The present invention relates to a touch-sensitive-surface control module, in particular for a motor vehicle.
More precisely, such a module finds an advantageous application for controls that are on the console between the two front seats of a motor vehicle in order, for example, to control the functions of air-conditioning, of an audio system, of a telephony system or else of a navigation system. The invention may also be applied in a region of the vehicle called the dome which is situated in the usual location of the internal rear-view mirror, in order for example to control the interior lights, a central locking function, a sun roof, the hazard warning lights or the ambience lights. This module may also be used for the window-winder controls, the controls for positioning outside mirrors or else controls for moving motorized seats.
Control modules are known that are capable of lighting the controls for night driving in a motor vehicle, the lighting being produced via the rear face. For example, during daylight driving, the driver clearly perceives a white pictogram on the button and, during night driving, the backlighting allows the driver to easily locate the control.
Other modules are also capable of providing a haptic feedback making it possible to inform the user that the detection has been made and the switching taken place. For example, monostable-switch control modules are known such as the blister, making it possible to provide a haptic feedback to the user.
The blister or “blister dome” is a monostable switch with actuation by pressure, that is to say a device having a stable rest position and an unstable position in which the apex of the elastic blister dome deforms when a force is applied. The deformation of the blister is proportional to the force applied up to a transition of the blister. During the transition, the blister deforms suddenly which allows the generation of a haptic information feedback to the user, informing him of the achievement of a switching action in the case in which, for example, a switching action takes place by deflection of the blister dome between the dome and two tracks to be connected on a printed circuit.
However, the integration of haptic feedback devices in control modules already having backlighting functionalities is not always easy, in particular when the haptic feedback requires the deformation of a flexible protective layer.
The touch-sensitive control surface may then have an uneven appearance, for example with rough parts or bulges that may cause premature wear of the control device.
The object of the present invention is to propose a control module with haptic feedback benefiting from backlighting for better identification of the functions to be controlled, while having a uniform tactile sensation over the whole control surface.
Accordingly, the subject of the invention is a touch-sensitive-surface control module comprising:
According to other features of the control module,
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following exemplary description nonlimiting in character, with respect to the appended drawings in which:
In these figures, identical elements bear the same reference numbers.
The control device according to the invention is capable of controlling at least one electric or electronic member of a motor vehicle such as, for example, air-conditioning, an audio control, a navigation system, a telephony system, a motorized window-winder control, a control for adjusting an outside mirror, a control for adjusting the position of a sun roof, an interior lighting control or a control for adjusting a seat of a motor vehicle.
In this example, the touch-sensitive control surface 3 comprises eleven buttons 5 on which are symbolized the controls for the fog lights at the front and rear of the vehicle, for the hazard warning lights, for internal locking, for adjusting the fan or the temperature control.
The symbol 7 can be seen permanently according to a first embodiment or according to a second embodiment, only if backlighting is applied.
For this purpose, the touch-sensitive surface 3 comprises a flexible protective and decorative layer 9, which makes it possible to locally transmit a pressure and which comprises symbols 7 made of a material that allows the light to pass through at least partially.
According to first variant, the flexible layer 9 is for example made of silicone.
According to a second variant, the flexible layer 9 is made of a plastic film, for example of polycarbonate. The symbols/signs 7 can be produced by screen printing on the underside of the plastic film.
According to a third variant, this flexible layer 9 is made according to the “Black Panel” technology which is described in documents DE2613024, DE19702957, DE19705536, DE19935386, EP0803711 or WO2005035299. In this case, the symbols/signs 7 such as the numbers, letters or pictograms are made so that they are visible only with backlighting. Consequently, in the absence of a light source, the protective layer 9 appears uniform with no indication or writing on the touch-sensitive surface. In this case, the flexible protective layer 9 is advantageously made of a sheet of polycarbonate.
As can be seen more clearly in
A printed circuit board 15 is preferably placed beneath the monostable switch 11 and is supported by a base 17.
The monostable switch 11 allows the generation of a haptic feedback to the user informing him of the electric switching of the control member.
Preferably, the monostable switch 11 comprises a blister dome.
Three blister domes 11 can be distinguished in
The switching takes place for example by deflection of the blister dome 11 between the apex of the dome and two tracks to be connected on the printed circuit board 15, the deformation of the blister dome 11 generating a haptic feedback to the user.
According to another particular embodiment of the invention, the control module 1 advantageously comprises a pressure-sensitive sensor (not shown) placed beneath the monostable switch 11.
These sensors are sensitive to a compression which, by slightly reducing their thickness, results in an electric signal that can be used to ascertain the location of the support and/or the pressure applied. This sensor is preferably an FSR-technology sensor.
Moreover, the sensor makes it possible to produce an electric contact during the compression of the sensor in order to control a specific electric function.
