Smart rocker switches: simplify power wiring inside the cab
The new series of intelligent rocker switches brings important advantages in cabins with complex installations
The simple electromechanical switch has been and still is a guarantee in the management of man-machine interfaces within work vehicle cabins. The main advantages are low cost and direct load actuation, all in numerous electrical and aesthetic variants.
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MICROCONTROLLER INSIDE Each COBO 4500 series Smart Tilt Switch is equipped with a microcontroller that verifies the button positions, manages the four internal LEDs, performs diagnostics, and exchanges information with the external gateway. The gateway manages up to a maximum of 30 switches via two physical subnets, reads their status, and interfaces with power drivers via CAN bus. Communication between switches and gateway is via serial bus. |
Smart Overhead Switches are equipped with two identical and interchangeable connectors, and daisy-chaining is achieved through reduced three-wire wiring. The compactness of the wiring makes possible a significant reduction in space and weight, estimated at up to 30 percent, which is particularly valuable in small cabins with complex electrical systems, especially in rooftop or mast installations. |
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IMMEDIATE RECONFIGURABILITY With COBO 4500 series smart rockers, the manufacturer or system integrator can add switches to the vehicle at a later design stage without the need to provide expansions within the cab wiring. In fact, it turns out to be quick and easy to insert a new smart 4500, connect it with a short jumper (provided by Cobo), and send a reconfiguration command via CAN bus. The reconfiguration is done in seconds and is stored in the gateway’s internal nonvolatile memory. In addition, the user/constructor can easily and immediately swap the position of the switches according to their needs or group them into assigned zones. |
VISUAL CUES Each Smart switch has 4 LEDs, grouped two by two under the ends of the buttons. Each group consists of a white LED for the switch search function and an RGB LED for activations. The LED functions for each switch are fully |
RELIABILITY Thanks to the low currents involved in switching and sensing, the life of the COBO 4500 series Smart rocker switches has been extended to up to 500,000 cycles. The IP69K frontal protection rating and operating temperature range of -40 to +85°C allow the switches to be safely operated in harsh environments, including installations with direct exposure to the elements. |
VARIANTS AND AVAILABILITY Each Smart switch has 4 LEDs, grouped two by two under the ends of the buttons. Each group consists of a white LED for the switch search function and an RGB LED for activations. The LED functions for each switch are fully customizable, including RGB color, intensity, and flashing duration. LEDs can also be used for self-diagnostic signaling and to identify certain special conditions, e.g., incorrect or absent configuration. |
The customer can choose to order the fully defined switch complete with key (standard code), or the bare switch body plus keys separately. Software matching between keys and switch bodies can be done at the manufacturer’s site by means of dedicated free COBO software. No more need to stock countless switch variants!
