Touch control device

By designing movable components and balance mechanisms in the touch-controlled operating device, the problem of detecting blind spots in the existing device is solved, and the cost is reduced by reducing the number of sensors, and effective detection of operation inputs at any position is achieved.

CN114879864BActive Publication Date: 2025-04-22VALEO COMFORT DRIVING ASSISTANCE SYST GUANGZHOU CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202110162089.1
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2021-02-05
Publication Date
2025-04-22
Estimated Expiration
2041-02-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing touch-operating devices have detection blind spots, fail to correctly detect operation inputs at the edge of the operating surface, and often require multiple pressure sensors, which adds cost and complexity.

Method used

A touch-controlled operating device is designed, including a movable assembly, a balancing mechanism and a printed circuit board. The balancing mechanism enables the movable assembly to move smoothly between the initial position and the downward position through a pre-compressed elastic element, and ensures continuity of detection with a slight skew when the operation input is located at the edge of the upper cover. Only one pressure sensor is equipped at the center of the printed circuit board to detect operation inputs in different areas.

Benefits of technology

The ability to receive operation inputs at any location is achieved, avoiding the problem of detecting blind spots, and reducing cost and complexity by reducing the number of pressure sensors.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a touch operation device, which includes: a movable component, including an upper cover and a shell supporting the upper cover, the upper cover extends along a plane, and a touch sensor is arranged between the upper cover and the shell; a rear cover, which supports the shell on its upper side along a first direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the plane along which the upper cover extends, and the movable component can move between an initial position and a depressed position relative to the rear cover along the first direction; a printed circuit board, the touch sensor is electrically connected to the printed circuit board; a balancing mechanism, which includes a plurality of pre-compressed elastic elements located between the shell and the rear cover, so that the shell is preloaded with a certain force and the movable component can move between an initial position and a depressed position relative to the rear cover along the first direction. The present disclosure also relates to a motor vehicle including such a touch operation device.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a touch-operated device, which is, for example, a touch-operated device installed inside a motor vehicle. The present disclosure also relates to a motor vehicle including such a touch-operated device. Background Art

[0002] People often use switch devices to control the functions and operations of electromechanical devices. For example, motor vehicles are usually equipped with switch devices inside to trigger or adjust the functions of various modules of the motor vehicle, such as lights, audio, and air conditioning.

[0003] Traditional switch devices are physical buttons, such as micro switches or silicone buttons, which can only provide passive tactile feedback, which is manifested as a reaction force that changes with the pressing stroke. With the popularity of touch screens, many motor vehicles have introduced touch operation devices. Touch operation devices can provide active tactile feedback, such as vibration feedback. However, existing touch operation devices still have some problems.

[0004] Due to structural design and packaging limitations, existing touch operation devices can only receive operation inputs and provide active feedback in a predetermined part of the operation surface. Operation inputs in other areas, such as the edge of the operation surface, may not be correctly detected. In other words, most existing touch operation devices have detection blind spots.

[0005] In addition, existing touch operation devices usually need to be equipped with multiple pressure sensors to detect operation inputs in different areas of the operation surface. Summary of the invention

[0006] The present disclosure aims to at least solve the above problems and provide a touch operation device with reliable performance and economical cost.

[0007] The present disclosure proposes a touch operation device, which includes: a movable component, including an upper cover and a shell supporting the upper cover, the upper cover extends along a plane, and a touch sensor is arranged between the upper cover and the shell; a back cover, which supports the shell on its upper side along a first direction, the first direction is perpendicular to the plane along which the upper cover extends, and the movable component can move between an initial position and a depressed position along the first direction relative to the back cover; a printed circuit board, the touch sensor is electrically connected to the printed circuit board; and a balancing mechanism, which includes a plurality of pre-compressed elastic elements located between the shell and the back cover, so that the shell is preloaded with a certain force and the movable component can move between an initial position and a depressed position along the first direction relative to the back cover.

[0008] When the operation input is located at the edge of the upper cover, the elastic element can be slightly deflected along a third direction, which is parallel to the plane along which the upper cover extends and perpendicular to the first direction, thereby ensuring that the movable component smoothly transitions from the initial position to the depressed position without getting stuck.

[0009] Thus, the balancing mechanism ensures that the operation input can be received at any position of the upper cover, and the movable component can move smoothly and without stagnation from the initial position to the depressed position. In other words, even if the user presses the edge of the upper cover, causing the moving direction of the movable component to form a certain angle with the first direction, the movable component can still smoothly transition from the initial position to the depressed position, thereby detecting the operation input normally.

