Operating element for a vehicle

• US 20050200286A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Stoschek, Arne, Strohband, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 7,863,822 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/77
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• 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: H03K 17/975 using a capacitive movable element

Abstract

An operating element for a vehicle (1, 160) for operation of a function of vehicle (1, 160), especially by pressing on the operating element or touching the operating element, is designed in such a way that the operating element includes a front electrode (10, 21, 22, 31, 71, 91, 111) and a rear electrode (11, 32, 72), as well as a layer (12, 33, 73) arranged between the front electrode (10, 21, 22, 31, 71, 91, 111) and the rear electrode (11, 32, 72) having a dielectric elastomer.

Claims

1. An operating element for a vehicle for operation of a function of the vehicle, especially by pressing on the operating element or touching the operating element, wherein the operating element comprises a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

2. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric elastomer is a nonionic dielectric elastomer.

3. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises at least one pressure sensor for measurement of a pressure exerted on an operating surface of the operating element.

4. The operating element according to claim 3, wherein the pressure sensor is arranged on a side of the rear electrode facing away from the layer having a dielectric elastomer.

5. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein the operating element comprises at least one capacitance measurement device for measurement of an electric capacitance formed between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

6. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein at least a front electrode is elastic.

7. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein the front electrode is configured flat.

8. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein the rear electrode is configured flat.

9. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein at least the front electrode is configured as a round surface.

10. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein at least a front electrode is configured as an elliptical surface.

11. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein at least a front electrode is configured as a ring.

12. The operating element according to claim 11, wherein at least a front electrode is configured as a circular ring.

13. The operating element according to claim 12, wherein at least the front electrode is configured as a circular ring with at least one straight inside and/or at least one straight outside.

14. The operating element according to claim 11, wherein at least the front electrode is configured as an elliptical ring.

15. The operating element according to claim 14, wherein at least the front electrode is configured as an elliptical ring with at least one straight inside and/or at least one straight outside.

16. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein at least one cover layer is arranged on a side of the front electrode facing away from the layer having a dielectric elastomer.

17. The operating element according to claim 16, wherein the cover layer is configured light-conducting or light transparent, at least in areas.

18. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein at least one protective layer is arranged on a side of the cover layer facing away from the front electrode.

19. The operating element according to claim 1, wherein a control is allocated to the operating element, by means of which the operating element can be raised either spatially from a visible surface or occluded with the visible surface as a function of an operating state of vehicle, a module of vehicle and/or a display device allocated to vehicle, so that it is essentially invisible and/or essentially cannot be felt by a user.

28. A keyboard, especially for a vehicle, wherein it has an operating element according to claim 1.

29. The keyboard according to claim 28, wherein the keyboard is designed as a numerical keyboard.

30. The keyboard according to claim 28, wherein the keyboard is designed as an alphanumeric keyboard.

31. The operating element arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

32. The operating element arrangement according to claim 31, wherein the two operating elements are configured as a common operating element that cooperates for scrolling in a menu that can be displayed on a display device.

20. An operating element for a vehicle, for operation of the function of a vehicle, especially by pressing on operating element, wherein the operating element is arranged in a visible surface in the interior of the vehicle, and wherein a control is allocated to the operating element, by means of which the operating element can be raised either spatially from the visible surface or occluded with the visible surface as a function of an operating state of the vehicle, a module of the vehicle and/or a display device allocated to the vehicle, so that it is essentially invisible to a user and/or essentially cannot be felt.

21. The operating element according to claim 20, wherein a display device is allocated to the operating element to display the function of the operating element.

22. The operating element according to claim 20, wherein the operating element has a display device to display the function of operating element.

23. The operating element according to claim 22, wherein the display device is elastic.

24. The operating element according to claim 22, wherein the display device is arranged beneath the operating surface.

25. An operating element for a vehicle for operation of a function of the vehicle by pressing on the operating surface of the operating element, wherein the operating element comprises at least one elastic display device beneath the operating surface to display the function of the operating element.

26. The operating element according to claim 25, wherein the elastic display device is an elastic OLED.

27. The operating element according to claim 25, wherein the elastic display device is arranged in the cover layer.

33. A navigation system, especially for a vehicle, comprising:

at least a first operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode, and/or

at least a keyboard comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode; and

/or

at least a third and fourth operating element each comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

34. A telephone, especially for a vehicle, comprising:

at least a first operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode, and/or

at least a keyboard comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode; and

/or

at least a third and fourth operating element each comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

35. An infotainment system, especially for a vehicle, comprising:

at least a first operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode, and/or

at least a keyboard comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode; and

/or

at least a third and fourth operating element each comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

36. An air conditioner, especially for a vehicle, comprising:

at least a first operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode, and/or

at least a keyboard comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode; and

/or

at least a third and fourth operating element each comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

37. A steering wheel for a vehicle, comprising:

at least a first operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode, and/or

at least a keyboard comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode; and

/or

at least a third and fourth operating element each comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.

38. A vehicle, comprising:

navigation system, and/or

a telephone system, and/or

an infotainment system, and/or

an air conditioner system, and/or

a steering wheel, wherein each system and/or the steering wheel comprises;

at least a first operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode, and/or

at least a keyboard comprising at least a second operating element comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode; and

/or

at least a third and fourth operating element each comprising a front electrode and a rear electrode, as well as a layer comprising a dielectric elastomer arranged between the front electrode and the rear electrode.