DE102012006512A1 - Control device, particularly steering wheel, for motor vehicle, has touched surface for handling by user, particularly steering wheel rim, and passive temperature control unit with thermally insulated, particularly vacuum-insulated area - Google Patents

Abstract

The control device has a touched surface (2) for handling by a user, particularly a steering wheel rim (1a), and a passive temperature control unit (5) which has a thermally insulated, particularly vacuum-insulated area with a thermal conductivity and a pulse code modulation-tempering area (9) with a phase transition material (11). The phase transition is greater than 15 degree centigrade and smaller than 45 degree centigrade. The pulse code modulation-tempering area has a paraffin-containing phase transition material, particularly paraffin.

Description

The present invention relates to an operating device, in particular a steering wheel, for a motor vehicle, with a passive tempering device and a motor vehicle with such an operating device.

Operating devices in motor vehicles, in particular steering wheels, are frequently exposed to very low or very high temperatures or heat flows, in particular when the motor vehicle has been parked outdoors for a long time, for example in winter or in the summer. A user of a vehicle often needs to touch such temperature-exposed controls, such as the steering wheel of the vehicle, for extended periods of time, although they are at a temperature that is too high or too low to be comfortable on the user's hand.

Active tempering to solve this problem are known, but require a grollen installation space and / or consume a high amount of operating energy of the vehicle.

From the DE 199 51 323 A1 a steering wheel for a motor vehicle with a heat storage means is known, which is arranged in at least two spatially separated areas of the component.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved operating device with a passive tempering device.

This object is achieved by an operating device, in particular a steering wheel, with the features of claim 1. Claim 10 protects a motor vehicle with such an operating device. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

According to one aspect of the invention, an operating device for a motor vehicle having a contact surface for operation by a user, in particular a steering wheel rim, has a passive tempering device.

This tempering device has a thermally insulating, in particular vacuum-insulating, region with a thermal conductivity which is less than 0.05 WK ^-1 m ^-1 , in particular less than 0.01 WK ^-1 m ^-1 . Additionally or alternatively, the tempering device has at least one PCM-tempered region with a phase change material whose phase transition is greater than 15 ° C and less than 45 ° C. In particular, the phase transition may be greater than 20 ° C, preferably greater than 22 ° C. Additionally or alternatively, the phase transition may be less than 30 ° C, in particular less than 26 ° C, preferably less than 24 ° C.

As a result, a rapid adaptation of the temperature of the contact surface of the operating device to the temperature of a user's body part, in particular its finger or hand, can advantageously be achieved and / or a temperature that is perceived as comfortable when in contact with this body part can be obtained passively over a prolonged period of time. As a result, a control unit can be comfortably tempered for a user largely independently of the temperature load acting on it.

A thermally insulating region of the tempering device can vacuum, air and other, preferably pressure-reduced gases, and / or insulating materials such as in particular silica, in particular precipitation, pyrogenic, or the like, preferably evacuated as thermal insulators, polystyrene in different processing forms, in particular as EPS, EPS gray, XPS and the like, mineral wool and cork and / or wood-based materials have. A thermally insulating region preferably has evacuated silica.

Paraffin, trimethylolethane, sodium acetate and in general all suitable substances are provided as the phase transition material of a PCM-tempered material, which prefer a solid-liquid phase transition in the temperature range between 15 ° C and 45 ° C, in particular between 20 ° C and 30 ° C. at about 23 ° C, exhibit.

The invention will be described below in the context of a steering wheel for a motor vehicle, but is also suitable for other operating devices, in particular for handles and switches of a motor vehicle. In particular, door handles, shift levers, seat adjustment elements, rear view mirrors and shelves of a motor vehicle are also to be understood as operating devices in the sense of this invention.

In the present case, a touch surface is, in particular, a surface of an operating device which can or must touch a user for operating the operating device, preferably over a longer period of time, but also for shorter periods than two seconds.

A passive tempering requires in the context of the invention during its operation, preferably during a tempering, in particular no energy from energy sources, which are arranged outside the control device, in particular from a battery or indirectly from an engine of a motor vehicle.

In order to enable in particular a stable design, the operating device in one embodiment has at least one, in particular two or a plurality of filling cores made of a porous material. The pores of the porous material of the filling core are in particular, at least partially, arranged to be evacuated and / or filled with a PCM material.

In the present case, a filling core is formed in particular from at least one thermally insulating, preferably evacuated, material and / or as a carrier structure for receiving PCM material, in particular in the pores of the porous material.

In order to achieve in particular a stable and / or cost-effective design, one or more of these filling cores are arranged according to an embodiment in the thermally insulating region of the tempering device, and designed to be evacuable and / or pressure-resistant. In particular, at least one of these filler core has silica.

In particular, in order to achieve an evacuation of a thermally insulating region of the tempering device and / or an improvement of the thermal insulation, according to one embodiment, a thermally insulating region of the tempering device is surrounded by a gas-tight enclosure, in particular by a, substantially gas-tight, plastic film with a leak rate less than 10 ^-7 mbarls ^-1 . The sheath preferably comprises PET, polyolefin or a fluoropolymer.

