WO2019066666A1 - Capacitive touch panel unit of a motor vehicle control system - Google Patents

Capacitive touch panel unit of a motor vehicle control system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2019066666A1
WO2019066666A1 PCT/PL2017/000094 PL2017000094W WO2019066666A1 WO 2019066666 A1 WO2019066666 A1 WO 2019066666A1 PL 2017000094 W PL2017000094 W PL 2017000094W WO 2019066666 A1 WO2019066666 A1 WO 2019066666A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
cover
support
touch panel
conductive layer
housing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/PL2017/000094
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Marek WOŹNIAK
Andrzej Wetula
Original Assignee
Merit Poland Spółka Z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Merit Poland Spółka Z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością filed Critical Merit Poland Spółka Z Ograniczoną Odpowiedzialnością
Priority to PCT/PL2017/000094 priority Critical patent/WO2019066666A1/en
Publication of WO2019066666A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019066666A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
    • G06F3/044—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means by capacitive means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/10—Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K35/00—Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
    • B60K35/50—Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01R—ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS
    • H01R13/00—Details of coupling devices of the kinds covered by groups H01R12/70 or H01R24/00 - H01R33/00
    • H01R13/02—Contact members
    • H01R13/22—Contacts for co-operating by abutting
    • H01R13/24—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted
    • H01R13/2407—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted characterized by the resilient means
    • H01R13/2414—Contacts for co-operating by abutting resilient; resiliently-mounted characterized by the resilient means conductive elastomers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H03—ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY
    • H03K—PULSE TECHNIQUE
    • H03K17/00—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking
    • H03K17/94—Electronic switching or gating, i.e. not by contact-making and –breaking characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated
    • H03K17/96—Touch switches
    • H03K17/962—Capacitive touch switches
    • H03K17/9622—Capacitive touch switches using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K3/00—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits
    • H05K3/10—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern
    • H05K3/12—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns
    • H05K3/1275—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which conductive material is applied to the insulating support in such a manner as to form the desired conductive pattern using thick film techniques, e.g. printing techniques to apply the conductive material or similar techniques for applying conductive paste or ink patterns by other printing techniques, e.g. letterpress printing, intaglio printing, lithographic printing, offset printing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/139—Clusters of instrument input devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/143—Touch sensitive instrument input devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/20—Optical features of instruments
    • B60K2360/33—Illumination features
    • B60K2360/34—Backlit symbols
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/40—Hardware adaptations for dashboards or instruments
    • B60K2360/42—Circuit board features
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/40—Hardware adaptations for dashboards or instruments
    • B60K2360/46—Electrical connections
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/60—Structural details of dashboards or instruments
    • B60K2360/68—Features of instruments
    • B60K2360/691—Housings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/816—Fastening of displays or touch screens
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K2360/00—Indexing scheme associated with groups B60K35/00 or B60K37/00 relating to details of instruments or dashboards
    • B60K2360/828—Mounting or fastening exchangeable modules
    • B60K2360/834—Docking arrangements
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/00 - G06F3/048
    • G06F2203/041—Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/041 - G06F3/045
    • G06F2203/04103—Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F2203/00—Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/00 - G06F3/048
    • G06F2203/041—Indexing scheme relating to G06F3/041 - G06F3/045
    • G06F2203/04107—Shielding in digitiser, i.e. guard or shielding arrangements, mostly for capacitive touchscreens, e.g. driven shields, driven grounds
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
    • H01H2207/00—Connections
    • H01H2207/002—Conductive rubber; Zebra
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K1/00—Printed circuits
    • H05K1/02—Details
    • H05K1/14—Structural association of two or more printed circuits
    • H05K1/144—Stacked arrangements of planar printed circuit boards
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
    • H05K2201/03—Conductive materials
    • H05K2201/0302—Properties and characteristics in general
    • H05K2201/0314—Elastomeric connector or conductor, e.g. rubber with metallic filler
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
    • H05K2201/04—Assemblies of printed circuits
    • H05K2201/042—Stacked spaced PCBs; Planar parts of folded flexible circuits having mounted components in between or spaced from each other
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
    • H05K2201/00—Indexing scheme relating to printed circuits covered by H05K1/00
    • H05K2201/20—Details of printed circuits not provided for in H05K2201/01 - H05K2201/10
    • H05K2201/2018—Presence of a frame in a printed circuit or printed circuit assembly

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a capacitive touch panel unit for a motor vehicle control system, comprising a cover marked at its external side with a number of activating areas, a support disposed at the internal side of the cover and provided with an electric interface to connect the unit with other components of the control system, a housing disposed between the cover and the support, a number of capacitive activating regions adjoining the cover at the internal side thereof at locations corresponding to activating areas of the cover and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support.
