EP3118874A1 - Switch and operating unit comprising a number of switches - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to switches (1) having a first switching contact (1a) and a second switching contact (1b) for closing or disconnecting an electrically conductive connection an actuating region (2) configured to close or separate the switching contacts (1a, 1b) and further configured such that at least a partial region (9) of the actuating region (2) is transparent, a lighting means (3) having a first connection side (A) and a second connection side (K), which is arranged below the actuating region (2), a lighting unit (4) having a first input (V CC) and a second input (GND) for switching on a supply voltage (U V) designed to operate the lighting means (3), wherein the illuminant unit (4) has a drive unit (5) which is designed to receive a data telegram (21) via the first input (V CC) from a control unit (20), the data telegram (21) containing information about a luminous intensity and / For this purpose, the drive unit (5) has a detection means (6) which is designed to detect a voltage dip in the supply voltage (UV) and then to set the drive unit (5) in a receive state, wherein the drive unit (5) has a switching output (7) which in the receiving state drives a shut-off means (8) for a determinable time duration of the data telegram (21), the disconnection means (8) being connected between the first input (V CC) and the lighting means ( 3) is arranged so that it interrupts the supply voltage (UV) to the lamp (3).

Description

The invention relates to a switch having a first switch contact and a second switch contact for closing or disconnecting an electrically conductive connection, comprising an actuation area designed to close or disconnect the switch contacts and further configured that at least a portion of the actuation area is transparent, a light source having a first Connection side and a second connection side, which is arranged below the actuation area, a lighting unit having a first input and a second input for switching on a supply voltage, configured to operate the lighting means.

In electrical switches, which are used for example in control units to control an industrial process, it is desirable when the switches are illuminated. Furthermore, it is desirable that the illuminated switches are programmable and thus the colors of the illuminated switches can be adjusted.

According to the state of the art, so-called RGB LEDs with a serial 3-leg interface WS 2812 are known from www.world-semi.com.

A disadvantage of the known serial 3-leg interface WS 2812 is that three lines must be used to control the interface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive for a light source, in particular RGB LEDs, which manages with two lines.

For switches with a lamp of the type mentioned, the object is achieved in that the lamp unit a drive unit which is configured to receive a data telegram from the control unit via the first input, wherein the data telegram has information about a luminous intensity and / or color rendering of the luminous means, for this purpose the drive unit has a detection means, which is designed to have a voltage dip in the Recognize supply voltage and then to put the drive unit in a receiving state, wherein the drive unit has a switching output, which drives a shutdown in the receive state for a determinable period of the data telegram, wherein the shutdown is arranged between the first input and the Leuchtmitteil such that it Supply voltage to the bulb interrupts.

An advantage of this embodiment is that energy for data transmission is reduced by switching off the light source at the beginning of the transmission. These relatively short turn-off times are optically not visible by the light source, but crucial for a realization in terms of a discrete structure, for example, by a separate IC. In addition, it is possible by this realization to use a quasi one-wire bus to control the bulbs in the switches.

In a further embodiment, the drive unit comprises a data input which is configured as a serial data interface for the data telegram, a power supply input, a ground connection and an output connection for the light source, the data input and the voltage supply input being connected to the first input, the ground connection the second input is connected and the output terminal is connected to the second terminal side, wherein a buffer capacitor is arranged between the voltage supply input and the ground terminal. To the lamp unit or the drive unit for the case of data transmission by the control unit reliably with a supply voltage to supply, a buffer capacitor is arranged between the power supply input and the ground terminal. The serial data transmission by the control unit is usually carried out by closing and disconnecting the supply voltage line, whereby a serial data stream or a bit pattern is formed, with bit patterns corresponding to a zero bit thus no supply voltage is present, but the buffer capacitor ensures that the control unit for the moment of data transmission can be operated safely and the data message can be received error-free.

For the use of an RGB LED, it is advantageous if the output terminal has a first output terminal, a second output terminal and a third output terminal and the drive unit is configured based on the information of the received data telegram for the first output terminal, the second output terminal and the output third output terminal in each case a pulse width signal corresponding to the luminous intensity and / or the color reproduction of the light source. Advantageously, one has now realized a lighting control with integrated pulse width modulation for brightness control of the light source.

