Operating unit for a device, in particular for a vehicle component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019084423-A1
Application number	US-201716082806-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 20, 2017
Priority date	Mar 23, 2016
Publication date	Mar 21, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing ( 10 ) which has an operating element ( 12 ), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element ( 12 ) is elastically mounted on the housing ( 10 ). An actuator ( 16 ) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element ( 12 ) when an operation of the operating element ( 12 ) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass ( 20 ) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator ( 16 ) when an operation of the operating element ( 12 ) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing ( 10 ) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing ( 10 ) when the operating element ( 12 ) is moved.

First claim

1 . An operating unit for a device, e.g. for a vehicle component, particularly a man-machine interface (MMI or HMI), comprising
a housing which comprises an operating element having an operating panel
such as e.g. a touchscreen or touchpad or display, and which is provided for attachment in a device, particularly in a vehicle dashboard or vehicle center console,
wherein the operating element is elastically mounted on the housing,
a sensor for detection of an actuation of the operating element,
an actuator for mechanical excitation of the operating panel occurring upon

detection of an operation of the operating element, and
a compensating weight,
wherein the compensating weight is adapted to be mechanically excited by said, or an, actuator upon detection of an operation of the operating element, and is elastically mounted in and/or on the housing and/or is elastically mounted at the operating element,
wherein the compensating weight is movable to substantially compensate a movement of the housing upon activation of the actuator mechanically exciting the operating element.

2 . The operating unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the compensating weight is designed as an element separated from said actuator or from an actuator, or as a part of the actuator mechanically exciting the operating panel.

3 . The operating unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the compensating weight is movable with a phase shift of substantially 180° and thus in the opposite direction to the excitation movement of the operating element, wherein the movement stroke of the compensating weight is selected under consideration of at least the relation of the mass of the operating element to the mass of the compensating weight.

4 . The operating unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the operating element inclusive of its elastic mounting to the housing and the compensating weight inclusive of its elastic mounting to the housing and/or to the operating element each have a natural frequency, wherein both eigenfrequencies are equal or substantially equal.

5 . The operating unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the actuator is designed as a tie-rod or plunger-coil electromagnet comprising a stator and an armature, wherein the armature—or alternatively the stator—is kinematically coupled to the operating element, and the stator—or alternatively the armature—is kinematically coupled to the compensating weight.

6 . The operating unit according to claim 5 , characterized in that the stator is coupled kinematically to the compensating weight—or alternatively the armature—forms or comprises the compensating weight.

7 . The operating unit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the operating unit is designed as a display and operating unit and that the operating element comprises, apart from an operating function, also a display function.

8 . The operating unit according to claim 2 , characterized in that the compensating weight is movable with a phase shift of substantially 180° and thus in the opposite direction to the excitation movement of the operating element, wherein the movement stroke of the compensating weight is selected under consideration of at least the relation of the mass of the operating element to the mass of the compensating weight.

Assignees

• Behr Hella Thermocontrol Gmbh

Inventors

• Pankratz Harri
• Bandlow Bastian
• Beschnitt Alexander
• Vogt Frank

Classifications

• G06F3/016 Primary

  Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title

• H03K2217/96062

  with tactile or haptic feedback · CPC title

• B60K37/02

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60K37/06 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic