WO2012168326A1

WO2012168326A1 - Operating panel for a vehicle component

Info

Publication number: WO2012168326A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/060748
Authority: WO
Inventors: Egbert Lamminger; Klaus Weber; Christian Lomberg
Original assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol Gmbh
Priority date: 2011-06-07
Filing date: 2012-06-06
Publication date: 2012-12-13
Also published as: DE112012002398A5

Abstract

The operating panel (10) for a vehicle component, such as an air conditioning control unit, radio, navigation system, or infotainment system, is provided with a front wall (12) and a carrier plate (26) arranged behind the front wall (12) at a distance from the front wall for switches (52) and/or electrical and/or electronic and/or mechanical components. Furthermore, the operating panel (10) has at least one manually operable button element (14), which protrudes from a connection wall region (16) of the front wall (12), is integrally articulated to the connection wall region (16) by means of a film hinge (24) and has an exposed edge (25) outside of the film hinge (24). A guiding element (28) having a tappet (42), which tappet is associated with the button element (14) and guided in an axially movable manner, is arranged between the front wall (12) and the carrier plate (26). The tappet (42) is in contact at one end with the button element (14), which is flexibly and resiliently connected to the connection wall region (16) of the front wall (12) by means of the film hinge (24), and is in contact at the other end with a switch (52), which is likewise associated with the button element (14). The tappet can be moved axially in the direction of the switch (52) in order to actuate the switch when the button element (14) is pressed down.

Description

Operating unit for a vehicle component

The invention relates to an operating unit for a vehicle component.

The most diverse vehicle components such as air conditioning, navigation system, radio, infotainment system or the like. are operated by means of operating units. These control units have various controls, which are designed for example as knobs, slide switches, rocker or tilt buttons or as push buttons. A depressible control button generally has a key body, which is guided linearly displaceable on, for example, the front panel of an operating unit. The installation of such control buttons is so far complicated, as that several parts must be assembled and assembled. In addition, the exact guidance of the control buttons requires the maintenance of relatively tight tolerances in the manufacture of the individual parts of the control unit to be assembled. It is known to provide control units with so-called membrane keyboards, which form a closed user interface.

Furthermore, from DE-B-10 2007 054 347, DE-A-103 30 275, DE-T-601 00 726 and US-A-4 613 736 control units are known in which the control buttons are formed as a key combination, the keys About film hinges on common support structures are flexibly connected. In the latter two publications, the flexibly connected keys are arranged behind a front panel with recesses in which the individual keys are exposed accessible. In DE-B-10 2007 054 347 the actuation of a piezoelectric switching element via a flexibly connected button by a 90 ° deflection of the force exerted on the button pressing force, which is particularly disadvantageous for automated assembly, since the piezoelectric Switch is at least partially obscured by a lever projecting from the button and thus can be mounted only with difficulty.

JP-A-2000-311554, DE-B-199 62 762 and DE-A-10 2006 042 645 each show key arrangements in operating units which have articulated key elements which act on switches. The joints are designed as hinges, which increases the assembly costs and manufacturing costs. The object of the invention is to provide an operating unit for a vehicle component, in which the assembly of the keys is simplified with the emergence of a visually appealing appearance of the front of the control unit and each desired haptic property of the keys. To achieve this object, an operating unit for a vehicle component such as a climate control unit, a radio, a navigation system, an infotainment system or the like with the invention. proposed, wherein the operating unit is provided with

a front wall,

- One behind the front wall with a distance to this arranged carrier plate for switches and electrical and / or electronic and / or mechanical components and

at least one manually actuable key element projecting from the front wall in substantially the plane of the front wall and integrally flexible and resiliently connected via a film hinge-like connection with the front wall and having an exposed edge outside the film hinge-like connection. In this operating unit is provided according to the invention,

that between the front wall and the support plate, a guide element with a key element associated, axially displaceably guided plunger is arranged and that the plunger rests on the one hand on the key element and on the other hand on a key element also associated switch and the same is axially movable upon depression of the key element in the direction of the switch for actuating.

