WO2016083698A1

WO2016083698A1 - Device for manual control of a function, with rotatably mounted and light guiding control body, and associated control assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2016083698A1
Application number: PCT/FR2015/053009
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vincent LAINE; Julien CUEFF; Juho Hyun
Original assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles Sa; Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd
Priority date: 2014-11-25
Filing date: 2015-11-06
Publication date: 2016-06-02
Also published as: ES2721782T3; FR3029007A1; FR3029007B1; EP3238222B1; CN108200777B; CN108200777A; EP3238222A1

Abstract

A device for manual control (DC) is intended to control at least one function ensured by at least one member of a system. This device (DC) comprises: - a control body (CC) comprising a long-limbed central part (PC) and terminated by a rear part (PR), which is able to be mounted rotatably with respect to a support (PB), and a front part (PV), comprising a front face defining an indication zone (ZI) and a rear face to which is tied a wall (PG) delimiting a space under the indication zone (ZI), - at least one light-emitting diode (DE) able to deliver light in this space so as to back-light the indication zone (ZI), and - an actuator (A) able to be installed under the wall (PG) and to control the function in the case of interaction with the wall (PG) induced by the exerting of a pressure on the front part (PV) by a finger of a user.

Description

DEVICE FOR MANUALLY CONTROLLING FUNCTION, ROTATION-MOUNTED CONTROL BODY AND GUIDING LIGHT, AND CONTROL ASSEMBLY THEREFOR

The invention relates to manual control devices allowing users to manually control the at least partial operation of at least one member of a system.

Many types of manual control device have already been proposed. Thus, there are manual control devices arranged in the form of a wheel, a rotary knob, a push button (possibly of the "touch-latch" type), a slider (or slider), or a touch sensitive (or digital).

The invention relates more particularly to manual control devices that can pass from a first state to a second state, such as push buttons. As known to those skilled in the art, they include a contactor placed either in the thrust axis of the user's finger, or substantially perpendicular to this axis of thrust through a mechanical return.

Push-button manual thrusters provide backlighting, but offer very little freedom of form, kinematics, and style because you can only really play on the outline and finish of their piece that serves as an interface with the user.

The manual control devices with contactor substantially perpendicular to the axis of thrust provide greater freedom of form and style, but their arrangements are more complex and significantly limit the possibilities of backlighting, particularly because of the need for a reference .

The invention is therefore particularly intended to provide a manual control device of a new type, giving its user a sense of quality and offering many possibilities of form and style. It proposes for this purpose a manual control device for controlling at least one function provided by at least one member of a system, and comprising:

a control body comprising a central portion which is elongated and terminated by a rear part, adapted to be rotatably mounted relative to a support, and a front part, comprising a front face defining an indication zone and a rear face to which is secured a wall delimiting a space under this indication zone,

at least one light-emitting diode capable of delivering light into this space to back-light the indication zone, and

- A proper actuator to be installed under the wall and to control the function in case of interaction with the wall induced by the pressure of the front part of the control body by a finger of a user.

The light produced by each light-emitting diode being guided by the wall, it directly backlights, very effectively, the associated indication area.

The control device according to the invention may comprise other features that can be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

its actuator may comprise a pushbutton with two states, able to pass from one state to another each time it is subjected to a pressure of the wall; the push button may comprise, on the one hand, a first portion comprising an inner housing housing the light-emitting diode and adapted to be secured to an electronic card secured to the support, and, on the other hand, a second portion secured in translation to said part to be translated by the wall to induce a passage in one of the two states, and comprising a conduit opening into the inner housing and under the space to allow the passage of light produced by the light emitting diode;

its control body may comprise in its front part an opening defined at a front end of the wall, and a hubcap integral with a front face and comprising a portion placed in front of this opening to mask it and defining the indication zone;

- Its control body can include in its central part a clipping tab adapted to allow its clipping to a casing secured to the support.

The invention also proposes a control assembly, intended to control at least one function provided by at least one member of a system, and comprising at least one control device of the type of the one presented above, and a specific electronic card. to be secured to a support, which is secured to each actuator of a control device, and arranged to deliver a control signal of a function in case of interaction of an actuator with the wall of the control body of a control device associated with this function.

