Interface assembly and method for manufacturing interface assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12004299-B1
Application number	US-202318104479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Feb 1, 2023
Priority date	Feb 1, 2023
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

An interface assembly includes a functional multilayer structure that includes a first substrate, a molded material layer on a first side of the first substrate, and a sensor arrangement including at least one sensor, wherein the sensor arrangement is arranged at least partly embedded into the molded material layer. The assembly further includes a movable member being movable relative to the functional multilayer structure, wherein the movable member includes at least one detection portion, and the sensor arrangement and the at least one detection portion are mutually arranged so that a position or a change of position of the movable member is detectable by the sensor arrangement based on a position or a change of position of the at least one detection portion relative to the sensor arrangement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An interface assembly, comprising
a functional multilayer structure comprising:
a first substrate,
a molded material layer on a first side of the first substrate, wherein the molded material layer defines a groove, a hole, or a through-hole, and
a sensor arrangement comprising at least one sensor, wherein the sensor arrangement is arranged at least partly embedded into the molded material layer; and

a movable member being movable relative to the functional multilayer structure and at least partly extending into the groove, the hole, or the through-hole, wherein the movable member comprises at least one detection portion; wherein
the sensor arrangement and the at least one detection portion are mutually arranged so that a position or a change of position of the movable member is detectable by the sensor arrangement based on a position or a change of position of the at least one detection portion relative to the sensor arrangement.

2. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the movable member and the functional multilayer structure are attached to each other in a movable manner.

3. The interface assembly of claim 2 , wherein the attachment in the movable manner includes a magnetic attachment arrangement comprising a first attachment portion on the functional multilayer structure and a second attachment portion on the movable member, wherein the magnetic attachment arrangement is arranged to exert an attractive magnetic force between the first attachment portion and the second attachment portion.

4. The interface assembly of claim 2 , wherein the attachment in the movable manner includes a mechanical attachment arrangement, the mechanical attachment arrangement arranged to prevent or at least hinder detachment of the movable member with respect to the functional multilayer structure.

5. The interface assembly of claim 2 , wherein the mechanical attachment arrangement comprises a frame adapted to at least partly confine the movable member between the frame and the functional multilayer structure so that the movable member is movable in a space between the frame and the functional multilayer structure.

6. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one detection portion is adapted to extend into, and is movable in, the groove, the hole, or the through-hole.

7. The interface assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a shape interlocking arrangement between a portion of the groove, the hole, or the through-hole, and the movable member so as to prevent or at least hinder detachment of the movable member with respect to the functional multilayer structure.

8. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the movable member is movable in a translational manner, such as linearly or non-linearly, relative to the functional multilayer structure, optionally in the groove, the hole, or the through-hole.

9. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the movable member is movable in a rotational manner relative to the functional multilayer structure, optionally in the groove, the hole, or the through-hole.

10. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the functional multilayer structure comprises a protrusion, a pin, or other shape which extends outward from a surface of the multilayer structure, and the movable member is movable relative to the protrusion, the pin, or said other shape.

11. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is at least one optical sensor arranged to transmit an optical detection signal for detecting the position or the change of position of the at least one detection portion.

12. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one detection portion comprises one or several magnets and/or ferromagnetic elements, and the sensor arrangement comprises a magnetometer, a coil, or a Hall effect sensor for detecting position or change of position of the one or several magnets.

13. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a capacitive sensing element for detecting the position or the change of position of the at least one detection portion.

14. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the movable member is mechanically coupled to the functional multilayer structure via a spring.

15. The interface assembly of claim 14 , wherein a center portion of the spring comprises a through-hole through which the movable member extends towards the functional multilayer structure.

16. The interface assembly of claim 14 , wherein the spring has a shape of a segmental dome, wherein, when the spring is not completely compressed, an edge portion or portions of the segmental dome are in contact with one of the functional multilayer structure and the movable member, and a center portion of the segmental dome is spaced apart from the other of the functional multilayer structure and the movable member.

17. The interface assembly of claim 14 , wherein the spring is a planar spring.

18. The interface assembly of claim 16 , wherein the spring is of plastic material.

19. The interface assembly of claim 1 wherein the movable member is attached and arranged to move in a hinged manner relative to the functional multilayer structure.

20. The interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of sensors including at least two types of sensors for detecting the position or the change of position of the at least one detection portion, the types of sensors being selected from the group consisting of: optical, capacitive, inductive, resistive, magnet, galvanic, audio, or any combination thereof.

21. The interface assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a second substrate on the opposite side of the molded material layer relative to the first substrate.

22. The interface assembly of claim 21 , wherein the sensor arrangement is provided onto a surface of the first substrate and/or the second substrate.

23. The interface assembly of claim 21 , wherein one of the first substrate or the second substrate, or both of the first substrate and the second substrate, are thermoformable substrate films, optionally having a non-planar, three-dimensional shape.

24. The interface assembly of claim 22 , wherein one of the first substrate or the second substrate, or both of the first substrate and the second substrate, comprise a non-planar, three-dimensional shape.

25. The interface assembly of claim 9 , wherein the movable member is movable in the groove, the hole, or the through-hole.

Assignees

• Tactotek Oy

Inventors

• Heikkinen Mikko
• Sääski Jarmo
• Hänninen Ilpo
• Keränen Antti
• Simula Tomi
• Bräysy Vinski
• Apilo Pälvi
• Korhonen Pasi
• Wuori Topi

Classifications

• H03K2217/960755

  Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches · CPC title

• H03K2217/94036

  Multiple detection, i.e. where different switching signals are generated after operation of the user is detected at different time instants at different locations during the actuation movement by two or more sensors of the same or different kinds · CPC title

• H03K17/975

  using a capacitive movable element · CPC title

• H03K17/97

  using a magnetic movable element · CPC title

• H03K17/968 Primary

  using opto-electronic devices · CPC title