  • Capacitive touch panels of this kind are frequently used in an automotive industry as panels controlling various components and subsystems of a vehicle. They usually form a compact, preassembled units that at the vehicle assembly line are mechanically fixed to the vehicle dashboard and electrically fixed to the vehicle wiring.
  • the support has usually the form of a printed circuit board provided with an edge enabling to electrically connect such a preassembled unit with an appropriate slotted socket.
  • the capacitive activating region on the other hand is usually imprinted on a flexible foil positioned directly beneath the cover and provided with a flexible tip cooperating with an appropriate slot connector of the printed circuit board.
  • the foil should tightly adhere to the cover as otherwise air particles present between the foil and the cover might affect the foil accuracy. Therefore it has been proposed to embed the foil with the cover at the internal side thereof during a molding process.
  • springs may generate unpleasant noises or even trigger false activations while a vehicle vibrates in certain frequency ranges.
  • relatively small springs typically used in such touch panels have tendency to cling with each other during transportation and their separation at the production line is time consuming.
  • Patent application US2005156906 discloses a capacitive touchpad comprising a membrane and a printed circuit board combined together.
  • the membrane comprises an X trace and a Y trace with an insulator layer inserted therebetween, and the printed circuit board has connection pads on a top side of a substrate that are electrically connected to the X and Y traces.
  • the printed circuit board further comprises vias connected between the connection pads and a conductor layer on the bottom side of the substrate.
  • the membrane and printed circuit board are individually produced in advance, and then combined together. Alternatively, the membrane is printed on the printed circuit board.
  • the invention provides a capacitive touch panel unit of the kind mentioned in the outset, that is characterised in that said cover is coated with a conductive layer comprising said activating regions and connecting pads coupled with said activating regions, said support comprises a number of connecting pads at the side of said cover electrically connected with the electric interface thereof, said housing comprises at least one coupling slot having a cross-section surrounding said at least one connecting pad of said conductive layer and said at least one connecting pad, and the unit further comprises at least one elastomeric connector squeezed inside said slot between said at least one connecting pad of said conductive layer and said at least one connecting pad and consisting of a number of conductive layers separated with a number of insulating layers that run substantially perpendicularly to said cross-section of said slot.
  • the capacitive conductive layer is coated directly on the internal side of the cover, no additional carrier material is required.
  • the invention simplifies production as no additional layers are present and the unit may be manufactured in a one-step assembly stacking process, since there are no additional connectors to be coupled manually.
  • the elastomeric connectors do not generate any undesired noises and no modifications of the assembly process are required in a case a change of the pattern of the activating areas of the cover is needed.
  • the invention may also be used on narrow and curved surfaces.
  • Said conductive layer may be preferably coated with a conductive ink, paint or lacquer in a pad printing, laser printing, ink printing, spray printing or screen printing process.
  • At least two pairs of said connecting pads of said conductive layer and said connecting pads of said electric interface of said support may be connected by means of a single elastomeric connector.
  • Said support has preferably a form of a printed circuit board fixed to said housing.
  • Said support may preferably form a part of the housing.
  • Said housing may be preferably integral with said cover.
  • Said conductive layer may further comprise a guard pattern.
  • Said support may be provided with light sources, preferably in a form of light emitting diodes (LED), each disposed in a separate backlit section of said housing.
  • LED light emitting diodes
  • Said support may preferably comprise a number of conductive projections at the side of said cover cooperating with said at least one elastomeric connector and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support.
  • Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective, exploded view of an embodiment of a capacitive touch panel unit according to the present invention
  • Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an assembled panel unit of Fig. 1 ;
  • Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembled panel unit along the line Ai of Fig. 8;
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a cover of the panel unit of Fig. 2 along with the exploded particular layers thereof;
  • Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flexible connector along with the fragments of the cover and the support;
  • Fig. 6 is a schematic top view of the cover
  • Fig. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the cover along with the flexible connector areas
  • Fig. 8 is a schematic top view of the housing.
  • Fig. 9 is a schematic top view of the support. Detailed description of preferred embodiment
  • a capacitive touch panel unit 1 may be employed for controlling various components and subsystems of an automotive vehicle.
  • the panel unit 1 comprises a cover 2, a housing 3 and a rigid support 4.
  • the cover 2 is marked at its external side with a schematically shown activating areas 21 available to be touched by a driver or a passenger of the vehicle in order to turn on and off or change the functionality of the subsystems of the vehicle such as lights, A/C, radio, vehicle automation, etc.
  • the activating areas 21 serve solely to distinct the regions of the cover 2 that may be touched, they can be painted with a regular paint, etched, embossed, projected, backlit, illuminated or otherwise marked in a manner known from the state of art.
  • the cover 2 has been coated with a capacitive conductive layer 23 with a conductive paint in a pad printing (also known as tampo-printing) process.
  • the coated conductive layer 23 comprise activating regions 231 , each region 231 corresponding to and disposed beneath a particular activating area 21 at the other side of the cover.
  • the activating regions 231 are coupled with connecting pads 233 ending up in two areas which are collinear with each other forming two lines Ai and A 2 substantially parallel to each other (cf. Figs. 7-9).
  • the area of the layer 23 which is not coated with activating regions 231 or connecting pads 233, is coated with a conducting guard pattern 232 handling stray parasitic capacitances and crosstalks between the circuits of the activating regions 231 and connecting pads 233. Furthermore to save the coating conductive paint the activating regions 231 and the guard pattern 232 are provided with uncoated technological cavity areas 234. The functionality of the capacitive conductive layer 23 shall be explained later.
  • the cover 2 is screwed to the housing 3 by means of a number of mounting screws 32 passing thorough mounting holes 22 in the cover 2 and screwed inside mounting holes of the housing 3.
  • the rigid support 4 has a form of a printed circuit board fixed at the other side the housing 3 and in parallel to the cover 2.
  • the support 4 may be a part of the housing 3.
  • the circuit board 4 is provided with an electric interface comprising an edge connector (not shown) enabling for connecting the unit 1 by means of an appropriate slotted socket with other components of the control system of an automotive vehicle.
  • the circuit board 4 is provided with light sources 43, in a form of light emitting diodes (LED), each disposed in a separate backlit section 34 of the housing 3.
  • LEDs 43 enable to backlit the activating areas 21 of the cover 2 with different colours and at deferent light intensities depending on desired functionality of the unit 1. This also enable for independent visual tuning of the particular activating areas 21 of the cover 2 that may for example glow in a standby (inactive) mode and shine upon activation, etc.
  • the circuit board 4 also comprises a number of conductive projections 41 and connecting pads 42 electrically connected with the electric interface of the board 4 via conductive paths (not shown). Conductive pads 42 and projections 41 are disposed along lines A-i and A 2 below the connecting pads 233 of the conductive layer 23. When the unit 1 is assembled, conductive projections 41 and connecting pads 42 of the circuit board 4 along with the connecting pads 233 of the conductive layer 23 are disposed within four coupling slots 33 of the cover 3 having substantially constant cross-sections between the cover 2 and the support 4.
  • Each connector 5 consist of a number of insulating layers 52 separated with a number of conductive layers 51 , providing high-density (about 0.1 mm resolution) redundant electrical paths, that run substantially perpendicularly to the cross-sections of the slots 33.
  • the cover 2 is parallel to the support 4 so that the layers 51 and 52 of the connectors 5 also run perpendicularly to the support 4 and the cover 2.
