Motor Vehicle Touch Surface Switch with Pivot Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing push-button switches in motor vehicles face challenges in providing secure and comfortable actuation over large touch surfaces, especially when integrated into the manufacturer's emblem, as they often result in jamming or inadequate guidance during decentralized actuation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates pivotally mounted touch surfaces with elastic reset means and guiding elements featuring guide sleeves and pins with varying diameters to ensure reliable actuation, preventing jamming and allowing for both central and decentralized actuation while maintaining secure attachment and guidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a large touch surface is provided for secure and comfortable actuation, then ease of operation is improved, but the risk of jamming and inadequate guidance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guiding means is segmented into multiple guide sleeves and guide pins distributed across the touch surface. Each guide pin fits into a corresponding guide sleeve, creating multiple independent guidance points that collectively prevent jamming while allowing decentralized actuation across the large touch surface area.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide sleeves have a non-uniform cross-sectional contour with different diameters at different locations. The first region has a larger diameter to accommodate tilted or unilateral actuation, while the second region has a smaller diameter to provide precise guidance during normal actuation. This local variation in geometry allows the same guiding means to handle multiple actuation scenarios.
2Device complexity
If simple cylindrical guide sleeves and guide pins are used, then device complexity is reduced, but guidance reliability during decentralized actuation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide sleeve cross-section varies locally with a first region of larger diameter and a second region of smaller diameter. This local quality variation enables the simple cylindrical structure to accommodate both centralized and decentralized actuation without requiring complex mechanical guidance systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide pin and guide sleeve arrangement allows dynamic adaptation to different actuation forces and angles. During unilateral or tilted actuation, the guide pin can tilt within the larger diameter region, while during normal actuation, it is guided precisely by the smaller diameter region, providing dynamic reliability without complex mechanisms.
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 enables reliable actuation of switches under large touch surfaces by preventing jamming and ensuring proper guidance, even during unilateral or tilted movements, thereby enhancing user interaction and switch reliability.
Implementation Method 1
Elastic reset means that are arranged between the touch surface and the support surface push the touch surface into the first, non-actuated end position
Implementation Method 2
the guide pin can be moved in axial direction into the sleeve and is secured against lateral movement in the area of the section with minimal diameter
Data Source
AI summary
An actuating device for actuating a function on a motor vehicle includes a touch surface actuated by a user. The touch surface is arranged in such a way that it can be moved under pressure from a first end position to a second end position. An elastic reset urges the touch surface into the first end position. A contact switch is arranged between the touch surface and a support surface. A guide sleeve and a guide pin guide the touch surface when actuated. When moving the touch surface, the guide pin is moved in an axial direction into the sleeve and is secured against lateral movement in a small diameter section of the pin. However, the guide pin can be tipped in the sleeve about a pivot point in the small diameter section, thus preventing the touch surface from being jammed in the event of a decentralized impact.