IP Library Granted Patent US 11,314,331
Granted Patent B2
US 11,314,331 · App. 16/330,555 · Granted Apr 26, 2022

Operating unit for a device, in particular for a vehicle component

Inventors: Tobias Schwab (Lippstadt, DE); Harri Pankratz (Lippstadt, DE)
Assignee: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH
G06F3/016B60K37/06G06F3/041B60K2370/1438B60K2370/34
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,314,331
App. No.
16/330,555
Granted
Apr 26, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The operating unit for a device, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing ( 10 ) that has a control panel ( 12 ) and is provided for attaching in an apparatus, in particular a vehicle dashboard or vehicle center console, the control panel ( 12 ) being elastically mounted on the housing ( 10 ). Furthermore provided is an actuator ( 16 ) for mechanically exciting exclusively the control panel ( 12 ) when use of the control panel ( 12 ) is detected, the control panel forming the front side of a touch-sensitive touch panel ( 13 ). Finally, the operating unit also comprises a vibration compensation mass ( 20 ) that is mechanically excitable by the or by an actuator ( 16 ) when use of the control panel ( 12 ) is detected and is elastically mounted in and/or on the housing ( 10 ) and is movable to essentially compensate for a movement of the housing ( 10 ) when activating the actuator ( 16 ) that can mechanically excite the control panel ( 12 ). The operating unit has a backlit display ( 17 ) that has a display unit ( 32 ) and a backlight unit ( 34 ) separate therefrom. The backlight unit ( 34 ) or the display unit ( 32 ) can operate individually or together as vibration compensation masses ( 20 ).

Claims (29)

1. An operating unit for a device, the operating unit being provided with

a housing that has a control panel and that is provided for attaching in an apparatus,

wherein the control panel is mounted elastically at and/or in the housing,

at least one actuator for mechanically exciting the control panel upon detection of an operation of the control panel, and,

a display unit having a display surface,

the control panel forming the front side of a touch-sensitive touch panel for spatially resolved detection of a touch of the control panel,

wherein the touch panel is arranged separated from the display unit, and,

wherein the at least one actuator mechanically excites the touch panel when touching of the control panel is detected,

wherein

a compensation weight is elastically mounted in and/or at the housing and/or is elastically mounted at the touch panel, wherein the compensation weight is mechanically excitable by the actuator or by an actuator for compensating the forces acting on the housing when the touch panel is mechanically excited,

wherein at least one of

the display unit forms the compensation weight and

the display unit has a backlight unit for backlighting the display unit, wherein the backlight unit is arranged separated from the display unit and forms the compensation weight.

2. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the compensation weight is excitable vectorially opposite to the touch panel.

3. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the movement strokes of the touch panel and of the compensation weight when excited by the actuator(s) are designed/determined as a function of at least one of the ratio of the specific masses of the touch panel and the compensation weight, the relationship between the position of the centers of mass of the touch panel and the compensation weight, the spring damping elements of the specific elastic bearings of the touch panel and the compensation weight at the housing, and the size of the mutual vectorially opposed movement stroke components or movement strokes of the touch panel and the compensation weight.

4. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein a common actuator for mechanical excitation of both the touch panel and the compensation weight is provided, wherein the actuator has an actuator element, the length of which is variable and which has two ends facing away from one another, the distance between the ends being variable by opposing movement, and of which the one end is mechanically linked to the touch panel and the other end is mechanically linked to the compensation weight for the purpose of mechanically exciting the touch panel and the compensation weight.

5. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein a path sensor for detecting an actuation movement of the control panel when a manual pressure is exerted on the touch panel.

6. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the touch panel has a protective layer and a sensor layer, and has a light-permeable antireflection layer therebetween, these being bonded to one another.

7. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the housing is configured for attachment in a vehicle dashboard or vehicle center console.

8. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit forms the compensation weight.

9. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the display unit has a backlight unit for backlighting the display unit, and wherein the backlight unit is arranged separated from the display unit and forms the compensation weight.

10. The operating unit according to claim 3 , wherein the movement strokes of the touch panel and of the compensation weight when excited by the actuator(s) are designed/determined as a function of the ratio of the specific masses of the touch panel and the compensation weight.

11. The operating unit according to claim 3 , wherein the movement strokes of the touch panel and of the compensation weight when excited by the actuator(s) are designed/determined as a function of relationship between the position of the centers of mass of the touch panel and the compensation weight.

12. The operating unit according to claim 3 , wherein the movement strokes of the touch panel and of the compensation weight when excited by the actuator(s) are designed/determined as a function of the spring damping elements of the specific elastic bearings of the touch panel and the compensation weight at the housing.

13. The operating unit according to claim 3 , wherein the movement strokes of the touch panel and of the compensation weight when excited by the actuator(s) are designed/determined as a function of the size of the mutual vectorially opposed movement stroke components or movement strokes of the touch panel and the compensation weight.

14. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator has a piezoceramic element.

15. The operating unit according to claim 1 , wherein the touch panel has a proximity and/or touch sensor system that works in a resistive, capacitive, or optical manner.

16. The operating unit according to claim 15 , wherein the touch panel has a proximity and/or touch sensor system that works in an optical manner.

17. The operating unit according to claim 16 , wherein proximity and/or touch sensor system functions as a polarization filter.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF ASSIGNEE ADDRESS Recorded Nov 22, 2021
From: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
To: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
Reel/Frame 058753/0299 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 7, 2019
From: SCHWAB, TOBIAS; PANKRATZ, HARRI
To: BEHR-HELLA THERMOCONTROL GMBH
Reel/Frame 048531/0032 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2016 116 970.6 · Sep 9, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210286430A1 · Sep 16, 2021