The operating unit according to the invention has a front wall, which may form, for example, the front of a housing. Behind the front wall (when viewed on the front side) is a support plate, which is arranged at a distance from the front wall. Various electrical or electronic and / or mechanical components such as switches or the like can be mounted on the carrier plate. be arranged. The front wall is provided with at least one flexibly connected, manually operable key element. This key element forms part of the front face of the front wall (which is closed in the connecting area to the key element).

Conceptually, the front wall can be subdivided into a connecting wall section from which the at least one manually operable key element protrudes in extension in substantially the plane of the front wall. This button element is integrally connected to the connecting wall region of the front wall in a one-piece and resettable manner via a hinge-like connection, wherein a particularly closed, flat surface is provided on the front side of the front wall in the area of the film-hinge connection (called film hinge hereinafter). With the exception of the area in which the film hinge is formed, the key element has an exposed edge. Thus, the key element can be pressed down under bending of the film hinge, wherein the resilience of the material of the front wall in the region of the film hinge, the key element then moves back to its original position. Film-hinge connections in one- or two- or multi-component design are known in principle (see, for example, DE-A-102 18 848, DE-B-10 2004 012 997 and DE-A-10 2005 044 According to the invention, the force is now applied to a switching element in the direction of manual force on the key element. For this purpose, the key element is located on a ram associated therewith, which is guided axially displaceably on a guide element. The guide element is arranged between the front wall and the carrier plate. By depressing the key element so the plunger is axially displaced in the direction of the switch, so that the plunger finally actuates the switch and thus a switching function is triggered. The key element and the connection wall portion form the front side of the front wall. This key combination (from the connection wall area and the key elements or the key element) can be easily mounted by forming this composite the front wall of the operating unit and therefore no assembly of individual components is required in this area. On the behind the front wall arranged carrier plate is behind the key element of the associated switch. The support plate can therefore, as known in electrical or electronic devices, in a conventional manner, in particular automatically equipped and thus be made automatically. By joining the support plate, guide element and front wall thus the control unit according to the invention can be produced. The "closed" surface in the connection area of the key element creates a visually appealing exterior. The flexibility of the film hinge-like compound can be "adjusted" by appropriate choice of material or thickness of the material of the front wall. As a result, the haptics can be selected according to the respective requirements and wishes.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the film hinge is formed by a substantially linearly extending local reduction of the thickness of the front wall. However, it should be emphasized at this point that with film hinge within the meaning of the invention is not necessarily meant a reduced in its thickness region of the front wall. The front wall can have the same thickness in the area of the film hinge as in the remaining area and in particular as in the connection area. area as well as in the area of the key element. Other embodiments of film hinges, as they are known per se, are also conceivable. Thus, for example, the connection wall region and the key element could be connected to one another by a film hinge joint that is U-shaped in cross-section, as is the case for the connection of the key elements in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3 of DE-A-103 30 275 is the case.

If the film hinge is realized by a local reduction in the thickness of the front wall, this reduction in thickness should be made from the back of the front wall, which means that a groove is formed on the back of the front wall. In this way, the front of the front wall in the region of the film hinge remains flat and has no projections or depressions. In the manufacture of control units for vehicle components is made of plastic materials. As far as the front wall is concerned, these should be flexible and plastically deformable at least in the area of the film hinges or in the area of the film hinge. The front wall is suitably made as a plastic injection molded part, whereby 2K injection molded plastic parts can be used as a front wall.

In an advantageous development of the invention, the connection wall region and the at least one key element or all the key elements adjacent to the connection wall region are designed as a 2K injection-molded plastic part. In this case, the front wall has a comparatively flexible first plastic material (for example TPU) in the region of the connection wall region and the adjoining part region of the key element or each key element. The key element is stiffened in its remaining area by having a comparatively rigid second plastic material there.

