Control device for a vehicle

Abstract

The operating device (10) for a vehicle is provided with a manually operated control element (12), a holding element (36) on which the control element (12) is mounted so as to be movable translationally or rotationally along a line of movement, at least one magnet (30), which is designed, for example, as a permanent or electromagnet, and with several magnetic switches (28) that can be actuated under the influence of a magnetic field and which are arranged along the line of movement. The at least one magnet (30) has a magnetic field to which at least one of the magnetic switches (28) is exposed, and optionally also two adjacent magnetic switches (28), wherein, when the control element (12) is manually actuated, the at least one magnet (30) and the arrangement of the magnetic switches (28) are movable relative to each other along the line of movement.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an operating device for a vehicle and in particular to a control element that can be moved translationally or rotatorily with contactless activation of switches that detect the current movement position of the control element.

[0002] In the case of translationally or rotationally movable control elements such as sliders or rotary controls, the detection of the current movement position is often achieved by a sliding contact that moves with the control element. This sliding contact makes contact with different, mutually insulated electrodes along its path of movement, whereby the position of the electrode on which the sliding contact is located can be "read" and is thus representative of the current movement position of the rotary element. An example of this prior art is described in WO2018 / 137944 A1.

[0003] The sliding contact with the electrodes of the motion position detection unit causes unwanted abrasion and friction, which can affect the feel of the control element.

[0004] The object of the invention is to remedy this situation and to create an operating device for a vehicle which is equipped with a manually operable, translationally or rotatorily movable control element that is improved in this respect.

[0005] From DE 10 2013 014 792 A1, an operating device according to the preamble of claim 1 is known.

[0006] Control devices designed as rotary controllers are also known from CN 107733420 A and CN 101223696 A.

[0007] To solve this problem, the invention proposes an operating device for a vehicle which is equipped with - a manually operated control element, - a holding element on which the control element is mounted so that it can be moved translationally or rotationally along a line of movement and - at least one magnet, for example designed as a permanent or electromagnet, and several magnetic switches that can be actuated under the influence of a magnetic field and are arranged along the line of movement, - wherein the at least one magnet has a magnetic field to which at least one of the magnetic switches is exposed and, if necessary, two adjacent magnetic switches are also exposed, - wherein, in the case of manual operation of the control element, the at least one magnet and the arrangement of the magnetic switches are movable relative to each other along the line of movement and - wherein all magnetic switches are electrically coupled between a common first electrode and separate second electrodes, each assigned to the magnetic switches, that the first electrode is arranged in and / or on the control element and is capacitively coupled to an electrical potential formed by a person's hand or by another object, in particular essentially a ground potential, and that an evaluation unit is provided which applies an electrical charge to the second electrodes and, based on a change in the electrical charge of one of the second electrodes, in particular a decrease in the electrical charge of one of the second electrodes to, for example, zero, recognizes which magnetic switch is closed, wherein the current movement position of the control element can be detected based on the position of the closed magnetic switch along the line of movement.

[0008] In the operating device according to the invention, a control element is used that can be manually operated and is mounted on a holding element so that it can be moved translationally or rotationally along a line of movement. Several magnetic switches are arranged successively along the line of movement, which can be switched on, for example, under the influence of a magnetic field and switched off again the moment the influence of the magnetic field is no longer present. According to the invention, the magnetic field itself is generated by a permanent or electromagnet, which, for example, moves together with the control element.

[0009] As the magnet and magnetic switch move relative to each other, the magnet successively actuates the individual magnetic switches that are under the influence of its magnetic field. Therefore, the relative movement of the magnet and the arrangement of the sequence of magnetic switches are crucial. The location of the magnetic switches—whether on the control element, in which case they would move with it, or on the holding element, in which case they would be fixed—and the location of the magnet—either on the holding element and thus fixed, or on the control element and thus movable with it—are irrelevant to the invention.

[0010] Typically, one contact of the magnetic switch is provided with an electrical potential, so that when the magnetic switch is actuated, a charge flow occurs to the other contact of the actuated magnetic switch, which is evaluated via an evaluation and control unit, which is typically electronic and includes microcontrollers, memory, I / O ports, DAC, ADC, etc.

[0011] A key feature of the invention is that the switches are operated without contact, which is advantageous in terms of avoiding both abrasion and friction.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each magnetic switch has a first contact tongue and a second contact tongue, one of which is movable against the other contact tongue due to magnetic attraction when the magnetic switch in question is exposed to the magnetic field of the at least one or one of the magnets, and that the first contact tongues of all magnetic switches can be coupled to a common electrical potential and the potentials at the second contact tongues of all magnetic switches can be detected separately from one another.

