US 11,987,173 B2
Steering column switch for a vehicle
Reiner Mozer, Bietigheim-Bissingen (DE)
Assigned to VALEO SCHALTER UND SENSOREN GMBH, Bietigheim-Bissingen (DE)
Appl. No. 17/441,465
Filed by Valeo Schalter und Sensoren GmbH, Bietigheim-Bissingen (DE)
PCT Filed Mar. 11, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/056446
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/193132, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 1, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2019 107 342.1 (DE), filed on Mar. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0161715 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. B60Q 1/14 (2006.01); B60Q 1/42 (2006.01)
CPC B60Q 1/1476 (2013.01) [B60Q 1/425 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steering column switch for a utility vehicle, wherein the steering column switch comprises:
a housing;
an actuating device which is coupled to an operating element and has at least one actuating element;
a magnet for generating a magnetic field, and
a magnetic sensor for detecting the magnetic field generated by the magnet,
wherein the at least one actuating element is at least partially movably mounted with respect to the housing and an actuating movement of the actuating element brings about a relative movement between the magnet and the magnetic sensor;
wherein the magnetic sensor is set up to detect the relative movement between the magnet and the magnetic sensor or a relative position of the magnet and magnetic sensor to one another and, depending on the detected relative movement or the detected relative position, to generate a switching signal for determining an actuating position of the actuating element and thus a switching state of the steering column switch;
wherein the actuating movement of the actuating element of the actuating device in a first actuating direction brings about a relative movement between the magnet and the magnetic sensor in a first direction of movement and the actuating movement of the actuating element of the actuating device in a second actuating direction brings about a relative movement between the magnet and the magnetic sensor in a second direction of movement different from the first direction of movement;
wherein the magnetic sensor is set up to detect the relative movement between the magnet and the magnetic sensor or a relative position of the magnet and magnetic sensor to one another in each case in the first direction of movement and in the second direction of movement and, depending on the detected relative movement or the detected relative position in the first direction of movement, to generate a first switching signal and, depending on the detected relative movement or the detected relative position in the second direction of movement, a second switching signal;
wherein a first actuating element is configured to rotate the magnet relative to the magnetic sensor about a first axis, and
wherein a second actuating element is configured to axially displace the magnet relative to the magnetic sensor along a second axis.