Haptic control device including a seal

Haptic control device that includes a tactile panel mounted movably relative to a support including a peripheral wall, characterized by the fact that a seal is arranged on the periphery of the tactile panel in an annular space situated between the tactile panel and the peripheral wall of the support, the seal including: an inner portion in tight contact with the tactile panel, an outer portion in tight contact with the peripheral wall of the support, and a connecting portion that extends between the inner portion and the outer portion and is elastically deformable so as to absorb the relative displacements of the tactile panel relative to the peripheral wall of the support without removing the haptic effect produced by the movements of the tactile panel.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §371 of published PCT Patent Application Number PCT/EP 2011/071436, filed Nov. 30, 2011 and claims priority to French Patent Application 1060437 filed Dec. 13, 2010, and published as WO2012/079990 Jun. 21, 2012, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a haptic control device, in particular for a motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates more particularly to a haptic control device that includes a tactile transversal panel mounted movably relative to a fixed support. The support, which can have the form of a case, includes a peripheral wall that surrounds the tactile panel and extends generally towards the front in an axial direction at right-angles to the plane of the tactile panel. The tactile panel is provided with at least one tactile zone at the front and at least one drive system. When a switching signal is triggered following brushing of the tactile zone by the finger of a user, the tactile panel is driven by the drive system in the plane of the tactile panel performing movements relative to the support, for example in a predefined rhythm. A display screen is arranged on the support, behind the tactile panel, so that the user can control functions by brushing the tactile zone, for example depending on what is displayed on a zone of the screen situated directly in line with the brushed tactile zone.

Such a type of haptic control device is described for example in the document US 2008/0111788A1.

A problem encountered in the use of this type of device is the tightness of the mounting. This point is particularly critical in the case of motor vehicle applications in which the haptic control device is mounted on the dashboard of the vehicle and can be exposed to dust and projections of liquid. This tightness is difficult to achieve in particular due to the movements of the tactile panel relative to the support.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present intention is intended to resolve the problems mentioned above by proposing a simple, effective, and economical sealing solution.

To this end, the invention proposes a haptic control device, in particular for a motor vehicle, that comprises a tactile transversal panel mounted movably relative to a fixed support, the support including a peripheral wall that surrounds the tactile panel and generally extends towards the front in an axial direction at right-angles to the plane of the tactile panel, the tactile panel being provided with at least one tactile zone at the front and at least one drive system, a switching signal being able to be triggered when the tactile zone is brushed in such a manner that the tactile panel is driven by the drive system in the plane of the tactile panel performing movements relative to the support, characterized by the fact that a seal is arranged on the periphery of the tactile panel, in an annular space situated between the tactile panel and the peripheral wall of the support, the seal including: an inner portion in tight contact with the tactile panel, an outer portion in tight contact with the peripheral wall of the support, and a connecting portion that extends between the inner portion and the outer portion and is elastically deformable so as to absorb the relative displacements of the tactile panel relative to the peripheral wall of the support without removing the haptic effect produced by the movements of the tactile panel.

The seal in accordance with the invention allows prevention of the penetration of dusts or liquids between the tactile panel and the peripheral wall of the support, while allowing the tactile panel a sufficient freedom of movement to produce the required haptic effect in the haptic control device. Indeed, it is important not to excessively dampen the movements of the tactile panel relative to the support at the risk of removing the haptic effect. The choice of a suitable material and of a suitable profile for the connecting portion contributes to the obtaining of this result. The structure of the seal in accordance with the invention is particularly advantageous as it allows localization of the elastic deformation in the connecting portion so that by modifying the flexibility and elasticity of the connecting portion the required result is obtained.

The seal according to the invention also constitutes a particularly compact solution to resolve the seal problems since it occupies a very small volume relative to the general volume of the tactile panel.

In accordance with other characteristics of the invention: the inner portion of the seal includes an axial skirt that extends substantially in parallel with the adjacent wall of the tactile panel and is flattened against the adjacent wall of the tactile panel; the tactile panel includes a touchscreen that is mounted on a peripheral framework in the form of a frame, the framework including an outer axial wall, and the axial skirt is flattened against the outer axial wall of the framework; the outer portion of the seal is formed of an axial partition that extends generally in the extension of the peripheral wall of the support towards the front; the outer face of the peripheral wall of the support includes a shoulder surface orientated towards the front and a rear end section of the outer portion of the seal is mounted bearing against the shoulder surface; the outer portion of the seal is mounted clamped onto the peripheral wall of the support; the connecting portion generally has the form of a transversal partition; the connecting portion includes a profile elastically deformable in a transversal drive direction of the tactile panel relative to the support; the elastically deformable profile generally has an undulated form of sinusoidal type in an axial plane parallel with the transversal drive direction; the elastically deformable profile extends along the longitudinal segments of the connecting portion, on either side of the tactile panel, in parallel with the transversal drive direction, and the elastically deformable profile extends in the width of the lateral segments, on either side of the tactile panel; a cover in the form of a frame is mounted on the peripheral wall of the support so as to define internally an accessible zone of the tactile panel, the cover being mounted bearing axially against the top of the seal; the cover includes on its rear transversal face a groove that is designed to receive an axial extension of the outer portion of the seal; the inner portion of the seal includes an inner transversal extension that is interposed between the framework and the cover; a display screen is arranged between the tactile panel and a back wall of the support; and the seal is made of material of the silicone type.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the remainder of the description, identical or similar elements can be designated by the same references.

