Rotary Switch Light Guide Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary electrical switches for commercial vehicles are too large, limit the number of lighting situations, and are difficult to operate with fingers due to their rotary movement, making them inefficient and unsafe in low-light conditions.
Innovation Solution
A compact rotary switch with a large light-collecting side and a small light-emitting end, using spatially separate light sources to illuminate the operating part, allowing for multiple lighting situations and decoupling mechanical rotation from light generation, with a transparent thermoplastic carrier housing and a second light guide for enhanced illumination and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rotary switch with a setting wheel is used, then switching functions are enabled, but the switch becomes too large and difficult to operate with fingers
Solution Approach 1:
The switch is segmented into a housing, a setting wheel, and an actuating element. The actuating element is separated from the rotary movement mechanism, allowing the setting wheel to be small while maintaining operational ease through the thumb-operated actuating element.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the thumb to rotate the entire setting wheel, the invention inverts the interaction by having the thumb press an actuating element that triggers the switching function, while the setting wheel only needs to indicate position passively.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a single light source is used, then the structure is simple, but the number of lighting situations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide serves multiple functions: it transmits light from the single light source to the operating part, provides illumination in different switching positions, and indicates the current switching state. This multi-functionality achieves various lighting situations without requiring multiple light sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide acts as an intermediary that distributes light from a single source to multiple locations on the operating part, enabling different lighting situations based on the switching position without needing multiple light sources.
3Illumination intensity
If the light source is close to the operating part, then illumination is strong, but the mechanical structure becomes complex during rotary movement
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide serves as an intermediary that transmits light from a fixed source to the operating part, decoupling the light source from the mechanical rotary movement. This allows the light source to remain stationary while still providing strong illumination to the moving operating part.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical coupling between light source and operating part with an optical system (light guide). This substitution allows the light source to be spatially separated from the operating part while maintaining effective illumination, simplifying the mechanical structure during rotary movement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The switch provides reliable, angle-dependent and function-dependent lighting, enabling easy operation in dark conditions and reducing the risk of incorrect operation, while being durable and resistant to environmental factors.
Implementation Method 1
the light guide has a spatially large light-collecting side and a single light-emitting end that is spatially small compared to the light-collecting side, so that it is designed to illuminate the operating part in each of its deflection states with light from spatially separate lamps or a single lamp
Implementation Method 2
the light guide is formed by the carrier housing itself, in that it is formed from transparent thermoplastic material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~2d
AI summary
The present invention relates to an electrical switch (1) for use on multiple control elements (2) in commercial vehicles, the control element of which performs a rotary movement through a limited angle and can be actuated directly by a fixed body outside the switch (1), comprising a carrier housing (4) and an adjusting wheel (5), a control element, at least one light source (8), and a light guide (6), wherein the control element is illuminated in different colors depending on its operating position. The invention proposes that the light guide (6) has a spatially large light-collecting end (22) and a single light-exiting end (21) that is spatially small compared to the light-collecting end (22), so that it illuminates the control element in each of its deflection states with light from spatially separated light sources (8) or from a single light source (8).