Operating unit for a vehicle
The operating unit for a vehicle is provided with a housing with a front face and an operating element arranged on the front face of the housing and having a center of gravity and an operating surface. Said operating element is mounted on and/or in the housing in a spring-elastic manner along a vertical axis of movement extending essentially orthogonally to the operating surface and along a lateral movement axis extending essentially transversely with respect thereto. At least one sensor for detecting an actuation movement of the operating element in the direction of the vertical movement axis is provided. Also, the operating unit comprises an actuator arranged in and/or on the housing for feedback movement of the operating element at least also in the lateral movement axis during a detected actuating movement of the operating element, wherein the actuator comprises an electromagnetically controllable drive element which is mechanically coupled to the operating element which can be moved back and forth along a movement axis. The center of gravity of the operating element lies on the movement axis of the drive element of the actuator.
1. An operating unit for a vehicle, in particular an infotainment system for operating various vehicle components, having:
a housing having a front face;
an operating element arranged on said front face of said housing, which comprises a center of gravity and an operating surface, wherein said operating element is spring-elastically mounted at or in said housing along a vertical movement axis essentially extending orthogonally to said operating surface and along a lateral movement axis essentially extending transversely with respect thereto;
at least one sensor for detecting an actuation movement of said operating element in the direction of the vertical movement axis;
an actuator mounted in or at said housing for a feedback movement of said operating element at least also in the lateral movement axis in the case of a recognized actuation movement of said operating element, wherein said actuator comprises a drive element adapted to be controlled and mechanically coupled with said operating element, which is adapted to be moved forwards and backwards along an effective movement axis; and
an analysis and controlling unit which is connected to said sensor and said actuator, wherein:
the effective movement axis of the drive element is arranged at an acute angle to both the vertical movement axis and the lateral movement axis of the operating element, and
said center of gravity of said operating element lies on said effective movement axis of said drive element of said actuator.
2. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the lateral movement of the operating element and the effective movement axis of the drive element of the actuator span a common vertical plane which extends essentially orthogonally to the operating surface.
3. The operating unit according to claim 2 , wherein the housing comprises an installation space beneath the operating element, and wherein for achieving the smallest possible angle between the effective movement axis of the drive element of the actuator and the lateral movement axis of said operating element said actuator is arranged as near as possible beneath said operating element as allowed by the installation space or as far away as possible from the center of gravity of said operating element as allowed by the installation space.
4. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein return spring elements are provided, having effective spring axes for the operating element arranged on both sides of said operating element which lie on the lateral movement axis or on the or in parallel to the effective movement axis of the drive element of the actuator or which lie in a plane that is essentially orthogonal to the plane spanned by said effective movement axis of said drive element of said actuator and said lateral movement axis of said operating element and are arranged symmetrically to said lateral movement axis.
5. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured as an armature-type electromagnet having a first stator which comprises a first excitation coil, and an armature as a drive element, that said armature is provided with a measuring coil to which a measuring voltage is applied when a magnetic flux generated by said first excitation coil flows through said armature, and wherein said first excitation coil and said measuring coil are connected to the analysis and controlling unit, wherein by means of said analysis and controlling unit the force is adapted to be controlled or regulated with the aid of which said armature is adapted to be moved towards said first stator or the displacement movement of said armature out of its rest position as well as the return movement of said armature into its rest position are adapted to be controlled or regulated.
6. The operating unit according to claim 5 , wherein the armature-type electromagnet comprises a second stator having a second excitation coil, wherein the two stators are arranged on both sides of the armature, and wherein said second excitation coil is also connected to the analysis and controlling unit, wherein by means of said analysis and controlling unit the respective force is adapted to be controlled or regulated with the aid of which said armature is adapted to be moved in the respective direction towards said first or second stator or the displacement movement of said armature out of its rest position as well as the return movement of said armature into its rest position are adapted to be controlled.