Flexible Armrest Touch Control for Vehicle Entertainment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large vehicles, passengers are distant from the vehicle-mounted entertainment system's display screen, making interactive control inconvenient, especially for games, as they need to lean forward to touch the screen.
Innovation Solution
A touch control vehicle seat with a flexible armrest incorporating a carbon nanotube touch function layer embedded in the seat armrest, allowing passengers to interact with the entertainment system without leaning forward by placing their hands on the armrest, which features a flexible substrate, carbon nanotube film, and electrodes for sensing touch positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the display screen is placed in the front control panel or back of front seat, then the entertainment system is accessible, but passengers in large vehicles must lean forward to touch the screen, reducing comfort and ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the touch control interface with the seat armrest structure, integrating the entertainment system control functionality into the existing seat component. This allows passengers to operate the entertainment system while maintaining a comfortable seating position without leaning forward, thereby improving ease of operation without significantly increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The seat armrest is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides structural support as a armrest, maintains comfort through flexible materials, and enables touch control interaction with the entertainment system. This multi-functionality approach allows a single component to address both comfort and operational accessibility requirements
2Ease of operation
If a flexible touch panel is embedded in the armrest, then touch control becomes accessible without leaning forward, but the seat armrest structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible touch panel constructed with thin film materials including a flexible substrate, carbon nanotube film, and protective layers. These thin film structures can be integrated into the armrest without requiring bulky components, thereby enabling touch control accessibility while minimizing the increase in structural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The touch panel components are nested within the armrest structure, with the flexible substrate, carbon nanotube film, and protective cover layered sequentially. This nested arrangement allows the touch control system to be embedded within the existing armrest form factor without significantly altering the overall seat structure
3Reliability
If carbon nanotube film is used for the touch function layer, then durability and flexibility are improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses carbon nanotube film as a composite material integrated with the flexible substrate and protective cover layers. The carbon nanotube film provides enhanced mechanical strength, flexibility, and conductive properties, improving overall reliability and durability of the touch panel while the composite structure helps accommodate manufacturing tolerances
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 convenient and comfortable interactive control of the vehicle's entertainment system without the need to lean forward, maintaining the seat's comfort and appearance while allowing multi-touch functionality and durability through the use of carbon nanotubes.
Implementation Method 1
a carbon nanotube touch function layer (134) comprising a carbon nanotube film (1342), a plurality of first electrodes (1344), and a plurality of second electrodes (1345)... The positions of touches occurring on a surface of the protective cover (140) can be sensed by the carbon nanotube touch function layer (134)
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat with touch control function includes a seat armrest, the seat armrest includes an armrest frame, a flexible pad, a flexible touch panel, and a protective cover. The flexible touch panel is elastic, and the flexible touch panel includes a flexible substrate and a carbon nanotube touch function layer to collect touch input from a user. Such flexible touch panel may be installed on or in armrest of any seat in vehicle, enabling control of a display while comfortably seated, having to lean forward is avoided. A vehicle-mounted entertainment system incorporating such touch control system is also provided.