WO2022223116A1

WO2022223116A1 - Joystick button assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2022223116A1
Application number: PCT/EP2021/060509
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adam OSTROWSKI; Jakub KOJDER; Bartłomiej CISAK
Original assignee: Merit Automotive Electronics Systems S.L.U.
Priority date: 2021-04-22
Filing date: 2021-04-22
Publication date: 2022-10-27

Abstract

The invention relates to a joystick button assembly (1), in particular for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising a housing (2); a joystick member (3) disposed within the housing (2) on a spherical socket (23); a joystick plate (7) defining four pairwise orthogonal setting areas (73) and connected to the joystick member (3); a button (8) defining a setting area (84) and disposed slidably with respect to the joystick plate (7) between the setting areas (73) and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the joystick plate (7); a set of switches (9c, 9d) cooperating with the joystick plate (7) and the button (8), in order to generate predefined activation signals while being closed. In order to simplify the construction of the assembly (1) said set of switches (9c, 9d) comprises four electrical switches (9c) defining the corners of a substantially rectangular activation area (A) and disposed within the housing (2) beneath the joystick plate (7); two electrical switches (9d) substantially on the diagonal of said activation area (A) and disposed within the housing (2) beneath the button (8); wherein the setting areas (73) of the joystick plate (7) are located between the corners of said activation area (A), the joystick plate (7) cooperates with said four electrical switches (9c), the button (8) cooperates with said two electrical switches (9d), and said predefined activation signal is generated if two of said four electrical switches (9c) or two of said two electrical switches (9d) are closed.

Description

JOYSTICK BUTTON ASSEMBLY

The present invention relates to a joystick button assembly, in particular for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising a housing; a joystick member disposed within the housing on a spherical socket; a joystick plate defining four pairwise orthogonal setting areas and connected to the joystick member; a button defining a setting area and disposed slidably with respect to the joystick plate between the setting areas and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the joystick plate; a set of switches cooperating with the joystick plate and the button, in order to generate predefined activation signals while being closed.

Background of the invention

Button assemblies of this kind can be employed in consumer devices and especially in the automotive industry.

Publication GB518116 discloses a switching device for use in connection with electromagnetic gear-changing apparatus for motor cars comprising a lever moving in a ball-and-socket joint, the lower end of the lever being guided in grooves forming a polygon, the sides of which may be curved; the contacts are arranged at the corners of the polygon and operated by the lever.

Publication EP1708219 discloses a multidirectional input device including an operating body capable of rocking in first and second directions, which are perpendicular to each other; a guide member having an opening through which an engaging protrusion provided with the operating body is inserted; and detecting units that detect the moving of the operating body in the first and second directions. In the multidirectional input device, the engaging protrusion has four outer walls extending in the first and second directions respectively with a guided part interposed at the center thereof, and the opening has four inner walls extending in the first and second directions respectively with a guiding part interposed at the center thereof. The guided part is concavo-convexly engaged with the guiding part so that the engaging protrusion is guided in the first and second directions.

Publication CN110970256 discloses a five-way push button assembly that comprises an upper frame, a first connecting hole formed in the center of the upper frame, a joystick inserted into the first connecting hole, a second connecting hole axially formed in the center of the joystick, and a push button inserted into the second connecting hole. Four equiangularly distributed chutes extend in the axial direction within the inner wall of the first connecting hole and the joystick comprises a connecting column having a diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the first connecting hole and protruding strips corresponding to the chutes arranged on the peripheral face of the connecting column, so that a swing gap is formed between any protruding strip and the corresponding chute. The swinging direction of the joystick is limited by the matching effect of the chutes and the protruding strips, which solves the problem of errors in pushing directions of the five-way push button assembly.

It has been the object of the present invention to provide a compact, cost efficient and simple to manufacture joystick button assembly of the kind mentioned at the outset.

Another object of the present invention has been to provide a joystick button assembly of the kind mentioned at the outset that would prevent tilting the joystick plate towards its corners, would prevent tilting the joystick plate in pushed position of the button, and would prevent pushing the button in tilted position of the joystick plate, and therefore would satisfy Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL, ISO 26262) A or B requirements and thus could be used in an automotive vehicle as an Adaptive Cruise Control, Cruise Control, or Speed Limit Control steering unit.