InFIGS. 1 and 2, a haptic control device10has been shown that is made in accordance with the teachings of the invention. This device10is designed to be mounted, for example, on the front face of the dashboard of a motor vehicle (not shown), in order to allow the driver to control different functions of his vehicle. The haptic control device10here has generally the form of a parallelepipedal case that extends in a transversal plane T.

In the remainder of the description, a transversal orientation will be used in non-limiting manner in a general plane of the haptic control device10, and an axial orientation A1in a direction at right-angles to the transversal plane T orientated from the rear towards the front, which generally corresponds to an orientation from left to right looking atFIG. 1, and from bottom to top looking atFIG. 2. In a transversal plane T, elements will be qualified as inner or outer depending on whether they are orientated towards the inside or towards the outside of the haptic control device10.

According to the embodiment shown, the haptic control device10includes a tactile transversal panel12mounted movably relative to a fixed support14.

The support14is here formed of a case element including a peripheral axial wall16and a transversal back wall18at the rear.

A display screen20is fixed on the front face22of the back wall18. The display screen20is for example a liquid crystal screen that extends generally in a transversal plane under the tactile panel12.

A cover24in the form of a frame is mounted on the outer face26of the peripheral wall16of the support14, for example by fitting together elastically by means of fixing tongues28. The cover24includes an outer axial wall30that extends towards the rear against the outer face26of the peripheral wall16, and a portion of inner transversal wall32that defines a frame corresponding to a zone of the tactile panel12accessible to a user for control. Thus, the cover24in the form of a frame here generally has an L-shaped profile as shown inFIG. 2.

The tactile panel12here includes a rectangular touchscreen34that is fixed on a peripheral framework36in the form of a rectangular frame. The framework36includes an outer axial wall38that extends towards the rear and an inner transversal wall40that is provided with an inner recess towards the rear so as to form a rectangular housing42for the touchscreen34.

In accordance with the embodiment shown, the framework36is provided at the rear with two drive arms44that are arranged on two opposite sides of the frame formed by the framework36and are linked to a drive system46. The two drive arms44are here in the form of thin plates so as to be able to extend in a transversal space between the edge of the display screen20and the peripheral axial wall16of the support14and so as to be able to be displaced in a transversal drive direction A2parallel with said edge of the display screen20. The framework36is for example made of sheet metal by stamping and folding.

The drive system46is here formed of two electrical actuators that are mounted on the rear face of the back wall18. The drive system46is designed to produce movements of the tactile panel12of an amplitude of some tenths of a millimeter.

The touchscreen34includes on its front face at least one tactile zone48that is designed to trigger a switching signal when it is brushed, for example by the finger of a user, so that the tactile panel12is driven by the drive system46and the framework36in the plane of the tactile panel12performing movements, in the transversal drive direction A2, relative to the support14. These movements are performed in a rhythm that can be predefined depending on the required haptic effect. They correspond for example to reciprocating transversal movements of small amplitude relative to the general dimensions of the tactile panel12. These movements of the tactile panel12allow the user to be provided with a force-feedback confirming to him, for example, the selection or validation of a particular function of the haptic control device10.

In accordance with a modified embodiment, the touchscreen12can also be driven in a transversal direction A3at right-angles to the transversal drive direction A2.

In accordance with the teachings of the invention, a seal50is arranged on the periphery of the tactile panel12, in an annular space situated between the tactile panel12and the peripheral wall16of the support14. The seal50includes: an inner portion52in tight contact with the tactile panel12that extends along the outer periphery of the tactile panel12; an outer portion54in tight contact with the peripheral wall16of the support14that extends along the inner periphery of the peripheral wall16; and a connecting portion56that extends between the inner portion52and the outer portion54and is elastically deformable so as to absorb the relative displacements of the tactile panel12relative to the peripheral wall16of the support14.

The seal50is made of a sufficiently flexible material to absorb the relative displacements of the tactile panel12relative to the support14, for example from a material of silicone type, of elastomer type, or of rubber type.