In the area behind the key element is, as mentioned above, on the support plate, the switching element or the switch. Next to this switch is still enough space for example, a backlighting light source. This backlighting light source may alternatively be arranged on the carrier plate or on the guide element. It is expedient if either the key element on its underside facing the carrier plate or the guide element have a Lichtabschottungsschacht, which prevents emanating from the Hinterieuchtungslichtquelle radiation as scattered light leads to the unintentional backlighting of adjacent key elements. In the case of a backlit key element, this has a transparent plastic material in the area of a backlightable symbol field. This material is then subsequently light-shielding lacquered to then expose the actual symbol, which is done for example by lasers. This is a well-known process in itself. The painting gives the entire front wall a uniform appearance. In other words, as a rule, therefore, the comparatively flexible first plastic material is painted. This is sometimes due to the fact that this plastic material could be transparent and thus in the case of a backlighting light passes through the front wall at undesirable locations. If transparent flexible plastic material is used for the Rlmscharnlerberelch, it is advantageous if you also provides the key element in the symbol field with this flexible plastic material.

The front wall can expediently be attached to the guide element, which can be achieved, for example, by a plug connection or the like. can be realized. But it is also possible to attach the front wall, for example, to a housing (if this is available) of the control unit. The attachment of the front wall to the housing or to the guide element takes place within the connection wall area, since the key elements must continue to be free to move and remain hinged around their film hinges.

The arrangement of several key elements on the connection wall region of the front wall is basically arbitrary, with all key elements in Substantially extending in the extension of the plane of the front wall of the connection wall area. It is also possible for the front wall to have a plurality of attachment wall regions, from which then key elements belonging to a group of key elements protrude. It is also conceivable that protrude from a connection wall area on opposite sides of key elements. The key elements can thus protrude next to one another or opposite from the connection wall region or from a connection wall region. In this case, the key elements can point in different directions, wherein they extend substantially in the plane of the front wall.

The design of the switch, which is triggered by the plunger upon actuation of the key element, is basically arbitrary. Thus, for example, so-called Kurzhubschalter, but also piezoelectric switches are suitable. A particularly simple embodiment of a switch is given when a plastic (Si! Ikon-) switching mat is used, which, as provided in a conventional manner, has a compressible resilient dome on which rests the plunger. When the plunger is moved axially when depressing the key element, it compresses the dome and moves its upper end in the direction of the support plate on which the switching mat rests. On the support plate are located in the area below the dome two contact fields that are shorted by an electrically conductive field within the dome when the dome is pressed upon depression of the key element against the contact fields. The switching mat can be arranged continuously over the carrier plate; but it is also possible that only single compressible dome are provided.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the flexible key combination according to the invention can also be used with concave or convexly curved front walls of operating units. If, in fact, the connection wall area of the front wall is made flexible (in the area of the film hinges, the front wall is already flexible), then the task tenverbund, ie use the front wall in a control unit with a convex or concave curved front.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to several embodiments and with reference to the drawings. In detail, they show:

Flg. 1 is a plan view of a key combination according to a first embodiment of a control unit,

Fig. 2 is a section along the line II-II of the Flg. 1 with not depressed button element, the sectional view corresponding to the line II-II of the Flg. 1 in the event that the flexibly connected key element is depressed to trigger an operating function, and

FIGS. 4 to 7

Various arrangements of flexibly connected key elements of the front wall of operating units for K z components.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a first exemplary embodiment of an operating unit 10. The front wall 12 of the operating unit 10 has four key elements 14 arranged side by side, which are flexibly and integrally connected to a common carrier or connecting wall region 16 of the front wall 12. Between the four key elements 14 in this exemplary embodiment, edge recesses 18 extend, which extend from the edge portion 22 forming part of the peripheral boundary edge 20 of the front wall 12 up to the connecting wall region 16. The connection wall region 16 is strip-shaped in this exemplary embodiment and has four film hinges 24. Outside their respective film hinge connections, the peripheral edges 25 of the key elements 14 are exposed. As can be seen from Fig. 2, located at a distance from the front wall 12 behind this a support plate 26 (for example in the form of a circuit board). Between the front wall 12 and the support plate 26 there is a guide element 28, which is expediently designed in one piece for all key elements 14 and is located behind all of the key elements 14.

