Actuation device for a public transport vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12422932-B2
Application number	US-202117556197-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2021
Priority date	Jun 28, 2019
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

An actuation device for a public transport vehicle to avoid transmission of bacteria during the actuation. The device can be actuated by a predefined contactless actuation gesture, the device having a sensor unit that measures without contact and an evaluation unit, which is connected to the sensor unit. The sensor unit can generate a sensor signal transmit the sensor signal to the evaluation unit when an object, in particular a finger or a hand of a person, performs, within a detection space of the sensor unit, a movement at a distance from the actuation device, the signal being dependent on the movement sequence of the movement. The evaluation unit can check whether the movement is a predefined contactless actuation gesture, by which the actuation device can be actuated. If the movement is such an actuation gesture, a control signal is generated for a device of the vehicle.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An actuation device for a vehicle for public passenger transportation, the actuation device being configured to be actuated by a predetermined contactless actuation gesture, the actuation device comprising:
a button, by which the actuation device can be actuated;
a sensor unit comprising a plurality of sensors that are arranged around a perimeter of the button, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to measure, in a contactless manner, the predetermined contactless actuation gesture and to generate a sensor signal;
an evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit; and
luminous devices that are arranged around the perimeter of the button;
wherein the sensor unit is configured to communicate the sensor signal to the evaluation unit when an object is executing a motion at a distance from the actuation device within a detection space of the sensor unit;
wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors comprises a detection zone;
wherein the detection space of the sensor unit comprises the detection zone of each sensor of the plurality of sensors and extends up to a distance of at most 10 cm from the actuation device;
wherein the sensor signal is dependent on a sequence of movements of the motion; and
wherein the evaluation unit is configured:
to check, on a basis of the sensor signal, whether the motion executed by the object is the predetermined contactless actuation gesture by which the actuation device can be actuated; and
when the evaluation unit determines that the motion executed by the object is the predetermined contactless actuation gesture, to generate a control signal for a device of the vehicle.

2. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the evaluation unit is configured to classify the motion of the object as the predetermined contactless actuation gesture by which the actuation device can be actuated even when less than all of the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit detects a passage of the object through the detection zone thereof, respectively.

3. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the sensors are arranged around the perimeter of the button in a form of a circle and the actuation device can be actuated via a circular or substantially circular actuation gesture.

4. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit are infrared sensors.

5. A vehicle for public passenger transportation, comprising one or more actuation device of claim 1 .

6. A method of using the actuation device of claim 1 in or on a sanitary room of a vehicle for public passenger transportation for activating a toilet flushing mechanism, for activating an outflow fitting of a washbasin, for activating a hand dryer, or for opening and/or closing a door of the sanitary room.

7. A method of using the actuation device of claim 1 in a vehicle for public passenger transportation for activating a door drive for opening and/or closing a vehicle entry door.

8. A method of using the actuation device of claim 1 in a vehicle for public passenger transportation for activating a flap drive for opening and/or closing a trash-can flap.

9. A method of using the actuation device of claim 1 in a vehicle for public passenger transportation for signaling a stop-request.

10. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the luminous devices are each in a form of ring segments, such that the luminous devices together form a ring around the perimeter of the button.

11. The actuation device of claim 10 , wherein the luminous devices are radially arranged between the perimeter of the button and the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit, such that the ring formed by the luminous devices is between and separates the button from the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit.

12. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein each of the luminous devices is configured to illuminate upon detection of the motion by a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors upon detection of the object passing through the detection zone of such corresponding sensor.

13. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the luminous devices are each configured to illuminate as a function of the sequence of movements of the motion of the object.

14. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein the luminous devices are radially arranged between the perimeter of the button and the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit.

15. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein there is a same quantity of the luminous devices as a quantity of the plurality of sensors, such that there is one luminous device for each sensor.

16. The actuation device of claim 1 , wherein:
the luminous devices are each in a form of ring segments, such that the luminous devices together form a ring around the perimeter of the button;
the luminous devices are radially arranged between the perimeter of the button and the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit, such that the ring formed by the luminous devices is between and separates the button from the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit;
each of the luminous devices is configured to illuminate upon detection of the motion by a corresponding sensor of the plurality of sensors upon detection of the object passing through the detection zone of such corresponding sensor;
the luminous devices are each configured to illuminate as a function of the sequence of movements of the motion of the object; and
the luminous devices are radially arranged between the perimeter of the button and the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit.

17. An actuation device for a vehicle for public passenger transportation, the actuation device being configured to be actuated by a predetermined contactless actuation gesture, the actuation device comprising:
a button, by which the actuation device can be actuated;
a sensor unit comprising a plurality of sensors that are arranged around a perimeter of the button, wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors is configured to measure, in a contactless manner, the predetermined contactless actuation gesture and to generate a sensor signal;
an evaluation unit connected to the sensor unit;
luminous devices that are arranged around the perimeter of the button;
wherein the sensor unit is configured to communicate the sensor signal to the evaluation unit when an object is executing a motion at a distance from the actuation device within a detection space of the sensor unit;
wherein each sensor of the plurality of sensors comprises a detection zone;
wherein the detection space of the sensor unit comprises the detection zone of each sensor of the plurality of sensors and extends up to a distance of at most 7 cm from the actuation device;
wherein the sensor signal is dependent on a sequence of movements of the motion; and
wherein the evaluation unit is configured:
to check, on a basis of the sensor signal, whether the motion executed by the object is the predetermined contactless actuation gesture by which the actuation device can be actuated; and
when the evaluation unit determines that the motion executed by the object is the predetermined contactless actuation gesture, to generate a control signal for a device of the vehicle.

18. The actuation device of claim 17 , wherein:
the luminous devices are each in a form of ring segments, such that the luminous devices together form a ring around the perimeter of the button;
the luminous devices are radially arranged between the perimeter of the button and the plurality of sensors of the sensor unit, such that the ring formed by the

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Behlau Gregor
• Gärtner Ralph
• Häussler Andreas
• Schneider Christian
• Schrock Christoph

Classifications

• G05G1/02

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

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05Y2900/51

  for railway cars or mass transit vehicles · CPC title

• E05Y2400/86

  by hand · CPC title