Vehicle Touchpad with Pivoting Leaf Spring for Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing touchpad systems in motor vehicles are susceptible to breakage when subjected to forceful impacts, such as from a falling object, due to their rigid mounting, which can lead to glass breakage and damage.
Innovation Solution
A touchpad system with a pivoting element, such as a leaf spring, is mounted to allow deflection parallel to the operating surface, enabling it to absorb forces and prevent direct impact, while a sensor device detects pressure signals transmitted from the touchpad to the carrier device, ensuring contact pressure is registered without rigid attachment, thus enhancing protection against breakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the touchpad is firmly clamped to the carrier device, then the touchpad can transmit contact pressure forces effectively, but the touchpad becomes susceptible to breakage from impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The touchpad is mounted on pivoting elements (leaf springs) that allow dynamic movement. When impact force is applied, the touchpad can pivot and deflect, converting rigid force transmission into dynamic motion, thereby protecting the glass from breakage while still allowing normal touch operation
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system changes the mechanical parameters of the touchpad assembly by introducing compliant pivoting elements. These elements allow the system to transition between rigid (during normal touch) and flexible (during impact) states, optimizing both force transmission and impact resistance
2Stability of the object's composition
If the touchpad is mounted rigidly, then structural stability is improved, but the touchpad cannot absorb impact forces and breaks easily
Solution Approach 1:
The leaf spring pivoting elements act as pre-installed cushioning elements that are always ready to absorb impact forces. Before any impact occurs, the compliant mounting system is already in place to protect the touchpad, eliminating the need for reactive protection measures
3Ease of manufacture
If the touchpad is firmly attached to the carrier device, then manufacturing precision and assembly simplicity are improved, but the touchpad cannot deflect to prevent breakage
Solution Approach 1:
The pivoting elements serve as intermediary components between the touchpad and carrier device. These intermediaries simplify the overall assembly process while providing the necessary mechanical compliance, making the system both easy to manufacture and protective against breakage
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 system effectively protects the touchpad from breakage by allowing it to deflect and absorb forces, while maintaining the ability to register contact pressure, thus enhancing durability and preventing glass breakage during impacts.
Implementation Method 1
A leaf spring, for example, can be provided as a pivoting element
Implementation Method 2
a sensor device with at least one sensor for generating a pressure signal. This pressure signal is generated as a function of a compressive force acting on the sensor
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The invention relates to an operating device (3) for a motor vehicle (1), comprising a touchpad (7) for generating a touch signal (T) dependent on a point of contact (12) on a control surface (10) of a touch disc (8) of the touchpad (7), and a sensor device (14) with at least one sensor (29) for generating a pressure signal (P) dependent on a pressure force (15) acting on the sensor (29). The touchpad (7) is movably mounted relative to the sensor device (14) by a support device (25) such that a contact force (13) exerted by a user (4) on the control surface (10) acts as the pressure force (15) on the sensor device (14). The touch disc (8) is to be protected from breakage.For this purpose, the touchpad (7) is attached to the carrier device (25) by means of at least one pivoting element (24), by which the touchpad (7) can be deflected parallel (22) to the operating surface (10) with respect to the carrier device (25) and is rigidly mounted perpendicular (21) to the operating surface (10) on the carrier device (25).