Operating apparatus comprising rocker element for operating at least one electrical appliance, motor vehicle component comprising an operating apparatus, motor vehicle and method for operating an operating apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11066091-B2
Application number	US-201716466801-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 17, 2017
Priority date	Dec 5, 2016
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An operating apparatus for operating at least one electrical appliance in a motor vehicle may include an operating element, a rocker that may actuate a switching element using a rocker movement initiated by an actuation of the operating element, at least one connector between the operating element and the rocker, the at least one connector being a vertical pin connector, and a circuit board which may include a first side and a second side. The first side may include a switching element that switches when the operating element is actuated. The circuit board may be arranged between the operating element and the switching element so that the first side faces away from the operating element and the second side, lying opposite the first side, faces the operating element.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An operating apparatus for operating at least one electrical appliance in a motor vehicle, the operating apparatus comprising:
an operating element;
a circuit board comprising a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a switching element,
wherein the switching element is switched when the operating element is actuated, and
wherein the circuit board is arranged between the operating element and the switching element such that the first side faces away from the operating element and the second side, lying opposite the first side, faces the operating element;

a rocker that actuates the switching element using a rocker movement initiated by an actuation of the operating element, the rocker comprising a first rocker part and a second rocker part which are hinged together,
wherein the rocker is coupled to the switching element by a rocker joint,
wherein the operating apparatus further comprises a first pin connector that contacts the first rocker part and a second pin connector that contacts the second rocker part,
wherein the first pin connector and the second pin connector extend between the operating element and the rocker, and
wherein the switching element is switched by a folding motion of the first rocker part and the second rocker part.

2. The operating apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first pin connector and the second pin connector extend on both sides of the circuit board through a feedthrough in the circuit board.

3. The operating apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one capacitive sensor that detects a point of contact by an operator on an operating surface of the operating element.

4. The operating apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the operating surface of the operating element is seamless.

5. The operating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the operating element further comprises:
at least one pictogram which describes a function of the at least one electrical appliance, the at least one pictogram being at least partly transparent, and
a lighting element that is arranged on the second side of the circuit board to illuminate the at least one pictogram.

6. The operating apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein a plurality of electrical appliances are operated by the operating apparatus,
wherein the operating element displays the plurality of electrical appliances as a plurality of pictograms that are spatially separated from one another,
wherein the operating apparatus further operates a respective electrical appliance based on a signal of a capacitive sensor, said signal being produced by a spatial actuation of one pictogram out of the plurality of pictograms by a finger of an operator, and
wherein the plurality of pictograms are at least partly transparent and a respective lighting element is arranged to illuminate a respective pictogram on the second side of the circuit board and the respective lighting element differs in terms of its colour and illumination type.

7. The operating apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the switching element is a microswitch, a switching mat, or a snap-action panel for producing haptic feedback, and
wherein the operating element is a pushbutton or a roller.

8. A motor vehicle component comprising the operating apparatus according to claim 1 .

9. A vehicle comprising the motor vehicle component according to claim 8 .

10. A method for operating an operating apparatus for at least one electrical appliance in a motor vehicle, the method comprising:
actuating an operating element of the operating apparatus;
actuating a switching element on a first side of a circuit board of the operating apparatus,
wherein the circuit board is arranged between the operating element and the switching element such that the first side faces away from the operating element and a second side, lying opposite the first side, faces the operating element; actuating a rocker when the operating element is actuated; and
switching the switching element by a rocker movement of the rocker,
wherein the rocker has a first rocker part and a second rocker part which are hinged together,
wherein the rocker is coupled to the switching element by a rocker joint,
wherein the operating apparatus further comprises a first pin connector that contacts the first rocker part and a second pin connector that contacts the second rocker part,
wherein the first pin connector and the second pin connector extend between the operating element and the rocker, and
wherein the switching element is switched by a folding motion of the first rocker part and the second rocker part.

11. An operating apparatus for operating at least one electrical appliance in a motor vehicle, the operating apparatus comprising:
an operating element;
a circuit board comprising a first side and a second side, the first side comprising a switching element,
wherein the switching element is switched when the operating element is actuated, and
wherein the circuit board is arranged between the operating element and the switching element such that the first side faces away from the operating element and the second side, lying opposite the first side, faces the operating element;
a rocker that actuates the switching element using a rocker movement initiated by an actuation of the operating element, and
at least one connector between the operating element and the rocker, the at least one connector being a pin connector which extends perpendicular to the rocker prior to the actuation of the operating element,
wherein the rocker is a single integral plate, coupled to the at least one connector at a first end of the rocker, and coupled to the switching element at a second end of the rocker, and
wherein the rocker actuates the switching element using the rocker movement initiated by the actuation of the operating element, and
wherein the rocker pivots about a rocker bearing lying between the first end and the second end of the rocker such that the switching element is actuated based on a pivoting movement of the rocker at the second end of the rocker.

Assignees

• Valeo Schalter & Sensoren Gmbh

Inventors

• Intini Onofrio
• Vajda Norbert
• Gelencser Jozsef

Classifications

• H01H23/025

  Light-emitting indicators · CPC title

• G05G1/02 Primary

  Controlling members for hand actuation by linear movement, e.g. push buttons · CPC title

• H01H3/0213

  Combined operation of electric switch and variable impedance, e.g. resistor, capacitor (H01H9/061 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H01H23/006

  adapted for connection with printed circuit boards · CPC title

• B62D1/046 Primary

  Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches · CPC title