  • a conductive projections 41 enter the connectors 5 forming an electrical connection with a conductive layer 51 of the connector 5.
  • this conductive layer 51 abuts the connecting pad 233 of the capacitive conductive layer 23 thus forming the second end and closing this electrical connection.
  • the activating regions 231 are electrically connected via the connecting pads 233, via the conductive layers 51 of the connectors 5, via the conductive projections 41 and connecting pads 42 and eventually via the conductive paths with the electric interface of the support 4.
  • Fixing projections 331 of the 33 slots that are perpendicular to the cross-sections of the slots 33 enable for guidance of the connectors 5 and their displacement between the support 4 and the cover 2 allowing for a formation of electrical connections between the particular areas of the capacitive conductive layer 23 and the conductive pads 42 and projections 41 of the support 4.
  • LED light source

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Switches That Are Operated By Magnetic Or Electric Fields (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capacitive touch panel unit (1) for a motor vehicle control system, comprising a cover (2) marked at its external side with a number of activating areas (21), a support (4) disposed at the internal side of the cover (2) and provided with an electric interface to connect the unit (1) with other components of the control system, a housing (3) disposed between the cover (2) and the support (4), a number of capacitive activating regions (231) adjoining the cover (2) at the internal side thereof at locations corresponding to activating areas (21) of the cover (2) and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support (4). In order to provide a capacitive touch panel unit, which would be cost efficient and simple to manufacture and assembly said cover (2) is coated with a conductive layer (23) comprising said activating regions (231) and connecting pads (233) coupled with said activating regions (231), said support (4) comprises a number of connecting pads (42) at the side of said cover (2) electrically connected with the electric interface thereof, said housing (3) comprises at least one coupling slot (33) having a cross-section surrounding said at least one connecting pad (233) of said conductive layer (23) and said at least one connecting pad (42), and the unit further comprises at least one elastomeric connector (5) squeezed inside said slot (33) between said at least one connecting pad (233) of said conductive layer (23) and said at least one connecting pad (42) and consisting of a number of conductive layers (51) separated with a number of insulating layers (52) that run substantially perpendicularly to said cross-section of said slot (33).

Description

CAPACITIVE TOUCH PANEL UNIT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM
The present invention relates to a capacitive touch panel unit for a motor vehicle control system, comprising a cover marked at its external side with a number of activating areas, a support disposed at the internal side of the cover and provided with an electric interface to connect the unit with other components of the control system, a housing disposed between the cover and the support, a number of capacitive activating regions adjoining the cover at the internal side thereof at locations corresponding to activating areas of the cover and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support. Background of the Invention
Capacitive touch panels of this kind are frequently used in an automotive industry as panels controlling various components and subsystems of a vehicle. They usually form a compact, preassembled units that at the vehicle assembly line are mechanically fixed to the vehicle dashboard and electrically fixed to the vehicle wiring. The support has usually the form of a printed circuit board provided with an edge enabling to electrically connect such a preassembled unit with an appropriate slotted socket. The capacitive activating region on the other hand is usually imprinted on a flexible foil positioned directly beneath the cover and provided with a flexible tip cooperating with an appropriate slot connector of the printed circuit board. The foil should tightly adhere to the cover as otherwise air particles present between the foil and the cover might affect the foil accuracy. Therefore it has been proposed to embed the foil with the cover at the internal side thereof during a molding process.
Nonetheless both these solutions are relatively expensive, as special tools and machinery are required to produce the foil, and the foil must be manually assembled with the board in a separate assembly step. Furthermore each change of the number, shapes, dimensions, positions, etc. of the activating areas marked on the cover, requires a corresponding redesign of the foil to reflect these changes of the activating areas above the foil. It is also known to use metal springs connecting the internal side of the cover with the printed circuit board. Springs are always maintained in a compressed state and form static electrodes bridging the gap between the cover and the board.
Nonetheless springs may generate unpleasant noises or even trigger false activations while a vehicle vibrates in certain frequency ranges. Furthermore, relatively small springs typically used in such touch panels have tendency to cling with each other during transportation and their separation at the production line is time consuming.
