Actuating device

Abstract

Actuating device (1), comprising: a signal generator (102), and a mechanical operating element (101), wherein the mechanical operating element (101) has a first temporally stable position and a second temporally stable position, wherein the mechanical operating element (101) is configured to actuate the signal generator (102) upon movement from the first temporally stable position to the second temporally stable position, and wherein the signal generator (102) is arranged to cause, upon actuation, a first signal change (A) followed by a second signal change (B) of an output signal (104), wherein an evaluation circuit (103) is configured to detect an actuation of the mechanical operating element (101) on the basis of the first signal change (A) and the second signal change (B), wherein the time interval between the first signal change (A) and the second signal change (B) is within a predetermined range, and the actuating device (1) further comprises means for preventing an actuation time of the signal generator (102) outside the predetermined range, where the specified range is within ± 20% of a specified time interval.

Description

The present invention relates to an operating device, for example for operating functions in a vehicle.DE 10 2006 029 695 A1 discloses an actuating device for electronic switches which can be used, for example, in motor vehicles. The device comprises a mechanical actuating device and electronic switching elements, which can be arranged on a printed circuit board. The circuit board is mechanically decoupled from an actuating lever in at least one direction.In a preferred embodiment of the device according to DE 10 2006 029 695 A1, the actuating device comprises at least one operating lever and at least one transmission lever articulated to the operating lever and acting on the shifting element. This realizes an actuating device in which the actuation of the switch elements on the circuit board does not take place directly, but rather is only deflected via a lever system.DE 24 34 272 A1 relates to an actuating device according to the preamble of claim 1 and relates in principle to electrical switches having a contact spring supported at both ends in the housing and having inwardly bent spring ends designed as contact arms. Each contact arm interacts with one of two fixed contacts to be bridged. When a switch is actuated, a contact is closed for a short time.According to this publication, electrical switches of the type mentioned at the beginning are disclosed, which, however, are equipped with a rotatable or pivotable operating element instead of an actuating plunger, which can achieve short actuating paths and / or rapid switching movements. This is achieved in that, in the disclosed electrical switches, a bulge of the contact spring has the shape of a tooth and the tooth pointing away from the fixed contacts interacts with a counter-tooth mounted rotatably or pivotably in the housing. The switching movement of the counter tooth in the direction of rotation is transmitted to the tooth of the contact spring, whereby the tooth of the contact spring escapes downward and this leads to the bending of the contact spring, whereby a bridging of the fixed contacts is achieved.DE 10 2006 052 739 A1 relates to a method for the secure actuation of actuators, sensors or consumers in an electrical device containing them. A button can emit a pulse signal upon actuation. In a control device, the pulse signal is monitored for its proper occurrence. With respect to the pulse signal, it is monitored whether it occurs with a duration below a defined duration. By monitoring the pulse signal it can thus be established whether the button is operating correctly or whether it supplies no pulse signal or a continuous signal at all as a result of a fault, for example as a result of a so-called sticking.DE 699 32 799 T2 discloses a rotary switch which is of the electrical switch type, as used for example in motor vehicles.The switch comprises a housing placed in front of a facade, for example a dashboard of a motor vehicle. The switch in the housing is intended to be set in rotation in a plane parallel to this facade in order to control at least one function, in particular in a motor vehicle.The disclosed rotary switch comprises a drive member having at least one rear end piece suitable for moving between a rest position and a first position, also a return device being disclosed which forces the end piece and the housing to return to their rest position.The publication DE 42 37 724 C1 discloses an electrical switch which is composed essentially of a housing made of plastic, an actuating member which is pivotably mounted on the housing and is formed in the manner of a rocker, and of two contact rocker elements which can be influenced by the switching pieces formed onto the actuating member, and a base part which accommodates the fixed electrical contact parts.For the actuating member or the two contact rocker arms, according to the publication, a stable middle switching position and two so-called touch switching positions result.US 5 597 989 discloses a switching device comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact element, the movable contact element having on both sides a pair of arms by which the movable contact piece is reciprocated and thereby brought into or out of engagement with the stationary contact.The document DE 102 54 992 B4 likewise discloses an electrical switch having a housing which consists of a base