Summary of the invention

The invention provides a joystick button assembly of the kind mentioned at the outset which is characterized in that said set of switches comprises four electrical switches defining the corners of a substantially rectangular activation area and disposed within the housing beneath the joystick plate; two electrical switches substantially on the diagonal of said activation area and disposed within the housing beneath the button; wherein the setting areas of the joystick plate are located between the corners of said activation area, the joystick plate cooperates with said four electrical switches, the button cooperates with said two electrical switches, and said predefined activation signal is generated if two of said four electrical switches or two of said two electrical switches are closed. Therefore the button tilted along with the joystick plate can close only one of said two electrical switches.

Preferably the joystick member comprises four substantially square-angled bifurcation corners having rounded contact surfaces and corresponding to the corners of said activation area that face four substantially square-angled bifurcation corners of a housing member also having rounded contact surfaces.

Thanks to that tilting of the joystick plate in a direction that does not correspond to one of its setting areas causes a contact of these bifurcation corners with each other and forces a slide of the joystick member in direction of the nearest setting area of the joystick plate.

In this case preferably said bifurcation corners of the joystick member and/or said bifurcation corners of said housing member have chamfered surfaces.

Preferably the spherical socket is provided with four axial grooves disposed pairwise on the opposite sides of the socket, defining four, pairwise orthogonal, activation directions of the joystick member, and cooperating with radial protrusions of the joystick member.

Thanks to that, rotations of the joystick member about an axis orthogonal to the activation surface are limited up to a certain angle defined by a predetermined loose fitting, or annular gaps between the radial protrusions and the axial grooves, which substantially reduces undesirable “free play” effect of the assembly.

Preferably the joystick plate and the button form the top surface of the button assembly delimited by an annular rim of the housing.

This also attenuates the “free play” effect of the joystick member along with the joystick plate and prevents their rotations.

Preferably the button comprises at least four axial locking projections facing said setting areas of the joystick plate, wherein each of said axial locking projections is provided with a recess apt to engage with the housing member in order to disable the possibility of pushing the button in a tilted position of the joystick plate, and enters into a corresponding locking cavity of the joystick member in order to disable the possibility of tilting the joystick plate in a pushed position of the button.

Preferably said setting areas of the joystick plate and/or said setting area of the button is/are transparent or translucent, wherein the assembly comprises light sources apt to backlight the setting areas of the joystick plate and/or said setting area of the button.

In this case preferably the housing comprises a central plate between said light sources and said setting areas of the joystick plate and/or said setting area of the button, said central plate comprising backlight apertures for said light sources.

In this case preferably said light sources have a form of multicolor light-emitting diodes.

This enables to indicate a current mode of the assembly, such as for example standby, preset-active-setting-required, setting-confirmed, etc.

Preferably said switches have a form of an elastomeric dome shaped members defining chambers and provided with tubular projections terminated with a conductive layer inside said chambers, and a printed circuit board having electrical contacts corresponding to said conductive layers of said tubular projections of said dome shaped members.

In this case preferably said dome shaped members are formed in an elastomeric sheet adjoining said printed circuit board.

Preferably said switches in their inactive position provide the equilibrium, inactive position of the joystick plate and the button.

Brief description of drawings

The invention shall be described and explained below in connection with the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic axonometric, exploded, and partially cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the button assembly according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic axonometric and partially cross-sectional view of the button assembly shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the button assembly shown in Fig. 1 along a vertical plane crossing the button;

Fig. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the button assembly along the plane B- B shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged area D of Fig.4 showing the bifurcation corners;

Fig. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the joystick member along the plane C- C shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the button assembly shown in Fig. 1 along one of the side faces of the button; and

Fig. 8 illustrates the functional entanglement of the button assembly shown in Fig. 1 with joystick-enabled-button-enabled (Fig. 8a), joystick-tilted-button-disabled (Fig. 8b), and joystick-disabled-button-pushed (Fig. 8c).

Detailed description of preferred embodiment

An embodiment of a joystick button assembly 1 shown in Figs. 1-8 is designed to be employed as a steering wheel adaptive cruise control (ACC) steering unit of an automotive vehicle. The assembly 1 comprises a plastic injection molded housing 2 closed at the bottom with a mounting plate 22 enabling to fix the assembly 1 at the vehicle assembly line by means of a number of snap fasteners 221 to the steering wheel and electrically connect the assembly 1 to the vehicle wiring in a manner known to those skilled in the art.

