阅读说明：本技术 操作装置、带有操作装置的机动车和运行操作装置的方法 (Operating device, motor vehicle with an operating device and method for operating an operating device ) 是由 K.迈尔林 于 2019-07-26 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及操作装置、带有操作装置的机动车和运行操作装置的方法,具体而言涉及一种用于机动车的操作装置,其包括操作元件,其能够通过力施加而下沉；布置在操作元件下方的弹动片材,其用于在弹动片材由于操作元件的下沉而变形时在操作元件处施加触觉反馈；在操作元件下方并在弹动片材旁边布置的由电活性的聚合物组成的阻止体,其形状能够取决于所施加的电压如此改变,使得阻止操作元件的下沉或实现操作元件的下沉以用于使弹动片材变形；探测装置,其用于探测手指在操作元件处的触碰位置；控制装置,其设置成用于,取决于所探测的手指的触碰位置来调整在阻止体处的电压。此外本发明涉及用于运行操作装置的方法以及带有这样的操作装置的机动车。(The invention relates to an operating device, a motor vehicle with an operating device and a method for operating an operating device, in particular to an operating device for a motor vehicle, comprising an operating element which can be lowered by force application; a resilient sheet arranged below the operating element for applying a tactile feedback at the operating element when the resilient sheet is deformed due to sinking of the operating element; a blocking body composed of an electroactive polymer, which is arranged below the actuating element and next to the spring sheet, the shape of which can be changed depending on the applied voltage in such a way that a depression of the actuating element is prevented or achieved for deforming the spring sheet; a detection device for detecting a touch position of a finger at the operation element; a control device, which is provided to adjust the voltage at the blocking body depending on the detected touch position of the finger. The invention further relates to a method for operating an operating device and to a motor vehicle having such an operating device.)

1. Operating device (10) for a motor vehicle, comprising

-an operating element (12) which is sinkable by force application;

-an elastic sheet (16) arranged below the operating element (12) for applying a tactile feedback at the operating element (12) when the elastic sheet (16) is deformed due to the sinking of the operating element (12);

-a blocking body (18) of an electroactive polymer arranged below the actuating element (12) and beside the spring sheet (16), the shape of which can be changed depending on the applied voltage in such a way that a depression of the actuating element (12) is blocked or effected for deforming the spring sheet (16);

-detection means (22) for detecting a touch position of a finger at the operating element (12);

-control means (24) arranged for adjusting the voltage at the blocking body in dependence on the detected touch position of the finger.

2. Operating device (10) according to claim 1,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the shape of the blocking body (18) effects a sinking of the operating element (12) with an applied voltage for deforming the spring sheet (16) and blocks the sinking of the operating element (12) without the applied voltage.

3. Operating device (10) according to claim 1 or 2,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the operating element (12) has at least one marking, wherein the control device (24) is provided for adjusting the voltage accordingly for realizing a depression of the operating element (12) only when the finger touches the marking.

4. Operating device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the operating element (12) has at least two markings, wherein the control device (24) is provided for applying the voltage to the blocking body (18) in an oscillating manner in order to set the operating element (12) in vibration when the finger is detected to be arranged between the markings.

5. Operating device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the detection device (22) is designed to capacitively detect a contact position of the finger on the operating element (12).

6. Operating device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the detection device (22) has two further such blocking bodies (18) next to the blocking bodies (18), wherein all three blocking bodies (18) rest against the underside of the operating element (12) without an applied voltage and generate a voltage when a force is applied to the operating element (12), wherein the control device (24) is provided for detecting the contact position of the finger at the operating element (12) by means of triangulation on the basis of the generated voltages.

7. Operating device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the blocking body (18) has an elastic and electrically insulating silicone body, which is arranged between two electrically conductive silicone elastomer layers serving as electrodes.

8. A motor vehicle with an operating device (10) according to one of the preceding claims.

9. Method for operating an operating device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, in which method the voltage at the blocking body (18) is adjusted by means of the control device (24) depending on the contact position of the finger detected by means of the detection device (22) in order to block a depression of the operating element (12) or to achieve a depression of the operating element (12) for deforming the sprung sheet (16).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an operating device for a motor vehicle, a motor vehicle having such an operating device, and a method for operating such an operating device.

Background

It is known per se to provide an operating element, for example in the form of a key or the like, at which haptic feedback can be output.

Thus US 2007/0152974 a1 shows, for example, a button at which tactile feedback can be output. An electroactive polymer is arranged below the button, wherein a metal dome is also arranged below the electroactive polymer in order to be able to generate a click-type tactile feedback when the button is actuated. An artificial rigidity can be added to the rigidity of the metal dome by means of an electroactive polymer in order to influence the tactile feedback at the button.