and a cover. The switch also comprises a fixed contact and a switching contact, wherein the switching contact is fastened to a switching rocker and wherein the switching rocker is pivotable between two rocker positions corresponding to the switching positions, and wherein a reset element acts on the switching rocker in the starting position in such a way that the switching rocker is held in a latching manner in one of the two rocker positions, and characterized in that shoulders receiving the switching rocker therebetween are arranged on the base as abutments for the reset element.DE 10 2010 037 497 A1 discloses an operating element which comprises an actuating part which is mounted rotatably. In this case, means are provided for detecting the rotational positions of the actuating part in order to carry out switching processes as a function of the rotational direction of the rotational movement of the actuating part. For this purpose, latching contours are disclosed which are rotated relative to a pivot lever of the actuating part, as a result of which contact domes are pressed down.Operating elements of an actuating device, such as switches or buttons, generally serve, for example, as input components of control units in motor vehicles.Buttons in the context of this application are control elements which return to their initial position after actuation by a user, such as a bell button, but in this case leave the initial state upon actuation, temporarily (for a short time because of the embodiment) assume another intermediate state and return to the initial state upon actuation or can assume a further, third final state.In this case, "state" can be an optical, electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic state. An electrical state can be, for example, an electrical potential at the input or output contact in the case of voltage-driven control elements or a specific, defined current flow at an input or output contact in the case of current-driven control elements.Switches are control elements which do not return to their starting position after actuation, but remain in the new position, such as, for example, toggle switches or rotary switches, and which, when actuated, have permanently changed from an electrical starting state to an electrically deviating final state.Control elements can have a mechanical or an electrical button characteristic. In the case of operating elements with a mechanical button characteristic, the operating element returns to its initial position after actuation. In the case of operating elements with an electrical button characteristic, the actuation leads to a change in state of the electrical signal, wherein this change in state remains only for the duration of the actuation.An electromechanical signal transmitter with a probe characteristic is an electromechanical component in which the mechanical actuation (pressing) brings about a change in state of the electrical signal, which likewise only remains for the duration of the actuation. In contrast, an operating element with a switch characteristic is an electromechanical component in which a mechanical actuation leads to a permanent change in state of the electrical signal. The state of the electrical signal undergoes a change only when a next actuation has taken place.It is not always desirable or expedient to use a button as the operating element, for example when the design and / or haptics of a button are not desired.It is therefore desirable to use a switch characteristic operating element to exhibit the electrical behavior of a button.The behavior of a probe is characterized by two oppositely directed signal changes of the electrical output signal following one another in time. This enables the use of operating elements with a switch characteristic, for example a switch.It is an object to provide an actuating device whose output signal has a button characteristic and whose operating element is not designed as a button.This object is achieved according to the present invention by an actuator according to claim 1. The dependent claims define further embodiments of the present invention.The device according to the invention comprises a signal transmitter and a mechanical operating element. The mechanical operating element has a first temporally stable position and a second temporally stable position and is configured to actuate the signal transmitter upon a movement from the first temporally stable position into the second temporally stable position. The signal transmitter is configured to cause a first signal change upon actuation, followed by a second signal change of an output signal. The device according to the invention also comprises an evaluation circuit which is configured to detect an actuation of the mechanical operating element on the basis of the first signal change and the second signal change.The electrical output signal is in a first signal state when the signal transmitter is not actuated and transitions to a second signal state when the signal transmitter is actuated.The first signal change is understood to mean the transition from the first signal state to the second signal state.While the signal transmitter is actuated, the electrical output signal remains in the second signal state and only changes over to the first signal state by releasing the signal transmitter: the second signal change can be a transition from the second signal state to the first signal state or to a third signal state deviating from the first signal state.A position that