Overhead Bezel Grip Mechanism for Touchscreen Display

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing overhead panel designs require pilots to maintain unnatural hand or arm positions, leading to stress and reduced fine motor function capabilities, while minimized display bezels offer no support for hand rest or interaction.

Innovation Solution

A bezel for overhead panels with gripping mechanisms and tactile features such as indentations or protrusions to provide a grip or hand rest, allowing for more precise inputs and reducing arm strain during turbulence.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If overhead panels are minimized with small bezels, then device size is reduced, but pilots cannot rest hands or interact with it

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebezel sizeVSAvoidhand rest capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The bezel is extended vertically upward from the display surface, adding a third dimension (height) to the traditionally flat 2D bezel. This creates overhead grip surfaces and hand rest areas without increasing the horizontal footprint, allowing pilots to rest hands on the top surface while maintaining a compact display area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The bezel is divided into functional segments: a vertical overhead portion for gripping and hand resting, and a horizontal display portion for screen interaction. This segmentation allows each region to serve its specific purpose - the vertical portion provides mechanical support and the horizontal portion maintains display functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Device complexity

If pilots interact with overhead displays without support, then device structure is simplified, but arm strain increases and fine motor function deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebezel structureVSAvoidfine motor function

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The extended vertical bezel acts as an intermediary mechanical support structure between the pilot's hand and the overhead display. It provides a physical resting point that reduces the distance and effort required to reach and interact with the display, thereby reducing arm strain while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If overhead panels are placed in stress positions, then display location is optimized, but pilot comfort and precision deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay locationVSAvoidinput precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The vertical bezel provides preliminary hand positioning and stabilization before the pilot interacts with the touchscreen. By resting the hand on the extended bezel surface first, the pilot establishes a stable base position, which improves the precision of subsequent touchscreen inputs despite the overhead location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11533813B1Touchscreen display panel gripping mechanism and bezel

Publication Date: 2022.12.20 ROCKWELL COLLINS INC

AI summary

A bezel for overhead panels provides a grip or hand rest so the pilot is not required to maintain a hand at a specific overhead location in space to interactive with a touchscreen display device. Gripping mechanisms take the strain off the arm and allow for more precise inputs during turbulence. In a further aspect, the bezel includes features at known locations to tactilely identify the location. Such features may include indentations or protrusions.