Trim element comprising an integrated display area

Abstract

The present invention relates to a decorative element (1) comprising a display area (20) defined by a display device (6) and an edge member (4) comprising a surrounding area (14) extending at least partially around the display area (20), the surrounding area (14) being at least partially translucent, the display area (20) and the surrounding area (14) forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the decorative element, the decorative element further comprising an illumination device (8) configured to illuminate the display device (6) to display an image on the display area (20). The illumination device (8) comprises a light-emitting sheet (28) extending at least towards the display area (20) and the surrounding area (14) of the edge member (4).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a type of decorative element comprising a display area defined by a display device and an edge member comprising a surrounding area extending at least a portion of the display area, the surrounding area being at least partially translucent, the display area and the surrounding area forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the decorative element, the decorative element further comprising an illumination device configured to illuminate the display device for displaying an image on the display area.

[0002] The decorative element according to the present invention is a display module, for example, which includes a display device or a decorative element including a display device. For example, the present invention is applicable to vehicle decorative elements. [Previous Technology]

[0003] As is well known, display devices are integrated into decorative elements such as dashboards, center consoles, seats, and door panels to display information and / or audiovisual content to vehicle passengers.

[0004] For this purpose, the housing of the display device extends into the body of the decorative element and, for example, onto a display area formed on transparent glass or a lens, and the image of the display device is displayed on that area, for example, extending substantially continuously with the outer surface of the body, for example, onto an interior layer or edge member, so that the decorative element has a substantially continuous and uninterrupted outer surface with a satisfactory appearance.

[0005] However, in order to have a sufficiently large display content that vehicle passengers can comfortably see, the display area and housing of the display device must be large. This increases the area occupied by the display in the decorative element, which may come at the expense of other functional elements and increases the cost of the decorative element that integrates the display.

[0006] Furthermore, although the display area extends continuously with the rest of the outer surface of the decorative element, the transition between the display area and the area extending around the outer surface of the display area is still visible, which reduces the appearance of the decorative element and diminishes the impression that the display device is integrated into the decorative element. [Summary of the Invention]

[0007] One object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages by providing decorative elements that include an integrated display device with reduced space requirements and cost and a particularly advantageous appearance.

[0008] Therefore, the present invention relates to the above-described type of display device, wherein the lighting device includes a light-emitting sheet extending at least toward the display area and the surrounding area of ​​the edge member.

[0009] By providing a light-emitting sheet extending outside the display area, it is possible to illuminate the edge area, which can be surrounded by the same sheet. This illumination allows the display area of ​​the display device to be artificially increased, thereby presenting vehicle passengers with content of sufficient size while reducing the size of the display area and the overall display device. Furthermore, the light emitted by the light-emitting sheet can be configured so that the transition between the display area and the decorative element is substantially invisible to the naked eye.

[0010] The decorative element according to the invention may further include one or more of the following features, which may be considered individually or in any technically feasible combination: - Controlling the light-emitting sheet by a control unit, the control unit being adapted to control the light-emitting sheet such that a first light-emitting signal is emitted to a first region of the light-emitting sheet extending substantially toward the display area, and a second light-emitting signal different from the first light-emitting signal is emitted to a second region of the light-emitting sheet extending toward the surrounding area, wherein when the control unit is activated in an activated state, the second light-emitting signal has a first brightness and a second brightness, the first brightness being low or zero in the resting state of the second light-emitting area, and the second brightness being higher than the first brightness; - The display area includes a transparent element, the transparent element including an outer surface and an inner surface of the display device opposite to the outer surface and turned toward the inner surface of the display device, the outer surface of the transparent element extending substantially in the same plane as the surrounding area of ​​the edge member, the decorative element having a substantially continuous and uninterrupted outer surface at the transition between the display area and the surrounding area; - The edge member defining an opening for receiving the transparent element; - The light-emitting sheet is configured to emit light such that when the light-emitting sheet is activated, the transition between the display surface and the surrounding area is substantially invisible to the naked eye to the exterior of the decorative element; - The transparent element and the edge member are made of different materials; - The surrounding area and / or the display area includes at least one signal area forming a pictogram and / or marking an area that can be activated by contact with the activatable area; - The edge member includes at least one capacitive film extending toward at least the surrounding area, the capacitive film defining at least one touch button on the surrounding area, the touch button being activatable only when the surrounding area is illuminated by the light-emitting sheet; - The display device includes a screen extending toward the display area, the screen being held by a support member including at least a portion extending toward the surrounding area, the light-emitting sheet extending on the back of the screen and the support member portion, such that light emitted by the light-emitting sheet passes through the screen and the support member portion before reaching the exterior of the decorative element; The lighting device includes at least one light guide extending from the light-emitting sheet and guiding light emitted by the light-emitting sheet to at least a portion of the surrounding area of ​​the edge element; - The light-emitting sheet includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes forming a light-emitting diode matrix defining several sub-matrices, each sub-matrix being independently activated from the other sub-matrices; - The light-emitting sheet is flexible and deformable to conform to the shape of the decorative element; - The display device and the lighting device are driven by the same control unit; - The decorative element is a display module.