is stable over time is a position in which the mechanical operating element remains when no external forces act on the operating element, that is to say it remains in this position without the action of force.The actuation of the signal transmitter by the mechanical operating element and the detection of the mechanical actuation by the evaluation circuit make it possible for mechanical operating elements, such as operating elements with switch characteristics, such as buttons, to behave.The actuation of the signal transmitter by a user has the consequence that the signal transmitter is briefly actuated and can subsequently return to its rest position again.Each actuation of the signal transmitter results in a first and a second signal change of the electrical output signal. This allows a predefined actuation of the signal transmitter at an apex point.According to the present invention, an apex is referred to as the point at which the signal transmitter is actuated by an actuation, for example, a mechanical actuation.According to the embodiment discussed above, the actuation of the signal transmitter always takes place in the same way, whereby a redundant output signal of the signal transmitter can be provided. The evaluation of the output signal, for example by software, in particular by evaluation software integrated in a vehicle, can therefore be considerably simplified.According to an embodiment, the output signal may assume optical, electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic states.An electrical state can be, for example, an electrical potential at an input or output contact in the case of voltage-operated control elements or a specific, defined current flow at an input or output contact in the case of current-operated control elements.The time interval between the first signal change and the second signal change is within a predetermined range.Due to the two-fold signal change of the electrical output signal due to the actuation of the mechanical operating element, the signal transmitter is again in the same state as before the actuation after the actuation has ended. An additional diagnosis, for example by an evaluation device, for example in a vehicle, for determining the state of the signal transmitter after the actuation is thus not necessary.According to the invention, the predefined range lies within ±20%, for example ±5%, around a predefined time interval.Redundant position detection of the mechanical operating element, such as a switch, is made possible.Furthermore, the device according to the invention comprises means for preventing an actuation time of the signal transmitter that lies outside the predefined range.The means for preventing can ensure that an electrical contact closure, for example of a button, is as short as possible. The contact closure can thus take place in such a short period of time that the output signal of the signal transmitter corresponds to a defined and reproducible value.According to one embodiment, the mechanical operating element can comprise an operating lever and the means for preventing can comprise a bearing, a sleeve, a spring, a receptacle, a rolling wheel, a raceway and an actuating cam, wherein the operating lever can be mounted to the sleeve via the bearing, wherein the sleeve can comprise the spring, wherein the spring can be connected to the rolling wheel via a receptacle, wherein the rolling wheel can be freely movable in the raceway between the first temporally stable position and the second temporally stable position, wherein the rolling wheel can pass an actuating cam mounted to the raceway when transitioning from the first temporally stable position to the second temporally stable position.According to an embodiment, the roller wheel may be coupled to a trigger via a bearing, wherein the trigger may be connected to a housing by an electrical bridge, wherein the electrical bridge in the housing may comprise electrical contacts.The rolling wheel can be guided via the track to an actuating cam, wherein the actuating cam actuates the electrical bridge via a trigger. The actuation of the electrical bridge leads to a contact closure between a first electrode and a second electrode of the signal transmitter.According to one embodiment, the electrical bridge can be closed at an apex when the operating lever is moved from the first temporally stable position into the second temporally stable position.By means of the means for preventing an actuation time outside the predefined range and the associated embodiments discussed above, a mechanical operating element, such as a switch, for example, cannot be held manually at the apex point by a user.The switch is automatically moved to the second time-stable position, whereby a signal generator operated, for example, by the switch is actuated only for a short time. This achieves actuation of the electrical bridge for a short time.According to one embodiment, the mechanical operating element can comprise a rocker switch, which can be connected to an actuating cam via a bearing, wherein the actuating cam can be configured to actuate the signal transmitter.The toggle switch can transition from the first position which is stable over time to a second position which is stable over time by a mechanical actuation, wherein the toggle switch passes through an apex point and the latter remains at the apex point only for the time of the changeover.According to one embodiment, the mechanical operating element can comprise a rotary switch.According to one