Abstract:
The electrical turn/pull switch for vehicle lighting has an operating part ( 14 ) that is mounted in a switch housing ( 12 ) so as to be rotatable as well as axially movable. The movable contact elements ( 22, 24, 26 ) of a contact carrier ( 20 ) interact with fixed contact elements ( 30 ). The contact elements for the turn switch function ( 22 ) and for the axial switch function ( 24, 26 ) are integrated on the contact carrier ( 20 ). An actuation part ( 16 ) entrained by the operating part ( 14 ) has cams and/or ramps ( 18 ) that engage the movable contact elements ( 24, 26 ) and actuate them.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an electrical switch for vehicle lighting, having an operating part that is mounted in a switch housing so as to be rotatable as well as axially movable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     With conventional electrical turn/pull switches for vehicle lighting, for example, the parking lights and the low beams can be activated by turning a turn/pull switch in successive steps, and the front and rear fog lights are activated by successive stepped movements in an axial direction. The electrical connections for the rotational and for the axial switching functions are established by means of two different switching devices, for example, by a contact slider in the rotational switch function and by additional micro-switches in the axial switch functions. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides an electrical turn/pull switch that can be economically manufactured and assembled. 
     According to the invention, an electrical turn/pull switch is provided for controlling operation of lighting in a vehicle. The switch has a switch housing, an actuating member mounted for rotation about a central axis and for axial movement within the switch housing, and a movable contact carrier coupled to the actuating member for joint rotation and relative axial movement. A fixed contact carrier is mounted in the switch housing in a position axially opposite to the movable contact carrier. A first set of movable contacts are mounted on the movable contact carrier and associated with a first set of fixed contacts of the fixed contact carrier. A second set of movable contacts are mounted on the movable contact carrier and associated with a set of radially fixed contacts also mounted on the movable contact carrier in positions radially opposite to corresponding ones of the movable contacts of the second set. At least one cam is provided on the actuating member. The cam is movable axially between a first position disengaged from a corresponding movable contact of the second set and a second position engaged with the movable contact of the second set to deflect the contact radially against a corresponding contact of the set of radially fixed contacts. Since the contact elements integrated on the contact carrier are involved in both switch functions, rotational and axial, it is possible to dispense with the higher expenditures for the production or purchase and assembly of micro-switches that are additionally needed in conventional turn/pull switches for the axial switch function. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention ensue from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the appended drawings, to which reference is made. The drawings show the following: 
     FIG.  1 —a perspective view of an electrical turn/pull switch according to the invention in a preferred embodiment 
     FIG. 2 —a view of a contact carrier with contact elements of the turn/pull switch according to the invention of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 —a perspective view of a printed circuit board on which contact paths that interact with the contact elements are laid out. 
     FIG.  4 —a schematic side view of the electrical turn/pull switch with parts omitted. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The electrical turn/pull switch  10  shown in FIG. 1 has a generally cylindrical switch housing  12  and, as a manual operating member, a turn/pull button  14 . The turn/pull button  14  is coupled to an actuating member referred to as a switching cross  16  (see FIG. 2) that is provided with axially extending actuation ramps  18 . The contact elements for the rotational switch function and for the axial switch function are integrated on a shared contact carrier plate  20 . They are preferably formed by being punched out of a shared plate, for example, from a gold-plated metal strip. Particular punched-out contact elements or areas are subsequently bent as needed. Thus, a contact element  22  corresponds to the contact element for the rotational switch function and the contact elements  24 ,  26  correspond to the contact elements for the axial switch function. The contact element  22  is punched out in such a way that a first and second contact pair  22   a ,  22   b  as well as a first and second contact tag  34 ,  36  are formed. Contact elements  24 ,  26  each have a contact tag  24   a  and  26   a  respectively and a contact pair  24   b  and  26   b  respectively with contact surfaces  24   c  and  26   c  respectively. The contact elements  24   b ,  26   b  of the turn switch function are punched out and bent in such a way that they make no contact with the contact element  22  of the turn switch function. The contact elements  22 ,  24  and  26  are attached onto the contact carrier plate  20 , for example, by means of ultrasound welding. Preferably, the contact elements  22 ,  24  and  26  are pre-punched out of the gold-plated metal strip before being attached to the contact carrier plate  20  and bent in specific areas and, after attachment to the contact carrier plate  20 , are punched free as needed for the envisaged function. 