[0010] The touch operation device according to the present disclosure may also have one or more of the following features alone or in combination.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the moving distances of different areas of the movable component along the first direction can be the same or different. Specifically, when the user presses the center position of the upper cover, the moving distances of different areas of the movable component along the first direction are the same. When the user presses the edge position of the upper cover, the moving distances of different areas of the movable component along the first direction are different. For example, the moving distance of the area close to the user pressing position is larger, while the moving distance of the area far from the user pressing position is smaller.

[0012] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the balancing mechanism further includes a plurality of claws extending downward from the housing along the first direction, and a plurality of protrusions formed in the back cover and cooperating with the plurality of claws. In the initial position, the plurality of protrusions and the plurality of claws engage with each other due to the rebound force of the pre-compressed plurality of elastic elements to lock the housing to the back cover along the first direction, and in the depressed position, at least one claw is disengaged from at least one protrusion. Compared to the locking cooperation of a general buckle structure, the cooperation of the claws and protrusions of the present disclosure can lock the movable component to the back cover in a floating manner, allowing the movable component to move between the initial position and the depressed position.

[0013] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the printed circuit board is fixedly disposed relative to the movable component and is movable along with the movement of the movable component.

[0014] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch operation device includes a pressure sensor arranged on the printed circuit board, and the back cover includes a pressure rod extending upward along the first direction. The pressure rod is arranged at a position corresponding to the pressure sensor, so as to apply pressure to the pressure sensor at a pressed position. Preferably, the pressure sensor is located at the center of the lower surface of the printed circuit board, and only one pressure sensor is arranged on the printed circuit board. Due to the presence of the balancing mechanism, the touch operation device can receive operation input at any position, and the movable component smoothly transitions from the initial position to the pressed position. Therefore, the touch operation device according to the present disclosure only needs to be equipped with a pressure sensor at the center of the printed circuit board to realize the detection of operation inputs in different areas, thereby reducing the number of components and the corresponding manufacturing costs.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch operation device further comprises a protective element made of elastic material, the protective element at least covering the upper end of the pressure rod. The protective element can provide buffer protection for the pressure sensor along the z-axis direction to prevent the pressure sensor from being damaged by accidental impact.

[0016] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch operation device further includes a tactile feedback device mounted on the housing. The tactile feedback device is electrically connected to the printed circuit board and is capable of driving the movable component to vibrate when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value to provide press feedback. In this way, the vibration of the tactile feedback device can be directly transmitted to the entire movable component without passing through any intermediate member, thereby improving the efficiency of energy transfer and providing a better vibration feedback effect.

[0017] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch sensor can sense the position of the pressure on the upper cover, and the predetermined thresholds of the pressure corresponding to different positions of the upper cover are different. In this way, the upper cover of the touch operation device can be partitioned. The user can trigger different functions by pressing different areas of the upper cover.

[0018] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the tactile feedback device is a linear actuator, and the linear actuator is configured to drive the movable component to vibrate along a direction parallel to a plane along which the upper cover extends.

[0019] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch operation device further includes a bracket for a tactile feedback device. The bracket includes a plurality of side walls and a bottom wall, and the plurality of side walls and the bottom wall define an internal space for accommodating the tactile feedback device. The bracket is fixedly connected to the housing through the plurality of side walls. The tactile feedback device is fixedly connected to the housing at its upper surface, and the tactile feedback device is supported on the bottom wall of the bracket via an elastically deformable material at its lower surface. Optionally, the elastically deformable material is a foam material or an elastic material.

[0020] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch operation device further comprises one or more light emitting devices arranged on a printed circuit board, and the one or more light emitting devices are used to illuminate a selected area of ​​the upper cover. In this way, a user can light up different light emitting devices by pressing different positions of the upper cover, and illuminate the selected area of ​​the upper cover. This allows the user to determine that he has triggered a selected function of the touch operation device.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the one or more light emitting devices are arranged on the printed circuit board at a position separated from the pressure sensor. Thus, the light emitted by the light emitting device will not be blocked by the pressure sensor. In addition, the one or more light emitting devices can be controlled according to the pressure signal sensed by the same pressure sensor.

[0022] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of elastic elements are made of silicone material, foam or other soft elastic materials.