It can be seen with reference to FIG. 2 that a key element 14 is connected to the connecting wall region 16 via the film hinge 24. From the connection wall region 16, an insertion web 30 extends in the direction of the support plate 26 and is latchingly received in a groove 32 of the guide element 28. In this way, the front wall 12 is attached to the guide member 28. Along the film hinges 24, grooves 33 for reducing the material thickness of the front wall 12 extend at the rear side of the front wall 12.

Below each key element 14 is an integrally formed with the guide member 28 Uchtabschottungsschacht 34 which rests on the carrier plate 26. Within this Uchtabschottungsschachts 34 is located on the support plate 26, a backlighting light source 36, for example in the form of an LED. In extension of the Uchtabschottungsschachtes 34 of the key element 14, this has a backlit icon, which is basically known in keys of operating units.

The key element 14 covers the top of the Uchtabschottungsschachts 34 and has a distance to this. At the front edge (see at 22 in Rg. 2) of the key element 14, this has a to the support plate 26 facing edge 38. The guide member 28 is provided for each key member 14 with a guide bore 40 which extends substantially perpendicular to the plane of the support plate 26. In the guide bore 40 is an axially displaceable plunger 42, at the upper end of the edge 38 of the key element 14 is present. With its other end is the plunger 42nd on the elastically compressible switching dome 44 of a switching mat 46. If a force is then exerted in the direction of the arrow 48 by depressing the key element 14, the plunger 42 is moved axially in the direction of the arrow 50 onto the switch 52 formed by the switching mat 46 and the dome 44 and triggers a switching function. The situation with pressed key element 14 shows Flg. Third

As indicated by the Rgn. 1 and 2 is clarified, the front wall 12 consists of a 2 K- unststoffteil. In the area 54, the front wall 12 has a relatively rigid plastic material, to which the film hinge 24 is adjacent. The key element 14 adjoins the film hinge 24 in turn. In the region of the film hinge 24 and in the adjoining region 56 of the key element 14, this has a comparatively flexible plastic material, which is e.g. is transparent. This flexible plastic material extends into the area of the symbol field 58. The remaining area 60 of the key element 14 in turn consists of the rigid plastic material. The flexible plastic material thus forms the (closed) surface of the front wall 12, thus covering the areas of the front wall 12 of the rigid plastic material, which thus serves stiffening purposes.

The front wall 12 produced in this way is painted, for example, whereby in the area of the symbol field 58 this lacquer has been removed for the purpose of displaying a backlightable symbol. This procedure and this design is basically known in key elements and operating units.

In the Rgn. 4 to 7 are shown by way of example various applications for the key combination according to the invention. Thus, in FIG. 4, a front wall 12a can be seen, which has four key elements 14a, which have exposed edges 25 except for the film hinges 24a. 4, that is to say above the attachment wall region 16a, in the embodiment according to FIG. 4 there is still a display 62a. Another embodiment of the application of the key combination according to the invention with single-sided key elements is in Flg. 5 shown. The front wall 12b has two groups of four key elements 14b each. By way of example, a display 62b is again shown above the upper of these key combinations.

In Flg. FIG. 6 shows that key elements 14c connected on both sides via film hinges 24c extend from a central connection wall region 16c. Again, by way of example, a display 62c can be seen.

Finally, Flg. 7 shows a variant of the key combination according to the invention, in which, in this exemplary embodiment, three key elements 14d project in different directions from the common connection wall region 16d of the front wall 12d.

