Charging Unit Interface Under Glass for Sealed NFC Operation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Charging infrastructure units face increased complexity and vulnerability to environmental influences due to the need for surface cut-outs for screens, buttons, and card reader devices, complicating the operating concept and requiring enhanced sealing.
Innovation Solution
An operating unit with a touch-sensitive display and contactless near-field communication units covered by a transparent, coated glass cover, eliminating cut-outs and allowing for a simplified operation while shielding from environmental factors, and featuring a visibility unit for situational visibility adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If surface cut-outs are provided for screens, buttons, and card reader devices, then the operating functionality is enabled, but the sealing against environmental influences deteriorates and the operating concept becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent cover serves as an intermediary element between the user and the operating components. It allows touch-sensitive display elements and contactless near-field communication units to function while maintaining sealing against environmental influences like humidity, rain, dust, and wind.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical cut-outs with a transparent cover system. Instead of providing physical openings for screens and card readers, the solution uses a continuous transparent cover that allows optical and electromagnetic interactions (touch display, NFC) to occur through the cover material, eliminating the need for sealing complex cut-out edges.
2Ease of operation
If surface cut-outs are provided for screens, buttons, and card reader devices, then the operating functionality is enabled, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple separate operating components (display, buttons, card reader) under a single transparent cover. This unifies the sealing approach and simplifies the operating concept by allowing all interactions to occur through the same continuous surface, reducing the complexity of managing multiple sealed openings.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent cover acts as a universal intermediary for all operating interactions. Whether for touch-sensitive displays or contactless communication units, the same cover material enables all functions while maintaining sealing, thereby simplifying the overall operating concept compared to managing separate sealed openings for each component.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a transparent cover is used to shield components, then sealing against environmental influences is improved, but the visibility of communication units deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transparency of the cover can be dynamically adjusted to control visibility. The cover material allows optical properties to be changed, enabling communication units to be visible when needed while maintaining sealing protection, thus resolving the contradiction between protection and visibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An operating unit for a charging infrastructure unit includes at least a first user interface configured as a touch-sensitive display element, and one or more contactless near-field communication units. The first user interface and the one or more contactless near-field communication units are covered by a common transparent cover on a side facing a user, such that the first user interface and the one or more contactless near-field communication units are shielded from environmental influences. A charging infrastructure unit having such an operating unit, and a method for operating a charging infrastructure unit, are also provided.