[0023] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, the touch sensor is a capacitive film, the upper cover includes an effective operating surface for receiving touch input, and an edge of the capacitive film extends beyond an edge of the effective operating surface.

[0024] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the capacitive film includes a terminal extending downward along the first direction, the terminal is electrically connected to the printed circuit board, and the shell is provided with a terminal protection wall extending downward along the first direction, and the terminal protection wall at least partially covers the surface of the terminal facing the outside of the touch operation device.

[0025] According to one embodiment of the present disclosure, the upper cover and the housing are connected to each other. Preferably, the connection between the upper cover and the housing is achieved by ultrasonic welding. In this way, the upper cover and the housing can be more tightly combined, making the movable component more solid and reliable.

[0026] The present disclosure also relates to a motor vehicle, which comprises the touch operation device as described above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] The accompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification. The accompanying drawings, together with the general description above, the detailed description of the exemplary embodiments and methods given below, serve to explain the principles of the present disclosure. Objects and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent when studying the following description in light of the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are given the same or similar reference numerals, and in which:

[0028] Figure 1 is an exploded view of a touch operation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2 is an exploded view of a touch operation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a housing viewed from the lower side according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a rear cover viewed from an upper side according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 5A and Figure 5B is a side view of a touch device with a movable component in an initial position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 5C for Figure 5B A cross-sectional view of the touch device along line AA;

[0033] Fig. 6A and Figure 6B is a side view of a touch device with a movable component in a depressed position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0034] Figure 7A-7C is a cross-sectional view of a touch operation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0035] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a touch operation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0036] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a touch operation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] In the various figures, the same or similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments and methods of the present disclosure as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals identify like or corresponding parts. It should be noted, however, that the present disclosure in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described in connection with the exemplary embodiments and methods.

[0039] This description of exemplary embodiments is intended to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are considered part of the entire written specification. In the specification, relative terms such as "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "front", "rear right" and their derivatives (for example, "downwardly", "upwardly", etc.) should be interpreted as the orientation described or shown in the drawings in question. These relative terms are for convenience of description and are not intended to require a specific orientation. Unless explicitly described otherwise, the terms "connected, coupled" and the like refer to a relationship in which structures are fixed or attached to each other directly or indirectly through intermediate structures, as well as a removable or secure attachment or relationship. The term "operably connected" is a connection relationship that allows the related structures to have this connection relationship during operation or actual use.

[0040] Figure 1 is an exploded view of a touch operation device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. According to this embodiment, the touch operation device includes a movable component A and a back cover 6. The movable component A and the back cover 6 are made of insulating materials, such as plastic. A printed circuit board 5 is solid on the lower side of the movable component A, and electronic components such as a control unit are distributed thereon.

[0041] The movable component A includes an upper cover 2 and a housing 4 that supports the upper cover 2. Figure 2 As shown, the printed circuit board 5 is fixed to the lower side of the housing 4 by screws 11. The upper cover 2 and the housing 4 are connected to each other, for example, by ultrasonic welding. A touch sensor 3 is provided between the upper cover 2 and the housing 4. The upper cover 2 is configured to receive operation inputs from a user. The touch sensor 3 is, for example, a capacitive film, for detecting the above operation inputs and providing position information about the above operation inputs. An xyz coordinate system is defined based on the upper cover 2, wherein the upper cover 2 extends substantially parallel to the xy plane, and the x-axis and the y-axis are perpendicular to each other. The z-axis is an axis perpendicular to the upper cover 2. The direction along the z-axis is referred to as the first direction, the direction along the x-axis is referred to as the second direction, and the direction along the y-axis is referred to as the third direction. The "upper", "lower", "front" and "back" referred to in this disclosure are all defined along the z-axis direction.

[0042] The rear cover 6 supports the movable component A in a floating manner on its upper side along the z-axis direction, that is, the movable component A can move between the initial position and the depressed position along the z-axis direction relative to the rear cover 6. The depressed stroke of the movable component A is defined by the uppermost initial position and the lowermost end position. The depressed position is any position below the initial position in the depressed stroke.

[0043] In some embodiments, at the initial position, there may be a predetermined first gap C1 between the housing 4 and the back cover 6 in the z-axis direction (see Figure 5A), for example, 0.5 mm. The first gap C1 can provide a moving space for the downward pressing stroke of the housing 4. Optionally, in the initial position, there may be no gap between the housing 4 and the rear cover 6 in the z-axis direction, and the moving space for the downward pressing stroke of the housing 4 can be alternatively provided by an elastic member between the housing and the rear cover.

