Deadfront Glass Tactile Elements for Hidden Automotive Controls
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for innovations in touch screen and deadfront type control displays that provide both visual and tactile features, particularly in consumer products like automobile interiors, where existing solutions lack a seamless integration of decorative surfaces with functional controls that offer a tactile experience.
Innovation Solution
The development of deadfront articles with a substrate having a visual element on one surface and tactile elements on the opposite surface, featuring a semi-transparent layer and a contrast layer to enhance visibility of graphics or icons when backlit, while providing a tactile feel through surface roughness portions that complement the visual design, using materials like glass or polymer and incorporating touch panel technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a deadfront article uses a smooth decorative surface to match surrounding materials, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the tactile feedback for control features is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different surface qualities to different regions: the majority of the surface remains smooth for aesthetic purposes, while specific control feature regions are given rougher textures to provide tactile feedback. This allows the surface to be both visually appealing and functionally tactile where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates tactile representations of control features by forming raised or textured portions on the surface that mirror the underlying graphical icons or buttons. These tactile elements copy the visual layout, allowing users to feel the control feature positions and shapes without disrupting the overall decorative appearance.
2Ease of operation
If a deadfront article provides tactile elements on the surface, then user interaction is improved, but the decorative appearance and material matching is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent confines tactile elements to specific localized regions corresponding to control features, while the remainder of the surface maintains its smooth decorative finish. This ensures tactile functionality is provided only where needed without compromising the overall aesthetic appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile elements are designed to subtly mirror the underlying graphical controls rather than creating prominent three-dimensional features. This copying approach provides necessary tactile feedback while maintaining a relatively flat, decorative surface appearance that can match surrounding materials.
3Ease of operation
If a deadfront article uses opaque materials to provide tactile surface, then tactile feedback is improved, but visibility of underlying graphics and icons is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses translucent materials for the entire article body to maintain visibility of underlying graphics, while applying tactile textures only to specific localized regions. This allows different optical properties to be applied locally: translucent for visibility and textured for tactile feedback, without either property being compromised globally.
Data Source
AI summary
Deadfront articles that include a tactile element formed on a first surface of a substrate and a visual element disposed on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface. The tactile element is positioned on the first surface of the substrate in a complimentary fashion to the visual element disposed on the second surface of the substrate. The tactile element may include a surface roughness portion having a surface roughness different than the surface roughness of an area bordering the surface roughness portion. The deadfront articles may be incorporated into an automobile interior to provide a visual and haptic display interface for a user.