The housing 2 comprises a central plate 28, and the assembly 1 comprises four electric switches 9c disposed substantially coplanarly within the housing 2 beneath the central plate 28 and defining the corners of a substantially rectangular activation area A. Furthermore the assembly 1 comprises two electric switches 9d disposed beneath the central plate 28 substantially on the diagonal of the activation area A in its central part.

In this embodiment the mounting plate 22 provides support for a printed circuit board 4 (PCB), wherein an elastomeric sheet 5 is sandwiched between the PCB 4 and a retaining plate 6 abutting a number of axial protrusions 281 of the central plate 28. The switches 9c have a form of elastomeric dome shaped members 51 of the elastomeric sheet 5 that protrude through four openings 61 in the retaining plate 6. The switches 9d are also in a form of elastomeric dome shaped members 52 of the elastomeric sheet 5 and protrude through switch openings 62 in the retaining plate 6. Dome shaped members 51, 52 normally maintain an expanded, disengaged state due to elastic forces of their shape. Each dome shaped member 51, 52 defines a chamber and has a tubular projection 53 (cf. Fig. 2) facing the PCB 4. An end face of the tubular projection 53 is terminated with a conductive layer and the PCB 4 is provided with electrical contacts 41 , 42 having two or more separate electrical paths. As it is known from the state of art, when the dome shaped member 51 or 52 is pushed it collapses and eventually, in an active state, the conductive layer of the tubular projection 53 short-circuits the electrical contacts of the PCB 4, creating a conducting path between them and transmitting the signal to the external system, that the button assembly 1 is coupled with. When the dome shaped member 51 or 52 is released, strain energy stored during its deformation is released forcing it to return to its neutral position. In other embodiments of the invention the switches 9c, 9d could have a form of micro-switches, for example.

The switches 9c, 9d cooperate with longitudinal, cylindrical actuators 91c, 91 d protruding through actuator holes 24 in the central plate 28 of the housing 2. The central plate 28 has a spherical socket 23 in its central part and above the switches 9c, 9d, in which a joystick member 3 is disposed. The housing 2 further comprises an injection molded housing member 21 provided with a central opening 211 that covers the spherical socket 23 with the displaceable joystick member 3 and is snap-locked to the housing 2 by means of eight axial latches 212, each engaging corresponding retaining edge 213 in the housing 2.

In this embodiment the spherical socket 23 is provided with four axial grooves 231 disposed pairwise on the opposite sides of the socket 23 and defining four, pairwise orthogonal, activation directions of the joystick member 3. Each axial groove 231 cooperates with radial protrusion 31 of the joystick member 3. Thanks to that, rotations of the joystick member 3 about an axis orthogonal to the activation surface A are limited up to a certain angle defined by a predetermined loose fitting, or annular gaps between the radial protrusions 31 and the axial grooves 231. This substantially reduces undesirable “free play” effect of the assembly. A substantially rectangular joystick plate 7 is snap-locked to the joystick member 3 by means of two axial latches 71 engaging corresponding retaining edges 32 in the joystick member 3. The joystick plate 7 forms the top surface of the button assembly 1 and is delimited by an annular rim 25 of the housing 2. The annular rim 25 also attenuates the “free play” effect of the joystick member 3 along with the joystick plate 7 and prevents their rotations.

A button 8 protrudes from a central opening 72 of the joystick plate 7 and is slidably disposed within the joystick member 3. To this end, in this embodiment, the button 8 is provided with two axial protrusions 81 with rectangular openings, whose lower edges engage corresponding hooks 33 of the joystick member 3, as well as a guiding protrusion 82 slidably disposed within a guiding groove 37 of the joystick member 3 (cf. Fig. 7). The button 8 abuts to the ends of the cylindrical actuators 91 d of the switches 9d disposed on the diagonal of the activation area A. The button 8 defines a transparent or translucent setting area 84, in this embodiment, marked with the word “SET”.

The switches 9c, 9d in their inactive position provide the equilibrium, inactive position of the joystick plate 7 and the button 8.

The joystick plate 7 defines four transparent or translucent setting areas 73 substantially at the centers of the sides of the activation area A. Furthermore the joystick plate 7 abuts to the ends of the cylindrical actuators 91c of the switches 9c defining the corners of the activation area A.

