Patent ID: 7032471

Claim:
Control device for hand or foot-operated control of a machine, comprising: an operating element that can be moved in one or more directions for controlling a non-hydraulic transmission device or a transmission device hydraulically uncoupled from a hydraulic system of a machine, for generating one or more electrical, pneumatic, hydraulic or optical control signals for operating an element of the hydraulic system of the machine; a damping device which interacts with the operating element by providing a resistance to the movement of the operating element in at least one movement direction, the back-pressure valve allows fluid flow therethrough in a first direction and prevents fluid flow therethrough in an opposite second direction, thereof, a cylinder having a cavity containing a piston positionable in a first end position in the cavity and movable therefrom toward a second end position in the cylinder by movement of the operating element or a driver connected thereto in the one movement direction to cause simultaneous displacement of a fluid located in the cavity of the cylinder under pressure, the cavity of the cylinder being connected by fluid lines with the damping device, and the damping device being operable to control at least one of an outflow speed of the fluid displaced from the cavity and an inflow speed of fluid to the cavity, whereby the damping device includes at least one adjustable choke and at least one back-pressure valve connected in parallel between the cavity and an accumulator, the accumulator containing fluid under a pressure which will increase as fluid is displaced from the cavity so as to increase the resistance to the movement of the operating element in the one movement direction.