阅读说明：本技术 用于机动车的触敏的操作元件 (Touch-sensitive operating element for a motor vehicle ) 是由 B·施密特 T·博登施泰因 于 2019-08-20 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于机动车的触敏的操作元件(1),其中触敏的操作元件(1)具有壳体(3)和设置在壳体(3)中的载体元件(4),所述载体元件构成用于设置至少一个触敏的输入件(5),尤其触摸板或触摸屏,其中载体元件(4)经由至少一个复位元件(6)能够相对于壳体(3)运动地支承,其中在壳体(3)中设置有具有接触元件(10)的促动器单元(7),所述接触元件构成用于触敏的输入件(5)的,尤其载体元件(4)的振荡激励,其中促动器单元(7)经由连接元件(12)与导体装置(11),优选地与电路板电连接,其中连接元件(12)构成为导电橡胶(13)。(The invention relates to a touch-sensitive operating element (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the touch-sensitive operating element (1) has a housing (3) and a carrier element (4) arranged in the housing (3), the carrier element is designed to provide at least one touch-sensitive input element (5), in particular a touch pad or a touch screen, wherein the carrier element (4) is mounted so as to be movable relative to the housing (3) via at least one restoring element (6), wherein an actuator unit (7) having a contact element (10) is arranged in the housing (3), the contact element forms an oscillation excitation of an input element (5) for touch sensing, in particular of a carrier element (4), wherein the actuator unit (7) is electrically connected to the conductor arrangement (11), preferably to the circuit board, via a connecting element (12), wherein the connecting element (12) is designed as an electrically conductive rubber (13).)

1. A touch-sensitive operating element (1) for a motor vehicle, wherein the touch-sensitive operating element (1) has a housing (3) and a carrier element (4) arranged in the housing (3), the carrier element (4) forming an input (5) for arranging at least one touch-sensitive input, in particular a touch pad or a touch screen, wherein the carrier element (4) is mounted so as to be movable relative to the housing (3) via at least one restoring element (6), wherein an actuator unit (7) having a contact element (10) is arranged in the housing (3), the contact element (10) forming an oscillation excitation for the input (5) of the touch-sensitive input, in particular the carrier element (4), wherein the actuator unit (7) is electrically connected to a conductor device (11), preferably to a circuit board, via a connecting element (12), characterized in that the connecting element (12) is designed as an electrically conductive rubber (13).

2. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the electrically conductive rubber (13) is arranged between the actuator unit (7) and the conductor arrangement (11), wherein the electrically conductive rubber (13) has a pretensioning force in the mounted state.

3. The touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuator unit (7) is arranged supported on the housing (3) and on the electrically conductive rubber (13) in order to pre-tension the electrically conductive rubber (13).

4. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the actuator unit (7) comprises an actuator housing (8) and a coil body (9) and comprises an armature (2) which contacts the carrier element (4), wherein the armature (2) is arranged supported on the carrier element (4) and the actuator housing (8) and/or the coil body (9) is arranged supported on the electrically conductive rubber (13).

5. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the electrically conductive rubber (13) is arranged between the conductor arrangement (11) and the actuator housing (8) and/or the coil body (9).

6. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the contact element (10) of the actuator unit (7) is designed as a wire end of the coil conductor (9), which is pressed onto the electrically conductive rubber (13).

7. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the wire end of the coil body (9) comprises tin.

8. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the line arrangement (11) has a contact surface (15) made of gold.

9. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the contact surface (15) is arranged on the conductor arrangement (11) such that the pre-tensioned conductive rubber (13) contacts the contact surface (15).

10. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the electrically conductive rubber (13) comprises a substrate (17) made of plastic, a carrier (19) for arranging the substrate (17) and an electrically conductive element (16).

11. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to claim 10, characterized in that the electrically conductive element (16) comprises gold or carbon, preferably graphite or coal ash.

12. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the carrier (19) is composed of an elastomer, in particular of a silicon material.

13. The touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the electrically conductive rubber (13) comprises a carrier (19) which is formed as a core (18) and which is surrounded by an elastomer, in particular a silicon raw material, and a substrate (17) which is at least partially formed from plastic, wherein the electrically conductive element (16) is arranged on the substrate (17) and/or on the carrier (19).

