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US 6,634,383 B2Granted
Magnetic detent assist assembly
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorRobert A. Aarestad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is a control arrangement that includes a detent assist assembly for assisting a detent arrangement in holding a control device in a predetermined position. Additionally, the detent assist assembly serves as an actuator for a control valve operative with the control device. Further, the detent assist assembly provides tactile feedback to an operator through the control device. The present invention is a simple and efficient device for providing a detent assist with tactile feedback.
Claims11
A control arrangement for actuating at least two control valves, comprising:
- a control device movable from a neutral position to at least first and second control positions, the control device having a first actuator portion for selectively actuating at least one of the control valves when moved to the first control position which includes a first non-locked control position and a first locked control position;
- a detent arrangement operatively associated with the at least one of the control valves and operative with the first actuator portion for holding the control device in the first locked control position;
- and
- a detent assist assembly operative with the control device, the detent assist assembly assisting the detent arrangement in holding the control device in the first locked control position and including a first member having an outer surface including variable resistance portions that define the first non-locked and the first locked control positions, a second member being movable from a neutral position to a first and second operating position along said variable resistance portions, said second member having a second actuator portion for selectively actuating the other one of the control valves when the control device is moved to the second control position with the second member not engaging the variable resistance portions of the first member.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.