Abstract:
A modular operating switch assembly comprises a housing defining a plurality of switch operating cells. Each of the operating cells has guide walls, a switch actuating member in sliding contact with the guide walls, and a switch contact carrier configured to be selectively equipped with contact pairs such that each of the contact pairs is associated with at least one said switch actuating member. Each switch actuating member is operable to be selectively connected to a key cap associated with a single switch operating cell, or with a key cap associated with a plurality of adjacent switch operating cells.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention generally relates to a modular operating switch assembly for use in a vehicle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Vehicles have operating elements which are constructed as switches or as keys to operate various functions. A greater or lower number of such operating elements are necessary, depending on the equipment of a vehicle. In so far as vehicles do not have the entire special equipment with respect to possible operating elements, so-called blind caps are used in place of the operating elements which are not required. This has the disadvantage that, when these blind caps are used in place of the operating elements, it can be seen immediately that a vehicle does not have all the special equipment or that at least particular functions are missing.  
         [0003]     There can also be problems with the reliability of such operating switches. If an electrical contact in an operating switch is contaminated or faulty, a user cannot operate the function associated with that operating switch.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The invention provides a modular operating switch assembly. The assembly comprises a housing that defines a plurality of switch operating cells. Each of the operating cells has guide walls, a switch actuating member in sliding contact with the guide walls, and a switch contact carrier configured to be selectively equipped with contact pairs. Each of the contact pairs is associated with at least one switch actuating member and each switch actuating member is operable to be selectively connected to either a key cap associated with a single switch operating cell or with a key cap associated with a plurality of adjacent switch operating cells.  
         [0005]     It is possible hereby that the key cap (also designated as “operating key” or “cap”) may be connected with several switch actuating members (also designated as “guide elements”). Thereby each guide element may observe both an individual functionality (key function or switch function), and also several guide elements may be combined into one single functionality via a common operating key. The operating element therefore also does not have any blind caps when it is occupied by a differing number of (switch or key) functionalities. A vehicle without blind caps gives a more individualized, and thus more exclusive, impression than a vehicle which has blind caps. In particular, it is not immediately obvious that optimal functionalities are not present in the vehicle.  
         [0006]     This also enables a more reliable operating switch to be provided. When a switch actuating member is located in a switch operating cell that is not associated with a particular functionality (when one key cap is associated with a plurality of adjacent switch operating cells) the “redundant” contact pair associated with that actuating member can be employed as an extra pair of contacts for a single functionality. Thus if one of the contact pairs becomes faulty or contaminated, switching of the functionality need not be affected.  
         [0007]     The operating element may be used in various applications, in particular in fittings or operating units, in particular in modes of transport, e.g. in vehicles.  
         [0008]     Preferably, the housing comprises several guide elements or is designed for several guide elements. Advantageously, two, four, six or eight guide elements may be provided. In particular, the housing comprises several openings, one each for a guide element respectively.  
         [0009]     The guide element can be constructed as a reflector. In this case, the reflector is suitable for directing light, i.e. it may be illuminated for example from the side facing away from the operating key. A function illumination of the operating key is thereby made possible by means of the photoconducting characteristic of the reflector. The operating key may itself preferably contain an indicating mark for this which is arranged for example so as to be transparent on a non-transparent (upper) surface of the operating key. The mark on the operating key is illuminated through the photoconducting functionality of the reflector. The operator, for example the driver of a motor vehicle, can therefore recognize the functionality of the operating key even in darkness.  
         [0010]     Furthermore, status illumination (activation illumination) may be additionally provided for the operating key. This illumination is preferably constructed separately in addition to the function illumination and indicates the active status of a function which is associated with the operating key. For example, in the case of an activated warning blinker system, the possibly red status illumination can be switched on and off in time with the blinker lights. To do this, the status illumination is to be separated optically from the function illumination. This occurs for example through suitable optical channels inside the guide element.  
         [0011]     The guide element can be a slider. In particular, the housing can have an individual opening for each guide element, i.e. each guide element or slider is displaceably arranged in the opening of the housing which is provided for it.  
