DE102021115262A1 - Mechanical switching device embedded in glass - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a mechanical switching device embedded in glass, in which a recess (14) is embedded in the front side (1a) of a glass plate and an access (6) to the front recess (14) is arranged in the rear side (1b) of the glass plate, and the The recess (14) has a base (15) which runs parallel to the front glass surface (1a) and a mechanical switching device is arranged in the recess (14) and has at least one contacting element (3), a switching element (4) and a decorative film (2) has, the surface of the decorative film flush with the surface of the glass plate (1a).

Description

The invention relates to a mechanical switching device embedded in a glass plate. Switching devices arranged behind glass are known in principle from the prior art.

So describes EP 0 952 599 A2 a push button switch embedded in a thicker glass plate. The glass plate has a recess on the front and access to the front recess on the back. A thinner, outer glass pane is arranged over the glass plate, covering the recess. A deflection of the thinner glass pane is converted in the push button switch into a signal for actuating the switching device.

Also DE 90 12 560 U1 and WO 92/04724 A1 disclose pressure sensors arranged behind an outer glass plate, in which a signal is generated by deflection of the outer glass plate.

DE 202005018658 U1 describes an electrical switching device with a capacitive proximity switch. Such capacitive proximity switches are activated either by moving the hand of a user close by, for example, or by tapping it with a finger.

The switching devices known from the prior art often have a large-area glass plate as a covering operating field, on the back of which a capacitive proximity switch is arranged, with a sensor surface being formed on the front of the glass plate. Switch devices of this type are then usually electrically conductively connected to the capacitive proximity switch and to the electrical consumer via a cable.

However, such switches have a significant disadvantage: in order to be operable, the sensor must always be supplied with power. In this way, it is not possible to switch off a consumer completely, since at least a certain amount of standby operation must still be present in order to ensure that the device can be controlled/activated via the proximity switch.

With some technical devices, however, it may be absolutely necessary that they can be switched off completely so that there is no power consumption. If this is the case, only a mechanical switch can be used. However, the mechanical switches known from the prior art cannot be combined with a glass surface. At least not in the same way as with sensor switches that sit behind a continuous glass plate.

The object of the invention is to eliminate the disadvantages arising from the prior art. Accordingly, a permanent power consumption should be prevented and at the same time a glass user interface desired in terms of design should be made possible.

This object is achieved with a switching device according to claim 1. The dependent claims represent preferred embodiments of the invention.

According to the invention, the embedded switching device presented here has a glass plate, which can be part of a housing of an electrical consumer, for example.

According to the invention, the glass plate has a recess on its front side, in which a mechanical switching device is embedded. In principle, the recess can have a round, rectangular, oval or any other shape, but it has a base which runs parallel or at least largely parallel to the front surface of the glass plate. Parallel is to be interpreted broadly in connection with the invention; for the purposes of the invention, the bottom of the recess is also considered to be parallel to the front surface of the glass plate if it is not flat and has grooves or indentations, for example. It is considered parallel when the upper side of a sheet, sheet package or flat body placed on the floor is parallel to the front surface of the glass pane. The floor is also to be regarded as parallel to the front surface of the glass plate within the meaning of the invention if a sloping floor was first produced during the production of the cutout, but this was leveled by a wedge-shaped insert, for example.

According to one embodiment, the recess is worked into the glass plate by means of a laser and preferably has manufacturing tolerances of 50 μm. The recess is preferably introduced using a 532 nm laser. This results in particularly good workability and accuracy. This is necessary to ensure a small gap between the decorative film and the glass plate.

According to the invention, a mechanical switching device is arranged in the recess.

The back of the glass plate has access to the front recess. The switching device arranged in the recess can be electrically conductively connected/wired to a consumer, for example.

The switching device itself comprises at least one contacting element, one switching element and a decorative film, the surface of the decorative film being flush with the surface of the glass plate.

The invention presents a glass-embedded mechanical switch that does not require a standby mode in order to be activated and also gives the impression of a continuous glass plate on the front.