Patent application US2005156906 discloses a capacitive touchpad comprising a membrane and a printed circuit board combined together. The membrane comprises an X trace and a Y trace with an insulator layer inserted therebetween, and the printed circuit board has connection pads on a top side of a substrate that are electrically connected to the X and Y traces. The printed circuit board further comprises vias connected between the connection pads and a conductor layer on the bottom side of the substrate. To form the capacitive touchpad, the membrane and printed circuit board are individually produced in advance, and then combined together. Alternatively, the membrane is printed on the printed circuit board.
Therefore, it has been the object of the present invention to provide a capacitive touch panel unit for a motor vehicle, which would be vibration-proof, as well as cost efficient and simple to manufacture and assembly.
Summary of the Invention
The invention provides a capacitive touch panel unit of the kind mentioned in the outset, that is characterised in that said cover is coated with a conductive layer comprising said activating regions and connecting pads coupled with said activating regions, said support comprises a number of connecting pads at the side of said cover electrically connected with the electric interface thereof, said housing comprises at least one coupling slot having a cross-section surrounding said at least one connecting pad of said conductive layer and said at least one connecting pad, and the unit further comprises at least one elastomeric connector squeezed inside said slot between said at least one connecting pad of said conductive layer and said at least one connecting pad and consisting of a number of conductive layers separated with a number of insulating layers that run substantially perpendicularly to said cross-section of said slot.
As the capacitive conductive layer is coated directly on the internal side of the cover, no additional carrier material is required. The invention simplifies production as no additional layers are present and the unit may be manufactured in a one-step assembly stacking process, since there are no additional connectors to be coupled manually. The elastomeric connectors do not generate any undesired noises and no modifications of the assembly process are required in a case a change of the pattern of the activating areas of the cover is needed. The invention may also be used on narrow and curved surfaces.
Said conductive layer may be preferably coated with a conductive ink, paint or lacquer in a pad printing, laser printing, ink printing, spray printing or screen printing process.
Preferably at least two pairs of said connecting pads of said conductive layer and said connecting pads of said electric interface of said support may be connected by means of a single elastomeric connector.
Said support has preferably a form of a printed circuit board fixed to said housing.
Said support may preferably form a part of the housing.
Said housing may be preferably integral with said cover. Said conductive layer may further comprise a guard pattern.
Said support may be provided with light sources, preferably in a form of light emitting diodes (LED), each disposed in a separate backlit section of said housing.
Said support may preferably comprise a number of conductive projections at the side of said cover cooperating with said at least one elastomeric connector and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support.
Brief description of drawings
The invention shall be described and explained below in connection with the attached drawings on which: Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective, exploded view of an embodiment of a capacitive touch panel unit according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of an assembled panel unit of Fig. 1 ;
Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the assembled panel unit along the line Ai of Fig. 8;
Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective view of a cover of the panel unit of Fig. 2 along with the exploded particular layers thereof;
Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a flexible connector along with the fragments of the cover and the support;
Fig. 6 is a schematic top view of the cover;
Fig. 7 is a schematic bottom view of the cover along with the flexible connector areas;
Fig. 8 is a schematic top view of the housing; and
Fig. 9 is a schematic top view of the support. Detailed description of preferred embodiment
Presented embodiment of a capacitive touch panel unit 1 according to the present invention may be employed for controlling various components and subsystems of an automotive vehicle. The panel unit 1 comprises a cover 2, a housing 3 and a rigid support 4. The cover 2 is marked at its external side with a schematically shown activating areas 21 available to be touched by a driver or a passenger of the vehicle in order to turn on and off or change the functionality of the subsystems of the vehicle such as lights, A/C, radio, vehicle automation, etc. As the activating areas 21 serve solely to distinct the regions of the cover 2 that may be touched, they can be painted with a regular paint, etched, embossed, projected, backlit, illuminated or otherwise marked in a manner known from the state of art.
