Actuating device with rotary switch

Abstract

An actuating device is provided for selecting gears of an automatic transmission. The actuating device includes a rotatable actuating element as well as a crank arrangement () with stop elements (Mn) for limiting the rotation angle of the actuating element to a total switching angle. The actuating element may assume n switching positions within the total switching angle. The crank arrangement () has a separate stop element (Mn), which can be activated in a controlled manner, and a crank area () for each of the n switching positions. The crank area () comprises at least one crank segment (A, B, C, . . . ), between the end stops of which a stop element (Mn) can assume one of n relative positions, which correspond to the n switching positions. The crank segments (A, B, C, . . . ) are arranged distributed over the total crank angle such that all n relative positions are occupied by the n stop elements (Mn) for each relative switching position (, . . . ). The actuating device makes possible, analogously to purely mechanical actuating elements with discrete locking position, the reliable actuation of complex technical systems. At the same time, intuitively detectable and especially tactile feedback, which is unambiguous under all operating conditions, is achieved for the actual state of the system.