Control device for controlling window regulators of a vehicle and vehicle with at least one control device

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating device for controlling the power windows of a vehicle, which, with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, are assigned to a left-hand and a right-hand window of a seat row of the vehicle, wherein the operating device has a rocker switch which, starting from a neutral position, can be pivoted upwards and downwards about a pivot axis, thereby enabling at least one of the power windows to be controlled for raising or lowering the window. The invention further relates to a vehicle with at least one operating device for controlling the vehicle's power windows.In order to propose an operating device for controlling the window regulators of a vehicle and a vehicle with such an operating device which has a small installation space requirement and can therefore be mounted in a space-saving manner, it is proposed according to the invention that the rocker switch is designed as a selection switch with several switching states, for which purpose the rocker switch is mounted slidably along its pivot axis and several detent positions are provided along the displacement path, which are assigned to the switching states in such a way that the rocker switch allows control of the left-side window regulator in a first detent position and control of the right-side window regulator in a second detent position.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an operating device for controlling window lifts of a vehicle which, with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, are assigned to a left-hand side and a right-hand side window of a row of seats of the vehicle, wherein the operating device has a rocker switch which, starting from a neutral position, can be pivoted upwards and downwards about a pivot axis, whereby at least one of the window lifts can be controlled to raise or lower the window.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with at least one operating device for controlling window lifters of the vehicle.

[0003] In the context of the present application, directional information such as up, down, left, right, front, back, frontal and rearward refer to the vehicle coordinate system, which is right-handed oriented and whose x-axis is aligned in the direction of travel of the vehicle.

[0004] Operating devices for controlling window lifts and vehicles with such an operating device are known in the prior art. For example, EP 4 039 522 A1 discloses a generic operating device and a generic vehicle. To control the right- and left-side window lifts of a row of seats, two rocker switches arranged side by side are provided. These switches are assigned to the window lifts in such a way that the left-side rocker switch controls a left-side window lift, and the right-side rocker switch controls a right-side window lift.

[0005] From JP 2009036008 A and US 10,121,616 B2, operating devices in the form of a lever are known which allows the setting of different switching states within a guide rail.

[0006] Such control devices are typically integrated into the armrest of a vehicle door, where additional control elements may also be located, in particular door openers, locking buttons, seat adjustment controls, and controls for adjusting the exterior mirrors. Due to the large number of control devices, which must be integrated into the armrest in particular or are usually integrated there, the available installation space is limited.

[0007] It is therefore the object of the invention to propose an operating device for controlling window lifters of a vehicle and a vehicle with such an operating device, wherein the operating device has a small installation space requirement and can thus be mounted in a space-saving manner.

[0008] This object is achieved by the operating device according to claim 1 and by the vehicle according to claim 9. According to the invention, the rocker switch is designed as a selection switch with multiple switching states. For this purpose, the rocker switch is mounted displaceably along its pivot axis, and several detent positions are provided along the displacement path, which are assigned to the switching states such that the rocker switch allows control of the left-side window lifter in a first detent position and control of the right-side window lifter in a second detent position. This eliminates the need for two rocker switches arranged side by side, so that the operating device is designed to be significantly narrower in terms of its width and thus more space-saving.Furthermore, the control unit is visually appealing, particularly due to its slim design, and can be operated intuitively and without requiring eye contact by the driver. Finally, such a control unit is also cost-effective to maintain, as fewer components are required to implement the desired functionality compared to the state of the art, which simplifies both the manufacturing process of the control unit and its assembly in a cost-effective manner.

[0009] Advantageous further developments of the invention are specified below and in the subclaims.

[0010] Preferably, the rocker switch, in a third detent position, allows simultaneous control of the left-hand and right-hand window lifts. This provides three switching states, according to which the left-hand window and the right-hand window of a row of seats can be operated separately or simultaneously. Simultaneous opening and closing of the windows is performed, for example, when the driver enters an overheated car or to effectively ventilate the vehicle while driving.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the rocker switch is spring-loaded and, in the unloaded state, is held in the neutral position, in which no control signals for activating a window lift are generated. The rocker switch can be pivoted upwards and / or downwards against the force of the spring.

