FR2914443A1 - Pointing device i.e. man-machine interface designator, for motor vehicle, has printed circuit board including switches connected to support for identifying movements of pointer around axes, and LEDs for lighting cap through support - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (1) has a frame (3) including a pointer (2) movable in rotation around three axes (x-z) that are perpendicular to one another. The pointer has a hollow support (4) that is provided with a partial opaque cap (6) and is rotated around the axis (z). The support is movably connected to the frame by a swivel link. A printed circuit board (9) has different electrical switches (16, 26-28) e.g. push buttons, that are movably connected to the support for identifying movements of the pointer around the axes, and LEDs (17) for lighting the cap through the support.

Description

Pointing device movable in rotation about three axes.

  The invention relates to a pointing device for example for the handling of a navigation assistance device equipping a motor vehicle. Such pointing device, also called human machine interface designator, allows among other things a user to navigate in a menu of an interface in order to interact with the system in question which is for example a system of assistance to the GPS type navigation. A pointing device is a control device that translates the movements offered by its kinematics into electronic functional commands, the latter being interpreted by software. Such pointing device typically comprises a frame carrying a pointer which is rotatable about three axes, two of these axes allowing the user to tilt the pointer respectively to the right or to the left, and to the top or down. The third axis corresponds to a possibility to rotate the pointer on itself, for example to scroll a drop-down menu of the interface. To facilitate handling of the pointing device during night driving, it is necessary that the pointer itself be backlit, which allows the user to locate it easily, to avoid distracting from the driving. . It appears that the known pointing devices use complex and therefore expensive technologies, such as inductive coil, Hall effect, or optical motion sensors.

  The object of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages by proposing a simple technology pointing device architecture allowing its production for a low manufacturing cost.

  For this purpose, the invention relates to a pointing device comprising a frame carrying a pointer movable in rotation about a first, a second and a third axis perpendicular to each other, this pointer comprising a foot hollow having a shape of revolution about the first axis, this hollow foot being linked in motion to the frame by a ball joint, this hollow foot carrying a cap at least partially opaque, this device also comprising a printed circuit carrying various electrical switches linked in motion with the hollow foot to identify the movements of the pointer around the three axes and at least one diode to illuminate the cap through the hollow foot. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, wherein the cap is secured to the hollow foot by a slide connection oriented along the first axis, and comprising a central rod passing through the hollow foot and located vis-à-vis a switch to identify a depression of the cap along the first axis, this rod being secured to the frame by a slide connection oriented along the first axis. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, comprising a light guide of opaque or transparent material, having a shape of revolution around the first axis, surrounding the rod while being located in the hollow foot to guide the light emitted by the diodes in the direction of the cap. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, wherein the printed circuit carries four so-called peripheral switches located at the right of a lower circular edge of the hollow foot to identify the position in rotation of the pointer around the second axis and around of the third axis. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, comprising an indexer including two switches carried by the printed circuit, and a rocker carrying a wheel by maintaining it resting on an internal or external toothed surface of the hollow foot, to cause an inclination of the rocker on rotation of the pointer around the first axis, in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the pointer, the rocker being linked in movement to the switches to detect the inclination and the direction of inclination of this rocker. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, comprising an indexer including two flip-flops, and two switches carried by the printed circuit, each flip-flop having one end bearing on an internal or external notched side of the hollow foot and another end connected in motion to a switch, and wherein the two flip-flops are angularly spaced apart from each other about the first axis by an angle which differs from a multiple of not notching of the notched surface. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, in which the maintenance in so-called rest position of the pointer is provided by the elastic elements of the switches. The invention also relates to a device as defined above, wherein the cap comprises a central cover surrounded by a side cover, and wherein the central cover is connected to the side cover by a pivot connection oriented along the first axis, and wherein the central bonnet is connected to the rod by a ball joint which prohibits relative rotation about the first axis.

  The invention will now be described in more detail and with reference to the appended figures.

  Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the pointing device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a top view of the rocker indexer of the pointing device according to the invention; Figure 3 is a top view of the printed circuit of the pointing device according to the invention; Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a second embodiment of the pointing device according to the invention; Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the pointing device according to the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the rockers and notching of the foot in the second embodiment of the invention; Figure 7 is a top view of the printed circuit of the pointing device according to the second embodiment of the invention. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the pointing device according to the invention which is marked by 1 comprises a pointer 2 which is carried by a frame 3. The pointer 2 comprises a hollow foot 4 having a shape of revolution around a first axis, namely the axis marked by z, and a cap 6 carried by the free end of the hollow foot 4, that is to say the end of the foot 4 which exceeds the frame. The cap 6 comprises a central cover 7 located vis-à-vis the inside foot 4, and a side or peripheral cover 8 which surrounds the central cover 7 and 30 as the upper end of the foot. The central cover 7 and the side cover 8 are connected to each other by a pivot connection oriented along the z axis, while the side cover is connected to the free end of the foot 4 by a slide connection oriented according to the z axis. The frame 3 of the device carries a fixed printed circuit marked by 9, located in the bottom of this frame. A central rod 11 located in the hollow foot extends parallel to the axis z, from a region near a lower face of the central cover 7, to the printed circuit 9 which is located vis-à-vis the foot hollow 4. This rod 11 is connected to the printed circuit and / or to the frame 3 by a slide type connection oriented along the z axis. It is on the other hand linked to the central cover 7 by a connection preventing a rotation of the central cover 7 relative to the rod 11 about the z axis. The rotation of the central bonnet 7 is prevented with an intermediate piece 13 interposed between the end of the rod 11 and the underside of the cover 7, to form a connection type Oldham seal. This intermediate piece is able to slide along the x-axis with respect to the underside of the central cover 7, and it is able to slide along the y-axis with respect to the upper end of the rod 11. For this purpose, this intermediate piece 13 comprises a first rib projecting from its upper face, and a second rib projecting from its lower face. These two ribs extend perpendicularly to one another, and they are engaged in corresponding grooves respectively formed in the upper end of the rod 11, and in the underside of the cover 7. The central cover 7 can thus be moved along the x-axis or the y-axis relative to the upper end of the rod 11, but it can not rotate about the z-axis relative to this rod.

  This connection is dimensioned with sufficient clearance to be likened to a ball joint around a point along the rod 11, but prohibiting a rotation of the central cover 7 about the z axis.

  In other words, the translation of the underside of the cover 7 relative to the part 13, along the x axis is comparable to a rotation of the cover about an axis parallel to the y axis and passing by a point located along the rod 11. The translation of this lower face along the y-axis is comparable to a rotation about an axis parallel to the x-axis and passing through a point of the rod 11. The entire cap 6 can be driven along the z axis, being displaced in translation relative to the hollow foot 4. In this movement, the rod 11 which has its upper end resting on an inner face of the hood central 7 via the intermediate piece 13, is also moved in translation along the axis z, so that it comes to depress one or more of the four electrical switches marked 16. These switches 16 are carried by the printed circuit 9, and they are dedicated to detecting the depression of the pointer. These switches are of the push button type, so that they maintain the pointer 2 in the extended position when it is released.

  The central cover 7 is made of an opaque material so as to also allow the backlight of the pointer. For this purpose, the printed circuit 9 carries four light-emitting diodes identified by 17 which are situated around the base of the rod. The light emitted by these diodes is led by a light guide 12 in transparent or opaque material, which is interposed between the printed circuit 9 and the underside of the cover 7. This light guide 12 is a piece of revolution located at the inside the hollow foot while surrounding the rod 11, it is rigidly secured to the frame 3, that is to say connected thereto by a connection type embedding. The peripheral cover 8 is free to pivot about the axis z, rotating the foot 4 to which it is connected by a z-axis slide connection. During this movement, the central cover 7 remains motionless in rotation, because it is connected to the rod 11 by a link preventing rotation around the axis z, while being connected to the peripheral cover 8 by a pivot connection d z axis, this rod 11 itself being connected to the frame 3 by a z-axis linkage prohibiting by definition a rotation about the z axis. The hollow foot 4 is connected to the frame 2 by a ball joint, that is to say, allowing it to rotate relative to the frame 2 about the three axes x, y and z which correspond to a direct orthogonal reference.