In particular, in order to improve the tactile ease of use, in a preferred embodiment, the Berühroberfläche the control device at least partially, in particular in standard operating areas, by a mechanical insulating layer, which may be designed in particular compliant as a thermally insulating region, spaced from this thermally insulating region of the tempering ,

In particular, in order to achieve a solid-liquid phase transition in a temperature range which lies within a temperature-related comfort range of human fingers and / or hands, in a preferred embodiment the PCM-tempered region comprises a paraffin-containing phase transition material, in particular paraffin.

In particular, in order to achieve a temperature control of the entire operating device, in a preferred embodiment the tempering device is arranged essentially on the entire contact surface of the operating device, in particular at least substantially on the entire steering wheel rim. This is to be understood in relation to a steering wheel rim that extends the tempering both in the circumferential direction of the steering wheel rim and in the circumferential direction of an arbitrary cross section of the steering wheel rim at least substantially over the entire circumference.

Alternatively, according to a preferred embodiment, the tempering device is arranged on one or more predetermined partial areas of the contact surface, in particular on at least one standard operating area and / or on at least one partial area exposed to high temperature load.

As a result, it is advantageously possible to achieve a cost-effective and efficient tempering of subregions of the contact surface which is frequently used to operate and / or subject to severe temperature fluctuations.

In the present case, a standard operating area is in particular a partial area of the contact surface of the operating device, which is frequently operated and / or touched during operation by a user. In the present case, a partial area of the contact surface of the operating device exposed to a (strong) temperature load is in particular a partial area which is exposed to greater cold, greater heat and / or greater heat radiation, in particular solar radiation, with respect to other partial areas of the contact surface is, which in particular operating situations may arise in which this portion is particularly cold and / or hot relative to a perceived by a user's hand as comfortable temperature.

In particular, in order to facilitate production and / or assembly of the operating device, the tempering device in one embodiment has a thermally insulating region and a PCM tempered region, wherein these two regions are arranged substantially on different sides of a center line of a cross section of the operating device ,

According to one aspect of the invention, a motor vehicle has at least one operating device explained above, in particular a steering wheel.

Further advantageous developments of the present invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the following description of preferred embodiments. This shows, partially schematized:

1 a steering wheel according to an embodiment of the present invention with a tempering device with a PCM tempered area;

2 a steering wheel according to another embodiment of the present invention with a tempering device with a vacuum-insulating region;

3 a steering wheel according to another embodiment of the present invention with a tempering device with a PCM-tempered and a vacuum-insulating region; and

4 a steering wheel according to another embodiment of the present invention with a tempering device with several PCM-tempered and vacuum-insulating areas.

In 1 is a trained according to an embodiment of the present invention steering wheel 1 with a tempering device 5 with a PCM tempered area 9 shown. The steering wheel 1 has a steering wheel rim 1a , Steering wheel spokes 3 and a steering wheel carrier 4 as well as a touch surface 2 , which on the steering wheel rim 1a is arranged on. The touch surface 2 of the steering wheel rim 1a is formed by an envelope, which assumes a decorative and / or insulating function with respect to mechanical insulation.

The steering wheel rim 1a has a cylindrical center plane, which in the sectional views of 1 - 4 is shown as a center line M, and extends substantially along a vertical axis Z and a horizontal axis Y. These axes Z and Y refer in the embodiment described here to directions of a motor vehicle, in which the steering wheel 1 can be installed.

In a cross section AA is the structure of the steering wheel rim 1a shown in more detail. The steering wheel rim 1a is from the steering wheel carrier 4 carried. Radially outward closes in the entire peripheral region of the cross section AA of the PCM tempered area 9 the tempering device 5 at. This has a filling core 10 of a porous support material whose pores are formed with a phase change material formed as a paraffin material 11 filled, which has a solid-liquid phase transition at about 23 ° C.

If that is in 1 illustrated steering wheel 1 is subjected to a higher or lower temperature relative to this phase transition temperature, the extracted or supplied thermal energy is first in the phase transition of the phase change material 11 invested, reducing the contact surface 2 of the steering wheel rim 1a Longer time, especially up to several minutes or hours, almost constant, especially in the thermal comfort range remains.

2 shows a trained according to another embodiment of the present invention steering wheel 1 with a tempering device 5 with a vacuum-insulating area 6 , The steering wheel shown here differs from the one in 1 shown in particular in the use of a vacuum-insulating area 6 instead of a PCM tempered area 9 ,

The vacuum-insulating area 6 has a filler core 7 from, in particular pyrogenic and / or compressed, silica, which is evacuated such that the pores of the filling core 7 are in a vacuum state or filled with a gas mixture, in particular air, under a very low pressure. This vacuumed filler core 7 is enveloped by a gas-tight PET film, causing the evacuated Condition of the filler core 7 over a longer period, for example, the typical life of a motor vehicle, can be maintained substantially.

If that is in 2 illustrated steering wheel 1 , is exposed to a higher or lower temperature, the user interface adopts this quickly. Due to the thermal insulation by means of evacuated silica in the filling core 7 is the total heat capacity of the touch surface 2 however, so small that upon contact with a user's finger and / or hand, the temperature of the touched contact surface 2 within a short time, in particular less than two seconds, is adapted so strongly to the temperature of these fingers and / or hands that the temperature difference is not considered uncomfortable by the user.

