OPERATING ELEMENT COMPRISING AN ACTUATION PART HAVING A LAYER STRUCTURE

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an operating member including a support; an actuating part, which has an actuating surface facing towards an operator, and the actuating part has an edge region, which is provided outside the actuating surface and via which the actuating part is supported on the support; wherein the actuating part has a layer structure, defining the actuating surface, and the layer structure has at least two layers that differ in the modulus of elasticity; wherein, in a transitional region between the edge region and the actuating surface, a layer with the smallest modulus of elasticity is a highly elastic layer, and has the greatest layer thickness compared to other layers of the layer structure, in order to provide an elastic compliance of the actuating part; a force sensor disposed between the support and the actuating part detects a displacement of the actuating part.

Claims

1. An operating member, comprising: a support; an actuating part, which has an actuating surface facing towards an operator for the operator to carry out an operating input, and the actuating part further has an edge region, which is provided outside the actuating surface and via which the actuating part is supported on the support; wherein the actuating part has a layer structure, defining the actuating surface, and the layer structure has at least two layers including one thermoplastic material each, and the two layers differ with respect to a modulus of elasticity; wherein, in a transitional region between the edge region and the actuating surface, a layer with a smallest modulus of elasticity of the at least two layers, which is referred to as a highly elastic layer, has a greatest layer thickness, measured in a direction perpendicular to the actuating surface, as compared with a layer thickness of other layers of the layer structure in the transitional region, in order to provide an elastic compliance of the actuating part in a direction perpendicular to the actuating surface; a force sensor disposed and/or acting between the support and the actuating part, in order to detect a displacement of the actuating part in the direction perpendicular to the actuating surface.

2. The operating member according to claim 1, wherein, in the transitional region, a high-strength layer having a greatest modulus of elasticity of the at least two layers of the layer structure is removed, and at least the highly elastic layer remains.

3. The operating member according to claim 1, wherein a weakened-material portion in the layer structure, which at least in some areas surrounds the actuating surface, is formed in the transitional region.

4. The operating member according to claim 3, wherein the weakened-material portion is formed by a groove provided on a side of the actuating part facing away from the operator.

5. The operating member according to claim 4, wherein the high-strength layer having the greatest modulus of elasticity of the at least two layers of the layer structure extends substantially parallel to the actuating surface.

6. The operating member according to claim 1, wherein further, an actuator, which is disposed between the support and the actuating part, is provided for exciting at least one of: a vibration and a movement of the actuating part, and thus for generating an active haptic feedback.

7. The operating member according to claim 6, wherein the highly elastic layer is formed from any one of: a thermoplastic elastomer and a thermoplastic vulcanizate.

8. The operating member according to claim 1, wherein the highly elastic layer has a Shore A hardness in a range from more than 55 to less than 95.

9. The operating member according to claim 1, wherein the layer structure is a film layer structure containing a film.

10. The operating member according to claim 9, wherein the film is an outer layer of the layer structure forming the actuating surface.

11. The operating member according to claim 10, wherein the film forms a common visible surface extending across the actuating surface, the transitional region and the edge region.

12. An assembly, comprising: an operating member and a motor vehicle steering wheel, wherein the operating member comprises: a support; an actuating part, which has an actuating surface facing towards an operator for the operator to carry out an operating input, and the actuating part further has an edge region, which is provided outside the actuating surface and via which the actuating part is supported on the support; wherein the actuating part has a layer structure, defining the actuating surface, and the layer structure has at least two layers including one thermoplastic material each, and the two layers differ with respect to a modulus of elasticity; wherein, in a transitional region between the edge region and the actuating surface, a layer with a smallest modulus of elasticity of the at least two layers, which is referred to as a highly elastic layer, has a greatest layer thickness, measured in a direction perpendicular to the actuating surface, as compared with a layer thickness of other layers of the layer structure in the transitional region, in order to provide an elastic compliance of the actuating part in a direction perpendicular to the actuating surface; and a force sensor disposed and/or acting between the support and the actuating part, in order to detect a displacement of the actuating part in the direction perpendicular to the actuating surface; wherein the operating member is disposed in the region of a spoke of the motor vehicle steering wheel extending between a steering wheel rim and a steering wheel hub.

13. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the actuating part is integrally formed with a panel extending about an impact absorber covering the steering wheel hub.

14. The assembly according to claim 12, wherein the actuating part has a through-hole in which is disposed of any one of: an electronic input part and an electromechanical input part that is manually operated.

15. The operating member according to claim 1 is used in a motor vehicle.

16. The operating member according to claim 7, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyurethane, and wherein the thermoplastic vulcanizate is a vulcanizate comprising an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber.

17. The operating member according to claim 8, wherein the highly elastic layer has the Shore A hardness in a range from 65 to 85.

18. The operating member according to claim 9, wherein the film is a polycarbonate film.

Description

[0027] The various embodiments are explained further with reference to the following Figures. The Figures are to be understood only as examples and each merely represent a preferred embodiment. In the Figures:

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of an embodiment of the operating member 1 according to an embodiment,

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the assembly according to the embodiment;

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a rear view of the panel of FIG. 2.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the operating member 1 according to the disclosed embodiments. It serves for performing an operating input by means of a movable actuating part 2 within the context of a man-machine interface.

[0032] The operating member 1 according to the embodiment comprises a support 20. The term “support” denotes a component which is a part of a supporting structure or is indirectly or directly fixed, for example, to a motor vehicle component, such as a motor vehicle steering wheel. Here, the support 20 is configured as a slip-on housing. For example, the support 20 is formed from a plastic, a metal or a metallic alloy, such as ZAMAK, or combinations thereof.

[0033] Further, an actuating part 2 is provided, which has an actuating surface 3 facing towards the operator B, for an operator B to carry out an operating input. An actuating operating input is understood to be an actuation, particularly with a simultaneous touch, by the operator B, which goes beyond a touch, during which the operator B applies an actuating force acting perpendicularly on the actuating surface 3, in order to cause a displacement of the actuating part 2, which follows the actuating force, in this case while elastically, partially deforming the actuating part 2. The actuating part 2 further has an outer edge region 5, which is provided outside the actuating surface 3, which surrounds the actuating surface 3, and via which the actuating part 2 is supported on the support 20.

[0034] In addition, the actuating part 2 has a layer structure 2a, 2b, 2c configured as a film layer structure, which defines the actuating surface 3. The layer structure 2a, 2b, 2c comprises a film 2a and two layers 2b, 2c including one thermoplastic material each. At least two of the layers 2b, 2c, i.e. more specifically the materials used in each case for forming the layers, are different from each other with respect to the modulus of elasticity. A transitional region 4 is provided between the edge region 5 and the actuating surface 3. The transitional region 4 is characterized in that the layer with the smallest modulus of elasticity of the two layers, which is referred to as a highly elastic layer 2b, has the greatest layer thickness, measured in a direction R perpendicular to the actuating surface 3, as compared with a layer thickness of the other layers 2a, 2c of the layer structure 2a, 2b, 2c in the transitional region 4, in order to provide an elastic compliance of the actuating part 2 in the direction R perpendicular to the actuating surface 3. More specifically: here, only precisely one, and only the one, highly elastic layer 2b is provided in the transitional region 4.

[0035] Furthermore, a force sensor 7 is provided that is disposed between the support 20 and the actuating part 2, in order to detect the displacement of the actuating part 2 in the direction R perpendicular to the actuating surface 3. Here, this is a capacitively detecting force sensor 7.

