Patent Publication Number: US-2023136074-A1

Title: Operation apparatus for vehicle

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2021-0147498, filed Oct. 30, 2021, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all purposes by this reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present disclosure relates to an operation apparatus having a button used by a user to operate devices included in a vehicle, primarily from an inside of the vehicle. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     In general, vehicles are equipped with an array of devices related to driving to improve comfort and convenience of a user (driver and/or passenger). These devices are controlled by buttons (or switches) that the user directly manipulates. 
     The buttons may be provided in various forms in an interior of the vehicle. In recent years, as vehicles have come equipped with more functions, the number of buttons disposed in the interior of the vehicle is gradually increasing. This may give the user an impression that it is difficult or complicated to use the buttons, or may cause the user to make a mistake in operating the buttons. In addition, cluttered vehicle interiors with too many buttons may degrade the aesthetic quality of the interior of the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure has been made keeping in mind the above described problems, and is intended to provide an operation apparatus for a vehicle that improves the visibility of a button and the aesthetic value of the vehicle&#39;s interior by making the button appear and disappear. 
     Another objective of the present disclosure is to provide an operation apparatus for a vehicle that is more advantageous in terms of the operability of the buttons. 
     The objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other objectives not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. 
     In order to achieve the above objectives, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an operation apparatus for a vehicle, the operation apparatus including: a panel provided in the vehicle; an operation module capable of moving between a first position and a second position located forward of the first position in a first direction through an opening of the panel, and having a button disposed at a front end thereof; and a drive unit configured to move the operation module from the first position to the second position to make the button protrude from a surface of the panel, and to change an angle of the protruded button by including a rotary motion. 
     The drive unit may include: an actuator having a moving body that linearly moves in the first direction, wherein the moving body is rotatably connected to a side of a rear portion of the operation module by a connecting shaft extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and a guide that provides a guide path for guiding the moving of the operation module from the first position to the second position, wherein the moving of the operation module is initiated by the actuator; and the guide path includes a first path inducing a linear motion of the operation module and a second path inducing the rotary motion of the operation module. The drive unit may further include: a linear motor for moving the moving body. 
     The guide may include a guide pin and a pin guide member, which mate with each other. The guide pin may protrude from the operation module in the second direction, moves along the guide path, and may be disposed to be spaced apart from a connecting position that links the moving body and the operation module along a third direction perpendicular to a plane created by an intersection of the first direction and the second direction. The pin guide member may have the guide path into which the guide pin is inserted, and may be configured such that the first path is provided in the first direction and the second path extends from the first path so as to move away from the connecting position of the moving body with respect to the operation module. 
     The operation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: a finish skin that provides a finished surface by covering the surface of the panel and the button, has flexibility, and is configured such that a part covering the button is moved with the button so that a shape of the finished surface is changed according to a moving direction of the button. 
     The operation module may have a light source built in the button, the button may have a light-transmitting area on a surface thereof for transmitting light from the light source, and the finish skin may be light-transmissive. 
     The operation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may further include: a sensor that detects a user&#39;s action state for manipulating the button; and a control unit for controlling the drive unit on the basis of a detection signal from the sensor. 
     The operation module may be configured such that a surface of the button is flush with a surface of the panel in the first position. The operation module may be controlled by the control unit. The operation apparatus according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may be configured such that the operation module may be switched to an active state in the second position and an inactive state in the first position. 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, depending on the position of an operation module, a button may be in a state easily seen by a user (for example, a state in which the operation module is located in the second position in the front so that the button protrudes from the surface of a panel) or in a state difficult to be seen by the user (for example, a state in which the operation module is located in the first position at the rear so that the surface of the button is flush with the surface of the panel). Accordingly, regarding the button, it is possible to provide better visibility and improved design. 
     Furthermore, since the button protruding from the surface of the panel is rotated by a predetermined angle, the angle of the button can be adjusted to allow the user to conveniently manipulate the button. 
     The effects of the present disclosure are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from this specification and accompanying drawings. In addition, various solutions other than the aforementioned ones may be additionally suggested below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned objectives and other objectives, features, and advantages will be further clarified by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1    is a side view illustrating an operation apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram illustrating an operation apparatus for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  3    is a front view illustrating an operation module assembly shown in  FIG.  1   ; and 
         FIGS.  4  to  6    are side views illustrating the internal structure and operation of the operation apparatus for a vehicle according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting the present disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “includes”, or the like when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, or combinations thereof. 
     According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, an operation apparatus for a vehicle, a vehicle including the same, etc. may be provided. The operation apparatus may be used to operate various devices included in a vehicle. For example, devices operated by the operation apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a device to be operated) may include a navigation device, an air conditioning device, a sound device, a lighting device, a door lock device, a door opening or closing device, a motor/engine starting device, a driving speed control device, etc. Therefore, the vehicle according to the embodiment of the present disclosure may include the operation apparatus and at least one or more devices to be operated by the operation apparatus. The operation apparatus and the device to be operated may be electrically connected to each other. 
     The operation apparatus is installed in a vehicle and includes a button manipulated by a user. The operation apparatus may be provided to constitute a part of a vehicle. The part to which the operation apparatus is applied may be primarily an interior part of a vehicle. For example, the interior part may be a door trim, a ceiling panel, a dashboard, a console, a seat, an armrest, and the central part of a steering wheel (hub), etc. Embodiments of the present disclosure will be mainly focused on application of the operation apparatus to an interior part of a vehicle. 
     The structure and operation of the operation apparatus are exemplified in  FIGS.  1  to  6   . 
     As illustrated in  FIG.  1   , the operation apparatus includes: a panel  1  constituting an interior part of a vehicle; and at least one operation module assembly  5  provided on the panel  1 . 
     The panel  1  has a panel surface and a panel back surface. The panel  1  may be configured such that the panel surface provides only a part of the surface of an interior part depending on the type, shape, etc. of the interior part, or that the panel surface provides the entire surface of the interior part. The panel  1  has an opening  2 . The opening  2  is provided to penetrate the panel  1  through the panel surface and the panel back surface. 
     The operation module assembly  5  includes an operation module  10 . The operation module  10  includes a button  11  manipulated by a user and is configured to operate, for example, in a touch manner. The button  11  is disposed at a front end of the operation module  10 , and thus the operation module  10  has the front part including the front end composed of the button  11 . The operation module  10  is moved in a front-back direction that is also referred to as a first direction (refer to Y-axis direction) with respect to the opening  2  of the panel  1 , and the button  11  that moves together with the operation module  10  may appear and disappear through the opening  2 . To make the button  11  appear and disappear, the button  11  may protrude in an embossed form with respect to the panel surface to reveal its position and/or shape (see  FIGS.  5  and  6   ). The number of openings  2  may be increased or decreased according to the number of operation module assemblies  5  provided. 
     The operation apparatus further includes a skin  30  covering the surface of the panel and the button  11  to provide a finished surface. The skin  30  may be sized to cover some or all of the panel surface including the opening  2  of the panel  1 . The skin  30  is flexible so that when the button  11  is moved, a part covering the button  11  (a part blocking the opening  2 ) is deformed by the button  11  and the shape of the finished surface may change. For example, the part covering the button  11  may be protruded by the button  11  in a generally flat shape of the finished surface (refer to  FIGS.  5  and  6   ). When the finished surface is restored to a generally flat shape, the shape of the button  11  is hidden. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the interior of the vehicle from being cluttered with the button  11  (see  FIGS.  1  and  4   ). 
     The skin  30  may be bonded to the panel surface. In addition, since the part covering the button  11  (the part that blocks the opening  2 ) is bonded to the surface of the button  11 , the skin  30  may be moved together with the button  11  and precisely deformed. The bonding of the skin  30  to the panel surface and/or the bonding of the skin  30  to the surface of the button  11  may be made firmly by an adhesive or the like. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  1 , and  4  to  6   , the operation module assembly  5  further includes a base  21  disposed at the rear of the panel  1 , and a base cover  22  detachably coupled to the base  21  at the rear of the base  21 . The base  21  and the base cover  22  constitute the case  20 . The base  21  and the base cover  22  are configured to provide an accommodating space  23  therebetween which is partially or wholly blocked from the outside. The base  21  may be mounted on the back side of the panel by means of fastening elements  24  such as bolts. The base  21  has a through region  25  facing the opening  2  of the panel  1 . For example, the through region  25  may be provided in the form of a hole. 
