Brevet FR3112590A1 — publié le 20220121

A sensor and lighting element configured to be positioned directly behind a first surface of an automotive trim article. A trim element, included: a sensor element and lighting element; and a hidden front functionality thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) film. TRIM COMPONENT WITH FLEXIBLE CAPACITIVE SENSORS AND METHOD OF MAKING CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/054,079 filed on July 20, 2020 the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto. BACKGROUND Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure pertain to sensor elements and lighting elements that can be used with a trim component. In order to sense through a soft surface such as one that has a substrate, foam, and a skin material, the sensor is typically located on the rear of the substrate and has to sense through the complete stack up of materials. This can cause several problems. The sensitivity of such an arrangement can be reduced because of the fundamental way a capacitive sensor works. For the same reason, the signal to noise ratio can be lower making it more difficult to interpret the interaction of the operator with the sensing element. These conditions affect how close together sensor elements (and icons) can be placed. Some attempts to locate sensing and lighting elements between the skin material and the substrate have resulted in a construction where components can be felt by the operator. This is a very undesirable condition. Applications for sensing through a soft surface are usually accompanied by a requirement to have an illuminated icon to complete the user interface. Placing a light source on the rear of the substrate that drives light through the entire stack up of material can be very problematic as light intensity at the surface can be very poor and color shift will be very evident. Moreover, each of the materials in the path of the light can change their color shifting function over time and with other environmental influences. To minimize these effects, applications seek to minimize foam thickness and to use foams that are more transparent. More transparent foams are under development but are not available yet. Minimizing foam thickness is contrary to the theme of many vehicles were softness is sought. Lighting from the back of the part also increases the light dispersion. If icons / symbols are close together, light intended to illuminate one icon also inadvertently partially lights surrounding icons (light bleed). This can negatively impact the design and spacing of icons affecting the overall user experience. BRIEF SUMMARY The present disclosure uniquely addresses the known issues of other designs. The disclosure of the present application seeks to address the shortcomings of these systems by moving the sensing and lighting elements as close to the first surface of the part as possible, thus removing many layers from the sensing and lighting path. The construction of the disclosed embodiments uses materials that are themselves soft, and in combination with foam that is now behind the elements, provide the ultimate in softness. The sensitivity of the disclosed embodiments is the best possible and the signal to noise ratio is also the best possible with this arrangement. With the greatly reduced light path of this invention, light transmission losses are the minimum possible and the same is true for color shift. Embodiments disclosed herein actively addresses light bleed by incorporating blackout features between icons / symbols. While some applications have components the operator can feel, embodiments of the disclosure directly addresses that problem. By using a stretchable sensor design and by embedding components in a slightly harder but thin layer the operator cannot feel components. Disclosed is a trim element, including: a sensor element and lighting element; and an outer show surface layer, wherein the sensor element and lighting element is directly secured to a back side of the outer show surface layer. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the outer show surface layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyolefin with a plurality of hidden icons that are only visible from an exterior show surface of the outer show surface layer when they are illuminated by a light source of the sensor element and lighting element. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the sensor element and lighting element includes flexible capacitive sensors. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the sensor element and lighting element includes a base layer; a light emitting diode (LED) frame; and an upper layer. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the base layer includes a plurality of sensor elements, a ground plane, and associated traces all located on a stretchable film. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the plurality of sensor elements are flexible capacitive sensors. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, a monochrome layer is printed over the plurality of sensor elements. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, a reflective dot pattern is applied to the monochrome layer. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the light emitting diode (LED) frame includes a flexible frame that carries a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs). In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are side firing light emitting diodes. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the upper layer is a molded-on layer that includes light guides and a blackout material each being separately molded onto an assembly comprising the base layer and the light emitting diode (LED) frame. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the light guides comprise an optically clear silicone while the blackout material comprises a black silicone. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the optically clear silicone and the black silicone are applied via a two shot molding process. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the optically clear silicone is of a thickness that prevents a user from feeling a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) of the light emitting diode (LED) frame through the outer show surface layer. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the sensor element and lighting element is directly secured to the back side of the outer show surface layer via an optically clear adhesive. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the trim element is an interior trim piece of a vehicle. Also disclosed is a method of forming a trim element, including: securing a sensor element and lighting element to an outer show surface layer, wherein the sensor element and lighting element is directly secured to a back side of the outer show surface layer. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the outer show surface layer is formed from a thermoplastic polyolefin with a plurality of hidden icons that are only visible from an exterior show surface of the outer show surface layer when they are illuminated by a light source of the sensor element and lighting element. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the sensor element and lighting element includes a base layer; a light emitting diode (LED) frame; and an upper layer, and wherein the base layer includes a plurality of sensor elements, a ground plane, and associated traces all located on a stretchable film. In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative to any of the foregoing embodiments, the upper layer is a molded-on layer that includes light guides and a blackout material each being separately molded onto an assembly comprising the base layer and the light emitting diode (LED) frame. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: is a perspective view of a trim component with flexible capacitive sensors in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 2 and 3 are exploded views of a portion of the trim component with flexible capacitive sensors in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 4-6 are views illustrating a sensor element of the trim component in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure; is a view illustrating a light emitting diode (LED) sub assembly of the trim component in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 8-12 are views illustrating the sensor element and the light emitting diode (LED) sub assembly of the trim component in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure; FIGS. 13-15 are views illustrating a portion of the trim component with flexible capacitive sensors in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure; and is a flow chart illustrating a method of assembling a trim component in accordance with one non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure.