Patent ID: 6407526
Filing Date: 2002-06-18
Classification: B60K,B60T,G05G,Y10T

Abstract:
A safety switching system for preventing serious misalignment of at least first and second control pedals, each of which is adjustable in position by an electrical drive system comprising at least one reversible electrically operable motor having a rotary shaft and at least first and second mechanical conversion devices for converting the rotary motion of the shaft into back and forth movement of the first and second pedals,said safety switching system comprising at least first and second slide switches, each of which comprises first and second body members, one of which is stationary while the other is moveable with one of said pedals, each of said slide switches having an electrically insulating support on the corresponding first body member, at least first, second and third elongated electrically conductive contact members mounted on said insulating support, an electrically conductive common contact member on said insulating support and generally parallel with said contact members, a movable bridging contactor mounted on said second body member for relative movement along said contact members and said common contact, said bridging contactor having contactor elements for slidably engaging said contact members and said common contact, said first, second and third contact members having respective first, second and third sets of equally spaced contact tabs extending therefrom for slid able engagement by said respective first, second and third slid able contactor elements, said first, second and third sets of contact tabs being successively staggered equally along the length of said contact members, a power supply circuit including a pair of input terminals for receiving electrical power from a suitable source, a reversible electrical control switch connected in the power supply circuit between said input terminals and said motor for supplying electrical power of reversible polarity to said motor for selectively causing operation of said motor in opposite directions of rotation, and means for connecting said common contacts of said first and second slide switches in series with said power supply circuit, and means including a set of three conductors for connecting said first, second and third contact members of said first switch to the respective first, second and third contact members of said second switch, whereby conductive continuity of the power supply circuit is maintained as long as the first and second pedals are aligned so that the bridging contactors of the first and second switches are kept substantially in alignment.