Synchronised movement of a bistable device, from a multitude of monostable levers

{
  "publication_number": "US2020381199A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Synchronised movement of a bistable device, from a multitude of monostable levers",
  "abstract": "The invention relates to a bistable device which comprises a fixed baseplate (1), at least two levers (2 a, 2 b), a tappet (3 a, 3 b) which is associated with each lever (2 a, 2 b), is rigidly secured to the lever (2 a, 2 b) in question, is arranged between the lever (2 a, 2 b) and the baseplate (1), and is aligned substantially in a first direction (T 1), wherein a lever (2 a, 2 b) is capable of displacement relative to the baseplate (1) so as to displace the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) substantially in translation in the first direction (T 1), and a member (5) that is able to take two positions, said device additionally comprising a rocker (4 a, 4 b) which is associated with each lever (2 a, 2 b), is arranged between the baseplate (1) and the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b), and comprises two V-shapes which face the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b), wherein a touch of the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the first V-shape tends to turn the associated rocker (4 a, 4 b) in a first direction (R 1+) and a touch of the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the second V-shape tends to turn the associated rocker (4 a, 4 b) in a second direction (R 1−) opposite to the first direction (R 1+), all the rockers (4 a, 4 b) being synchronised in rotation and said rockers (4 a, 4 b) being synchronised with the member (5).",
  "claims": [
    "1. Bistable device comprising a fixed baseplate (1), at least two levers (2 a, 2 b), a tappet (3 a, 3 b) associated with each lever (2 a, 2 b), integral with said lever (2 a, 2 b), disposed between the lever (2 a, 2 b) and the baseplate (1), substantially aligned in a first direction (T 1), a lever (2 a, 2 b) able to be displaced, relative to the baseplate (1), so as to displace the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) substantially in translation in the first direction (T 1) and a member (5) able to take two positions, characterised in that it further comprises a rocker (4 a, 4 b) associated with each lever (2 a, 2 b), disposed between the baseplate (1) and the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b), comprising two V-shapes (6, 7) which face the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b), a touch of the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the first V-shape (6) tending to turn the associated rocker (4 a, 4 b) in a first direction (R 1 +) and a touch of the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the second V-shape (7) tending to turn the associated rocker (4 a, 4 b) in a second direction (R 1 −) opposite to the first direction (R 1 +), in that all the rockers (4 a, 4 b) are synchronised in rotation and in that the rockers (4 a, 4 b) are synchronised with the member (5). 2. Device according to claim 1, where two rockers (4 a, 4 c) turning around the same axis of rotation are synchronised by a shaft (43) connecting the two rockers (4 a, 4 c), preferably the two rockers (4 a, 4 c) and the shaft (43) are made from the same material. 3. Device according to any of claim 1 or 2, where two rockers (4 a, 4 b) turning around separate axes of rotation are synchronised by a means of transmission, preferably confounded with the member (5). 4. Device according to any of claims 1 to 3, where the two positions of the member (5) are rotatable around an axis perpendicular to the first direction (T 1) or translatable in a second direction (T 2) perpendicular to the first direction (T 1). 5. Device according to any of claims 1 to 4, where the relative disposition of the V-shapes (6, 7) of a rocker (4 a, 4 b) and the stroke of the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) are such that the rotation of the rocker (4 a, 4 b) obtained by touching the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the first V-shape (6) tends to place the second V-shape (7) facing the tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the idle position: substantially aligned with the first direction (T 1), and the rotation of the rocker (4 a, 4 b) obtained by touching the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the second V-shape (7) tends to place the first V-shape (6) facing the associated tappet (3 a, 3 b) in the idle position. 6. Device according to any of claims 1 to 5, where the V-shapes (6, 7) are moved away in a second direction (T 2) substantially perpendicular to the first direction (T 1), so that a rocker (4 a, 4 b) turns, relative to the baseplate (1), around a first axis (R 1) of rotation substantially perpendicular to the first direction (T 1) and to the second direction (T 2). 7. Device according to any of claims 1 to 6, where a rocker (4, 4 a, 4 b) further comprises two feet (8, 9), which face the baseplate (1) and where the baseplate (1) comprises two gutters (10, 11) each able to receive one of said feet (8, 9) rotatably. 8. Device according to any of claims 1 to 7, where a rocker (4 a, 4 b) is substantially symmetric relative to an axis (S 1) of symmetry, substantially aligned with the first direction (T 1). 9. Device according to any of claims 1 to 8, where the axes of rotation of the rockers (4 a, 4 b) are parallel. 10. Device according to any of claims 1 to 9, where the rockers (4 a, 4 b) are similar and/or the tappets (3 a, 3 b) are similar. 11. Device according to any of claims 1 to 10, where a lever (2 a, 2 b) comprises a return means (21) tending to move the lever (2 a, 2 b) away from the associated rocker (4 a, 4 b). 12. Device according to any of claims 1 to 11, where a tappet (3 a, 3 b) is able to be displaced, relative to the associated lever (2 a, 2 b), in rotation about a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis (R 1) and preferably comprises a return means (33) in the idle position. 13. Device according to any of claims 1 to 12, where at least one rocker (4 a, 4 b) and/or the member (5) comprises at least one return means (41) tending to place said at least one rocker (4 a, 4 b) and/or the member (5) in one of the two positions thereof. 14. Device according to claim 13, where a touch on a lever (2 a, 2 b) actuates an individualised electrical contact (14)."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a bistable device. Such a device can occupy two distinct and advantageously maintained positions. At least one lever, advantageously monostable, makes it possible, advantageously by means of the same manoeuvre, to modify the position of the device in order to switch from the first position to the second or from the second position to the first position.\n\nIt is desired to carry out a device comprising at least two levers and such that each manoeuvre of any among the levers causes a change in the position of a member that can have two positions in a reversible manner. The member can for example be an electric generator that produces, at each change in position, the energy required for the operation of the device.\n\nAs the movement of the member has to be reversible it can be considered to carry out a monostable device. Thus a manoeuvre of any one among the levers causes a change in the position of the member. The releasing of the lever causes a change in the inverse position of the lever and in the member which return to their original position, typically under the action of a return means, retuning the lever and the member. Such a configuration has at least the following disadvantages. The member, when it is a generator, is resistant and requires a substantial force to carry out a change in position. The return means that has to carry out the returning of the member has to be dimensioned in consequence.",
  "cpc": [
    "H01H 23/16",
    "F16B 1/00",
    "F16B 2001/0064",
    "F16B 2200/93",
    "F16H 21/44",
    "G05G 1/04",
    "G05G 2505/00",
    "G05G 5/05",
    "H01H 13/60",
    "H01H 23/14",
    "H01H 23/24",
    "H01H 3/42"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 1/00",
    "F16H 21/44",
    "G05G 1/04",
    "G05G 5/05",
    "H01H 23/14",
    "H01H 23/16",
    "H01H 23/24"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Legrand SNC",
    "Legrand France SA"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Stéphane CESSOT",
    "Marcel Daccord"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-01-18",
  "publication_date": "2020-12-03",
  "priority_date": "2018-03-08",
  "application_number": "US-201916971057-A",
  "family_id": "62528618",
  "cited_by_count": 0
}