Implementation Method

[0012] Referring to Figures 1 and 2, a vehicle trim element 1 is described, which mainly includes a body 2 coated with edge members 4, a display device 6, and a lighting device 8. For example, this trim element 1 is formed and installed in the dashboard, center console, seats, door panels, etc., inside a vehicle. In one variation, the trim element 1 according to the invention forms a display module, which can be integrated into another trim element, such as a dashboard. This display module is formed as a finished product, for example, which can be used as a stand-alone unit, for example, to be configured in a vehicle or building room or to be used normally. Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the display module can be installed on a dashboard.

[0013] The body 2 defines the shape of the decorative element and imparts to it mechanical properties beyond those of the display device. The body 2 may be made of any suitable material, such as rigid plastic, foam, etc. The body 2 includes at least one opening for receiving the display device 6. As described below, the body 2 forms a support 10 around the opening for holding a portion of the display device 6. According to one embodiment, the support 10 is formed by a frame extending to the body 2, particularly when the body 2 is made of foam.

[0014] The edge member 4 is intended to at least partially cover the portion of the body 2 facing the interior of the vehicle after a turn. The edge member 4 also includes an opening extending at least a portion of the opening facing the body 2 for a portion of the display device 6 to pass through, as described below. The edge member 4 has an outer surface 12 facing the surface applied to the body, forming a portion of the outer surface of the decorative element 1. This outer surface is visible from the outside of the decorative element 1, i.e., visible to vehicle passengers. Therefore, the edge member 4 defines the appearance of at least a portion of the decorative element 1, and the edge member 4 can be made of any material suitable for providing a satisfactory appearance to the decorative element 1. This edge member 4 can be formed by a coating layer applied to the body 2. According to another embodiment, the edge member 4 can be made as a single piece with the body 2 of the decorative element 1.

[0015] The edges of the openings of the edge member 4 refer to the surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4. In other words, the surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4 corresponds to a portion of the edge member 4 that surrounds at least a portion of the display area defined by the display device 6, as will be described in more detail below. The surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4 is translucent, that is, it allows light from the side of the body 2 to pass through the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area. Translucency means a light transmittance substantially between 5% and 100%, and a light transmittance of less than 5% corresponds to an opaque portion that does not allow light to pass through. Therefore, the surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4 allows light from inside the decorative element 1 to pass through, such that the light is visible on the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area 14. According to one embodiment, the entire edge member 4 is translucent, and the edge member area that does not allow light to pass through is then mounted on an opaque portion, for example, formed by the body 2. According to one embodiment, the edge member 4 is formed by a skin of translucent synthetic material.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the surrounding area 14 may include an opaque area, for example, by providing a mask extending on the inner surface of the surrounding area to define one or more patterns through which light can pass, to form a pictogram, etc. As shown in FIG1, such a pattern is used to form at least one signal area 15 on the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area 14, which is connected to one or more functions of a vehicle or a device connected to the device, as will be described in more detail below.

[0017] The support member 10 of the main body 2 extends at least partially toward the surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4 so as to receive the display device 8 extending in the opening in the main body 2, as now described.

[0018] The display device 8 includes at least one screen 16 extending toward a transparent element 18 forming a display area 20.

