IP Library Granted Patent US 7,485,819
Granted Patent B2
US 7,485,819 · App. 11/810,310 · Granted Feb 3, 2009

Steering column switch

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,485,819
App. No.
11/810,310
Granted
Feb 3, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A steering column switch, especially for a motor vehicle, contains a switch lever, which is activated transversely and which has a magnetic signal transmitter, to which several stationary magnetic-field sensors coupled to an evaluation unit are allocated for determining the switch positions of the switch lever. The switch lever supports a rotary switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the rotary switch.

Claims (18)

1. A steering column switch, especially for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch lever, which is activated transversely and which has a magnetic signal transmitter, to which are allocated several stationary magnetic-field sensors coupled to an evaluation unit for determining the switch positions of the switch lever, wherein the switch lever supports a rotary switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the rotary switch, wherein the switch lever has, in its interior, a switch shaft, whose end facing the magnetic-field sensors carries the signal transmitter, wherein the switch shaft is locked in rotation with an activation ring of the rotary switch supported in the switch lever.

2. The steering column switch of claim 1 , wherein the switch lever contains a push-button switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the push-button switch.

3. The steering column switch of claim 1 , wherein the switch shaft is fixed to an activation element of a push-button switch arranged on the free end of the switch lever.

4. The steering column switch of claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter is constructed as a permanent magnet with a cylindrical cross section, whose longitudinal axis is aligned not parallel to the switch shaft.

5. The steering column switch of claim 1 , wherein the signal transmitter comprises a permanent magnet and a sensor array containing the magnetic-field sensors are aligned relative to each other, such that a free end of the permanent magnet runs essentially parallel to the sensor array.

6. The steering column switch of claim 1 , wherein the magnetic-field sensors are designed for detecting rotational movements of the permanent magnet and the evaluation unit is designed for detecting the pivoting movements.

7. A steering column switch, especially for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch lever, which is activated transversely and which has a magnetic signal transmitter, to which are allocated several stationary magnetic-field sensors coupled to an evaluation unit in an array for determining the switch positions of the switch lever, wherein the switch lever supports a rotary switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the rotary switch, wherein the signal transmitter is constructed as a dipolar permanent magnet having poles of different sign along its longitudinal halves.

8. The steering column switch of claim 7 , wherein the switch lever contains a push-button switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the push-button switch.

9. The steering column switch of claim 7 , wherein the switch shaft is fixed to an activation element of a push-button switch arranged on the free end of the switch lever.

10. The steering column switch of claim 7 , wherein the signal transmitter is constructed as a permanent magnet with a cylindrical cross section, whose longitudinal axis is aligned not parallel to the switch shaft.

11. The steering column switch of claims 7 , wherein the signal transmitter comprises a permanent magnet and a sensor array containing the magnetic-field sensors are aligned relative to each other, such that a free end of the permanent magnet runs essentially parallel to the sensor array.

12. The steering column switch of claim 7 , wherein the magnetic-field sensors are designed for detecting rotational movements of the permanent magnet and the evaluation unit is designed for detecting the pivoting movements.

13. A steering column switch, especially for a motor vehicle, comprising a switch lever, which is activated transversely and which has a magnetic signal transmitter, to which are allocated several stationary magnetic-field sensors coupled to an evaluation unit in an array for determining the switch positions of the switch lever, wherein the switch lever supports a rotary switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the rotary switch, wherein the signal transmitter comprises permanent magnet arranged with the sensor array in a fork-shaped free space of the switch lever, which connects to a foot allocated to the switch lever with a locking sleeve acting on a housing-side locking cam.

14. The steering column switch of claim 13 , wherein the switch lever contains a push-button switch and the signal transmitter and also the magnetic-field sensors are used for determining the switch positions of the push-button switch.

15. The steering column switch of claim 13 , wherein the switch shaft is fixed to an activation element of a push-button switch arranged on the free end of the switch lever.

16. The steering column switch of claim 13 , wherein the signal transmitter is constructed as a permanent magnet with a cylindrical cross section, whose longitudinal axis is aligned not parallel to the switch shaft.

17. The steering column switch of claims 13 , wherein the signal transmitter comprises a permanent magnet and a sensor array containing the magnetic-field sensors are aligned relative to each other, such that a free end of the permanent magnet runs essentially parallel to the sensor array.

18. The steering column switch of claim 13 , wherein the magnetic-field sensors are designed for detecting rotational movements of the permanent magnet and the evaluation unit is designed for detecting the pivoting movements.

Assignments (5)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jan 14, 2015
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034762/0540 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 18, 2011
From: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 026146/0173 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2011
From: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON
To: DELPHI CONNECTION SYSTEMS HOLDINGS LLC; DELPHI PROPERTIES MANAGEMENT LLC; DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; DELPHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS LLC; DELPHI CONNECTION SYSTEMS LLC; DELPHI CORPORATION; DELPHI HOLDINGS LLC; DELPHI INTERNATIONAL SERVICES COMPANY LLC; DELPHI MEDICAL SYSTEMS LLC; DELPHI TRADE MANAGEMENT LLC
Reel/Frame 026138/0574 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 13, 2009
From: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, THE
Reel/Frame 023510/0562 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2007
From: REISCHL, ERIK; LENG, PETER; SCHNELL, KLAUS; KOEHLER, JOACHIM
To: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 020014/0920 →