Vehicle Interior Trim Skin Texture for Hidden Switch Indication
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for integrating operating elements in vehicle interior trim parts struggle to clearly indicate their location without distorting the visual appearance of the skin, especially in daylight conditions when light sources are not activated.
Innovation Solution
The skin features an operating element with an operating surface surrounded by areas of different surface textures, including surface relief elements, to provide clear visual and tactile indications of the element's location without altering the skin's overall design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If operating elements are hidden in the skin to maintain aesthetic appearance, then the visual appearance is improved, but the location indication becomes insufficient in daylight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different surface textures to different areas of the skin: a first surface texture in the first area (operating element location) and a second surface texture in the second area (surrounding area). This local differentiation allows the operating element location to be indicated through tactile and visual cues while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing overall appearance, resolving the contradiction between hiding operating elements and indicating their location.
2Loss of information
If indicia are sprayed or skin is shaped to indicate switch location, then location indication is improved, but design freedom is limited and visual appearance is disturbed
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of spraying indicia or shaping the entire skin layer, the patent applies a different surface texture only in the specific first area where the operating element is located. This localized approach provides clear location indication while preserving design freedom and maintaining the overall visual appearance of the skin, avoiding the drawbacks of conventional indication methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface texture parameter locally in the first area to indicate the operating element location. By modifying only the surface texture characteristic rather than the overall shape or adding visual indicia, the patent achieves location indication while maintaining design flexibility and aesthetic appearance.
Data Source
AI summary
The skin (1) comprises at least an outer elastomeric layer (5) with an inner surface and an outer surface and at least one operating element (8A) which is adhered to the inner surface of the outer skin layer (5). The operating element (8A) is intended to be connected to an electric or electronic component to enable to control the operation of this component. In order to indicate the location of the operating element (8A) in the skin (1) with a minimal distortion of the visual appearance of the skin, the operating surface (9) of the operating element (8A) extends in a first area (11) of the visible surface of said skin (1), which first area (11) has a first surface texture which is different from the surface texture of the surrounding area (12) of the visible surface of the skin. Both textures may in particular produce a different gloss and the first area (11) may further be provided with surface relief elements (16, 17).