As shown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 the joystick member 3 comprises four substantially square-angled bifurcation corners 34 corresponding to the corners of the activation area A. The housing member 21 also comprises four substantially square-angled bifurcation corners 214 facing the bifurcation corners 34 of the joystick member 3. As shown in Fig. 5 the bifurcation corners 34 and 214 have rounded contact surfaces, while the bifurcation corners 34 of the joystick member 3 additionally have chamfered surfaces 341. Thanks to that tilting of the joystick member 3 in direction non-orthogonal to a side of the activation area A causes a contact of the bifurcation corners 34 and 214 with each other and forces a slide of the joystick member 3 in the nearest orthogonal direction towards the corresponding setting area 73, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 5.

The housing 2 comprises four backlight apertures 26 that enable to transmit light emitted by multicolor LEDs 43 disposed on the PCB 4 beneath the setting areas 73 of the joystick plate 7 in order to backlight the setting areas 73. Similarly the housing 2 comprises a backlight aperture 27 and the joystick member 3 comprises a backlight aperture 35 that enables to transmit light emitted by a multicolor LED 44 disposed on the PCB 4 beneath the button 8 in order to backlight the setting area 84. The retaining plate 6 above the PCB 4 is also provided with corresponding backlight apertures 63.

The functionality of the joystick button assembly 1 as the ACC steering unit shall be explained with reference to Fig. 8. As shown in Fig. 8a the assembly is in a standby mode, where both tilting of the joystick plate 7 and pushing the button 8 is possible. In this mode LEDs 43 and 44 may emit light of the same color indicating the standby mode of the assembly. Setting areas 73 marked with “+” and serve to raise or lower the desired speed of a vehicle by a predefined increment, setting area 73 marked with “0” cancels ACC operation, while setting area 73 marked with “RES” resumes the vehicle speed to a memorized one.

When a driver pushes the joystick plate 7 in the vicinity of one of the setting areas 73 it tilts along with the joystick member 3 towards a given setting area 73 to a position shown in Fig. 8b, thanks to the cooperation of the bifurcation corners 34 and 214 (of. Fig. 5). At the same time two actuators 91c adjoining the corners of the activation area A between this setting area 73 push the corresponding two switches 9c which can be detected by the vehicle control unit and indicated with a different color of the LED 43 backlighting the chosen setting area 73 (in the illustrated case this is “RES”), as well as a different color of the LED 44 backlighting the button 8 in order to remind the driver that the confirmation of the presetted option is required by pushing the button 8.

The button 8 comprises four axial locking projections 83 at its corners. Each locking projection 83 has a recess 831 that engages with the central opening 211 of the housing member 21 at the side of the chosen setting area 73 if the joystick plate 7 is tilted, disabling possibility of pushing the button 8 in this tilted position of the joystick plate 7.

In order to confirm the choice the driver releases the joystick plate 7, which returns to neutral position due to the action of the switches 9c and 9d, and pushes the button 8, as shown in Fig. 8c, so that two actuators 91 d push the corresponding two switches 9d which can be detected by the vehicle control unit and indicated with a different color of the LED 43 backlighting previously chosen setting area 73, as well as a different color of the LED 44 backlighting the button 8 in order to indicate that the option is set. In this position all four locking projections 83 of the button 8 enter into corresponding locking cavities 36 of the joystick member 3. This disables possibility of tilting the joystick plate 7 if the button 8 is pushed.

In alternative embodiments the button 8 can be disposed slidably directly in the joystick plate 7.

The above embodiments of the present invention are therefore 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

A. activation area

B. cross-section plane

C. cross-section plane

D. enlarged area

1. joystick button assembly

2. housing

21. housing member

211. central opening

212. axial latch

213. retaining edge

214. bifurcation corner

22. mounting plate - IQ -

221. snap fastener

23. spherical socket 231. axial groove

24. actuator hole

25. annular rim

26. backlight aperture

27. backlight aperture

28. central plate

281. axial protrusion

3. joystick member

31. radial protrusion

32. retaining edge

33. hook

34. bifurcation corner

341. chamfered surface

35. backlight aperture

36. locking cavity

37. guiding groove

4. printed circuit board (PCB)

41. electrical contact

42. electrical contact

43. light source (LED)

44. light source (LED)