[0019] The screen 16 is formed by a liquid crystal panel, for example, configured to form an image when the panel is illuminated and driven, as described below. Therefore, the screen 16 allows light to pass through, particularly from the face turning inwards toward the interior of the decorative element to the face turning outwards toward the exterior of the decorative element, and extending toward the opening of the edge member 4. According to an embodiment more specifically visible in FIG. 3, for example, the screen 16 includes an opaque edge plate 22 forming the technical components of the screen 16, which ensures the connectivity of the screen 16. This opaque edge plate 22 does not allow light to pass through like other parts of the screen 16. Note that the screen 16 here refers only to the liquid crystal panel, and not the panel illumination device as is commonly understood. According to one embodiment, the screen 16 is a touch screen, which a user can interact with by contacting the display surface 20. For this purpose, for example, a capacitive film (not shown) is applied on or near the screen 16 in a known manner (such as between the screen 16 and the transparent element 18).

[0020] The screen 16 extends in the opening in the main body 2, facing the opening in the edge member 4, for example, and is mounted on the support member 10 of the main body 2 that holds the screen 16 in the main body 2.

[0021] The transparent element 18 is formed from a window pane or lens, for example, made of plastic material, glass, etc. According to one embodiment, the transparent element 18 is made of a material different from that of the edge member 4. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the transparent element 18 extends into the opening of the edge member 4 of the pivoting screen 16 and is configured to allow the image generated by the screen 16 to be clearly displayed on the display area 20. For this purpose, the transparent element 18 includes an inner surface 24 of the pivoting screen 16 and an outer surface 25 opposite to the inner surface 24 and outside the pivoting decorative element 1, forming the display area 20. Therefore, light passing through the screen 16 is transmitted toward the inner surface 24 of the transparent element 18 and is transmitted from the inner surface 24 to the outer surface 25 on which the image emitted by the screen 16 is displayed. To ensure good light transmission between the screen 16 and the transparent element 18, an optically transmissive material 26, such as an optical adhesive, can be provided between the side of the screen 16 of the pivoting transparent element 18 and the inner surface 24 of the transparent element 18, as shown in Figure 2. This optical adhesive further ensures the bonding between the screen 16 and the transparent element 18. For the touch screen 16, it should be noted that a capacitive film may also extend on the inner surface 24 of the transparent element 18. It should also be noted that this capacitive film may be provided to form one or more touch surfaces on the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area 14, for example, opposite one or more signal areas 15. In one variation, different capacitive films are provided to make the display area 20 tactile and the surrounding area 14 tactile.

[0022] According to an advantageous embodiment, the display area 20 extends substantially in the same plane as the surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4, such that the decorative element 1 has a substantially continuous outer surface, which is formed at least partially by the outer surface 12 of the edge member 4 and by the display area 20. More specifically, the openings of the transparent element 18 and the edge member 4 cooperate with each other, for example, such that the outer surface of the decorative element is substantially uninterrupted at the transition between the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area 14 and the display area 20. In other words, several edge openings of the edge member are adjacent to several edges of the transparent element 18. In other words, the openings of the edge member 4 have a shape substantially complementary to the openings of the transparent element 18. Note that the transparent element 18 may have any suitable shape, such as the shape corresponding to the screen 16. For example, the transparent element 18 may be substantially rectangular, a rectangle with rounded corners, a square, a circle, etc. Note that the invention is not limited to the flat outer surface of the decorative element. Therefore, for example, the display area 20 may be slightly hemispherical or curved. In this case, "the display area 20 extends substantially on the same plane as the surrounding area 14 of the edge member 4" means that the surrounding area 14 substantially follows the same curvature as the display area 20, so that the outer surface of the decorative element 1 has continuity at the transition between the surrounding area and the display area 20. Therefore, according to one example, for example, the surrounding area 14 has a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the display area 20.

[0023] By having a substantially continuous and uninterrupted outer surface between the edge element 4 and the display area 20, the decorative element is given a particularly pleasing appearance, thereby enhancing the impression that the display device 6 is integrated into the decorative element 1. To further enhance this impression, it is possible to dye the transparent element 18 or add a colored film to the display area 20, so that the transparent element 18 has the same appearance as the edge element 4, especially when the display device is off and not illuminated by the lighting device 8, as described below. Thus, in the case of the black edge element 4, the transparent element 18 can be, for example, smoked so that when viewed from the outside and when the lighting device 8 is not activated, the presence of the display device 6 is almost invisible or not visible at all relative to the rest of the decorative element 1. If a colored film is applied to the outer surface 25 of the transparent element 18, then the outer surface of this film forms the display area 20 and extends continuously with the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area 14.

