Scalable haptic interface

Abstract

The invention relates to a haptic interface (1) comprising a touch plate (3) and a support (2), the touch plate (3) being hingedly attached to the support (2) between an extended active position and a retracted inactive position, wherein the plate (3) folds back towards the support.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to tactile control interfaces, and more specifically to tactile control interfaces intended for use on aircraft and manipulated to perform avionics functions or generally control or monitor the operation of airborne equipment.

[0002] However, the present invention is also applicable to any other field in which the tactile interface is used in environments subjected to vibration, or in environments generally subjected to interference that may cause user discomfort and increase the risk of processing errors. Background Technology

[0003] First, regardless of the interface type, even with actuated control buttons, a user's hand may experience trembling or misjudgment of the position of the actuation area. Therefore, the ergonomics of the interface is one of the main concerns for aircraft interface designers.

[0004] These ergonomic issues become more pronounced when performing relatively long tasks in environments subject to vibration or disturbance, making it increasingly difficult for operators, aided by fatigue, to perfectly position their fingers on the interface area to be manipulated.

[0005] These ergonomic issues also arise in an increased manner when the interface is a touch surface, allowing for the movement of a pointer on the screen and the selection of control areas on the display.

[0006] Solving ergonomic problems involves considering the space constraints available for installing haptic control interfaces.

[0007] This is especially true in aircraft cockpits, which are equipped with a very large number of various interfaces and where it is difficult to embed interfaces in available spaces. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages and to allow the implantation of an ergonomic and easily accessible tactile control interface.

[0009] In view of the above, the object of the present invention is a tactile interface comprising a touchpad and a support, wherein the touchpad is hinged to the support between an extended active position and a retracted inactive position, in which the touchpad is folded backward toward the support.

[0010] The support constitutes a drawer that is movable within the housing between a pull-out position and an insert position. In the pull-out position, the interface is in an extended, active position, and in the insert position, the interface is in a retracted, inactive position.

[0011] Advantageously, the touchpad includes a hinge with a hinge axis that is transverse to the direction of displacement of the drawer.

[0012] In one embodiment, the tactile interface includes a button control panel positioned upstream of the touch panel, taking into account the direction of drawer displacement.

[0013] The interface may include a releasable device for blocking the touchpad in the extended active position.

[0014] The haptic interface may also include at least one component of a blocking device for unlocking the touchpad.

[0015] Advantageously, the interface is provided with a bearing surface for the user's hand, which is hinged to the touchpad.

[0016] In one embodiment, the bearing surface includes a front hinge and a rear end that slides relative to a support, the bearing surface being hinged to the touchpad via the front hinge.

[0017] Preferably, the bearing surface includes a sensor for detecting the user's hand.

[0018] In an advantageous embodiment, the touchpad includes a touch-bearing surface having a convex outer profile.

[0019] According to one feature of the interface, the touchpad includes two conductive track arrays separated and electrically insulated by a substrate, the substrate including a hollow shell with a convex outer contour, and the hollow shell being electrically insulated, the track arrays being internal and external respectively.

[0020] The present invention also relates to an aircraft cockpit seat, characterized in that the aircraft cockpit seat includes a tactile interface as defined above, the tactile interface being installed in at least one of the armrests of the seat. Attached Figure Description

[0021] The invention will be better understood through a detailed study of several embodiments given by way of non-limiting examples and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 and Figure 2 A perspective view showing the tactile control interface according to the present invention in an extended active position and a retracted inactive position, respectively;

[0023] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Outline diagram of the tactile interface;

[0024] Figure 4 The tactile control interface according to the present invention is shown during use;

[0025] Figure 5 A network representing the electrical tracks of the touchpad; and

[0026] Figure 6 An aircraft cockpit seat with a retractable haptic interface according to the invention in the retracted position is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0027] exist Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this context, a tactile control interface is indicated by general reference numeral 1 according to the present invention.

[0028] The haptic interface 1 is specifically designed to be installed in the cockpit of an aircraft and to function as a pointing device such as a mouse or "pad" to control the movement of the pointer on the screen and, when necessary, to activate avionics functions.

[0029] This tactile interface is specifically designed to be integrated into the seats or TFPs of technical flight personnel, such as in the armrests of cockpit seats, and may be in a fully extended configuration in the armrests (e.g. Figure 1 (as shown) and the fully retracted position ( Figure 2 ).

[0030] Interface 1 includes a support member 2, a touch panel 3 hinged to the support member, a bearing surface 4 hinged to the touch panel 3, and a fixed housing 5 designed to be fixed to the handrail.