embodiment, the rotary switch can have a plurality of positions which are stable over time.According to an embodiment, the rotary switch may comprise a profile carrier, wherein the profile carrier may comprise a radial cam profile or an axial cam profile, wherein the radial cam profile and the axial cam profile may comprise a plurality of actuating cams.The possibility of the radial and axial arrangement of the cam profile results in a multiplicity of possible uses, such as, for example, different mounting possibilities and embodiments of the rotary switch in a vehicle.According to one embodiment, the rotary switch can be moved via a rotational axis with a rotary wheel.This embodiment of the device according to the invention thus enables a variable haptic configuration of operating elements, such as for example operating elements in a vehicle, which facilitates intuitive use by the customer, in particular when delimiting vehicle functions.According to one embodiment, the rotary switch can be configured to execute a rotating movement, wherein the actuating cams of the radial cam profile or the actuating cams of the axial cam profile are configured to actuate the signal transmitter during the rotating movement, in the event of a transition from at least one first temporally stable position to a second temporally stable position.According to an embodiment, the signal transmitter may comprise a film button or a micro button or a push button, but is not limited thereto.Already available components can be used in this embodiment, whereby no additional hardware changes need be made to existing control devices, whereby additional costs can be avoided.By rotating the profile carrier, an actuating cam can actuate the signal transmitter. As a result, an electrical signal is output, that is to say the signal transmitter is actuated whenever an actuating cam of the profile carrier passes over the signal transmitter.The advantage is that a redundant output signal is output even if a plurality of actuating cams actuate the signal transmitter. Additional software, for example software integrated in a vehicle, would take over the control of the individual output signals in this case.The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows the functional principle of the device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the basic behavior of an electrical signal of a pushbutton for explaining exemplary embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of an apparatus according to a further exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 shows a possible movement sequence between two positions of the device according to claim 1, according to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 4, wherein the partial figures FIGS. 5a-5g show the individual positions of the movement sequence. FIG. 6 shows the functional principle of a rotary switch of a device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of a rotary switch having a radial cam profile, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of a rotary switch having an axial cam profile, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only examples and should not be construed as limiting.For example, while the embodiments are described as including a plurality of features and elements, some of these features may be omitted and / or replaced with alternative features or elements in other embodiments. In other embodiments, additional or alternatively additional features or elements besides those explicitly described may be provided. Variations or modifications relating to one or more embodiments may also be applied to other embodiments unless otherwise indicated.FIG. 1 shows the functional principle of the device according to an exemplary embodiment, wherein the device 1 comprises a mechanical operating element 101, a signal transmitter 102 and an evaluation circuit 103. The mechanical operating element 101 has at least a first position that is stable over time and a second position that is stable over time and can comprise further positions. The mechanical operating element 101 is configured to actuate the signal transmitter 102 during a movement from the first temporally stable position into the second temporally stable position. The signal transmitter 102 is configured to cause two changes in the signal state of the output signal 104 upon actuation. The evaluation circuit 103 is configured to detect an actuation of the mechanical operating element 101 on the basis of the change in the signal state of the output signal.FIG. 2 shows, for further explanation, the principal behavior of an electrical signal of a button, wherein the button experiences a mechanical actuation by a user. The individual actuation steps of the button are shown in FIG. 2, wherein the behavior of an electrical signal during the actuation steps is shown in a coordinate system, wherein the axis of ordinates represents the signal states X of the electrical signal and wherein the time Z is plotted on the axis of abscissas.The electrical signal is in a first signal state 2 if the button is not actuated by the user, i.e. if it is not pressed. By the user operating the button, i.e. the button is pressed at a first point in time 4, the electrical signal goes into a second signal state 3, wherein the transition from the first signal state 2 to the second signal state 3 defines a first signal change A.While the button is actuated, i.e. is kept pressed, by the user, the electrical signal remains in the second signal state 