Operating device for vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an operating device for a vehicle, comprising: a housing (26), which has a front side (28) with a recess (30), which extends on the front side (28) of the housing (26) between two opposite bearing edge sections (34); and an elastic and / or directly or indirectly elastically mounted operating plate (24), which has two opposite bearing ends (23) for bearing on two bearing edge sections (34), to which the operating plate (24) is fixed on the housing (26) and which covers the recess (30). The operating panel (24) has a touch sensor device (70) and an underside (42) facing the recess (30) and an upper side facing away from the recess (30), said upper side having an operating interface (40) with a plurality of operating regions (20) for manually actuating the operating panel (24) in order to input commands by pressing the operating panel (24) on the operating regions (20) with a minimum pressing force. The operating device is also provided with an operating sensor (46) for detecting bending of the operating plate (24) when the operating plate is manually operated; a movement transmission element (50) is provided for transmitting a movement of the operating plate (24) during bending thereof to the actuation sensor (46). The operating device also has an actuator (74) for active haptic feedback.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an operating device for a vehicle and in particular to an operating device having a narrow, strip-shaped closed operating interface, which has operating areas arranged side by side and can be pressed manually with a finger or an object to trigger a function associated with the operating area. Background Art

[0002] Operating concepts for vehicles with so-called "closed" operating interfaces are becoming increasingly popular. Such closed operating interfaces ensure protection against potential intrusion of moisture into the operating device and are also characterized by the fact that a separate switch does not have to be assigned to each operating area, as is the case with the arrangement of individual operating buttons (see, for example, WO-A-2019 / 215177, DE-B-10 2016 002 021 and KR-B-101 187 478).

[0003] The recognition of effective operation of an operating interface with multiple operating zones requires that, regardless of which operating zone is touched and therefore where on the operating interface it is pressed, the entire operating interface is subjected to a minimum pressing force, which can be detected directly or as a minimum distance that the operating interface has "moved". If the operating interface is made of a relatively hard or rigid material, for example a relatively thick sheet of glass, this requirement can be achieved with a relatively simple design even if there is only one operating sensor for detecting the application of the minimum pressing force. In this case, the sensor should be arranged in a central position relative to the operating interface. In addition, operating concepts with linearly guided operating elements are also known, whose operating interfaces maintain a parallel orientation when being operated.

[0004] Due to the greater freedom of design in the geometric design of the user interface of the operating device, plastics are increasingly being used to produce the operating elements that form the user interface. However, plastics have a low bending stiffness and are quite flexible, which makes it difficult to assign only a single actuation sensor to an elongated, for example narrow, user interface made of plastic with a plurality of adjacent operating zones, which can mechanically signal a valid actuation of the user interface with equal reliability, regardless of the operating zone in which the user interface is actuated. In contrast to operating elements or user interfaces that are highly rigid in bending and that move substantially parallel or tilt when pressed, operating elements or user interfaces made of plastics bend when forces act on them.

[0005] Furthermore, plastic materials can also cause problems with regard to active haptic feedback, so that in this respect too it should be ensured that the stimulation of the operating element in the form of mechanical impulses or vibrations remains the same, regardless of which operating area is currently being pressed. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for a vehicle which is improved in this respect and is characterized by a simple design using as few components as possible for parallel guidance of the operating element when it is pressed down and for mechanically stimulating active haptic feedback.

[0007] In order to achieve the object, the present invention proposes an operating device for a vehicle, which is provided with:

[0008] a housing having a front side with a recess extending on the front side of the housing between two opposite bearing edge sections,

[0009] an elastically and / or directly or indirectly elastically supported operating plate, which has two opposite supporting ends for supporting on two supporting edge sections, on which the operating plate is placed and / or fastened on the housing and covers the recess,

[0010] wherein the operating panel can be reversibly depressed from a rest position into an actuation position and has an operating surface with an operating field,

[0011] a position detection sensor device for detecting an operating region of the operating surface of the operating panel which is touched manually or by an object when pressed down,

[0012] a return leaf spring arranged in the housing for supporting the movement of the depressed operating plate back into its rest position,

[0013] at least one operating sensor for detecting the occupation of an operating position of the operating panel,

[0014] - at least one motion transmission element for transmitting the pressing movement of the operating plate into bending of the return leaf spring,

[0015] wherein the at least one motion transmission element is arranged between the operating plate and the return leaf spring and has two opposite, straight end sections, a first end section being connected to the operating plate and a second, opposite end section being connected to the return leaf spring,

[0016] a control and evaluation unit (typically also designed with a microcontroller, input / output ports, an analog-to-digital converter ADC, a digital-to-analog converter DAC, a memory and a signal and / or data processing processor), which receives signals from the position detection sensor device and from the at least one operating sensor and, if a valid operating of the operating panel is detected by switching the operating panel into its operating position when the operating area of ​​the operating surface is touched, outputs an output signal for further processing of the output signal in order to trigger an action associated with the corresponding operating area, and

[0017] - an actuator for exciting the operating panel in a pulsed or vibrating manner when said operating panel is actively operated,

[0018] - wherein the actuator can be controlled via an output signal output by the control and evaluation unit upon detection of a valid actuation, and

[0019] wherein the actuator interacts with or acts on the return leaf spring in order to excite the operating plate in the manner of impulses or vibrations in order to move the operating plate.

[0020] The operating device according to the invention has a housing, on the front side of which an elastically and / or (directly or indirectly) resiliently mounted operating panel is located. The operating panel has two opposite bearing ends, at which the operating panel is fixed to the housing in a close manner. In order to allow the operating panel to be slightly bent when pressure is applied manually, the housing has a recess on its front side which is concave inwards at least relative to part of its edge, the recess being in the form of a recess or groove or in the form of an opening, so that the operating panel can be at least slightly bent when manually operated. The lower side of the operating panel faces the recess of the housing, while the operating interface of the operating device has a plurality of operating areas, typically arranged side by side, on its upper side for manual operation by pressing the operating panel on the operating area with minimal pressure for inputting commands.

