DE112021005450T5 - Automotive trim panel with intuitive smart switches under the soft automotive trim skin - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle door trim interior, comprising: an armrest; a surface indentation located in the armrest, the surface indentation being covered with a skin; at least one actuating switch located under the skin and in the surface cavity; and a position control switch associated with at least one actuation switch, wherein the position control switch becomes active only upon actuation of the at least one actuation switch.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the priority of the provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 63/092,898 , filed October 16, 2020, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to the art of automotive interior trim panels in combination with at least one switch operably coupled to an actuatable device of the vehicle.

Conventional vehicles include physical rocker switches in the door panels to lock/unlock the doors and/or wind up/down the windows. These systems can be complex and their freedom of design is often limited by size and installation space.

An automotive window regulator controls the position of a window of the vehicle by indirectly controlling the movement of the glass. For example, mechanical rocker switches direct power to a window regulator motor to operate it in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction, causing the window regulator to move the window glass in an up or down direction. In one application, the glass continues to move until the switch is deactivated. An alternative function is to place the rocker switch in a position that initiates an automatic up or down stroke, which drives the motor until the window regulator locks in a full up or full down position or gently stops.

These systems require full attention to the movement of the glass throughout its stroke if the operator wishes to stop the glass anywhere other than fully up or down. In addition, these systems can allow the operator to inadvertently activate automatic mode when manual mode was desired.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an improvement over the physical toggle switches located on a surface of the vehicle's interior trim.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

A vehicle door trim interior is disclosed, comprising: an armrest; a surface indentation located in the armrest, the surface indentation being covered with a skin; at least one actuating switch located under the skin and in the surface cavity; and a position control switch associated with at least one actuation switch, wherein the position control switch becomes active only upon actuation of the at least one actuation switch.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the preceding embodiments, the position control switch controls a window regulator that moves a window of a vehicle door according to a position selected by touching the position control switch.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the preceding embodiments, the at least one actuating switch and the position control switch are located under portions of the skin having an associated symbol thereon.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the preceding embodiments, the associated symbol is etched or perforated in the skin.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the preceding embodiments, the associated symbol is etched or perforated in the skin.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the preceding embodiments, the at least one actuating switch and the position control switch are backlit.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the preceding embodiments, the surface depression of the armrest is located in a front region of the armrest.

character list

• 1 ist eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Inneneinrichtung einer Fahrzeugtürverkleidung mit einer Armlehne;
• 2 ist eine vergrößerte Ansicht eines Bereichs der Fahrzeugtürverkleidung von 1, die einen Bereich für einen Schalter gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Offenbarung veranschaulicht;
• 3 ist eine Teilquerschnittsansicht eines Schalters gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Offenbarung;
• 4 ist eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Inneneinrichtung einer Fahrzeugtürverkleidung mit Schaltern für Fensterheber gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Offenbarung;
• 5 ist eine perspektivische Ansicht einer Inneneinrichtung einer Fahrzeugtürverkleidung mit Schaltern für Fensterheber gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Offenbarung;
• 6 ist eine Ansicht einer Inneneinrichtung einer Fahrzeugtürverkleidung mit Schaltern für (einen) Fensterheber gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Offenbarung;
• 7 veranschaulicht einen Betrieb der Schalter für Fensterheber gemäß einer Ausführungsform der vorliegenden Offenbarung; und

The following descriptions should not be taken as limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike:

• 1 Fig. 14 is a perspective view of an interior of a vehicle door trim panel with an armrest;
• 2 12 is an enlarged view of a portion of the vehicle door panel of FIG 1 12 illustrating a region for a switch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
• 3 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of a switch according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
• 4 14 is a perspective view of an interior of a vehicle door panel with power window switches according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
• 5 14 is a perspective view of an interior of a vehicle door panel with power window switches according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
• 6 12 is a view of an interior of a vehicle door panel with window regulator switches according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;
• 7 illustrates operation of power window switches according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

Appendix 1 is a color version of the 4-7 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method is provided herein by way of example and not limitation with reference to the figures.