[0044] It should be noted that “the movable component A can move between the initial position and the depressed position along the z-axis direction relative to the rear cover 6” is not limited to the situation where the movement trajectory of the movable component A is strictly along the z-axis direction. The movable component A can also move in a direction that forms a certain angle with the z-axis direction. “The movable component A can move between the initial position and the depressed position along the z-axis direction relative to the rear cover 6” should be understood as the movement of the movable component A includes a component along the z-axis direction.

[0045] In some embodiments, the touch operation device includes a balancing mechanism. The balancing mechanism allows the operation input to be received at any position of the upper cover 2, that is, the movable component A can move smoothly and without stagnation from the initial position to the depressed position. In other words, even if the user presses the edge of the upper cover 2, causing the moving direction of the movable component A to form a certain angle with the z-axis direction, the movable component A can still smoothly transition from the initial position to the depressed position, thereby detecting the operation input normally. Figure 1 The balancing mechanism may include a plurality of elastic elements 12 located between the housing 4 and the rear cover 6, so that the movable component A can move between the initial position and the depressed position. The elastic element 12 is generally cylindrical. The number of the elastic elements 12 is, for example, three or more. Figure 1 In the illustrated embodiment, the balancing mechanism comprises four elastic elements 12. The elastic elements 12 are, for example, springs, or are made of silicone material or thermoplastic elastic material.

[0046] The elastic element 12 is in a pre-compressed state, so when the movable component A is released from the depressed position, the movable component A can automatically return to the initial position under the rebound force of the elastic element 12. When the operation input is located at the edge of the upper cover 2, the elastic element 12 can be slightly deflected along the direction of the xy plane, thereby ensuring that the movable component A smoothly transitions from the initial position to the depressed position without getting stuck. In addition, when the operation input is located at the edge of the upper cover 2, the moving distances of different areas of the movable component A along the first direction z can be different through the deflection of the elastic element 12.

[0047] In some embodiments, the plurality of elastic elements 12 are arranged so that they can provide together an elastic force greater than 200 N when the movable component A is at the end position of its downward stroke. In this way, excessive pressing force applied to the upper cover due to, for example, misoperation will not damage the touch operation device.

[0048] Further references Figure 3 , Fig. 7A and 7B , the elastic element 12 includes a guide groove 121, and the guide groove 121 extends along the z-axis direction. The housing 4 includes a guide pin 41 that cooperates with the guide groove 121. The guide pin 41 protrudes downward from the lower side of the housing 4 along the z-axis direction and is configured to be received in the guide groove 121 of the elastic element 12. The guide pin 41 can guide the movement of the housing 4 between the initial position and the depressed position to ensure that the movement is generally performed along the z-axis direction, thereby avoiding a large deflection of the elastic element 12 along the xy plane. In some embodiments, as Figure 1 As shown, the plurality of elastic elements 12 are formed as discrete components. In other embodiments not shown, at least two of the plurality of elastic elements 12 are connected together by a connecting arm. In this way, the assembly of the elastic element 12 and the housing 4 can be performed in a more efficient manner, thereby simplifying the process and reducing production costs.

[0049] The balancing mechanism may further include a plurality of claws 14 extending downwardly from the housing 4 along the z-axis direction and a plurality of protrusions 15 formed in the rear cover 6. Figure 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the housing 4 includes two claws 14 distributed on the rear side of the housing 4 and one claw 14 on each of the left and right sides. Correspondingly, the rear cover 6 also includes four protrusions 15 that cooperate with the four claws 14.

[0050] like Figure 3 As shown, each claw 14 is provided with a window 141. When the movable component A is assembled to the rear cover 6, the protrusion 15 of the rear cover 6 extends into the window 141 of the corresponding claw 14. Different from the locking cooperation of the general buckle structure, the cooperation of the claw 14 and the protrusion 15 of the present disclosure can float and lock the movable component A to the housing 4, allowing the movable component A to move between the initial position and the depressed position, as explained in detail below.

[0051] Figure 5A-5B 1 is a side view and a rear view of the touch device with the movable component A in the initial position. Figure 5C for Figure 5A Section view along line AA. Figure 6A-6B 1 and 2 are side views and rear views of the touch device with the movable component A in the pressed position.