[0021] The bending of the operating panel is detected by means of an actuation sensor. However, this does not take place directly, but rather as a function of the movement of at least one motion transmission element (hereinafter, for the sake of simplicity, we will refer to a "motion transmission element", which means that its properties and the installation and use conditions apply equally to each other motion transmission element, wherein two motion transmission elements are considered suitable as required), which is itself rigidly connected to the operating panel. The motion transmission element has a rectilinear mounting edge section, which extends parallel to the longitudinal extension of the operating panel and is approximately located in the middle area of ​​the operating panel. If the operating panel is now actuated in one of the actuation zones by pressing the operating panel, the motion transmission element undergoes a downward deflection corresponding to the bending, to be precise even if the operating panel is actuated relatively close to its support end. The motion transmission element interacts with (advantageously) a single actuation sensor, which can operate optically, capacitively, resistively or inductively.

[0022] By reinforcing the operation panel at the coupling area between the motion transmission element and the operation panel, it is achieved that no matter where on the operation panel the motion transmission element is pressed with a minimum pressing force, a minimum deflection of the motion transmission element is generated, which can be detected by the operation sensor, thereby identifying a valid operation of the operation device in this respect. In order to confirm that the operation of the operation panel is valid, it is also necessary to meet the requirement that when the operation panel is pressed, the operation area on the operation interface of the operation panel is touched, which is achieved by a touch sensing device associated with the operation interface, and the touch sensing device can work in a capacitive, optical, resistive or inductive manner.

[0023] The motion transmission element is a member that is able to resist forces acting substantially perpendicularly to the support plate and has the ability to resist shear forces. The manipulation sensor detects a positional displacement of the motion transmission element when the operating plate is pressed.

[0024] The operating device according to the invention also has an actuator for exciting the operating panel in a pulsed or vibrating manner when the operating panel is actively operated. The actuator is controlled by an output signal output by the control and evaluation unit when an active operation is recognized. According to the invention, the actuator acts on the return leaf spring in order to excite the operating panel in a pulsed or vibrating manner, i.e., mechanically excites the return leaf spring, and the mechanical excitation of the return leaf spring is transmitted to the operating panel as a pulsed or vibrating movement via the motion transmission element. That is, according to the invention, it is thus provided that the operating panel is not directly mechanically excited for active tactile feedback, but indirectly, to be precise, by means of its return spring, i.e., by means of its elastic support device. Therefore, the motion transmission element has the effect of making the movement of the operating panel more uniform both when the operating panel is pressed and when active tactile feedback is performed by its advantages.

[0025] In an advantageous design of the present invention, it can be provided that the actuator is designed as a traction armature magnet, which has a stator and a ferromagnetic armature arranged in a housing and provided with a coil, and the armature is connected to the reset leaf spring in order to excite it in a pulsed or vibrating manner. In this embodiment, the actuator is designed as a traction armature magnet and has a "own" ferromagnetic armature, which is attracted or repelled by the magnetic flux generated by the coil in the stator. The ferromagnetic armature is fixedly connected to the reset leaf spring in this embodiment. Alternatively, the actuator can be designed as a traction armature magnet, which has a ferromagnetic armature fixed in a housing and a stator provided with a coil, and the stator is connected to the reset leaf spring in order to excite it in a pulsed or vibrating manner. That is to say, in this embodiment, the stator is fixedly connected to the reset leaf spring. Therefore, this is the opposite of the traction armature magnet concept involved in the previous embodiment.

[0026] In a further variant, the actuator can have a stator arranged in a housing and provided with a coil and a ferromagnetic armature as a pull-armature magnet, wherein a return leaf spring forms the ferromagnetic armature of the pull-armature magnet for excitation in a pulsed or vibrating manner. This reduces the number of components for active haptic feedback.

[0027] In another variant of the actuator design, the actuator is designed as a moving coil actuator, which has a base plate fixed in a housing, a spring-elastic actuator element mounted on the base plate and arranged at a distance from the base plate, and a permanent magnetic element arranged on the actuator element and at least partially extending into a stator coil, wherein the stator coil is located on the base plate, wherein the actuator element is connected to a reset leaf spring in order to excite it in a pulsed or vibrating manner.

[0028] In an alternative design of the actuator as a moving coil actuator, the moving coil actuator has a base plate fixed in a housing and a permanent magnetic element at least partially inserted into the coil, the coil being mounted on or at the base plate, wherein the permanent magnetic element is connected to a return leaf spring for excitation in the form of pulses or vibrations. Here, too, the number of components for active haptic feedback is reduced.

[0029] Preferably, in both embodiments of the actuator as a moving coil actuator, the substrate is a printed circuit board to which the coil is fastened, for example, by adhesive bonding or by mechanical fastening means and preferably by soldering material.

[0030] Alternatively, one or more piezoelectric elements can also be used as actuators, which are designed in a plate-like or strip-like manner and have two main surfaces and two connecting elements or interfaces, wherein at least one piezoelectric element contracts or expands depending on the polarity when a voltage is applied to the connecting elements, and wherein at least one piezoelectric element rests with one of its main surfaces on a reset leaf spring for excitation in a pulsed or vibrating manner and is rigidly connected to the reset leaf spring, thereby achieving a shear-resistant rigid connection between this or these piezoelectric elements and the reset leaf spring.

