Vehicle Interior Lighting Touch Interface Mounting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle interior lighting devices with tactile control interfaces face challenges in compactness, manufacturing cost, and precision due to mounting requirements and exposure to vehicle vibrations, which compromise sensor accuracy, especially for curved profiles.

Innovation Solution

The tactile control interface is directly mounted on the mounting support via sensor means, which also detect deformations, allowing for improved compactness and reduced manufacturing costs while enhancing contact detection precision through capacitive or resistive sensors and a controller that processes deformation data to control light sources based on contact area and position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the plate is mounted via mounting means on a mounting support, then the device achieves structural stability, but the compactness of the device is reduced and manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidcompactness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the mounting function and sensing function into a single integrated sensor means. The sensor means serves dual purposes: mounting the touch interface plate on the mounting support and detecting contact deformations. This eliminates the need for separate mounting means, thereby improving compactness while maintaining structural stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor means is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both a mounting mechanism and a contact detection device. By making the sensor means universal, the patent reduces the number of components needed, improving compactness without sacrificing the structural stability required for reliable operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of manufacture

If the plate is mounted via separate mounting means, then the assembly is easier to manufacture, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly easeVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the mounting function and sensing function into a single integrated sensor means. This reduces the total number of components that need to be manufactured and assembled, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining ease of assembly through the integrated design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor means is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: mounting and contact detection. This multi-functionality reduces the number of separate manufacturing steps and assembly operations required, simplifying the overall manufacturing process while maintaining ease of assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the plate is subjected to vehicle vibrations and jolts, then the device operates in realistic vehicle conditions, but the precision of contact detection is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevehicle condition toleranceVSAvoidcontact detection precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The sensor means acts as an intermediary between the touch interface plate and the mounting support. It detects deformations of the plate while being mounted on the support, allowing the system to distinguish between deformations caused by contact and those caused by vehicle vibrations. This intermediary role enables precise contact detection even in realistic vehicle conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The sensor means provides feedback on the deformation state of the touch interface plate. By continuously monitoring deformations and comparing them against threshold values or patterns, the system can distinguish between contact-induced deformations and those caused by vehicle vibrations, maintaining high precision in contact detection under realistic operating conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

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 solution results in a compact, cost-effective, and precise vehicle interior lighting system that effectively withstands vehicle constraints and accurately controls light sources based on touch interface interactions.

Implementation Method 1

the sensor means can be of the capacitive type

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapacitance: Capacitance

Implementation Method 2

as a variant, resistive

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical Resistance: Electrical Resistance

Data Source

PatentEP3002155B1Lighting device for a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle
Publication Date: 2023.01.18 VALEO VISION SA
  • EP3002155B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3002155B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP3002155B1 patent drawingFigure 4A~4B

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device (1) for the interior of a motor vehicle, comprising at least: - a light source (2a, 2b, 2c, 2d) capable of emitting light rays for illuminating said interior, - a touch interface (3) and sensor means (4) for detecting contact on the touch interface and generating a characteristic signal of this contact, which controls the light source, and - a mounting bracket (5) for the touch interface in the vehicle, the device being characterized in that the touch interface is mounted on the mounting bracket via the sensor means. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising such an interior lighting device.