[0013] According to the invention, it is further provided that all magnetic switches are electrically coupled between a common first electrode and separate second electrodes, each assigned to the magnetic switches, that the first electrode is arranged in and / or on the control element and is capacitively coupled to an electrical potential generated by a person's hand or another object, in particular essentially ground potential, and that an evaluation unit is provided which applies an electrical charge to the second electrodes and, based on a change in the electrical charge of one of the second electrodes, in particular a decrease in the electrical charge of one of the second electrodes to, for example, zero, recognizes which magnetic switch is closed, wherein the current movement position of the control element can be detected based on the position of the closed magnetic switch along the line of movement.

[0014] For some time now, a trend towards touchscreens as the primary operating concept has been observed in vehicle control systems. However, it has become apparent that it can be quite useful to integrate manual controls, such as rotary / push buttons or simple rotary knobs, into these touchscreens. The touchscreen's sensor technology is then effectively used to detect, for example, when a control element is pressed down, and also, if present, to detect its rotational position. The touch sensors in such touchscreens typically operate capacitively.By capacitively coupling the touch sensor of the touchscreen to the control element, it is now possible to achieve a capacitive coupling of this potential to the touch sensor when the control element is touched with a hand or another object representing a ground potential or another potential when pressed down. This requires an electrically conductive surface or element located within the control element as an electrode. This electrode is connected to the first contact of the closed magnetic switch, so that this potential is present at the second contact and thus at the sensor electrode of the closed magnetic switch, which is capacitively coupled to the touch sensor of the touchscreen or touchpad.

[0015] When the control element is touched, for example by a hand or an object, a galvanic connection or capacitive coupling occurs with the electrical potential (usually ground) of the hand or object. This is detected by the touch sensor via the sensor electrode on the underside of the holder element when the magnetic switch is closed (or, if no such sensor is present, by the evaluation and control unit). Alternatively, the touch sensor can also apply a reference potential (via capacitive coupling) to an electrically conductive element in the control element via an additional electrode on the holder element. This reference potential is then applied to the sensor electrode of the closed magnetic switch, which is again detected by the touch sensor or by a separate evaluation and control unit.

[0016] As already described above, in one of the possible embodiments of the operating device according to the invention it can be provided that the magnetic switches are arranged on the holding element and that the at least one magnet is arranged on the operating element.

[0017] The control element can advantageously be rotatably mounted on the holding element about an axis of rotation, in which case the line of movement is a circle.

[0018] Typically, the magnetic switches used according to the invention are designed as reed switches.

[0019] As previously described, the at least one magnet ensures that the two contact tongues of a magnetic switch close when exposed to its magnetic field. The closing of the contact tongues occurs essentially instantaneously, generating a mechanical impulse which, if strong enough, is perceptible as haptic feedback. This haptic feedback can be further enhanced by having the at least one magnet, in addition to the magnetic switch, also move an additional ferromagnetic element against a stop surface. Alternatively, a mechanical mechanism (such as a mechanical latch) could be used for the haptic feedback, or one or more additional magnets could be employed whose magnetic field(s) act on further ferromagnetic elements, causing them to move against stop surfaces or elements.

[0020] Several variations exist regarding the number of magnets and magnetic switches required to encode the movement (position and direction) of the control element. The detection unit capable of decoding both can consist of a single magnet and several magnetic switches, two magnets and several magnetic switches, or more than two magnets and two magnetic switches. In all these cases, the magnet(s) are located on the control element and the magnetic switches on the holding element, or vice versa. The closing signals of the magnetic switches during movement of the control element allow conclusions to be drawn about its current position, while the sequence in which the magnetic switches close and open during movement allows conclusions to be drawn about the direction of movement.

[0021] An embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawing. Specifically, the drawing shows: Fig. 1 a perspective partial view of an operating device for a vehicle with a touchscreen and a control element arranged on it in the form of a rotary knob or rotary / push knob, Fig. 2 a schematic top view of the rotation position detection components, namely in this embodiment two magnets and a plurality of magnetic switches arranged from a circle, Fig. 3 a cross-section through the rotary actuator or rotary / push actuator with a first variant for the galvanic connection of an electrode surface on the top of the push actuator or rotary / push actuator with the internal contacts of all magnetic switches and Fig. 4 a cross-section through the rotary actuator or rotary / push actuator with a second variant for the galvanic connection of an electrode surface on the top of the push actuator or rotary / push actuator with one of the contacts of all magnetic switches.