[0024] According to one embodiment, one or more regions of the transparent element 18 may be textured to form one or more signal regions, for example, in addition to the signal region 15 provided in the surrounding region 14. The transparent element 18 may be subjected to laser radiation, for example, to create microtextures in one or more regions of the inner surface 24 and / or the outer surface 25 of the transparent element 18, thereby creating one or more patterns to define pictographs on the display area, for example, which appear when the display area is illuminated. The laser radiation is used to modify the tribological properties of the transparent element 18 to create areas of passive tactile feedback on the display area 20, wherein the transition between such areas and the rest of the display area 20 is substantially invisible to the naked eye to the exterior of the decorative element 1.

[0025] According to one embodiment, the screen 16 has a larger size than the transparent element 18, such that a portion of the screen 16, specifically, one or more edges facing a portion of the surrounding area 14 of the decorative element, extends. According to this embodiment, an image generated by this portion of the screen 16 is thus displayed on the outer surface 12 of a portion of the surrounding area 14, as will be described in more detail below.

[0026] The lighting device 8 is configured to illuminate the area 14 surrounding the display device 6 and the edge member 4 when activated. In other words, the lighting device 8 not only illuminates the display device 6 as it normally would, but also illuminates the area extending around the display device 6. For this purpose, the lighting device 8 includes a light-emitting sheet 28 that extends toward the display area 14 surrounding the display device 6 and the edge member 4, and is configured to emit light toward the outer surface 12 of the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14. In other words, the same light-emitting sheet extends at least toward the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14. More specifically, the light-emitting sheet 28 extends on the inner surface side of the screen 16 and closes the opening facing the body 2 of the edge member 4, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In other words, the light-emitting sheet 28 extends on the back of the screen 16 and on the portion of the support member 10 that extends towards the surrounding area 14, such that the light emitted by the light-emitting sheet 28 passes through the portion of the screen 16 and the support member 10 before reaching the outer surface of the decorative element, and the same light-emitting sheet 28 illuminates both the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14.

[0027] Therefore, the light emitted by the light-emitting sheet 28 passes through the screen 16 and the entire screen 16 and surrounding area 14, for example, for the portion extending towards the surrounding area and through the support 10, which is then configured to allow light to pass through to illuminate the portion of the surrounding area 14 that does not extend towards the screen 16 for displaying other images thereon, as described below, and / or generating ambient lighting to create the impression of an enlarged display surface outside the display area 20 of the transparent element itself. More specifically, the light-emitting sheet 28 can be used, when the light-emitting sheet is activated, to continuously illuminate the display area 20 and surrounding area 14 and select the emitted light suitable for this purpose, so that the transition between the display area and the outer surface 12 of the surrounding area 14 is substantially invisible to the naked eye outside the decorative element.

[0028] This lighting system on the outer surface of the decorative element 1 is particularly advantageous because it provides the impression of a large display area, while the display device 6 can have a small footprint, thereby reducing the production cost of the decorative element and freeing up space for other functions, as described below. Furthermore, by making the transition between the surrounding area 14 and the display area 20 substantially invisible, the impression of integration between the display device 6 and the decorative element is improved, giving the decorative element a particularly pleasing appearance.

[0029] According to one embodiment, the lighting device 8 includes at least one light guide 30 extending from the light-emitting sheet 28 and guiding light emitted by the light-emitting sheet 28 into at least a portion of the surrounding area 14 of the edge member. This light guide 30 is useful when the screen 16 includes an opaque edge plate 22, for example, to prevent light emitted by the light-emitting sheet 28 from passing through the screen 16 in this edge plate. The light guide 30 then directs the light emitted by the sheet 28 toward the opaque edge plate 22 between the screen 16 and the surrounding area 14 of the edge member, as shown in FIG3. In a variation or additionally, the light guide 30 may also direct light toward a portion of the display area 20. The light guide 30 is, for example, made of a transparent material. The light guide 30 includes a first leg 32 and a second leg 34. The first leg 32 extends from the inner side of the light-emitting sheet 28 along the edge of the screen 16 to the outer side. The second leg 34 extends from the end of the first leg 32 of the light-emitting sheet 28 on the opaque edge 22 facing the screen 16. The second leg 34 is configured to emit the light it receives toward the outer surface of the decorative element 1. Therefore, the presence of the opaque edge plate 22 does not interrupt the illumination continuity of the outer surface of the decorative element 1.

