic elements (50) associated with the second actuating element pivot axis (29) acting against the redirection of the actuating element (2) from the rest position about the second actuating element pivot axis (29), and the two elastic elements (50) associated with the second actuating element pivot axis (29) being arranged diametrically opposite to each other with respect to the longitudinal axis (12) of the switch lever (10).

2. The manual control device according to claim 1, characterized in that:

one of the two elastic elements (41) associated with the first actuating element pivot axis (24) acts counter to the redirection of the actuating element (2) about the first actuating element pivot axis (24) in one pivoting direction, while the other of the two elastic elements (41) associated with the first actuating element pivot axis (24) acts counter to the redirection of the actuating element (2) about the first actuating element pivot axis (24) in the opposite pivoting direction; and is

One of the two elastic elements (50) associated with the second actuating element pivot axis (29) acts counter to the redirection of the actuating element (2) about the second actuating element pivot axis (29) in one pivoting direction, while the other of the two elastic elements (50) associated with the second actuating element pivot axis (29) acts counter to the redirection of the actuating element (2) about the second actuating element pivot axis (29) in the opposite pivoting direction.

3. A manual control device according to any preceding claim, characterised in that:

the two elastic elements (41) associated with a first actuating element pivot axis (24) have mutually compensating pretensions at least in the rest position of the actuating element (2); and is

The two elastic elements (50) associated with the second actuating element pivot axis (29) have mutually compensating pretensions at least in the rest position of the actuating element (2).

4. Manual control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the resetting means (40) are configured such that: a first of the two elastic elements (41) associated with a first actuating element pivot axis (24) is deformed by redirection of the actuating element (2) from the rest position about the first actuating element pivot axis (24) in one pivoting direction, while a second of the two elastic elements (41) associated with a first actuating element pivot axis (24) is prevented from being deformed by an end stop, the manual control device being further characterized in that the second elastic element is deformable by redirection of the actuating element (2) from the rest position about the first actuating element pivot axis (24) in an opposite pivoting direction, while the first elastic element is prevented from being deformed by an end stop.

5. Manual control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic element is in the form of an axial elastic element, in particular a compression and/or tension elastic element.

6. Manual control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic element is in the form of a helical compression spring (41, 50).

7. Manual control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the clamping axis (42, 51) of the elastic element extends parallel to the longitudinal axis (12) of the switching lever (10).

8. Manual control according to claim 1, characterized in that the elastic element associated with the first (24) or second (29) actuation element pivot axis is supported at one end on one and the same component.

9. Manual control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the switch lever (10) is rotatably supported about the longitudinal axis (12) of the switch lever (10) with respect to the base element (14), and in that a return device (50) at least partially overlaps along the longitudinal axis (12) of the switch lever (10) with a resilient element associated with one of the actuation element pivot axes (29), which acts in opposition to a rotational redirection movement of the switch lever (10) about its longitudinal axis (12).