Operating unit of a vehicle

Abstract

Please substitute the new Abstract submitted herewith for the original Abstract: An operating unit of a vehicle includes an operating element. The operating element includes a glass body, a touch sensitive input layer, an electrically nonconductive intermediate layer, and a base. The glass body has an upper side which forms a visible and touchable surface of the operating element, and a lower side opposite the upper side. The touch-sensitive input layer is on the lower side of the glass body and is configured to detect a touch on the upper side of the glass body. The electrically nonconductive intermediate layer is located between the lower side of the glass body and the input layer. The operating element is mounted on the base.

Claims

1. An operating unit of a vehicle, comprising: an operating element having a glass body which has an upper side which forms a visible and touchable surface of the operating element, and a lower side opposite the upper side, a touch-sensitive input layer on the lower side of the glass body, which is configured to detect a touch on the upper side of the glass body, an electrically nonconductive intermediate layer between the lower side of the glass body and the input layer, and a base on which the operating element is mounted, wherein the electrically nonconductive intermediate layer has a reflection factor of between at least 20% and at least 30%, on its side facing toward the glass body.

2. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate layer has a specific surface resistance of between at least 20 and at least 30 , on its side facing toward the glass body and/or on the opposite side.

3. The operating unit according to claim 2, wherein the intermediate layer has metallic optics on its side facing toward the glass body.

4. The operating unit according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate layer has at least one individual layer of metal oxide.

5. The operating unit according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate layer is applied as a coating, comprising a nonconductive vacuum metallization coating, on the lower side of the glass body.

6. The operating unit according to claim 5, wherein the glass body has a light transmission of between at least 50% and at least 90%, in the visible spectrum.

7. The operating unit according to claim 6, wherein the glass body is made of glass comprising silicate glass.

8. The operating unit according to claim 7, wherein the operating element is rotatable and/or pressable and/or displaceable relative to the base.

9. A vehicle comprising an operating unit according to claim 8 installed in the vehicle.

10. The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the electrically nonconductive intermediate layer has metallic optics on its side facing toward the glass body.

11. The operating unit according to claim 10, wherein the metallic optics are achieved via color selection.

12. The operating unit according to claim 11, wherein the color selection is silver or light gray.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of the operating unit;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded representation of the operating unit; and

(3) FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the operating unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(4) An operating unit 1, which is used in a vehicle in a state installed in a fixed fashion, will be described below with the aid of FIGS. 1 to 3.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of the operating unit 1. FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded representation and FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the operating unit 1. Reference will be made below to FIGS. 1 to 3.

(6) The operating unit 1 comprises an operating element 2. The operating element 2 is composed of a glass body 4, an input layer 6 and an intermediate layer 5. The intermediate layer 5 is located between the glass body 4 and the input layer 6. The intermediate layer 5 is, in particular, configured as a coating on the glass body 4.

(7) An upper side 7 is defined on the glass body 4. This upper side 7 forms the touchable surface of the operating element. Opposite the upper side 7, there is a lower side 8. The intermediate layer 5 is applied, preferably as a coating, on this lower side 8.

(8) An axis 10 is defined perpendicularly to the upper side 7.

(9) The individual parts of the operating element 2, in particular the glass body 4, the intermediate layer 5 and the input layer 6, are preferably connected, in particular adhesively bonded, to one another in a fixed fashion.

(10) Besides the operating element 2, the operating unit 1 comprises a base 3. The base 3 is installed in a fixed fashion in the vehicle. The base 3 is used to receive, or mount, the operating element 2.

(11) Particularly preferably, the operating element 2 is rotatable about the axis 10 and/or displaceable perpendicularly to the axis 10 and/or pressable parallel to the axis 10, relative to the base 3.

(12) Operating inputs by a user are detected by means of the input layer 6 and optional sensors for detecting the movement of the operating element 2 relative to the base 3. These operating inputs are evaluated and/or forwarded by means of an electronics unit 9. The electronics unit 9 is preferably located in the base 3.

(13) The operating unit 1, in particular the operating element 2 and its elements, glass body 4, intermediate layer 5 and input layer 6, are preferably configured as described in the general part of the description.

LIST OF REFERENCES

(14) 1 operating unit 2 operating element 3 base 4 glass body 5 intermediate layer 6 input layer 7 upper side 8 lower side 9 electronics unit 10 axis