14. The touch-sensitive operating element according to claim 13, characterized in that the electrically conductive element (16) comprises at least one gold-plated wire, which is arranged on the substrate (17) and/or on the carrier (19), preferably on a core (18) which is designed as an elastomer.

15. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the restoring element (6) can be connected to the carrier element (4) and to the housing (3) and/or to the conductor arrangement (11) in such a way that the carrier element (4) is supported on the housing (3).

16. Touch-sensitive operating element (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that a sensor unit (14) is provided on the line arrangement (11), which sensor unit detects a manipulation of the touch-sensitive input element (5) by a user.

Technical Field

The invention relates to a touch-sensitive operating element for a motor vehicle, wherein the touch-sensitive operating element has a housing and a carrier element arranged in the housing, which carrier element forms an input for arranging at least one touch-sensitive input, in particular a touch pad or a touch screen, wherein the carrier element is mounted so as to be movable relative to the housing via at least one restoring element, wherein an actuator unit having a contact element is arranged in the housing, which contact element forms an oscillation excitation for the touch-sensitive input, in particular the carrier element, wherein the actuator unit is electrically connected to a conductor arrangement, preferably a circuit board, via a connecting element.

Background

Touch-sensitive control elements for motor vehicles are known from the prior art, which have a housing and a carrier element arranged in the housing. The carrier element is used to provide a touch-sensitive input, which is designed, for example, as a touch pad or as a touch screen. The carrier element is mounted so as to be movable relative to the housing via at least one restoring element, which is designed as a spring element, wherein the touch-sensitive input, in particular the carrier element, is excited in an oscillating manner by an actuator unit having a coil body, which is arranged in the actuator housing. For this purpose, the actuator unit is electrically connected to the circuit board via a connecting element in the form of a cable. The production of the touch-sensitive operating element connects a cable to a cable interface, which is provided on the actuator unit. The other end of the cable has a plug, which must be connected to the circuit board. The production of touch-sensitive operating elements is therefore very cost-intensive. Alternatively and/or additionally, the cable can also be soldered to the circuit board or the cable can be connected to the circuit board by means of press-in contacts. However, this solution is also very complex, time-consuming and therefore also very expensive within the scope of the production process of the touch-sensitive operating element. In particular, the soldered portion of the circuit board may be continuously damaged due to the oscillation generated by the actuator unit, so that the connection element connected to the actuator unit may be released from the circuit board.

Disclosure of Invention

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a touch-sensitive control element having a simple and inexpensive structural design.

This object is achieved by claim 1, in particular by the characterizing part of claim 1.

It is proposed that the connecting element is designed as an electrically conductive rubber.

The electrically conductive rubber can be arranged in a space-saving manner in the housing of the touch-sensitive operating element, so that the touch-sensitive operating element has a very compact and simple construction. In this case, it is possible to dispense with the use of additional cables for the touch-sensitive operating element, which additional cables must be electrically connected to the circuit board and/or the actuator unit by means of a soldered connection or crimped connection. The use of the electrically conductive rubber thereby advantageously reduces the production costs of the operating element for touch sensing. The mounting of the conductive rubber can also be simply performed by a worker or a machine tool.

If the electrically conductive rubber is positioned in a predefined position by a machine tool or a worker, the electrically conductive rubber is reliably and safely electrically connected to the actuator unit and the circuit board automatically by assembling the individual components of the touch-sensitive operating element. Any further connecting technique for connecting the actuator unit and the circuit board can thus be superfluous, so that a significant cost advantage results in the production of the touch-sensitive operating element. Furthermore, the actuator unit can be flexibly positioned in the housing by using an electrically conductive rubber, since the electrically conductive rubber can be provided at a plurality of locations, in particular on the conductor arrangement, due to its small and compact design compared to cables.