1 12 illustrates a perspective view of a vehicle door panel interior assembly 10 having an armrest 12. The armrest 12 has a small surface depression 14 about the width of three fingers in the armrest 12. FIG. Of course, other sizes (eg, width and length) greater or less than the aforementioned width are considered to be within the scope of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The small surface depression is covered with an inner lining or facing or skin 16 which is soft to the touch, such as leather or similar material. As such, this skin 16 is the final or Class A surface of the vehicle interior. In other words, this material constitutes the outer surface of the inner panel. For example, and in one embodiment, the skin 16 extends over other portions of the panel, including but not limited to the recess 14. A non-limiting example of such a material is a thermoplastic olefin (TPO). Beneath this layer of skin are a number of touch sensors 18 in various locations for activating various components of the vehicle, such as operating the windows (up/down) and the vehicle locks to lock/unlock the doors. In other words, the sensors 18 are operatively coupled to an actuator 22 of the components such that when activated, the sensors operate as a switch 18 to actuate the actuator of the components.

In one embodiment, touch sensors 18 are located beneath interior trim or faceplate or skin 16 so that they are visually imperceptible. Each of these touch sensors 18 may be located under touch zones indicated by symbols, which in one embodiment may be etched or perforated into the skin 18 for visual reference. In another embodiment, the symbols may be sewn or embroidered into the skin. In another embodiment, touch sensors 18 may be backlit or illuminated to provide a means of locating the touch sensors. In another embodiment, portions of the interior trim or face or skin 16 are provided with a tactile means (e.g., a bump or protrusion) for locating the touch sensors 18 .

In one embodiment, the touch sensors may be a capacitive switch that is actuated (e.g., closed) when a user's hand is in close proximity to the switch 18 .

In one embodiment, the small surface indentation 14 of the armrest 12 may be referred to as a smart surface interface 20 . In one embodiment, the smart surface interface 20 may be located in the front portion of the door panel armrest 12 for convenience and ergonomics, as shown in FIG 1 shown.

In one embodiment and as at least in 2 As illustrated, the recessed surface 14 is operable with the touch sensors 18 to actuate window lowering functions for the driver/passenger side windows. Of course, numerous other vehicle functions can be operated via the switches mentioned above. As mentioned above, the switches under ver deepened surface 14 to avoid accidental actuation.

3 14 shows a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of recessed surface 14, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

As such, the present disclosure depicts the recessed surface or recess 14 as associated with an armrest 12. This recessed surface or recess 14 and its associated sensors 18 may be located in numerous other locations within the vehicle interior. Non-restrictive locations include the center console, door panels, instrument panels, or any other trim surface of the vehicle interior.

By now on 4-7 Referring now to another embodiment, a portion of an armrest 12 is illustrated. In this embodiment, a system is provided that allows an operator to select a desired end position of a window of a vehicle so that the system will understand itself how to move itself to the new position. Thus, this system provides window position control, not window movement control, which is ultimately what the operator desires.

Here, the touch sensors 18 include a first switch or actuator switch 22 and a second switch or position control switch 24 for each of the windows of the vehicle. For example, four such combinations (e.g., first switch 22 and second position control switch 24) are shown. Again, the first switches 22 and the second position control switches 24 are below the surface of the armrest 12.

The position control switch 24 is a slide switch that could be mechanical or capacitive. In one embodiment, a capacitive spool is used for the position control switch 24 . In one embodiment, the position control switch 24 is only active for a short period of time after being activated by actuation of a corresponding first switch 22 which activates its associated position control switch 24 when actuated. In other words, the position control switch 24 is only active or operational when its associated first switch 22 has been actuated.

When the position control switch 24 is active, the operator simply selects any position on the slider (e.g., position control switch 24) between all the way down and all the way up as the desired position for the window. For example, the portion of the line depicting the position control switch 24 closest to its associated first or actuating switch 22 may be referred to as the full up position, and the portion of the line depicting the position control switch 24 furthest from its associated first or actuating switch , is the very bottom position.

During operation, the user touches the first or actuation switch 22 which then activates the position control switch 24. Once activated, the user simply touches any part of the position control switch 24 and the window will be driven to that position. This is done by sending a command signal from the position control switch 24 to an associated power window when the position control switch 24 is operated.

Thus, the window regulator then moves the window to a new position based on the area of the position control switch 24 that was touched by the user.

Accordingly, a switch assembly or smart window switch can perform the functions described above, namely position control of the window. To operate a power window associated with the first or operating switch 22 and its associated position control switch 24.

Once the first or actuator switch 22 is activated, its associated position control switch 24 is activated. The selected position control switch 24 allows a user to select a desired position of the window. The position control can be fully analog or by digital selection of enough positions to appear to be analog. In one non-limiting embodiment, each position control switch has 19 positions (full up, full down, and 17 positions in between). Of course, it is contemplated that the number of positions in between may be greater or less than 17.

