Switch with capacitive control member and pictogram

• US 6,621,029 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faurecia Industries (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Faurecia Industries (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Galmiche, Etienne, Bocquet, Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Scott, J. R.
• Application Number:
  US10/056,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20020112942A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 200/511, 200/600, 341/33, 235/451, 178/18.06
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

A control member of the capacitive type for controlling at least one functional member in particular of a motor vehicle, the control member including a rigid support structure, at least one capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell located on or close to one of the faces of the support structure, and at least one control operating zone located on or close to the other face of the support structure in registration with the capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell, wherein the control operating zone includes an elastically deformable part.

Claims

1. A switch, comprising:

a translucent circuit board;

a touch-sensitive cell mounted on an upper surface of said translucent circuit board and having connections for operating a functional member;

a light source mounted on a lower surface of said translucent circuit board in vertical registration with said touch-sensitive cell;

a translucent intermediate piece positioned over said translucent circuit board and said touch-sensitive cell, the intermediate piece in a rest state being contact free with said touch-sensitive cell and in a user-depressed state being in contact with said touch-sensitive cell to cause said touch-sensitive cell to operate the functional member;

a support structure located above said intermediate piece and having an opening in vertical registration with said touch-sensitive cell; and

a projecting portion located on an upper side of said intermediate piece extending above a local upper surface of said support structure through said opening.

2. The switch of claim 1, wherein,

said touch-sensitive cell is a touch-sensitive capacitive cell,

said intermediate portion is a plastic elastically deformable layer, and

user depression of said intermediate portion via said projecting portion provides a tactile sensation of pressing a button.

3. The switch of claim 1, wherein said support structure further comprises an indented portion surrounding said opening.

5. The control member of claim 3, wherein,

said elastically deformable element is spaced apart from the detection cell;

and

said detection cell is structured to control a functional member.

4. A capacitive control member for controlling a functional member, comprising:

a rigid support structure having a first face and an opposing second face;

at least one capacitive touch-sensitive detection cell facing the first face of said support structure; and

at least one control operating zone located over the second face of said support structure and in registration with said detection cell,

the control operating zone comprising an elastically deformable element operable via an operator depression to activate said detection cell.

6. The control member of claim 4, wherein,

said detection cell has a touch detection volume,

said elastically deformable element has a rest position and a deformed position,

a finger of the operator in contact with the elastically deformable element in the rest position lies outside the touch detection volume, and

the finger of the operator in contact with the elastically deformable element in the deformed position lies within the touch detection volume.

7. The control member of claim 4, wherein,

the elastically deformable element comprises a projecting portion of an intermediate piece made of an elastically deformable material and located intermediate said support structure and said detection cell.

8. The control member of claim 7, further comprising:

a printed circuit board carried by said support structure; and

a light source fixed on said printed circuit board,

wherein said detection cell is fixed on said printed circuit board.

9. The control member of claim 7, further comprising:

a printed circuit board carried on said intermediate piece; and

a light source fixed on said printed circuit board,

wherein said detection cell is fixed on said printed circuit board.

10. The control member of claim 4, further comprising a mask with a pictogram indicating a function controlled by said control member.

11. The control member of claim 4, wherein said control operating zone comprises a portion in relief with respect to a surrounding part of said support structure.

12. The control member of claim 8, wherein,

said intermediate piece is translucent;

said printed circuit board is translucent; and

said light source is fixed beneath said printed circuit board.

13. A motor vehicle equipment, comprising:

a functional member; and

a control member operatively connected to said functional member for controlling a function of said functional member,

said control member for controlling said functional member comprising

a rigid support structure having a first face and an opposing second face;

at least one capacitive touch-sensitive detector facing the first face of said support structure; and

at least one control operating zone located over the second face of said support structure and in registration with said detector,

the control operating zone comprising an elastically deformable element operable via an operator depression to activate said detector.

14. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 13, further comprising:

a flexible and translucent covering skin placed on said support structure;

a light source; and

an opening within said support structure,

said touch-sensitive detector and said light source being located beneath said opening.

15. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 14, further comprising:

a translucent printed circuit board,

said circuit board carrying said touch-sensitive detector, and

said light source being carried by said circuit board beneath said circuit board.

16. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 14, further comprising:

a mask representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by said control member,

the mask being carried by said covering skin.

17. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 15, further comprising:

a mask representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by said control member,

the mask being carried by said printed circuit.

18. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 14, wherein said opening is of a shape representing a pictogram associated with the function controlled by said control member.

19. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 14, wherein said opening is formed in a portion of said support structure in relief with respect to a surrounding part of said support structure.

20. The motor vehicle equipment of claim 14, further comprising:

an electronic analyzer connecting said touch-sensitive detector and said functional member,

such electronic analyzer operatively connected to said light source for controlling a power of said light source.