Modular Vehicle Control Interface Circuit Boards
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing number of vehicle accessories and their features complicates the design of vehicle control interfaces, making them less intuitive and visually appealing, while also increasing the complexity of circuitry, which challenges manufacturers to create a comprehensive and convenient control interface that does not distract drivers.
Innovation Solution
The use of a strategic arrangement of circuit boards with a common overall perimeter shape and varying deviations allows for flexible design and manufacturing economies, enabling a consistent and adaptable control interface across different vehicle platforms and configurations, with features like moveable board portions, redundant switch contacts, and flexible ribbon cable connectors to minimize complexity and enhance reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of vehicle accessories and control features is increased to provide comprehensive functionality, then the control interface becomes more feature-rich, but the design complexity and circuitry complexity increase, making the interface less intuitive and visually appealing
Solution Approach 1:
The control interface is divided into multiple control assemblies, each responsible for specific accessories or functions. Each control assembly contains its own circuit board with circuit elements arranged in a grid pattern, allowing independent design and manufacturing of modular units that can be combined to create comprehensive control interfaces without overwhelming complexity in any single unit.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit boards are designed with a standardized grid pattern of circuit elements that can accommodate multiple different switch types and configurations. This universal grid design allows the same basic circuit board structure to support various control functions across different vehicle accessories, reducing overall design complexity while maintaining versatility.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more control features and accessories are added to the vehicle, then the control interface becomes more comprehensive, but the number of circuit connections and circuit board complexity increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of one large circuit board with numerous connections, the system uses multiple smaller control assemblies, each with its own circuit board containing a manageable number of connections (typically fewer than fifty). Each control assembly handles specific accessories, dividing the total number of circuit connections into smaller, more manageable groups that are easier to manufacture and maintain.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit elements on each circuit board are arranged in a two-dimensional grid pattern, allowing multiple connections to be organized spatially rather than linearly. This grid arrangement optimizes the use of circuit board space and reduces the complexity of routing connections, enabling comprehensive control capability without proportionally increasing the number of physical connections.
3Ease of operation
If the control interface is made accessible and convenient to operate, then driver distraction is reduced, but the design must balance accessibility with visual appeal and comprehensive functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The control interface is segmented into multiple independent control assemblies, each dedicated to specific functions or accessories. This segmentation allows each control cluster to be optimized for its specific purpose with intuitive布局和 operation, while the overall interface maintains visual appeal through the modular arrangement of these segmented units across the dashboard or console area.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle accessory control component includes a first circuit board substrate and a second circuit board substrate. The first circuit board substrate has a plurality of circuit elements and an overall perimeter shape including an outer edge profile and a plurality of first deviations along the outer edge profile. The second circuit board substrate has a plurality of circuit elements an outer edge profile and a plurality of second deviations along the outer edge profile, at least one of the second deviations being different than the first deviations. The first circuit board substrate and the second circuit board substrate are arranged in a plane and selectively movable relative to each other to form the overall perimeter shape of the substrate. The outer edge profile of the first and second circuit board substrates are received in a housing having a correspondingly shaped perimeter that generally conforms to the outer edge profile.