HIDDEN SWITCH ASSEMBLY

• US 20190326908A1
• Filed: 04/23/2018
• Published: 10/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Salter, Stuart, Lee, Yun Shin, Surman, James J., Dellock, Paul Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 10,778,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/141 Activation of instrument input devices by approaching fingers or pens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/336 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/339 Translucent dashboard skins
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/345 Illumination of controls
• 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 35/21 using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays
• 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: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/20 Dashboard panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/43 General lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/54 Lighting devices embedded in interior trim, e.g. in roof liners
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/0243 Doors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96042 : with illumination
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96062 : with tactile or haptic feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960795 : using organic light emitting devices, e.g. light emitting polymer [OEP] or OLED

Abstract

A switch assembly comprising a housing configured to operably couple to a trim panel and defining a cavity, a feedback device operably coupled to the housing and positioned within the cavity, a printed circuit board operably coupled to the feedback device, a proximity sensor operably coupled to a connector and configured to actuate the feedback device, and a light source operably coupled the printed circuit board and configured to luminesce in response to actuation of the proximity sensor. The trim panel comprises a panel substrate operably coupled to a backup layer, an icon layer positioned within the cavity and operably coupled to the backup layer, an outline positioned about a periphery of the backup layer, and a translucent panel skin bonded to a foam layer positioned over the panel substrate, wherein the panel skin stretches over the panel substrate and the backup layer.

Claims

1. A switch assembly comprising:

a housing configured to couple to a trim panel and defining a cavity, the panel comprising;

a panel substrate coupled to a backup layer;

an icon layer positioned within the cavity and coupled to the backup layer;

an outline positioned about a periphery of the backup layer; and

a panel skin bonded to a foam layer positioned over the panel substrate, wherein

the panel skin stretches over the panel substrate and the backup layer;

a feedback device coupled to the housing and positioned within the cavity;

a printed circuit board coupled to the feedback device;

a proximity sensor coupled to a connector and configured to actuate the feedback device; and

a light source coupled to the printed circuit board and configured to luminesce in response to actuation of the proximity sensor.

2. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is positioned on a first opposing side of the printed circuit board, and further wherein the feedback device is positioned on a second opposing side of the printed circuit board.

3. The switch assembly of claim 1, wherein the light source is configured to change color in response to activation of the proximity sensor.

4. A switch assembly for a vehicle comprising:

a housing coupled to a panel, wherein the housing contains a feedback device coupled to a first side of a printed circuit board; and

a light source coupled to a second side of the printed circuit board, wherein the light source is configured to illuminate through an icon layer and a panel skin.

5. The switch assembly of claim 4, wherein the panel comprises:

a panel substrate coupled to a backup layer;

an outline bonded to the backup layer;

a foam layer positioned over the panel substrate and positioned flush with the outline; and

the panel skin coupled to the foam layer and positioned on top of the backup layer.

6. The switch assembly of claim 5, wherein the backup layer and the icon layer are translucent.

7. The switch assembly of claim 4, wherein the icon layer includes indicia configured to be illuminated by the light source.

8. The switch assembly of claim 7, wherein the indicia include a luminescent material configured to luminesce in response to illumination of the light source.

9. The switch assembly of claim 4, wherein the panel skin is configured to conceal the switch assembly when the light source is not illuminated.

10. A switch assembly comprising:

a housing;

a backup layer coupled to a panel substrate, wherein the backup layer and the housing define a cavity;

a feedback device positioned within the cavity;

a light source positioned within the cavity proximate an icon layer; and

a switch configured to actuate the feedback device and the light source.

11. The switch assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a panel skin, wherein the panel skin positioned over the panel substrate and the backup layer, and further wherein a foam layer is positioned between the panel skin and the panel substrate.

12. The switch assembly of claim 11, wherein the panel skin is configured to provide visual color to a user when the light source is illuminated.

13. The switch assembly of claim 11, wherein an outline is bonded to the backup layer and positioned proximate the foam layer.

14. The switch assembly of claim 13, wherein the outline is configured to have a first Durometer hardness proximate the backup layer, and further wherein the outline is configured to have a second Durometer hardness proximate the foam layer, the second Durometer hardness being less than the first Durometer hardness.

15. The switch assembly of claim 10, wherein the icon layer includes indicia configured to be made visible by illumination of the light source.

16. The switch assembly of claim 15, wherein the icon layer and indicia are color-corrected determined by the panel skin.

17. The switch assembly of claim 10, wherein the light source is configured to emit different colors in response to activation of the switch.

18. The switch assembly of claim 10, wherein the switch is a proximity switch.

19. The switch assembly of claim 10, wherein the feedback device is configured to produce vibrations when actuated.

20. The switch assembly of claim 10, wherein the housing is integrally formed with the panel substrate.