3 and only changes over to the signal state 2 by releasing the button at a second point in time 5, wherein the transition from the second signal state 3 to the first signal state 2 defines a second signal change B.The electrical signal illustrated in FIG. 2 thus experiences a first signal change A, which corresponds to a first signal edge when the button is pressed, and a second signal change B, which corresponds to a second signal edge when the button is released again.The behavior of a probe is generally characterized by two oppositely directed signal edges following one another in time, i.e. the electrical signal of the probe in FIG. 2 runs through a signal edge change.The distance between the two signal edges can be as long as desired in the embodiment in FIG. 2, depending on how long the user intends to keep the button pressed. However, in order to obtain a reproducible signal behavior, i.e. a constant distance between the first signal change A and the second signal change B in FIG. 2, it is desirable to have a defined actuation of the button, i.e. independently of the user.In an embodiment of the device shown in FIG. 3, a rocker switch 6 is connected via a bearing 7 to an actuating cam 8. A first electrode 9 connected to a second electrode 11 by an insulator 10, the first electrode 9 comprising a contact pellet 12. The first electrode 9, the insulator 10, the second electrode 11 and the contact pellet 12 together form a film button 13.The toggle switch 6 can actuate different types of signal generators, for example a micro-button or a push-button, and is not limited to a film button.The toggle switch 6 in FIG. 3 can transition from position 1 (first position stable over time) to a position 2 (second position stable over time) by a mechanical actuation, for example by the mechanical actuation of a user.A position that is stable over time is defined as a position in which the rocker switch does not move without the action of an external force.As a result of the movement, the toggle switch 6 passes through an apex, wherein the toggle switch 6 remains at the apex only for the time of the changeover.At the apex, the first electrode 9 experiences a mechanical pressure, as a result of which the contact pellet 12 fastened to the first electrode 9 is pressed in the direction of the second electrode 11 and thus a contact is established between the first electrode 9 and the second electrode 11.The switching of the toggle switch 6 is not limited to being from position 1 to position 2. The behavior of the toggle switch 6 described above when switching from position 1 to position 2 is exactly the same when switching from position 2 to position 1.FIG. 4 shows a schematic illustration of a device according to a further exemplary embodiment of the device, wherein an operating lever 14 is mounted on a sleeve 16 via a bearing 15.The sleeve 16 comprises a spring 17 which is connected via a receptacle 18 to a rolling wheel 19, wherein the rolling wheel 19 is freely movable in a raceway 20 between a position 1 (first position stable over time) and a position 2 (second position stable over time).The rolling wheel 19 passes an actuating cam 21 fastened to the track 20 during the transition from the first position which is stable over time to the second position which is stable over time. The roller wheel 19 is coupled to a trigger 23 via a bearing 22. The trigger 23 is linked to a housing 25 by an electrical bridge 24. The electrical bridge 24 in a housing 25 comprises electrical contacts 26.The elements of the device in Fig. 4 are installed in a housing 27, the operating lever being fixed outside the housing 27. A switchover of the operating lever 14 in FIG. 4 can take place between the first temporally stable position and the second temporally stable position and vice versa.FIG. 5 shows a movement sequence of the device shown in FIG. 4 when the latter is subjected to a mechanical actuation, wherein the partial figures FIGS. 5 a- 5 grepresent the individual positions of the movement sequence.In FIG. 5 a, the operating lever 14 is in a first position that is stable over time. By actuation, for example by a mechanical actuation of a user, the operating lever 14 is deflected, as shown in FIG. 5 b, wherein the rolling wheel 19 is guided in the track 20 in the direction of the actuating cam 21, wherein the receptacle 18 thereby presses the spring 17 into the sleeve 16 and thus prestresses the spring 17.A further deflection of the operating lever 14, as shown in FIG. 5 c, results in a further movement of the roller wheel 19 in the track 20 in the direction of the actuating cam 21, wherein the tension of the spring 17 further increases and wherein the trigger 23 is moved in the direction of the electrical bridge 24, but no electrical connection between the contacts is yet established.By reaching the apex point shown in FIG. 5 d, that is to say the point at which the operating lever 14 and the trigger 23 are in a line, that is to say when the operating lever 14 does not form an angle which is smaller than or greater than 0° with respect to the trigger 23, the pressure in the direction of the electrical bridge 24 closes the two contacts 26, that is to say a contact closure takes place which generates an electrical signal.Once the roller wheel 19 has passed the apex, the pre-tensioned spring 17 pushes the roller wheel 19 in the direction of position 2, which is shown in FIG. 5 e.The geometry of the roller wheel 19, i.e. its size and its round shape, in conjunction with the tensioned