DE 2014219316 a1 shows an operating element, under which a sprung sheet is arranged. When the operating element is moved far enough towards the sprung sheet, this causes a spontaneous deformation of the sprung sheet, thereby bringing the two contact portions into contact with each other.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a solution by means of which the generation of haptic feedback at the operating element can be controlled in a particularly simple manner.

This object is achieved by an operating device for a motor vehicle and a method for operating such an operating device having the features of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention with advantageous and non-trivial developments are specified in the dependent claims.

The operating device for a motor vehicle according to the invention comprises an operating element which can be lowered by the application of force. Furthermore, the operating device comprises a spring sheet arranged below the operating element for applying a tactile feedback at the operating element when the spring sheet is deformed due to a sinking of the operating element. Such a sprung sheet is also commonly referred to as a clicker spring (Knackfeder). The spring sheet can consist, for example, of spring steel, wherein the spring steel is pressed such that it has a stable and metastable (sometimes referred to as metastable) state. The spring steel is bent by the force action until it suddenly experiences a metastable state as a result of being pressed down. A sudden jump at this point usually produces a loud audible click. If this force application is reduced again, a spring-back is achieved, in which case a loud clicking sound is again produced. By means of the spring sheet material, it is thus possible to achieve that when the actuating element is lowered to such an extent that it deforms the spring sheet material arranged thereunder by a corresponding force application, a tactile and also acoustic feedback is output at the actuating element. Furthermore, the spring sheet also outputs a haptic and acoustic feedback when the force application at the actuating element is removed, as a result of which the actuating element returns (for example, also supported by a return spring) into the starting position. In this case, the spring sheet is deformed again into its stable initial state.

Furthermore, a blocking body composed of an electroactive polymer is arranged below the actuating element and next to the spring sheet, the shape of which blocking body can be changed depending on the applied voltage in such a way that a depression of the actuating element is blocked or is realized for the purpose of deforming the spring sheet. Depending on how the blocking body is acted upon by the voltage, the blocking body either has such a shape that the blocking body blocks the depression of the actuating element, i.e. the actuating element cannot be depressed, or there is so much space between the blocking body and the actuating element that the actuating element can be depressed in the direction of the spring sheet by the deformation of the spring sheet for the deformation of the spring sheet. The operating device further comprises a detection device for detecting a contact position of a finger on the operating element, and a control device which is provided for adjusting the voltage at the blocking body as a function of the detected contact position of the finger.

The actuating element (which can be, for example, a key cap) is provided with so much free space by means of the blocking body, that is, by applying (e.g., Aufprägung) a voltage accordingly or by removing the voltage completely, that the spring sheet (which can also be understood as a click sheet) located underneath the actuating element can be brought to collapse by means of the actuating element and thus produce a corresponding switching sensation.

In this way, a particularly simple design of the operating device for a motor vehicle is provided, by means of which the generation of the haptic feedback at the operating element can be controlled in a particularly simple manner as a function of the contact position of the detected finger at the operating element.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the shape of the blocking body effects a depression of the actuating element with an applied voltage for deforming the spring sheet and blocks the depression of the actuating element without an applied voltage. In other words, a certain voltage must be applied or applied to the blocking body, as a result of which the blocking body is tightened to such an extent with respect to the actuating direction or the retraction direction of the actuating element (zusamminziehen, sometimes referred to as constriction) that sufficient space is present between the blocking body and the actuating element to enable the actuating element to be retracted in the direction of the sprung sheet. In the absence of an applied or no applied voltage, the shape of the blocking body is such that it rests directly on the operating element from below and thus prevents: the operating element can sink. In this case, it is advantageous that the blocking body reliably prevents the operating element from sinking when no voltage is present and thus in the current-free state. That is, it is not necessary to apply a voltage permanently to the blocking body, which thus prevents the operating element from sinking.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the operating element has at least one marking, wherein the control device is provided for adjusting the voltage accordingly for the purpose of sinking the operating element only when the marking is touched by a finger. The operating element can, as mentioned, be a push button or a push button, for example, wherein the marking can be provided on the operating element, for example, in the form of a lacquer or other permanent marking, for example, in a durable manner. It is also possible that the operating element is, for example, a touch-sensitive display device, such as a touch screen or the like, wherein in this case at least one marking can fade in. By arranging the control device for adjusting the voltage at the blocking body accordingly for the purpose of sinking the actuating element only when the finger touches the marking, it can be ensured that the function associated with the actuation of the actuating element is also triggered only when the user in question touches the marking with his finger. If the user touches the operating element with his finger, for example, at a different location where the marking is not present, a false triggering of, for example, a function and thus also a subsequent feedback by means of the springing of the sheet material can be inhibited.

