Preh-werke Gmbh Co. Kg

Preh Elektrofeinmechanische Werke Jakob Preh Nachf Gmbh & Co.

Preh-werke Gbmh & Co. Kg

Reinhold Moret

Karl-Heinz Bauer

Klaus Mueller

Joachim Storath

Ulrich Brueggemann

Oliver Zegula

Stefan Schuberth

A rotary knob device ( ) having a key function includes a key ( ) in a rotary knob ( ), which is operated separately from the rotary knob so that the key ( ) need not also be moved when the rotary knob ( ) is moved. In this regard, a holder ( ) is provided inside the rotary knob ( ), on which the rotary knob ( ) and the key ( ) are mounted to be thereby linked together structurally while functioning separately. The rotational control is transmitted by the rotary knob ( ), while key, linear movement, control is transmitted through the separate key ( ).

Rotary knob device with a key function

A control element for control functions within a passenger area of a vehicle having several turning knobs whose positions are indicated by an illumination display, includes an LED ( ight mitting evice) and a light-guide coupled directly with the LED and having a light-exit surface that is coupled with a light-entry surface leading to at least one turning knob, a light-conducting plate ( ) adjacent the light-guide, and a housing. The light guide ( ) is connected with the turning knob ( ) and has, on axial surfaces ( ) at an outer rim ( ), indexing bumps and indexing indentations ( ), respectively, that cooperate with retaining catches ( ) of a retaining spring ( ) that is pushed onto the light-conducting plate ( ) within retaining ribs ( ) and is locked between an edge of the light-conducting plate ( ) and a housing rib ( ) in the push-on

Control element for control functions

A control knob (,) includes a companion part (,) as a base of the control knob and a control-knob top part (,) having a grip handle (,). The control-knob top part (,) includes a plate (,) having a flexible elastic material coated thereon to form sidewalls (,) of the grip handle (,) which can be flexibly deformed when the grip handle (,) is manipulated. This provides improved manipulation and quiet operation of the control knob (,). Additional push-button and switch functions can be included via a flexible facing wall (,) on the grip handle (,).

Control-knob top part

A control knob (1) includes a companion part (2) as a base of the control knob and a control-knob top part (3) having a grip handle (4). The control-knob top part (3) includes a plate (9) having a flexible elastic material coated thereon to form sidewalls (5.1) of the grip handle (4) which can be flexibly deformed when the grip handle (4) is manipulated. This provides improved manipulation and quiet operation of the control knob (1). Additional push-button and switch functions can be included via a flexible facing wall (5.2) on the grip handle (4).

Rotary potentiometers known in the art having sensitive adjustment of the control knob require a stepdown gearing and have differing moments of friction that vary between devices. By contrast, in a rotary potentiometer of this invention a control knob (3) is mounted on at least three balls (6) that move, guided by a cage disk (7), in a housing groove (8) formed by a radial wall (9) and an axial wall (10), against which the balls (6) are urged by a load pressure of a conical bearing surface (11 or 12) of the control knob (3). The radial and axial wall bearing surfaces have contact and resistive strips (13, 14) that are short circuited by the balls (6). The control knob (3) has a stop lug (15) which contacts housing lugs (16) to limit a manipulation adjustment angle (4) and which, during operational adjustment, contacts at least one of two stop lugs (17) of the cage disk (7), which are positioned at an angle that corresponds approximately to one-half the manipulation adjustment angle (4) and the resistor tap angle (5). This design results in reduced cost and functional improvement.

Electrical rotary potentiometer

A control unit for setting heating, air conditioning and/or ventilation in otor vehicles is provided. The control unit comprises a body adaptable for insertion into the instrument panel of a motor vehicle, said body having a front panel and a rear carrier member. At least one control knob, by means of which a driving bevel gear connected with it drives at least one driven bevel gear, is rotatably mounted in the front panel. An elongated adjusting lever which swings over a limited range cooperates with the driven bevel to actuate a Bowden cable, which in turn is capable of controlling heating, air conditioning or ventilation systems, particularly flaps in the system which control air flow.

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Mellrichstadt, Germany

Reinhold Moret