Assembly having a soft-touch user interface for controlling the operative position of a device which controls the flow of air into the passenger compartment of a vehicle

摘要

An assembly having a soft-touch user interface for controlling the operative position of a device which controls the flow of air into the passenger compartment of a vehicle is provided. An occupant of the vehicle operates a first member of the assembly at its outer soft-touch, surface layer to cause the first member to rotate about an axis. A second member of the assembly rotatably supports the first member. A portion of a structural substrate of the first member is configured to couple the first member to the device. The substrate and the second member have a pair of annular faces that oppose each other and are oriented to face axially along the axis. A portion of a biasing member projects outwardly from at least one pocket in one of the faces to frictionally engage the other face and prevent undesired rotational movement of the first member.

主权项

1. An assembly having a soft-touch user interface for controlling the operative position of a device which controls the flow of air into the passenger compartment of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:
first and second members, the first member being supported by the second member for rotation about a rotational axis, the first member including an outer surface layer of a soft-touch plastic material bonded to a substrate of a structural plastic material different from but compatible with the soft-touch plastic material, an occupant of the vehicle operating the first member at the outer surface layer to cause the first member to rotate about the axis, a portion of the substrate being configured to couple the first member to the device to control the position of the device; the substrate of the first member and the second member having a pair of annular faces that oppose each other and are oriented to face axially along the rotational axis; a first face of the pair of annular faces having a pocket, the pocket receiving a portion of a leaf spring which projects outwardly from the pocket to frictionally engage a second face of the pair and prevent undesired rotational movement of the first member while permitting desired rotation of the first member about the axis during operation of the first member at the outer surface layer by the occupant.