The aforementioned object is also achieved by an operating unit with a plurality of switches according to one of claims 1 to 3, the operating unit has for this purpose a control unit and a switch bus, wherein the control unit is configured to send a data telegram via a first line of the switch bus, the is used as a power supply as well as a transmitting and receiving line for the switches connected to the switch bus switch with their bulbs, wherein a second line of the switch bus is designed as a ground line and thereby arranged for the control of the switches arranged in the bulbs essentially one Wire bus is used.

FIG 1

einen Schalter mit angeschlossener Kontrolleinheit und die

FIG 2

eine Bedieneinheit mit mehreren Schaltern und einen Schalterbus zeigt.

The drawing shows an embodiment which further explains the invention, wherein the

FIG. 1

a switch with attached control unit and the

FIG. 2

a control unit with multiple switches and a switch bus shows.

According to the FIG. 1 For example, a switch 1 is shown with a first switch contact 1a and a second switch contact 1b for closing or disconnecting an electrically conductive connection. The switch 1 comprises an actuation region 2, wherein the pressure D on the actuation region 2 connects the first switching contact 1a to the second switching contact 1b. The actuating region 2 has a partial region 9, which is made transparent. By means of this transparently configured partial region 9, light can penetrate from a luminous means 3 to an operator.

The luminous means 3 has a first connection side A and a second connection side K, wherein the luminous means 3 is designed as an RGB LED and is arranged below the actuation region 2.

A light-emitting unit 4 having a first input V _CC and a second input GND for switching on a supply voltage U _V is designed to operate the light-emitting means 3. For this purpose, the lighting unit 4 has a drive unit 5, which is configured to receive a data telegram 21 from the control unit 20 via the first input V _CC , wherein the data telegram 21 has information about a luminous intensity and / or color rendering of the luminous means 3.

In the data telegram to receive properly and evaluate, the drive unit 5 has a detection means 6, which in turn is configured a voltage dip in Detecting the supply voltage U _V and then to put the control unit 5 in a receiving state, wherein the control unit 5 has a switching output 7, which in the receiving state for a determinable time duration of the data telegram 21 a shutdown 8 controls. The shut-off means 8 is arranged between the first input V _CC and the light-emitting means 3 in such a way that it interrupts the supply voltage U _V to the light source.

In order to transmit the data, the supply voltage U _V must be switched. Possible buffer capacitors are thereby charged and discharged during the switching of the supply voltage U _V for data transmission, whereby large currents can occur. The larger the operating currents, the larger the capacitors would have to be and the larger the noise and the lower the transmission rates. By switching off the lamps during the data transmission time, although an effective brightness is reduced slightly, but the currents are much lower and the task thereby solvable. In the case of the illuminant unit 4, therefore, only two pins, namely a VCC connection and GND connection, are necessary, the telegram 21 also being conducted via the VCC connection.

To receive the data telegram 21, the drive unit 5 comprises a data input SDI, which is designed as a serial data interface for the data telegram 21. Furthermore, the drive unit 5 comprises a voltage supply input 10 and a ground terminal M. An output terminal 11 provides the appropriate pulse-width-modulated signals for the light-emitting means 3. The data input SDI and the power supply input 10 are connected to the first input V _CC , the ground terminal M is connected to the second input GND and the output terminal 11 is connected to the second terminal side K, wherein between the power supply input 10 and the ground terminal M a Buffer capacitor C is arranged.

In order to control in particular an RGB LED, the output terminal 11 has a first output terminal R, a second output terminal G and a third output terminal B. The drive unit 5 is configured on the basis of the information of the received data telegram 21 for the first output terminal R, the second output terminal G and the third output terminal B each output a pulse width signal PWM according to the luminous intensity and / or the color reproduction of the luminous means 3.

In accordance with the invention, a conventional drive unit for, for example, an RGB light source has now been reduced from a 3-wire drive to a 2-wire drive. Since a line of the control is a ground connection, one can also speak of a 1-wire control for the bulb 3.