5. elastomeric sheet

51. elastomeric dome shaped member

52. elastomeric dome shaped member

53. tubular projection

6. retaining plate

61. switch opening

62. switch opening

63. backlight aperture

7. joystick plate 71. axial latch 72. central opening

73. setting area . button

81. axial protrusion 82. guiding protrusion

83. locking projection 831. locking recess

84. setting area c. electric switch (at corner of the activation area A) 91c. actuator d. electric switch (on diagonal of the activation area A) 91 d. actuator

Claims

1. A joystick button assembly (1), in particular for use in an automotive vehicle, comprising a housing (2); a joystick member (3) disposed within the housing (2) on a spherical socket (23); a joystick plate (7) defining four pairwise orthogonal setting areas (73) and connected to the joystick member (3); a button (8) defining a setting area (84) and disposed slidably with respect to the joystick plate (7) between the setting areas (73) and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the joystick plate (7); a set of switches (9c, 9d) cooperating with the joystick plate (7) and the button (8), in order to generate predefined activation signals while being closed, characterized in that said set of switches (9c, 9d) comprises four electrical switches (9c) defining the corners of a substantially rectangular activation area (A) and disposed within the housing (2) beneath the joystick plate (7); two electrical switches (9d) substantially on the diagonal of said activation area

(A) and disposed within the housing (2) beneath the button (8); wherein the setting areas (73) of the joystick plate (7) are located between the corners of said activation area (A), the joystick plate (7) cooperates with said four electrical switches (9c), the button (8) cooperates with said two electrical switches (9d), and said predefined activation signal is generated if two of said four electrical switches (9c) or two of said two electrical switches (9d) are closed.

2. The button assembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that, the joystick member (3) comprises four substantially square-angled bifurcation corners (34) having rounded contact surfaces and corresponding to the corners of said activation area (A) that face four substantially square-angled bifurcation corners (214) of a housing member (21) also having rounded contact surfaces.

3. The button assembly according to Claim 2, characterized in that, said bifurcation corners (34) of the joystick member (3) and/or said bifurcation corners (214) of said housing member (21) have chamfered surfaces (341).

4. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that, the spherical socket (23) is provided with four axial grooves (231) disposed pairwise on the opposite sides of the socket (23), defining four, pairwise orthogonal, activation directions of the joystick member (3), and cooperating with radial protrusions (31 ) of the joystick member (3).

5. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that, the joystick plate (7) and the button (8) form the top surface of the button assembly (1) delimited by an annular rim (25) of the housing (2).

6. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that, the button (8) comprises at least four axial locking projections (83) facing said setting areas (73) of the joystick plate (7), wherein each of said axial locking projections (83) is provided with a recess (831) apt to engage with the housing member (21) in order to disable the possibility of pushing the button (8) in a tilted position of the joystick plate (7), and enters into a corresponding locking cavity (36) of the joystick member (3) in order to disable the possibility of tilting the joystick plate (7) in a pushed position of the button (8).

7. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that, said setting areas (73) of the joystick plate (7) and/or said setting area (84) of the button (8) is/are transparent or translucent, wherein the assembly comprises light sources (43, 44) apt to backlight the setting areas (73) of the joystick plate (7) and/or said setting area (84) of the button (8).

8. The button assembly according to Claim 7, characterized in that, the housing comprises a central plate (28) between said light sources (43, 44) and said setting areas (73) of the joystick plate (7) and/or said setting area (84) of the button (8), said central plate (28) comprising backlight apertures (26, 27) for said light sources (43, 44).

9. The button assembly according to Claim 7 or 8, characterized in that, said light sources (43, 44) have a form of multicolor light-emitting diodes.

10. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that, said switches (9c, 9d) have a form of an elastomeric dome shaped members (51, 52) defining chambers and provided with tubular projections (53) terminated with a conductive layer inside said chambers (62), and a printed circuit board (4) having electrical contacts (41 , 42) corresponding to said conductive layers of said tubular projections (53) of said dome shaped members (51 , 52).

11. The button assembly according to Claim 10, characterized in that, said dome shaped members (51, 52) are formed in an elastomeric sheet (5) adjoining said printed circuit board (4).

12. The button assembly according to any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that, said switches (9c, 9d) in their inactive position provide the equilibrium, inactive position of the joystick plate (7) and the button (8).