  For this purpose, the foot 4 comprises a lower portion 18 having an inner face and an outer hemispherical concentric face, and the frame comprises two complementary faces 19 and 20 also hemispherical and concentric, between which the lower portion 18 of the hollow foot 4 is nested . The rotational movements of the foot 4 about the z axis are detected by a rocker indexer 21, shown in Figure 2, including a rocker 22 carrying a rubber wheel 23 and two switches 24 and 26.

  The latch 22 which has a form of vertically extending arm is carried by the frame 2 being able to pivot about an axis 25 parallel to the x axis. The wheel 23 which it carries at its upper end bears against a notched external face of the hollow foot 4. This rocker 22 is extended in its lower part by two lateral arms perpendicular to its main arm and extending respectively to the the right of the switch 24 and the switch 26 which are carried by the printed circuit 9. When the hollow foot 4 rotates about the axis z, its detent moves, which tends to cause the upper end of the latch 22, maintained in support of the wheel 23, to pivot this rocker 22 about the axis 25 to drive, in the direction of rotation, the switch 24 or 26.

  This makes it possible, on the one hand, to detect the rotational movements of the pointer around the z-axis and, on the other hand, to lock this movement to make this pointer a blistering wheel.

  Thus, the rocker indexer makes it possible to detect the rotational movements of the pointer around the z axis and their direction: when the pointer rotates about the z axis in the direct direction, alternatively from the electrically closed state of the external hollow foot 4, remains in the same state. When the pointer the switch 24 passes electrically open to the state makes the notching of the face while the switch 26

  turns in the indirect direction about the z axis, it is instead the switch 26 which alternately passes from the open state to the closed state while the switch 24 does not change state. The rotational movements of the pointer 2 around the x-axis and the y-axis are themselves identified by another set of switches; identified by 27, 28, 29 and 31 and carried by the printed circuit 9. These four switches are located at the right of a circular edge 32 of the hollow foot 4 which corresponds to the end of the hollow foot located vis-à- screw circuit 9, being uniformly distributed along this circular edge, that is to say, being spaced from each other by a quarter turn, as shown in Figure 3. When the pointer 2 rotates in the direct direction about the x-axis, the edge 32 bears on the switch 31. When it pivots in the indirect direction about the x-axis, the edge 32 comes to bear on the switch 29. When the pointer 2 pivots in the direct direction about the y-axis, the edge 32 comes to bear on the switch 28, and when it pivots in the indirect direction about the y-axis, this edge bears on the switch 27 .

  Thus, all the switches carried by the printed circuit 9 are connected to a control unit capable of identifying at any time the position of the pointer around the x and y axes from an identification of the electrically open state or closed of each of these switches. These switches are of the push button type: they comprise elastic return means tending to maintain them in the extended position. Thus, the maintenance of the pointer in the rest position, that is to say parallel to the z axis is provided by these switches. With regard to the depression of the cap 6, it is identified by the sensors identified by 16. The position of the pointer 2 in rotation about the z axis is in turn determined with the switches 24 and 26. A this effect, the teeth of the notching of the periphery of the hollow foot 4 are spaced regularly, so that the control unit determines a new position about the z axis from a previously determined position, counting the number of changes in state of the switch 24 or 26, and increasing or decreasing all the previous angular position. According to another embodiment of the invention which is represented in FIGS. 4 to 6, the detection of the position of the pointer around the z axis is carried out using two toggle indexers. In this other embodiment of the invention, the general morphology of the pointer is similar to that of the pointer of the first embodiment, namely that of Figures 1 to 3. Therefore, the elements of this second embodiment which are identical to those of the first embodiment are identified by the same reference numerals supplemented by the prime sign.

