Transparent, touch-sensitive control element with projected control symbols

Abstract

The invention relates to a transparent control element, in particular for installation in a vehicle, comprising: - an amorphous transparent body with a plurality of side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another, each of which individually or in groups forms a user-facing front side, a rear side and an edge side of the body; and - a symbol generating device arranged on a peripheral side surface and designed to generate at least one operating symbol illuminating inwards into the body; - wherein the rear side is designed to reflect the light emanating from the at least one operating symbol within the body to the front side, which is designed to couple this light out of the body in the direction of the user, so that each operating symbol appears to him as a virtual projection; and - the front side is essentially transparent and is designed to be touch-sensitive in such a way that each projected operating symbol can be specifically operated by touching its position on the front side.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a touch-operable control element, which is particularly suitable for installation in a vehicle. The vehicle can be a motor vehicle or any other land, air, or water vehicle. The invention also relates to a related manufacturing method and to a vehicle equipped with this control element.

[0002] Crystal glass, known for its brilliance, has so far only been used in vehicles as a decorative material or cover, for example as keycaps, or as levers or inserts for rotary controls. Technically speaking, crystal glass has no functionality beyond its mechanical strength and optical transparency. Other amorphous transparent bodies made of glass or plastic are also generally simply attached to an existing control element in the manufacture of control elements. All technical functions required for operation must be implemented using additional elements such as sensor films, light guides, and coatings in the control element itself, which is covered by the transparent body.

[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternative and / or improved construction concept for an operating element, in particular for use in a vehicle.

[0004] This object is achieved by a transparent control element according to claim 1, as well as by a method for its production and a vehicle equipped with this control element according to the independent claims. Further embodiments are specified in the dependent claims. All further features and effects mentioned in the claims and the following description for the control element also apply to its production method and the vehicle, and vice versa.

[0005] According to a first aspect, a transparent control element is provided, which can be designed in particular for installation in a vehicle. The vehicle can be a motor vehicle, but also any other land, air, or water vehicle.

[0006] The control element comprises an amorphous transparent body with a plurality of side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another, each of which, individually or in groups, forms a user-facing front side, a rear side facing away from the user, and an edge of the body connecting the front side to the rear side. A symbol generating device is arranged (or attached) on at least one of the side surfaces forming the edge side of the body and is designed to generate at least one control symbol in this / these side surface(s) that illuminates inward into the body.

[0007] The transparent back of the body is designed to reflect the light emanating from the at least one operating symbol within the body to the front with as little loss as possible, for example through total internal reflection and / or through a reflective coating that is transparent to the user (for example in the form of a wafer-thin metal layer, etc.). The front is designed to couple this light out of the body toward the user, so that each operating symbol is displayed to the user via its virtual projection with a correspondingly predetermined position on the front.

[0008] The front is also essentially transparent and designed to be touch-sensitive, so that each control symbol projected in this way can be specifically operated by touching its designated position on the front. If several different control symbols are provided to activate different functions (e.g., "+" to change to the next higher radio station frequency, "-" to change to the next lower radio station frequency, "OK" to confirm another input, and much more), see Fig. 2), they can be tapped individually, i.e. independently of each other, and thus selected or activated.

[0009] The body can be made, for example, of a colorless or slightly colored glass or plastic that is largely transparent to the light emanating from the control symbols, or in particular of crystal glass. All, at least one, or some of the mentioned side surfaces of the body can (but do not necessarily have to) be planar.

[0010] One idea behind the control element presented here is to reflect illuminated or luminous control symbols into a specially shaped body, such as a crystal glass. The operation of the corresponding functions by touching the front of the body at the location of the reflected symbols is electrically detectable by the touch sensitivity of the front, which can have a special selective coating for this purpose. This information can be transmitted, for example, via laser-structured conductor tracks on the 3D surface of the body to corresponding evaluation electronics.