According to the invention, a touch-sensitive input element is provided. The term "touch-sensitive input element" is to be interpreted broadly. Typically a component of an input device, which defines an input face towards the operator, on which contact by the user's input organ or finger is detected by a sensing mechanism. Preferably, the touch-sensitive input element is a touch panel, that is to say a non-display input element or touch screen with spatially resolved detection of a contact on an input surface associated with the input element, that is to say an input element with spatially resolved detection of a contact on an input surface associated with the input element, wherein in the latter case an electronic display, in particular an electronic pixel matrix display, is also associated with the input surface.

For example, one or more sensors for detecting contact and/or pressure on the input surface are associated with the input surface. For example, a plurality of electrodes arranged in a matrix and an associated evaluation unit for position-resolved touch detection and/or one or more force sensors, such as one or more capacitive force sensors, for detecting a pressure caused by a manipulation are involved.

According to the invention, an actuator unit having an actuator is also provided in order to kinematically drive the input element for generating the haptic feedback. Preferably, the input is driven linearly. Preferably, the actuator is an electromechanical or electromagnetic actuator. For example, the actuator unit has a coil, the electromagnetic field generated by the coil of the actuator being formed and arranged for interacting with the armature. According to the invention, the actuator has an action axis which describes the effective action direction in order to cause a movement of the input element, for example a touch-sensitive display, in order to generate a touch feedback in the direction of the deflection.

The term "conductive rubber" is to be interpreted broadly. This generally relates to electrical connection elements used in electronic devices. The electrically conductive rubber comprises electrically conductive elements which are arranged indirectly or directly on the elastomer body which is designed as a carrier. For example, the conductive element may comprise carbon particles, such as graphite or soot, or may also be a gold portion, such as a gold-plated wire, for example. The electrically conductive rubber can have a layer structure, wherein the layer has at least an elastomer with an electrically conductive element and a substrate, preferably made of plastic. Therefore, the conductivity of the conductive rubber is smaller than in the case of the metal contact portion. Therefore, instead of the elastic electrical contact, an electrically conductive rubber is preferably used.

Preferably, an electrically conductive rubber is arranged between the actuator unit and the conductor arrangement, wherein the electrically conductive rubber has a pretensioning force in the installed state. This measure advantageously ensures that the electrically conductive rubber can provide a reliable electrical connection between the actuator unit and the circuit board.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the touch-sensitive operating element, the actuator unit can be arranged supported on the carrier element and the electrically conductive rubber in order to pretension the electrically conductive rubber. By means of the measures described, the electrically conductive rubber is compressed, so that a reliable electrical connection between the actuator unit and the conductor arrangement can be provided.

Preferably, it can also be provided that the actuator unit comprises an actuator housing and a coil body as well as an armature, which contacts the carrier element, wherein the armature is arranged supported on the carrier element and the actuator housing and/or the coil body is arranged supported on the electrically conductive rubber.

It may also preferably be provided that an electrically conductive rubber is arranged between the conductor arrangement and the actuator housing and/or the coil body.

A safe and reliable contact between the actuator unit, in particular the coil body, and the electrically conductive rubber is provided if the contact elements of the actuator unit are designed as wire ends of the coil body, which are pressed onto the electrically conductive rubber by the carrier element.

An improved corrosion protection for the wire end of the coil body can be achieved if the wire end of the coil body comprises tin.

If the conductor arrangement has a contact surface made of gold, a reliable and safe electrical connection can be ensured between the actuator unit and the conductor arrangement. In this case, the contact surface is arranged on the conductor arrangement such that the pre-stressed conductive rubber contacts the contact surface in order to always ensure an electrical connection between the actuator unit and the conductor arrangement.

The electrically conductive rubber can have a compact and simple structural design if it comprises a substrate made of plastic, a carrier for accommodating the substrate and an electrically conductive element. This may be suitable when the conductive element comprises, for example, gold or carbon, preferably graphite or coal ash. Silver is also contemplated. Since gold is used for the conductive rubber, the resistance of the conductive rubber can be reduced. This means that the conductive rubber has a low contact resistance and a through-resistance which influences the current or the electrical signal and has a high current strength.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the touch-sensitive operating element, the carrier body can be made of an elastomer, in particular a silicon material. Elastomers, in particular silicon materials, are used for the flexible properties of the conductive rubber and ensure the pretensioning of the conductive rubber. The carrier made of an elastomer serves to reliably electrically connect the actuator unit to the conductor arrangement, since the electrically conductive rubber can be supported on the actuator unit, in particular on the coil body and the conductor arrangement, by pre-tensioning the electrically conductive rubber. As a result, it can be ensured that the restoring element is connected to the carrier element and to the housing and/or the conductor arrangement, so that the carrier element is supported on the housing.