[0031] Other designs of active haptic feedback structures so far are based on controlling an actuator, but do not implement feedback, that is, do not implement regulation of a pulsed or vibrating movement. In a design of the invention that is advantageous in terms of regulation, it can be provided that the control and evaluation unit has a regulator for regulating the deflection of the operating plate when the operating plate is excited in a pulsed or vibrating manner due to activation of the actuator, wherein the regulator receives at its input a difference signal resulting from a signal representing a target deflection of the operating plate and a signal representing the current magnitude of the deflection of the operating plate during the pulsed or vibrating excitation, and the regulator controls the output of a signal for the actuator at its output for regulating the deflection of the operating plate according to the target deflection.

[0032] The return leaf spring of the operating unit according to the present invention can be fixed in the housing at one end or at both ends. In both cases, the motion transmission element is fixedly connected to the return leaf spring in the area between the first end and the second end of the return leaf spring. If the actuator is implemented as a piezoelectric element, the element is located between the first end of the return leaf spring fixed in the housing and the motion transmission element when the return leaf spring is fixed in the housing on one side. In the case where the return leaf spring is fixed in the housing at both ends, it is expedient to rigidly connect one piezoelectric element on each side of the motion transmission element to the return leaf spring. In another above-mentioned variant of the design scheme of the actuator for active tactile feedback, the components of the actuator are arranged in the following area of ​​the return leaf spring or act on the following area of ​​the return leaf spring, in which the return leaf spring is connected to the motion transmission element. That is, the return leaf spring is located in the said area between the motion transmission element and the actuator.

[0033] The active haptic feedback according to the invention may also include the excitation of a balancing weight in a suitable manner, which is in principle as described in WO-A-2017 / 162586. By exciting the balancing weight in a phase opposite to the excitation of the return leaf spring, it is possible to decouple the operating device to a certain extent, that is, to design it to be immune to dynamic influences in its environment. In this way, it is possible to prevent the transmission of forces to the instrument panel or the center console (in the vehicle, the operating device is usually installed in or on the instrument panel or the center console).

[0034] In a suitable embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the motion transmission element is designed as a plate, which has side edge sections extending from the mounting edge section and pointing away from the lower side of the operating panel, and which extend parallel to one another or toward one another to the lower end of the motion transmission element. The motion transmission element should extend over a length between 1 / 6 and 1 / 3 (or 1 / 2) of the longitudinal extension of the operating panel and should be fixedly connected to the lower side of the operating panel directly or indirectly. This ensures that a bending of the operating panel is reliably converted into a displacement of the motion transmission element orthogonal to the operating interface, and that this conversion can be achieved regardless of which operating area of ​​the operating panel is pressed.

[0035] The motion transmission element is designed as a plate and in particular as a plate with a central opening, so that the motion transmission element is essentially identical to the shape of the frame, which has the advantage that a lightweight design of the motion transmission element is achieved with high rigidity and good shear stability. Expediently, guide projections or similar elements can extend into the frame, i.e. through the central opening, on which the frame is supported and guided when the motion transmission element performs a lateral movement.

[0036] For example, in the case of a straight upper edge, the frame can have a rectangular or triangular structure (isosceles triangle or right triangle) or a trapezoidal shape overall, ie the frame can taper at its lower edge.

[0037] The lower edge at the lower end of the motion transmission element is expediently designed to run parallel to the mounting edge section of the motion transmission element.

[0038] Instead of a frame or instead of an upper and lower edge of the motion transmission element, the motion transmission element can also be designed as a separate downwardly extending rod, a T-shaped or double T-shaped member or a TT-shaped element having an upper edge portion and two downwardly extending side portions.

[0039] As mentioned above, the operating panel is designed elastically or is supported elastically, which can be done directly or indirectly. The elastic design of the operating panel is advantageous when the operating panel is advantageously made of a material, such as plastic, in which case this elasticity is essentially determined by the properties of the material itself. The elasticity of the operating panel ensures that the operating panel moves back into a rest position that is as flat as possible after the operating panel is released immediately after the end of the operation, during which the operating panel is (slightly) bent between its two supporting ends. Due to this bending of the operating panel, a motion transmission element is advantageous, which ensures a parallel displacement regardless of the position on the operating panel where the operation is manually performed by pressing the operating panel and thus ensures that the operation is reliably detected by a travel sensor or distance sensor that detects the approach of the motion transmission element or by a force sensor. In addition, a plurality of such sensors for detecting the effective operation of the operating panel are no longer required.

[0040] The movement of the operating plate back into the initial position or rest position can be expediently supported by an additional return spring which acts directly on the operating plate or interacts with it indirectly, for example, by acting on the motion transmission element. In the latter case, it is advantageous if the return spring is designed as a leaf spring which projects from the motion transmission element at least on one of the two sides of the bearing end of the operating plate, respectively, and has a mounting end facing away from the motion transmission element, at which mounting end the leaf spring is fixed to the housing. The leaf spring is fixed to the housing at its mounting end, wherein the motion transmission element and the leaf spring can be moved unchanged on or in the housing.

[0041] Advantageously, the plate and the leaf spring of the motion transmission element are designed as one piece and comprise (or consist of) metal, in particular steel and preferably spring steel, wherein the plate is bent at the lower edge and the middle part of the leaf spring is connected to the bent lower edge, and one or each leaf spring arm extends from the middle part to one or two sides, respectively facing the supporting end of the operating plate. That is, the middle part of the leaf spring forms its support (fixing device) on the motion transmission element, while the mounting ends of the leaf spring arms form its support on the housing. The leaf spring according to this embodiment extends toward one side or two sides of the motion transmission element facing away from each other and parallel to the longitudinal extension of the operating plate. If the operating plate is pressed, the leaf spring arms are elastically deformed in the direction of the deflection movement of the motion transmission element. Advantageously, the motion transmission element and the leaf spring or the leaf spring arms form a common component. The motion transmission element is oriented essentially orthogonally to the operating plate, and the leaf spring acts orthogonally to the motion transmission element, which means that the plate or frame of the motion transmission element is bent at its lower end and forms the middle part of the leaf spring, and each leaf spring arm extends on both sides from the middle part with a mounting end at its free end.