  Thus, the pointing device 1 'according to this second embodiment also includes a pointer 2' carried by a frame 3 'and including a hollow foot 4' connected to this frame by a ball joint. The hollow foot also carries a cap 6 'including a central cover 7' surrounded by a peripheral cover 8 '. It also comprises a central rod 11 'connected to the frame by a slide connection oriented along the z axis, and a light guide 12' located in the hollow foot being rigidly connected to the frame, while surrounding the rod 11 '. The printed circuit 9 'which is rigidly connected to the frame 3' also carries a set of switches for identifying, from a control unit to which they are connected, the position of the pointer 2 'around the x, y and z axes. . In this second embodiment, the position of the pointer around the z axis is identified by means not of a single flip-flop connected to two switches, but by means of an indexer comprising two separate flip-flops each connected to a corresponding switch. . These two flip-flops which are identical to each other are marked respectively by 32 and 33, they are linked in motion respectively with a switch 24 'and with another switch 26' carried by the circuit 9 '. As seen in Figure 6, the flip-flop 32 comprises an arm 34 pivotally mounted about an axis 36 which is orthoradial with respect to the z axis. This arm is inclined at approximately forty five degrees with respect to the printed circuit 9 ', and it has a lower end resting on the switch 26', and an upper end resting on a generally cylindrical, notched internal face 37, The other flip-flop 33 has the same morphology as the flip-flop 32 shown in FIG. 6. These two flip-flops have their respective arms supported by the frame 3 ', and they are situated on the inside of the hollow foot 4'. to have their respective upper ends resting on its inner face 37. They are spaced from each other by an angle which is worth a quarter turn in the example of the figures. As can be seen in FIG. 7, the notch of the inner face 37 comprises hollow portions regularly spaced from each other, with a predetermined pitch, to define a relief against which the upper ends of the arms of the latches 32 and 33 are held in position. support, by return means which are simply the switches 24 and 26.

  As shown symbolically in this figure, the angular spacing of the latches around the z axis is chosen to not correspond to a multiple of the notch pitch in the surface 37, which allows to easily determine the direction of rotation of the pointer from the control unit to which the switches carried by the circuit 9 'are electrically connected. In the example of the figures, the two flip-flops are separated from each other about the z-axis by an angle which corresponds to an integer number of steps separating two consecutive cavities from the surface 37, increased by one half-step. It should be noted on the other hand that the upper ends of the latches have a thickness substantially corresponding to half the length of a cavity, that is to say, one quarter of the pitch of the notch.

  Thus, starting from the position of FIG. 7, in which the upper ends of the two flip-flops are each engaged in a cavity, and by moving the hollow foot 4 'in a first direction of rotation marked by +, it is firstly the end of the rocker 32 which leaves the cavity in which it is initially, then it is the end of the rocker 33 which leaves the cavity in which it is located. Accordingly, it is first switch 26 'which goes to the closed state and then the switch 27'. When the rotational movement continues in the direction indicated by +, the same sequence of changes of state is always observed: the switch 26 'closes; then the switch 27 'closes; the switch 26 'opens; and the switch 27 'opens in turn. In the case of rotation in opposite directions, the order of the sequence is different: the switch 27 'closes; the switch 26 'closes; the switch 27 'opens, and the switch 26' opens. In other words, in the direction of rotation marked by +, the closing of the switch 26 'is followed by the closing of the switch 27', whereas in the opposite direction, the closing of the switch 26 'is followed by the opening of the switch 27 '. Thus, the direction of rotation and the amplitude of this rotation can be determined simply from the control unit to which the switches are connected, by identifying the state change sequence and the number of these state changes. Because these flip-flops are resting on the notched internal face 37, they also ensure the notching of the pointer's rotational movement around the z-axis to make it a blistering wheel. In the example of the figures, the rockers 32 and 33 are located on the inner side of the hollow foot 4 ', but they could also be implanted on the outer side of this hollow foot which would then be provided with an external toothed surface. In both embodiments of the invention, the various switches used are for example of the push type, so that they comprise elastic return means in the rest position. The return to the rest position of the pointer and the or latches is thus provided directly by the return elements of these switches. These tend to return spontaneously to the rest position, that is to say to position it parallel to the z axis, and to place its cap 6 or 6 'in said output position.

