Sensor-Embedded Interface Assembly for Durable Tactile Controls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing manufacturing techniques for electronic assemblies, particularly those involving injection molded structural electronics (IMSE), face challenges in integrating movable interface elements that provide tactile feedback while maintaining structural durability and efficient thermal management, especially in complex electrical circuits.
Innovation Solution
An interface assembly with a functional multilayer structure and a movable member, where sensors are embedded in a molded material layer, allowing detection of the member's position or movement through a sensor arrangement, and attached via magnetic or mechanical features to prevent detachment, enabling durable and robust tactile feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If movable interface elements (buttons, knobs) are overmolded with plastic material to provide structural durability, then structural strength is improved, but the movable elements become fixed and lose their functionality
Solution Approach 1:
The interface assembly is divided into separate functional layers: a substrate layer containing the movable interface elements, and an overmold layer providing structural durability. The movable elements remain in the substrate layer and are not embedded in the overmold, allowing them to maintain functionality while the overmold provides protection and structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
A substrate layer acts as an intermediary between the movable interface elements and the overmold layer. This substrate serves as the foundation that holds the movable elements while allowing them to move freely, and simultaneously provides a bonding surface for the overmold to attach, thus resolving the conflict between movability and structural durability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex electrical circuits are produced on substrate by printing and/or SMDs to achieve desired functionalities, then functional capability is improved, but electronics vulnerability and structural complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The substrate layer integrates multiple functions: it serves as the mechanical foundation, contains the electrical circuits (produced by printing and/or SMDs), and provides mounting structures for interface elements. By combining these functions into a single integrated substrate, the overall structural complexity is reduced while maintaining full functional capability.
3Productivity
If electronics are manufactured into true 3D form using IMSE technology, then integration efficiency is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct stages: first producing the substrate layer with embedded electronics and interface elements, then separately creating the overmold layer, and finally bonding them together. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently for its specific function, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while achieving high integration efficiency.
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 solution provides durable, structurally simple, and functionally robust interface assemblies with movable members that offer tactile feedback, while reducing material usage and simplifying manufacturing processes.
Implementation Method 1
the magnetic attachment arrangement is arranged to exert an attractive magnetic force between the first and second attachment portions
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~6
Figure 7~8C
AI summary
An interface assembly (100 is disclosed herein which comprises a functional multilayer structure (20) that comprise a first substrate (22, 28), a molded material layer (26) on a first side of the first substrate (22, 28), and a sensor arrangement (30) comprising at least one sensor (32; 32A, 32B), wherein the sensor arrangement (30) is arranged at least partly embedded into the molded material layer (26). The assembly (100) further comprises a movable member (40) being movable relative to the functional multilayer structure (20), wherein the movable member (40) comprises at least one detection portion (42), and the sensor arrangement (30) and the at least one detection portion (42) are mutually arranged so that a position or a change of position of the movable member (40) is detectable by the sensor arrangement (30) based on a position or a change of position of the at least one detection portion (42) relative to the sensor arrangement (30). Also, a method for manufacturing an interface assembly (100) is disclosed.