Operating lever with link system and method of operating

Abstract

Operating lever, which is pivot mounted in a first moving direction and in a further first moving direction, featuring two link systems, each featuring a guiding pin and a spring-loaded link, further featuring a guiding surface, which is divided in a first guiding part and a second guiding part by a step, wherein, when the operating lever is pivoted in the first moving direction and / or in the further first moving direction, the operating lever is guided by the respective guiding pin along the respective guiding surface.

Description

[0001] Operating lever with link system and method of operating

[0002] The following application relates to an operating lever for controlling of industrial machines, especially for use in agricultural vehicles such as excavators, comprising at least two link systems and to a method of operating an operating lever.

[0003] Nowadays, electronic systems are used to control machines such as agricultural vehicles, in particular excavators. To facilitate user feedback in such systems that are nearly free of sensible mechanical resistance, which has typically given rise to user feedback, special components need to be integrated. These create an artificial mechanical resistance that is noticeable by a machine user. Especially in agricultural vehicles, these feedback forces need to be stronger than the vibrations and jerking that are omnipresent in the typical use environment of these vehicles to be sensible by the user.

[0004] Operating levers are widely used in agricultural vehicles. They are often controlled by a link system guiding their motion. The form of the link system amongst others gives rise to an opposing force enabling user feedback in an electric steering system.

[0005] Known link systems integrated in operating levers are large assemblies comprising pre-loaded springs and are thus complicated to integrate. Changes of the guiding link track, to integrate for example an excessive starting resistance for deflections from a neutral position of a guided operating lever are therefore complicated to be realised in these systems.

[0006] The present invention is thus based on the object of proposing an operating lever that gives rise to strong user feedback in case, a distinct machine operation is started, by corresponding motion of an operating lever guided by the link system, whilst having a simple structure that is easy to integrate in existing control systems.

[0007] It is another object of the invention to propose a controlling process for an operating lever that creates a user feedback force in a machine starting operation.

[0008] The first object of the invention is solved by the operating lever according to claim 1 .

[0009] Thus, an operating lever producing feedback forces for special starting operations is proposed. Advantageously, no elaborate reconstruction of existing link and control systems of operating levers is required by adding the proposed link system.

[0010] The inventive operating lever which is pivot mounted in a first moving direction and in a further first moving direction relative to a not deflected starting position, is featuring at least two link systems, wherein one of the at least two link systems is guiding the operation levers motion along the first moving direction and wherein the other one of them is guiding the operating levers motion along the further first moving direction. Each of said link system is featuring a guiding pin and a spring-loaded link, the latter featuring a guiding surface, which is preferably divided by a step in a first guiding part and a second guiding part, wherein when guided by the respective link system, the operating lever is guided by the guiding pin along the guiding surface.

[0011] Such a kind of link system can be added to and independent from control systems of existing operating levers. The guiding pin needs to be coupled to the operating lever, or better to say, to its handle bar, while a direct or indirect coupling is also possible. The integration of said link systems generates an additional resistance against the movement of the operating lever in a first moving direction or along the further first moving direction respectively, through the generation of an additional resistance against the movement of the corresponding guiding pin. When the guiding pin is moved against the step that is integrated in the guiding surface of the link, said resistance is increased rapidly. Thus, a user needs to actively push the operating lever against a resistance sensible to him. Then, after having passed the step, the guiding pin switches from movement along a first guiding part to a movement along the thereto relatively elevated second guiding part of the link. Said elevated guiding part is pushed down by the guiding pin against a force of a spring that is mounted underneath the link and the guiding surface, especially underneath the second guiding surface. The strength of the spring, its length, as well as the height of the step can be modified to alter the level of feedback force. Preferably, the link features an aperture to at least partially receive the spring. Thus, the spring is almost without load until the elevated guiding part of the link is pushed down by the guiding pin.

[0012] Said form of operating lever is advantageous, when deflection of the operating lever over a distinct point, which is preferably its neutral starting position, causes significant change in whatever operation is controlled by the corresponding motion of the operating lever. It is for example usable in the opening of hydraulic valves.

[0013] Herein a guidance of the operating lever preferably means a charged motion. Moreover, guidance of the connected guiding pin preferably means its movement, especially its surface contacting movement, along the respective guiding surface.