[0030] The light-emitting sheet 28 is formed, for example, by a single light-emitting diode. Therefore, the light-emitting sheet 28 includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (not shown) forming a diode matrix. The diode matrix defines a plurality of diode sub-matrices, which can be activated independently of each other, and / or each diode sub-matrix can emit the same and / or different light-emitting signals emitted by other sub-matrices. In other words, the light-emitting sheet 28 can emit different types of light-emitting signals in different areas. Different light-emitting signals mean different colors and / or different light intensities. Therefore, the light illuminating the display area 20 is not necessarily the same as the light illuminating the surrounding area 14, and this light can be adjusted, specifically to make the transition between the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14 substantially invisible to the naked eye outside the decorative element 1, or to produce lighting effects such as animation on the outer surface of the decorative element 1. Therefore, as an example, the transition light between the lighting display area 20 and the surrounding area 14, as well as the light of the remaining portion of the lighting surrounding area 14, can be configured to produce a fading effect on the outer surface of the decorative element, thereby creating a smooth transition between the luminous portion and the non-luminous portion of the outer surface of the decorative element.

[0031] According to one embodiment, the light-emitting sheet 28 is controlled such that a first region of the light-emitting sheet 28 extends substantially toward the display area 20 and emits a first light signal, and a second region of the light-emitting sheet 28 extends toward the surrounding area 14 and emits a second light signal different from the first light signal. The second light signal has a first brightness and a second brightness, for example, wherein the first brightness is low or zero in the rest state of the second light-emitting area, and the second brightness is higher than the first brightness when the second area is in an active state. Although the surrounding area 14 is translucent, the rest state is used to cover the portion extending from the outside of the decorative element below the surrounding area 14, and as described above, the active state is used to illuminate the surrounding area 14, for example, to extend the display area 20.

[0032] Furthermore, light emitted by certain subarrays of the diodes is used to illuminate signal areas 15 provided in the surrounding area 14 and / or display area 20, to signal that a function of the vehicle has been activated or can be activated, for example, by touching the illuminated signal area 15. Thus, the illumination of the signal area 15 signals to the user, for example, that a function can be activated, deactivated, and / or controlled by tactile contact with this signal area. The associated functions are those related to the vehicle, the display device 6, and / or devices connected to the vehicle (such as cell phones, etc.). Similarly, for example, to indicate a change in function status, the illumination of the signal area 15 can be modified by modifying the color of the light illuminating this area. According to one embodiment, when the function associated with this area is not activated and / or not activated, for example, by illuminating these signal areas 15 with the same light as the rest of the illuminated outer surface, the signal area or area 15 is substantially invisible to the naked eye outside the decorative element. Therefore, the information displayed on the outer surface of the decorative element is scalable, and the pictographs or icons only appear when relevant, illuminated in a specific manner by the light-emitting sheet 28. Thus, as an example, a capacitive film extending on the edge member 4 defines at least one touch button on the surrounding area 14, and this touch button is only operable when the surrounding area 14 is illuminated by the light-emitting sheet 28.

[0033] As described above, when a portion of the image generated by the screen 16 is displayed on the surrounding area 14, such image may be of the same type as the image displayed on the display area 20 in order to create an enlarged display surface and / or may be of a different type, such as forming icons or pictographs on the surrounding area to create an additional signal area.

[0034] The light-emitting sheet 28 is flexible and deformable, for example, so that its shape can be adapted to its environment in decorative elements, as can be seen more specifically in FIG2. In fact, such a light-emitting sheet 28 formed by a diode array can be particularly thin (its thickness is substantially in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, for example, preferably in the range of 2 mm to 3 mm), making it space-saving, flexible and capable of adopting the desired shape. Therefore, the light-emitting sheet 28 can follow the shape of the back of the screen 16 and the portion of the support 10 abutting against it, thereby ensuring good light transmittance in these elements.

[0035] As described above, the same light-emitting sheet 28 illuminates the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14, but it should be understood that the decorative element 1 may include other light-emitting sheets or other lighting elements, for example, to illuminate areas outside the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14.

[0036] The light-emitting sheet 28 is controlled by a single control unit 36. In other words, the same control unit 36 ​​manages the illumination of the display area 20 and the surrounding area 20. Advantageously, the operation of the display device 6 and the lighting device 8 can be performed by the same control unit 36, which is formed by a single printed circuit board and extends on the back of the light-emitting sheet 28, for example, as shown in FIG2. The use of a single control unit 36 ​​further reduces the space requirements of the display device 6 and the lighting device 8 in the decorative element, thereby freeing up space for the integration of other functions in the decorative element, such as heating areas, operation buttons, etc.

