Capacitive control member for a functional member in particular of a motor vehicle, and a piece of equipment including such a member

• US 20020112942A1
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Published: 08/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Industries (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Industries (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Galmiche, Etienne, Bocquet, Denis
• Granted Patent: US 6,621,029 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/5R
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

A control member of the capacitive type for controlling at least one functional member in particular of a motor vehicle, the control member comprising a rigid support structure, at least one capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell located on or close to one of the faces of said support structure, and at least one control operating zone located on or close to the other face of said support structure in register with said capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell, wherein the control operating zone includes elastically deformable means.

Claims

1. / A control member of the capacitive type for controlling at least one functional member in particular of a motor vehicle, the control member comprising a rigid support structure, at least one capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell located on or close to one of the faces of said support structure, and at least one control operating zone located on or close to the other face of said support structure in register with said capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell, wherein the control operating zone includes elastically deformable means.

3. / A control member according to claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable means have a rest position in which the finger of an operator in contact with the operating zone lies outside the touch detection volume, and a deformed position in which the finger of the operator in contact with the operating zone lies within the touch detection volume.

4. / a control member according to claim 1, wherein the elastically deformable means are farmed by a projecting portion of an intermediate piece of elastically deformable material fixed beneath the support structure.

5. / A control member according to claim 4, wherein the rigid support structure carries a printed circuit board having the capacitive cell and a light source fixed thereon.

6. / A control member according to claim 4, wherein the intermediate piece carries a printed circuit board having the capacitive cell and a light source fixed thereon.

7. / A control member according to claim 1, wherein a mask representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by the member is associated with the intermediate piece or with the printed circuit board.

8. / A control member according to claim 1, wherein the control operating zone is marked by a portion in relief of the support structure.

9. / A control member according to claim 5, wherein the intermediate piece and the printed circuit board are of translucent material, and wherein the light source is fixed beneath the printed circuit board.

10. / A piece of motor vehicle equipment fitted with at least one control member for controlling a functional member in accordance with claim 1.

11. / A piece of equipment according to claim 10, comprising a support structure having a flexible and translucent covering skin placed thereon, and wherein the support structure includes at least one opening beneath which there are placed means constituting a touch-sensitive detector and a light source.

12. / A piece of equipment according to claim 11, wherein the means forming a touch-sensitive detector are carried by a translucent printed circuit board with the light source fixed beneath it.

13. / A piece of equipment according to claim 11, wherein the covering skin carries a mask representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by the member.

14. / A piece of equipment according to claim 12, wherein the printed circuit carries a mask representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by the member.

15. / A piece of equipment according to claim 11, wherein the opening in the support structure is of a shape representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by the member.

16. / A piece of equipment according to claim 11, wherein the opening in the support structure is formed in a portion in relief of said structure.

17. / A piece of equipment according to claim 11, wherein the means forming a touch-sensitive detector are connected to electronic analyzer means for controlling the functional member and for controlling the power of the light source.

2. / A control member according to clam 1, wherein the elastically deformable means are independent of controlling the functional member.