[0014] According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is intended that the first moving direction and the further first moving direction are perpendicular or parallel to each other, especially rotated 180 ° to each other.

[0015] In principle, also different angles between first moving direction and further first moving direction can be realised.

[0016] If both moving directions are rotated 180° to each other, preferably the link systems are also arranged rotated by 180°. In this case, both of the at least two link systems of the operating lever are each guiding a forward motion in a first moving direction, for instance in X-direction, and a backward motion in a further first moving direction, e.g. in -X-direction. This embodiment eases positioning and holding of the operating lever in a neutral position. In this case the guiding pins of said link systems are both resting at the respective step of the link system in said neutral position. However, it is also possible that a single link system is implemented in X - direction and another link system is implemented rotated by an angle < 90°. Thus, back and forth movement in a first moving direction can be guided by a single link system and back and forth movement in a further first moving direction can be guided by another single link system. Thus, the operating lever is pivotable in two dimensions and is generating user feedback forces in both dimensions.

[0017] According to the invention, it is further intended that, when the operating lever is not pivoted in the first moving direction or in the further first moving direction, a respective lateral surface of the respective guiding pin is resting at the respective step of one the at least two link systems.

[0018] This inventive embodiment gives a direct user feedback, whenever the operation lever is deflected from its initial position in the first moving direction or in the further first moving direction, which is typically desired, when a certain kind of operation is started, for example the operation lever is used to open a valve. According to another embodiment of the invention, the link of at least one of the at least two link systems is detachably attachable to a frame of the operating lever, especially by clipping.

[0019] This makes the link system and thus the whole operating lever highly modular. It can be integrated in an existing control system in a fast and easy way. Thus, no separate control system needs to be constructed to add user feedback for an additional on / off operation. It is also simply detachable, if for example stronger feedback forces are required and the link should be changed.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, a first link end of the link of at least one of the at least two link systems features an edge for rotatable attachment to the frame and a second link end features a clipping nose for clipping to the frame.

[0021] Thus, the respective link can be advantageously simply integrated to the frame by inserting the edge in a corresponding recess in the frame, rotating the link around this edge and clipping the clipping nose into a snapping hook of the frame. This way, the spring can also be partially preloaded, if this should be needed. Detaching the link from the frame works the other way around. Thus, the operating lever can be modularly assembled.

[0022] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the first guiding part and / or the second guiding part of at least one of the at least two link systems are shaped convexly.

[0023] This configuration prevents the guiding pin to be deflected from its initial position without a user input force acting on it. Thus, simple vibrations cannot deflect the guiding pin from its starting position in negative moving direction. Furthermore, when the guiding pin acts on the relatively elevated first or second guiding part of the guiding surface, and thus, when the corresponding operation controlled by the operating lever has started, small random vibrations cannot simply stop it - a user input force is required. In other words, as described so far, the invention provides for a better and more consistent centring of the operation lever in its neutral or starting position.

[0024] According to another embodiment of the invention, the guiding surface of at least one of the at least two link systems features locking points and / or variation of slope.

[0025] Thus, snap-in points or higher feedback forces can be integrated. This might be desirably, if the operation controlled by the corresponding motion of the operating lever offers more options than simple on / off conditions a user should feel corresponding feedback forces for.

[0026] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the at least two link systems features respective restoring means, especially a restoring spring, preferably a leg spring, for transferring the respective guiding pin to a not- deflected starting position, especially the respective guiding pin to the starting position and operating lever to the not-deflected further starting position, after movement in the first moving direction and / or in the further first moving direction, wherein the respective restoring means are separated from the respective link and not guided along the respective guiding surface.

[0027] In this advantageous embodiment, the restoring system and the link system are separated from each other. Both are acting on guiding pins and the operating lever, while the restoring means are mounted separately therefrom. Said mounting is such that when the respective guiding pin moves along the respective guiding surface, the respective restoring means at least partially does-not need to follow the track of the respective link system. In other words, the motion of the guiding pin only causes tension, contraction or relaxation of the respective restoring means and not their overall transversal motion. Preferably, leg springs are used and their windings are installed surrounding a main rotation axis of the operation lever. One leg is fixed to the guiding pin and only this leg is following the motion of the guiding pin. This allows easier construction, maintenance and flexibility of the link system. Moreover, due to the reduced number of moving parts, a friction reduced system is proposed.