  These switches are for example of the microswitch type, with gold-carbon contact via silicone. The light-emitting diode (s) providing the backlight are, for example LEDs of the LED.5 type.

Claims (8)

  1. Pointing device (1; 1 ') comprising a frame (3; 3') carrying a pointer (2; 2 ') movable in rotation around a first, a second and a third axis (x , y, z) perpendicular to each other, this pointer comprising a hollow foot (4; 4 ') having a shape of revolution about the first axis (z), this hollow foot (4; 4') being linked in motion to the frame (3; 3 ') by a ball joint, this hollow foot (4; 4') carrying a cap (6; 6 ') at least partially opaque, this device also comprising a printed circuit (9; 9') carrying different electrical switches (16, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31; 16 ', 24', 26 ', 27', 28 ', 29', 31 ') connected in motion to the hollow foot (4; identify the movements of the pointer (2;   2) around the three axes and at least one diode (17; 17 ') for illuminating the cap (6; 6') through the hollow foot (4; 4 '). 2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cap (6; 6 ') is secured to the hollow foot (4; 4') by a slide connection oriented along the first axis (z), and comprising a central rod (11; 11 ') passing through the hollow foot (4; 4') and facing a switch (16; 16 ') to identify a depression of the cap (6; 6') along the first axis ( z), this rod (11; 11 ') being secured to the frame (3; 3') by a slide connection oriented along the first axis (z).   3. Device according to claim 2, comprising a light guide (12) of opaque or transparent material, having a shape of revolution about the first axis (z), surrounding the rod (11) while being located in the hollow foot for guide the light emitted by the diodes towards the cap.   4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the printed circuit (9; 9 ') carries four switches (27, 28, 29, 31; 27', 28 ', 29', 31 ') said peripherals located at right of a lower circular edge (32; 32 ') of the hollow foot (4; 4') to identify the rotational position of the pointer (2; 2 ') about the second axis (y) and about the third axis (x ).   5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an indexer (21) including two switches (24, 26) carried by the printed circuit (9), and a rocker (22) carrying a wheel (23) by maintaining it in pressing on an internal or external toothed surface of the hollow foot, to cause the rocker (22) to tilt on rotation of the pointer (2) around the first axis (z), in a direction corresponding to the direction of rotation of the pointer, the rocker (22) being linked in motion to the switches (24, 26) for detecting the inclination and tilt direction of said flip-flop (22).   6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, comprising an indexer including two flip-flops (32, 33), and two switches (24 ', 26') carried by the printed circuit (9 '), each flip-flop (32, 33) having one end resting on an inner or outer toothed face (37) of the hollow foot (4 ') and another end connected in motion to a switch (24', 26 '), and wherein the two latches (32 , 33) are angularly spaced apart from each other about the first axis (z) by an angle which differs from a multiple of the pitch of the notch of the toothed surface (37).   7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding said rest position of the pointer (2; 2 ') is provided by the elastic elements of the switches (16, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31 16 ', 24', 26 ', 27', 28 ', 29', 31 ').   8. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cap (6; 6 ') comprises a central cover (7; 7') surrounded by a side cover (8; 8 '), and wherein the central cover (7; 7, 7 ') is connected to the lateral hood (8; 8') by a pivot connection oriented along the first axis (z), and in which the central hood (7; 7 ') is connected to the rod (11; ') by a ball joint which prevents relative rotation around the first axis (z).