         [0012]     A further development consists in that two contact elements are provided per operating key and therefore a reliability of contact is ensured through redundantly arranged contacts. If a contact element is contaminated, the electrical connection can be produced via the additional contact element. Furthermore, a stable guidance of the guide element or a stable suspension of the contact element can be ensured in particular through two contact elements.  
         [0013]     Alternatively, more than two contact elements may also be provided per operating key. Also, only one contact element may be provided per operating key.  
         [0014]     According to a further embodiment, provision is made that several guide elements are connected with one operating key. It is thereby possible for blind caps to be effectively avoided. If, for example, one guide element is “superfluous” in an operating element with four guide elements, because only three operating keys are necessary, one large operating key can be connected with two guide elements so that the operating element which is actually designed for four operating keys has a total of three operating keys but no blind cap.  
         [0015]     An electrical connection can be produced on a plate with the aid of the at least one contact element. The plate is preferably connected with the at least one contact element, for example by means of a closure element. In particular, this connection may be a connection which is brought about by means of contact or under a small amount of pressure.  
         [0016]     A further development consists in that at least one contact element is a rubber element or a snap element. In this way, it is possible that the switch functionality or the key functionality of the respective operating part is able to be felt. The operating element logically comprises several operating parts, each operating part in turn comprising a guide element, an operating key and at least one contact element.  
         [0017]     Both the rubber element and also the snap element bring about the contacting of the operating part and also the (e.g. elastic) restoring thereof. Therefore, an elastic switching can be made possible with the aid of the at least one contact element.  
         [0018]     The at least one contact element can comprise a small carbon plate, which causes an electrical contact on the plate when the operating part is activated, and can also comprise a switch point. The user is able to feel this switch point by means of the operating key, i.e. on actuating the operating key, he notices that when the switch point is exceeded the respective switch- or key function has been triggered.  
         [0019]     A frame element may be provided that is able to be connected with the housing and which encloses at least one operating key.  
         [0020]     Preferably, at least one key function and/or at least one switch function is able to be carried out with the aid of the operating element. In particular, the operating element may comprise at least one key and/or at least one switch.  
         [0021]     The invention further relates to an assembled operating element comprising several operating elements as described above, the housings being connected with each other. In particular, the housings can be constructed so as to be plugged together; a possible plug connection is a “dovetail” joint.  
         [0022]     In this way, parts of the assembled operating element, e.g. the frame element and/or the plate and/or the closure element can be constructed in one piece, i.e. suitable for the respective assembled operating element.  
         [0023]     Further characteristics and advantages of the invention ensue from the description below of the preferred embodiments, and from the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0024]      FIG. 1  to  FIG. 11  show respectively an operating element with a different number of operating keys from the viewpoint of the operator;  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  to  21  show various oblique views of operating elements;  
         [0026]      FIG. 22  shows an exploded drawing of an operating element with four operating keys;  
         [0027]      FIG. 23  shows a guide element with two contact elements;  
         [0028]      FIG. 24  shows a housing with guide elements and operating keys (rearward view);  
         [0029]      FIG. 25  shows a housing with guide elements and operating keys (oblique view from the front);  
         [0030]      FIG. 26  to  FIG. 29  show various views of a guide element with two contact elements;  
         [0031]      FIG. 30  to  FIG. 33  show various views of a guide element with contact elements and operating key;  
         [0032]      FIG. 34  shows a closure element with plate and contact elements;  
         [0033]      FIG. 35  shows an operating element without operating keys;  
         [0034]      FIG. 36  and  FIG. 37  show oblique views of a partial exploded view of the operating element;  
         [0035]      FIG. 38  shows an exploded view of an assembled operating element with eight guide elements;  
         [0036]      FIG. 39  shows an operating key comprising two guide elements and two contact elements;  
         [0037]      FIG. 40  to  FIG. 43  show various views of an operating part with an operating key which is connected with two guide elements;  
         [0038]      FIG. 44  shows a closure element with a plate and contact elements;  
         [0039]      FIG. 45  shows an exploded drawing of an operating element;  
         [0040]      FIG. 46  shows a closure element with a plate and contact elements;  
         [0041]      FIG. 47  to  FIG. 52  show housings which are able to be plugged together;  
         [0042]      FIG. 53  to  FIG. 55  show contacting plates for various operating elements.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0043]     An exploded drawing of an operating element according to  FIG. 1  is illustrated in  FIG. 22 . The operating element comprises a housing  110  with four openings or recesses  221 , each of which are respectively provided for a guide element  120 . Each guide element  120  is displaceable in the opening  221  of the housing  110 . Furthermore, contact elements  130  are illustrated, two of which are in each case able to be connected with a guide element  120 . Four operating keys  140  are also shown, one operating key  140  respectively being able to be connected with a guide element  120  respectively. The contact elements  130  provide an electrical contact on a plate  150 . A closure element  170  and a frame element  160  may be connected respectively with the housing  110 , in particular via a detachable clamping connection.  
