Vehicle Steering Input Surface With Damped Haptic Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing operating input devices for vehicles lack precise haptic feedback generation and efficient damping mechanisms, leading to potential noise and damage risks during relative movement, and require complex assembly processes.
Innovation Solution
An operating input device with a damping element axially fixed in a non-damping direction, allowing for easy assembly and adjustable damping properties, using materials like rubber or elastomeric materials, and incorporating feedback actuation mechanisms such as ERM actuators to generate pleasant haptic feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a damping element is used to damp relative movement between upper part and lower part, then noise and damage risks are reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional components and assembly steps
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element is integrated into the existing structure by being received within a recess of the lower part and retained by an end stop, merging the damping function into the structural components rather than adding entirely separate elements. This reduces assembly complexity while maintaining noise and damage protection
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element is designed to be axially immovably arranged in a non-damping direction, allowing it to self-align and self-retain within the recess and end stop structure without requiring additional fastening components or complex assembly procedures. The structure itself provides the retention mechanism
2Ease of manufacture
If the damping element is axially fixed in a non-damping direction, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but damping effectiveness in other directions may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The damping element is designed with direction-specific properties: it is axially fixed in the non-damping direction (providing structural stability and easy assembly) while maintaining damping capability in the operating input direction and first haptic feedback generating direction. This local differentiation of constraints allows simultaneous achievement of assembly ease and damping reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The damping element allows dynamic movement in the damping directions (operating input direction and haptic feedback direction) while being statically constrained in the non-damping direction. This dynamic constraint approach ensures damping effectiveness where needed while maintaining assembly simplicity through axial fixation
3Reliability
If multiple damping directions are supported, then haptic feedback quality is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The end stop acts as an intermediary structure that provides the axial fixation reference point. By using the end stop as the reference feature rather than requiring precise features on both the damping element and lower part, the manufacturing precision requirements are reduced while still enabling multi-directional damping
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 a cost-effective, easy-to-assemble device with improved damping and haptic feedback, reducing noise and damage risks while allowing flexible adaptation to user preferences and efficient force detection.
Implementation Method 1
at least one damping element arranged and configured to damp a relative movement between the upper part and the lower part in said operating input direction and/or in said first haptic feedback generating direction
Data Source
AI summary
An operating input device for a vehicle and to a steering input device is disclosed. The operating input device has an upper part having an operating input surface with an input area associated with an operating function, and a lower part serving as a support structure for the upper part. The upper part is relatively movable to the lower part by an operating input force applied on the operating input surface in an operating input direction extending substantially perpendicular to the operating input surface. For generating a haptic feedback, the upper part and the lower part are coupled movably relative to each other such that by a feedback actuation mechanism, which is couplable to the operating input device, the upper part is movable relatively to the lower part at least in a first haptic feedback generating direction extending at least substantially parallel to the operating input surface.