EP1655750B1 - Push button having an integrated screen with multicolor information display - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a touch switch with integrated display.

The prior art already knows a switch of this type, the integrated screen uses a technology known as "LCD", or "LC Dotmatix" to display texts, signs, or symbols.

This is, for example, the case of the switch described in the document FR 2,555,511 .

This technology has the disadvantage of limiting the display to two colors, namely the color of the background and the color of the displayed elements (text, sign ...), it therefore allows only the display of a symbol or a single color logo on a background.

It is known to be able to modify the color of the background (see for example the document US 5,134,505 , disclosing a switch according to the preamble of claim 1) but the displays in polychrome are not possible.

In addition, when the definition of the screen is high, it results, because of the physical characteristics, a worse contrast between the displayed element (s) and the background, and / or a worse reading angle.

In addition, another technology, called "LED" (Light Emitting Diode) technology allows to display information in polychrome on an integrated matrix switch. This technology uses several diodes, one per color, arranged side by side on a matrix, but its disadvantage lies in a weak definition of the image compared to LC screens, and in a high power consumption, for a high cost of implementation.

The invention therefore aims to provide a touch switch with integrated screen that allows a display of information in polychrome in the presence or absence of a background, whether it is a single color or itself polychrome, with good display qualities as, if possible, a definition of quality, a good contrast, a good reading angle, and a low power absorbed.

To achieve these objectives, the inventor had the idea to use known components, namely a TFT type screen or an OLED (Organic LED) type screen and adapt them for this new application.

More particularly, the invention consists of a switch according to claim 1.

More specifically, the screen is chosen as a whole (OLED technology, TFT technology).

• Figure 1 : vue en coupe, selon un plan perpendiculaire à la surface d'actionnement, d'un premier mode de réalisation de commutateur à touche selon l'invention,
• Figure 2 : vue en coupe, selon le même plan de coupe que précédemment, d'un deuxième mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• Figure 3: vue en coupe, selon le même plan de coupe que précédemment, d'un troisième mode de réalisation de l'invention.

The invention and its advantages will be better understood with the aid of the following description given with reference to the following appended figures:

• Figure 1 : sectional view, in a plane perpendicular to the actuating surface, of a first embodiment of a touch switch according to the invention,
• Figure 2 : sectional view, according to the same section plane as above, of a second embodiment of the invention,
• Figure 3 : sectional view, according to the same section plane as above, a third embodiment of the invention.

• o une embase (1), préférentiellement en plastique pour la fixation du commutateur, par exemple, sur un appareil ou tableau de commande ou autre et portant tous les autres éléments,
• o un capuchon (2), préférentiellement en plastique, dont la surface supérieure au moins est transparente, ledit capuchon étant, de façon connue en soi, apte à se déplacer axialement dans un sens et dans l'autre et relativement à l'embase selon la direction de l'axe central (3) du commutateur selon une course prédéterminée (I), ledit capuchon ayant également, de façon connue en soi, une forme tubulaire fermée par une surface ou touche sur laquelle s'exerce la pression d'actionnement, de façon à délimiter avec l'embase (1) une cavité interne (4) pour loger les composants intégrés du commutateur,
• o un moyen de fixation (5), préférentiellement en plastique solidaire du capuchon, et notamment destiné à bloquer un écran d'affichage (6) à l'intérieur de la cavité (4) du capuchon contre les parois internes de celle-ci,
• o un écran d'affichage (6) logé dans la cavité (4), dont les dimensions sont aptes à entrer dans la cavité (4) du capuchon. Selon l'invention l'écran est un écran TFT ou un écran OLED,
• o une pastille de commutation (7) actionnée par chaque déplacement relatif entre embase (1) et capuchon (2), déformable et élastique pour le retour automatique de la touche après chaque actionnement,
• o un moyen électronique (8) de transformation des signaux reçus par le commutateur, en signaux aptes à être utilisés par l'écran (6),

The key switch shown in the figures has the following necessary elements:

