Manually operated switching device for a vehicle with a sensor activation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9712163-B2
Application number	US-201314404956-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2013
Priority date	Jun 13, 2012
Publication date	Jul 18, 2017
Grant date	Jul 18, 2017

Abstract

A manually operated switching device for a vehicle, with a switch lever and at least one touch-sensitive sensor device formed on the switch lever, which is designed for detecting an effect on a sensor surface of the sensor device that leaves the switch lever positionally unchanged and that triggers a switching signal, wherein an activation device is formed, with which the detecting state of the sensor device is activated as defined by the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A manually operated switching device for a vehicle, comprising:
a switch lever; and
a touch-sensitive sensor device formed on the switch lever, wherein the touch-sensitive sensor device is for detecting an effect on a sensor surface of the sensor device that leaves the switch lever positionally unchanged and that triggers a switching signal,
further comprising an activation device, with which a detecting state of the sensor device is activated as defined by a user,
wherein the activation device comprises an operating element farmed on the switch lever,
wherein the operating element is formed outside a region of an end piece of the switch lever that is provided for gripping by the user operating the switch lever, and

wherein the switching device is a steering column switch, formed from an elongated, curved and hollow body.

2. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating element and the sensor surface are disposed on opposite edge regions of an edge of the switch lever.

3. The switching device according to claim 2 , wherein the operating element is formed on a lower edge region of the switch lever.

4. The switching device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor surface is illuminated at least in some regions in an activated state of the sensor device.

5. The switching device according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor surface is illuminated in a first light color in the activated state of the sensor device and is illuminated in a second light color in a deactivated state of the sensor device.

6. The switching device according to claim 1 , further including a vibration device, with which a vibration signal is generated as haptic feedback to the user in case of an effect on the sensor surface of the sensor device in an activated state that triggers a switching signal.

7. The switching device according to claim 6 , wherein the vibration device comprises a vibration motor disposed in the switch lever.

8. The switching device according to claim 7 , wherein the vibration motor is contacted by spring arms or a cable on a control unit on a circuit board.

9. The switching device according to claim 7 , wherein the vibration motor is soldered to a flexible circuit board, which comprises at least one capacitive sensor of the sensor device.

Assignees

• Valeo Schalter & Sensoren Gmbh

Inventors

• Intini Onofrio

Classifications

• H01H2219/036

  Light emitting elements · CPC title

• H03K17/9622 Primary

  using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard · CPC title

• B60Q1/1476 Primary

  comprising switch controlling means located near the free end of the lever, e.g. press buttons, rotatable rings · CPC title

• B60Q9/00

  Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 {, e.g. haptic signalling} · CPC title

• H03K2217/96042

  with illumination · CPC title