Such a control assembly may also include a casing clean to be secured to the support and to hide its electronic card and each actuator secured to the latter, and having holes housing each rear end of a wall of a body of control device control.

For example, this casing may comprise support means on which is rotatably mounted each rear portion of a control device control body.

The invention also proposes a dashboard intended to equip a vehicle, and comprising at least one control assembly of the type of that presented above.

The invention also proposes a vehicle, possibly of automobile type, and comprising a dashboard of the type of that presented above.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear on examining the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings (obtained for some in CAD / DAO, hence the apparently discontinuous character of certain lines and the presence of gray levels), on which: FIG. 1 schematically illustrates, in a perspective view of the front side, a central part of a vehicle dashboard equipped with seven exemplary embodiments of a manual control device according to the invention,

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates, in a sectional view in a longitudinal plane, one of the manual control devices installed in the dashboard of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates, in a perspective view of the front side, the seven manual control devices of FIG. 1 in the absence of a covering casing,

FIG. 4 schematically illustrates, in a perspective view of the front side, an embodiment of a casing for concealing part of the seven manual control devices of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, a control body of a manual control device of FIG. 1.

The invention particularly aims to provide a DC manual control device for allowing its user to manually control the pressure at least partial operation of at least one body of a system.

In the following, by way of nonlimiting example, the system is considered to be a motor vehicle, for example a car. But the invention is not limited to this type of system. It concerns indeed any type of system comprising at least one member that can be controlled at least partially by at least one manual control device. Thus, it relates to any vehicle, whatever its type (land, sea (or fluvial), or air), household appliances, buildings, and facilities (possibly industrial type).

Furthermore, it is considered in the following, by way of non-limiting example, that the DC manual control device is intended to be part of a control assembly EC, itself intended to equip a PB d dashboard. a vehicle and to control at least one organ or facility thereof. But the invention is not limited to this application. Indeed, within a vehicle this EC control unit can also, and in particular, be part of a central console or a ceiling lamp or an armrest.

Finally, it will be considered in the following, by way of nonlimiting example, that the manual control device DC is intended, like the control assembly EC of which it is a part, to control at least partially at least one function a heating / air conditioning system of the vehicle. But the invention is not limited to the control of this type of function. It concerns indeed any manual control of at least partial operation of at least one organ of a system.

FIGS. 1 and 2 diagrammatically show a small portion of a vehicle dashboard PB equipped with an EC control assembly provided with seven DC manual control devices according to the invention. It should be noted that an EC control assembly may comprise any number of DC manual control devices, provided that this number is greater than or equal to one (1).

As illustrated non-limitatively in FIGS. 1 and 2, a manual control device DC according to the invention comprises a control body CC, at least one light-emitting diode DE and an actuator A.

The control body CC comprises a central portion PC having an elongated shape and terminated at its two opposite ends by rear portions PR and before PV.

As best illustrated in Figure 2, the rear portion PR is adapted to be rotatably mounted relative to a support PB (here a vehicle dashboard). For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rear portion PR may comprise on a rear face (oriented toward the dashboard PB) at least one coupling lug provided with a hole TF intended to receive a small axis of rotation defined transversely on a bracket of fixing means MF defined in a housing LO of a casing CH of the EC control assembly. It will be noted that in the example shown non-limitatively in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rear portion PR of the control body CC comprises two coupling tabs that are substantially parallel to each other, and each housing LO of the casing. covering CH comprises fixing means MF comprising two fixing lugs intended to cooperate respectively with these two coupling tabs to allow the rotation of the control body CC when a user's finger exerts a pressure on its front part PV.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the rear portion PR of the control body CC could be rotatably mounted on the support PB (here a dashboard).

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the front portion PV of the control body CC comprises a front face defining an indication zone ZI, intended to indicate the controlled function and on which the finger of a user can exert pressure for enable or disable this function, and a rear face which is secured to a PG wall which delimits a space under this indication zone ZI. For example, and as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5, the wall PG may have a frustoconical shape (with the widest section located on the rear face side of the front portion PV of the control body CC). .