The mechanical support 13 is for example made of plastic and allows light to pass through from at least one light source, such as a light-emitting diode defining regions of backlighting of the symbols or inscriptions of letter(s) 7 of the flexible protective layer 9.
The light sources (not shown) are supported by the printed circuit board 15. Preferably, one light source per backlighting region is provided.
If it is desired to use low-power light-emitting diodes, a transparent support 13 is preferred because it does not reduce the light power emitted by the sources.
If it is desired to obtain a more uniform and homogeneous lighting, in particular if the size of the backlighting zone is large relative to the size of the light source, a translucent or even milky support 13 is preferred to homogenize the light emitted by the sources.
The support 13 also comprises at least one passageway 21 (three in the example illustrated in
Moreover, the module 1 comprises a plate 19 made of an incompressible material, sandwiched between the rigid mechanical support 13 and the flexible protective layer 9. “Incompressible” means that a user cannot reduce the thickness thereof by pressing on the plate 19.
As can be more clearly seen in
The pivoting of the end 27 of the vane 23 allows the monostable switch 11 to be switched by the actuation locator 29 placed facing the passageway 21 of the support 13.
The vane 23 is placed beneath a button 5 for selecting control members of the touch-sensitive control surface 3 and has substantially the same dimensions as the button 5.
Preferably, the hinge 25 is made of the same material as the plate 19 and is formed by a thinning 31 of the section of the plate 19 allowing the vane 23 to pivot.
This embodiment of pivoting by hinge 25 makes it possible to activate the monostable switch 11 placed underneath, irrespective of the position of the finger 33 of the user on the surface of the button 5.
This arrangement is particularly suitable for producing elongated buttons 5, having for example a length of the order of 40 mm for a length of the order of 10 mm. The flexible protective layer 9 is for example attached to the fixed zones of the plate 19 at the hinges 25, preferably by bonding.
Conversely, the flexible protective layer 9 is left free at the vanes 23 so as to allow the vanes 23 to pivot.
The deformation of the flexible protective layer 9 is then carried out over the whole of the vane 23.
The plate 19 is preferably made of a material allowing light to pass through, that is to say transparent or translucent, preferably made of polycarbonate.
The vane 23 is therefore movable by pivoting between a raised rest position (a substantially horizontal position) illustrated in
The latter position is for example obtained by pressing with the end of the finger 33 on the vane 23.
The flexible layer 9 is slightly deformed elastically in order to allow the vane 23 to pivot toward the activation of the monostable switch 11 and therefore toward the initiation of a specific control.
As an example, the travel of the free end 27 in order to lower toward an actuation position is between less than a millimeter, for example 0.4 to 0.5 mm. Preferably, the actuation position is the end-of-travel position obtained when a pressure is applied.
Therefore, the support 13 used as a light guide for the light from the light sources also makes it possible to hold the plate 19 while allowing it to deform for the tilting of the control button.
The control module 1 obtained therefore incorporates backlighting and haptic feedback functions while retaining, on the flexible protective layer 9, a touch-sensitive control surface 3 that is continuous and perfectly smooth. In this way it is understandable that the touch-sensitive surface 3 comprises no rough part or hole, except for those purposely produced for ergonomic reasons, for example for the location of the buttons 5.
It can be understood that the touch-sensitive-surface control module 1 comprising a support 13 comprising at least one passageway 21 in order to allow the activation of the monostable switch 11, by deformation of the flexible protective layer 9 and a plate 19 sandwiched between the rigid mechanical support 13 and the flexible protective layer 9, the plate 19 delimiting at least one pivoting vane 23, the end of which is placed facing a passageway 21 of said support 13 to activate the monostable switch 11, makes it possible to obtain a control module 1 that has haptic feedback, is backlit and has a control surface 3 with no unevenness.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
07 08146 | Nov 2007 | FR | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
PCT/EP2008/065481 | 11/13/2008 | WO | 00 | 9/22/2010 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2009/065767 | 5/28/2009 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
7005588 | Pihlaja | Feb 2006 | B2 |
7071434 | McConnell et al. | Jul 2006 | B1 |
7518381 | Lamborghini et al. | Apr 2009 | B2 |
20070235295 | Verma et al. | Oct 2007 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
26 13 024 | Sep 1977 | DE |
197 02 957 | Aug 1998 | DE |
197 05 536 | Aug 1998 | DE |
199 35 386 | Feb 2001 | DE |
0 803 711 | Oct 1997 | EP |
1 176 619 | Jan 2002 | EP |
2 354 738 | Apr 2001 | GB |
H 11111098 | Apr 1999 | JP |
2005035299 | Apr 2005 | WO |
Entry |
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International Search Report w/translation from PCT/EP2008/065481 dated Feb. 16, 2009 (4 pages). |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20110006930 A1 | Jan 2011 | US |