Hand and foot switch
AssigneeConntrol, International, Inc.
InventorRonald Braaten
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand operable switch includes an operating knob that is movable longitudinally or rotationally about a longitudinal axis of the hand operable switch. The operating knob is accessible from any circumferential location of the hand operable switch. A housing includes switching elements wherein movement of the operating knob moves an activation rod relevant to the switching elements for activating a switching element that corresponds to movement of a controlled device. A converter converts the hand operable switch into a foot operable switch.
Claims25
A switch system comprising a hand-operable switch, the hand-operable switch having a longitudinal axis and including:
- a switching element for providing a control signal to a control box;
- an activation rod for activating or deactivating the switching element;
- and,
- an operating portion for moving the activation rod, wherein the operating portion surrounds the activation rod and is hand operable at any circumferential location of the operating portion.
A converter for converting a hand operable switch, having a hand operable operating portion, into a foot operable switch, the converter comprising:
- a support for removably receiving the hand operable switch;
- and,
- at least one foot pedal section, wherein the at least one foot pedal section is depressible by foot for operating the hand operable operating portion.
A hand operable switch comprising:
- a longitudinal axis;
- a housing;
- a first switching element in the housing for sending a control signal to move a controlled device in a first direction;
- a second switching element in the housing for sending a control signal to move a controlled device in a second direction, opposite the first direction;
- and,
- an operating portion movable along the longitudinal axis, wherein movement of the operating portion towards the housing activates the first switching element and movement of the operating portion away from the housing activates the second switching element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.