Sensor Arrangement, Actuation Device, Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A sensor arrangement for an actuation device of a motor vehicle is disclosed which has a force transfer element and which can be assigned or is assigned in particular to an actuating surface of the actuation device for transferring an actuating force applied to the actuation device, in particular on the actuating surface. The sensor arrangement further has a measuring head arranged in a printed circuit board. The measuring head has a measuring membrane. The measuring membrane has a force sensor element at one end and is assigned to the force transfer element at the other end, in particular abutting the force transfer element.

Claims

1. A sensor arrangement for an actuation device of a motor vehicle, comprising: a force transfer element configured to transfer an actuating force applied to the actuation device; a printed circuit board; and a measuring head arranged in the printed circuit board, wherein the measuring head has a measuring membrane, and wherein the measuring membrane has a force sensor element at one end and is assigned to the force transfer element at the other end.

2. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor element comprises a strain gauge arrangement.

3. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the force transfer element is configured as a pin.

4. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising a first flange, wherein the force transfer element is slidably guided in the first flange.

5. The sensor arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the first flange is configured to be fixedly arranged in an opening of a partition wall of the actuation device and connected to the partition wall in a form-fit, force-fit and/or material-fit manner.

6. The sensor arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the measuring head is connected to the printed circuit board and/or to the first flange in a form-fit, force-fit and/or material-fit manner.

7. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein: the sensor arrangement has a spring element assigned to the force transfer element, and the force transfer element is held biased by the spring element in the direction of the measuring membrane.

8. The sensor arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising a second flange, wherein: the spring element is configured as a coil spring, and the coil spring is assigned at one end to an actuating surface of the actuation device, and the other end on the second flange.

9. The sensor arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the force transfer element lies at one end in the second flange and is assigned at the other end to the measuring membrane.

10. The sensor arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the first flange and the second flange have a predetermined distance to each other for specifying a maximum displacement path of the force transfer element.

11. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measuring head is cup-shaped and comprises a recess configured to receive the force transfer element in regions.

12. An actuation device of a motor vehicle for specifying a braking and/or acceleration request, comprising at least one sensor arrangement according to claim 1.

13. The actuation device according to claim 12, wherein: the actuation device has a first housing portion and a second housing portion, the first housing portion is slidably mounted on the second housing portion in a vertical extension of the second housing portion, the first housing portion has an actuating surface on a top side facing away from the second housing portion or a cover with the actuating surface arranged at the top side, and the sensor arrangement is arranged in the second housing portion.

14. The actuation device according to claim 13, wherein: a partition wall is configured or arranged in the second housing portion, the force transfer element is slidably guided in a first flange, and the first flange is fixedly arranged in an opening of the partition wall and connected to the partition wall in a form-fit, force-fit and/or material-fit manner.

15. A motor vehicle, comprising at least one actuation device according to claim 12.

16. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the force transfer element is further configured to transfer an actuating force applied to an actuating surface of the actuation device.

17. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the measuring membrane has a force sensor element at one end and abuts the force transfer element at the other end.

18. The sensor arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the force sensor element comprises a strain gauge arrangement sputtered on the measuring membrane and/or designed as a full bridge arrangement.

19. The sensor arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the force transfer element lies at one end in the second flange and at the other end abuts the measuring membrane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] Further preferred features and combinations of features result from what has been described above and from the claims. The disclosure is explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. The figures show:

[0021] FIG. 1 an advantageous sensor arrangement,

[0022] FIG. 2 the sensor arrangement in an actuation device, and

[0023] FIG. 3 the actuation device with the sensor arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a sensor arrangement 1 for an actuation device 2 of a motor vehicle, wherein the latter is described in detail with reference to FIG. 3. The sensor arrangement 1 has a force transfer element 3 configured as a pin for transferring an actuating force F applied to the actuation device 2. Furthermore, the sensor arrangement 1 comprises a printed circuit board 4 and a measuring head 5 arranged in the printed circuit board 4.

[0025] The measuring head 5 has a measuring membrane 6. The measuring membrane 6 comprises a force sensor element 7 at one end and is assigned to the force transfer element 3 at the other end. In the present case, the measuring membrane 6 abuts the force transfer element 3. In this case, the force sensor element 7 has a strain gauge arrangement 8 which is sputtered onto the measuring membrane 6 and designed as a full bridge arrangement. The strain gauge assembly is electrically contacted with the printed circuit board 4 by corresponding electrical contacts, in particular bonding terminals. To protect against external influences, the strain gauge assembly 8 is protected by a gel layer 9.