     Relative to FIG. 2, above the contact carrier plate  20 , there is a printed contact board  28  shown in FIG. 3 with fixed contact elements that are configured as sliding paths  30  that are electrically insulated from each other. The individual sliding paths  30  are each electrically connected with associated contacts of a plug  32 . In the assembled state, the contact carrier plate  20  and the printed circuit board  28  are arranged in such a way with respect to each other that the contact pairs  24 ,  26  on their contact surfaces  24   c ,  26   c , as well as the contact pairs  22   a ,  22   b  touch the printed circuit board  28 . As can be seen in FIG. 2 the contact element  22  is bent in particular areas, upwards relative to FIG. 2, so that the contact element  22  in this area does not make contact with the contact carrier plate  20 . 
     Referring to FIG. 2, the carrier plate  20  and actuator  16  are coupled together for joint rotational movement when the ramp  18  of actuator  16  is located in the aperture  50  of the carrier plate  20 . The actuator  16  moves axially relative to the carrier plate  20  through the aperture  50  and relative to the printed circuit board  28  through aperture  50 ′. The carrier plate  20  is supported by the housing  12 . When the turn/pull button  14  is rotated, the contact carrier plate  20 , together with the contact elements  22 ,  24  and  26  that are attached to it, moves relative to the printed circuit board  28 . As a result, the contact pairs  22   a ,  22   b  of the turn switch function, which are in contact with the printed circuit board, as well as the contact surfaces  24   c ,  26   c  of the contact pairs  24   b ,  26   b  of the axial switch function, slide on the printed circuit board. Depending on the rotational position of the turn/pull switch, either the contact pair  22   a  or the contact pair  22   b  can be in contact with one of the sliding paths  30  of the printed circuit board  28 . In this way, the contact pairs  22   a ,  22   b  create a conductive connection between the sliding paths that are correspondingly contacted by the contact pairs  22   a ,  22   b . Depending on which of the sliding paths  30  are bridged, the various types of vehicle lighting that can be operated by means of the turn switch function are then activated. 
     In a normal non-activated condition of the axial switches the ramps  18  are disengaged from the associated movable contacts, i.e. contact tags  24   a  and  26   a.    
     When button  14  is pulled to a first axial switch position, i.e. in an upward direction in FIG. 1, the ramps  18  on the switching cross  16  interact with the contact tag  24   a  to radially deflect tag  24 a against the opposite radially fixed contact tag  34 , which is bent upwards relative to FIG. 2, and which is formed on the contact element  22 . When button  14  is pulled to a second axial position, the contact tag  26   a  is additionally deflected against the opposite radially fixed contact tag  36 , upwards relative to FIG. 2, which is also formed on the contact element  22 . (The ramp needed for this cannot be seen in FIG. 2 since it is located underneath the contact carrier plate  20  relative to FIG. 2.) Moreover, the contact elements  24 ,  26  on the contact surfaces  24   c ,  26   c  of the contact pairs  24   b ,  26   b  are each in contact with one of the sliding paths of the printed circuit board  28 , so that an electrical connection between the contact elements  24 ,  26  and the individual contacted sliding path is established. In this fashion, depending on the axial position of the turn/pull switch, various vehicle lighting functions can be controlled. neath the contact carrier plate  20  relative to FIG. 2.) Moreover, the contact elements  24 ,  26  on the contact surfaces  24   c ,  26   c  of the contact pairs  24   b ,  26   b  are each in contact with one of the sliding paths of the printed circuit board  28 , so that an electrical connection between the contact element  22  and the individual contacted sliding path is established. In this fashion, depending on the axial position of the turn/pull switch, various vehicle lighting functions can be controlled. 
     The contact surfaces of the individual contact elements  22 ,  24  and  26  of the contact carrier plate  20 , which interact with the sliding paths  30  of the printed circuit board  28 , are each configured as pairs so that, even if one of the two contact surfaces gets inefficient due to penetration of extraneous matter, the function of the contact elements is still ensured. 
     Since, in contrast to the turn/pull switches known from the state of the art, the axial switch function as well as the turn switch function are effectuated via contact elements located on a contact carrier plate without a need for additional individual components such as, for example, micro-switches, the invention provides a turn/pull switch that is inexpensive to manufacture and to assemble. 
     The various switching positions of the turn switch function can be associated, for example, with the parking light and the low beams of a vehicle. The two switching positions of the axial switch function can then be associated, for instance, with the fog headlights and the rear fog light.