[0036] Due to its placement in the transitional region 4, the highly elastic layer 2b provides for a locally pronounced elastic compliance in this region of the actuating part 3 surrounding the actuating surface 3. Moreover, an elastic support of another type can be dispensed with. The highly elastic layer 2b moreover ensures a liquid-tight transition between the actuating surface 3 and the support 20. Moreover, the actuating part 2, together with its elastic support, may thus be manufactured in a single manufacturing step, e.g. by thermal molding in a molding tool. The manufacture and assembly of the operating member 2 is thus simplified. A movability of the actuating surface 3 of the actuating part 2 is provided by the highly elastic layer 2b, without the necessity of a gap between the support 20 and the actuating part 2. Moreover, the highly elastic layer 2b provides for a reliable resetting and prevents an overloading of the material of the actuating part 2 exceeding the elastic stresses. Thus, plastic, non-reversible deformations of the actuating part 2 are reliably avoided. In addition to not only the actuating surface 3, the transitional region 4 here also is a visible surface, i.e. is disposed so as to be freely accessible to the operator B. Rather, the actuating surface 3, transitional region 4 and edge region 5 form a contiguous, continuously and steadily transitioning visible surface facing towards the operator B.

[0037] As seen in FIG. 1, a weakened-material portion 10 in the layer structure 2a, 2b, 2c in the form of a groove provided on the side of the actuating part 2 facing away from the operator B, which portion at least in some areas surrounds the actuating surface, is formed in the transitional region 4 situated between the edge region 5 and the actuating surface 3, in order to provide for an elastic compliance of the actuating part 2 in the direction R perpendicular to the actuating surface 3.

[0038] In this case, the weakened-material portion 10 is configured in such a way that it reaches through all layers with the exception of the highly elastic layer 2b and the film 2a of the layer structure 2a, 2b, 2c.

[0039] In order to mechanically stabilize the actuating part 2, particularly in the region of the actuating surface 3, the high-strength layer 2c having the greatest modulus of elasticity of the several layers extends substantially parallel to the actuating surface 3.

[0040] Furthermore, an actuator 6, which is disposed between the support 20 and the actuating part 2, is provided for exciting the vibration and/or movement of the actuating part 2, and thus for generating an active haptic feedback. The actuator is an active actuator, i.e. an actuator which can be triggered by a control signal provided by an electronic control system 21, and which, due to the application of a pulse, such as an impact, or the application of vibration to the adjacently disposed component, i.e. the actuating part 2, is capable of exciting movement or vibration in the latter, which is haptically perceptible by the operator B via the finger resting on the actuating surface 3. Together with the force sensor 7, the electronic control system 21 is arranged on a circuit board 8 fixed to the support 20.

[0041] Furthermore, the actuating part 2 has a through-hole 11 in which is disposed an electronic or electromechanical input part 11 that can be operated manually, such as a rotary knob or a roller knob that can preferably be operated with the thumb of the hand resting on the steering wheel rim. Furthermore, the actuating surface 3 comprises at least one luminous surface 18 to be backlit, which represents the shape and/or the outline of a symbol. In this case, at least one layer 2c of the layer structure 2a, 2b, 2c forms a recess or a through-hole for forming a light channel 12, in order to guide light from a light source 19 fixed to the support 20 and arranged on the circuit board 8 to the luminous surface 18 for backlighting. For example, the layer structure remaining in the region of the luminous surface 18 is configured to be translucent. This is achieved, for example, by the film 2a or the highly elastic layer 2b being provided with an opaque coating that is missing or was removed in the region of the luminous surface 18.

[0042] FIGS. 2 and 3 show an assembly of the operating member 1 of FIG. 1 and a motor vehicle steering wheel 17, wherein the operating member is disposed in the region of a spoke 16 of the motor vehicle steering wheel 17 extending between the steering wheel rim 15 and a steering wheel hub. In this case, the actuating part 2 is integrally formed, via the edge region 5, with a panel 13 extending about an impact absorber 14 covering the steering wheel hub. In this case, the support 20 from FIG. 1 and the panel 1 are rigidly connected to one another via a latching connection. FIG. 3 is the associated rear view of the actuating part 2 and the panel 13.