[0011] The result is a functional, transparent body whose complete transparency (both its front and back are transparent) combined with virtually mirrored control icons on the back creates the effect of "magic technology," significantly contributing to a calming interior with "mysteriously" hidden light sources and evaluation electronics. Such control elements can be made of high-quality materials, which can further emphasize their magical effect. Suitable applications include all control elements where the depth of the projection plane can be easily "hidden" in this way, such as in the steering wheel or center console.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the front of the body is composed of a plurality of side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another. The adjacent side surfaces directly adjoin one another and merge seamlessly into one another, forming a facet edge that is haptically (and possibly also visually) perceptible to the user. These facet edges can, for example, contribute to haptic orientation on the front of the body during the intended use of the control element. At least two of the projected control symbols (or their positions on the front) can be located on different sides of such a facet edge.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the symbol generation device comprises one or more light sources and a light mask illuminated thereby on the at least one side surface, in which the illuminated operating symbols are generated. The otherwise light-tight light mask has openings in the shape of the operating symbols to be generated, so that light from the light sources penetrates through these openings into the interior of the body and thereby generates the illuminated operating symbols in said side surface.

[0014] The symbol generation device can, in particular, be housed in a housing, for example one that is also light-tight, attached to the mentioned side surface. The evaluation electronics mentioned therein can also be located in this housing. The light sources can, in principle, be of any design. For reasons of space and energy saving, LEDs (light-emitting diodes) are suitable, for example, which can generate white or single- or multi-colored light. The light mask made of a light-absorbing or light-reflecting material can be vapor-deposited, applied, glued, or otherwise formed on the mentioned side surface, for example as a layer or film.

[0015] The front side can be designed to be touch-sensitive, in particular by having at least one location-dependently structured, electrically conductive layer or coating that is largely transparent from the user's perspective and comprises structures and conductor tracks configured according to the stated position of each individual projected operating symbol, which lead to associated evaluation electronics. At least part of this evaluation electronics, which triggers the desired function of the respective operating symbol when touched by the user, can, for example, be formed on the same side surface on which the symbol generation device is arranged. The evaluation electronics can, in particular, also be housed in a common housing with the symbol generation device.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the transparent control element presented here is designed as a component of a switch module on a steering wheel or steering column of a vehicle. In these application examples, the transparent control element can be attached to the steering wheel or steering column or to a switch module formed thereon by its edge, particularly in the region of its side surfaces on which the symbol generation device is arranged, such that the remainder of the transparent body with the projected control symbols hangs in the air directly in the driver's field of vision. In this way, its aforementioned advantages ("Magic Technology") can be particularly well utilized. When attached to a steering wheel, the projected control symbols represent steering wheel buttons.

[0017] According to a further aspect, a method for manufacturing the control element presented herein is provided. The method comprises providing the above amorphous transparent body, forming, arranging, or attaching the above symbol generating device to at least one of its peripheral side surfaces, and forming a substantially transparent touch-sensitive layer or coating in or on said front side of the body, such that each projected control symbol can be selectively operated by touching it on the front side.

[0018] According to one embodiment, when producing the touch-sensitive coating, the front side of the body is coated with an electrically conductive material (in particular metal) with a constant layer thickness, whereby the material remains largely transparent from the user's perspective. After that, this conductive layer is structured at suitable locations to produce the aforementioned touch sensitivity by location-dependent removal of this material (for example using a laser). This creates a transparent printed circuit board. Depending on which technology (for example resistive, capacitive, etc.) and in which specific design is used to produce the touch sensitivity, one, two or more superimposed conductive layers (with dielectrics in between) can be produced. The coating can be carried out, among other things, by vapor deposition orPVD (physical vapor deposition).

[0019] Alternatively to this embodiment, the respective conductive layer can also be created directly with the aforementioned structure that provides its touch-sensitive functionality. Various coating technologies, including PVD, can also be used for this purpose.

[0020] According to a further aspect, the above-mentioned vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, is provided. The vehicle comprises a passenger compartment in which one or more transparent control elements of the type presented herein are installed.