In order to further enhance this effect, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the decorative film has a degree of reflection or light reflection tailored to the glass plate in the range from 380 nm to 780 nm. Light reflection is the percentage of solar radiation in the visible light range (380 - 780 nm), which is reflected to the outside. As a result, the optical appearance of the glass surface is similar or identical to the appearance of the decorative surface.

In addition or as an alternative, the degree of light transmission of the decorative film is more preferably adapted to the degree of light transmission of the glass pane. The light transmittance of a glazing designates the percentage of solar radiation in the visible light range (380 - 780 nm) that is transmitted from the outside to the inside.

In addition or as an alternative, the degree of light absorption of the decorative film is more preferably adapted to the degree of light absorption of the glass plate. The light absorptance is the proportion of solar radiation in the visible range (380 - 780 nm) that is absorbed by the glazing. The spectrum of the reflection and/or transmission and/or absorption based on the wavelengths of the visible light of the decorative film is also preferably adapted to the values for the glass pane.

The decorative film is more preferably glossy. If the glass material has a matte surface, the decorative film is also preferably matte.

If the glass plate has a color, the coloring of the decorative film is preferably also matched to the glass plate.

If the glass plate is printed, the decorative film is preferably also printed accordingly. Overall, the above features can be summarized by the fact that the optical properties of the decorative film are matched to the optical properties of the glass plate.

According to a further embodiment, a printed marking, e.g. a circle or the like, is provided on the edge of the decorative film - i.e. near the transition to the glass plate - in order to conceal the gap between the glass pane and the decorative film. In order to enhance the technical effect of the lamination, the marking also stands out from the glass plate in terms of color (e.g. through greater brightness/contrast/signal colour).

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the decorative film has an embossing that enables haptic feedback for finding the position of the button.

According to the invention, a switching element is arranged below the decorative film and touches a contacting element during the switching process.

A switch foil or a printed circuit board is particularly preferably provided as the contacting element, but other configurations of the contacting element, such as FFC (flat flexible cable), FPC (flat printed circuit), conductively coated plastic plates, plates with wire or the like are also part of the present Invention.

If the contacting element is a switch foil, the “tail” of the switch foil is preferably guided through the rear access to the recess in which the switch foil is arranged. The "tail" of the switch foil represents an electrical connection that can be connected to the electrical device to be controlled. In the case of a printed circuit board or in the case of other contacting elements, other electrical connections are used analogously.

The switching element is preferably arranged above the contacting element. In this case, the switching element can be formed by various elements. According to the particularly preferred variant, the switching element is formed by a snap-action disk, which is seated on the contacting element, preferably on the switch foil. According to another variant, however, a flat switch can also serve as the switching element, and according to yet another embodiment, the switching element can also be formed by conductive printing on the rear side of the decorative film. However, variants of the switching element are preferred which send haptic feedback to the operator during the switching process, as is the case, for example, with the snap-action disc mentioned or with a multiple switch.

• - ein ringförmiger Abstandshalter - angeordnet. Auf diesem sitzt dann die erwähnte Dekorfolie auf, welche mit der Oberseite der Glasplatte abschließt. Abschließen bedeutet im Sinne der Erfindung, dass im Übergangsbereich zwischen Dekorfolie und Glasplatte die Oberfläche der Dekorfolie und der Glasplatte - im Querschnitt betrachtet - auf einer Ebene liegen und höchstens 100µm bevorzugt weniger als 50µm zueinander in der Höhe versetzt sind. Bevorzugt sind die Leiterplatte bzw. die Switchfolie, und die Dekorfolie direkt oder über einen oder mehrere Spacer und ggf. über eine Haltefolie oder weitere Folien miteinander verklebt, verschmolzen oder anderweitig verbunden. Hierdurch entsteht ein verklebtes Folienpaket.