spring 17, as shown in FIGS. 5 dand 5 e, ensure a very short dwell time at the apex, i.e. a short bridge closure takes place.The spring 17 in the sleeve 16 presses, as shown in FIG. 5 f, the roller wheel 19 in the direction of the second position which is stable over time, and the operating lever 14 in the second position which is stable over time comes into a rest position, as shown in FIG. 5 g.The device according to the embodiment in FIGS. 4 and 5 enables a signal change as discussed above with reference to FIG. 2, wherein the operating lever 14 moves from the first temporally stable position to the apex, which causes a first signal change, and subsequently moves from the apex to the second temporally stable position, which defines a second signal change.The signal change in the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 4 and 5 then takes place, as already discussed above, during the transition from the first signal change to the second signal change, wherein the distance between the first signal change and the second signal change lies in a relatively small, predefined range and is, for example, always approximately the same length, for example, in a range of ± 5%.The distance between the first signal change and the second signal change is always of the same length in a predetermined range, since it is not possible according to the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 4 and 5 to keep the contact closed manually for a longer time.The dwell time of the operating levers 14 at the apex can depend in some exemplary embodiments on factors such as the spring constant of the spring 17, the geometry and the material of the rolling wheel 19 and friction effects associated therewith, also between the receptacle 18 and the electrical bridge 24 or the housing 25.The actuation of a signal transmitter by a mechanical operating element, as discussed above, takes place between at least a first position that is stable over time and a second position that is stable over time. However, it is also possible to actuate a signal transmitter in which a mechanical operating element comprises a plurality of positions which are stable over time. This may be the case, for example, with a rotary switch which may comprise a plurality of positions which are stable over time.FIG. 6 shows the functional principle of a rotary switch of a device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the rotary switch comprises a mechanical rotary switch 28, wherein the rotary switch 28 comprises a cam profile.The actuating cams 21 in FIG. 6 can be arranged both radially and axially.The actuating cams 21 attached to the rotary switch 28 can actuate a button element 29 if an actuating cam 21 always changes from a first position that is stable over time to a second position that is stable over time by a rotating movement of the rotary switch 28. As a result, the button element 29 is actuated by an actuating cam 21 in each case.An electrical output signal is generated via the button element 29 by the actuation of the rotary switch 28 via an evaluation circuit.In some embodiments, the button element may include a film button 13, for example, like the film button 13 discussed with respect to FIG. 3.FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of the embodiment of the device according to the invention shown in FIG. 6, wherein a mechanical control element is provided by a rotary wheel 31.The rotary wheel 31 is connected to a profile carrier via an axis, wherein the profile carrier comprises a plurality of actuating cams 21, for example the actuating cams 21 shown in FIG. 6, which thus form a profile carrier with a radial cam profile 32.The profile carrier with radial cam profile 32 can execute a rotating movement via the rotary wheel 31, as a result of which in each case one actuating cam 21 always changes from a first position which is stable over time to a second position which is stable over time and as a result actuates the laterally attached film button 13 via in each case one actuating cam 21.By the rotating movement of the profile carrier 32, an actuating cam 21 actuates the first electrode 9 of the film feeler 13 and thus causes a contact closure via the contact pellet 12, whereby an electrical output signal is generated, that is to say the film feeler 13 is actuated whenever an actuating cam 21 of the profile carrier 32 passes over the film feeler 13. The assignment to different functions can be effected, for example, by means of software.Fig. 8 shows an embodiment of the embodiment of the device according to claim 1 shown in Fig. 6, wherein a mechanical operating element is provided by a rotary wheel 31.The rotary wheel 31 is connected to a profile carrier via an axis, wherein the profile carrier comprises a plurality of actuating cams 21, for example the actuating cams 21 shown in FIG. 6, which thus form a profile carrier with an axial cam profile 33.The profile carrier with axial cam profile 33 can execute a rotating movement via the rotary wheel 31, as a result of which in each case one actuating cam 21 always changes from a first position which is stable over time to a second position which is stable over time and as a result actuates the film button 13 attached in front of the profile carrier 33 via the actuating cams 21.By the rotating movement of the profile carrier 33, an actuating cam 21 actuates the first electrode 9 of the film feeler 13 and thus causes a contact closure via the contact pellet 12, whereby an electrical output signal is generated, that