Method for producing a control element and control element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9663399-B2
Application number	US-201414783140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2014
Priority date	Apr 8, 2013
Publication date	May 30, 2017
Grant date	May 30, 2017

Abstract

A method produces a control element having a touch-enabled surface, in which a paste-like material is applied on a carrier plate. At least one raised structure element is formed by the paste-like material on the carrier plate. For this purpose, a stencil having inherent stiffness is arranged above the carrier plate and the paste-like material is pushed through at least one recess in the stencil.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a control element for a motor vehicle, the control element having a touch-sensitive zone, the method comprising:
arranging a stencil formed by a piece of sheet metal directly in contact with a carrier plate, the stencil having at least one cutout, the at least one cutout in the stencil being free of any threads, fibers or loops;
applying a paste material to the at least one cutout in the stencil; and
pressing the paste material through the at least one cutout to form at least one raised structural element on the carrier plate, the paste material being applied to the at least one cutout in such a way that the at least one raised structural element has a total height from the carrier plate corresponding to a thickness of the stencil, the at least one raised structural element forming a haptically perceptible sensing aid, wherein
the carrier plate serves as a surface of a touchpad such that a user of the touchpad can feel control areas defined by the at least one raised structural element.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the paste material is a ceramic material.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the carrier plate is formed from a glass.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 , further comprising:
heating the paste material to secure the paste material to the carrier plate.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the at least one cutout in the stencil is produced by laser cutting.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the stencil has first and second areas,
the first and second areas of the stencil have different thicknesses,
the first and second areas produce first and second raised structural elements, respectively, and
the first and second raised structural elements have different thicknesses, corresponding respectively to the different thicknesses of the stencil.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the carrier plate is formed of a glass of a touch screen,
a plurality of raised structural elements are provided on the carrier plate to delimit different areas of the carrier plate, and
the raised structural elements are selected from the group consisting of webs, letters and symbols.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the paste material is pressed through the at least one cutout using a doctor blade.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein
the paste material is colored so that the at least one raised structural element is also colored.

10. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein
the carrier plate is formed from a glass.

11. The method as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
heating the paste material to secure the paste material to the carrier plate.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein
the at least one cutout in the stencil is produced by laser cutting.

Assignees

• Audi Ag

Inventors

• Mueller Ulrich
• Schneider Johann
• Kuehne Marcus
• Wachinger Michael

Classifications

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K35/25

  using haptic output · CPC title

• C03C2217/77

  Coatings having a rough surface · CPC title