One or more spacers—so-called spacers—are preferably provided between the contacting element and the decorative film. in particular When using a snap-action disk, a retaining film is also preferably provided, which holds the snap-action disk in its position. The optimal structure in the recess results from a switch foil or printed circuit board, a snap-action disc sitting on it, which is surrounded by a spacer dome adapted to the snap-action disc contour, on which in turn a ring-shaped retaining foil is preferably seated, the inner diameter of which is smaller than the inner diameter of the spacer dome and thereby holds the snap disk in position. A spacer front is then preferably on the preferably ring-shaped retaining film

• - An annular spacer - arranged. The above-mentioned decorative film then sits on this, which closes with the top of the glass plate. For the purposes of the invention, closing means that in the transition area between the decorative film and the glass plate, the surface of the decorative film and the glass plate—viewed in cross section—are on one level and are offset in height by at most 100 μm, preferably less than 50 μm. The printed circuit board or the switch film and the decorative film are preferably glued, fused or otherwise connected to one another directly or via one or more spacers and, if necessary, via a retaining film or other films. This creates a bonded foil pack.

• - bei Verwendung eines flachen Schalters oder eines Kurzhubtasters als Schaltelement - als eine monolithische Schicht mit einem an dieses Schaltelement angepassten Ausschnitt ausgebildet sein.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the spacer

• - When using a flat switch or a short-stroke switch as a switching element - be designed as a monolithic layer with a cutout adapted to this switching element.

According to one embodiment, the decorative film and preferably also the contacting element and more preferably also the spacers are cut laterally such that they form a press or transition fit with the lateral wall of the recess in the glass plate in order to optically conceal the transition between glass and decorative film.

With a correspondingly small gap width between the glass and the decorative film, the glass plate is perceived as continuous and the ingress of liquid is reduced.

However, even moisture penetrating into the gap cannot harm the electrical components: Since the liquid cannot penetrate into the interior of the switching element due to a connection/gluing of the decorative film directly to the contacting element or indirectly via spacers and, if necessary, retaining film. The contacting element is preferably also glued to the bottom of the cutout, so that any moisture that may have penetrated into the gap cannot penetrate as far as the access, which is connected to the cutout, for the electrical connection of the contacting element. The bonding thus prevents moisture from coming into contact with the electronics to be controlled via the access.

Since the air below the switching element (in the switching element space) cannot escape laterally due to the adhesive, a venting duct leading to the rear of the glass plate is provided according to a preferred embodiment, through which the compressed air can flow to the rear when the switch is actuated the glass plate is discharged. The access for the electrical connection of the contacting element can also be designed as a ventilation channel.

character list

• 1 eine bevorzugte Ausführung der Erfindung mit Schnappscheibe,
• 2 einen Detailansicht des Übergangs zwischen Glasplatte und Dekorfolie,
• 3 eine zweite Ausführung der Erfindung ohne Schnappscheibe.

Particularly preferred embodiments will now be explained with reference to drawings. show:

• 1 a preferred embodiment of the invention with snap disk,
• 2 a detailed view of the transition between glass plate and decorative film,
• 3 a second embodiment of the invention without snap disk.

Reference List

1

glass plate

2

decorative foil

3

contacting element

4

switching element

5

Glue

6

Access

7

Electrical connection

8th

spacer dome

9

holding foil

10

front spacer

11

Spacer for fixing the switching element

12

switching element room

13

ventilation channel

14

recess (depth)

15

bottom of the recess

16

gap

1 Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the glass encapsulated mechanical switching device of the present invention. The glass plate 1 can be part of a housing of an electrical consumer, for example, which includes operating elements and possibly also a display device.

In the glass plate 1, a recess 14 is incorporated by means of a laser at a depth of preferably 700-900 μm, particularly preferably 810 μm. The recess has a bottom 15 which is arranged parallel to the upper side 1a of the glass plate 1. FIG. In the recess 14 there is a switching device which has a contacting element 3 , a switching element 4 and a decorative disc 2 . According to the embodiment shown here, the contacting element 3 is designed as a switch film and the switching element 4 as a snap-action disk.

The switch film 3, preferably between 120 and 130 μm thick and more preferably 125 μm thick, is fixed to the bottom 15 of the recess 14 with the aid of an adhesive 5, preferably between 120 and 140 μm thick and more preferably 130 μm thick. The tail of the switch foil is connected as an electrical connection 7 to an electrical load that is to be controlled, not shown here, via an access 6 .