[0021] The above aspects of the invention and their embodiments and specific configurations are explained in more detail below with reference to examples shown in the accompanying drawings. The drawings generally serve as purely schematic illustrations of the basic design and functional principle. They may, but do not have to, be understood as a true-to-scale representation of an exemplary specific configuration. They show: Fig. 1 a cross-sectional view of a transparent operating element according to an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 a perspective view of a transparent control element according to a further embodiment of the invention from the perspective of its user.

[0022] All the various embodiments, variants and specific design features of the transparent control element, the method for its production and the vehicle according to the above aspects of the invention mentioned above in the description and in the following claims can be used in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, in particular alternatively or in addition to the features shown therein. Therefore, they will not be repeated again below. The same applies accordingly to the definitions and effects already given above with regard to individual features that are described in Fig. 1-2 are shown.

[0023] Fig. Figure 1 shows a highly simplified schematic cross-sectional view of a transparent operating element 1 according to an embodiment of the invention. It comprises an amorphous transparent body 2 with several side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another, of which in the cross-sectional view of the Fig. 1 only three are visible. Thus, in Fig. 1 a first side surface forms a user-facing front side 3 (also called the end face) of the body 2, a second side surface forms a rear side 4 of the body 2 facing away from the user, while a third side surface forms an edge side 5 of the body 2, which connects the front side 3 with the rear side 4 and is not visible to the user in this example. Purely by way of example, these three side surfaces are planar (i.e. flat), so that the body 2 has a triangular cross-section. The user is in Fig. 1 only indicated by its approximate viewing direction B.

[0024] On the side surface that is in Fig. 1 forms the edge side 5 of the body 2, a symbol generating device 6 is arranged. It is designed to generate at least one operating symbol in this side surface that illuminates inwards into the body 2. In this example, the symbol generating device 6 comprises for this purpose a plurality of light sources (not shown), for example LEDs, as well as a mirrored light mask 7 illuminated by them, which is formed on the said side surface and has openings (not shown) in the shape of these operating symbols. In this example, the light sources are accommodated in a housing 8 that is attached to the said side surface of the body 2. The evaluation electronics mentioned here are also accommodated in the same housing 8.

[0025] The rear side 4 of the body 2, which is transparent to the user, is designed and arranged in such a way that it reflects the light L emanating from the illuminated operating symbols within the body 2 to its front side 3 with largely no loss. At the front side 3, this light L exits the body 2 in the direction of the user, whereby each operating symbol appears to the user as its virtual projection S with a corresponding position P on the front side 3. The front side 3 is designed to be touch-sensitive by a conductive transparent surface coating 9, so that each projected operating symbol S can be operated by touching its position P on the front side 3. For this purpose, conductor tracks are also formed in the conductive coating 9, which lead to the evaluation electronics accommodated in the housing 8, in which the desired functionality of the respective projected operating symbol S is implemented.

[0026] Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a transparent operating element 1 according to a further embodiment of the invention from the viewing direction B of its user (cf. Fig. 1). The basic structure and function correspond to those of the Fig. 1, so that in order to avoid repetition only additional details are described below which are not already mentioned with reference to Fig. 1 were described.

[0027] In this example, the control element 1 is designed for attachment as a switch module to a steering wheel (not shown) of a motor vehicle. The transparent control element 1 can be attached to the steering wheel with its edge 5 in such a way that the transparent body 2, with its transparent front and rear sides 3, 4, hangs in the air directly in the field of vision of its user, in this case a driver, while the housing 8 (in which the symbol generation device 6 and the evaluation electronics are housed, see Fig. 1) are hidden in the steering wheel. This allows the above-mentioned advantages ("Magic Technology") of control element 1 to come into their own.

[0028] In this example, the individual projected operating symbols S form steering wheel buttons which can be activated by touching the front side 3 at the locations (positions P, cf. Fig. 1) where the user / driver sees them. For example, "+" can change to the next higher radio station frequency, "-" can change to the next lower radio station frequency, "OK" can confirm another input, and much more, as shown in Fig. 2 symbolically indicated.

