Electronic device and operating assembly having an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9919601-B2
Application number	US-201615262119-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2016
Priority date	Mar 18, 2014
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing, a conductive foil, an elastomer body, and a strip composed of a non-elastomeric plastic. The conductive foil is electrically connected to the housing and has a functional section situated outside of the housing. The functional section of the conductive foil has a front side bearing sensors and/or display elements and is installable to a control panel. The elastomer body and the strip are positioned between an outer side of the housing and a back side of the functional section of the conductive foil.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a conductive foil electrically connected to the housing, the conductive foil having a functional section situated outside of the housing, the functional section of the conductive foil having a front side that bears sensors and/or display elements, and the front side of the functional section of the conductive foil being mountable to a control panel for the functional section of the conductive foil to be installable to the control panel;
an elastomer body;
a strip composed of a non-elastomeric plastic;
wherein the elastomer body is positioned between an outer side of the housing and the strip, and the strip is positioned between the elastomer body and a back side of the functional section of the conductive foil; and
wherein the strip is connected to the housing and fastens the elastomer body to the outer side of the housing in a clamping manner with the elastomer body being sandwiched between the outer side of the housing and the strip.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the strip includes detent elements connected to the housing to connect the strip to the housing.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the outer side of the housing, the elastomer body, and the strip have approximately equal lengths and widths.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the outer side of the housing and main surfaces of the elastomer body and the strip are situated approximately in parallel to one another.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the strip has a comb-like structure including a plurality of contiguous fins formed by a plurality of notches arranged perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal extension of the strip, wherein the fins are deflectable relative to one another.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the elastomer body has a honeycomb structure with multiple recesses.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the strip is transparent.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein:
the front side of the functional section of the conductive foil bears sensors in the form of capacitive sensor elements.

9. An operating assembly comprising:
an electronic device including
a housing;
a conductive foil electrically connected to the housing, the conductive foil having a functional section situated outside of the housing, the functional section of the conductive foil having a front side that bears sensors and/or display elements;
an elastomer body;
a strip composed of a non-elastomeric plastic;
wherein the elastomer body is positioned between an outer side of the housing and the strip, and the strip is positioned between the elastomer body and a back side of the functional section of the conductive foil; and
wherein the strip is connected to the housing and fastens the elastomer body to the outer side of the housing in a clamping manner with the elastomer body being sandwiched between the outer side of the housing and the strip;

a control panel; and
wherein the front side the functional section of the conductive foil rests against a back side of the control panel.

10. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the elastomer body and the strip physically engage with one another such that the sensors and/or display elements of the front side of the functional section of the conductive foil rests against the back side of the control panel without intermediate space or gaps.

11. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the strip has a comb-like structure including a plurality of contiguous fins formed by a plurality of notches arranged perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal extension of the strip, wherein the fins are deflectable relative to one another.

12. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the elastomer body has a honeycomb structure with multiple recesses and the strip is transparent.

13. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the control panel is part of a dashboard of a motor vehicle.

14. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the operating assembly is part of a household appliance.

15. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the strip includes detent elements connected to the housing to connect the strip to the housing.

16. The operating assembly of claim 9 wherein:
the outer side of the housing, the elastomer body, and the strip have approximately equal lengths and widths.

Assignees

• Kostal Leopold Gmbh & Co Kg
• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Molkow Peter
• Tenbrueggen Karl Wilhelm
• Brendel Markus
• Huperz Guido
• Bleckmann Michael
• Miedl Florian
• Tille Thomas

Classifications

• H03K17/962 Primary

  Capacitive touch switches · CPC title

• H03K2017/9602

  characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes · CPC title

• H03K2217/96076

  with spring electrode · CPC title

• B60K2350/1008

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• H05K5/0017

  with operator interface units · CPC title