         [0044]      FIG. 1  to  FIG. 21  show operating elements in various views with slightly different operating keys  140 . For example,  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4  respectively show an operating element with eight guide elements  120  (not visible in these figures); the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  having six operating keys  140  and the embodiment shown in  FIG. 4  having eight operating keys  140 . Accordingly, six functions can be carried out with the operating element according to  FIG. 3  and eight functions with the operating element according to  FIG. 4 . The operating keys  140  for the warning blinker system and the “AUTO HOLD” function in  FIG. 3  are respectively connected with two guide elements  120  (not shown in  FIG. 3 ). None of the operating elements shown have blind caps; rather, the whole available operating area of the respective operating element is utilized.  
         [0045]     FIGS.  1  to  11  show the operating elements from the front, which is how they would be viewed by an operator, for example the driver of a motor car, and FIGS.  12  to  21  show the operating elements in perspective, with the side walls of the housing  110  visible.  
         [0046]     The operating elements according to  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 13 ,  FIG. 17 ,  FIG. 20  and  FIG. 21  respectively have a separate connection piece for the operating element.  
         [0047]      FIG. 23  shows an oblique rearward view of the guide element  120  with two contact elements  130  which may be connected with pins  231  and  232  of the guide element  120 . The contact elements  130  are constructed in particular covered with rubber so that an elastic switch path or key path is made possible.  
         [0048]      FIG. 24  shows a rearward view of the housing  110  with guide elements  120  and operating keys  140 . It can be seen hereby how the guide elements  120  are mounted displaceably in the openings of the housing  110 . For this, each opening of the housing  110  preferably comprises projections  241  which engage into corresponding grooves  242  of the guide element  120  and therefore ensure or stabilize the guidance along the projections  241  in the housing  110 . Alternatively, it is also possible to provide different kinds of guide or to exchange the projection and groove.  
         [0049]      FIG. 25  shows the arrangement of  FIG. 24  obliquely from the front. Operating keys  140  are again connected or able to be connected with guide elements  120 , such that the guide elements  120  are guided or mounted displaceably in the housing  110 .  
         [0050]      FIG. 26  to  FIG. 29  show various views of the guide element  120  with contact elements  130 .  
         [0051]      FIG. 30  to  FIG. 33  show various views of the guide element  120  with contact elements  130  and an “ESP OFF” operating key  140 .  
         [0052]      FIG. 34  shows the closure element  170  in a state connected to the plate  150 . In addition, the contact elements  130  are illustrated on the plate  150 .  
         [0053]      FIG. 35  shows the operating part from the viewpoint of the operator but without operating keys. Therefore, the housing  110 , which is enclosed by the frame element  160 , is visible with the guide elements  120  guided in the openings.  
         [0054]     The guide elements  120 , illustrated in light shading here, are advantageously produced from a photoconducting material, as so-called reflectors, so that a function illumination of the operating keys (not illustrated in  FIG. 35 ), which are arranged on the guide elements, is ensured. The reflector therefore transports light to the operating key and lies beneath the transparent label (see, for example, “PDC OFF” in  FIG. 25 ) with a background illumination. Alternatively, the operating key may also have a dark label on a transparent background.  