The structure according to the invention is characterized, inter alia, by the fact that the key elements are present in a composite,

the key elements are supported and thus stiffened by their comparatively rigid regions despite the comparatively flexible regions and

can be operated by the flexible connection and the key element stiffening the key element without significant haptic influence of the film hinge, the "Betätigungshaptlk" thus determined by the behavior of the operated switch (in the case of a switching mat with Dom or a so-called keytop the so-called snap resp Force jump).

The flexibility of the connection of the key elements on the front wall allows comparatively large bending angles of up to 10 ° for strokes of, for example, up to 2 mm. Experiments have shown that despite this large bending angle does not come to a so-called Weißbruch, the material in the area of the Filmschamlers not discolored on the front of the front wall so.

Claims

CLAIMS Control unit for a vehicle component such as e.g. a climate control unit, radio, navigation system, infotainment system or the like., With

a front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d),

- One behind the front wall (12, 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d) with a distance to this arranged carrier plate (26) for switches (52) and electrical and / or electronic and / or mechanical components and

- At least one manually operable key element (14, 14 a, 14 b, 14 c, 14 d) of the front wall (12, 12 a, 12 b, 12 c, 12 d) extending in substantially the plane of the front wall (12,12a, 12b , 12c, 12d) and via a film-hinge-like connection (24,24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) with the front wall (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) is integrally flexible and resiliently connected and the one outside the fllmscharnierartigen connection ( 24,24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) exposed edge (25), characterized

in that between the front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) and the carrier plate (26) a guide element (28) is associated with a plunger (42 ) is arranged and

- That the plunger (42) on the one hand on the key element (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) and on the other hand to a button member (14,14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) also associated switch (52) is applied and when depressing the Button member (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) in the direction of the switch (52) for actuating the same is axially movable. Control unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the film hinge (24,24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) is formed by a linear extending local thickness reduction of the front wall (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) or that the front wall (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) on its the guide element (28) and the support plate (26) facing back a groove (33) for locally reducing the thickness of the front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d). Operating unit according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the front wall (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) at least in the region of the film hinge (24,24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) has a flexible, plastically deformable material or that Button element (14,14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) in its on the connection wall region (16,16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) adjacent portion (56) a comparatively flexible first plastic material and in the remaining region (60) a relatively rigid second Plastic material has. Operating unit according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the key element (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) can be back-illuminated, that a sub-illumination light source (36) is arranged on the carrier plate (26) or on the guide element (28) and in that the guide element (28) has an anti-knockout slot (34) between the source of illumination source and the key element (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d). Operating unit according to claim 3 and 4, characterized in that the first plastic material is transparent and that the key element (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) has a backlit symbol field (58), in whose area the key element (14,14a, 14bl4c , 14d) comprises the first plastic material, wherein the regions (56, 58) of the key element (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) are formed in one piece from the comparatively flexible first plastic material. Operating unit according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the switch (52) has a compressible, resilient dome of a plastic switching mat, which rests on the support plate (26), or that the switch (52) as Kurzhub- or the like. Tastschalter is formed. Operating element according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) on the guide element (28) is in particular pluggable fastened. Operating unit according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that of the connection wall region (16,16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) of the front wall (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) a plurality of key elements (14, 14a, 14b, 14c , 14d), each of which is integrally hingedly connected via a film hinge (24,24a, 24b, 24c, 24d) with the connection wall region (16,16a, 16b, 16c, 16d). Operating unit according to Claim 8, characterized in that the key elements (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) protrude next to one another or opposite from the connection wall region (16, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d). Operating unit according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the front wall (12,12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) has a boundary edge and that at least a portion of the boundary edge has edge recesses between which the key elements (14, 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d) of the front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d) are formed, wherein the edge recesses extend from the relevant subregion of the boundary edge of the front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 2c, 12d) to the connecting wall region (16, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d) of the front wall (12, 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d).