     The operation module  10  is, in a state in which the rear part is inserted into the through region  25  of the base  21 , provided to be movable between a first position and a second position spaced apart from each other in the front-back direction (refer to the Y-axis direction) through the opening  2  of the panel  1 . The first position is a position where the button  11  is accommodated in the opening  2 , and the button  11  is formed such that the surface thereof is flush with the panel surface. The second position is located forward of the first position and is a position where the button  11  protrudes from the panel surface. When the operation module  10  is located in the first position, the skin  30  may hide the button  11  by providing a finished surface in a generally flat shape (see  FIGS.  1  and  4   ). When the operation module  10  is moved to the second position, the button  11  protrudes from the panel surface and the skin  30  may be deformed into a shape in which a part covering the button  11  protrudes by the button  11  to reveal the position of the button  11  (see  FIGS.  5  and  6   ). 
     The operation module assembly  5  further includes a drive unit  40  for moving the operation module  10  in the front-back direction with respect to the opening  2  to position the operation module  10  in the first position or the second position. For reference, the drive unit  40  is schematically represented in  FIGS.  4  to  6   . 
     By the drive unit  40 , the operation module  10  may be moved (move forward) from the first position to the second position. Accordingly, when the operation module  10  is located in the second position, the button  11  protrudes from the panel surface, and the skin  30  is deformed into a shape in which the part covering the button  11  protrudes (see  FIGS.  5  and  6   ). Conversely, by the drive unit  40 , the operation module  10  may be moved (move backward) from the second position to the first position. Accordingly, when the operation module  10  is located in the first position, the button  11  has a surface flush with the panel surface, and the skin  30  is restored to provide a generally flat finished surface (see  FIGS.  1  and  4   ). 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the operation apparatus further includes: a user detection sensor  50  for detecting a user&#39;s action state for manipulating the button  11 ; and a control unit  60  for controlling the operation module  10  and the drive unit  40  on the basis of a detection signal from the user detection sensor  50 . 
     The user detection sensor  50  may be a proximity sensor that detects whether a user&#39;s body, such as a hand, is in proximity to the button  11 . To be specific, the user detection sensor  50  may be an optical proximity sensor, a magnetic proximity sensor, an ultrasonic proximity sensor, a high frequency oscillation proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, or the like. For reference, among these sensors, the optical proximity sensor may include a light emitting element and a light receiving element receiving light from the light emitting element. The light emitting element may be a light emitting diode, and the light receiving element may be a phototransistor. For example, as shown in  FIG.  1   , the user detection sensor  50  may be provided around the opening  2  in the panel surface. 
     When a detection signal is input from the user detection sensor  50  while the operation module  10  is located in the first position, the control unit  60  determines that the user attempts to manipulate the button  11 , and moves the operation module  10  from the first position to the second position by the control of the drive unit  40  (see  FIGS.  5  and  6   ). When the button  11  is not manipulated for a preset time after the operation module  10  is located in the second position, the control unit  60  determines that the user does not want to manipulate the button  11 , and moves the operation module  10  from the second position to the first position by the control of the drive unit  40  (see  FIGS.  1  and  4   ). 
