# US 10,864,821 B2 · Operating unit for a device, in particular for a vehicle component > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,864,821 B2 - Document ID: US10864821B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/082,806 - Filed: 2017-03-20 - Published: 2019-03-21 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-23 - Assignees: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH - Applicants: Behr-Hella Thermocontrol GmbH - Inventors: Harri Pankratz; Bastian Bandlow; Alexander Beschnitt; Frank Vogt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864821B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/016: {Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user} - B60K 35/10: Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor - B60K 35/25: using haptic output - B60K 35/50: Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) - B60K 35/60: Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) - G06F 3/03547: {Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface} - G06F 3/041: Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means - B60K 2360/143: Touch sensitive instrument input devices - B60K 2360/1438: Touch screens - B60K 2360/48: Sensors - B60K 2360/691: Housings - B60K 2360/816: Fastening of displays or touch screens - H03K 2217/96062: with tactile or haptic feedback - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) ## Abstract The operating unit for a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle component, is provided with a housing (10) which has an operating element (12), such as a display for example, and is designed to be secured in a device, in particular in a vehicle dashboard. The operating element (12) is elastically mounted on the housing (10). An actuator (16) is additionally provided for mechanically exciting the operating element (12) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected. Finally, the operating unit also has a vibration compensating mass (20) which can be mechanically excited by the actuator or by one actuator (16) when an operation of the operating element (12) has been detected and/or which is mounted on the housing (10) and can be moved in order to substantially compensate for forces acting on the housing (10) when the operating element (12) is moved. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An operating unit for a device comprising—an operating element having an operating panel, —a housing wherein the housing is attached to the device and wherein the operating element is elastically mounted on the housing, —a sensor for detection of an actuation of the operating element, —an actuator for mechanically driving the operating element upon its actuation, and —a compensating weight, wherein the compensating weight is adapted to be mechanically driven by said actuator upon detection of the actuation of the operating element and wherein the compensating weight has an elastic mounting to the housing and/or an elastic mounting to the operating element, wherein the compensating weight is configured to move to substantially compensate for a relative movement of the housing and the operating element to correspondingly dampen transmission of dynamic forces between the housing and the operating element, wherein the compensating weight moves with a phase shift of substantially 180° to the relative movement of the operating element, wherein a movement stroke of the compensating weight is selected under consideration of at least a ratio of the mass of the operating element to the mass of the compensating weight. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the compensating weight is separated from said actuator or from an actuator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating element inclusive of its elastic mounting to the housing has a first eigen frequency and the compensating weight inclusive of its elastic mounting to the operating element and/or to the housing has a second eigen frequency, wherein the first and the second eigen frequencies are equal or substantially equal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a tie-rod or plunger-coil electromagnet comprising a stator and an armature, wherein the armature or the stator is kinematically coupled to the operating element, and the stator or the armature is kinematically coupled to the compensating weight. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The operating unit according to claim 4, wherein the stator and/or the armature comprises the compensating weight. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating element further comprises a display function. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the device is a man-machine interface in a vehicle component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The operating unit according to claim 7, wherein the vehicle component is a dashboard and/or a center console. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the operating panel is a touchscreen, a touchpad, a display or a combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The operating unit according to claim 1, wherein the compensating weight is part of said actuator mechanically exciting the operating panel.