[0052] It should be understood that Figure 5A-5B In the initial position shown, since the elastic element 12 between the housing 4 and the rear cover 6 is in a pre-compressed state, the elastic element 12 applies an upward force along the z-axis direction to the housing 4. This causes the surface of the window 141 of each claw 14 to engage with the corresponding protrusion 15, so that the housing 4 is locked to the rear cover 6 along the z-axis direction. Figure 5C , the claw 14 is in direct contact with the protrusion 15.

[0053] In some embodiments, as described above, in the initial position, there is a certain gap C1 (eg, 0.5 mm) between the housing 4 and the rear cover 6 along the z-axis direction, thereby providing a moving space for the downward pressing stroke of the housing 4. Figure 6A-6B In the depressed position shown, the operation input from the user causes the movable component A to move downward generally along the z-axis direction, so that the gap between the movable component A and the rear cover 6 along the z-axis direction is reduced. At least one claw 14 is disengaged from the corresponding protrusion. When the upper cover 2 is evenly pressed, the gap between the movable component A and the rear cover 6 is reduced to zero, and all the claws 14 are disengaged from the corresponding protrusions 15, so that there is a certain gap C1 between the claws 14 and the protrusions 15 along the z-axis direction.

[0054] It should be understood that, depending on the position of the user operation input, the disengagement of each claw 14 from each protrusion 15 may be different. For example, in the case where the user operation input position is located on one side of the upper cover 2, the portion of the movable component A near this position is pressed down to a greater extent, so that the claw 14 near this position is disengaged from the protrusion 15. The portion of the movable component A away from this position is pressed down to a lesser extent, and the claw 14 near this position may still be engaged with the protrusion 15.

[0055] Of course, those skilled in the art can envision other forms of claws and protrusions. Alternatively, the claws may be formed in the back cover 6, and the protrusions may be formed in the housing 4. Optionally, the claws may be formed in the form of hooks without the window structure described in the above embodiment.

[0056] refer to Figures 7A-7C The touch operation device includes a pressure sensor 8 located at the center of the printed circuit board 5. The back cover 6 includes a pressure rod 61 extending upward along the z-axis direction. The pressure rod 61 is arranged at a position corresponding to the pressure sensor 8 and can apply pressure to the pressure sensor 8 at a pressed position. When the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 8 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the function corresponding to the operation input is triggered accordingly.

[0057] As mentioned above, due to the existence of the balancing mechanism, the touch operation device can receive operation input at any position, and the movable component A smoothly transitions from the initial position to the depressed position. Therefore, the touch operation device according to the present disclosure only needs to be equipped with one pressure sensor 8 at the center of the printed circuit board 5 to detect operation inputs in different areas, thereby reducing the number of components and the corresponding manufacturing cost.

[0058] In addition, depending on the position of the user's operation input, when the housing 4 reaches its downward stroke, the pressure on the pressure sensor 8 may vary. The position of the user's operation input may be sensed by the touch sensor 3. Advantageously, the predetermined thresholds of pressure corresponding to different positions of the upper cover 2 are different.

[0059] In addition, since the movable assembly A is supported in a floating manner relative to the rear cover 6 and the housing 4 is recessed upward, the upper side of the printed circuit board 5 facing the housing 4 and the lower side facing the rear cover 6 are both provided with installation space (see FIG. Fig. 7A ), electronic components can be arranged on both sides of the printed circuit board 5, thereby improving the flexibility of arranging the electronic components on the printed circuit board 5 and improving the utilization efficiency of the internal space of the touch operation device.

[0060] In some embodiments, the touch operation device further comprises a protective element 13 made of elastic material. The protective element 13 at least covers the upper end of the pressure rod 61. The protective element 13 can provide buffer protection for the pressure sensor 8 along the z-axis direction to prevent the pressure sensor 8 from being damaged by accidental impact.

[0061] In some embodiments, the touch operation device further includes a tactile feedback device 42. Figure 8 , the tactile feedback device 42 can be installed at the lower surface of the housing 4. The tactile feedback device 42 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 5. The tactile feedback device 42 can drive the movable component A to vibrate when the pressure sensor 8 detects a certain pressure to provide pressing feedback. In some embodiments, the tactile feedback device 42 is a linear actuator that can drive the movable component A to vibrate at least along the x-axis.

[0062] In some embodiments, the touch operation device may include a bracket 43 for a tactile feedback device 42. The bracket 43 includes a plurality of side walls 431 and a bottom wall 432, and the plurality of side walls 431 and the bottom wall 432 define an internal space for accommodating the tactile feedback device 42. The plurality of side walls 431 are fixedly connected to the housing 4, for example, by a snap connection.

