Device for triggering functions in a vehicle

• US 8,416,092 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2008
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Huf Hulsbeck & Furst GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Witte, Martin, Mueller, Dirk, Peschl, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/452,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20100134307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,824 Days
• Field of Search: 340/665, 340/426.28, 340/5.62, 340/5.72, 292/336.3
• US Class Current: 340/665
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/78 as part of a hands-free locking or unlocking operation
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 85/16 a longitudinal grip part being pivoted at one end about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the grip part
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/955 using a capacitive detector
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/9651 the moving element acting on a force, e.g. pressure sensitive element
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/57 Operators with knobs or handles

Abstract

Two sensors (20, 30) which cooperate with one another are used in the interior of an activator (10) in order to trigger functions in a vehicle, said sensors (20, 30) being a proximity sensor (20) with a capacitive electrode (21) and a pressure sensor (30) with a pressure measuring element (31). The intention is that the pressure measuring element (31) will be acted on when pressure is applied manually (44) to an application point (43) on the outside of the actuator (10). It is proposed that in order to improve the method of functioning that the electrode (21) of the proximity sensor (20) be provided with a breakthrough (22) and that the pressure transmission between the application point (43) on the actuator (10) and the pressure measuring element (31) be lead through the breakthrough (22) in the electrode (21). The space between the application point (43) and the pressure measuring element (31) is spanned by a pressure transmitting means (50) which passes through the breakthrough (22). The functioning of the proximity sensor (20) is not hampered just as the functioning of the pressure measuring element (31) is unimpeded.

Claims

1. Device for triggering of functions in a vehicle, in particular for triggering of a mono directional or bidirectional communication between an authorized person and a vehicle,

wherein the desired function is effected in the vehicle, and in particular, a lock is unbolted and/or bolted in the vehicle in case of a successful communication,

with an actuator (10) at the vehicle, wherein the actuator (10) exhibits at least two sensors (20, 30) cooperating with each other in its interior, namely on the one hand a proximity sensor (20) responding upon approach by a person and with a capacitive electrode (21) in the interior of the actuator (10), wherein the capacitive electrode (21) builds up an electrical field in the outer space (42) of the actuator (10),

and on the other hand a pressure sensor (30) responding to a pressure exertion,

wherein the pressure measurement member (31) of the pressure sensor is also disposed in the interior of the actuator (10),

and with a point of attack (43) at the outer side of the actuator (10) serving for manual exertion of pressure (44),

characterized in that

the electrode (21) of the proximity sensor (20) exhibits a breakthrough (22),

wherein the breakthrough (22) is disposed between the point of attack (43) at the actuator (10) and the pressure measurement member (31) of the pressure sensor (30),

and wherein a pressure transfer agent (50) further conducts (45) a pressure exertion (44) from the point of attack (43) through the breakthrough (22) in the electrode (21) wide area up to the pressure measurement member (31).

2. Device according to claim 1, the wherein the pressure measurement member (31) is disposed in a plane located below the breakthrough (22) with reference to the point of attack (43) at the actuator (10) and wherein the pressure exertion (44) is further led (45) through the breakthrough (22) up to the pressure measurement member (31) disposed remotes to the breakthrough (22) by way of a pressure transfer agent (50).

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure measurement member (31) is disposed in the plane (60) of the breakthrough (58) furnished in the electrode (57) for in a plane (59) in front of the breakthrough (58) and receives a pressure actuation through the pressure transfer agent (50).

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure transfer agent comprises a tappet (46).

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the tappet (46) is seated in the region of the point of attack (43) at the inner wall (47) of the actuator (10), and wherein the tappet (46) is directed toward the pressure measurement member (31) through the breakthrough (22).

6. Device according to claim 4, wherein the tappet is formed as a conical element (52), which conical element (52) is turned to the point of attack at the actuator (10) with its wide area base and wherein the conical element (52) with its conical narrowing (55) points to the pressure measurement member (31).