     The operation module  10  is kept in an inactive state in the first position and is kept in an active state in the second position. For this change of state of the operation module  10 , the control unit  60  may control the operation module  10  to be in an inactive state when the operation module  10  is located in the first position, and control the operation module  10  to be in an active state when the operation module  10  is located in the second position. Due to the capability of switching between the active and inactive states with respect to the operation module  10 , the user may manipulate the button  11  to operate a device to be operated when the operation module  10  is located in the second position, and while the operation module  10  is waiting in the first position, it is possible to prevent the button  11  from being actuated unintentionally by the user, thereby preventing the device to be operated from being unintentionally operated. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  4  to  6   , the operation module  10  further includes a light source  12  for providing light. The light source  12  may be built in the button  11  to emit the light toward the surface of the button  11 . For example, the light source  12  may include at least one light emitting diode. As illustrated in  FIG.  3   , the button  11  is provided with a light-transmitting area  13  through which light from the light source  12  passes and a light-blocking area  14  blocking light from the light source  12  on the surface thereof. The light-transmitting area  13  may be formed to have the shape of characters and/or figures indicating the function of the button  11 . In the operation module  10 , the light source  12  is maintained in an off state in the first position, and the light source  12  is maintained in an on state in the second position. For this change of state of the light source  12 , the control unit  60  may control the light source  12  to be turned off when the operation module  10  is located in the first position, and control the light source  12  to be turned on when the operation module  10  is located in the second position. Due to the capability of switching between off and on states with respect to the light source  12 , when the operation module  10  is located in the second position, the active state of the operation module  10  and the position of the button  11  may be more accurately recognized by the user. 
     The skin  30  has a constant light transmittance so that light from the light source  12  may pass through the skin  30 , and the user&#39;s action state for manipulating the button  11  may be detected by the user detection sensor  50  although the user detection sensor  50  is provided around the opening  2  in the panel surface. For example, the skin  30  may be a sheet having light transmittance by being woven with fibers having flexibility. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS.  4  to  6   , the drive unit  40  may move the operation module  10  from the first position to the second position to make the button  11  protrude from the panel surface of the panel  1  (see  FIG.  5   ), and may change the angle of the button  11  with respect to the panel surface of the panel  1  by rotating the protruded operation module  10  (see  FIG.  6   ). Of course, conversely, the drive unit  40  may move the operation module  10  from the second position to the first position to return the position and angle of the button  11  to the original state (standby state) (see  FIG.  4   ). The drive unit  40  includes an actuator  41  and a drive guide  45 . The actuator  41  and the drive guide  45  are accommodated in the accommodating space  23 . 
     The actuator  41  includes a rotary motor  41   m , a rack  42 , a pinion  43 , and a connecting shaft  44 . 
     In the actuator  41 , the rack  42  is a moving body that moves linearly in the front-back direction (refer to the Y-axis direction). Although not shown, the rack  42  may be precisely moved in the front-back direction by a rack guide. The rack  42  is in the form of a circular or rectangular rod and extends in the front-back direction to have a constant length. The rack  42  has a front end rotatably connected to the rear portion of the operation module  10  by the connecting shaft  44  extending in the left-right direction that is orthogonal to the front-back direction (see X-axis direction in  FIG.  3   . The left-right direction is also referred to as a second direction). Therefore, the operation module  10  may be rotated about the connecting shaft  44  with respect to the rack  42 . For example, the connecting shaft  44  in the left-right direction may be located at the rear lower side of the operation module  10 , the rack  42  may have the front end rotatably coupled to the connecting shaft  44 , the position of the connecting shaft  44  may be fixed by a support member or the like, and the support member may be provided at the rear portion of the operation module  10 . 
     The pinion  43  is rotated in clockwise and counterclockwise directions by the rotary motor  41   m  in a state engaged with the rack  42 . The position of the rotary motor  41   m  may be fixed to the base  21  or the base cover  22 . When the pinion  43  is rotated by the rotary motor  41   m , the rack  42  is moved in the front-back direction, and the operation module  10  is also moved with the rack  42  to the first position or the second position. 
     The drive guide  45  provides a guide path  48  for guiding a movement of the operation module  10  initiated by the actuator  41 . To be specific, the drive guide  45  is configured to have a first path  48   s  and a second path  48   c  as the guide path  48 . The first path  48   s  may induce a linear motion of the operation module  10  and the second path  48   c  may induce a rotary motion of the operation module  10  that has completed the linear motion. By the linear motion of the operation module  10 , the button  11  may be flush with the panel surface of the panel  1  or protrude from the panel surface of the panel  1 . By the rotary motion of the operation module  10 , the angle of the button  11  may be adjusted. 
     The drive guide  45  includes a guide pin  46  and a pin guide member  47 , which mate with each other, and the pin guide member  47  has the guide path  48 . 
