Deadfront Glass Tactile Elements for Hidden Display Controls
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for innovations in touch screen and deadfront type control displays that provide both visual and tactile features, enhancing user interaction and aesthetics in consumer products, particularly in the automotive industry.
Innovation Solution
The development of deadfront articles with a decorative surface that incorporates a tactile feel, featuring a semi-transparent layer and a contrast layer, which provides a deadfront effect by masking underlying display features when not backlit and revealing them when backlit. These articles can be curved and formed using cold-bending processes, allowing for integration into various display applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a deadfront article uses a smooth surface, then the visual appearance is sleek and decorative, but the user cannot perceive tactile feedback for control features
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating tactile features only in specific regions where control features are located, while keeping the rest of the surface smooth and decorative. The textured layer is selectively positioned to provide tactile feedback buttons or regions that correspond to underlying control features, allowing users to perceive and interact with controls through the otherwise smooth deadfront surface.
2Ease of operation
If the deadfront article uses a textured surface for tactile feedback, then user interaction is enhanced, but the aesthetic appearance and sleekness are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The textured layer is applied selectively only in regions corresponding to control features, maintaining the sleek aesthetic of the overall surface while providing necessary tactile feedback in specific locations.
3Loss of information
If the deadfront article uses a fully opaque surface, then underlying display features are well masked when not backlit, but the tactile features and visual decoration are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The deadfront article uses a translucent base layer that provides adequate masking of underlying features, combined with a selectively positioned textured layer that creates tactile feedback regions. This combination maintains the deadfront effect while enabling tactile perception of control features through the otherwise translucent surface.
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
The deadfront articles offer a sleek, lightweight, and functional surface that enhances user interaction with both visual and tactile elements, improving the aesthetic and functional aspects of touch screen and deadfront displays in consumer products.
Implementation Method 1
cold-bent to a curved shape
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
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.