[0012] Preferably, the rocker switch is mounted on a carriage designed as a selection switch with multiple switching states. For this purpose, the carriage is mounted so as to be displaceable along the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system, and several detent positions are provided along the displacement path of the carriage, which are assigned to the different switching states such that the rocker switch, in a first detent position of the carriage, allows control of the window lifters of the front row of seats, and in a second detent position of the carriage, allows control of the window lifters of a rear row of seats. Thus, all of the vehicle's window lifters can be operated using the single rocker switch, eliminating the need for additional identical operating devices for controlling the window lifters of the rear row(s) of seats, which advantageously saves further installation space.

[0013] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the rocker switch, in a third detent position of the slide, allows simultaneous control of the window lifters of the front row of seats and the window lifters of the rear row of seats. Thus, in a vehicle with two rows of seats and four windows, nine switching states are available, according to which - each window regulator separately, - both window lifters of the front row of seats, - both window lifters of the rear row of seats, - both left-hand window lifters, - both right-hand window regulators or - all window regulators can be controlled.

[0014] The slide is preferably designed as a tray with a recess that accommodates the rocker switch. The surface of the rocker switch can thus be integrated flush with a frame in which the operating device is mounted. This results in a particularly attractive design. The locking positions of the rocker switch and / or the slide are preferably indicated by markings.

[0015] According to an advantageous development of the invention, the operating device is arranged on an interior panel of the vehicle door, in particular on an armrest, or on a center console of the vehicle.

[0016] Specific embodiments of the control device and the vehicle are explained below with reference to the figures. They show: Fig. 1a, b Side views of a vehicle; Fig. 1c a partially sectioned detailed view of the vehicle; Fig.2a a cross-sectional view of a first operating device; Fig. 2b a plan view of the first operating device; Fig. 3a a cross-sectional view of a second operating device; Fig. 3b a top view of the second operating device.

[0017] The Fig. 1a, b, and c show a five-door vehicle 200 having two rows of seats 10, namely a front row of seats 101 and a rear row of seats 102. The left- and right-hand doors 111, 112, 113, and 114 each have windows 121, 122, 123, and 124, which can be raised and lowered in the direction of arrow P1 by means of separate window lifters 131, 132, 133, and 134. At least one operating device 100 is provided to operate the window lifters 131, 132, 133, and 134. Such an operating device 100 is arranged, for example, in the left- and right-hand armrests 141, 142 of the front rows of seats 101 and / or in a center console 15.

[0018] The Fig. 2a, b show a first embodiment of the operating device 100, which has a rocker switch 16, which is Fig.2a, can be pivoted up and down about a pivot axis A in the direction of arrow P2, whereby at least one of the window lifters 131, 132, 133, 134 is controlled to raise or lower the window 121, 122, 123, 124. The rocker switch 16 is spring-loaded by a spring 17 and, in the unloaded state, is held in the neutral position in which no control signals for controlling a window lifter 131, 132, 133, 134 are generated. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the spring 17 is designed as a torsion spring. The rocker switch 16 is designed as a selection switch with three switching states L, +, and R, for which purpose the rocker switch 16 is mounted so as to be displaceable along its pivot axis A in the direction of arrow P3.Along the displacement path, several detent positions are formed, which are assigned to the switching states L, +, R in such a way that the rocker switch 16 in the switching state L controls the left-side window lifter 131, 134, in the switching state R controls the right-side window lifter 132, 133, and in the switching state + controls both window lifters 131, 132; 133, 134 of the assigned seat row 10. To facilitate clear assignment of the set switching state L, +, R, corresponding markings 19 are arranged on the rocker switch 16 and the stationary frame 18 of the rocker switch 16. The rocker switch 16 has a line marking 20, which must be brought into longitudinal axial overlap with one of the stationary markings 19 on the frame 18 in order to set a switching state L, +, R.

[0019] The Fig.3a, b show a second embodiment of the operating device 100, which in terms of the design and functioning of the rocker switch 16 of the first embodiment according to the Fig.2a, b. In contrast to this, the rocker switch 16 is mounted on a carriage 21, which is designed as a selection switch with several switching states V, +, H. The carriage 21 is mounted so as to be displaceable along the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system in the direction of arrow P4, and along the displacement path of the carriage 21, several detent positions are provided, which are assigned to the different switching states V, +, H. In the first detent position of the carriage 21, which corresponds to the switching state V, actuation of the rocker switch 16 controls the window lifters 131, 132 of the front row of seats 101, and in the second detent position of the carriage 21, which corresponds to the switching state H, actuation of the rocker switch 16 controls the window lifters 133, 134 of the rear row of seats 102.In addition, a third locking position is provided, which corresponds to the switching state +, which allows simultaneous control of the window lifters 131, 132, 133, 134 in the front and rear seat rows 101, 102.

