Operating device, vehicle and method for operating a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12091127-B2
Application number	US-202017784284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2020
Priority date	Dec 12, 2019
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

An operating device for a vehicle comprises an outer unit that can be rotated manually, a detection device configured to detect the movement of the outer unit and generate a control signal using a value that characterizes the movement to control a vehicle function, and an actuator unit that contains a magnetorheological medium, which can be or is coupled to the outer unit and is configured to exert a retaining force on the outer unit based on the viscosity of the magnetorheological medium. The operating device also comprises a sensor unit located in the outer unit and configured to generate a hand signal indicating the absence of a user's hand on the outer unit, and a manipulating device for manipulating the control signal on the basis of the hand signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An operating device for a vehicle comprising:
an outer unit configured to be rotated manually by a user of the operating device;
a detection device configured to detect a movement of the outer unit and generate a control signal for a vehicle function based on a value corresponding to the movement;
an actuator unit comprising a magnetorheological medium and coupled to the outer unit, wherein the actuator unit is configured to exert a retaining force on the outer unit based on a viscosity of the magnetorheological medium;
a sensor unit located in the outer unit, which is configured to generate a hand signal indicating an absence of the user's hand on the outer unit of operating device; and
a manipulating device configured to manipulate the control signal based on the hand signal,
wherein the manipulating device comprises a reset unit configured to return the outer unit to a neutral position.

2. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the reset unit is configured to mechanically and/or electrically return the outer unit to the neutral position.

3. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the manipulating device and the detection device are the same device, and wherein the detection device is configured to generate the control signal representing the neutral position of the outer unit based on the hand signal.

4. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating device comprises at least one light source for lighting the outer unit from the inside.

5. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator unit is configured to adjust the viscosity of the magnetorheological medium using an adjustment signal to set a strength of the retaining force.

6. The operating device according to claim 5 , wherein the operating device comprises an adjusting device configured to generate the adjustment signal using at least one of:
a speed signal indicating a speed of the vehicle,
a preset speed signal indicating a preset speed of the vehicle,
a rotational rate signal indicating a rotational rate of the vehicle's motor, and/or
a preset rotational rate signal indicating a preset rotational rate of the vehicle's motor.

7. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the outer unit is configured to move in at least one of a first direction of rotation or a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation, and the actuator unit is configured to exert the retaining force on the outer unit for dampening a rotational movement of the outer unit in the at least one of the first direction or the second direction.

8. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device is configured to detect at least one of a direction of the movement, a speed of the movement, and/or a temporal course of the movement as the value corresponding to the movement.

9. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device is configured to generate the control signal to control at least one of a power output of the vehicle's motor, a rotational rate of the vehicle's motor, a speed of the vehicle, an acceleration of the vehicle, the vehicle's transmission, and/or the vehicle's brakes.

10. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator unit is configured to support the outer unit such that the outer unit can move.

11. The operating device according to claim 1 ,
the outer unit comprises a handle that has a first moving handle section and a second moving handle section, and
wherein the actuator unit comprises:
a first actuator comprising a first magnetorheological medium; and
a second actuator containing a second magnetorheological medium,
wherein the first actuator is coupled to the first handle section and is configured to exert a first retaining force on the first handle section based on a viscosity of the first magnetorheological medium, and
wherein the second actuator is coupled to the second handle section and is configured to exert a second retaining force on the second handle section based on a viscosity of the second magnetorheological medium.

12. A vehicle comprising the operating device according to claim 1 .

13. The operating device according to claim 1 , wherein the reset unit is connected to the outer unit by means of a gearing.

14. An operating device for a vehicle comprising:
an outer unit, comprising a handle that has a first moving handle section and a second moving handle section, configured to be rotated manually by a user of the operating device;
a detection device configured to detect a movement of the outer unit and generate a control signal for a vehicle function based on a value corresponding to the movement;
an actuator unit comprising a magnetorheological medium and coupled to the outer unit, wherein the actuator unit is configured to exert a retaining force on the outer unit based on a viscosity of the magnetorheological medium,
wherein the actuator unit comprises:
a first actuator comprising a first magnetorheological medium; and
a second actuator containing a second magnetorheological medium,
wherein the first actuator is coupled to the first handle section and is configured to exert a first retaining force on the first handle section based on a viscosity of the first magnetorheological medium, and
wherein the second actuator is coupled to the second handle section and is configured to exert a second retaining force on the second handle section based on a viscosity of the second magnetorheological medium;

a sensor unit located in the outer unit, which is configured to generate a hand signal indicating an absence of the user's hand on the outer unit of operating device; and
a manipulating device configured to manipulate the control signal based on the hand signal.

15. The operating device according to claim 14 , wherein the outer unit is configured to move in at least one of a first direction of rotation or a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation, and the actuator unit is configured to exert the retaining force on the outer unit for dampening a rotational movement of the outer unit in the at least one of the first direction or the second direction.

16. The operating device according to claim 14 , wherein the actuator unit is configured to support the outer unit such that the outer unit can move.

17. A method for operating a vehicle comprising:
receiving a movement by an outer unit of an operating device of the vehicle;
setting a viscosity of a magnetorheological medium in an actuator unit of the operating device;
exerting, by the actuator unit, a retaining force on the outer unit of the operating device based on the viscosity of the magnetorheological medium;
detecting, by a detection device configured to detect the movement of the outer unit, a value that characterizes the movement of the outer unit;
generating, by the detection device, a control signal to control a function of the vehicle using the value that characterizes the movement of the outer unit;
detecting, by a sensor unit, an absence of a user's hand on the outer unit on the operating device to generate a hand signal indicating the absence;
manipulating, by a manipulating device, the control signal on the basis of the hand signal; and
returning, with a reset unit, the outer unit to a neutral position.

18. The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
lighting the outer unit from the inside with at least one light source.

19. The method according to claim

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen
• Signata GmbH

Inventors

• Fribus Vitali
• Rake Ludger

Classifications

• B60K35/80

  Arrangements for controlling instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/10

  Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor · CPC title

• B60K2360/126

  Rotatable input devices for instruments · CPC title

• G05G2505/00

  Means for preventing, limiting or returning the movements of parts of a control mechanism, e.g. locking controlling member · CPC title

• G05G5/05

  Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops (G05G5/28 takes precedence) · CPC title