[0028] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, two of the at least two link systems form a first pair of link systems and wherein the link systems of the first pair are arranged in parallel and rotated 180° to each other.

[0029] It is important to note, that rotated by 180° means that the first guiding part of one of the link systems of the first pair faces the second guiding part of the other one of the link systems of the first pair of link systems. An axis of rotation is defined by a starting position of the operating lever. The link systems of a pair of link systems do not necessarily look equal regarding the shape and / or length of their first and second guiding surfaces. However, the step of the respective link systems are arranged such, that the lateral surface of the guiding pins are each contacting the respective step of the corresponding link system.

[0030] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the link systems of the first pair of link systems are equal to each other.

[0031] Th+se mentioned configuration facilitates the link guided motion of an operating lever and its handle bar in positive and negative first moving direction or in positive and negative further moving direction or in other words, back and forth motion along an axis pointing in the first moving direction or in the further fist moving direction, which equals a negative first moving direction in the discussed embodiment. If the operating lever is displaced in first moving direction or in further first moving direction respectively, both guiding pins get displaced in the same direction. While one of the guiding pins needs to overcome the step to move along the second part of the corresponding guiding surface, the other gets pin gets moved, depending on the actual form of the link slope, nearly free of forces or with comparable low required input force.

[0032] The placement of the operating lever in a neutral, central position in a first moving direction or in a further first moving direction, which corresponds to the starting position of the guiding pins of both link systems of the first pair, is facilitated by said composition of the link systems. Preferably, the central axis of the operating lever is at a centre of a distance between the guiding pins, which further improves and simplifies central positioning of the operating lever as well as its construction. Since the link systems of the first pair don’t necessarily need to be equal: different slopes or different heights of steps can be used. In this case, back and forth motions are causing different feedback forces.

[0033] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the guiding pins of the first pair are arranged such, that they have a common tangent plane. The guiding pins of the second pair also have a common tangent plane. Preferably, both tangent planes are identical and the guiding pins of the first pair are located above the tangent plane and those of the second pair are located below the tangent plane.

[0034] This configuration particularly simplifies central positioning of operating lever and its handle bar in first moving direction and in further first moving direction and reduces the required space. In a further advantageous embodiment of the inventive operation lever, each link system of the first pair is featuring associated restoring means acting on respective guiding pins.

[0035] Thus, said link systems of the operating lever have their own restoring system and deflections of the operating lever, guided by these link systems, can be restored independent from other restoring systems. Preferably, said restoring means are decoupled from the links of the link systems, such that they do not follow transversal movement of guiding pins along the respective guiding surfaces. Most preferably, restoring means are leg springs. One leg of the leg spring is coupled to a corresponding guiding pin. Though said leg gets deflected, windings of the leg spring solely get contracted and do not move transversally.

[0036] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, lateral surfaces of the guiding pins of the link systems are resting at the steps of the corresponding link system in the respective starting position of the guiding pins.

[0037] Thus, to be displaced in a positive or negative first moving direction, or in other words, with a further moving direction being rotated through 180° to the first moving direction, in a first moving direction and in a further first moving direction, a user input force needs to act on the operating lever and its handle bar large enough to overcome the corresponding step. This enables particularly simple resting of the operating lever in its central position and of corresponding guiding pins in their respective starting positions.

[0038] In a further particular advantageous embodiment, each link system of the first pair is featuring associated restoring means acting on the respective guiding pins. Displacement of the operating lever in a positive or negative first moving direction, e.g. in a first moving direction and in a further first moving direction, thus causes restoring forces in reverse direction acting on both guiding pins of the first pair. This enables improved positioning of the operating lever in its central, force free position.

[0039] Preferably, the restoring means are decoupled from the guiding system, such that they do not need to follow the transversal motion of the connected guiding pin as a whole. Besides eased maintenance and construction, friction forces in operation of the operating lever are clearly reduced.

[0040] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the operating lever features a second pair of link systems, wherein the link systems of the second pair are arranged in parallel and rotated 180° to each other, and wherein the first pair and the second pair of link systems are arranged orthogonal to each other and centrally around the operating lever respectively. This way, user feedback forces for different operations corresponding to a motion of the operating lever in the direction parallel to the first pair and to a different, perpendicular motion, parallel to the second pair can be induced.