[0020] Overall, the switching states L, +, R of the rocker switch 16 and the switching states V, +, H of the slide 21 are linked to the control of the window lifters 131, 132, 133, 134 as follows: rocker switch Sleds Control L V Window regulator 131 front left R V Window regulator 132 front right + V Both front window regulators 131, 132 L H Window regulator 134 rear left R H Window regulator 133 rear right + H Both rear window regulators 133, 134 L + Both left window regulators 131, 134 R + Both right window regulators 132, 133 + + All window regulators 131, 132, 133, 134 List of reference symbols 100 operating device 200 vehicles 10 rows of seats 101 front row of seats 102 rear row of seats 111 Door (front left) 112 Door (front right) 113 Door (rear right) 114 Door (rear left) 121 windows (front left) 122 windows (front right) 123 windows (rear right) 124 windows (rear left) 131 Window regulator (front left) 132 Window regulator (front right) 133 Window regulator (rear right) 134 Window regulator (rear left) 141 Armrest (left) 142 Armrest (right) 15 Center console 16 rocker switches 17 spring 18 Frame 19 Marking 20 line marking 21 sleds A swivel axis L, +, R switching states (of the rocker switch) V, +, H switching states (of the slide) P n Arrow directions QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] EP 4 039 522 A1

[0004] JP 2009036008 A

[0005] US 10,121,616 B2

[0005]

Claims

[1] Operating device (100) for controlling window lifters (131, 132, 133, 134) of a vehicle (200) which, with respect to a vehicle coordinate system, are assigned to a left-hand and a right-hand window (121, 124; 122, 123) of a row of seats (10) of the vehicle (200), wherein the operating device (100) has a rocker switch (16) which, starting from a neutral position, can be pivoted upwards and downwards about a pivot axis (A), whereby at least one of the window lifters (131, 132, 133, 134) can be controlled to raise or lower the window (121, 122, 123, 124), characterized byin that the rocker switch (16) is designed as a selection switch with a plurality of switching states (L, +, R), for which purpose the rocker switch (16) is mounted displaceably along its pivot axis (A) and a plurality of locking positions are provided along the displacement path, which are assigned to the switching states (L, +, R) in such a way that the rocker switch (16) allows the left-hand side window lifter (131, 134) to be actuated in a first locking position and the right-hand side window lifter (132, 133) to be actuated in a second locking position. [2] Operating device (100) according to claim 1, characterized by that the rocker switch (16) in a third detent position allows simultaneous control of the left-hand and right-hand window lifters (131, 132, 133, 134). [3] Operating device (100) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized bythat the rocker switch (16) is spring-loaded by means of a spring (17) and is held in the neutral position in the unloaded state, in which no control signals for controlling a window lifter (131, 132, 133, 134) are generated. [4] Operating device (100) according to claim 3, characterized by that the rocker switch (16) can be pivoted upwards and / or downwards against the force of the spring (17). [5] Operating device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized byin that the rocker switch (16) is mounted on a carriage (21) which is designed as a selection switch with a plurality of switching states (V, +, H), for which purpose the carriage (21) is mounted so as to be displaceable along the x-axis of the vehicle coordinate system and a plurality of detent positions are provided along the displacement path of the carriage (21), which detent positions are assigned to the different switching states (V, +, H) in such a way that the rocker switch (16) allows the window lifters (131, 132) of the front row of seats (101) to be actuated in a first detent position of the carriage (21) and the window lifters (133, 134) of a rear row of seats (102) to be actuated in a second detent position of the carriage (21). [6] Operating device (100) according to claim 5, characterized bythat the rocker switch (16) in a third detent position of the slide (21) allows simultaneous control of the window lifters (131, 132) of the front row of seats (101) and the window lifters (133, 134) of the rear row of seats (102). [7] Operating device (100) according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized by that the slide (21) is designed as a trough with a recess which accommodates the rocker switch (16). [8] Operating device (100) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that the locking positions of the rocker switch (16) and / or the slide (21) are marked by markings (19). [9] Vehicle (200) with at least one operating device (100) for controlling window lifters (131, 132, 133, 134) of the vehicle (200), characterized by that the operating device (100) is designed according to one of claims 1 to 8. [10] Vehicle (200) according to claim 9, characterized bythat the operating device (100) is arranged on an interior panel of a vehicle door (111, 112, 113, 114) or on a center console (15).

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