COMPOSITE ROCKER BUTTON WITH CAPACITIVE SENSE TECHNOLOGY

摘要

A rocker panel button arrangement having a bezel with an opening. A rocker button is rotatably mounted to the bezel and is located within the aperture. The rocker button is pivotable about an axis between a first position, a second position and a neutral position. The rocker button also includes a viewing surface and a back side. A capacitive film is connected to the back side of the rocker. A chassis is connected and supports the capacitive film and is also connected to and movable with the rocker button. A circuit board is connected to the bezel adjacent the chassis. The circuit board is connected to the bezel in such a manner that the chassis, capacitive film and rocker button may rotate freely near the circuit board. Between the chassis and the circuit board is a rocker actuator that may take several forms.

主权项

1. A composite rocker panel button arrangement comprising:
a bezel having an opening; a rocker button rotatably mounted to the bezel and located within the opening, said rocker button being pivotable about an axis between a neutral position, a first position, and a second position and said rocker button has a viewing surface and a back side; a capacitive film connected to said back side of said rocker button, said capacitive film includes one or more touch nodes that are areas on the capacitive films that are used to generate primary function signals when the capacitive field is disrupted at the location of a specific one of the one or more touch nodes; a chassis is connected to and supports said capacitive film and said chassis being connected to said rocker button; a circuit board connected to the bezel adjacent the chassis, said circuit board is connected to the capacitive film; and a rocker actuator connected between said chassis and said circuit board, wherein said rocker actuator is operated by the pivoting of the rocker button and when the rocker button moves to the first position, the rocker actuator and circuit board initiate a first secondary command signal, and when the rocker button pivots to the second position, the rocker actuator and the circuit board initiate a second secondary command signal.