Haptic touch panel assembly for a vehicle

• US 10,156,905 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2017
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. (Forvia SE)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Interior Systems, Inc. (Forvia SE)
• Inventors: Hotchkiss, Jay W., Vander Sluis, Daniel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung, David
• Application Number:
  US15/593,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20170242490A1
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/145 Instrument input by combination of touch screen and hardware input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/27 using semi-transparent optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/693 Cover plate features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/20 Output arrangements, i.e. from vehicle to user, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/008 Adjustable or movable supports
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0084 with adjustment by linear movement in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications

Abstract

A haptic touch panel assembly for a vehicle. The haptic touch panel assembly includes a haptic touch panel, a support substrate, and a suspension component to couple the haptic touch panel to the support substrate. More accurate and dynamic haptic feedback for various vehicle interior components may be provided through the use of a suspension component that allows for three or more degrees of freedom movement or two or more haptic actuators that facilitate movement in two or more different directions.

Claims

1. A haptic touch panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a support substrate adapted for rigid attachment to a body of the vehicle;

a haptic touch panel comprising a decorative side facing toward an interior of the vehicle, an opposite side facing toward the support substrate, and a user interface accessible at the decorative side of the panel and configured to receive manual user input;

at least one suspension component joining the support substrate with the haptic touch panel, wherein each suspension component permits at least two degrees of freedom of movement of the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate; and

first and second actuators mounted to the haptic touch panel and configured to move the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate in response to manual user input received by the user interface, wherein the first actuator moves the haptic touch panel in at least one direction when activated, and the second actuator moves the haptic touch panel in at least one direction different from the at least one direction of the first actuator when activated,

wherein each degree of freedom is a different degree of freedom selected from the group consisting of;

a rotational degree of freedom about a first axis, a rotational degree of freedom about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a rotational degree of freedom about a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes, a translational degree of freedom parallel with the first axis, a translational degree of freedom parallel with the second axis, and a translational degree of freedom parallel with the third axis.

2. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second actuators are independently activatable.

3. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a linear actuator and the second actuator is a rotational actuator.

4. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the actuators is a piezoelectric actuator.

5. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the actuators moves the haptic touch panel in a transverse direction.

6. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the haptic touch panel further comprises:

an outer decorative trim piece at the decorative side of the panel, the decorative trim piece comprising an area that is at least partially transparent to visible light; and

a light source located between the support substrate and the outer decorative trim piece and configured to illuminate said area of the decorative trim piece.

7. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein the haptic touch panel further comprises:

a contoured circuit layer shaped complimentary to an inner surface of the decorative trim piece, wherein the contoured circuit layer includes the light source.

8. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 6, further comprising:

a printed circuit board that includes the light source; and

a light guide located between the printed circuit board and the haptic touch panel and shaped to direct light from the light source to said area and to prevent light from the light source from reaching other areas of the trim piece.

9. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 8, wherein the printed circuit board and the light guide are rigidly mounted to the support substrate so that the haptic touch panel moves with respect to the printed circuit board and the light guide when one or more of the actuators is activated.

10. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a sensor that detects the manual user input and does not move with respect to the decorative or opposite sides of the haptic touch panel during operation.

11. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the user interface includes a mechanical input device that moves with respect to the decorative or opposite sides of the haptic touch panel while receiving manual user input.

12. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuators and the user interface are in communication with a controller that receives information from the user interface and activates the actuators in one manner when the received information indicates one type of user input and in a different manner when the received information indicates a different type of user input.

13. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least two degrees of freedom permitted by each suspension component includes a translational degree of freedom and a rotational degree of freedom.

14. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein each suspension component permits five degrees of freedom of movement of the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate.

15. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein the actuators are mounted to the opposite side of the haptic touch panel.

16. A haptic touch panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a support substrate adapted for rigid attachment to a body of the vehicle;

a haptic touch panel comprising a decorative side facing toward an interior of the vehicle, an opposite side facing toward the support substrate, and a user interface accessible at the decorative side of the panel and configured to receive manual user input;

at least one suspension component joining the support substrate with the haptic touch panel, wherein each suspension component permits at least three degrees of freedom of movement of the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate; and

one or more actuators mounted to the haptic touch panel and configured to move the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate in response to manual user input received by the user interface, wherein the one or more actuators move the haptic touch panel in at least two directions when activated,

wherein each degree of freedom is a different degree of freedom selected from the group consisting of;

a rotational degree of freedom about a first axis, a rotational degree of freedom about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a rotational degree of freedom about a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes, a translational degree of freedom parallel with the first axis, a translational degree of freedom parallel with the second axis, and a translational degree of freedom parallel with the third axis.

17. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein the one or more actuators includes a first actuator that moves the haptic touch panel in at least one direction when activated, and a second actuator that moves the haptic touch panel in at least one direction different from the at least one direction of the first actuator when activated.

18. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein the at least three degrees of freedom permitted by each suspension component includes a translational degree of freedom and a rotational degree of freedom.

19. A haptic touch panel assembly as defined in claim 16, wherein each suspension component permits five degrees of freedom of movement of the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate.

20. A haptic touch panel assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a support substrate adapted for rigid attachment to a body of the vehicle;

a haptic touch panel comprising a decorative side facing toward an interior of the vehicle, an opposite side facing toward the support substrate, and a user interface accessible at the decorative side of the panel and configured to receive manual user input;

at least one suspension component joining the support substrate with the haptic touch panel, wherein each suspension component permits at least two degrees of freedom of movement of the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate; and

first and second actuators mounted to the haptic touch panel and configured to move the haptic touch panel with respect to the support substrate in response to manual user input received by the user interface, wherein the first actuator moves the haptic touch panel in at least one direction when activated, and the second actuator moves the haptic touch panel in at least one direction different from the at least one direction of the first actuator when activated,

wherein each degree of freedom is a different degree of freedom selected from the group consisting of;

a rotational degree of freedom about a first axis, a rotational degree of freedom about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, a rotational degree of freedom about a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes, a translational degree of freedom parallel with the first axis, a translational degree of freedom parallel with the second axis, and a translational degree of freedom parallel with the third axis, and

wherein at least one suspension component is a molded-in component of the support substrate.