[0063] The tactile feedback device 42 is fixedly connected to the housing 4 at its upper surface. In some embodiments, the tactile feedback device 42 is bonded to the housing 4 at its upper surface, for example, by tape or other adhesive materials. In this way, the vibration of the tactile feedback device 42 can be directly transmitted to the entire movable assembly A without passing through any intermediate member, thereby improving the efficiency of energy transfer and providing a better vibration feedback effect.

[0064] The tactile feedback device 42 is supported on the bottom wall 432 of the bracket 43 via the elastically deformable material 422 at its lower surface. In some embodiments, the elastically deformable material 422 is a foam material or an elastic material. Thus, the noise generated by the vibration of the tactile feedback device 42 can be reduced.

[0065] A certain gap is provided between the side wall 421 of the tactile feedback device 42 and the side wall 431 of the bracket 43 to allow the tactile feedback device 42 to vibrate in the xy plane. In addition, the claw 14 can be bent around its connection with the housing 4 so that the movable component A can be driven by a linear actuator to vibrate in the xy plane. Optionally, the claw 14 can be provided with an elastic material on the side facing the back cover 6. The elastic material can be elastically deformed between the claw and the back cover to allow the movable component to vibrate in the xy plane.

[0066] In some embodiments, reference Fig. 9 The upper cover 2 includes an effective operation surface 21 for receiving touch input, and the edge of the touch sensor 3 extends beyond the edge of the effective operation surface 21. Therefore, the operation input close to the edge of the effective operation surface 21 can also be effectively detected, thereby improving the touch sensitivity at the edge of the effective operation surface 21.

[0067] refer to Figure 2 and Fig. 9 The capacitive film of the touch sensor 3 may include a terminal 31 extending downward along the z-axis direction, and the terminal 31 is electrically connected to the printed circuit board 5. The housing 4 may be provided with a terminal protection wall 44 extending downward along the z-axis direction. The terminal protection wall 44 is formed of an insulating material, for example, integral with the housing 4. The terminal protection wall 44 at least partially covers the surface of the terminal 31 facing the outside of the touch operation device, thereby providing electrostatic protection for the terminal 31.

[0068] refer to Fig. 7A , a light emitting device 51 is arranged on the upper surface of the printed circuit board 5. A light guiding wall 45 is formed in the housing 4, which is formed in a cylindrical shape or a tapered shape that tapers downward and extends downward along the z-axis direction. The light guiding wall 45 surrounds the light emitting device 51 and guides the light emitted by the light emitting device 51 toward the upper cover 2. Specifically, the effective operating surface 21 of the upper cover 2 can be divided into areas corresponding to different functions, and can be marked with graphics or texts of the corresponding functions. Each area corresponds to a light emitting device 51. When the user presses the corresponding area, the corresponding light emitting device 51 is lit, illuminating the marked graphics or text, thereby giving visual feedback to the user's pressing operation.

[0069] In accordance with the provisions of patent statutes, the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure has been presented for the purpose of illustration. This is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the exact form disclosed. The embodiments disclosed above are selected to best illustrate the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, so that a person of ordinary skill in the art can utilize the present disclosure in the best manner in various embodiments, and various modifications are suitable for the intended specific use, as long as the principles described herein are followed. Therefore, the present application is intended to cover any variation, use or modification of the present disclosure using its general principles. In addition, the present application is intended to cover the content that deviates from the present disclosure in the known or customary practice in the field to which the present disclosure belongs. Therefore, without departing from the intent and scope of the present disclosure, the above disclosure may be changed. The scope of the present disclosure is also intended to be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A touch operation device, characterized in that: It includes: A movable component (A) comprises an upper cover (2) and a shell (4) carrying the upper cover (2), wherein the upper cover (2) extends along a plane, and a touch sensor (3) is arranged between the upper cover (2) and the shell (4); a rear cover (6) supporting the housing (4) on its upper side along a first direction (z), the first direction (z) being perpendicular to a plane along which the upper cover (2) extends, the movable component (A) being movable relative to the rear cover (6) along the first direction (z) between an initial position and a depressed position; a printed circuit board (5), the touch sensor (3) being electrically connected to the printed circuit board (5); A balancing mechanism comprises a plurality of pre-compressed elastic elements (12) located between the shell (4) and the back cover (6), so that the shell (4) is preloaded with a certain force and the movable component (A) can move between an initial position and a depressed position along the first direction (z) relative to the back cover (6).

