Vehicle Trim Element Constant Contact Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle trim elements suffer from slow tactile detection response and skin degradation due to lack of immediate pressure detection and inadequate support, leading to a suboptimal user experience.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle trim element design where the detection element is in constant contact with the internal face of the skin covering a through-orifice, allowing for improved sensitivity and faster response through a deformable detection area, flexible skin, and a resistive sensor, ensuring the skin is always supported and less prone to damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the detection element is placed in a through-orifice with space between the skin and detector, then the skin can be protected from direct pressure, but the detection response becomes slow and sensitivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible element acts as an intermediary between the skin and detection element, transmitting pressure while maintaining constant contact. This mediator allows the skin to be supported and protected while ensuring immediate pressure detection through the flexible element's deformation.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection element is pre-positioned in constant contact with the skin before any pressure is applied. This preliminary contact ensures that no time is lost in establishing contact when pressure is applied, enabling immediate detection while the flexible element provides ongoing support.
2Device complexity
If the skin is not supported in the detection area, then the structure can be simpler, but too strong pressure may cause degradation of the skin
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible element serves as a mediator that distributes and absorbs excessive pressure, protecting the skin from degradation while maintaining structural simplicity. It transfers necessary pressure to the detection element while cushioning harmful excessive forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible element changes its physical parameters (deformation, compression) in response to applied pressure, allowing it to adapt between protecting the skin from excessive pressure and transmitting sufficient pressure for detection.
3Measurement precision
If constant contact between skin and detection element is maintained, then detection sensitivity and response speed improve, but the risk of skin degradation from continuous pressure may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible element acts as a protective intermediary that maintains constant contact for sensitive detection while simultaneously protecting the skin from harmful continuous pressure through its cushioning and pressure-distributing properties.
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 enhances tactile detection sensitivity and robustness, providing a faster and more comfortable user interaction with improved durability of the trim element by maintaining constant contact between the skin and detection element, reducing the risk of skin degradation.
Implementation Method 1
the detection element is a resistive sensor
Implementation Method 2
a flexible element being placed on the internal face of the detection element; the flexible element is a translucent foam
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle trim element that includes at least one supporting layer having an internal face and an external face, and a skin having an internal face and an external face. The internal face of the skin covers the external face of the supporting layer in at least one detection area. The supporting layer has a through-orifice extending from the internal face to the external face of the supporting layer. At least one detection element is located in the through-orifice. The detection element is in constant contact with the portion of the internal face of the skin covering the through-orifice of the supporting layer.