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure transfer agent is a medium (50) which fills the space (24) between the point of attack (43), the breakthrough (22) in the electrode (21) and the pressure measurement member (31).

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein a still further bodily transfer agent is also added to the medium (50).

9. Device according to claim 7, wherein the medium (50) is by itself elastically yielding.

10. Device according to claim 7, wherein the medium (50) serving for further conducting (45) of the pressure (44) is essentially incompressible in itself.

11. Device according to claim 7, wherein the medium consists of a casting mass (50).

12. Device according to claim 7, wherein the medium or the casting mass (50) essentially fills the complete receiver (11) in the interior of the actuator (10) and protects against penetrating environmental influences such as humidity.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein the interior of the actuator (10) has a receiver (11) for an insert (15), wherein the receiver (11) takes the transfer agent or is enveloped by the medium or by the casting mass (50),

and wherein the insert (15) carries at least the perforated (22) electrode (21) of the proximity sensor (20) and the pressure measurement member of (31) of the pressure sensor (30).

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the insert (15) accepts at least several electrical device components (41) for the operation of the proximity sensor (20), of the pressure sensor (30) and/or the communication means (41) and/or contains a circuit board (40) for the contacting of these device components (41) and/or of these sensors (20, 30).

15. Device according to claim 13, wherein the insert (15) has a support wall (19), wherein the support wall (19) extends into the interior of the receiver (11) and wherein the two sensors (20, 30), the electrical device components (41) and/or the circuit board (40) are seated at the support wall (19).

16. Device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator (10) is a handle for a door of the vehicle and wherein the receiver in the handle consists of a blind pocket hole (11), wherein the opening (13) of the blind pocket hole (11) is turned toward the one end (12) of the handle

and wherein the equipped insert (15) is insertable into the interior of the handle (10) through the opening (13) of the blind pocket hole.

17. Device according to claim 16, wherein the insert (15) has a stopper (16) in the region of the opening (13) of the blind pocket hole (11) and wherein the stopper (16) at least partially closes the opening (13) of the blind pocket hole (11) in case of insertion and wherein the stopper (16) supports itself circumferentially at least point wise at the inner face (17) of the receiver (11).

18. Device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode (21) of the proximity sensor (20) as seen in cross-section comprises an essentially U-shaped angled sheet metal section with two U-legs (26, 27) and a U-middle web (25) connecting the two U-legs (26, 27),

and wherein the U-middle web (25) exhibits the breakthrough (22), while the leg ends of the U-webs (26, 27) support themselves at the support wall (19).

19. Device according to claim 18, wherein the pressure measurement member (31) is disposed in the U-interior region.

20. Device according to claim 18, wherein the U-middle web (25) of the electrode (21) is disposed with its breakthrough (22) at a distance (23) from the pressure measurement member (31).

21. Device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure measurement member (31) is formed by a preassembled device unit and wherein the preassembled device unit comprises a conductor foil (32), a piezo element (35) and a spacer (36) at a print plate (37),

and wherein the connectors of the conductor foil (32) and of the print plate (37) are connected with the further electrical device components (41) of the pressure sensor (30) through electrical contacts (38, 39).

22. Device according to claim 21, wherein the device unit of the pressure measurement member (31) is seated on a support plate (37)

and wherein the support plate (37) furnished with the sensor (30) and/or electrical device elements (41) is attached at the insert (15) and is contacted (38,39).

23. Device according to claim 21, wherein the conductor foil (32) of the pressure measurement member (31) is turned toward the point of attack (43) of the actuator (10).

24. Device according to claim 21, wherein the conductor foil (32) of the pressure measurement member (31) is a grid work (34) consisting of conductor rods (33) and wherein the grid work (34) contacts the piezo element (35).

25. Device according to claim 21, wherein the conductor foil (32) or the grid work (34) of the conductor foil (32) of the pressure measurement member (31) at the same time is the electrode of the proximity sensor (20) and thus has a double functioning, both as a component of the pressure measurement member (31) as well as also the proximity sensor (20).