2. The touch operation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The movement distances of different regions of the movable assembly (A) along the first direction (z) can be the same or different.

3. The touch operation device according to claim 1, wherein: The balancing mechanism further comprises a plurality of claws (14) extending downward from the housing (4) along the first direction (z), and a plurality of protrusions (15) formed in the rear cover (6) and cooperating with the plurality of claws (14), wherein In the initial position, the plurality of claws (14) and the plurality of protrusions (15) engage with each other due to the rebound force of the pre-compressed plurality of elastic elements (12) to lock the housing (4) to the rear cover (6) along a first direction (z), and in the depressed position, at least one claw (14) is disengaged from at least one protrusion (15).

4. The touch operation device according to claim 1, wherein: The printed circuit board (5) is fixedly arranged relative to the movable component (A) and can move along with the movement of the movable component (A).

5. The touch operation device according to claim 4, characterized in that: It comprises a pressure sensor (8) arranged on the printed circuit board (5); the back cover (6) comprises a pressure rod (61) extending upward along the first direction (z); the pressure rod (61) is arranged at a position corresponding to the pressure sensor (8); and the pressure rod (61) can apply pressure to the pressure sensor (8) in a downward position.

6. The touch operation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes a protection element (13) made of elastic material, and the protection element (13) at least covers the upper end of the pressure rod (61).

7. The touch operation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: The invention comprises a tactile feedback device (42), wherein the tactile feedback device (42) is mounted on the housing (4), the tactile feedback device (42) is electrically connected to the printed circuit board (5), and the tactile feedback device (42) is capable of driving the movable component (A) to vibrate when the pressure detected by the pressure sensor (8) exceeds a predetermined threshold value, so as to provide pressing feedback.

8. The touch operation device according to claim 7, wherein: The touch sensor (3) is capable of sensing the position of pressure on the upper cover (2), and the predetermined thresholds of pressure corresponding to different positions of the upper cover (2) are different.

9. The touch operation device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The tactile feedback device (42) is a linear actuator, and the linear actuator is configured to drive the movable component (A) to vibrate in a direction parallel to the plane along which the upper cover (2) extends.

10. The touch operation device according to claim 7, characterized in that: It comprises a bracket (43) for a tactile feedback device (42), the bracket (43) comprising a plurality of side walls (431) and a bottom wall (432), the plurality of side walls (431) and the bottom wall (432) defining an internal space for accommodating the tactile feedback device (42), the bracket (43) being fixedly connected to the shell (4) via the plurality of side walls (431), the tactile feedback device (42) being fixedly connected to the shell (4) at its upper surface, and the tactile feedback device (42) being supported on the bottom wall (432) of the bracket (43) at its lower surface via an elastically deformable material (422).

11. The touch operation device according to claim 10, characterized in that: The elastically deformable material (422) is a foam material or an elastic material.

12. The touch operation device according to claim 5, characterized in that: It also includes one or more light emitting devices (51) arranged on the printed circuit board (5), and the one or more light emitting devices (51) are used to illuminate the selected area of ​​the upper cover (2).

13. The touch operation device according to claim 12, wherein: The one or more light emitting devices (51) are arranged on the printed circuit board (5) at a position separate from the pressure sensor (8).

14. The touch operation device according to claim 1, wherein: The plurality of elastic elements (12) are made of silicone material, foam or other soft elastic materials.

15. The touch operation device according to claim 1, wherein: The touch sensor (3) is a capacitive film, the upper cover (2) comprises an effective operating surface (21) for receiving touch input, and the edge of the capacitive film extends beyond the edge of the effective operating surface (21).

16. The touch operation device according to claim 15, characterized in that: The capacitive film comprises a terminal (31) extending downward along the first direction (z), the terminal (31) being electrically connected to the printed circuit board (5), and the housing (4) is provided with a terminal protection wall extending downward along the first direction (z), the terminal protection wall at least partially covering a surface of the terminal (31) facing the outside of the touch operation device.

17. The touch operation device according to claim 1, wherein: The upper cover (2) and the housing (4) are connected to each other.

18. The touch operation device according to claim 17, wherein: The connection between the upper cover (2) and the shell (4) is achieved by ultrasonic welding.

19. A motor vehicle comprising a touch-operated device according to any one of claims 1 to 18.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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