is to say the film feeler 13 is actuated whenever an actuating cam 21 of the profile carrier 33 passes over the film feeler 13.The assignment to different functions can be effected, for example, by means of software.List of reference characters1 Device 101 Mechanical operating element 102 Signal transmitter 103 Evaluation circuit 104 Electrical output signal x Signal state Z Time A First signal change B Second signal change 2 Button not pressed 3 Button pressed 4 Time at which the button is pressed 5 Time at which the button is released 6 Operating element Rocker switch 7 Mounting Rocker switch 8 Actuating cam 9 First electrode 10 Insulator 11 Second electrode 12 Contact pellet 13 Foil button 14 Operating lever / button 15 Mounting 16 Sleeve 17 Spring 18 Receptacle 19 Rolling wheel 20 Raceway 21 Actuating cam 22 Mounting 23 Trigger 24 Electrical bridge 25 Housing of the electrical bridge 26 Contacts 27 Housing 28 Mechanical incremental rotary switch 29 Button element 30 Evaluation circuit 31 Operating element Rotary wheel 32 Profile carrier with radial cam profile 33 Profile carrier with axial cam profile

Claims

Actuating device (1) comprising: a signal transmitter (102), and a mechanical operating element (101), wherein the mechanical operating element (101) has a first position which is stable over time and a second position which is stable over time, wherein the mechanical operating element (101) is configured to actuate the signal transmitter (102) when moving from the first position which is stable over time into the second position which is stable over time, and wherein the signal transmitter (102) is configured to cause a first signal change (A) followed by a second signal change (B) of an output signal (104) when actuated, wherein an evaluation circuit (103) is configured to detect an actuation of the mechanical operating element (101) on the basis of the first signal change (A) and the second signal change (B), wherein the time interval between the first signal change (A) and the second signal change (B) is within a predefined range, and the operating device (1) further comprises means for preventing an operating time of the signal transmitter (102) outside the predetermined range, wherein the predetermined range is within ±20% by a predetermined time interval.Actuating device (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the output signal assumes optical, electrical, magnetic or electromagnetic states.Actuating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mechanical operating element (101) comprises an operating lever (14), and in that the means for preventing a bearing (15) comprise a sleeve (16), a spring (17), a receptacle (18), a rolling wheel (19), a raceway (20) and an actuating cam (21), wherein the operating lever (14) is mounted to the sleeve (16) via the bearing (15), wherein the sleeve (16) comprises the spring (17), wherein the spring (17) is connected to the rolling wheel (19) via a receptacle (18), wherein the rolling wheel (19) is freely movable in the raceway (20) between the first position which is stable over time and the second position which is stable over time, wherein the rolling wheel (19) passes an actuating cam (21) mounted on the track (20) during the transition from the first position which is stable over time to the second position which is stable over time.Actuating device (1) according to Claim 3, characterized in that the rolling wheel (19) is coupled to a trigger (23) via a bearing (22), wherein the trigger (23) is connected to a housing (25) by an electrical bridge (24), wherein the electrical bridge (24) comprises electrical contacts (26) in the housing (25).Actuating device (1) according to Claim 4, characterized in that, during the movement of the operating lever (14) from the first position which is stable over time into the second position which is stable over time, the electrical bridge (24) is closed at the apex point.Actuating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mechanical operating element (101) comprises a rocker switch (6), wherein the rocker switch (6) is connected to an actuating cam (8) via a bearing (7), wherein the actuating cam is configured to actuate the signal transmitter.Actuating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mechanical operating element (101) comprises a rotary switch (28).Actuating device (1) according to Claim 7, characterized in that the rotary switch (28) has a multiplicity of positions which are stable over time.The actuating device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the rotary switch (28) comprises a profile carrier, wherein the profile carrier comprises a radial cam profile (32) or an axial cam profile (33), wherein the radial cam profile (32) and the axial cam profile (33) comprise a plurality of actuating cams (8).Actuating device (1) according to Claim 9, characterized in that the rotary switch (28) can be moved via a rotational axis (34) with a rotary wheel (31).Actuating device (1) according to Claim 10, characterized in that the rotary switch (28) is configured to execute a rotating movement, wherein the actuating cams (21) of the radial cam profile (32) or the actuating cams (21) of the axial cam profile (33) are configured to actuate the signal transmitter (102) during the rotating movement.Actuating device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the signal transmitter (102) comprises a film button (13) or a micro button or a pushbutton.

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