The electrically conductive rubber can be formed very robustly if it comprises a carrier formed as a core, which is surrounded by an elastomer, in particular a silicon raw material, and at least partially by a substrate formed from plastic, wherein a conductive element is provided on the substrate, which conductive element comprises at least one gold-plated wire. The substrate, which is preferably composed of a polymer, serves to reliably position and hold the gold-plated wires.

It can also be provided that the electrically conductive element comprises at least one gold-plated wire, which is arranged on the substrate and/or on the carrier, preferably on a core which is designed as an elastomer. The substrate, which is preferably composed of a polymer, serves to reliably position and hold the at least one gold-plated wire. The at least one gold-plated wire may for example also be wound completely or partially around the substrate.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the touch-sensitive operating element, the restoring element can be connected to the carrier element and to the housing and/or the conductor arrangement such that the carrier element is supported on the housing. The electrically conductive rubber can be pre-tensioned by a positive and/or non-positive connection of the actuator housing to the housing.

Furthermore, it may be provided that a sensor unit is provided on the conductor arrangement, which sensor unit detects a user actuation of the touch-sensitive input element.

Drawings

The invention and the technical environment are explained in detail below with reference to the drawings. It is noted that the drawings illustrate particularly preferred embodiments to which, however, the invention is not restricted. The figures show:

fig. 1 shows a side sectional view of a touch-sensitive operating element according to the invention;

fig. 2 shows a detail of a touch-sensitive operating element; and

fig. 3 shows a side view of the conductive rubber of the touch-sensitive operating element.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 schematically shows a touch-sensitive operating element 1 according to the invention, which is provided, for example, in a center console of a motor vehicle. However, it is also conceivable for the touch-sensitive operating element 1 to be designed as a steering wheel switch, which is arranged on the steering wheel of the motor vehicle. The touch-sensitive operating element 1 has a housing 3 in which a carrier element 4 is arranged. The touch-sensitive control element 1 also comprises a touch-sensitive input element 5, which can be embodied as a touch pad or a touch screen, embodied as a user interface. Alternatively, the carrier element 4 can also be designed as a control panel itself. The carrier element 4 is mounted in a horizontally movable manner relative to the housing 3 via preferably three or four restoring elements 6, which are embodied as spring elements. A restoring element 6, which may be embodied as a helical spring, is arranged in the corner region of the housing 3.

The restoring element 6 can be fixed both to the carrier element 4 and to the housing 3. The restoring element 6 can be connected to the housing 3 in a material-fit and/or force-fit and/or form-fit manner. Furthermore, the restoring element 6 can be connected to the carrier element 4 in a material-fit and/or force-fit and/or form-fit manner.

For the oscillatory excitation of the carrier element 4 and of the touch-sensitive input 5 arranged on the carrier element 4, an electromagnetic actuator is provided which is associated with the actuator unit 7 and which is coupled to the carrier element 4 and/or the touch-sensitive input 5. The actuator unit 7 comprises an armature 2 and an electromagnet, not shown in detail, wherein the armature 2 is preferably spaced apart or in contact with the carrier element 4 and/or preferably in contact with the touch-sensitive input 5. The armature 2 can be L-shaped, for example, and connected to the carrier element 4 and/or to the touch-sensitive input 5 in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting and/or material-fitting manner. Furthermore, the actuator unit 7 comprises an actuator housing 8 and a coil body 9, wherein the coil body 9 is preferably arranged in the actuator housing 8 and has a plurality of coil windings. The coil body 9 has contact elements 10 which are arranged at corresponding ends of the coil body 9, in particular at ends of the coil windings, wherein the contact elements 10 of the actuator unit 7 are designed as wire ends of the coil body 9, in particular of the coil windings, which are preferably pressed onto the electrically conductive rubber 13 by the carrier element 4 during assembly, as is shown in fig. 2. The wire end is arranged between the coil body 9 and the conductive rubber 13 before being connected with the conductive rubber 13, wherein the wire end of the coil body 9 may be composed of tin in order to prevent corrosion of said wire end.