     The guide pin  46  is provided on the operation module  10  and is moved with the operation module  10 , and induces linear motion and rotary motion of the operation module  10  in accordance with a guiding action of the guide path  48 . The guide pin  46  extends in the left-right direction (refer to the X-axis direction), and is disposed at a position spaced apart from the connecting shaft  44  in an up-down direction (refer to Z-axis direction. The up-down direction is also referred to as a third direction). For example, the guide pin  46  may protrude from the rear portion of the operation module  10  in the left-right direction, and may be provided on an upper side of the connecting shaft  44 . Here, the connecting shaft  44  corresponds to a connecting position that links the rack  42  and the operation module  10 , and the up-down direction corresponds to a direction perpendicular to a plane created by an intersection of the front-back direction and the left-right direction. 
     The pin guide member  47  guides the guide pin  46  in a fixed position. The position of the pin guide member  47  may be fixed to the base  21  or the base cover  22 . The guide pin  46  is inserted into the guide path  48  of the pin guide member  47 . The guide path  48  may be provided in the form of a hole or groove into which the guide pin  46  is inserted. The first path  48   s  and the second path  48   c  of the guide path  48  are connected to each other. The first path  48   s  for inducing the linear motion of the operation module  10  is a linear path extending in a straight line along the front-back direction (refer to the Y-axis direction). The second path  48   c  for inducing the rotary motion of the operation module  10  extends from a front end of the first path  48   s . To be specific, the second path  48   c  extends away from the connecting shaft  44  in the up-down direction (refer to the Z-axis direction). For example, the second path  48   c  may be an inclined path extending along a predetermined inclination angle with respect to the first path  48   s  and moving away from the connecting shaft  44 , or may be a curved path extending along a predetermined curvature and moving away from the connecting shaft  44 . 
     The drive unit  40  is configured such that, when the operation module  10  is located in the first position, the guide pin  46  provided on the operation module  10  is positioned in a rear end of the first path  48   s  provided in the pin guide member  47 . At this time, the surface of the button  11  is flush with the panel surface of the panel  1 , the operation module  10  is in an inactive state, and the light source  12  is kept off (see  FIG.  4   ). 
     In this state, when the pinion  43  is rotated by the rotary motor  41   m , and accordingly, the rack  42  is moved forward along the front-back direction, the guide pin  46  is moved along the first path  48   s  towards the front end of the first path  48   s . At this time, the operation module  10  is directed from the first position to the second position by the linear motion as one of the moving actions of the drive unit  40 , and the button  11  protrudes from the panel surface of the panel  1  (see  FIG.  5   ). 
     When the rack  42  continues to move forward along the front-back direction, the guide pin  46  enters the second path  48   c  from the first path  48   s  and is moved along the second path  48   c  towards a front end of the second path  48   c . At this time, the operation module  10  is rotated about the connecting shaft  44  in the left-right direction (refer to the X-axis direction) by the rotary motion as one of the moving actions of the drive unit  40 , the angle of the button  11  is changed, an active state of the module  10  is maintained, and the light source  12  is kept lit (see  FIG.  6   ). The angle of the protruding button  11  is determined by the moving distance of the rack  42  or the position of the guide pin  46  in the second path  48   c.    
     Thereafter, when the rack  42  is moved rearward along the front-back direction, the operation module  10  in the second position is returned to the angle before the change by the rotary motion and then returned to the first position by the linear motion. 
     Meanwhile, although it has been described that the first direction is the front-back direction, the second direction orthogonal to the first direction is the left-right direction, and the operation module  10  is rotated about an axis (connection shaft,  44 ) in the second direction for the rotary motion, the embodiment is not limited thereto. Since the rotary motion of the operation module  10  is intended to change the angle of the button  11  in order for the user to conveniently manipulate the protruding button  11 , depending on the position of the operation module  10 , the shape of the button  11 , etc., the second direction may be a direction other than the left-right direction, and the operation module  10  may be rotated about an axis of another second direction. Of course, according to this change, the direction perpendicular to the plane created by the intersection of the first direction and the second direction is also changed to a direction other than the up-down direction. 
     Although the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited by the disclosed embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and may be variously modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the technical spirits of the present disclosure. In addition, the technical spirits described in the embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented independently, or may be implemented in combination of two or more.