Curved Touch-Sensor for 3D Automotive Control Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current touch-sensitive surface sensors using pressure-sensitive resistors are limited to flat or slightly curved shapes, restricting their application in motor vehicle control devices with complex three-dimensional surfaces, as they lose sensitivity when covered with thicker skins to achieve desired curves.
Innovation Solution
The electric control device features a touch-sensitive surface with custom-shaped circularly arcuate, spiral, or trapezoidal strips connected to a common base, allowing it to closely follow three-dimensional support surfaces, maintaining uniform sensitivity by bonding or preforming the sensor to match the shape of the support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a flat touch-sensitive surface sensor is covered with a thicker skin to achieve a curved shape, then the desired three-dimensional shape is obtained, but the sensor sensitivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The touch-sensitive surface itself is manufactured with a curved shape matching the desired control device geometry, eliminating the need for an additional skin layer. The sensor surface is formed with a radius of curvature between 50mm and 200mm, allowing direct integration into recessed or protruding control surfaces while maintaining force transmission efficiency and sensitivity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the radius of curvature is reduced to achieve more complex three-dimensional shapes, then greater design flexibility is obtained, but the sensor can no longer maintain its flat shape requirement
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor's active touch-sensitive surface is manufactured with a predefined curvature radius (50mm to 200mm) that matches the control device's geometric requirements. This allows the sensor to be directly integrated into recessed or protruding surfaces with complex three-dimensional shapes, enabling design flexibility for various control device geometries including circular, elliptical, and custom curved surfaces.
3Shape
If a skin layer is added to achieve curved shapes, then the control device geometry is improved, but the force transmission to the sensor is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The touch-sensitive surface is manufactured with a curved shape that directly matches the control device geometry, eliminating the intermediate skin layer. This direct configuration ensures optimal force transmission from the user's touch to the pressure-sensitive resistor elements, as there is no additional material layer to attenuate the applied force.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the creation of control devices with complex, recessed or protruding shapes without compromising touch sensitivity, allowing for precise control mechanisms in motor vehicles while maintaining user-friendliness and robustness.
Implementation Method 1
By applying a pressure to the FSR layer, the ohmic resistance diminishes, thereby making it possible, by application of an appropriate voltage, to measure the pressure applied and/or to locate the place where the pressure is applied.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an electric control device for an automobile, that comprises a touch-surface sensor using pressure-sensitive resistors and to be assembled with a holder (3) having a recessed or protruding three-dimensional surface, characterized in that the touch-surface (1) of the sensor is shaped so that, at the assembled state, a portion of at least the shaped touch-surfaces (1) meet each other while conforming to the shape of said three-dimensional surface (4) in order to define an essentially continuous touch-surface (1).