[0029] In Fig. 2, the front side 3 of the body 2 is composed of several planar side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another. The adjacent side surfaces directly adjoin one another and merge continuously into one another, forming a facet edge 10 that is haptically and visually perceptible to the user. The facet edges 10 contribute to the haptic orientation in the front side 3 during the intended use of the control element 1. Some of the projected control symbols S are therefore located in Fig. 2 to different sides of such facet edges 10. List of reference symbols 1 transparent control element 2 amorphous transparent body 3 user-facing front 4 Back 5 Margin page 6 Symbol generation device 7 Light mask 8 housings 9 conductive transparent surface coating 10 facet edge L Light B Direction of view S virtually projected operating symbol or its virtual projection P their position in the front

Claims

[1] Transparent control element (1), in particular for installation in a vehicle, comprising: - an amorphous transparent body (2) with a plurality of side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another, each of which individually or in groups forms a user-facing front side (3), a rear side (4) facing away from the user, and an edge side (5) of the body (2) connecting the front side (3) to the rear side (4); and - a symbol generating device (6) which is arranged on at least one of the edge-side side surfaces of the body (2) and is designed to generate at least one operating symbol which illuminates inwards into the body (2); - wherein the rear side (4) is designed to reflect the light (L) emanating from the at least one operating symbol within the body (2) to the front side (3), which is designed to couple this light (L) out of the body (2) in the direction of the user, so that each operating symbol appears to him as its virtual projection (S) with a correspondingly predetermined position (P) in the front side (3); and - the front side (3) is substantially transparent and is designed to be touch-sensitive in such a way that each projected operating symbol (S) can be specifically operated by touching its position (P) on the front side (3). [2] Control element (1) according to claim 1, wherein - at least one of said side surfaces of the body (2) is planar. [3] Control element (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein - the front side (3) is composed of a plurality of side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another in a facet-like manner, with at least two of the projected operating symbols (S) lying on different sides of at least one facet edge (10) formed thereby. [4] Control element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the symbol generating device (6) comprises at least one light source and a light mask (7) formed on the said side surface(s) with openings in the shape of the at least one operating symbol, so that the light (L) generated by the at least one light source penetrates through these openings into the interior of the body (2). [5] Control element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the front side (3) is touch-sensitive in that it has at least one substantially transparent, location-dependently structured electrically conductive layer or coating (9) which comprises conductor tracks formed according to the said position (P) of each individual projected operating symbol (S) and which lead to associated evaluation electronics. [6] Control element (1) according to claim 5, wherein - the evaluation electronics are formed on the same at least one side surface on which the symbol generating device (6) is arranged and / or are provided in a common housing (8) with the latter. [7] Control element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, which - is designed as a component of a switch module on a steering wheel or steering column of a vehicle. [8] Method for producing an operating element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps: - Providing an amorphous transparent body (2) with a plurality of side surfaces arranged at an angle to one another, each of which individually or in groups forms a user-facing front side (3), a rear side (4) facing away from the user, and an edge side (5) of the body (2) connecting the front side (3) to the rear side (4); - forming, arranging or fastening on at least one of the edge-side side surfaces of the body (2) a symbol generating device (6) which is designed to generate at least one operating symbol illuminating inwards into the body (2) in this / these side surface(s); - wherein the rear side (4) is designed to reflect the light (L) emanating from the at least one operating symbol within the body (2) to the front side (3), which is designed to couple this light (L) out of the body (2) in the direction of the user, so that the at least one operating symbol appears to him as his virtual projection (S) at a correspondingly predetermined position (P) in the front side (3); and - Forming a substantially transparent touch-sensitive layer or coating (9) in or on the front side (3) of the body (2), so that each projected operating symbol (S) can be specifically operated by touching its position (P) in the front side (3). [9] Method according to claim 8, wherein - in the production of the touch-sensitive coating (9), the front side (3) of the body (2) is first coated with an electrically conductive material of a constant layer thickness, in which the material remains substantially transparent from the user's perspective; and - this coating is then structured by location-dependent removal of this material in order to create its aforementioned touch sensitivity. [10] Vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, comprising: - an occupant compartment; and - one or more transparent operating elements (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7 installed therein.

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