Lever switch device

Abstract

A lever switch device has a lever, a shaft, a knob, a guide mechanism, a first switching device and a second switching device. The shaft defines a longitudinal axis and is disposed in the lever for rotation about the longitudinal axis and movable in an axial direction along the longitudinal axis. The knob is mounted on one end of the shaft to rotate and axially move the shaft. The guide mechanism allows the knob to rotate when the knob is in a first axial position along the longitudinal axis between a plurality of rotational positions within the first axial position. The guide mechanism further allows the knob to move to a second axial position along the longitudinal axis only when the knob is in a first predetermined one of the plurality of rotational positions. The guiding mechanism guides the knob when the knob is in the second axial position and is rotated, from the second axial position to a second predetermined one of the plurality of rotational positions within the first axial position. The first switching device actuated by the shaft switches between a first plurality of operational states when the knob is rotated between the plurality of rotational positions. The second switching device actuated by the shaft switches between a second plurality of operational states when the knob is moved between the first axial position and the second axial position.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.