[0037] The aforementioned decorative element illuminates the area outside the edge member 4 extending around the display area 20 by using the same light-emitting sheet 28 used for the screen 16 of the lighting display device 6, allowing for the integration of the display device 6 and the rest of the decorative element in a harmonious, space-saving, and economical manner. Therefore, the size of the display device 6 can be reduced while maintaining a satisfactory display area extending on both the display area 20 and the surrounding area 14 extending around the display area 20. [Simplified Explanation of the Diagram]

[0011] Other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG1 is a schematic perspective view of a decorative element according to the present invention, showing the outer surface of the decorative element; FIG2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the decorative element along axis II-II of FIG1; and FIG3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of details of a decorative element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A trim element (1) comprising a display area (20) defined by a display device (6) and an edge member (4) comprising a surrounding area (14) extending around at least a portion of the display area (20), the surrounding area (14) being at least partially translucent, the display area (20) and the surrounding area (14) forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the trim element, the trim element further comprising an illumination device (8) configured to illuminate the display device (6) for displaying an image on the display area (20), characterized in that the illumination device (8) comprises a light-emitting sheet (28) extending at least towards the display area (20) and the surrounding area (14) of the edge member (4).

2. The decorative element (1) of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting sheet (28) is controlled by a control unit (36) adapted to control the light-emitting sheet (28) such that a first light signal is emitted to a first region of the light-emitting sheet (28) substantially extending toward the display area (20), and a second light signal different from the first light signal is emitted to a second region of the light-emitting sheet (28) substantially extending toward the surrounding area, wherein the second light signal has a first brightness that is low or zero in the rest state of the second region, and the second light signal has a second brightness that is higher than the first brightness when the control unit (36) activates the second region in the activation state.

3. The decorative element of claim 1, wherein the display area (20) includes a transparent element (18) having an outer surface (25) and an inner surface (24) opposite to the outer surface and facing the display device (6), the outer surface (25) of the transparent element (18) extending substantially in the same plane as the surrounding area (14) of the edge member (4), and the decorative element having a substantially continuous and uninterrupted outer surface at the transition between the display area (20) and the surrounding area (14).

4. The decorative element as claimed in claim 3, wherein the edge element (4) defines an opening for receiving the transparent element (18).

5. The decorative element of claim 2, wherein the light-emitting sheet (28) is configured to emit light such that when the light-emitting sheet (28) is activated, the transition between the display surface (20) and the surrounding area (14) is substantially invisible to the naked eye to the exterior of the decorative element.

6. The decorative element as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the transparent element (18) and the edge element (4) are made of different materials.

7. The decorative element of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the surrounding area (14) and / or the display area (20) includes at least one signal area (15) forming a pictogram and / or marking the activatable area which can be activated by contact with an activatable area.

8. The decorative element of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the edge member (4) includes at least one capacitive film extending at least toward the surrounding area (14), the capacitive film defining at least one touch button on the surrounding area (14), the touch button being operable only when the surrounding area (14) is illuminated by the light-emitting sheet (28).

9. A decorative element as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the display device (6) includes a screen (16) extending toward the display area (20), the screen (16) being held by a support (10) including at least a portion extending toward the surrounding area (14), and a light-emitting sheet (28) extending through the back of the screen (16) and the portion of the support (10) such that light emitted by the light-emitting sheet (28) passes through the screen (16) and the portion of the support (10) before reaching the surface of the decorative element.

10. The decorative element of claim 9, wherein the lighting device (8) includes at least one light guide (30) extending from the light-emitting sheet (28) and guiding light emitted by the light-emitting sheet (28) to at least a portion of the surrounding area (14) of the edge member.

11. The decorative element of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the light-emitting sheet (28) includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes forming an array of light-emitting diodes, the array of light-emitting diodes defining a plurality of diode subarrays, each subarray being operable independently of the other subarrays.

12. The decorative element of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the light-emitting sheet (28) is flexible and deformable so as to conform to the shape of the decorative element.

13. The decorative element of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the display device (6) and the lighting device (8) are driven by a single control unit (36).

14. A decorative element as requested in any of items 1 to 5, wherein the decorative element is a display module.

Images