[0042] The mounting edge section of the motion transmission element is expediently connected to the underside of the operating panel via the mounting element.

[0043] In a further suitable embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the recess on the front side of the housing has a side edge section connecting two bearing edge sections of the housing, a first side edge section of the operating panel rests on the first side edge section or is fixed in a resting manner on the first side edge section, and the motion transmission element is mounted on a second side edge section of the operating panel opposite the first side edge section of the operating panel, wherein a movement gap is arranged below the second side edge section of the operating panel as far as the recess of the housing. In particular, since the operating panel is adhesively connected to the housing not only at its bearing end but also at one of its side sections, this impairs the bending freedom of the operating panel on the front side of the housing. If it is now ensured that the second side edge section of the operating panel is not connected to the housing, or at least not rigidly connected, and that a movement gap is provided below this other side edge section of the operating panel in the direction of the housing, which movement gap is optionally closed by a (highly) elastically compressible seal, the operating panel can still be bent sufficiently freely when pressure is applied to the operating panel at an operating area of ​​the operating panel. In the case of the mounting of the operating device, when the operating device is mounted in a conventional arrangement on a vertical or substantially vertical surface of a vehicle dashboard, the movement gap in at least a portion of the second side edge section of the operating panel is typically downwardly oriented, thereby preventing liquid from accidentally entering the interior of the operating device through the movement gap.

[0044] If the operating panel is of relatively wide dimensions, for example has a plurality of operating panels arranged side by side on its operating surface, it can advantageously also be provided that a motion transmission element is arranged on each of the two aforementioned side edge sections.

[0045] In the second side edge section of the operating panel, the motion transmission element can expediently be coupled to the operating panel, whereby the motion transmission element can be moved inside the housing or outside the housing at a small distance therefrom.

[0046] This aforementioned structure results in a space-saving configuration.

[0047] As already mentioned above, the operating panel has a touch sensor device, by which it is detected which operating area is touched when the operating panel is pressed down. The operating area is marked with alphanumeric characters or symbols, which can be backlit in a targeted manner. According to the invention, an advantageous design in this regard adopts for this purpose that the recess on the front side of the housing has a bottom, in which a light exit opening or a transparent area for backlighting is designed for backlighting the operating area of ​​the operating panel, and at least one backlighting light source for backlighting is arranged in the housing. The backlighting light can alternatively come from a single or multiple backlighting light sources and be guided to the operating area or the vicinity of the operating area via a light conductor. A light channel or a reflector can also be provided in the housing, which is used for backlighting the operating area. For this purpose, the housing requires a light aperture or an area transparent for backlighting on its front side.

[0048] In another advantageous embodiment of the present invention, it can be provided that the actuation sensor is a travel sensor or a force sensor or a sensor sensitive to mechanical stress. It is particularly suitable that the actuation sensor is designed as an optical travel sensor for detecting a change in the distance of the lower end of the motion transmission element from the housing that occurs when the operating plate is bent. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] The present invention is described in detail below based on a number of embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Specifically shown here:

[0050] Figure 1 A view showing an instrument panel of a vehicle with an illustrated positioning of an exemplary embodiment of an operating device according to the invention,

[0051] Figure 2 An exploded view showing the various components of the operating device,

[0052] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing the operating principle when operating a single operating area of ​​the operating device,

[0053] Figure 4 A side view showing the operating device,

[0054] Figure 5 A perspective bottom view / side view showing an operating device,

[0055] Figure 6 A view showing the operating device in perspective and in section,

[0056] Figure 7 A view showing a component with two motion transmission elements and a leaf spring integrally connected thereto,

[0057] Figure 8 Shown for Figure 7The installation of the component with the motion transmission element shown in FIG.

[0058] Fig. 9 The structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a first variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback is schematically shown,

[0059] Fig.10 The structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a second variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback is schematically shown,

[0060] Fig.11 The structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a third variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback is schematically shown,

[0061] Fig.12 The structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a fourth variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback is schematically shown,

[0062] Figures 13 to 15 Schematically shows the structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a fifth variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback,

[0063] Fig.16 Schematically shows the structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a sixth variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback,

[0064] Fig.17 Schematically shows the structure of two exemplary embodiments of an operating device with a seventh variant of an actuator for active haptic feedback, and

[0065] Fig.18 and 19 The structure and block diagram of a feedback control system for active tactile feedback are schematically shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] Figure 1 A perspective view of a dashboard 10 in the interior 12 of a vehicle 14 is shown, which in this embodiment is provided with a display 16 and an embodiment of an operating device 18 according to the invention, wherein this is an operating bar with a closed surface and a plurality of buttons. Figure 1 The operating panels 20 (in this case five of them) are shown by dashed lines in the figure. The special feature of the operating device 18 is that the operating interface is formed by a flexible, elastic, strip-shaped operating panel 24, which can be pressed down and slightly bent when any operating panel 20 is touched, wherein a single sensor is sufficient to detect a valid actuation of the operating device 18.

[0067] exist Figures 2 to 6 The structure of the operating device 18 is shown in FIG.

