Touch control switches for vehicles

• US 6,013,956 A
• Filed: 02/23/1998
• Issued: 01/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rebo Lighting & Electronics, LLC
• Original Assignee: Cooper Wiring Devices Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Anderson, James Burr Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US09/027,809
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/10.8, 307/116, 200/5 A, 200/512, 200/513, 200/517, 200/313, 200/314, 200/341, 200/302.1, 200/302.2, 340/458, 340/459, 340/461, 315/77, 315/82, 315/84, 362/464, 362/471, 362/479, 362/482, 362/487-490, 361/179, 701/1, 701/29, 701/36, 701/49, 345/173
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/1461 Multifunction switches for dimming headlights and controlling additional devices, e.g. for controlling direction indicating lights
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens

Abstract

A touch panel for controlling a vehicle function includes a panel installed in a vehicle and a thin film switch disposed on the surface of the panel. The thin film switch is configured to control a vehicle function. The touch panel also may have a thin film range switch disposed on the surface of the panel. The range switch is configured to vary a setting of the vehicle function.

Claims

1. A dome lamp for a vehicle, comprising:

a base configured to mount on the ceiling of the vehicle and configured to accept a light source,

a cover disposed over the base, and

a thin film switch disposed across a portion of the cover.

2. The dome lamp of claim 1, wherein the thin film switch comprises:

an ON button configured to activate the light source,

an OFF button configured to deactivate the light source, and

a DOOR button configured to activate the light source when a door of the vehicle is opened.

3. The dome lamp of claim 2, wherein the buttons of the thin film switch are backlit by LEDs.

4. The dome lamp of claim 2, wherein the thin film switch further comprises a button for activating a map light.

5. The dome lamp of claim 1, further comprising a thin film dimmer switch disposed across the cover, the dimmer switch being configured to vary an intensity setting of the light source.

6. The dome lamp of claim 5, further comprising an LED bar graph configured to illuminate in response to the intensity setting of the light source.

7. The dome lamp of claim 6, wherein the LED bar graph is positioned beneath the dimmer switch and configured to back light the dimmer switch in response to the intensity setting of the light source.

8. The dome lamp of claim 1, further comprising:

a dome light,

a map light,

a thin film dimmer switch disposed across the cover, the dimmer switch being configured to vary an intensity setting of the map light, and

an LED bar graph configured to illuminate in response to the intensity setting of the map light.

9. A touch panel for controlling a vehicle function, comprising:

a panel installed in a vehicle;

a thin film switch disposed on the surface of the panel, the thin film switch configured to control a vehicle function; and

a thin film range switch disposed on the surface of the panel, the range switch configured to vary a setting of the vehicle function between more than two settings.

10. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, further comprising an LED bar graph positioned adjacent to the range switch, the bar graph configured to illuminate in response to the setting of the vehicle function.

11. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, further comprising an LED bar graph positioned beneath the range switch, the bar graph configured to back light the range switch in response to the setting of the vehicle function.

12. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, further comprising:

a second thin film switch disposed on the surface of the panel, the second thin film switch configured to control a second vehicle function, and

a SELECT button configured to select a vehicle function and to allow a setting of the selected vehicle function to be varied.

13. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, wherein the vehicle function is an interior light.

14. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, wherein the vehicle function is an exterior light.

15. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, wherein the vehicle function is a stereo control.

16. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 15, wherein the stereo control is a volume control.

17. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 15, wherein the stereo control is a tuner frequency control.

18. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 9, wherein the vehicle function is an environmental control.

19. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 18, wherein the environmental control is a ventilation system temperature control.

20. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 18, wherein the environmental control is a fan speed control.

21. A touch panel for controlling a vehicle function, comprising:

a panel installed in a vehicle, and

a thin film range switch disposed on the surface of the panel and configured to vary a setting of the vehicle function between more than two settings.

22. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 21, further comprising:

a thin film switch configured to activate the vehicle function, and

a thin film switch configured to deactivate the vehicle function.

23. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 21, further comprising an LED bar graph configured to illuminate in response to the setting of the vehicle function.

24. The touch panel for controlling a vehicle function of claim 23, wherein the LED bar graph is positioned beneath the range switch to back light the range switch in response to the setting of the vehicle function.

25. A touch panel for controlling a vehicle function, comprising:

a panel installed in a vehicle, and

a thin film switch disposed on the surface of the panel and configured to vary a setting of the vehicle function,

wherein the thin film switch is divided into a portion configured to increase the setting and a portion configured to decrease the setting.