At its internal side the cover 2 has been coated with a capacitive conductive layer 23 with a conductive paint in a pad printing (also known as tampo-printing) process. The coated conductive layer 23 comprise activating regions 231 , each region 231 corresponding to and disposed beneath a particular activating area 21 at the other side of the cover. The activating regions 231 are coupled with connecting pads 233 ending up in two areas which are collinear with each other forming two lines Ai and A2 substantially parallel to each other (cf. Figs. 7-9). The area of the layer 23 which is not coated with activating regions 231 or connecting pads 233, is coated with a conducting guard pattern 232 handling stray parasitic capacitances and crosstalks between the circuits of the activating regions 231 and connecting pads 233. Furthermore to save the coating conductive paint the activating regions 231 and the guard pattern 232 are provided with uncoated technological cavity areas 234. The functionality of the capacitive conductive layer 23 shall be explained later.
The cover 2 is screwed to the housing 3 by means of a number of mounting screws 32 passing thorough mounting holes 22 in the cover 2 and screwed inside mounting holes of the housing 3. In this embodiment, the rigid support 4 has a form of a printed circuit board fixed at the other side the housing 3 and in parallel to the cover 2. Obviously in other embodiments the support 4 may be a part of the housing 3. The circuit board 4 is provided with an electric interface comprising an edge connector (not shown) enabling for connecting the unit 1 by means of an appropriate slotted socket with other components of the control system of an automotive vehicle.
Furthermore the circuit board 4 is provided with light sources 43, in a form of light emitting diodes (LED), each disposed in a separate backlit section 34 of the housing 3. LEDs 43 enable to backlit the activating areas 21 of the cover 2 with different colours and at deferent light intensities depending on desired functionality of the unit 1. This also enable for independent visual tuning of the particular activating areas 21 of the cover 2 that may for example glow in a standby (inactive) mode and shine upon activation, etc. The circuit board 4 also comprises a number of conductive projections 41 and connecting pads 42 electrically connected with the electric interface of the board 4 via conductive paths (not shown). Conductive pads 42 and projections 41 are disposed along lines A-i and A2 below the connecting pads 233 of the conductive layer 23. When the unit 1 is assembled, conductive projections 41 and connecting pads 42 of the circuit board 4 along with the connecting pads 233 of the conductive layer 23 are disposed within four coupling slots 33 of the cover 3 having substantially constant cross-sections between the cover 2 and the support 4.
Four elastomeric connectors 5 (also known as ZEBRA® connectors) are squeezed inside the slots 33 as shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5. Each connector 5 consist of a number of insulating layers 52 separated with a number of conductive layers 51 , providing high-density (about 0.1 mm resolution) redundant electrical paths, that run substantially perpendicularly to the cross-sections of the slots 33. In the presented embodiment the cover 2 is parallel to the support 4 so that the layers 51 and 52 of the connectors 5 also run perpendicularly to the support 4 and the cover 2. As shown on Fig. 5, at the side of the support 4 a conductive projections 41 enter the connectors 5 forming an electrical connection with a conductive layer 51 of the connector 5. At the other side, this conductive layer 51 abuts the connecting pad 233 of the capacitive conductive layer 23 thus forming the second end and closing this electrical connection. In such a manner the activating regions 231 are electrically connected via the connecting pads 233, via the conductive layers 51 of the connectors 5, via the conductive projections 41 and connecting pads 42 and eventually via the conductive paths with the electric interface of the support 4.
Fixing projections 331 of the 33 slots that are perpendicular to the cross-sections of the slots 33 enable for guidance of the connectors 5 and their displacement between the support 4 and the cover 2 allowing for a formation of electrical connections between the particular areas of the capacitive conductive layer 23 and the conductive pads 42 and projections 41 of the support 4.
The above embodiments of the present invention are merely exemplary. The figures are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized. These and other factors however should not be considered as limiting the spirit of the invention, the intended scope of protection of which is indicated in appended claims.
