Interior panel including capacitive change detection for an interior of a vehicle and a method for making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11667175-B2
Application number	US-201916568051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2019
Priority date	Sep 11, 2019
Publication date	Jun 6, 2023
Grant date	Jun 6, 2023

Abstract

Interior panels for interiors of vehicles, vehicles, and methods for making interior panels for interiors of vehicles are provided. In one example, the interior panel includes an outer covering having a first surface. A second surface is disposed opposite the first surface. The second surface has a pattern formed therein that is hidden from the first surface. A light source is operative to generate light and is disposed adjacent to the second surface generally aligned with the pattern. When the light source generates light, an illuminated pattern corresponding to the pattern is visible on the first surface. A capacitive sensor is configured to generate a capacitance change signal in response to change in capacitance of the capacitive sensor. A controller is in communication with the capacitive sensor to receive the capacitance change signal and is configured to generate a command signal in response to the capacitance change signal.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An interior panel for an interior of a vehicle, the interior panel comprising:
an outer covering having a first surface that is configured to be exposed to the interior of the vehicle and a second surface that is disposed opposite the first surface, wherein the second surface has a first pattern formed therein that is hidden from the first surface;
a first light source that is configured to generate light and that is disposed adjacent to the second surface aligned with the first pattern, wherein when the first light source generates light, a first illuminated pattern corresponding to the first pattern formed in the second surface is visible on a first area of the first surface;
a first capacitive sensor that is disposed proximate to the second surface and that is configured to generate a first capacitance change signal in response to a change in capacitance of the first capacitive sensor when an object is proximate to the first area of the first surface; and
a controller in communication with the first capacitive sensor to receive the first capacitance change signal and configured to generate a first command signal in response to the first capacitance change signal,
wherein the first area is aligned with the first pattern, wherein the first capacitive sensor is aligned with the first pattern, and wherein the controller is in communication with the first light source and is configured to direct the first light source to generate light in response to the first capacitance change signal,
wherein the interior panel includes a board assembly that is disposed adjacent to the second surface and that includes a capacitive touch board, and wherein the capacitive touch board includes the first capacitive sensor, and
wherein the capacitive touch board includes a first refining pattern formed therethrough that is aligned with the first pattern, and wherein the first capacitive sensor is at least partially surrounded by the first refining pattern.

2. The interior panel of claim 1 , wherein the first pattern includes a first pattern inner portion and a first pattern outer portion that surrounds at least a portion of the first pattern inner portion, wherein the first light source includes a first light source inner portion that is aligned with the first pattern inner portion and a first light source outer portion that surrounds at least a portion of the first light source inner portion and that is aligned with the first pattern outer portion, and wherein the first refining pattern includes a first refining pattern inner portion that is aligned with the first pattern inner portion and a first refining pattern outer portion that surrounds at least a portion of the first refining pattern inner portion and that is aligned with the first pattern outer portion.

3. The interior panel of claim 2 , wherein the first light source inner portion and the first light source outer portion are configured to independently generate light, wherein the first illuminated pattern includes a first illuminated pattern inner portion that corresponds to the first pattern inner portion and a first illuminated pattern outer portion that corresponds to the first pattern outer portion, wherein when the first light source inner portion generates light, the first refining pattern inner portion allows a first portion of light to pass therethrough while obstructing a second portion of light to produce the first illuminated pattern inner portion on the first surface, and wherein when the first light source outer portion generates light, the first refining pattern outer portion allows a third portion of light to pass therethrough while obstructing a fourth portion of light to produce the first illuminated pattern outer portion on the first surface.

4. The interior panel of claim 3 , wherein the capacitive touch board includes a second capacitive sensor that surrounds at least a portion the first refining pattern, wherein the first surface has a second area that is adjacent to the first area and the second capacitive sensor is aligned with the second area of the first surface, wherein the second capacitive sensor is configured to generate a second capacitance change signal in response to change in capacitance of the second capacitive sensor when the object is proximate to the second area of the first surface, wherein the controller is in communication with the second capacitive sensor to receive the second capacitance change signal, and wherein the controller is configured to direct the first light source inner portion to generate light for a first duration of time in response to the second capacitance change signal to produce the first illuminated pattern inner portion on the first surface for the first duration of time.

5. The interior panel of claim 4 , wherein the second capacitive sensor is configured to generate the second capacitance change signal when the object is moving proximate to the second area of the first surface.

6. The interior panel of claim 5 , wherein when the first capacitive sensor generates the first capacitance change signal during the first duration of time, the controller is configured to direct the first light source inner portion and the first light source outer portion to generate light for a second duration of time in response to the first capacitance change signal to produce the first illuminated pattern inner portion and the first illuminated pattern outer portion on the first surface for the second duration of time.

7. The interior panel of claim 6 , wherein the second surface has a second pattern formed therein that is disposed adjacent to the first pattern and that is hidden from the first surface, and wherein the interior panel further includes:
a second light source that is configured to generate light and that is disposed adjacent to the second surface aligned with the second pattern, wherein when the second light source generates light, a second illuminated pattern corresponding to the second pattern formed in the second surface is visible on a second area of the first surface, wherein the second area of the first surface is aligned with the second pattern; and
a third capacitive sensor disposed on the capacitive touch board adjacent to the first capacitive sensor aligned with the second pattern, wherein the third capacitive sensor is configured to generate a third capacitance change signal in response to change in capacitance of the third capacitive sensor when the object is proximate to the third area of the first surface, and wherein the controller is in communication with the second light source and is configured to direct the second light source to generate light in response to the third capacitance change signal.

8. The interior panel of claim 7 , wherein the capacitive touch board includes a second refining pattern formed therethrough that is aligned with the second pattern, and wherein the third capacitive sensor is at least partially surrounded by the second refining pattern.

9. The interior panel of claim 8 , wherein the second pattern includes a second pattern inner portion and a second pattern outer portion that surrounds at least a portion of the second pattern inner portion, wherein the second light source includes a second light source inner portion that is aligned with the second pattern inner portion and a second light source outer portion that surrounds at least a portion of the second light source outer portion and that is aligned with the second pattern outer portion, and wherein the second refining pattern includes a second refining pattern inner portion that is aligned with the second pattern inner portion and a second refining pattern outer portion that surrounds at least a portion of the second refining pattern inne

Assignees

• Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Bullock John
• Thornton Sean
• Marchetti John
• Tatum Josh
• Spencer Stephen

Classifications

• H01H2219/06

  Reflector · CPC title

• H03K17/955

  using a capacitive detector · CPC title

• H03K17/962

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title

• H01H9/182

  Illumination of the symbols or distinguishing marks (H01H9/181 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H03K17/9622 Primary

  using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard · CPC title