Vehicle Touch Button Hidden Cover With Transparent Electrode
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional touch-type buttons for vehicles face issues with reduced transmissivity due to white coloring agents, limited illumination regions, weak touch sensitivity, and corrosion under high temperature and humidity conditions, which affect the visibility and durability of the buttons.
Innovation Solution
A touch-type button design featuring a hidden cover made of smoky resin with a black film and a transparent electrode, such as indium tin oxide (ITO), which allows for high light transmissivity and diffusivity, enhancing illumination uniformity and sensitivity while preventing font visibility without illumination, and maintaining performance under varying environmental conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If a white coloring agent is added to the button resin to make the font visible in daytime, then the font visibility is improved, but the light transmissivity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The button is divided into two functional layers: a white resin layer for daytime font visibility and a black film layer for nighttime illumination contrast. This segmentation allows each layer to perform its specific function without compromising the other, resolving the contradiction between visibility and transmissivity.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the button have different optical properties: the white resin portion provides high reflectivity for daytime visibility, while the black film portion provides high absorption for nighttime illumination contrast. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction by allowing both functions to coexist in different spatial locations.
2Illumination intensity
If a center hole is formed in the touch film to allow LED light transmission, then the illumination region is enlarged, but the conductor area is reduced resulting in weak touch sensitivity
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent electrode layer (such as ITO) is introduced as an intermediary between the LED light source and the touch film. This transparent conductor allows light to pass through while maintaining electrical conductivity for touch sensing, eliminating the need for a center hole and resolving the contradiction between illumination and touch sensitivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The touch button uses a composite structure combining transparent conductive materials (ITO) with the touch film and resin layers. This composite material approach allows simultaneous achievement of optical transparency for illumination and electrical conductivity for touch sensing, resolving the contradiction without requiring a center hole.
3Reliability
If copper is exposed on the button surface for touch electrode formation, then touch conductivity is improved, but corrosion occurs under high temperature and humidity conditions
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent electrode layer (such as ITO) is introduced as a protective intermediary between the copper conductor and the environmental conditions. This transparent conductor provides both electrical conductivity for touch sensing and protection against corrosion from temperature and humidity, resolving the contradiction between conductivity and corrosion resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The copper conductor is enclosed within an inert protective environment formed by the sealed button structure and encapsulating materials. This creates a corrosion-resistant atmosphere around the copper, protecting it from oxidation and environmental degradation while maintaining its electrical conductivity 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 solution provides improved illumination uniformity and sensitivity, allowing font recognition day and night with enhanced durability and touch performance, overcoming limitations of conventional designs by increasing the conductor area and preventing corrosion.
Implementation Method 1
the transparent electrode is configured to transmit light emitted from a light source disposed behind thereof to allow the letter font to be revealed and recognized
Implementation Method 2
When a human's hand approaches thereto, the touch-type button detects a change in signal relative to initial capacitance to recognize whether the button is turned on or off
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3A~3B
Figure 4
AI summary
A touch-type button for a vehicle may include: a hidden cover defining an external appearance of the touch-type button and having a pattern which corresponds to a letter font; and a transparent electrode attached to a rear surface of the hidden cover and configured to generate a signal in response to a change in capacitance, wherein the transparent electrode transmits light emitted from a light source disposed behind thereof to allow the letter font to be revealed and recognized.