Surface-Wrapped Touch Control Device with Illuminated Zones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional user interface control elements, such as push buttons and knobs, often require structural elevations and cannot be easily covered by other materials, limiting their design flexibility and functionality, especially in applications like automotive control interfaces where new designs and technologies necessitate advanced interface layouts.
Innovation Solution
A surface-wrapped touch control device with a housing assembly, a touch sensor, and an illumination element that detects contact and outputs control signals, allowing for flat or curved surfaces to be used without visible buttons, and enabling the integration of touch zones that can be hidden under a wrapping material while providing illumination feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional push buttons and control knobs are used, then functional control is achieved, but structural elevations and visible buttons are required which limit design flexibility and cannot be covered by wrapping materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical push buttons and control knobs with a touch sensor that detects contact through capacitance or other touch detection methods. This eliminates the need for mechanical elevations and visible button structures, allowing the control surface to be flat and wrapable while maintaining full control functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flat control surface that can be covered with wrapping materials such as leather, fabric, or other decorative films. The touch sensor is integrated beneath the wrapping material, allowing the surface to be both aesthetically pleasing and fully functional without requiring visible buttons or structural elevations.
2Area of stationary object
If conventional buttons are made smaller or reshaped to meet spacing and layout requirements, then layout flexibility is improved, but the buttons lose their visible identity and operational clarity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates illumination elements such as LEDs that emit light through the wrapping material to indicate touch zone locations and provide visual feedback during operation. This allows the buttons to remain invisible when not in use while providing clear identification and operational status through optical signals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses illumination as an intermediary to communicate button location and status. The light emitted through the wrapping material serves as a mediator between the hidden touch sensor and the user, providing clear identification without requiring visible physical buttons.
3Shape
If a flat surface is used to allow wrapping materials to cover the control interface, then aesthetic seamless integration is achieved, but touch detection capability must be maintained without visible buttons
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical button presses with electronic touch detection sensors that can detect contact through the flat surface and wrapping material. These sensors use capacitance, resistance, or other electrical properties to detect touch without requiring physical elevations or visible buttons.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite structures combining the flat control surface, wrapping material, and integrated touch sensor in a single assembly. This allows the wrapping material to serve both aesthetic and functional purposes while the integrated sensor maintains touch detection capability throughout the flat surface.
4Ease of operation
If illumination elements are added to provide visual feedback for touch zones, then operational clarity is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple functions into single components: the illumination elements serve both as visual indicators for touch zone location and as feedback during operation, while also potentially serving as aesthetic lighting features. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the illumination elements with the touch sensor assembly and wrapping material in an integrated structure. The illumination components are embedded within the same housing and control electronics as the touch detection system, reducing the number of separate assemblies and simplifying manufacturing processes.
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
Enables flexible and aesthetically seamless integration of touch controls on various surfaces, maintaining uninterrupted design while providing functional accessibility and accommodating changing vehicle and device control requirements.
Implementation Method 1
at least one illumination element configured to illuminate a portion of the outer surface of the housing assembly associated with the at least one touch zone
Implementation Method 2
the touch sensor is configured to detect contact to the outer surface of the housing assembly associated with the at least one touch zone
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4A~4D
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to touch control (100, 500, 550) devices and surface (105, 419, 422, 425, 426, 515) wrapped control interfaces for vehicles. In one embodiment, a touch control (100, 500, 550) device (300) includes a housing assembly (510, 520) including an outer surface (105, 515), and a touch sensor (520, 557) mounted to an inner surface (105, 419, 422, 425, 426, 515) of the housing assembly (510, 520). The touch sensor (520, 557) includes at least one touch zone (110, 416, 418, 420, 421, 434) and is configured to detect contact to the outer surface (105, 515) of the housing assembly (510, 520) associated with the at least one touch zone (110, 416, 418, 420, 421, 434). The touch control (100, 500, 550) device (300) may also include at least one illumination element (525) to illuminate a portion of the outer surface (105, 515) of the housing assembly (510, 520) associated the at least one touch zone (110, 416, 418, 420, 421, 434) and a controller (310) configured to illuminate at least one illumination element (525) in response to contact with the a touch zone (110, 416, 418, 420, 421, 434). The touch control (100, 500, 550) device (300) can output a control signal in response to contact with the at least one touch zone.