[0022] Fig. Figure 1 shows an operating device 10 for a vehicle, in which a pressable and optionally rotatable control element 12 is arranged on the operating surface 14 of a touchscreen 16. The control element 12 is therefore a pressable ring control element with a manually gripping handle 18 designed as a ring cap. This handle 18 can be rotatably mounted in addition to being pressable. The touchscreen 16 has a cover glass 20, a touch panel 22 with touch sensors, a display 24 (e.g., using LCD technology), and a backlight unit 26. The display 24 can also be designed as an actively illuminated display (e.g., with micro-LEDs or OLEDs), in which case the backlight unit could be omitted.

[0023] In Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic and highly simplified representation of the inventive concept of the rotational position detection of the rotatable control element 12 by means of the detection unit 27. Magnetic switches 28 are indicated by symbols 28, which are arranged side by side along a circular path. Two permanent magnets 30 are arranged and movable relative to this sequence of magnetic switches 28. Each permanent magnet 30 contains one of the magnetic switches 28 and, optionally, two adjacent magnetic switches 28 when the two magnets 30 are moved relative to the magnetic switches 28, as indicated by arrows 32. In this embodiment, the control element 12 moves along a circular path of movement, along which the magnetic switches 28 are arranged successively. In a control element designed as a (linear) slider, the magnetic switches are arranged along a straight line.

[0024] Cross-sections through the operating element 12 according to Fig. 1 show the Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, namely for two different variants, as described below.

[0025] Based on Fig. Figure 3 shows that the control element 12 has a rotary ring 34. Alternatively, the control element 12 can also be designed as a closed rotary knob. The advantage of using a rotary ring is, for example, that one can see through its interior to the touchscreen 16, on which information about the current rotation position or the set parameter of a control function, such as the temperature setting, can be displayed.

[0026] The rotating ring 34 is rotatably mounted on an annular retaining element 36, as further shown in Fig. 3 shown.

[0027] The two permanent magnets 30 are arranged essentially diametrically opposite each other on the rotating ring 34. The retaining element 36 has a projecting circumferential wall 38 in which the magnetic switches 28 are arranged.

[0028] When the rotating ring 34 is turned, the permanent magnets 30 move along the sequence of magnetic switches 28 and actuate one of these switches in succession, or possibly two adjacent magnetic switches 28.

[0029] Furthermore, how based on Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, each magnetic switch 28 has a first contact tongue 40 and a second contact tongue 42. In this embodiment, the second contact tongue 42 is provided with ferromagnetic material and is therefore attracted by the magnet 30 in the direction of the first contact tongue 40, thus closing the magnetic switch 28. Alternatively, the first contact tongue 40 of each magnetic switch 28 can be provided with ferromagnetic material so that it is repelled by the magnet 30 towards the second contact tongue 42.

[0030] The second contact tongues 42 are electrically connected to underside rotation position detection electrodes 44 (hereinafter also referred to as second electrodes 44), the potential of which can be queried by an evaluation unit 46 to detect the rotation position. The first contact tongues 40 of all magnetic switches 28 are electrically connected to a first electrode 48, which is designed as an electrically conductive layer of the rotating ring 34. The first contact tongues 40 extend upwards from the projecting circumferential wall 38 of the retaining element 36 and are electrically connected to wipers 49. The upper part of the rotating ring 34 is designed in the form of a radially projecting ring, to the underside of which the electrically conductive layer of the first electrode 48 extends.This underside rests on the wipers 49, thus creating an electrical connection between the first electrode 48 and the first contact tongues 40 of all magnetic switches 28, and this connection is permanent, i.e. even when the rotating ring 34 is turned.

[0031] When the user grasps the rotating ring 34 with their hand, their (electrical) potential (typically ground potential) is transmitted to the first contact tongues 40 of all magnetic switches 28. The magnetic switch 28 that is closed then transmits this potential to "its" rotation position detection electrode 44. When the magnetic switches 28 are open, the rotation position detection electrodes 44 are subjected to a low electrical potential, which differs from the potential of the first electrode 48 when the rotating ring 34 is grasped. The evaluation unit 46 then detects which of the rotation position detection electrodes 44 no longer exhibits the electrical potential previously applied, for example, by the evaluation unit 46, thus making the rotation position of the rotating ring 34 detectable based on the (known position) of the aforementioned closed magnetic switch 28.

[0032] The in Fig. The variant of the control element shown (labeled 12') basically has the same elements with regard to the rotation position detection device as in Fig. 3. Therefore, these components are in Fig. 4 with the same reference symbols as in Fig. 3 provided.

