Patent ID: 6380733
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: B60K,G05G,H01H

Abstract:
Discontinuous state selector apparatus intended for operating in-vehicle computers, washing machines, bicycle derailleurs, personal computers, computer games, navigational systems and the like, said apparatus comprising, in combination:(a) a state-transmitting assembly that includes a shaft with a first cylindrical rotor mounted thereon, said first rotor having radial state-transmitting cogs separated by state-transmitting gaps distributed around its circumference and a second cylindrical rotor having at least one state-transmitting component distributed around its circumference, said second rotor being connected to said first rotor on a common longitudinal axis; (b) a first state-selecting assembly surrounding and arranged substantially coaxially with said first rotor and comprising a crown wheel with cogs pointing radially inward and separated by gaps, said crown wheel incorporating at least one permanently magnetized component which acts in conjunction with said cogs to control rotation of said first rotor; and (c) a first state-indicating assembly having at least one first state-detecting component for producing electronic signals representing an angular position of said state-transmitting assembly; whereby said state-transmitting assembly is operative to rotate about said longitudinal axis, transmitting the positions of said state-transmitting component, so that electronic signals, representing said angular position, may be produced by said at least one first state-detecting component.