According to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the actuating element has at least two markers, wherein the control device is provided for applying a voltage to the blocking body in an oscillating manner in order to set the actuating element in vibration when a finger is detected to be arranged between the markers. If a voltage is applied to the blocking body in an oscillating manner, this causes the blocking body to expand and contract in an oscillating manner, thereby triggering a vibration at the operating element, which can now be detected by the user with his finger. In this case, the voltage is preferably selected to be only so great and to change in such a rapid oscillating manner that the user cannot press the actuating element downward to such an extent that the spring sheet is deformed. In this way, the user can be made aware in a simple manner that he has neither touched the one marking with his finger, nor the other marking with his finger. This makes it possible to avoid erroneous triggering of the function associated with the marker. Since the user is urged to place his finger correspondingly precisely on one of the two markings before he can let the operating element sink towards the sprung sheet at the location concerned.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the detection device is designed to capacitively detect a contact position of a finger on the operating element. In this way, the contact position of the finger on the operating element can be reliably and precisely detected in a particularly simple manner.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the detection device has two further such blocking bodies next to the blocking body, wherein all three blocking bodies rest against the underside of the operating element without an applied voltage and generate a voltage when a force is applied to the operating element, wherein the control device is provided for detecting the contact position of the finger at the operating element by means of triangulation on the basis of the generated voltages. In this way, the respective contact position of the finger at the actuating element can be detected only by means of the blocking body and the control device. In this case, for example, the contact position of the finger at the operating element can also be ascertained without any further sensor device (for example, a capacitive sensor device, a pressure sensor, or the like).

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the blocking body has an elastic and electrically insulating silicone body, which is arranged between two electrically conductive silicone elastomer layers serving as electrodes. The latter can simply be charged with a voltage, whereby the two silicone elastomer layers attract and squeeze the elastic, insulating silicone body between them. In other words, the blocking body forms a deformable capacitor of the type in which the shape can be changed quite easily by applying or removing a voltage accordingly.

The motor vehicle according to the invention comprises an operating device according to the invention or an advantageous embodiment of an operating device according to the invention.

In the method according to the invention for operating the actuating device according to the invention or an advantageous embodiment of the actuating device according to the invention, the voltage at the blocking body is adjusted by means of the control device as a function of the contact position of the finger detected by means of the detection device, in order to block a depression of the actuating element or to achieve a depression of the actuating element for deforming the sprung sheet. An advantageous embodiment of the operating device according to the invention can be regarded as an advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention and vice versa, wherein the operating device has in particular means for carrying out the method steps.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and feature combinations cited in the description and/or shown in the drawings can be used not only in the respectively specified combination but also in other combinations or alone without leaving the scope of the invention.

Drawings

The attached drawings are

Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of an operating device for a motor vehicle having an operating element which can be lowered by force application, wherein a spring sheet for applying a haptic feedback is arranged below the operating element and a stop body for stopping the lowering movement of the operating element is arranged next to it, which stops the lowering of the operating element; and in

Fig. 2 shows a further schematic illustration of the actuating device, wherein the blocking body is deformed by applying a voltage to it in such a way that the actuating element can be lowered in the direction of the sprung sheet.

In the figures, identical or functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

List of reference numerals

10 operating device

12 operating element

14 guide for an operating element

16 spring sheet

18 stopping body

20 wire rod

22 detection device

24 control device

26 a carrier.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of an operating device 10 for a motor vehicle, not shown here. The operating device 10 comprises an operating element 12 which can be lowered by the application of force. The operating element 12 can be, for example, a pushbutton on a center console of the motor vehicle or any other pushbutton at another location in the vehicle interior of the motor vehicle.

The actuating element 12 is guided and supported by way of the respective guide 14 in such a way that the actuating element 12 can be translationally lowered out of the position shown there, in that a corresponding force is exerted on the actuating element 12 from above by one or more fingers. Furthermore, a spring sheet 16 is arranged below the actuating element 12, which spring sheet is domed or arched upward (i.e. in the direction of the actuating element 12) in the mechanically unloaded state.