Here "indication zone" is understood to mean an area in which is defined a pictogram comprising a drawing and / or a representative symbol (s) of the associated function. This pictogram may, for example, be made by laser scraping so as to be visible without illumination when the contrast is high, or by screen printing, or by glossy black paint when a "black panel" type finish is desired. (In this case, the pictogram is invisible in the absence of backlight, and therefore when the vehicle engine does not work).

Note that the control body CC may be made of plastic (for example by molding) or metal (for example aluminum, possibly brushed).

It will also be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 2 to 5, that the control body CC may comprise in its central portion PC a clipping tab PA capable of allowing it to be clipped to the possible casing CH which is secured to the support PB (here a dashboard). For this purpose, and as illustrated, each housing LO of the casing CH can include a hole TC intended to allow the introduction of a clipping lug PA of a CC control body for the coupling of the latter (CC) by clipping. It will be understood that this clipping is intended to retain the control body CC relative to the casing CH while allowing its drive in rotation only in case of support on its front portion PV.

It will also be noted, as illustrated without limitation in FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5, that the central portion PC of the control body CC may have a curvature, for example to follow a similar or complementary curvature of the front panel of the PB board. and / or facilitate the support of a finger and / or ensure an aesthetic function. This curvature may possibly vary from one implantation zone to another. Likewise, the overall shape and dimensions of the control body CC may vary from one implantation area to another.

Each light-emitting diode DE is adapted to deliver in the space defined by the wall PG of the light FL intended to backlight the indication zone ZI. The wall PG thus defines a kind of guide shaft for the light FL produced by each light-emitting diode DE, which allows to backlight directly, very effectively, the associated indication zone ZI.

The actuator A is adapted to be installed under the wall PG and to control a function associated with the control body CC in the event of interaction with this wall PG, induced by the pressure on the front part PV by a finger of a user.

It will be understood that the rear end of the wall PG, which is located in the immediate vicinity of the actuatable portion P2 of the actuator A, is arranged to exert pressure on this actuatable part P2 when a user's finger presses on the indication zone ZI of the associated front part PV.

For example, and as illustrated in non-limiting manner in FIGS. 2 and 3, the actuator A may comprise a pushbutton with two states, capable of passing from one state to another each time it is subjected to a pressure of rear end of the PG wall. Note that this push button may be of touch-latch type. For example, this push button A may comprise a first portion P1 fixed and a second portion P2 actuable. More specifically, the first portion P1 comprises an inner housing housing the light emitting diode DE and is adapted to be secured to an electronic card CE which is itself secured to the support PB (here a dashboard). This electronic card CE is for example type called "printed circuit board" (or "printed circuit board" (PCB)). It is electrically powered by a power source of the vehicle and arranged to deliver each control signal of a function controlled by the control assembly EC, in response to the actuation of the associated actuator A. Furthermore, this electronic card CE may, for example, be a satellite card in wired connection or via a LIN type network with a main electronic card comprising other physical and / or sensory commands, or a main card having a link via a CAN-type network with a vehicle control box.

The second part P2 is fixed in translation to the first part P1 so as to be translated by the rear end of the wall PG to induce a passage in one of the two states of its pushbutton A. Moreover, this second part P2 comprises a conduit which opens into the inner housing of the first portion P1 associated and the space delimited by the wall PG to allow the passage of the light FL which is produced by the LED light emitting diode. It will be understood that in this non-limiting embodiment the passage of the light FL requires that the aforementioned space is accessible through a rear opening defined at the rear end of the wall PG.

Preferably, the second portion P2 is secured in translation to the first portion P1 under an elastic restoring force, defined by an internal spring and tending to replace it in a rest position after being translated. In this case, the rear end of the wall PG is, as illustrated in FIG. 2, permanently in contact with the second part P2 so as to automatically return to a rest position when the finger of a user ceases to exert pressure on the front part PV. The control body CC thus constitutes a kind of "piano key" of which the damping recess by the elastic return force ensures the control of a function. This makes it possible to offer the user an impression of dampening depression when one of his fingers exerts pressure on the front part PV to control the associated function.