[0068] As already mentioned above, the operating device 18 has an elongated, strip-shaped operating panel 24, on which alphanumeric characters or symbols are typically marked for identifying the functions triggered by the individual operating areas, which are not shown in the drawings. The flexible operating panel 24, which is made of plastic, for example, rests at its longitudinally extending support ends 23 facing away from each other and at its longitudinal edge sections 25 on a housing 26, which has a front side 28. On the front side 28, a relatively flat groove or recess or so-called notch 30 is located on the housing 26, which has a support edge section 34 at two opposite narrow edges 32 of the front side 28. Side edge sections 36 are located along the side of the housing 26 on the front side of the housing. The side opposite to the side edge section 36 does not have the upwardly protruding edge section, so that the notch 30 is open toward this side and can be protected, for example, by a compressible sealing edge to prevent the ingress of dust particles, for example.

[0069] A double-sided adhesive fixing tape 38, which can be described as a C-shaped one, is placed on the two aforementioned support edge sections 34 and the side edge sections 36. Finally, the operating panel 24 is placed on the fixing tape 38, which is fixedly connected to the housing 26 on the front side 28 of the housing in the described manner at three sides or edges, namely at the edge of the support end 23 and at one of the two longitudinal edge sections 25. Due to the recess 30 below the operating panel 24, the operating panel can now be slightly bent when pressure is applied to the upper side of the operating panel 24, which forms the operator interface 40. However, the adhesive connection of the operating panel 24 to the housing 26 can also be provided only at the support end 23 and the support edge section 34.

[0070] like Figure 6 As shown in the figure, the carrier plate 44 is located at the lower side 42 of the housing 26 for mounting various electrical components, electronic components and optical components, such as backlight sources. In addition, a manipulation sensor 46 is also located on the carrier plate 44, and the manipulation sensor can detect the manipulation (bending) of the operating panel 24.

[0071] In order to be able to detect the minimum bending required for effective operation no matter in which operating area 20 the operating plate 24 is pressed, a motion transmission element 50 is mechanically connected to the lower side 48 of the operating plate 24, and extends away from the lower side 48 of the operating plate 24 at right angles. The motion transmission element 50 is designed as a metal frame 49 in this embodiment, i.e., has a plate with an opening 52. The upper mounting edge section 54 of the motion transmission element 50 is designed in a straight line and extends in the longitudinal extension direction of the operating plate 24. The mounting edge section is fixedly mounted on the lower side 48 of the operating plate 24 by means of a mounting element 53 as part of the mounting edge section 54. The opening 52 in the plate of the motion transmission element 50 creates a frame 49, which can be said to serve as a linear guide support for the motion transmission element 50, into which the guide projection 51 projects when the motion transmission element is moved.

[0072] As in Figure 2 As can be seen in the figure, in this embodiment, a double-armed leaf spring 56 extends below the motion transmission element 50 as an embodiment of a return spring 58, which after pressing down and after the pressing down is released, moves the elastic actuating plate 24 back into the initial position. The return spring 58 is arranged at the lower end 60 of the motion transmission element 50 and is preferably connected in one piece to the metal frame of the motion transmission element 50, so that the leaf spring 56 and the motion transmission element 50 are designed as a one-piece stamped part, which obtains its shape after the stamping process by bending along the lower end 60. Figure 2 The shapes shown in .

[0073] exist Figure 4 , a side view of the operating device 18 with a view of the motion transmission element 50 is shown. Figure 2 5 and 6, the motion transmission element 50 is located below the following longitudinal edge section 61 of the operating panel 24, below which no side edge section extends on the front side 28 of the housing 26, so that a motion gap 62 is formed between the operating panel and the recess 30 on the front side 28 of the housing 26.

[0074] exist Figure 3 The movement of the operating device 18 is shown in FIG. The leaf spring 56 and the operating plate 24 are supported on a fixed support at their respective opposite ends (at Figure 3 The two (mounting) ends 57 of the two arms 55 of the leaf spring 56 are, for example, Figure 5 It can be seen that it is fixed to the underside 42 of the housing 26, thereby forming two Figure 3 The operating plate 24 is supported at its supporting end 23 by being supported against the Figure 3 On the housing not shown in the figure, thereby forming Figure 3 The two upper supports.

[0075] If now as in Figure 3 If a pressing force is applied to the operating interface 40 of the operating plate 24 as shown by the arrow F, the operating plate 24 moves downward and bends in the process. The bending is transmitted downward in the area of ​​the motion transmission element 50, thereby tensioning the leaf spring 56 or the so-called return spring 58, which preferably extends symmetrically with respect to the center line of the operating plate 24 between the supporting ends 23 of the operating plate. When the pressing force movement is released / cancelled, the return spring 58 and the operating plate 24 move back to their initial position.

[0076] The advantage of the described design, i.e. the arrangement and design of the motion transmission element 50, is that the motion transmission element 50 reliably and substantially continuously moves downwards when the operating plate 24 is pressed at any point on the operating plate. The movement deflection of the motion transmission element 50, which is experienced when the operating plate 24 is pressed, can be detected by means of an operating sensor 46, which is designed, for example, as an optical distance sensor. For this purpose, the operating sensor 46 is arranged, for example, on the carrier plate 44 and from there "observes" the curved middle section of the lower end 60 of the motion transmission element 50 (see Figure 6 ).pass Figure 6 The arrow in the figure shows that when Figure 6 When pressure is applied to the operating plate 24 from above, as shown by the other arrow F in FIG. , the lower end 60 of the motion transmission element 50 moves downward. Since the position of the actuation sensor 46 relative to the housing 26 remains unchanged, the distance change can be detected, for example, optically, capacitively, inductively or in a similar manner.

[0077] exist Figure 6 4 shows that one or more backlight sources 64 are arranged inside the housing, i.e. on the carrier plate 44, the light of which is directed from below, for example via an optical waveguide or a reflector, to the underside 48 of the operating panel 24, wherein the bottom 66 of the recess 30 of the housing 26 has a region or even an opening transparent to light, whereby the backlighting light originates from the housing 26 and reaches the operating panel 24 from below, where it backlights the symbols or alphanumeric characters of the operating field 20. For this purpose, the underside 48 of the operating panel 24 can have a light-transmitting coating with freely cut symbols or alphanumeric characters, typically freely cut by laser, which are then more clearly visible by the backlighting.

[0078] Indicatively Figure 3The control and evaluation unit 68 shown in the figure is used to evaluate whether the manual operation of the operating panel 24 is a valid command input. The control and evaluation unit 68 receives signals from the operation sensor 46 and the touch sensing device 70, for example, on the lower side of the operating panel 24, and the control and evaluation unit works electronically and has, for example, an input / output port, a memory and a microprocessor. The touch sensing device can work in a capacitive, resistive, optical or similar manner. The following position is identified by the touch sensing device 70, and the operating panel 24 is pressed at a position on the operating interface 40. The operation sensor 46 outputs a measurement signal, which represents the change in the distance of the operation sensor from the mounting end 60 of the motion transmission element 50. If a predetermined minimum distance change is reached, a valid manual operation of the operating interface 40 of the operating device 18 is identified to trigger an action associated with the touched operating area 20 of the operating panel 24.

[0079] As already mentioned above, the movement gap 62 is located below the longitudinal edge section 61 of the operating plate 24. Figure 1 If the movement gap 62 is oriented as shown in FIG. 1 , at the lower edge of the actuating device 18 in the mounted state, for example liquids are further reliably prevented from entering the actuating device 18 . The closed actuating surface 40 also contributes to this, in particular.

[0080] The present description of the embodiment of the invention relates to the use of a motion transmission element 50. As already mentioned above, depending on the size of the operating panel 24 of the operating device 18, it may be advantageous to provide two motion transmission elements 50. Figure 7 , a metal component which can be used in this respect is shown, which has two motion transmission elements 50 , each of which is designed as a frame 49 , and a leaf spring 56 which is integrally connected to the two motion transmission elements.

[0081] exist Figure 8 2 shows the assembly of the components. The groove-like recess 30 on the front side 28 of the housing 26 now has a movement gap 62 at its two parallel side edge sections 36. A guide projection 51 is located on each of the two longitudinal sides of the housing 26. The two frames 49 are connected to the bottom side 42 of the operating plate 24 by means of mounting elements 53.

[0082] exist Figures 9 to 18 In the diagram, the structure of the aforementioned operating device 18 is shown in a highly simplified schematic manner, since only the elements that are decisive for the active haptic feedback according to the invention are shown therein.

[0083] exist Fig. 9The area of ​​the operating area 20 on the operating plate 24 is indicated by a double arrow 72. The motion transmission element 50 is represented by a trapezoidal element and the operating plate 24 is connected to the restoring leaf spring 56. The restoring leaf spring 56 is supported at its two mounting ends 57 in the housing.

[0084] The actuator 74 is arranged on the return leaf spring 56 or is operatively connected to the return leaf spring, and the actuator can be optionally (see Fig.10 ) is supported in the housing (see Fig.10 76 in FIG.

[0085] exist Fig.11 and 12 2 shows two embodiments as two variants of the actuator 74, wherein the actuator 74 is designed as a traction armature magnet 78 (or also a traction armature electromagnet). Fig.11 In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the traction armature magnet 78 has a stator 80 with a stator coil 82 and a ferromagnetic armature 84. The armature 84 is connected to the return leaf spring 56, more precisely, preferably on its lower side in the following (especially middle) area, in which the motion transmission element 50 is connected to the return leaf spring 56 on the upper side. The stator 80 is supported in the housing. In the embodiment according to Fig.12 In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5 , the armature of the pulling armature magnet 78 is formed by the leaf spring 56 itself, which has ferromagnetic properties for this purpose.

[0086] exist Figures 13 to 15 In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5 , two piezoelectric elements 86 are used as actuators 74 , which are fastened to the restoring leaf spring 56 in a shear-resistant manner on both sides of the connection between the motion transmission element 50 and the restoring leaf spring 56 . Fig.14 and 15 It is shown how the operating plate 24 and the return leaf spring 56 move / deform depending on the polarity of the voltage across the piezoelectric element.

[0087] exist Fig.16 In the embodiment, the actuator 74 is designed as a moving coil actuator 88. The moving coil actuator 88 has a base plate 90, on which an actuator element 94 is elastically mounted via a spring 92. A coil 96 is located on or at the base plate 90, into which a permanent magnetic element 98 at least partially penetrates, which permanent magnetic element itself is connected to the actuator element 94. In a known manner, the permanent magnetic element 98 can now be moved back and forth by applying, in particular, an alternating voltage, which is transmitted via the actuator element 94 to the return leaf spring 56 and from the return leaf spring to the operating plate 24, as in all the embodiments described above and below.

[0088] exist Fig.17In the embodiment of the movable coil actuator 88, the actuator element 94 is eliminated. The actuator element is replaced by the reset leaf spring 56, on which the permanent magnet element 98 is arranged. In addition, the base plate 90 is replaced by a printed circuit board 100, on which the coil 96 is fixed.