The snap-action disc 4 sits on the switch foil 3 and gives haptic feedback when it is actuated. The snap disk is fixed in the lateral direction by a spacer dome 8 with a height of preferably between 120 and 130 μm and more preferably 125 μm and in the vertical direction by a retaining film 9 with a height of preferably between 90 and 110 μm and more preferably 100 µm fixed. An annular front spacer 10 with a height of preferably 140 to 160 μm and more preferably 150 μm sits on the retaining film 9, on which ultimately the decorative film 2 is applied with a height of preferably between 120 to 140 μm, more preferably 130 μm.

In this version (can also be used for all other versions), the decorative film is embossed. This gives haptic feedback for the position of the switching device.

The two spacers 8, 10 and the retaining film 9 lying between them can also be referred to together as “fixing 11 of the snap-action disc”. Since the individual components of the fixation 11 are glued to one another and to the overlying decorative film and the switch film 3 underneath, the air cannot escape laterally from the switching element space 12 arranged under the snap-action disk 4 when the snap-action disk 4 is pressed down. Therefore, a ventilation channel 13 is provided in the switch foil, which opens through the adhesive into the access 6 to the back of the glass plate 1b. The air can then escape through this.

2 shows a detail section of the embodiment 1 . It can be seen here that a small gap 16 is arranged between the side wall of the recess 1 and the decorative film 2 and the other films/spacers 3 , 8 , 9 , 10 . However, this gap can be reduced by adjusting the contour cuts of the foils so that there is an interference fit or transition fit.

3 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the switching element 4 is given by an electrically conductive layer/printed layer 4 . This is spaced apart from the contacting element 3 by means of an annular spacer 8 . Otherwise the structure of this embodiment corresponds to the design 1 .

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was 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.

Patent Literature Cited

• EP 0952599 A2 [0002]
• DE 9012560 U1 [0003]
• WO 92/04724 A1 [0003]
• DE 202005018658 U1 [0004]

Claims (12)

Mechanical switching device embedded in glass, comprising a glass plate (1) with a mechanical switching device, characterized in that a recess (14) is embedded in the front side (1a) of the glass plate (1) and an access ( 6) is arranged to the front recess (14), wherein the recess has a base (15) which runs parallel to the front glass surface (1a) and a switching device is arranged in the recess (14) which via at least one contacting element (3) Has a switching element (4) and a decorative film (2), wherein the surface of the decorative film with the surface (1a) of the glass plate (1) is flush. switching device claim 1 , characterized in that the contacting element (3) is a switch film or a printed circuit board. switching device claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the switching element (4) is a snap disk, a flat switch or conductive printing on the back of the decorative film. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the switching element (4) provides haptic feedback for the actuation. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decorative film (2) has an embossing which enables haptic feedback for finding the position of the button. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that appropriate spacers and a retaining film are used to fix an inserted snap-action disk, preferably a spacer dome (8) with retaining film (9) and spacer front (10). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contacting element (3) is fixed directly or indirectly on the base (15) of the recess (14) by means of an adhesive (5). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the contacting element (3) is electrically conductively connected to electronics to be controlled via the access (6) in the glass (1). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the edge of the contour of the decorative film (2) a light or colored ring or a marking is printed, which optically conceals the gap between the glass (1) and decorative film (2). . Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the decorative film (2) is glossy and has a degree of reflection matched to the glass plate (1) in the range from 380 nm to 780 nm in order to match the optical appearance of the glass surface to the decorative surface. Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the foils (2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 10) inserted into the recess (14) are at least partially cut laterally in such a way that they fit with the lateral wall of the recess of the Glass form a press or transition fit to optically conceal the transition between glass (1) and decorative film (2). Switching device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that ventilation (13) for a switching element space (12) formed below the switching element 4 takes place via a rear access (6), the ventilation also via the existing access (6) for the electrical connection can be made to the contacting element.

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