Capacitive Furniture Control Panel for Custom Switch Layouts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional operating elements for electrically adjustable furniture are inflexible in design, requiring new circuit boards and molds for individual customization, leading to increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A flexible operating element design featuring a flat sensor module with proximity-sensitive surfaces, an operating panel, and a control module that allows for customizable actuation detection and signal generation, enabling individualized positioning of switching surfaces without altering the sensor module or control module, and allowing for external parameterization to adapt to different designs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional operating elements use fixed positioning of key elements and predetermined circuit board layout, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability for individual customization is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The operating element is divided into separate functional modules: a sensor module with fixed sensor elements, a control module with predetermined circuit board layout, and a customizable operating panel. This segmentation allows the operating panel to be individually adapted while keeping the core functional modules standardized, thus improving design flexibility without significantly increasing production complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor module and control module are designed as universal components that can be used across different operating element configurations. The sensor module with its array of sensor elements and the control module with integrated circuit board can serve multiple customization scenarios, reducing the need for entirely new hardware designs for each customization case.
2Adaptability or versatility
If new circuit boards and injection molds are created for customized operating elements, then individual design requirements are met, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the operating element into standardized core modules (sensor module, control module) and a customizable operating panel, the invention avoids the need for new injection molds for the housing and circuit boards. Only the operating panel requires customization, significantly reducing tooling costs compared to complete redesigns.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor module and control module serve as reusable templates or copies that can be replicated across different operating element variants. This copying approach eliminates the need to create entirely new hardware for each customization, reducing both development and production costs.
3Ease of operation
If the operating panel is positioned directly above the sensor module, then user interaction is simplified, but the internal arrangement flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The clear separation between the operating panel and sensor module allows the operating panel to be optimally positioned for user interaction while the sensor module maintains its standardized configuration. This segmentation enables independent optimization of user interface and internal components.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module acts as an intermediary between the operating panel and sensor module, providing flexibility in internal arrangement. The control electronics can be positioned to optimize both user access to the operating panel and efficient connection to the sensor module, without requiring direct coupling between panel and sensors.
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
This solution reduces production costs by enabling customizable designs without additional hardware changes, allowing for flexible and cost-effective assembly of operating elements with enhanced user interaction and feedback options.
Implementation Method 1
The sensors formed by the sensor surfaces are based, for example, on a resistive measurement, a surface acoustic wave measurement, a capacitive measurement or the like. In various embodiments, the sensor surfaces respectively form a capacitive sensor.
Data Source
AI summary
In an operating element for a furniture control for controlling an electrically adjustable piece of furniture, the operating element includes a flat sensor module with a plurality of proximity-sensitive sensor surfaces arranged on the sensor module. An operating panel covers the plurality of sensor surfaces. A set of switching surfaces is marked on the operating panel. A control module is designed for detecting an actuation of one of the switching surfaces based on sensor signals delivered by the sensor surfaces and for generating an actuation signal for the furniture control based on a detected actuation. The sensor module and the control module are arranged in a housing of the operating element, wherein the operating panel forms a cover of the housing.