Patent ID: 8573092

Claim:
A rotating actuator with a variable latching profile, comprising a housing, a rotary knob and a rotary shaft non-rotatably connected to the rotary knob, comprising: at least two latching contours non-rotatably formed on the rotary shaft, one support per latching contour, whereon at least one latching element is disposed which latches into the latching contours associated with the support, and which is mounted so as to be rotatable about the rotary shaft, and at least one locking device per support, the support being lockable relative to the housing via the at least one locking device, wherein the locking device includes a magnetic ball latching device, and wherein the magnetic ball latching device comprises at least one permanent magnet, an electromagnet on a ferromagnetic core, and a ball that is engaged with the latching contours in the support, the permanent magnet being movably disposed in the ball latching device and movable between at least two end positions.