[0031] The assembly consisting of the support member 2, the touch panel 3, and the bearing surface 4 constitutes a movable drawer 6, for example by providing a sliding mechanism, rack and pinion mechanism, or any other equivalent mechanism in the support member and the housing. The drawer is slidably mounted in the housing 5 between an extended active position and a retracted inactive position. In the extended active position, the movable drawer 6 extends outside the housing, and in the retracted inactive position, the movable drawer 6 is fully contained within the housing 5.

[0032] The hinge axis II of the touch panel 3 relative to the support member and the hinge axis II-II of the bearing surface 4 relative to the touch panel 3 both extend perpendicularly to the displacement direction X-X' of the movable drawer 6.

[0033] Both the touchpad 3 and the support surface 4 have a rectangular or square shape.

[0034] Considering the displacement direction D of the movable drawer in the opening direction, the hinge axis II of the touch panel is positioned along the front side 7 of the touch panel, and the hinge axis II-II of the bearing surface 4 is positioned along the rear side 8 of the touch panel 3 and along the front side 9 of the bearing surface 4.

[0035] A portion of the rear side 10 of the support surface 4 is slidably mounted on the support 2, for example by means of a slider and a slider-crank mechanism, a rack mechanism or any other equivalent device.

[0036] Of course, depending on the desired configuration, the rear side 10 of the bearing surface may also be provided with a hinge relative to the support member 2, and the front side 7 of the touch panel may be slidably mounted relative to the support member.

[0037] However, preferably, the front side 7 of the touchpad is hinged relative to the support member 2, while the rear side 10 of the support surface is slidably mounted. However, the mechanism ensuring slidable mounting on the rear side of the support surface 4 can be provided with a hinge relative to the support member to allow changes in the angle formed between the support surface and the support member during the displacement of the movable drawer. Similarly, the front side of the touchpad, hinged relative to the support member, can be mounted in a slidable manner relative to the support member.

[0038] Advantageously, as shown in the figure, on the front side, the support member may be provided with a control panel 11 having control buttons 12, which can be manually actuated to confirm the selection made by the touch panel.

[0039] In the illustrated embodiment, the support member is provided with a control panel including four control buttons. Of course, the number of control buttons 12 is merely illustrative.

[0040] The tactile interface is achieved through a releasable device 13, which blocks the touchpad 3 in the unfolded position. As shown, these devices 13 act on the rear outer side of the support surface 4 to prevent sliding movement of the rear end. The releasable device can be any suitable locking device. For example, the releasable device can be a pin, brake, etc., for blocking a component of a rack mechanism, which is inserted into a cavity laterally disposed in the support surface 4; the pin is inserted into a cavity formed in a support member, and the axis carried by the rear side of the support surface 4 engages in the cavity.

[0041] A releasable device 14 for locking the movable drawer 6 is also provided to block the drawer 6 in the unfolded position. This device is, for example, similar to the aforementioned device 13, such as a pin or brake for blocking a component of the rack mechanism, the pin being carried by the housing 5 and inserted into a cavity formed in the support member 2; the pin being inserted into a cavity formed in the housing 5, in which an axis carried by the support member engages.

[0042] Finally, a component 15 is provided for unlocking the releasable devices 13 and 14, to unlock the touchpad 3 on one hand and the movable drawer 6 on the other.

[0043] It can be a single button acting on both blocking devices 13 and 14 simultaneously, or it can be two specific buttons acting on the device blocking the touchpad 3 and the device 14 used to block the movable drawer 6, respectively.

[0044] As mentioned earlier, the touchpad 3 and the bearing surface 4 are mounted on the support to enable the use of Figure 1 The diagram shows the extended active position and the retracted inactive position, in which the touch panel 3 and the bearing surface 4 rest against the housing provided in the support for this purpose.

[0045] In the unfolded active position, the angle formed by the touchpad 3 is, for example, within the range of 20°.

[0046] refer to Figure 4 In the unfolded active position, the bearing surface 4 is designed to receive the user's palm in an anatomical position of the hand.

[0047] In this position, the finger rests on the touchpad and can also easily reach the control button 11.

[0048] Advantageously, the bearing surface 4 is provided with a sensor 16 capable of detecting the user's hand and activating the touchpad 3, and the touchpad 3 remains inactive as long as the user's hand is not detected.

[0049] As shown in the figure, the touchpad 3 advantageously includes a movable surface with a convex outer contour having multiple curvature directions, preferably having a hemispherical convex surface, and forming a particularly ergonomic plate for the user, especially for one-handed use.

[0050] The touch surface of the board constitutes a capacitive touch surface.

[0051] The touch surface includes, for example, at least two conductive track networks formed by copper wires separated by a substrate.

[0052] These tracks form an array of charged conductors that can detect the bearing of one or more of the operator's fingers, caused by charge transfer generated by the support.

[0053] The internal electrical track 17 and the external electrical track 18 may include a flexible printed circuit board 19 of the “PCB” type (for “printed circuit board”) made of polyamide.