[0041] In another possible embodiment, the operating lever features a first pair of link systems and a single further link system, wherein a moving direction along the single further link system is arranged perpendicular to the first moving direction and the further first moving direction of the first pair of link systems, e.g. guiding surfaces of each link of the first pair of link systems and of the further single link system are arranged perpendicular to each other.

[0042] Again, here rotated by 180° is to be understood in such a way, that the first guiding part of one of the link systems of the second pair faces the second guiding part of the other one of the link systems of the second pair of link systems. The link systems of a first and / or of a second pair of link systems do not necessarily look equal regarding the shape and / or length of their first and second guiding surfaces.

[0043] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the link systems of the second pair of link systems are equal to each other.

[0044] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the operating lever of the invention, the first pair is centred around the operating lever in a first distance and the second pair is centred around the operating lever in a second distance, wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

[0045] Thus, already existing operating levers do not need to be re-planed, herein described link systems can simply be added to an cardanic system and an outer frame of the operating lever corresponding to motions in two perpendicular directions. Thus, the operating lever and its cardanic system get centred by use of both pairs of the link systems.

[0046] It is further intended, that the operating lever is developed as a joystick.

[0047] Thus, advantages of the inventive operating lever can be used in a common application.

[0048] According to a second aspect of the invention, a process for guidance of an operating lever, pivotable in a first moving direction and in a further first moving direction is proposed, including the steps of coupling the movement of the operating lever in the first moving direction to movement of a guiding pin and in another first moving direction to another guiding pin; acting a displacement force on the not-deflected operating lever in the first moving direction and / or in the further first moving direction; generating a jump of resistance against the movement of operating lever and respective guiding pin, wherein first moving direction and further first moving direction enclose an angle of 90° or 180°.

[0049] Using the process according to the invention, feedback forces can be implemented using a link guided operating lever. This holds for one or two- dimensional movement of the respective operating lever. In this way, a user of the operating lever experiences a feedback force whenever he deflects the operating lever from its initial, undeflected position in a first moving direction. Coupling of motion of the operating lever to the motion of the guiding pin creates higher flexibility in the generation of the resistance constituting the user feedback. In an advantageous embodiment, the coupling is a permanent mechanical direct or indirect coupling. This makes the process modular, as a mechanical resistance can be attached in a relatively simple way apart from the moving track of the operating lever itself and apart from its main rotation axis.

[0050] Particular aspects of the subject-matter disclosed herein are set out in the following numbered clauses. The embodiments disclosed in the following clauses may be pursued in the present application or in any divisional application.

[0051] 1 . Link system for guiding an operating lever, which is pivot mounted in a first moving direct, featuring a guiding pin and a spring-loaded link, further featuring a guiding surface, which is divided in a first guiding part and a second guiding part by a step, wherein in a condition of use of link system , operating lever is guided by guiding pin along guiding surface.

[0052] 2. Link system according to clause 1 , wherein, when operating lever is not pivoted in first moving direction, a lateral surface of guiding pin is resting at step. 3. Link system according to clause 1 or 2, wherein the link is detachably attachable to a frame of operating lever, especially attachable by clipping.

[0053] 4. Link system according to clause 3, wherein a first link end features an edge for rotatable attachment to the frame and wherein a second link end features a clipping nose for clipping to the frame.

[0054] 5. Link system according to one of the preceding clauses, wherein first guiding part and / or second guiding part are shaped convexly.

[0055] 6. Link system according to one of the preceding clauses, wherein the guiding surface features locking points and / or a variation of slope.

[0056] 7. Link system according to one of the preceding clauses, wherein the link system features restoring means, especially at least one restoring spring, for transferring guiding pin to a not-deflected starting position , especially guiding pin to starting position and operating lever to its not-deflected starting position , after movement in the first moving direction , wherein the restoring means are separated from link and not guided along guiding surface .

[0057] 8. Process for guidance of an operating lever, pivotable in a first moving direction , including the steps of coupling the movement of operating lever in first moving direction to movement of a guiding pin; acting a displacement force on the not-deflected operating lever in first moving direction ; generating a jump of resistance against the movement of operating lever and guiding pin.

