Control unit for vehicle climate control

• US 5,747,759 A
• Filed: 10/25/1996
• Issued: 05/05/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Original Assignee: BEHR GmbH & Company KG (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Lochmahr, Karl, Rauland, Werner
• Primary Examiner(s): Hecker, Stuart N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): JARDIEU, DEREK
• Application Number:
  US08/736,693
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10 R, 200/6 A, 200/61.54, 200/5 R, 200/6 R, 200/6 C, 200/50 C, 200/308, 340/407.1, 434/112, 434/113, 116/205, 116/DIG. 17, D12/192
• US Class Current: 200/5.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00985 Control systems or circuits characterised by display or indicating devices, e.g. voice simulators characterised by the input of sound using a voice synthesizer B60H1/00757; B60H1/00978 takes precedence
• 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: H01H 2009/189 with a tactile symbol or indication, e.g. for blind people
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/17 Tactile

Abstract

A control unit for controlling devices or assemblies comprises a plurality of control elements located on a control surface. These control elements are provided with correspondingly assigned symbols for visually displaying the function of the respective control element and can be adjusted into at least two positions. In order to make reliable control easier, even under unfavorable light conditions, the control elements or an area directly adjoining them are provided with means for distinguishing the respective control element haptically. The control unit is suitable in particular for controlling a heating and/or air conditioning system in a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A control unit suitable for controlling a motor vehicle heating and/or air conditioning system, comprising:

a plurality of control elements located on a control surface and having symbols, respectively assigned to the control elements, for visually displaying the operation of each of the control elements; and

an orientation strip arranged on the control surface and adjoining the control elements, the orientation strip comprising identification zones assigned to respective control elements and having respective, differently characterized, haptically coded surfaces.

2. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orientation strip extends underneath the respective control elements.

3. A control unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the orientation strip extends along the lower edge of the control surface.

4. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a delimitation structure provided between respective identification zones on said orientation strip.

5. A control unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the delimitation structures comprise webs which are slightly elevated and run essentially transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the orientation strip.

6. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the haptic coding comprises a characteristic structure selected from roughness, a pattern or a direction of a pattern.

7. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the haptic coding comprises a significantly different temperature on the surfaces of at least one of the adjacent control elements.

8. A control unit as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a Peltier element provided on the surface in order to generate different temperatures.

9. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a display, in which the function assigned to one or more of the control elements being set is displayed.

10. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a haptically coded surface on at least one of the control elements.

11. A control unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least some of the control elements are constructed as push-button keys with a characteristic front surface.

12. A control unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein two adjacent push-button keys are assigned to the same function with adjustment in opposite directions.

13. A control unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the front surface of one of said adjacent push-button keys is provided with a concave depression and the front surface of the other adjacent push-button key is provided with a convex bulge.

14. A control unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adjacent push-button keys serve as desired-value actuators for adjusting a temperature of the motor vehicle heating and/or air conditioning system, and a digital temperature display being assigned to the adjacent push-button keys.

15. A control unit as claimed in claim 14, wherein two arrays of push-button keys and the digital temperature display are provided for adjusting the temperature, one array serving to adjust the heating and/or air conditioning system for the driver'"'"'s side, and the other array serving to adjust the heating and/or air conditioning system for the front seat passenger'"'"'s side.

16. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control surface is divided into two control areas, each control area forming essentially one plane and the two planes being arranged at an angle (α

) with respect to one another.

17. A control unit as claimed in claim 16, wherein a contact line between the two planes runs essentially vertically and the angle (α

) between the front sides of the planes is approximately 185°

to 200°

.

18. A control unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the orientation strip has at least one wedge-shaped cross-section parallel and/or perpendicular to its longitudinal extent.

19. A control unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orientation strip and the control surface form between them an angle (β

) of approximately 100°

to 140°

.

20. A control unit as claimed in claim 11, wherein push-button keys for a rear window heater, a defroster function or a fresh air/circulating air function are provided.