Vehicle Actuating Module With Overlapping Sensors for Tolerance Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuating modules for vehicles lack the ability to detect different actuation forces and compensate for component and assembly tolerances, leading to inconsistent operation and potential false triggering.
Innovation Solution
An actuating module with a combination of fixed and movable sensor elements, arranged to overlap and detect actuation forces, which are processed to generate a trigger signal regardless of the actuation location, allowing for intuitive operation and tolerance compensation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single sensor element is used in the actuating module, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect different actuation forces and compensate for tolerances is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The actuating module divides the sensor system into multiple sensor elements (first sensor element, second sensor element, and third sensor element) with different sensitivity regions. Each sensor element independently detects actuation forces, and the evaluation unit processes the combined signals to achieve reliable detection across various actuation locations and forces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If sensor elements are arranged to overlap with different sensitivity regions, then the detection coverage and tolerance compensation improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each sensor element is assigned a specific sensitivity region (first sensitivity region, second sensitivity region, third sensitivity region) with different detection characteristics. The overlapping arrangement ensures that different portions of the sensor assembly have different detection capabilities, enabling the system to detect actuation forces regardless of where they are applied on the decorative element.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple sensor elements with different sensitivity regions are used, then the tolerance compensation and detection reliability improve, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor assembly is designed so that the combination of multiple sensor elements with overlapping sensitivity regions serves multiple functions simultaneously: detecting actuation forces at different locations, compensating for component tolerances, and providing reliable detection across various actuation scenarios. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate systems for each function.
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 module effectively detects and processes actuation forces, ensuring consistent operation and preventing false triggering by compensating for tolerances and varying actuation locations, making it suitable for various vehicle elements.
Implementation Method 1
the sensor elements can detect the same physical variables, for example a changing electric field or a pressure, wherein the sensor elements can detect different physical variables, in particular a changing electric field, for example a capacitive field
Data Source
AI summary
An actuating module for a vehicle may have an actuation sensor for executing a switching function and an electronic evaluation unit connected to the actuation sensor. The actuation sensor may have a first fixed sensor element with a first sensitivity region, a second fixed sensor element with a second sensitivity region and a sensor element which is movable relative to the fixed sensor elements and is arranged opposite the fixed sensor elements. When an actuating force acts on the actuation sensor, the movable sensor element can be displaced at least in some regions. A decorative element for the vehicle may have the actuating module.