[0089] exist Fig.18 and 19 Schematically and as a block diagram, a feedback control system 102 for an actuator 74 is shown, the purpose of which is to regulate the deflection of the operating plate 24 when stimulated in the form of pulses or vibrations for active haptic feedback. The regulating circuit 104 receives at its input the difference between a target deflection 106 and an actual deflection 108, which is detected by a sensor 46 (e.g. a force sensor or a travel sensor) and outputs an output signal 110. The circuit 102 outputs a control signal 112 to the actuator 74, which then reacts to a dynamic system 114 consisting of the movable parts of the actuator 74 and the return leaf spring 56, the motion transmission element 50 and the operating plate 24, so that the predetermined target deflection 106 is achieved.

[0090] List of Reference Numerals

[0091] 10. Dashboard

[0092] 12. Internal Space

[0093] 14 Vehicles

[0094] 16 Display

[0095] 18 Operating device

[0096] 20 Operation Area

[0097] 23 Support end of operating panel

[0098] 24 Operation panel

[0099] 25 Longitudinal edge section of the board

[0100] 26 Housing

[0101] 28 front side

[0102] 30 Notch

[0103] 32 Narrow Edge

[0104] 34 Support edge section

[0105] 36 Side edge segment

[0106] 38 Fixing strap

[0107] 40 Operation interface on the upper side of the operation panel

[0108] 42 Underside of the operation panel

[0109] 44 Loading plate

[0110] 46 Manipulation Sensor

[0111] 48 Underside of housing

[0112] 49 Frames

[0113] 50 Motion transmission element

[0114] 51 Guide protrusion

[0115] 52 Opening

[0116] 53 Mounting components

[0117] 54 Install edge section

[0118] 55 Leaf spring arm

[0119] 56 Leaf Spring

[0120] 57 Installation end of leaf spring

[0121] 58 Return spring

[0122] 60 Lower end of the motion transmission element

[0123] 61 longitudinal edge section

[0124] 62 Movement Gap

[0125] 64 Backlight

[0126] 66 Bottom of the notch on the front side of the housing

[0127] 68 Control and evaluation unit

[0128] 70 Touch sensor device

[0129] 72 Operation Area

[0130] 74 Actuator

[0131] 76 Actuator support device

[0132] 78 Traction armature magnet

[0133] 80 Stator

[0134] 82 stator coil

[0135] 84 Armature

[0136] 86 Piezoelectric element

[0137] 88 Moving Coil Actuator

[0138] 90 substrate

[0139] 92 Spring

[0140] 94 Actuator elements

[0141] 96 Coil

[0142] 98 Permanent magnetic element

[0143] 100 PCB

[0144] 102 Feedback Control System

[0145] 104 Regulation Circuit

[0146] 106 Target Offset

[0147] 108 Actual offset

[0148] 110 Output signal of the regulating circuit

[0149] 112 Control signal for actuator

[0150] 114 Dynamic systems.

Claims

1. An operating device for a vehicle, comprising: a housing (26) having a front side (28) with a recess (30) extending on the front side (28) of the housing (26) between two opposite bearing edge sections (34), - an elastically and / or directly or indirectly elastically supported operating plate (24), which has two opposite supporting ends (23) for supporting on the two supporting edge sections (34), the operating plate (24) being arranged on the housing (26) and / or fixed on the two supporting edge sections and covering the recess (30), -in, The operating panel (24) can be reversibly depressed from a rest position into an operating position and has an operating surface with an operating region (20). a position detection sensor device (70) for detecting an operating region (20) of the operating surface of the operating panel (24) which is touched manually or by an object when pressed down, a return leaf spring (58) arranged in the housing (26) for supporting the movement of the depressed operating plate (24) back into its rest position, at least one operating sensor (46) for detecting the occupation of an operating position of the operating panel (24), - at least one motion transmission element (50) for transmitting the pressing movement of the operating plate (24) into bending of the return leaf spring (58), wherein the at least one motion transmission element (50) is arranged between the operating plate (24) and the return leaf spring (58) and has two opposite, linear end sections, a first end section being connected to the operating plate (24) and an opposite, second end section being connected to the return leaf spring (58), a control and evaluation unit (68) which receives signals from the position detection sensor device (70) and the at least one operating sensor (46) and, if a valid operating of the operating panel (24) is detected by switching the operating panel (24) into its operating position when the operating area (20) of the operating surface is touched, outputs an output signal for further processing of the output signal in order to trigger an action associated with the corresponding operating area (20), and - an actuator (74) for exciting the operating panel (24) in a pulsed or vibrating manner when the operating panel is actively operated, - wherein the actuator (74) can be controlled via an output signal output by the control and evaluation unit (68) upon detection of a valid actuation, and wherein the actuator (74) interacts with or acts on the return leaf spring (58) in order to excite the operating plate (24) in an impulse or vibration manner in order to move the operating plate.

2. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator (74) is designed as a pull-armature magnet (78) having a stator (80) provided with a coil (82) and a ferromagnetic armature (84) arranged in the housing (26), and the armature (84) is connected to the restoring leaf spring (58) for exciting it in a pulsed or vibrating manner.

3. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator (74) is designed as a pull-in armature magnet (78) having a ferromagnetic armature (84) fixed in the housing (26) and a stator (80) provided with a coil (82), and the stator (80) is connected to the return leaf spring (58) in order to excite it in a pulsed or vibrating manner.

4. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator (74) has a stator (80) arranged in the housing (26) and provided with a coil (82) and a ferromagnetic armature as a pulling armature magnet (78), and the restoring leaf spring (58) forms the ferromagnetic armature of the pulling armature magnet (78).

5. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator is designed as a movable coil actuator (88), which has a base plate (90) fixed in the housing (26), a spring-elastic actuator element (94) arranged on the base plate (90) and spaced apart from the base plate (90), and a permanent magnetic element (98) arranged on the actuator element (94) and at least partially extending into the coil (96), wherein the coil (96) is located on the base plate and the actuator element (94) is connected to the reset leaf spring (58) in order to excite it in a pulsed or vibrating manner.

6. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator is designed as a movable coil actuator (88), which has a base plate (90) fixed in the housing (26) and a permanent magnetic element (98) at least partially entering the coil (96), the coil (96) is mounted on or at the base plate, and the permanent magnetic element (98) is connected to the reset leaf spring (58) for excitation in a pulsed or vibrating manner.

7. The operating device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that: The substrate is a printed circuit board (100) and the coil (96) is preferably fixed to the printed circuit board (100) by means of a soldering material.

8. The operating device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The actuator comprises at least one plate-shaped or strip-shaped piezoelectric element (86), which has two main surfaces and two connecting elements, wherein the at least one piezoelectric element (86) contracts or expands depending on polarity when a voltage is applied to the connecting elements, and the at least one piezoelectric element (86) rests with one of its main surfaces on the restoring leaf spring (58) for excitation in a pulsed or vibrating manner and is rigidly connected to the restoring leaf spring.

9. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The control and evaluation unit (68) has a regulator (104) for regulating the deflection of the operating plate (24) when the operating plate is excited in a pulsed or vibrating manner based on activation of the actuator (74), wherein the regulator (104) receives at its input a difference signal which is derived from a signal representing a target deflection (106) of the operating plate (24) and a signal representing a current magnitude of the deflection of the operating plate (24), and outputs at its output a control signal (112) for the actuator (74) for regulating the deflection of the operating plate (24) according to a target setting.

10. An operating unit according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The return leaf spring (58) has two ends (57), wherein the first end is fixed in the housing (26), wherein the return leaf spring (58) is arranged protruding from the first end, and a second edge section of the at least one motion transmission element (50) is connected to the return leaf spring (58) or to the second end of the return leaf spring (58) in a region between the first end and the second end thereof.

11. An operating unit according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 9, characterized in that The restoring leaf spring (58) has two ends (57) which are fixed in the housing (26), and the second edge section of the at least one motion transmission element (50) is connected to the restoring leaf spring (58) in the region between the two ends (57).

12. An operating unit according to claim 10 and according to claim 8 or according to any of the preceding claims (provided that claims 11 and 7 are referred to), characterized in that A piezoelectric element (56) is rigidly connected to the restoring leaf spring (58) on each side of at least one motion transmission element (50).

13. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 12, characterized in that The at least one motion transmission element is designed as a plate having side edge sections extending from a mounting edge section and pointing away from the underside of the operating plate, the side edge sections extending parallel to one another or towards one another to a lower end of the at least one motion transmission element.

14. The operating device according to claim 13, characterized in that The lower end of the at least one motion transmitting element has an edge section which is parallel to the mounting edge section.

15. The operating device according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that: The plate of the at least one motion transmitting element has an opening, and the mounting edge section, the side edge section and the lower end of the at least one motion transmitting element form a frame.

16. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 15, characterized in that A return spring is provided which interacts directly or indirectly with the operating plate and is used to support the return movement of the operating plate after the operating plate is manually depressed.

17. The operating device according to claim 16, characterized in that The return spring is designed as a leaf spring which protrudes from the at least one motion transmission element at least on one of two sides of the support end facing the operating plate and has a mounting end facing away from the at least one motion transmission element and is fixed to the housing at the mounting end.

18. The operating device according to claim 17, characterized in that The leaf spring protrudes on both sides of the at least one motion transmission element in each case toward a bearing end of the operating plate and has two mounting ends that are fixed to the housing and are arranged in a height-staggered manner relative to the bearing element.

19. The operating device according to claim 18, characterized in that The plate of the at least one motion transmission element and the leaf spring are designed as one piece and comprise metal, in particular steel and preferably spring steel, wherein the plate is bent at a lower edge and a central part of the leaf spring is connected to the bent lower edge, and a leaf spring arm or each leaf spring arm extends from the central part toward one or both sides, respectively facing the mounting end of the housing.

20. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 19, characterized in that A mounting element is provided which is fastened to the underside of the operating panel and to which a mounting edge section of the at least one motion transmission element is fastened.

21. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 20, characterized in that The recess on the front side of the shell has a side edge section connecting two supporting edge sections of the shell, a first side edge section of the operating panel rests on the first side edge section or is fixed on the first side edge section, and the motion transmission element is mounted on a second side edge section of the operating panel opposite to the first side edge section of the operating panel, wherein a movement gap is arranged below the second side edge section of the operating panel up to the recess of the shell.

22. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 21, characterized in that The recess on the front side of the housing has a bottom in which a light exit opening or a transparent area for backlighting is designed for backlighting the operating area of ​​the operating panel, and at least one backlighting light source for backlighting is arranged in the housing.

23. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 22, characterized in that The actuation sensor is a travel sensor or a force sensor or a sensor sensitive to mechanical stress.

24. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 22, characterized in that The actuation sensor is designed as an optical travel sensor for detecting a change in the distance between the lower end of the at least one motion transmission element and the housing, in particular the underside of the housing, which occurs when the operating plate is bent.

25. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 24, characterized in that The mounting edge section of the at least one motion transmission element has a length of between 1 / 6 and 1 / 3 of the longitudinal extension of the operating plate between its support ends, and / or the mounting edge section of the at least one motion transmission element is arranged symmetrically with respect to the center of the operating plate between its support ends.

26. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 25, characterized in that The operating panel comprises a material that is transparent to the backlight, for example gas or plastic.

27. An operating device according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 26, characterized in that The operating panel is designed in the form of a strip, and the operating zones are arranged adjacent to one another on the upper side of the operating panel in its longitudinal extension.

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