In 3 is a trained according to another embodiment of the present invention steering wheel 1 with a tempering device 5 with a PCM tempered area 9 and a vacuum-insulating area 6 shown. The PCM tempered area 9 in this embodiment is radially outside of the center plane of the steering wheel rim represented by the center line M. 1a arranged, the vacuum-insulating area 6 radially inside of it. In the case of the presently described embodiment underlying application in a motor vehicle is the radially outer portion of the steering wheel rim 1a more heavily loaded with high temperatures than the radially inner region. Nevertheless, for as long as possible a thermally comfortable to use steering wheel 1 to obtain, which is at the same time easy and cheap to manufacture and / or to assemble, are the PCM tempered area 9 radially outside the center line M, the vacuum-insulating area 6 radially inside, arranged.

4 shows a trained according to another embodiment of the present invention steering wheel 1 with a tempering device 5 with several PCM tempered areas 9a -C and vacuum-insulating areas 6d f.

The PCM tempered areas 9a -C are at the standard operating areas 2a -C, on the cutting areas of the steering wheel rim 1a with the steering wheel spokes 3 , arranged to there in as many operating situations a comfortable tempered Berühroberfläche 2 to enable. The vacuum-insulating areas 6d and 6e are at other standard operating areas 2d and 2e arranged.

The vacuum-insulating area 6f is both in terms of the circumference of the steering wheel rim 1a as well as in relation to the circumference of the cross section DD in a partial area 2f the touch surface 2 with high temperature load, which in this embodiment of the, from the sun 13 outgoing, heat radiation 14 results.

Although exemplary embodiments have been explained in the foregoing description, it should be understood that a variety of modifications are possible. It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiments are merely examples that are not intended to limit the scope, applications and construction in any way. Rather, the expert is given by the preceding description, a guide for the implementation of at least one exemplary embodiment, with various changes, in particular with regard to the function and arrangement of the components described, can be made without departing from the scope, as it turns out according to the claims and these equivalent combinations of features. LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS 1 steering wheel 1a steering wheel rim 2 contact surface 2a -e Standard operating areas 2f Part area with high temperature load 3 steering wheel spokes 4 steering wheel carrier 5 Passive tempering device 6 vacuum-insulating area 7 Filling core of a thermally insulating area 8th Gas-tight plastic film 9 PCM tempered area 10 Filler core of a PCM tempered area 11 Phase change material 12 insulating region 13 Sun 14 thermal radiation M Centerline of the control device Y Axle of the steering wheel rim Z Axle of the steering wheel rim

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 19951323 A1 [0004]

Claims (10)

Operating device ( 1 ) for a motor vehicle having a contact surface ( 2 ) for handling by a user, in particular a steering wheel rim ( 1a ), comprising a passive tempering device ( 5 ), this tempering device ( 5 ) at least one thermally insulating, in particular vacuum-insulating, region ( 6 ) having a thermal conductivity which is less than 0.05 WK ^-1 m ^-1 , in particular less than 0.01 WK ^-1 m ^-1 , and / or at least one PCM temperature-controlled area ( 9 ) with a phase change material ( 11 ) whose phase transition is greater than 15 ° C and less than 45 ° C, in particular greater than 20 ° C, preferably greater than 22 ° C, and / or less than 30 ° C, in particular less than 26 ° C, preferably less as 24 ° C. Operating device ( 1 ) according to claim 1, wherein the tempering device ( 5 ) at least one filler core ( 7 ; 10 ) of a porous material. Operating device ( 1 ) according to claim 2, wherein at least one of these filling cores ( 7 ) in the thermally insulating region ( 6 ) of the tempering device ( 5 ), and wherein this filling core ( 7 ), at least partially, evacuated and / or pressure-resistant, and in particular having fumed silica. Operating device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the thermally insulating region ( 6 ) of the tempering device ( 5 ) of a gastight envelope ( 8th ) is surrounded, in particular of a plastic film. Operating device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact surface ( 2 ) at least partially by a mechanical insulating layer of the thermally insulating region ( 6 ) of the tempering device ( 5 ) is spaced. Operating device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the PCM tempered region ( 9 ) a paraffin-containing phase transition material ( 11 ), in particular paraffin. Operating device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tempering device ( 5 ) substantially on the entire Berühroberfläche ( 2 ) of the operating device ( 1 ), in particular substantially on the entire steering wheel rim ( 1a ) is arranged. Operating device ( 1 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the tempering device ( 5 ) on at least one predetermined subregion ( 2a -F) the touch surface ( 2 ), in particular on a standard operating area ( 2a -E) and / or on a part exposed to a temperature load ( 2f ). Operating device ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the tempering device ( 5 ) a thermally insulating area ( 6 ) and a PCM tempered area ( 9 ), and these two areas ( 6 ; 9 ) substantially on different sides of a center line (M) of a cross section (CC) of the operating device ( 1 ) are arranged. Motor vehicle with an operating device, in particular a steering wheel ( 1 ), according to one of the preceding claims.

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