Patent · US Expired

Foot or hand operated control

US6931962B2 · kind B2 · utility

5Cited by

21References

3Claims

0Family size

Assignee

ITT MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES LLC · US

Inventors

Rainer Maurer · Schwelm, DE
Uwe Gillman · Berlin, DE
Michael Stoffers · Berlin, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jul 9, 2002
Grant date	Aug 23, 2005
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Jul 9, 2022

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10T74/20888
WIPO fieldMechanical elements
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A control has a pivotal part with an operating surface that can be depressed by a person's foot or hand, with pivoting being sensed by a pivot sensor. A spring-operated mechanism urges the pivotal part toward an initial position while allowing it to pivot in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions from the initial position, the sensor indicating the amount of pivoting in either direction from the initial position. A damping unit for limiting the speed of depression includes a cylinder that contains fluid and a plunger that is depressed by the pivotal part into the cylinder to displace the fluid.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.