The spring sheet 16 bears directly against the underside of the operating element 12. Furthermore, a blocking body 18 made of an electroactive polymer is also arranged below the actuating element 12 and next to the spring sheet 16. The shape of the blocking body 18 can be changed depending on the applied voltage in such a way that a depression of the actuating element 12 is prevented or is achieved for the purpose of deforming the spring sheet 16. In the present case, two wires 20 are also schematically depicted, which are connected to the blocking body 18 in an electrically conductive manner, so that a voltage can be applied to the blocking body 18 by means of the wires.

Furthermore, the operating device 10 comprises a detection device 22, which is only schematically illustrated here, for detecting the contact position of a finger on the operating element 12. By means of the detection device 22, it can be ascertained in particular where the user touches the operating element 12 with his finger on the upper side facing away from the sprung sheet 16. Furthermore, the operating device 10 comprises a control device 24, which is provided to adjust the voltage at the blocking body 18 as a function of the contact position of the finger currently detected by means of the detection device 22.

The blocking body 18 can, for example, have an elastic, electrically insulating silicone body, which is not shown in greater detail here, and which is arranged between two electrically conductive silicone elastomer layers serving as electrodes. The latter is then connected in an electrically conductive manner to the respective wire 20. If a voltage is applied to the conductive silicone elastomer layers, the silicone elastomer layers acting as electrodes attract each other, whereby the silicone body arranged therebetween is pressed.

In the exemplary embodiment described at the time, the blocking body 18 has the shape shown here without a voltage being applied, in which case no gap is present between the blocking body 18 and the operating element 12. In other words, the blocking body 18 rests against the underside of the actuating element 12 without any voltage being applied and thus prevents a depression of the actuating element 12. As soon as a voltage is applied to the blocking body 18, it is tightened such that an intermediate space (sometimes referred to as a gap) is present between the blocking body 18 and the actuating element 12, as a result of which the actuating element 12 can be lowered in the direction of the spring sheet 16.

Fig. 2 shows the actuating device 10 in a further schematic side view, wherein the blocking body 18 is charged with a voltage, whereby it is pressed to such an extent that the actuating element 12 can now sink in the direction of the spring-loaded sheet 16, the two guides 14, the spring-loaded sheet 16 and the blocking body 18 can be arranged, for example, on a holder 26 in the form of a plate or the like, whereby the spring-loaded sheet 16 and also the blocking body 18 are supported downward, if the actuating element 12 is pressed downward far enough, the spring-loaded sheet 16 is bent to such an extent that the spring-loaded sheet is turned over by pressing (umst ü lpen, sometimes referred to as upside down or upside down) and assumes a metastable state, wherein a sudden jump into the metastable state is achieved, which produces a loud clicking sound, if the force application is cancelled again, the spring-loaded sheet 16 springs back into the stable shape shown here again, wherein the loud clicking sound again is produced, by means of the spring-loaded sheet 16, thus enabling an acoustic feedback (i.e., once again, when the spring-loaded again, the spring-loaded spring 12 is released again, and the spring-loaded again is again brought into the actuating element 12, again, the spring-loaded again, the spring-loaded, the spring is returned, again, the actuating element 12, again, the.

The operating element 12 can, for example, have a marking which identifies a function which can be triggered by actuating the operating element 12. The control device 24 is provided to set the voltage at the blocking body 18 accordingly to achieve a depression of the actuating element 12 only when the finger touches the marking. If this is not the case, the operating element 12 is prevented from being depressed. This prevents erroneous activation of the function associated with the relevant marker when the user attempts to press down the operation element 12 but does not touch the marker.

It is also possible for the actuating element 12 to have, for example, two markings, wherein the control device 24 can be provided for applying a voltage oscillation to the blocking body 18 in order to set the actuating element 12 into vibration when it is detected that a finger of a user is arranged between the markings. In this way, the user can easily recognize that he does not precisely touch one of the two markings with his finger. This makes it possible to avoid erroneous activation of the function associated with the marking, since the user directly recognizes that he is not selecting or touching any of the markings precisely.

The detection device 22 can detect the contact position of a finger on the operating element 12, for example capacitively. Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the detection device 22 to have two further such blocking bodies next to the blocking body 18 shown here, wherein the three blocking bodies 18 then rest against the underside of the operating element 12 in the absence of an applied voltage and generate a voltage in the event of a force being applied to the operating element 12 (i.e. in the event of a squeezing of the blocking bodies).

The control device 24 is in this case provided for detecting the contact position of the finger on the operating element 12 by means of triangulation on the basis of the generated voltage. In this way, it is also possible without further sensor devices to detect the respective contact position of the finger on the operating element 12 solely by means of the three blocking bodies 18 and the control device 24, with a certain force being applied to the operating element 12.