Valeo Electrical Systems, Inc.

Itt Automotive, Inc.

Kelsey-Hayes Company

Allen K Schwartz

Dennis J Fitzpatrick

David Glowczewski

Peter S Zhou

Christina Ucar

George S Vidican

A system for controlling movement of an outside rear view mirror of a vehicle having a plurality of outside rear view mirrors, each mirror including a housing and at least one motor configured to control mirror tilt, and one motor to control an inward/outward fold of the housing. An electronic control unit processes movement commands in response to one or more switches. Each motor is connected to a shared driveline, and each motor is further connected to an associated driveline.

Outside rear view mirror system

A switch apparatus for controlling multiple electrical circuits includes housing mountable on a vehicle steering column. A carrier is pivotally mounted to the housing for rotation with a lever. The lever pivots about at least one axis between a center position and at least one other position. A detent surface formed in one of the housing and the carrier has at least one detent, each detent associated with a respective other position. A component for latching the carrier and the lever one of the other positions is mountable on the carrier and engageable with the detent surface. A cancel pawl extends from the housing and is engageable with a rotatable member on the steering column. The carrier is returned to the center position from engagement in the other position by a biasing component, which permits sliding movement between the cancel pawl and biasing component when the lever holds the carrier in the position.

Stalk switch apparatus with biased latch and return components to prevent damage

A vehicle steering column stalk switch includes a multifunction switch lever having a rotatable actuator which drives a first rotatable gear. Gear teeth on the first gear engage gear teeth on a second gear mounted within a housing with zero backlash. The second gear is biased into compliant engagement with the first gear. The biasing is effected by means of at least one leaf contact resiliently cantilevered from conductive elements carried in the housing into engagement with the second gear.

Multi-function stalk switch with zero backlash drive gear pair

A circuit interlock switch mountable in a stalk switch apparatus includes an actuator mounted on a lever movably mounted in a housing attachable to a vehicle steering column. The actuator is moveable relative to the lever. In a first movement state, the actuator is coupled through a shaft extending through the lever to a contactor and moves the contactor between operative states upon rotation of the actuator to open and close vehicle circuits coupled through conductive traces in a substrate engaged by contacts on the contactor. A cam and cam follower are formed on the lever and the actuator to permit axial translation of the actuator relative to the lever only in certain rotated positions of the actuator.

Vehicle fog lamp interlock switch apparatus

A multi-function switch lever apparatus mountable on a vehicle steering column includes at least one actuator and one contactor. A shaft extends through a lever pivotally mounted to a housing containing the contactor. A first end of the shaft is fixed to the first actuator. The second end of the shaft rotates a drive gear which engages and moves a linear toothed rack mounted in the housing between electrical circuit positions. Cancel members in a turn signal mechanism are biasingly mounted allowing disengagement of either cancel member from a cancel pawl when the turn signal lever is held in a turn position during rotation of the steering wheel when completing a turn. A beam change carrier is mounted in the housing and carries a pivotal contact which switches positions upon engagement with a paddle during pivotal movement of the stalk switch lever about one axis.

Multi-function switch lever apparatus

A switch apparatus for controlling multiple electrical circuits includes a pivot shaft carried in a housing mountable on a vehicle steering column. A carrier is pivotally mounted on the pivot shaft for rotation of about axis. A lever is pivotally mounted to the carrier for rotation about a first axis to the axis of the shaft. A rotatable end cap is mounted on the lever. A shaft is fixed to the end cap at one end and extends through a lever to a second end on which a gear is mounted. A radial rack is mounted in the housing and engaged by the gear for rotation about the pivot shaft. Electrical traces are formed in the housing and engaged by contacts carried on the radial rack to control operating circuits. An actuator is rotatably and translatingly mounted on the pivot shaft and has an arm extending from a center. The arm engages one leaf contact in the housing upon rotation of the actuator to control a circuit. Pivotal movement of the lever about two mutually exclusive axes results in rotation of the rack or translation of the actuator, each controlling different electrical circuits.

Switch apparatus for actuating a plurality of electrical circuits

A switch apparatus having an integrated flasher relay for activation and deactivation of a hazard signaling system particularly for use in automotive vehicles. The actuator has an integral flasher relay that moves with the actuator through the activation and deactivation operations. The switch is also provided with a detent utilizing a roller for releasably locking the actuator in a predetermined position.

Switch with integrated flasher relay

A steering column stalk switch includes a lever gimballed for rotation relative to a housing in two different paths of movement. First and second electrical contactors are mounted on a support for engagement with conductive traces on a circuit board stationarily mounted in the housing. An actuator on the lever engages the support upon movement of the lever in one path of movement to laterally move the support to switch the position of one of the first and second contactors relative to the conductive traces on the circuit board. Movement of the lever in a different direction rotates the support to switch the other contactor relative to the conductive traces on the circuit board.

Multi-function steering column stalk switch

A switch in one embodiment includes a knob slidable through an aperture in a bezel. The knob is guided within a post mounted on a carrier and is biased to an outward position with respect to a carrier. A latch movably mounted on the carrier is rotated between two positions by a member carried on the knob on each successive depression of the knob. In one position, a projection on the latch extends through aligned bores in the post and a stem carried on the knob to lock the knob in a second position. Movement of the latch in an opposite direction, on the next depression of the knob, releases the projection from the aligned bores enabling the knob to biasingly move outward to the first position. Preferably, the carrier is rotatable relative to a support. The knob is keyed to the post on the carrier such that when the knob is in the second position, rotation of the knob causes rotation of the carrier. In another embodiment, two pushbuttons are disposed side-by-side for independent and/or simultaneous movement. The latch engagable with either or both pushbuttons in the second position.

Growing community of inventors

Oxford, MI, United States of America

Allen K Schwartz