[0058] 9. Process according to clause 8, wherein after operating lever and guiding pin are displaced in first moving direction, a restoring force acts on guiding pin and operating lever pushing them back to not-fisplaced conditions in moving direction. 10. Operating lever featuring at least one link system (1 ) according to one of clauses 1 - 7.

[0059] 11 . Operating lever according to clause 10, featuring a further link system according to one of claims 1 - 7, wherein two of the link systems form a first pair of link systems and wherein link systems of the first pair are arranged in parallel and rotated 180° to each other.

[0060] 12. Operating lever according to clause 11 , wherein the guiding pins of the first pair are arranged such that they have a common tangent plane.

[0061] 13. Operating lever according to clause 11 or 12, wherein each link system of the first pair is featuring associated restoring means acting on respective guiding pins.

[0062] 14. Operating lever according to clause 11 , 12 or 13, featuring a second pair of link systems according to one of the clauses 1 - 7, wherein the link systems of the second pair are arranged in parallel and rotated 180° to each other, and wherein the first pair and the second pair (B) of link systems are arranged orthogonal to each other and centrally around operating lever.

[0063] 15. Operating lever according to clause 12, wherein the first pair is centred on operating lever in a first distance and the second pair is centred on operating lever in a second distance, wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance.

[0064] Hereafter, the invention is described based on drawings. Further advantageous details are obtainable from the individual figures.

[0065] Fig. 1 is a cut view of a link system and an operating lever according to the invention. Fig. 2a shows the assembly of part of the link system at a frame of an inventive operating lever.

[0066] Fig. 2b shows the assembly of the link system in another embodiment of a frame of an inventive operating lever.

[0067] Fig. 3 shows an operating lever according to the invention in a ready-to- install condition.

[0068] Fig. 4 shows parts of the operating lever according to the invention.

[0069] Fig. 1 shows a cut view of an embodiment of an operating lever 2 according to the invention in a plane perpendicular to a neutral position of the operating lever 2. In Fig. 1 , the operating lever is rotated by 180° - upside-down - compared to its position in actual use for ease of understanding and clear presentation. The operating lever 2 is pivotable in two perpendicular directions: in first moving directions X and in further first moving direction X’. Bearings 29, not depicted in Fig. 1 , are intersected by the corresponding rotation axes 22. Operating lever 2 is shown in a neutral starting position X1 with respect to first moving direction X or further first moving direction X’. In this starting or neutral position, no deflection of the operating lever 2 in any of the first moving direction X or further first moving direction X’ has taken place. In the shown embodiment, the inventive operating lever 2 is designed as a joystick.

[0070] Part of the operating lever 2 is a handle bar adapter 27, to which in usemode a handle bar is attached. The operating lever 2 is movable in first moving direction X relative to a cardanic system 26, which constitutes a frame 11 according to the invention. Furthermore, said operating lever 2 is movably in the perpendicular further first moving direction X’ simultaneously with the cardanic system 26. The operating lever 2 is guided by four guiding pins 4 in corresponding links 3 of link systems 1 . The shown embodiment features one link system 1 each for forth and back motion in first moving direction X and in further first moving direction X’. Thus, the operating lever 2 features four link systems 1 , arranged in a first pair A and a second pair B. In the first moving direction X, the motion of the operating lever 2 is guided by pair B. A perpendicular motion, in further first moving direction X’, is guided by pair A. For this purpose, guiding pins 4 of the inventive link systems 1 are installed such, that a motion of the operating lever 2 in first moving direction X and / or further first moving direction X’ causes motion of the guiding pins 4 of the corresponding link systems 1 of pair A or pair B in the same direction. For the guided movement in the first moving direction X, two guiding pins 4 are attached directly to the operating lever 2. Each of corresponding links 3 of the link systems 1 is formed on a clip 16 (see Fig. 2a, b) that is integrated in the cardanic system 26. For guided movement in the perpendicular further first moving direction X’, two guiding pins 4 are attached to cardanic system 26. Corresponding links 3 are attached to a relatively immovable outer frame 25 surrounding the rotation axis 22. The operating lever 2 is arranged centrally with respect to pair A and pair B. Thereby link systems 1 of pair B are arranged in a first distance 19 and link systems 1 of pair A are arranged in a larger second distance 21 .