The capacitive window touch switches (e.g., first or actuator switch 22 that activates the associated position control switch 24), located under a leather trim, provide a unique window lift control.

6 and 7 12 illustrate operation of the capacitive switches located beneath the leather or interior trim surface material of the armrest 12. FIG. Here is the first or actuating switch 22 and its associated position control switches 24 in pairs (22' and 24';22" and 24";22"' and 24"'; and 22"" and 24"").

In 7 1 shows the position of a window 30 where the user has first activated an actuator switch 22 and then its associated position control switch 24 to touch a point corresponding to a 65% open position of the window, which then causes the window to open upon actuation of a (schematically represented by box 32) operatively coupled to window 30 and switches 22 and 24 of armrest 12 to the 65% open position.

As in the 4-7 As illustrated, the operation switches 22 are arranged in the recess 14 so that unintentional operation of the operation switches 22 does not occur. Once the actuator switches 22 are activated, the associated position control switch 24 may then be actuated to actuate the window regulator 32 such that actuation of the position control switch 24 moves the window 30 to the desired position. Thus, with a single touch or movement of an operator's finger, the vehicle's windows can then be commanded to go to any position - fully up, fully down, or anywhere in between.

Although the operation of only a single window is described, embodiments of the present disclosure contemplate an "open all" command or "close all" command or "vent all" command. In this embodiment, an additional "open all", "close all", "vent all" actuator switch or switches 34 may be provided. At least see 6 , wherein only a single additional actuating switch 34 is shown. It is understood that these switches 34 can be located anywhere, not necessarily the in 6 location shown. A non-limiting preferred location would be within recessed surface 14 to avoid inadvertent actuation of the switches.

In this embodiment, actuation of the switch 34 can operate all of the window regulators of the vehicle by providing the necessary commands. Operation may be by simple actuation of the switch 34 or by actuation of an associated switch 34 when a single switch sends an "open all", "close all" and "vent all" command to all power windows of the vehicle's windows delivers. In one embodiment, a first switch 34 is provided for the "open all" command, while a second switch 34 (not shown) is provided for the "close all" command, and a third switch 34 (not shown) for the "all air" command is provided.

Alternatively, actuation of switch 34 first provides an "open all" command to all window controls on the vehicle, and subsequent actuation of the same switch would provide an "all close" command to all window controls on the vehicle, and yet another separate switch 34 ( not shown) delivers the "air all" command to all windows of the vehicle.

In yet another embodiment, an "all windows" command may be delivered to the vehicle's associated window regulators by simultaneously actuating all of the actuator switches 22 and then touching any one or all of the position control switches 24 to initiate the "all open," Deliver "Close All" and "Air All" commands to all power windows of the vehicle's windows. In this embodiment, there may be no need for the switch or switches 34.

In one embodiment, the associated electronics of the window regulators take into account possible simultaneous jams during movement of the associated windows and appropriately adjust the power to an operating window regulator motor to ensure that a good sealing force is achieved.

It is understood that the embodiments of 4-7 may contain all the characteristics related to the 1-3 are described.

The term "approximately" is intended to encompass the degree of error associated with measuring the specified quantity based on the equipment available at the time the application is filed.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is further understood that the terms "comprising" and/or "comprising" when used in this specification specify the presence of the noted features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but the presence or Adding one or more other features, integers, steps, Ope rations, element components and/or groups thereof.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and their equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment contemplated as the best mode for carrying out this present disclosure, but that the present disclosure encompasses all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims.

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

• US63092898 [0001]

Claims (7)

A vehicle door trim interior, comprising: an armrest; a surface indentation located in the armrest, the surface indentation being covered with a skin; at least one actuating switch located under the skin and in the surface cavity; and a position control switch associated with at least one actuating switch, wherein the position control switch becomes active only upon actuation of the at least one actuating switch. Vehicle door panel interior fittings claim 1 wherein the position control switch controls a window regulator that moves a window of a vehicle door according to a position selected by touching the position control switch. Vehicle door panel interior fittings claim 1 wherein the at least one actuating switch and the position control switch are located under portions of the skin having an associated symbol located thereon. Vehicle door panel interior fittings claim 3 , with the associated symbol etched or perforated in the skin. Vehicle door panel interior fittings claim 3 , with the associated symbol etched or perforated in the skin. Vehicle door panel interior fittings claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuation switch and the position control switch are backlit. Vehicle door panel interior fittings claim 1 , wherein the surface depression of the armrest is located in a front area of the armrest.

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