Patent ID: 8193883
Filing Date: 2012-06-05
Classification: G02B

Abstract:
1. A rotary switching mechanism comprising: a motor; a passive torque device operatively coupled to the motor; wherein the passive torque device includes: a control loop arranged to control an operation of the motor, wherein the passive torque device has an extended position null at an extended position and a retracted position null at a retracted position; and wherein the passive torque device has a torque versus angle profile between the nulls that passively drives the torque device from a position adjacent to the extended position to a position adjacent to the retracted position, and vice versa, and wherein the control loop is electrically coupled to the motor so as to either: (1) drive the motor such that the passive torque device is moved into the extended position null from the position adjacent to the extended position and into the retracted position null from the position adjacent to the retracted position, or (2) drive the motor such that the passive torque device is moved from the extended position null into the position adjacent to the extended position and from the retracted position null into the position adjacent to the retracted position, or (3) not provide any drive to the motor responsive to the passive torque device being in positions other than the extended position null, the retracted position null, the position adjacent to the extended position, and the position adjacent to the retracted position.