[0071] The force required for a movement of the guiding pins 4 along a guiding surface 6 of the corresponding link 3 is determined by the form of the guiding surface 6. If the guiding pin 4 needs to follow a path with ascending distance relative to a bottom of link 3, a force needs to be introduced into the link system 1 . Thus, the form of the guiding surface 6 corresponds to a line of force. Said line of force represents the required input force and thus the feedback, a user feels when operating the operating lever 2. The link systems 1 as shown in Fig. 1 feature each a guiding surface 6 including a step 9. Thus, if the guiding pin 4 reaches step 9 after having finished his movement along a first guiding part 7, a force is required in order to elevate the guiding pin 4 to the relatively shifted second guiding part 8. This force is experienced by a user of the operating lever 2 through a jump in resistance against operating lever 2 movement.

[0072] In Fig. 1, operating lever 2 is in a neutral, central position which also corresponds to a second starting position for a second moving direction X1 , orthogonal and relative to first moving direction X and further first moving direction X’ at the same time. Furthermore, this corresponds to a first starting position XO of the four guiding pins 4 of pair A and pair B simultaneously. In this embodiment, lateral surface 10 of each guiding pin 4 is resting at step 9 of the corresponding guiding surface 6. The guiding pins 4 of pair A and pair B are arranged such, that their central plane contains a central axis of the operating lever 2. This improves central positioning and holding of the handle bar attached to the operating lever 2: Positioned in such a way, operating lever 2 is in a low point in acting forces. Deviation in first moving direction X or in further first moving direction X’ requires a considerable user input force.

[0073] Fig. 2a shows the assembly of link system 1 with links 3 and its integration into a part of frame 11 . Left part of Fig. 2a shows link 3 and clip 16 as part of frame 11 before assembly. Right part of Fig. 2a shows assembled link 3 and frame 11 . The part of frame 11 shown is a part, which is attached to the cardanic system 26 as depicted in Fig. 1 . Shown is the outward facing side of this clip 16. A spring 5 is mounted at the surface of clip 16 facing the relatively elevated part of guiding surface 6 at the reverse side of second guiding part 8, when assembled. Clip 16 features at one end a snap hook 23 and at the other end a recess 24 (see also Fig. 2b). Link 3 features a clipping nose 15 a first end and an edge 13 at the opposing second end. When link 3 is attached to clip 16, snap hook 23 engages the clipping nose 15 and recess 24, not visible in Fig. 2a, receives the edge 13. On a site facing clip 16 and frame 11 if assembled, link 3 features an aperture 20. In the ready-to-use link system 1 , aperture 20 is receiving spring 5. Depending on the depth of aperture 20 and a length of spring 5, spring 5 can be preloaded in this condition. For example, spring 5 may be compressed for 2 mm and step 9 has a corresponding height of 2 mm.

[0074] Fig. 2b shows assembly of the link system 1 and its integration to a further part of frame 11 of operating lever 2. Shown is a part of the outward facing outer frame 25 as shown in Fig. 1 , which is attached to a housing 28 (see Fig. 3). Left part of Fig. 2b shows link 3 and part of outer frame 25 before assembly. Right part of Fig. 2a shows assembled link 3 and part of outer frame 25. Assembly of link 3 works similar as described for Fig. 2a: An edge 13 at a first link end is inserted in recess 24, link 3 is rotated and clipped with its clipping nose 15 on a second link end 14 into snap hook 23 of the outer frame 25. The shown part of outer frame 25 surrounds bearing 29 and thus one of the main rotation axes 22 for pivoting of operating lever 2, generating its movement in first moving direction X’.

[0075] It is to be recognized that all four links 3 are identical to each other. The two links 3 of a pair are mounted side-inverted to obtain the same feedback for the user independent of the movement in +X' or -X' direction and +X or -X direction respectively. It is furthermore to be recognized that each of pair A and B contains two links 3. The features of the four links 3 are functionally identical to each other. It certain circumstances, an embodiment of the invention may contain two different sets of links 3 so that the movement in ± X direction will have a different force feedback than in ± X' direction.