The inner portion52of the seal50here includes an axial skirt58that extends substantially in parallel with the adjacent wall of the tactile panel12. The adjacent wall of the tactile panel12is here formed by the outer axial wall38of the framework36and the axial skirt58is mounted flattened against the said outer axial wall38to form a dust- and liquid-tight mounting.

The inner portion52of the seal50here includes an inner transversal extension60that is designed to be interposed between the inner transversal wall40of the framework36and the inner transversal wall32of the cover24.

The outer portion54of the seal50is formed by an axial partition that extends generally towards the front in the extension of the peripheral wall16of the support14. A shoulder surface62, orientated towards the front, is arranged in the outer face of the peripheral wall16of the support14to receive the rear end section64of the outer portion54of the seal50. The transversal depth of the shoulder surface62is here substantially identical to the thickness of the rear end section64so that the outer surface of the outer portion54of the seal is substantially flush with the outer surface of the peripheral wall16of the support14.

The outer portion54of the seal50can be mounted clamped on the peripheral wall16of the support14. In accordance with a modified embodiment, it can be over-molded on the peripheral wall16of the support14.

In accordance with the embodiment shown, the connecting portion56has the form of a partition that extends generally in a transversal plane, from the outer surface of the axial skirt58to the inner surface of the outer portion54of the seal50.

In accordance with the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1,2and3, the connecting portion56includes two longitudinal segments57that extend along the longitudinal edges of the tactile panel12in parallel with the transversal drive direction A2, and have an undulated profile of sinusoidal form in an axial plane parallel with the adjacent part of the peripheral wall16of the support14and in parallel with the transversal drive direction A2, as shown inFIG. 3. The undulations59formed by each longitudinal segment57permit facilitation of the elastic deformation of the connecting portion56in the direction of the transversal drive direction A2, by minimizing the elastic resistance force that opposes the translation triggered by the actuators46. In fact, the undulations59allow addition of the material so that, during the translation of the tactile panel12, a part of the elastic deformation of the connecting portion56is obtained by deformation of the sinusoid, as shown in dashed lines inFIG. 3. The resistance to deformation at the undulations, in the transversal drive direction A2, is less than would be the resistance to stretching and to compression of the material if the longitudinal segments57were flat.

In accordance with the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, the lateral segments61of the connecting portion56that extend in parallel with the transversal direction A3, also have a sinusoidal profile that extends the sinusoidal profile of the longitudinal segments57, in the direction of the width of the lateral segments61.

In accordance with modified embodiments, the sinusoidal profile of the longitudinal segments57and of the lateral segments61can be replaced by another type of profile elastically deformable in the transversal drive direction A2, for example a crenulated profile, or a profile formed of triangular shapes, as shown byFIG. 4.

In accordance with a modified embodiment shown inFIG. 5, the longitudinal segments57and the lateral segments61of the connecting portion56can be flat. In this case the elastic deformation is obtained by stretching and compression of the material forming the connecting portion56in the transversal drive direction A2.

The cover24is here mounted over the seal50, so as to cover it entirely and to conceal it from the eyes of the user. The rear face of the inner transversal wall32of the cover24here includes a peripheral annular groove66that runs along the outer axial wall30of the cover24so as to form a housing for the front axial end section68of the outer portion54of the seal50.

The cover24is thus mounted bearing axially against the top of the seal50that is here formed by the front axial end section68and by the front face of the inner transversal extension60.

In operation, when a switching signal is emitted, it causes at least a movement of transversal translation of the tactile panel12along the transversal displacement axis A2towards a transversal end of the support14, for example to the right looking atFIG. 3. During this translation, the axial skirt58of the seal50moves towards the peripheral wall16of the support14on the right-hand side, which applies a transversal compression force to the associated lateral segment61, and it moves away from the peripheral wall16of the support14on the opposite side, here the left-hand side, which applies a transversal traction force to the associated lateral segment61. Subjected to these compression, on the one side, and traction forces on the other, the segments57,61of the connecting portion56are elastically deformed, the undulations of the sinusoidal profile tending to flatten on the side subjected to the traction force and to move towards each other on the side subjected to the compression force, while maintaining the tightness between the tactile panel12and the support14. This is what is shown diagrammatically in dashed lines inFIG. 3.

It is noted that the seal50in accordance with the invention allows optimum tightness to be obtained in a small bulk, in particular due to the very simple manner of mounting of the seal50on the support14and on the tactile panel12and due to the structure of the seal. It is possible to obtain a haptic control device10of which the transversal thickness of the longitudinal segments57of the seal50is less than 5 millimeters and of which the transversal thickness of the lateral segments61is less than 8 millimeters. This allows the bulk of the seal50in a transversal plane to be minimized, minimizing the transversal space between the peripheral axial wall16of the support14and the framework36of the tactile panel12