[0054] The substrate 19 is made of a rigid material, including plastic, glass, or epoxy resin. The substrate is produced by molding, additive manufacturing, or machining.

[0055] The substrate 19 forms a hollow shell with a convex external shape. The shape of the substrate is the same as or similar to the shape of the touch surface, and the substrate is made of an electrically insulating material.

[0056] Specifically, the shell essentially comprises a hemispherical portion. The hemispherical shape of the shell, along with the touch surface of the plate, allows all the fingers of a hand resting on the plate to reach the touch surface without wrist movement, thus ensuring better monitoring of the user's control movements. The hemispherical shape is also advantageous in terms of compactness, reducing the plate's expansion for the same number of control points on the touch surface.

[0057] The two arrays are built-in and externally mounted on the convex shell. Therefore, the arrays are separated and electrically insulated by the substrate 19.

[0058] The inner electrical tracks 17 and the outer electrical tracks 18 form a conductive matrix or array, that is, the electrical paths are arranged in a generally parallel and non-intersecting manner. In addition, the inner electrical tracks 17 and the outer electrical tracks 18 regularly pass through the substrate 19 and overlap each other at multiple overlapping portions 20.

[0059] For example, the internal electrical track 17 passes through a channel disposed in the substrate, and the filament passes through the shell and overlaps with the external electrical track 18 without making electrical contact with the external electrical track.

[0060] Therefore, a capacitive touch surface is formed around the substrate 19, thereby serving as a dielectric and matching the curved shape of the substrate 19.

[0061] The inner electrical track 17 and the outer electrical track 18 may each comprise filaments that are further braided but do not contact each other. Thus, the filaments cooperate to ensure mechanical and electrical connections, thereby forming a flat-touch cable for the plate.

[0062] Furthermore, the internal and external matrices can each include multiple electrical tracks to enable a multi-touch interface, i.e., it can be simultaneously controlled by several fingers or a control stylus from the same touch surface.

[0063] In addition, interface 1 includes a device for measuring the electrical variables of the inner electric rail 17 and the outer electric rail 18, and may include multiple measuring elements.

[0064] Preferably, the interface includes at least as many measuring elements as the electrical tracks to be analyzed to determine the position of a control finger or stylus on the touch surface.

[0065] Multiple tracks can be provided for the same substrate 19 used in the touch surface. In particular, different embodiments of the inner matrix and outer matrix as described above and their overlapping portions 20 can be combined to produce a convex shell.

[0066] These tracks form an array of charged conductors that can detect the orientation of one or more of the operator's fingers, caused by charge transfer generated by the support.

[0067] Finally, refer to Figure 6 As mentioned earlier, tactile interfaces can be advantageously integrated into the armrests of the capital S-seats in the aircraft cockpit.

Claims

1. A tactile interface (1), characterized in that, The tactile interface includes a touch panel (3) and a support member (2). The touch panel is hinged to the support member (2) between an extended active position and a retracted inactive position. In the retracted inactive position, the touch panel is folded backward toward the support member. The support member (2) forms a drawer (6). The drawer (6) is movable in the housing (5) between a pull-out position and an insert position. In the pull-out position, the interface is in the extended active position. In the insert position, the interface is in the retracted inactive position. The touch panel (3) includes a hinge member, which includes a hinge axis (II) transverse to the displacement direction (D) of the drawer. The tactile interface also includes a support surface (4) for the user's hand, which is hinged to the touchpad (3). The bearing surface (4) includes a front hinge (II-II) and a rear end (10). The bearing surface is hinged to the touch panel (3) by the front hinge, and the rear end is slidably mounted on the support member (2) by means of a mechanism in which a hinge is provided relative to the support member (2).

2. The tactile interface (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tactile interface includes a button control panel (11), which is positioned upstream of the touch panel, taking into account the displacement direction of the drawer.

3. The tactile interface (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the tactile interface includes a releasable device (13) for blocking the touchpad (3) in the unfolded active position.

4. The tactile interface (1) according to claim 3, wherein the tactile interface includes at least one component (15) of a blocking device for unlocking the touchpad (3).

5. The tactile interface (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The bearing surface includes a sensor (16) for detecting the user's hand.

6. The tactile interface (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The touchpad (3) includes a touch-bearing surface with a convex outer contour.

7. The tactile interface (1) according to claim 6, wherein, The touchpad includes two conductive track arrays separated and electrically insulated by a substrate (19), the substrate including a hollow shell with a convex outer contour and the hollow shell being electrically insulated, the conductive track arrays being internal and external respectively.

8. An aircraft cockpit seat, characterized in that, The aircraft cockpit seat includes a tactile interface (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the tactile interface being installed in at least one of the armrests of the seat.

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