Switch handle

US6691589B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES LLC · US

Inventors

• Uwe Gillman · Berlin, DE
• Rainer Maurer · Schwelm, DE
• Stoffers Michael · Berlin, DE
• Lamm Klaus · Berlin, DE
• Jost Hans-Georg · Teltow, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 5, 2002
• Grant date: Feb 17, 2004
• Expiry date: Aug 18, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T74/20201
• WIPO field: Mechanical elements
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A control handle (10) for operating a machine, includes a largely vertical shaft (12) that can be grasped by a person's hand and a hand rest assembly (20) that supports a lower end of the hand opposite the thumb. The hand rest assembly is slidable along the shaft and includes a clamp that clamps against the shaft to fix the position of the hand rest assembly at substantially continuously variable positions along the shaft. The hand rest assembly has front and rear sections (26, 27) that are pivotally connected together, with the rear section being pivotable between a clamping position (27) wherein it draws the front section firmly against the front of the shaft to fix the hand rest position, and a release position (27A) wherein it allows the hand rest assembly to slide to a desired position. The shaft has recesses (36) on laterally opposite sides, that form vertically-extending fixing edges (41) that face largely rearwardly. The rear section forms a pair of clamping surface parts (34) that each clamps against one of the fixing edges as the rear section pivots to the clamp position.