IP Library Granted Patent US 12688963
Granted Patent B2
US 12688963 · App. 18/508,574 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

Operating element having haptic feedback

Inventors: Klaus Elian (Alteglofsheim, DE); Derek Debie (Bogen, DE)
Assignee: Infineon Technologies AG
H01F27/2804H05K1/0277H05K7/1427H05K2201/10151
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12688963
App. No.
18/508,574
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An operating element having haptic feedback is proposed, having a membrane deflectable using a magnetic field, having a coil for generating a magnetic field for deflecting the membrane, and having a touch sensor element including at least one touch sensor electrode.

Claims (44)

1 . An operating element having haptic feedback, the operating element comprising:

a membrane that is deflectable using a magnetic field, wherein the membrane comprises a deflectable material, and wherein the haptic feedback is a vibration or a movement pulse of the deflectable material,

a coil configured to generate the magnetic field for deflecting the membrane,

a touch sensor element comprising at least one touch sensor electrode, wherein each touch sensor electrode of the at least one touch sensor electrode has a ring-shape that laterally surrounds the membrane, and

a magnetic material directly attached to the membrane.

2 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the touch sensor element is a capacitive touch sensor element or a resistive touch sensor element.

3 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , the operating element further comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board,

wherein the membrane is a deflectable part of the flexible printed circuit board,

wherein the at least one touch sensor electrode is arranged on a front side of the flexible printed circuit board, and

wherein the coil is arranged on a rear side of the flexible printed circuit board.

4 . The operating element as claimed in claim 3 , wherein one or more of the at least one touch sensor electrode or the coil is formed as an imprint on the flexible printed circuit board.

5 . The operating element as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the flexible printed circuit board is a single-layer printed circuit board.

6 . The operating element as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the magnetic material is applied to the membrane at the rear side of the flexible printed circuit board, and

wherein the magnetic material comprises a soft-magnetic material or a hard-magnetic material.

7 . The operating element as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the magnetic material is magnetized.

8 . The operating element as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the operating element comprises a bias magnet arranged in an overlapping position with the magnetic material.

9 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operating element comprises a prefinished housing, wherein the membrane forms a part of a cover of the prefinished housing.

10 . The operating element as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the prefinished housing is a DSOF housing.

11 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the operating element comprises an integrated circuit.

12 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each touch sensor electrode of the at least one touch sensor electrode fully encircles the membrane.

13 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one touch sensor electrode includes a plurality of touch sensor electrodes formed as concentric rings.

14 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coil has a ring-shape that fully encircles the membrane.

15 . The operating element as claimed in claim 14 , wherein a touch sensor electrode of the at least one touch sensor electrode is concentric with the coil.

16 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the magnetic material is centrally located on the membrane,

wherein each touch sensor electrode of the at least one touch sensor electrode laterally surrounds the magnetic material.

17 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:

a flexible printed circuit board, wherein the membrane is deflectable part of the flexible printed circuit board,

wherein the at least one touch sensor electrode is arranged on a front side of the flexible printed circuit board, and

wherein the coil is arranged on a rear side of the flexible printed circuit board and has a ring-shape that laterally surrounds the membrane.

18 . The operating element as claimed in claim 17 ,

wherein the magnetic material is directly attached to the membrane at the rear side of the flexible printed circuit board, the magnetic material being centrally located on the membrane, and

wherein each touch sensor electrode of the at least one touch sensor electrode laterally surrounds the magnetic material.

19 . The operating element as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the coil has a ring-shape that fully encircles the membrane and the magnetic material.

20 . The operating element as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the magnetic material is configured to interact with the magnetic field for deflecting the deflectable material to produce the haptic feedback.

21 . An operating element for providing haptic feedback, comprising:

a membrane that is deflectable using a magnetic field, wherein the membrane comprises a deflectable material, and wherein the haptic feedback is a vibration or a movement pulse of the deflectable material;

a magnetic material directly attached to a rear side of the membrane;

a coil configured to generate a magnetic field, wherein generating the magnetic field causes a deflection of the membrane based on the magnetic material being directly attached to the rear side of the membrane and based on an interaction of the magnetic material with the magnetic field; and

a touch sensor element comprising a touch sensor electrode, wherein the touch sensor electrode has a ring-shape that laterally surrounds the membrane and the magnetic material.

22 . The operating element of claim 21 , further comprising:

a printed circuit board, wherein the membrane is a deflectable part of the printed circuit board.

23 . The operating element of claim 22 , wherein the coil is included on a rear side of the printed circuit board and the touch sensor electrode is included on a front side of the printed circuit board.