It will be noted that the elastic restoring force could be provided by means other than the internal spring and / or by complementary means of the latter. Thus, it is possible to use a spiral spring or a metal blade placed under stress under the rear face of the central portion PC.

It will also be noted that the control body CC may, as illustrated without limitation in FIG. 5, comprise in its front portion PV a front opening TL defined at a front end of its wall PG, opposite its rear end, and intended to allow the passage of the FL light that is produced by the light emitting diode DE. In this case, the control body CC also comprises a hub cap secured to its front face (opposite its rear face including the wall PG and the clipping leg PA) and comprising a portion placed in front of the front opening TL to hide it and defining its zone of indication ZI.

It will also be noted that in a variant embodiment not illustrated, the light-emitting diode DE could be housed in the space delimited by the wall PG, rather than in the actuator A. In this case, it is not necessary to provide a rear opening at the rear end of the PG wall, and the actuator A can be a conventional push button (without inner housing and without conduit for the passage of light).

It will also be noted that when a casing CH is provided, the latter (CH) advantageously serves to mask the electronic card CE and each actuator A secured to the latter (CE). In this case, the casing CH comprises holes TP respectively for housing the rear ends of the walls PG of the control body CC of the various DC control devices of its control assembly EC.

Such a casing CH can possibly participate in the style of its EC control assembly and / or the dashboard.

Claims

1. Manual control device (DC) for controlling at least one function provided by at least one member of a system, characterized in that it comprises i) a control body (CC) comprising a central portion (PC) elongated and terminated by a rear portion (PR), adapted to be rotatably mounted relative to a support (PB), and a front portion (PV), having a front face defining an indication zone (ZI) and a rear face to which is secured a wall (PG) delimiting a space under said indication zone (ZI), ii) at least one light-emitting diode (DE) capable of delivering light into said space to backlight said indication zone (ZI), and iii) an actuator (A) adapted to be installed under said wall (PG) and to control said function in case of interaction with said wall (PG) induced by the exertion of a pressure on said front part (PV) by a finger of a user.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuator (A) comprises a push button with two states, adapted to move from one state to another each time it undergoes a pressure of said wall (PG) .

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that said push button (A) comprises i) a first portion (P1) comprising an inner housing housing said light emitting diode (DE) and adapted to be secured to an electronic card (CE) secured to said support (PB), and ii) a second portion (P2) secured in translation to said first portion (P1) so as to be translated by said wall (PG) to induce said passage in one of the two states, and comprising a conduit opening into said inner housing and under said space to allow the passage of light produced by said light emitting diode (DE).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said control body (CC) comprises in its front portion (PV) an opening defined at a front end of said wall (PG), and a hubcap integral with a front face and comprising a portion placed in front of said opening to mask it and defining said indication zone (ZI).

5. Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that said control body (CC) comprises in its central portion (PC) a clipping tab (PA) adapted to allow its clipping to a casing housing (CH) secured to said support (PB).

6. Control assembly (EC) for controlling at least one function provided by at least one member of a system, characterized in that it comprises at least one control device (DC) according to one of the preceding claims, and an electronic card (CE) adapted to be secured to a support (PB), to which is fixed each actuator (A) of a control device (DC), and arranged to deliver a control signal of a function in case interaction of an actuator (A) with the wall (PG) of the control body (CC) of a control device (DC) associated with this function.

7. Control assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a casing housing (CH) adapted to be secured to said support (PB) and to hide said electronic card (CE) and each actuator (A) secured to the latter (CE), and having holes (TP) housing each rear end of a wall (PG) of a control body (CC) of the control device (DC).

8. Control assembly according to claim 7, characterized in that said casing housing (CH) comprises support means (MS) on which is rotatably mounted each rear portion (PR) of a control body (CC). ) of control device (DC).

9. Dashboard (PB) for a vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least one control unit (EC) according to one of claims 6 to 8.

10. Vehicle, characterized in that it comprises a dashboard (PB) according to claim 9.