Selector knob for a motor vehicle
A selector knob for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The selector knob comprises a support adapted to be attached to a component of the motor vehicle, a lever carried by the support in a rotatable manner about a straight axis among a plurality of distinct angular positions, transduction means configured to detect information about an actual angular position of the lever and to generate a control signal corresponding to the detected information, and a cam element coupled to the support in a movable manner along a radial direction with respect to said axis and fixed with respect to the support, the cam element further being stably cooperating in contact with a radially inner surface of the lever extending about said axis and defining a plurality of grooves, each of which accommodates the cam element when the lever reaches a said distinct angular position.
1 . A selector knob for a motor vehicle, the selector knob comprising:
a support adapted to be attached to a component of the motor vehicle;
a lever carried by the support in a rotatable manner about a straight axis among a plurality of distinct angular positions;
transduction means configured to detect information about an actual angular position of the lever among said distinct angular positions and to generate a control signal corresponding to the detected information to select a control setting of the motor vehicle associated with the actual angular position; and
a cam element coupled to the support in a movable manner along a direction radial with respect to said axis and fixed with respect to the support, the cam element further being in contact with a radially inner surface of the lever extending about said axis and defining a plurality of grooves, each of which accommodates the cam element when the lever reaches a corresponding one of said distinct angular positions,
wherein the transduction means comprise a number of sensors equal to the number of said distinct angular positions, the sensors being arranged angularly distributed about said axis and facing the lever according to respective radial directions with respect to said axis, wherein each of the sensors is configured to detect the presence of a device fixed to the lever when the lever reaches a corresponding one of said distinct angular positions, thereby detecting the actual angular position of the lever.
2 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , wherein the support comprises an inner portion relative to the lever, the inner portion extending axially along said axis and having a seat extending along said radial direction and engaged by a portion of the cam element so that the cam element partially protrudes from the seat along said radial direction to cooperate with the radially inner surface.
3 . The selector knob according to claim 2 , wherein the cam element comprises a first cam element, wherein the seat defines one end of a through-hole of the inner portion along said radial direction, the through-hole comprising a further seat defining the other opposite end of the through-hole and engaged by a portion of a second cam element cooperating with the radially inner surface, the first and second cam elements being coupled together by an elastic means arranged through the through-hole and configured to distance the first and second cam elements from each other, thereby bringing the first and second cam elements into contact with the radially inner surface at diametrically opposite points with respect to said axis and permitting a reciprocal approach of the first and second cam elements along said radial direction against an elastic reaction thereof.
4 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , further comprising a torsional spring extending about said axis and having an end attached to the lever and a free end, the support comprising a striker portion arranged to cooperate with the free end at an unstable position among said distinct angular positions, such that the torsion spring exerts an elastic reaction torque on the lever directed so that the lever leaves the unstable position.
5 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , wherein the device fixed to the lever comprises a permanent magnet, and wherein the sensors comprise respective magnetic field sensors each configured to detect a magnetic field emitted by the permanent magnet when the lever reaches the corresponding one of said distinct angular positions, thereby detecting the presence of the device and thus the actual angular position of the lever.
6 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , wherein the device fixed to the lever at each of said distinct angular positions of the lever is aligned with a corresponding one of the sensors along one of said radial directions.
7 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , wherein the device fixed to the lever is housed in a device seat formed on a radially outer surface of the lever, such that the device is radially exposed to the outside of the lever.
8 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors are attached to an attachment body, defined by a printed circuit board, extending transversely to said axis and having an axial bore around said axis, the axial bore being axially engaged by the lever.
9 . The selector knob according to claim 1 , wherein the radially inner surface of the lever is metallic, and wherein the portion of the cam element in contact with the radially inner surface of the lever is metallic.
10 . A steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising a steering column and a steering wheel rotatable with respect to the steering column about a steering wheel axis and comprising the selector knob of claim 1 .
11 . A motor vehicle comprising the steering wheel assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a control unit configured to receive the control signal and control the control setting according to the received control signal.
12 . The motor vehicle according to claim 11 , wherein the control setting relates to at least one of a motor vehicle suspension setup, a motor vehicle stability control, and a motor vehicle traction control.
13 . A selector knob for a motor vehicle, the selector knob comprising:
a support adapted to be attached to a component of the motor vehicle;
a lever carried by the support in a rotatable manner about an axis among a plurality of distinct angular positions;
a transduction assembly configured to detect information about an actual angular position of the lever and to generate a control signal corresponding to the detected information; and
a cam member coupled to the support in a movable manner along a radial direction with respect to said axis, the radial direction being fixed with respect to the support, the cam member further being in contact with a radially inner surface of the lever extending about said axis and defining a plurality of grooves, each of which accommodates the cam member when the lever reaches a corresponding one of said distinct angular positions,
wherein the transduction assembly comprises a plurality of sensors, the sensors being arranged angularly distributed about said axis and facing the lever according to respective radial directions with respect to said axis, wherein each of the sensors is configured to detect the presence of a radially-facing device fixed to the lever when the lever reaches a corresponding one of said distinct angular positions, thereby detecting the actual angular position of the lever.
14 . A steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising a steering column and a steering wheel rotatable with respect to the steering column about a steering wheel axis and comprising the selector knob of claim 13 .
15 . A motor vehicle comprising the steering wheel assembly of claim 14 , further comprising a control unit configured to receive the control signal and to select a control setting of the motor vehicle associated with the actual angular position.
16 . A selector knob for a motor vehicle, the selector knob comprising:
a support adapted to be attached to a component of the motor vehicle;
a lever carried by the support in a rotatable manner about an axis among a plurality of distinct angular positions, the lever comprising a radially inner surface extending about said axis and grooves defined in the radially inner surface;
a sensor system configured to detect information about an actual angular position of the lever and to generate a control signal corresponding to the detected information; and
a cam member coupled to the support in a movable manner along a radial direction with respect to said axis, the radial direction being fixed with respect to the support, the cam member further being in contact with the radially inner surface, each groove being configured to accommodate the cam member when the lever reaches a corresponding one of said distinct angular positions,
wherein the sensor system comprises a plurality of sensors, the sensors being arranged angularly distributed about said axis and facing the lever according to respective radial directions with respect to said axis, wherein each of the sensors is configured to detect the presence of an outwardly-facing element fixed to the lever when the lever reaches a corresponding one of said distinct angular positions, thereby detecting the actual angular position of the lever.
17 . A steering wheel assembly for a motor vehicle, the steering wheel assembly comprising a steering column and a steering wheel rotatable with respect to the steering column about a steering wheel axis and comprising the selector knob of claim 16 .
18 . A motor vehicle comprising the steering wheel assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a control unit configured to receive the control signal and to select a control setting of the motor vehicle associated with the actual angular position.