[0076] Fig. 3 depicts an outer view of operating lever 2 of Fig.1 in an orientation ready-to-use. Operating lever 2 is in a neutral position and thus in starting position X1 with respect to first moving directions X, pointing into the drawing plane, and with respect to further first moving direction X’. Outer frame 25 is mounted in a housing 28. Guiding pins 4 of link systems 1 of pair A and not depicted pair B are resting at steps 9 on first guiding parts 7 in the neutral position, which equals starting position XO of all of the four guiding pins 4 respectively. Even though step 9 points down to earth in a ready-to-use position of the operating lever 2, a remarkable resistance needs to be overcome in order to push a guiding pin 4 to the shifted part of the guiding surface 6 of the second guiding part 8. Thus, link 3 gets slightly rotated and second guiding part 8 gets pushed down relative to outer frame 25, for example for 2 mm. The second, opposite guiding pin 4, not to be seen in Fig. 3, gets moved in the same direction by respective movement of operating lever 2. Due to the mirrored assembly of both link systems 1 of pair A, said second guiding pin 4 gets moved nearly free of forces along the not shifted first guiding part 7 of its corresponding links. The same holds true for the pairwise movement of guiding pins 4 of pair B: Deviation from starting position XO leads to a jump in resistance for one of the guiding pins 4 and an almost force free movement for the other guiding pin 4. After movement in first moving direction ± X’ or in further first moving direction ± X, each of the guiding pins 4 of pair A or pair B, respectively, is reset by corresponding restoring means 18 as shown in Fig. 4.

[0077] Fig. 4 shows some parts of an operating lever 2 according to the invention with unassembled clip 16 and link 3. The operating lever 2 is rotated by 180° with respect to its in-use-position. On the downward side of Fig. 4, a handle-bar 27 is shown, which is attached to the operating lever 2.

[0078] Depicted is a part of the cardanic system 26, without mounted clips 16 and links 3. Guiding pins 4 of link system 1 are attached directly to the operating lever 2 and to the cardanic system 26. Thus, they are both attached at least indirectly to the operating lever 2 and its handle bar 27: Movement of operation lever 2 in further first moving direction X’ is translated to simultaneous pivoted movement of cardanic system 26 while movement of operating lever in first moving direction X causes no comovement of cardanic system 26 and corresponding guiding pins 4. Depicted are two restoring springs 18 as restoring means 17. Operating lever 2 also includes a restoring spring 18 for each of the guiding pins 4 mounted on the cardanic system 26. These are omitted in Fig. 4 for better understanding.

[0079] In this embodiment, the depicted restoring springs 18 are leg springs. In each case, one of the legs 30 at the ends of a restoring spring 18 is attached to corresponding guiding pins 4 in a ready-to-use condition. Deviation of a guiding pin 4 causes deviation of leg 30 against a spring tension. Thus, after end of movement, when no user input force is acting anymore, restoring spring leg 30 and corresponding guiding pin 4 are reset into the starting position X0 and thus operating lever 2 is in starting position X1 .

[0080] The restoring spring 18 is mounted separately from link systems 1 and links 3, which means that a motion of guiding pin 4 causes no overall motion of restoring spring 18. Though, motion of guiding pin 4 leads to transversal motion of leg 30, no transversal movement of spring windings 31 and thus of the main part of restoring spring 18 is induced. The windings contract instead.

[0081] The invention proposes a link system and a corresponding operating lever that allows improved and simplified central positioning of the operating lever as well as generation of user feedback forces in a comparably simple construction with separated guiding and restoring system. Reference signs

[0082] 1 link system

[0083] 2 operating lever 3 link

[0084] 4 guiding pin

[0085] 5 spring 6 guiding surface

[0086] 7 first guiding part

[0087] 8 second guiding part 9 step

[0088] 10 lateral surface

[0089] 11 frame

[0090] 12 link end

[0091] 13 edge

[0092] 14 link end

[0093] 15 clipping nose

[0094] 16 clip

[0095] 17 restoring means

[0096] 18 restoring spring

[0097] 19 first distance

[0098] 20 aperture

[0099] 21 second distance

[0100] 22 rotation axis

[0101] 23 snap hook

[0102] 24 recess

[0103] 25 outer frame

[0104] 26 cardanic system

[0105] 27 handle bar adapter

[0106] 28 housing

[0107] 29 bearing 30 spring leg 31 spring winding

[0108] X first moving direction

[0109] X’ further first moving direction’ xo starting position X1 second moving direction