         [0055]      FIG. 36  and  FIG. 37  show oblique views of a partially assembled operating element, comprising respectively the frame element  160 , operating keys  140 , guide elements  120 , the housing  110  and the closure element  170 . Both figures show that the closure element  170  and the frame element  160  are respectively connected with the housing  110  via a clamping construction and that the closure element  170  has a closure element on the rear side, with the aid of which the operating element can be electrically connected.  
         [0056]      FIG. 38  shows an assembled operating element with two housings  110  which are able to be plugged together, each of which has four openings  381 . In addition, eight guide elements  120  are provided, one for each opening  381  of the assembled operating element. Six operating keys  140  are distributed here to the eight guide elements  120  such that the two central operating keys (“warning blinker system” and “AUTO HOLD”) are connected with respectively two guide elements  120  and the other four operating keys are connected with respectively one single guide element  120 . Therefore, the two central operating keys are approximately twice as large as the remaining operating keys.  
         [0057]     Each operating key is connected with two contact elements  130  via one or two guide elements. Two contact elements  130  are preferably also provided for the two central operating keys which are respectively connected with two guide elements  120 .  
         [0058]     The plate  150  and the closure element  170  form the rearward side of the operating element. The frame element  160  is connected with the housing  110  on the front side of the operating element (from the viewpoint of the operator).  
         [0059]     A comparison of the assembled operating element according to  FIG. 38  with the operating element according to  FIG. 22  shows that as a whole a high proportion of identical components is able to be used, owing to the housings  110  which are plugged together in  FIG. 38 . Only the frame element  160 , the plate  150  and the closure element  170  are individualized to the size of the operating element, or of the assembled operating element individually. In order to use even more identical components, an assembled operating element could also consist of several operating elements according to  FIG. 22 . In this case, a new common frame element  160  can be optionally provided.  
         [0060]      FIG. 39  shows the operating key  140  which is able to be connected with two guide elements  120 . In each case, a contact element  130  is able to be connected with a guide element  120 . Owing to the two guide elements, the operating key  140  according to  FIG. 39  is approximately twice as large as an operating key for only one guide element  120 .  
         [0061]     According to the reflector functionality of the guide element  120 , different function illuminations can be provided for the operating key  140 . For example, illuminations of different colours for one guide element  120 , respectively, can indicate different functionalities via the operating key  140 . An operator can thus distinguish between different functionalities in darkness.  
         [0062]     In addition, an optical partitioning of individual illumination units, in this case the reflectors  120 , could take place, for example by providing a partition wall between the reflectors. In this way, the illumination of the one reflector can be prevented from influencing the illumination of the other reflector.  
         [0063]      FIG. 40  to  FIG. 43  show an operating part for two guide elements  120 , i.e. a unit of the operating key  130 , which is connected here with two guide elements  120 , each guide element having a contact element  130 .  
         [0064]      FIG. 44  shows the closure element  170  for an operating element with eight guide elements. The closure element  170  illustrated here is connected with the plate  150  and with contact elements  130 .  
         [0065]      FIG. 45  shows an exploded illustration of an operating element with four guide elements similar to  FIG. 22 . The housing  110 , the plate  150  and the closure element  170  represent a possibility for plug contacting of the operating element towards the bottom.  
         [0066]      FIG. 47  to  FIG. 52  show various views of a single housing, which is able to be plugged together with another housing, or of two housings that have been plugged together. Through the connection of the housings, for example by means of a dovetail joint, it is possible to provide modular units of any desired size. For example, a size of housing with four openings for four guide elements is shown here. Alternatively, any desired size of housing can be combined in turn with other housings of any desired size.  
         [0067]      FIG. 53  to  FIG. 55  show plates  150  for various operating elements, which are explained above. The plates  150  can be made to any size, so as to be adaptable for use with the required number of operating elements.