Adapter Design for Control Unit Actuator Precision
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electrical/electronic control devices often lack sufficient bending and impact resistance in their shafts, leading to unpleasant degrees of freedom during actuation, which can result in an imprecise and undefined feel for the user.
Innovation Solution
A two-part adapter design with a metal pin upper part and plastic lower part, overmoulded to provide high flexural strength and impact resistance, ensuring a precise coupling of the actuating element to the incremental encoder's shaft, while protecting live components and maintaining creepage distances.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a shaft is used to connect the actuating element to the incremental encoder, then the connection is simple, but the bending strength and impact resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is constructed as a composite structure combining a metal pin (providing high bending and impact resistance) with a plastic housing (providing electrical insulation and structural support). This composite design resolves the contradiction by integrating materials with complementary properties to achieve both high strength and functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter is divided into two distinct parts: a metal pin for mechanical strength and a plastic housing for insulation and mounting. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together as an integrated connection solution.
2Ease of operation
If the actuating element is directly connected to the shaft, then the structure is simple, but unintended degrees of freedom occur during actuation
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter serves as an intermediary component between the actuating element and the shaft, providing precise alignment and eliminating unwanted degrees of freedom. The adapter's bearing surface and geometric constraints ensure that actuation forces are transmitted accurately without lateral movements or rotations.
3Ease of manufacture
If live components are exposed for electrical connection, then wiring is simple, but safety against electric shock is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The plastic housing of the adapter acts as an insulating shell that encloses live electrical components. This protective enclosure maintains electrical safety by preventing direct contact with conductive parts while allowing necessary electrical connections to be made through the insulated structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
An electrical/electronic control unit with an actuating element is proposed, which actuates a push-button switch via a momentary actuator to switch at least one connected actuator on and off, and which adjusts an incremental encoder via a rotary actuator to influence the at least one actuator depending on the adjustment angle, wherein the incremental encoder also includes the push-button switch and is connected to the actuating element via its shaft, and wherein the incremental encoder is arranged on a printed circuit board received by a housing.For the purpose of creating an electrical/electronic control unit in which the shaft or adapter has particularly high bending and impact resistance, and in which the actuating element is guided with particular precision, so that defined actuating processes with precise haptics are guaranteed for the user, an adapter is arranged between the shaft of the incremental encoder and the actuating element, the lower part of which is coupled to the shaft of the incremental encoder and the upper part of which extends out of the housing to enable the coupling of the actuating element, and the adapter has at least one rotationally symmetrical bearing surface on its lower part and/or its upper part, which comes into contact with at least one bearing receptacle provided on the housing.