Input device for a vehicle

• US 20070057928A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Finn, Brian, Prados, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/531,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20070057928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/143 Touch sensitive input devices
• 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: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03548 Sliders, in which the moving part moves in a plane
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

An input device, especially for a vehicle, has a housing, a display arranged in the housing for optical display of information, a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen and an actuator to move the touchscreen and housing in at least one direction, and in which the housing is movable relative to the display.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a housing;

a display arranged in the housing for optical display of information, in which the housing is movable relative to the display;

a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen; and

an actuator to move the touchscreen and housing in at least one direction.

2. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the touchscreen is fastened to the housing.

3. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the touchscreen is fastened outside of the housing.

4. An input device according to claim 3, wherein the housing includes a transparent region.

5. An input device according to claim 3, wherein the housing is transparent in the region of the touchscreen.

6. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the touchscreen is part of the housing.

7. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the touchscreen or the housing can be moved by the actuator relative to the display.

8. An input device according to claim 7, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable relative to the display only along a straight line.

9. An input device according to claim 8, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

10. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable relative to the display only along a straight line.

11. An input device according to claim 10, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

12. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable relative to the display only with one degree of freedom.

13. An input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connection element for shape-mated connection of the housing to the display, so that the housing can be moved relative to the display only along a straight line.

14. An input device according to claim 13, wherein the connection element includes a rod or a guide element.

15. An input device according to claim 14, wherein the housing and the display are movable along the rod relative to each other, parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

16. An input device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has at least one opening covered by a flexible sleeve.

17. An input device according to claim 16, wherein the display has a fastening element guided through the opening for fastening of the display.

18. An input device comprising:

a housing;

a display arranged in the housing for optical display of information, in which the display can be moved only along a straight line in the housing; and

a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen.

19. An input device according to claim 18 further comprising:

a connection element for shape-mated connection of the housing to the display, so that the housing can be moved relative to the display only along a straight line.

20. An input device according to claim 19, wherein the connection element includes a rod or a guide element 21.

21. An input device according to claim 20, wherein the housing and display are movable along the rod relative to each other, parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

22. An input device according to claim 18, wherein the touchscreen is fastened to the housing or is part of the housing.

23. An input device according to claim 18, wherein the touchscreen is fastened outside of the housing.

24. An input device according to claim 18, wherein the housing includes a transparent region.

25. An input device according to claim 23, wherein the housing is transparent in the region of the touchscreen.

26. An input device according to claim 18, wherein the housing has at least one opening covered by a flexible sleeve.

27. An input device according to claim 26, wherein the display has a fastening element guided through the opening for fastening of the display.

28. An input device comprising:

a housing;

a display arranged in the housing for optical display of information;

a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of the commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen;

at least two guide elements arranged parallel to each other; and

at least two sliding elements for sliding along a guide element.

29. A vehicle comprising:

a steering wheel;

a dashboard;

a housing, a display arranged in the housing for optical display of information, in which the housing is movable relative to the display, and in which the display is fastened relative to the steering wheel or relative to the dashboard;

a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen; and

an actuator to move the touchscreen of the housing in at least one direction.

30. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the actuator is connected to the steering wheel or the dashboard.

31. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the touchscreen is fastened to the housing.

32. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the touchscreen is fastened outside of the housing.

33. A vehicle according to claim 32, wherein the housing includes a transparent region.

34. A vehicle according to claim 33, wherein the housing is transparent in the region of the touchscreen.

35. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the touchscreen is part of the housing.

36. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable by means of an actuator relative to the display.

37. A vehicle according to claim 36, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable relative to the display only along a straight line.

38. A vehicle according to claim 37, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

39. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable relative to the display only along a straight line.

40. A vehicle according to claim 39, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

41. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the touchscreen or the housing is movable relative to the display only with one degree of freedom.

42. A vehicle according to claim 29, further comprising:

a connection element for shape-mated connection of the housing to the display, so that the housing can be moved relative to the display only along a straight line.

43. A vehicle according to claim 42, wherein the connection element includes a rod or guide element.

44. A vehicle according to claim 43, wherein the housing and the display are movable along the rod relative to each other, parallel to an operating surface of the touchscreen.

45. A vehicle according to claim 29, wherein the housing has at least one opening covered by a flexible sleeve.

46. A vehicle according to claim 45, wherein the display has a fastening element guided through the opening for fastening of the display to a steering wheel or the dashboard.

47. An input device comprising:

a display for optical display of information;

a transparent touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen;

a flexible element arranged between the display and the touchscreen to prevent penetration of particles between the display and the touchscreen, in which the flexible element has a rigidity adjusted to a weight of the touchscreen, so that the touchscreen, in conjunction with the flexible element, has a mechanical natural frequency between 5 Hz and 150 Hz; and

an actuator to move the touchscreen relative to the display in at least one direction.

48. An input device according to claim 47, wherein the flexible element is arranged on the edge of the touchscreen, so that it does not cover the display surface of the display.

49. An input device according to claim 47, wherein the flexible element is configured as a continuous seal or part of a continuous seal to seal a gap between the touchscreen and the display.

50. An input device comprising:

a display for optical display of information;

a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen;

a flexible foam element arranged between the display and the touchscreen to prevent penetration of particles between the display and the touchscreen; and

an actuator to move the touchscreen relative to the display in at least one direction.

51. An input device according to claim 50, wherein the flexible element is arranged on the edge of the touchscreen, so that it essentially does not cover a display surface of the display.

52. An input device according to claim 50, wherein the flexible foamed element has a rigidity adjusted to the weight of the touchscreen, so that the touchscreen, in connection with the flexible element, has a mechanical natural frequency between 5 Hz and 150 Hz.

53. An input device according to claim 50, wherein the flexible element includes polyurethane.

54. An input device according to claim 50, wherein the flexible element essentially consists of polyurethane.

55. An input device according to claim 50, wherein the flexible element is configured as a continuous seal or part of a continuous seal to seal a gap between the touchscreen and the display.

56. An input device comprising:

a display for optical display of information;

a touchscreen arranged above the display for input of commands by touching an operating surface of the touchscreen;

a flexible element arranged between the display and the touchscreen with at least one pair of intersecting grooves; and

an actuator to move the touchscreen relative to the display in at least one direction.

57. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the grooves are sloped relative to the operating surface of the touchscreen between about 30°

and about 60°

.

58. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the grooves are sloped relative to the operating surface of the touchscreen by about 45°

.

59. An input device according to claim 56, wherein at least two grooves have a common intersection site, configured as a spherically bulged dome.

60. An input device according to claim 56, wherein a transition between a groove and a flat region has a radius of curvature that is three to five times the thickness of a material, from which the groove is formed.

61. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible element is configured to prevent penetration of particles between the display and the touchscreen.

62. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible element has a rigidity that is adjusted to the weight of the touchscreen, so that the touchscreen, in connection with the flexible element, has a mechanical natural frequency between 5 Hz and 150 Hz.

63. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible element is arranged on the edge of the touchscreen, so that it essentially does not cover the display surface of the display.

64. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible element is configured as a continuous seal or as part of a continuous seal to seal a gap between the touchscreen and the display.

65. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible element includes an elastomer.

66. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible elements consists essentially of an elastomer.

67. An input device according to claim 56, wherein the flexible element includes a folded or protruding region, perpendicular to the movement direction.