[0110] A first pair B second pair

Claims

CLAIMS1 . Operating lever (2) which is pivot mounted in a first moving direction (X) and in a further first moving direction (X’) relative to a not deflected starting position (X1 ), featuring at least two link systems (1 ), each featuring a guiding pin (4) and a springloaded link (3), further featuring a guiding surface (6), which is divided in a first guiding part (7) and a second guiding part (8), preferably by a step (9), wherein when moving along first moving direction (X), operating lever (2) is guided by at least one of the at least two link systems (1 ) through the motion of the corresponding guiding pin (4) along the corresponding guiding surface (6) and wherein, when moving along the further first moving direction (X’), the operating lever (2) is guided by at least the other one of the at least two link systems (1 ) through the motion of the corresponding guiding pin (4) along the corresponding guiding surface (6).

2. Operating lever according to claim 1 , wherein the first moving direction (X) and the further first moving direction (X’) are perpendicular or parallel to each other, especially rotated 180 ° to each other.

3. Operating lever (2) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, when operating lever (2) is not pivoted in the first moving direction (X) or in the further first moving direction (X’), a respective lateral surface (10) of the respective guiding pin (4) is resting at the respective step (9) of the respective one of the at least two link systems (1 ).

4. Operating lever (2) according to claim 1 , 2 or 3, wherein the link (3) of the at least two link systems (1 ) is detachably attachableto a frame (11 ) of the operating lever (2), especially attachable by clipping.

5. Operating lever according to claim 4, wherein a first link end (12) of the link (3) of at least one of the at least two link systems (1 ) features an edge (13) for rotatable attachment to the frame (11 ) and wherein a second link end (14) features a clipping nose (15) for clipping to the frame (11 ).

6. Operating lever (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein first guiding part (8) and / or second guiding part (9) of at least one of the at least two link systems (1 ) are shaped convexly.

7. Operating lever (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guiding surface (6) of at least one of the at least two link systems (1) features locking points and / or a variation of slope.

8. Operating lever (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least two link systems (1 ) features respective restoring means (17), especially at least one restoring spring (18), for transferring respective guiding pin (4) to a not-deflected starting position (XO), especially the guiding pin (4) to starting position (XO) and the operating lever (2) to its not-deflected starting position (X1 ), after movement in the first moving direction (X) and / or in the further first moving direction (X’), wherein the respective restoring means (17) are separated from the respective link (3) and not guided along the respective guiding surface (6).

9. Operating lever (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein two of the link systems (1 ) form a first pair (A) of link systems (1 ) and wherein link systems (1 ) of the first pair (A) are arranged rotated 180° to each other.

10. Operating lever (2) according to claim 9, wherein the guiding pins (4) of the first pair (A) are arranged such that they have a common tangent plane.11 . Operating lever (2) according to claim 9 or 10 wherein each link system (1 ) of the first pair (A) is featuring associated restoring means (18) acting on respective guiding pins (4).

12. Operating lever (2) according to claim 9, 10 or 11 , featuring a second pair (B) of link systems (1 ), wherein the link systems (1) of the second pair (B) are arranged in parallel and rotated 180° to each other, and wherein the first pair (A) and the second pair (B) of link systems (1 ) are arranged orthogonal to each other and centrally around operating lever (2).

13. Operating lever (2) according to claim 12, wherein the first pair (A) is centred on operating lever (2) in a first distance (19) and the second pair (B) is centred on operating lever (2) in a second distance (21 ), wherein the first distance (19) is smaller than the second distance (21 ).

14. Operating lever (2) to one of the preceding claims, wherein the operating lever is developed as a joystick.

15. Process for guidance of an operating lever (2), pivotable in a first moving direction (X) and in a further first moving direction (X’), including the steps of coupling the movement of operating lever (2) in first moving direction (X) to movement of a guidingpin (4) and in another first moving direction to another guiding pin (4); acting a displacement force on the not-deflected operating lever (2) in the first moving direction (X) or in the further first moving direction (X’); generating a jump of resistance against the movement of operating lever (2) and respective guiding pin (4), wherein first moving direction and further first moving direction (X’) enclose an angle of 90° or 180°.

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