• o a base (1), preferably plastic for fixing the switch, for example, on a device or control panel or the like and carrying all the other elements,
• a cap (2), preferably made of plastic, whose at least one upper surface is transparent, said cap being, in a manner known per se, able to move axially in one direction and in the other and relative to the base according to the direction of the central axis (3) of the switch according to a predetermined stroke (I), said cap also having, in known manner, a tubular shape closed by a surface or key on which the operating pressure is exerted , from delimiting with the base (1) an internal cavity (4) for accommodating the integrated components of the switch,
• fastening means (5), preferably of plastic integral with the cap, and in particular for blocking a display screen (6) inside the cavity (4) of the cap against the internal walls thereof,
• o a display screen (6) housed in the cavity (4), whose dimensions are adapted to enter the cavity (4) of the cap. According to the invention the screen is a TFT screen or an OLED screen,
• o a switching pad (7) actuated by each relative displacement between base (1) and cap (2), deformable and elastic for the automatic return of the key after each actuation,
• an electronic means (8) for transforming the signals received by the switch into signals that can be used by the screen (6),

In addition to the above, the switch of the figure 1 includes the following arrangements and / or elements.

The fixing means (5) comprises an upper housing (9) for receiving a plate (10) carrying an electronic circuit peripheral to different components (11), said housing being delimited by a flange or spacers (12) separating the screen (6) the fastening means.

A multipolar connector (13) transmits the output signals of the electronic circuit (11) to the screen (6).

Two or more elastic electrical connections (14), for example springs, bring the external signals from connection plugs (15) to the circuit (11) through the base (1) and the fixing plate (5). , and connection plugs (15 ') connect the switch to the voltage supply.

The cap (2), the screen (6), the fixing means (5), the plate (10) and the switching pad (7) move in the direction of the axis (3) in a predetermined path (I) relative to the base (1).

During the displacements, the elastic links (14) absorb the variations of position between screen (6) and base (1).

On the example of realization of the figure 2 , the screen (6) is connected by the multipolar connector (13) to a printed circuit (16), the card on the one hand receiving the contact surface of the switching chip (7) and, on the other hand, part, replaces the fixing means for locking the screen in the cap. In this embodiment, the connection plugs (15 ') are removed and a flexible conductive connection (17) feeds the external signals from a connection plug (18) to the screen (6).

On the example of the figure 3 the screen (6) is directly connected to the connection plug (18) by a flexible conductive connection (19).

• o panneaux de signalisation routière, pictogrammes... dans le domaine automobile,
• o logos de sociétés ou de produits pour la sélection de produit,
• o emblèmes sportifs ou autres signaux sur des touches de sélection de programmes multimédia, ou des touches de libération d'un signal de transmission multimédia.

The switches according to the invention make it possible to display multicolored information elements, on a single-color background with the signaling qualities indicated in the introduction (contrast, definition, viewing angle, etc.) and can be used for many applications. like, for example, the display of:

• o road signs, pictograms ... in the automotive field,
• o company or product logos for product selection,
• sports emblems or other signals on multimedia program selection keys, or release keys of a multimedia transmission signal.

Claims (6)

1. Push button of the type comprising a baseplate (1) for attachment and support, a cap (2) at least the upper surface of which is transparent and which is suitable for being displaced axially in both directions and relative to the baseplate (2) according to a predefined course, a switching chip (7) activated with each relative displacement between the baseplate (1) and cap (2) controlled by a user pressing on the surface or upper key of the cap (2), characterised in that it comprises a display screen (6) housed in an internal cavity (4) of the cap and secured in the latter by a securing means (5) and characterised in that said screen is designed to display multi-coloured elements of information on a mono-coloured background, as a function of the signals supplied by an electric device (8) also housed in the cap.
2. Push button according to claim 1, characterised in that the screen (6) is selected from an available technology, said technology being OLED technology or TFT technology.
3. Push button according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that it also comprises at least one securing means (5) comprising an upper housing (9) for receiving a board (10) for a peripheral electronic circuit with different components (11), said housing being delimited by a lip or struts (12) separating the screen (6) from the securing means, and one or more elastic electrical connections (14) between the connecting pins (15) and the electronic circuit.
4. Push button according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterised in that the screen (6) is connected by the multipolar connector (13) to a printed circuit (16), the board of which, on the one hand, receives the contact surface of the switching chip (7) and, on the other hand, replaces the securing means in order to secure the screen in the cap.
5. Push button according to claim 4, characterised in that a flexible conducting connection (17) carries external signals from a connecting pin (18) to the screen (6).
6. Push button according to claim 4, characterised in that the screen (6) is connected directly to the connecting pin (18) by a flexible conducting connection (19).

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