List of reference numerals
1. capacitive touch panel unit
2. cover
21. activating area mounting hole
capacitive conductive layer
231. activating region
232. ground pattern
233. connecting pad
234. technological cavity areas ng
mounting hole
mounting screw
coupling slot
331. fixing projection
backlit section rt (printed circuit board) conductive projection
connecting pad
light source (LED) ctor
conductive layer
insulating layer

Claims

A capacitive touch panel unit (1) for a motor vehicle control system, comprising a cover (2) marked at its external side with a number of activating areas (21 ), a support (4) disposed at the internal side of the cover (2) and provided with an electric interface to connect the unit (1) with other components of the control system,
a housing (3) disposed between the cover (2) and the support (4),
a number of capacitive activating regions (231) adjoining the cover (2) at the internal side thereof at locations corresponding to activating areas (21) of the cover (2) and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support (4), characterised in that
said cover (2) is coated with a conductive layer (23) comprising said activating regions (231) and connecting pads (233) coupled with said activating regions (231),
said support (4) comprises a number of connecting pads (42) at the side of said cover
(2) electrically connected with the electric interface thereof,
said housing
(3) comprises at least one coupling slot (33) having a cross- section surrounding said at least one connecting pad (233) of said conductive layer (23) and said at least one connecting pad (42),
and the unit further comprises
at least one elastomeric connector (5) squeezed inside said slot (33) between said at least one connecting pad (233) of said conductive layer (23) and said at least one connecting pad (42) and consisting of a number of conductive layers (51 ) separated with a number of insulating layers (52) that run substantially perpendicularly to said cross-section of said slot (33).
The touch panel according to Claim 1 , characterized in that, said conductive layer (23) is coated with a conductive ink, paint or lacquer in a pad printing, laser printing, ink printing, spray printing or screen printing process.
The touch panel according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, at least two pairs of said connecting pads (233) of said conductive layer (23) and said connecting pads (42) of said electric interface of said support (4) are connected by means of a single elastomeric connector (5).
4. The touch panel according to Claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, said support (4) has a form of a printed circuit board fixed to said housing (3).
5. The touch panel according to Claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that, said support (4) forms a part of the housing (3).
6. The touch panel according to any one of preceding Claims, characterized in that, said housing (3) is integral with said cover (2)
7. The touch panel according to any one of preceding Claims, characterized in that, said conductive layer (23) further comprises a guard pattern (232).
8. The touch panel according to any one of preceding Claims, characterized in that, said support (4) is provided with light sources (43), preferably in a form of light emitting diodes (LED), each disposed in a separate backlit section (34) of said housing (3).
9. The touch panel according to any one of preceding Claims, characterized in that, said support (4) comprises a number of conductive projections (41) at the side of said cover (2) cooperating with said at least one elastomeric connector (5) and electrically connected with the electric interface of the support (4).
PCT/PL2017/000094 2017-09-26 2017-09-26 Capacitive touch panel unit of a motor vehicle control system WO2019066666A1 (en)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT202000031484A1 (en) * 2020-12-18 2022-06-18 Bitron Spa INNOVATIVE CAPACITIVE KEY.
FR3140513A1 (en) * 2022-10-04 2024-04-05 Valeo Schalter Und Sensoren Gmbh Electronic device

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050156906A1 (en) 2004-01-07 2005-07-21 Yen-Chang Chiu Capacitive touchpad and method for forming the same
US20100079153A1 (en) * 2008-09-25 2010-04-01 Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc. Touch Sensor System and Method
US20130169294A1 (en) * 2011-12-29 2013-07-04 Cypress Semiconductor Corporation Devices and methods having capacitance sense structure formed over housing surface

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050156906A1 (en) 2004-01-07 2005-07-21 Yen-Chang Chiu Capacitive touchpad and method for forming the same
US20100079153A1 (en) * 2008-09-25 2010-04-01 Stoneridge Control Devices, Inc. Touch Sensor System and Method
US20130169294A1 (en) * 2011-12-29 2013-07-04 Cypress Semiconductor Corporation Devices and methods having capacitance sense structure formed over housing surface

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT202000031484A1 (en) * 2020-12-18 2022-06-18 Bitron Spa INNOVATIVE CAPACITIVE KEY.
FR3140513A1 (en) * 2022-10-04 2024-04-05 Valeo Schalter Und Sensoren Gmbh Electronic device

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