Tactile Surface Control Device Rib Vault Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tactile surface-based control devices for motorized vehicle panels face a high risk of unintentional control errors due to lateral bearing forces triggering adjacent zones, especially when used blindly while driving.
Innovation Solution
A tactile surface electrical control device with surface ribs where the lower face of each rib is designed as a tensioned vault between pillars outside the active zones, preventing lateral bearing forces from triggering adjacent zones, thereby reducing the risk of maloperation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If tactile surfaces with surface ribs are used to delimit active zones, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability deteriorates due to lateral bearing forces triggering adjacent zones
Solution Approach 1:
A non-active zone is introduced as an intermediary between adjacent active zones. This intermediate region acts as a buffer that prevents lateral bearing forces from one active zone from transmitting to and triggering adjacent zones, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The tactile surface is segmented into distinct regions: active zones for control input, non-active zones as separators, and surface ribs for guidance. This segmentation isolates the functional areas and prevents unintended signal transmission between adjacent control zones
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
This configuration effectively diverts lateral bearing forces to non-active zones, significantly reducing the likelihood of erroneous controls, enhancing the reliability of motorized panel operations, especially during blind use.
Implementation Method 1
By exerting a pressure on the FSR layer, its ohmic resistance decreases, thus making it possible, by applying a suitable voltage, to measure the pressure applied and/or the location of the place where the pressure is exerted.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a touch-sensitive surface (15) electrical control device comprising at least two adjacent active zones (3, 5, 7) for controlling in each active zone (3, 5, 7) a specific electrical function and a coating (13) provided on the touch-sensitive surface (15) and having surface ribs (9) for delimiting said active control zones (3, 5, 7). The invention is characterized in that the lower surface (18) of a rib (9) separating two adjacent active zones is shaped like a tensioned vault (20) between posts (17) which are solely supported outside the active zones of the touch-sensitive surface (15).