Touch Input Device and Electronic System for a Motor Vehicle, and Motor Vehicle

Abstract

A touch input device configured to operate a system of a motor vehicle includes a cover plate composed of a cover plate material having a plate top side and a plate underside, and also includes a touch sensor surface. The plate top side includes an operating surface, where the plate underside of the cover plate faces the touch sensor surface. The plate underside has at least one beveled surface arranged obliquely with respect to the touch sensor surface such that a clearance is formed between the plate underside and the touch sensor surface. The operating surface at least partly projects beyond the clearance and a filling body composed of at least one filling material is arranged in the clearance, where the filling material has a permittivity for electric fields that corresponds to a permittivity of the cover plate material.

Claims

1. A touch input apparatus configured to operate a system of a motor vehicle, the touch input apparatus comprising: a cover plate made from a cover plate material having a plate upper side and a plate lower side; and a touch sensor surface, wherein the plate upper side has an operating surface, wherein the plate lower side faces the cover plate of the touch sensor surface, wherein the plate lower side has at least one sloping surface arranged at an angle with respect to the touch sensor surface, wherein a free space is formed between the plate lower side and the touch sensor surface, wherein the operating surface at least partially projects over the free space, wherein arranged in the free space is a filling body made of at least one filling material, and wherein the at least one filling material has a permittivity for electrical fields that is greater than a permittivity of air.

2. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where the filling body is in surface contact with the plate lower side and the touch sensor surface.

3. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where the filling body has a filling body shape which is configured to be complementary to a free space shape of the free space.

4. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 2, where the filling body has a filling body shape which is configured to be complementary to a free space shape of the free space.

5. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filling body is configured at least partially as an injection molded part or 3D printed part.

6. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one filling material is a polyamide or at least includes a polyamide.

7. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, where the at least one filling material is formed from a cast resin or at least includes a cast resin and/or adhesive.

8. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filling body has a recess, in which the plate lower side is accommodated.

9. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filling body has a recess, in which the plate lower side is accommodated.

10. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the filling body has a recess, in which the plate lower side is accommodated.

11. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sloping surface is arranged in a periphery region of the cover plate.

12. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate lower side has a plurality of sloping surfaces, which are arranged on the plate lower side in the form of a facet cut.

13. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover plate material comprises glass.

14. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the permittivity of the at least one filling material deviates by at most 30% from a permittivity of the cover plate material.

15. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover plate exhibits an engraving and/or a print.

16. The touch input apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate upper side is configured to be planar and/or round.

17. An electronic system for a motor vehicle having at least one input apparatus, wherein the at least one input apparatus is configured in the form of a touch input apparatus comprising: a cover plate made from a cover plate material having a plate upper side and a plate lower side; and a touch sensor surface, wherein the plate upper side has an operating surface, wherein the plate lower side faces the cover plate of the touch sensor surface, wherein the plate lower side has at least one sloping surface arranged at an angle with respect to the touch sensor surface, wherein a free space is formed between the plate lower side and the touch sensor surface, wherein the operating surface at least partially projects over the free space, wherein arranged in the free space is a filling body made of at least one filling material, and wherein the at least one filling material has a permittivity for electrical fields that is greater than a permittivity of air.

18. A motor vehicle comprising at least one electronic system having at least one input apparatus, wherein the at least one input apparatus is configured in the form of a touch input apparatus comprising: a cover plate made from a cover plate material having a plate upper side and a plate lower side; and a touch sensor surface, wherein the plate upper side has an operating surface, wherein the plate lower side faces the cover plate of the touch sensor surface, wherein the plate lower side has at least one sloping surface arranged at an angle with respect to the touch sensor surface, wherein a free space is formed between the plate lower side and the touch sensor surface, wherein the operating surface at least partially projects over the free space, wherein arranged in the free space is a filling body made of at least one filling material, and wherein the at least one filling material has a permittivity for electrical fields that is greater than a permittivity of air.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] FIG. 1 a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a touch input apparatus according to the invention.

[0031] FIG. 2 a side view of the touch input apparatus without filling body from FIG. 1.

[0032] FIG. 3 a side view of the filling body from FIG. 1.

[0033] FIG. 4 a side view of the touch input apparatus from FIG. 1.

[0034] Elements having the same function and mode of operation are provided in FIGS. 1 to 4 in each case with the same reference signs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a plan view of a preferred embodiment of a touch input apparatus 1 according to the invention. The touch input apparatus 1 has a cover plate 2 having a circular plate upper side 3. The plate upper side 3 has, in a central region, a plurality of engravings 12, which denote for example different functions or input options of the touch input apparatus 1. In this exemplary embodiment, the cover plate 2 is formed from a transparent cover plate material, such as glass. Consequently, what can be seen are triangular sloping surfaces 7, which are formed in a periphery region 11 on a plate lower side 4 (cf. FIG. 2) of the cover plate 2, and a main surface 13 of the plate lower side 4 that is surrounded by the sloping surfaces 7. An operating surface 6 extends over the complete plate upper side 3 and consequently over the periphery region 11 and the main surface 13.

[0036] As can be seen more clearly from FIG. 2, the cover plate 2 has a plate lower side 4, which extends along the complete plate upper side 3. The plurality of triangular sloping surfaces 7 arranged in the periphery region 11 are likewise easily discernible in this view. The sloping surfaces 7 surround a main surface 13 of the plate lower side 4 around its entire circumference. Next to the plate lower side 4, the touch input apparatus 1 has a touch sensor surface 5, which extends like a plate along the entire plate lower side 4. In this exemplary embodiment, a gap 14 is formed between the main surface 13 and the touch sensor surface 5, with the result that there is no direct contact between the touch sensor surface 5 and the cover plate 2.

[0037] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a side view of a filling body 9 of the preferred embodiment of the touch input apparatus 1 according to the invention from FIG. 1. The filling body 9 is formed from a preferably homogeneous filling material. The filling body has a ring-shaped edge 15 having a triangular cross-sectional area and a panel region 16. A recess 10 for accommodating the cover plate 2 is formed between the edge 15 and the panel region 16.

[0038] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a side view of the touch input apparatus 1 from FIG. 1. The filling body 9 is arranged in the gap 14 (see FIG. 2) and in the free space 8 (cf. FIG. 2) between the plate lower side 4 and the touch sensor surface 5. In the touch input apparatus 1 according to the invention, use of the operating surface 6, which extends over the entire plate upper side 3, is possible without complicated compensation by a computer unit owing to the permittivity of the filling material, which corresponds to, or substantially corresponds to, the permittivity of the cover plate material.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0039] 1 touch input apparatus [0040] 2 cover plate [0041] 3 plate upper side [0042] 4 plate lower side [0043] 5 touch sensor surface [0044] 6 operating surface [0045] 7 sloping surface [0046] 8 free space [0047] 9 filling body [0048] 10 recess [0049] 11 periphery region [0050] 12 engraving [0051] 13 main surface [0052] 14 gap [0053] 15 edge [0054] 16 panel region

[0055] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.