This application claims the priority of German Patent Application Ser.  No.  100 39 330.6, filed Aug. 3, 2000, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
The present invention relates to a device for manually controlling and guiding a handling unit of a type having a drive, in particular a lifting unit.  The present invention also relates to a modular construction kit for making such control and guiding devices. 
European Pat.  No.  EP 0 586 029 B1 discloses a hoist with a lifting unit that moves a traction member up and down.  Disposed at the free end of the traction member is a device for controlling and guiding a load-receiving member, which is fastened directly to the device.  The device has a housing, which is formed with a horizontal grip that can be grasped by an operator""s hand so as to guide the load-receiving member.  Arranged in the housing are two switching push rods as switching elements which are connected electrically to the control mechanism for the lifting unit and can be actuated from outside by means of a rocker.  The grip is hereby so positioned that the thumb of the operator""s hand, when grabbing the grip, can easily reach the rocker. 
This conventional control and guiding device suffers shortcomings because its design is unsuitable for use with a multiplicity of handling units, such as manipulators, and it cannot be adjusted to ergonomically changing situations, when operators of different heights use the device. 
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide an improved device for manual controlling and guiding a handling unit, which obviates prior art shortcomings and is simple in structure while yet can be suited to a wide range of different handling units and to individual needs of the operator as well as to ergonomic conditions and different lifting heights. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, a device for manually maneuvering a handling unit, includes a mounting structure configured for attachment to a handling unit; a control mechanism connected to the mounting structure and including keys, actuated from outside, for activating a movement of the handling unit; and a handle frame connectable to the mounting structure and configured to allow an operator to actuate at least one of the keys with a thumb, wherein the handle frame includes a cross member having opposite axial ends, a pair of elongate grip elements, one of the grip elements extending transversely to the cross member and having one end detachably connected to one of the axial ends, and the other of the grip elements extending transversely to the cross member and having one end detachably connected to other one of the axial ends, and a fastener for releasably attaching the cross member to the mounting structure, wherein the cross member and the grip elements are selected from a plurality of cross members and grip elements of varying lengths to thereby establish a construction kit to allow construction of the handle frame with a desired configuration, wherein the fastener is configured to allow displacement of the cross member in axial direction and thereby effect a positional adjustment of the grip elements with respect to the keys, before securely fixing the cross member to the mounting structure. 
Through modular configuration of the handle frame, e.g. through provision of cross members and grip elements of different lengths, a construction kit can be established by which handle frames of different design can be realized so as to suit the need at hand.  Adaptation to a wide range of different requirements is thus ensured by fabricating handle frames from components of different lengths of the modular construction kit, whereby the components are essentially grip elements and cross members, with at least one cross member fastened releasably to the mounting structure of the device and connected at its free ends to a grip element.  The lengths of the cross members and grip elements used for a handle frame determine the basic size of the handle frame.  In addition, at least the position of a grip element can be adjusted relative to the keys of switching and/or touch elements, of the control mechanism, namely through longitudinal displacement of the cross member, before securement to the mounting structure. 
In a simple configuration, the handle frame has a configuration of a handlebar with two grip elements, resembling a bicycle handlebar and fastened to an elongate mounting structure. 
According to another feature of the present invention, the mounting structure is formed from a profiled hollow section which has open ends and an open long side which defines the backside of the mounting structure and can be closed by a lid.  This simple and cost-efficient structure allows easy integration of diverse control mechanisms in the hollow section, i.e. there is no need for any further switchboxes or the like. 
According to another feature of the present invention, the device may include at least one satellite control unit, which has some or all of the switching and/or touch elements and is slideably mounted to the mounting structure for displacement in transverse and longitudinal directions with respect to the mounting structure, whereby actuation of the control unit is realized via keys to thereby activate operating features of the handling unit.  The use of such a control unit that may include all switching and/or touch elements, the device can be easily suited to the height of an operator. 
In situations, when relatively heavy loads have to be moved, the handle frame may be composed of two cross members interconnected at the axial ends by the two grip elements, thereby establishing a closed handle frame which has a higher level of mechanical stability, whereby both cross members are fastened to the mounting structure. 
Situations in which the grip elements are spaced far apart, the cross member is fastened releasably to two spaced-apart mounting structures in parallel relationship, which are connected to the handling unit.  Apart from a greater level of stability of the device, the keys of the control mechanism on the mounting structures can easily be reached by both thumbs of the operator.  The stability of the device can be further increased when the free ends of the two grip elements are fastened releasably to the two mounting structures, respectively. 
According to another aspect of the present invention, a device for manually maneuvering a handling unit, includes at least two mounting structures arranged in side-by-side parallel disposition and configured for attachment to a handling unit, each of the mounting structures having incorporated therein a control mechanism which includes keys, actuated from outside, for activating a movement of the handling unit; and a closed planar handle frame connectable to the mounting structures and configured to allow an operator to actuate at least one of the keys with a thumb, wherein the handle frame includes a substantially horizontal first cross member having opposite axial ends, a pair of elongate grip elements in parallel relationship, one of the grip elements extending transversely to the first cross member and having one end detachably connected to one of the axial ends, and the other of the grip elements extending transversely to the first cross member and having one end detachably connected to other one of the axial ends, and a second cross member in parallel relationship to the first cross member and having axial ends, with one of the grip elements detachably connected with its other end to one of the axial ends of the second cross member, and the other of the grip elements detachably connected with its other end to other one of the axial ends of the second cross member; and connectors for detachably mounting the grip elements to the first and second cross members, each of the connectors having at least one protrusion for insertion in a complementary receptacle of the mounting structures, wherein the protrusion of one of the connectors projects in a same direction as the protrusion of each of the other connectors and extends in parallel relationship to the protrusion of each of the other connectors, wherein the cross members, the grip elements, the mounting structures and the connectors are selected from a plurality of cross members, grip elements, mounting structures and connectors of varying lengths to thereby establish a construction kit to allow construction of the handle frame with a desired configuration. 
Also in this embodiment, through modular configuration of the handle frame, e.g. through provision of cross members and grip elements of different lengths, a construction kit can be established by which devices of different design can be realized so as to easily suit the need at hand, e.g. to adjust to operators of different height.