[0033] The difference between the variants lies in the electrical connection of the first electrode 48 with the first contact tongues 40 of the magnetic switches 28. Fig. 4. Rolling elements 50 are used for this purpose, which roll on roller tracks 52 and 54 on the retaining element 36 and on the rotating ring 34 when the rotating ring 34 is rotated. These roller tracks 52 and 54 are electrically conductive, with the roller track 52 on the retaining element 36 being connected to the first contact tongues 40 of all magnetic switches 28, while the roller track 54 of the rotating ring 34 is electrically connected to the first electrode 48. The rolling elements, in this embodiment designed as balls, are themselves also electrically conductive. This establishes a permanent electrical connection between the first electrode 48 and the first contact tongues 40 of all magnetic switches 28, without the wear that occurs with sliding contacts. The rolling elements 50 can also serve to implement the rotary bearing between the rotary ring 34 and the retaining element 36, thus enabling the rotary bearing 56, which is in Fig. 3 (and also in Fig. 4) shown, could be omitted.

[0034] The invention was explained above using an operating device in the form of a rotary switch. However, a rotary / push switch can also be implemented using the magnetic switches provided according to the invention. For this purpose, the rotary ring 34 would simply need to be mounted in a way that allows it to be depressed and thus displaceable in the direction of its axis of rotation. The magnetic switches 28 react to the magnetic field of each permanent magnet 30 even if the permanent magnets assume a position other than that shown in the figures due to the depressing of the rotary ring 34. The push function can also be detected electronically in a known manner by capacitive coupling or the like, whereby, in the event of depressing, a galvanic connection or capacitive coupling occurs between the first electrode 48 and a push-position electrode, which is arranged on the holding element 36 at a position different from the rotary position detection electrodes 44. Reference symbol list 10 Operating device 12' Control element 14 User interface 16" Touchscreen 18 Handling device 20 cover glass 22" Touch Panel 24" Display 26 Backlighting unit 27 Detection unit 28 magnetic switches 30 (permanent) magnets 32 (direction of rotation) arrows 34 Rotating ring 36 retaining element 38 Perimeter wall 40 first contact tongue 42 second contact tongue 44 rotation position detection electrodes (second electrodes) 46 evaluation units 48 first electrode 49 grinders 50 rolling elements 52 Roll-off area 54 Roll-off area 56 swivel bearings

Claims

[1] Control device (10) for a vehicle, with - a manually operated control element (12), - a holding element (36) on which the control element (12) is mounted so as to be movable translationally or rotationally along a line of movement and - at least one magnet (30), which is designed, for example, as a permanent or electromagnet, - several magnetic switches (28) that can be actuated under the influence of a magnetic field and are arranged along the line of movement, - wherein the at least one magnet (30) has a magnetic field to which at least one of the magnetic switches (28) is exposed and optionally two adjacent magnetic switches (28) are also exposed, and - wherein, when the control element (12) is operated manually, the at least one magnet (30) and the arrangement of the magnetic switches (28) are movable relative to each other along the line of movement, characterized by , - that all magnetic switches (28) between a common first electrode (48) and separate second electrodes (44) each assigned to the magnetic switches (28) are electrically coupled, that the first electrode (48) is arranged in and / or on the control element (12) and is capacitively coupled to an electrical potential formed by a person's hand or by another object, in particular essentially ground potential, and that an evaluation unit (46) is provided which applies an electrical charge to the second electrodes (44) and, based on a change in the electrical charge of one of the second electrodes (44), in particular a decrease in the electrical charge of one of the second electrodes (44) up to, for example,Null detects which magnetic switch (28) is closed, whereby the current movement position of the control element (12) can be detected based on the position of the closed magnetic switch (28) along the movement line. [2] Operating device (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that each magnetic switch (28) has a first contact tongue (40) and a second contact tongue (42), one of which is movable against the other contact tongue due to magnetic attraction when the magnetic switch (28) in question is exposed to the magnetic field of the at least one or one of the magnets. [3] Operating device (10) according to claim 2, characterized by , that the first contact tongues (40) of all magnetic switches (28) can be coupled to a common electrical potential and the potentials at the second contact tongues (42) of all magnetic switches (28) can be detected separately from each other. [4] Operating device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that the magnetic switches (28) are arranged on the holding element (36), and that the at least one magnet (30) is arranged on the operating element (12). [5] Operating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by , that the control element (12) is rotatably mounted on the holding element (36) about an axis of rotation and that the line of movement is a circle. [6] Operating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by , that the magnetic switches (28) are each designed as reed switches. [7] Operating device (10) according to claim 2 and according to any one of claims 3 to 6, characterized by, that the contacting of the two contact tongues (40, 42) of each magnetic switch generates a mechanical impulse which mechanically stimulates the control element (12) for tactile haptic feedback, or that the at least one magnet and / or an additional magnet, when the control element (12) is actuated, interacts with another element to generate a mechanical impulse for striking against a surface. [8] Operating device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by - a single magnet (30) and several magnetic switches (28), or - two magnets (30) and several magnetic switches (28) or - more than two magnets (30) and two magnetic switches (28).

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