To the switch 1, a control unit 20 is connected to its first input V _CC and its second input GND. The control unit 20 has a controller 20 'for the control of RGB LEDs by means of data telegrams 21. If the control unit 20 or the controller 20 'of the control unit wants to send a data telegram 21, the controller 20' controls a transmission switching means 22 via a data output SDO which generates a serial data stream through the actual supply line of the lighting means 3 by interrupting the voltage for the control unit.

For a voltage supply of the controller 20 'and also a power supply for the lighting means 3, the control unit 20 has a DC power source 5V.

With the FIG. 2 an operating unit 30 with a plurality of switches 31, ..., 34 and a display 35 is shown. The operator 30 has the control unit 20. The control unit 20 is connected to a switch bus 45, wherein the control unit 20 is configured, a plurality of data telegrams 41, ..., 44th via a first line 46 and a second line 47 of the switch bus 45 to send.

A first switch 31, a second switch 32, a third switch 33 and a fourth switch 34 are each connected to the switch bus 45, wherein the first line 46 of the switch bus 45 both as a power supply and as a transmitting and receiving line for the switch bus 45 connected switch 31, ..., 34 or is used for their control units 5.

In the switches 31, ..., 34 symbolically each a lighting means and a switching element is shown.

The second line 47 of the switch bus 45 is designed as a ground line and thereby can be used for driving the arranged in the switches 31, ..., 34 bulbs 3 is essentially a one-wire bus.

Claims (4)

Switch (1) with a first switching contact (1a) and a second switching contact (1b) for closing or disconnecting an electrically conductive connection, comprising an actuating region (2) designed to close or separate the switching contacts (1a, 1b) and further configured such that at least a partial region (9) of the actuating region (2) is transparent, a lighting means (3) having a first connection side (A) and a second connection side (K), which is arranged below the actuating region (2), a lighting unit (4) having a first input (V _CC ) and a second input (GND) for switching on a supply voltage (U _V ) designed to operate the lighting means (3), characterized in that the illuminant unit (4) has a drive unit (5) which is configured to receive a data telegram (21) from the control unit (20) via the first input (V _CC ), wherein the data telegram (21) contains information about a Luminous intensity and / or color reproduction of the luminous means (3), to the drive unit (5) comprises a detection means (6) which is configured to detect a voltage dip in the supply voltage (U _V ) and then the drive unit (5) in a receiving state wherein the drive unit (5) has a switching output (7) which in the receiving state drives a shut-off means (8) for a determinable time duration of the data telegram (21), the disconnection means (8) thus being connected between the first input (V _CC ) and the lighting means (3) is arranged such that it interrupts the supply voltage (U _V ) to the lighting means (3). A switch (10) according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit (5) comprises a data input (SDI), which is designed as a serial data interface for the data telegram (21), a power supply input (10), a ground connection (M), - An output terminal (11) for the lamp (3), wherein the data input (SDI) and the power supply input (10) to the first input (V _CC ) are in communication, the ground terminal (M) to the second input (GND) is turned on and the output terminal (11) is connected to the second terminal side (K), wherein a buffer capacitor (C) is arranged between the voltage supply input (M) and the ground terminal (16). Switch (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the Ausgansanschluss (11) has a first output terminal (R), a second output terminal (G) and a third output terminal (B) and the drive unit (5) is configured based on the information of received data telegram (21) for the first output terminal (R), the second output terminal (G) and the third output terminal (B) each output a pulse width signal (PWM) corresponding to the luminous intensity and / or the color reproduction of the lighting means (3). Operating unit (30) with a plurality of switches (31, ..., 34) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, having a control unit (20) and a switch bus (45), wherein the control unit (20) is designed as a data telegram (41, ..., 44) via a first line (46) of the switch bus (45) to send, both as a power supply and as a transmitting and receiving line for the switch bus (45) connected switches (31, ..., 34 ) is used with its lighting means (3), wherein a second line (47) of the switch bus (45) is designed as a ground line and thereby for driving the in the switches (31, ..., 41) arranged lighting means (3 ) essentially a one-wire bus is used.

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