The restoring element 6 is connected to the carrier element 4 and to the housing 3 and/or the conductor arrangement 11, so that the carrier element 4 is supported on the housing 3. The electrically conductive rubber 13 is prestressed by a positive and/or non-positive connection of the actuator housing 8 to the housing 3.

Furthermore, a circuit board designed as a conductor arrangement 11 is provided in the housing 3, which circuit board is connected to the actuator unit 7 via at least one connecting element 12, wherein the conductor arrangement 11 has a contact surface 15 made of gold.

When producing the touch-sensitive operating element 1, the connecting element 12 embodied as a conductive rubber 13 is arranged between the conductor arrangement 11 and the actuator unit 7, in particular between the conductor arrangement 11 and the actuator housing 8 and/or the coil body 9, wherein the contact element 10 of the actuator unit 7 is held in a predefined position on the conductive rubber 13, and then the contact element 10 and the conductor arrangement 11 are connected to the conductive rubber 13, so that the conductive rubber 13 is prestressed. The actuator unit 8 is preferably supported on the housing 3 and the conductive rubber 13 in order to pretension the conductive rubber 13. The actuator housing 8 and/or the coil body 9 can be supported on the electrically conductive rubber 13. Furthermore, a contact surface 15 is provided on the conductor arrangement 11, so that the pre-tensioned conductive rubber 13 can contact the contact surface 15.

Fig. 3 shows the electrically conductive rubber 13 in detail, which is used in the touch-sensitive operating element 1 according to the invention.

The conductive rubber 13 comprises a substrate 17 made of plastic, a carrier 19 for arranging the substrate 17 and a conductive element 16. The conductive element 16 here comprises gold or alternatively carbon, preferably graphite or coal ash. The conductive element 16 may also comprise silver. The carrier 19 is made of an elastomer, in particular a silicon material, so that the flexibility of the conductive rubber 13 can be ensured.

The electrically conductive rubber 13 comprises a carrier 19 which is designed as a core 18 and which is surrounded by an elastomer, in particular a silicon material, and at least partially by a substrate 17 which is designed as a plastic, wherein an electrically conductive element 16, which in the present exemplary embodiment comprises a plurality of gold-plated wires, is arranged on the substrate 17. It is also conceivable that the carrier 19 at least partially surrounds the substrate 17 and/or the electrically conductive element 16. In the sense of the present invention, all conceivable variants and designs of the electrically conductive rubber 13 are possible, which make it possible to ensure a reliable electrical connection between the actuator unit 7 and the conductor arrangement 11.

Furthermore, at least one sensor unit 14 is provided on the conductor arrangement 11, which detects the actuation of the touch-sensitive input element 1 by a user, for example by his finger 20.

Other alternative embodiments of the touch-sensitive operating element 1 are possible. The conductor arrangement 11 can therefore also be designed as a thin conductive foil, for example, having a thickness of 1mm to 3mm at the most. The actuator unit 7 may be configured as a piezoelectric actuator.

Furthermore, it is also possible to bring the coil body 9 into direct contact with the conductive rubber 13, wherein then the contact element 10 is arranged between the conductive rubber 13 and the coil body 9.

The actuator unit 7 can also be connected to the conductor arrangement 11, so that the armature 2 is arranged at a distance from the touch-sensitive input element 5 in the rest state of the touch-sensitive operating element 1. In this case, the actuator housing 8 can be connected to the conductor arrangement 11, for example, by connecting the conductive rubber 13 between them in a non-positive and/or material-fit manner, in order to pre-tension the conductive rubber 13. It can then be provided that the actuator housing 8 is clamped or locked to the conductor arrangement 11 and/or the housing 3 by the intermediate connection of the conductive rubber 13.