[0026] The force transfer element 3 is slidably guided in a first flange 10. The first flange 10 is configured to be fixedly arranged in an opening 11 of a partition wall 12 of the actuation device 2, sealing the opening 11, and to be connected to the partition wall 12, in a form-fit, force-fit and/or material-fit manner. This is shown in FIG. 2. By way of example, an adhesive layer 13 is shown connecting the first flange 10 to the partition wall 12. The measuring head 5 is also connected to the printed circuit board 4 and the first flange 10 in a form-fit, force-fit and/or material-fit manner. Alternatively, the measuring head 5 is only arranged in a recess in the printed circuit board 4, i.e., it passes through the printed circuit board 4 without being directly connected to it itself.

[0027] Furthermore, the sensor arrangement 1 also has a spring element 14 assigned to the force transfer element 3, in the present case configured as a coil spring. The force transfer element 3 is held biased in the direction of the measuring membrane 6 by the spring element 14. For this purpose, the spring element 14 can be assigned or is assigned to one end of an actuating surface of the actuation device 2 and is arranged at the other end on a second flange 15. The force transfer element 3 lies at one end in the second flange 15 and is assigned to the other end of the measuring membrane 6. In the present case, it abuts the measuring membrane 6.

[0028] The first and the second flanges 10, 15 have a predetermined distance 1 to each other for specifying a maximum displacement path of the force transfer element 3. In the present case, the measuring head 6 is cup-shaped and comprises a recess 16 for at least receiving the force transfer element 3 in regions.

[0029] Finally, in FIG. 3, the sensor arrangement 1 is shown in the actuation device 2. The actuation device 2 is in particular configured to specify a braking and/or an acceleration request, and can in particular be arranged or is arranged in the footwell of the motor vehicle. In the present case, the sensor arrangement 1 is provided in duplicate, but for reasons of clarity only one of the components is marked with a reference numeral in FIG. 3.

[0030] The actuation device 2 comprises a first housing portion 17 and a second housing portion 18. The first housing portion 17 is slidably mounted on the second housing portion 18 in a vertical extension of the second housing portion 18. The first housing portion 17 comprises a cover 20 with an actuating surface 21 on a top side 19 facing away from the second housing portion 18. Alternatively, the first housing portion 18 has the actuating surface 21 directly on the upper side 19, in particular it is formed integrally therewith.

[0031] In the second housing portion 18, the sensor arrangement 1 is arranged for detecting an actuation of the actuation device 2, in the present case an actuation force applied to the actuation surface 21. Furthermore, the partition wall 12 is arranged in the second housing portion 18, in the present case configured integrally with the second housing portion 18, in particular molded into the housing portion 18. The partition wall 12 is arranged completely parallel to the actuating surface 21 and forms a chamber 22 with the second housing portion 18, in order to enclose the printed circuit board 4 with the components arranged therein and thereon, in particular the measuring head 5 with the measuring membrane 6 and the force sensor element 7 in a media-tight manner.

[0032] The first flange 10 is fixedly arranged in the opening 11 of the partition wall 12 and connected to the partition wall 12. In the present case, the opening 11 is geometrically configured to correspond with the first flange 10. In the chamber 22, which is located on a side 23 of the partition wall 12 facing away from the first housing portion 17, an electronics area 24 is provided. On one side 25 of the partition wall 12 facing the first housing portion 17, a mechanical area 26 is provided between the partition wall 12 and the first housing portion 17, in which in particular the spring element 14 and the second flange 15 are arranged.

[0033] In the present case, a pressure compensation element 27, for example configured as a membrane, and a cover 28 sealing the electronics area 24 are arranged on the second housing portion 18 in the electronics area 24, which in the present case is arranged on an underside of the second housing portion 18 and which serves as a holder for the actuation device 1 as a whole. Furthermore, an illumination device 29, in the present case as a light-emitting diode, is arranged in the electronics area 24. The illumination device 29 is also arranged on the printed circuit board 4.

[0034] In the housing portions 17, 18, a light guiding element 30 for the illumination device 29 is also arranged, which extends from the illumination device 29 through a first (non-visible) opening 31 in the partition 12 to a second opening 32 in the actuating surface 21. The illumination device 29 is designed as a light-emitting diode, in particular monochrome, or has an RGB control. A circumferential, in particular bellows-like, sealing element 33 is arranged between the first and second housing portions 17, 18 to seal the mechanical area 26 against an area outside the housing portions 17, 18. In FIG. 3, the sealing element 33 abuts on the outside of the housing portions 17, 18.

[0035] Finally, the first housing portion 17 comprises a bar-shaped projection 35 on an inner side 34 facing the second housing portion 18. The second housing portion 18 comprises a guide receptacle 36 for the projection 35 for the guided, slidable mounting of the first housing portion 17 on the second housing portion 18. In the present case, the projection 35 features a circular cross-section and is designed as a hollow cylinder. A sliding bearing element 37 is arranged within the projection 35. In addition, at least one further spring element 38, in the present case configured as a coil spring, is arranged as a return spring between the housing portions 17, 18 in FIG. 3.