Vehicle display assembly

Abstract

A display assembly for a vehicle includes a support base having a recess and a display module at least partially received within the recess, the display module having a front side and a back side. A cover lens is attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments relate to a floating mount arrangement for components in a vehicle display assembly. BACKGROUND

[0002] In automotive interiors, vehicle display assemblies include fragile components such as a cover lens, a display module, and a bonding material between the cover lens and the display module. The current way of attaching the cover lens within the display assembly is to provide screw protrusions on the back of the cover lens and drive screws into these protrusions to secure the cover lens to a structural reinforcement base. One negative effect of this approach is that forces applied to the structural reinforcement base can be transmitted to the display module and the bonding material. The forces can create a display anomaly known as "color shift," which is an effect observed when the display is pushed that causes the display image to undesirably shift in color or brightness. Additionally, the coefficient of thermal expansion difference between the cover lens and the structural reinforcement base will cause stresses to these parts. These stresses can in turn be transmitted to the bonding material attached to the display module and can also create display mura or inconsistency. SUMMARY

[0003] In one or more embodiments, a display assembly for a vehicle includes a support base having a recess and a display module at least partially received within the recess. The display module has a front side and a back side. A cover lens is attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive.

[0004] In one or more embodiments, a display assembly for a vehicle includes a support base having a recess and a display module at least partially received within the recess but not in contact with the support base. The display module has a front side and a back side. A cover lens is attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive.

[0005] In one or more embodiments, a display assembly for a vehicle includes a support base having a recess and a display module at least partially received within the recess. The display module has a front side and a back side, wherein the back side of the display module is coupled to the support base with at least one adhesive member. A cover lens is attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] Figure 1 is an exemplary display assembly installed in a vehicle panel;

[0007] Figure 2 is a front exploded view of a display assembly according to an embodiment;

[0008] Figure 3 is a rear exploded view of the display assembly of Figure 2

[0009] Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of a display assembly according to an embodiment;

[0010] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a display module and a support base of a display assembly; and

[0011] Figure 6 is an exploded view of a display assembly illustrating a compliant ground contact. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] Detailed embodiments of the application are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the application and can be embodied in various alternative forms. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily to scale; some features can be exaggerated or minimized for the purpose of clarity. Specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the application in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting; but rather, to provide an understandable description of the application.

[0013] The embodiments disclosed herein provide a solution to the negative effects of rigid assembly features in display assemblies in vehicles. Rather than using threaded rods or other rigid fasteners and fixtures, a floating mounting arrangement of components within the display assembly is utilized, as described below. Floating attachment of fragile assembly components avoids exerting forces within the display assembly that cause color variation and / or form defects.

[0014] Referring to Figures 1 to 4 , according to one or more embodiments, a display assembly 100 for a vehicle includes a cover lens 102 and a display module 104. The cover lens 102 can be attached to a front side 106 of the display module 104 with a bonding material 108, as illustrated in Figure 4 ​The bonding material 108 can be an optically clear adhesive bonding composition and can be applied as a generally continuous layer of sufficient thickness to secure the cover lens 102 with the display module 104 together. In one example, a high definition bonding material that is index matched can be used between the cover lens 102 and the display module 104, where an index matched material is a substance whose refractive index closely approximates that of another object, such as the cover lens 102. Examples include, but are not limited to, acrylic or silicone based optically clear adhesives that can be applied by methods that form either a liquid form or a sheet form.

[0015] In one or more embodiments, the cover lens 102 can have an elongated configuration with a generally rectangular central portion 110 arranged to overlie the display module 104, which tapers to narrower end portions 112 on each side thereof. Of course, this configuration of the cover lens 102 is merely exemplary and is not intended to be limiting. The cover lens 102 can be constructed of a polymer-based material, such as, but not limited to, polycarbonate and can be designed to have a low birefringence. The display module 104 can have a generally rectangular shape and can utilize a touch screen 114 Figure 4

[0016] The display assembly 100 also includes a structural reinforcement or support base 116 to which the cover lens 102 and the display module 104 are coupled in a floating mount arrangement, as further described below. Complementary to the cover lens 102, the support base 116 can have an elongated configuration with a generally rectangular central portion 118 that tapers to narrower end portions 120 on each side thereof. The support base 116, in turn, can be mounted to a vehicle interface base 122 to attach to a vehicle panel or frame. The support base 116 can be constructed of a conductive material, such as, but not limited to, cast aluminum or magnesium. As Figure 2 and Figure 4 The central portion 118 of the support base 116 includes a recess 124 arranged to at least partially receive the display module 104 when the components of the display assembly 100 are assembled, with a border region 126 surrounding the recess 124, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0017] Instead of using threaded screws, fasteners or other rigid securing members of the prior art, the cover lens 102 is coupled and mounted to the support base 116 using a floating attachment Figures 2 to 4 ​). In one or more embodiments, the cover lens 102 is attached to the support base 116 using a flexible adhesive 128. Specifically, a high elongation, expansive compliant adhesive capable of absorbing and withstanding dynamic and static loads can be employed. As there can be a difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the cover lens 102 and the support base 116, the adhesive 128 can be selected to ensure that the joint between the cover lens 102 and the support base 116 does not break when the display assembly 100 is exposed to different environmental conditions. In one non-limiting example, 7811 Double sided acrylic foam tape can be used as the adhesive 128.

[0018] In one or more embodiments, the adhesive 128 can be applied substantially around the display module 104, applying the adhesive 128 to substantially cover the border region 126 and the end portions 120 of the central portion 118 of the support base 116. In other embodiments, the adhesive 128 can only partially surround the display module 104 while still forming the desired floating mount arrangement. It should be understood that the adhesive 128 can have any shape, size, or thickness and is not limited only to the configurations shown and described herein. For example, instead of the substantially continuous layer of adhesive 128 depicted, discrete regions of adhesive 128 can be employed. The surfaces of the cover lens 102 and the support base 116 arranged in contact with the adhesive 128 can be textured (e.g., ribbed, roughened, etc.) to increase the surface area of the components and thereby enhance the strength of the joint between the cover lens 102 and the support base 116 and the adhesive 128. The support base 116 can then be rigidly affixed to the vehicle interface base 122 for connection to a vehicle interior panel or other structure.

[0019] In addition to the removal of rigid fasteners that secure the cover lens 102 to the support base 116, in one or more embodiments, the cover lens 102 and the support base 116 also lack rigid restraining locating features for assembling the components together. Typically, a combination of a pin on one component and a hole on another component can be used to guide the alignment of the two components relative to each other during assembly. In the embodiments disclosed herein, this type of locating feature can be removed to avoid creating a rigid fixation and restraint between the cover lens 102 and the support base 116 that would impede the intended floating, flexible joint. Instead, the inherent structural features of the cover lens 102 and the support base 116 can be used to guide the assembly of these parts without restricting the flexible joint and floating mount between the cover lens 102 and the support base 116.

[0020] Reference is now made to Figure 4 and Figure 5The recess 124 of the support base 116 is defined by four sidewalls 130 connected to the rear wall 132. In one or more embodiments, the display module 104 may be arranged to be at least partially received in the recess 124, adjacent to or surrounded by the sidewalls 130 and the rear wall 132, but not in contact with the sidewalls 130 or the rear wall 132. As illustrated, one, two, three, or all four edges 134 of the display module 104 may be spaced apart from the sidewalls 130 to form gaps 136. Figure 4 As shown, the rear side 138 of the display module 104 can be spaced apart from the rear wall 132 to form a gap 140. Since the cover lens 102 is bonded to the display module 104 and is adhesively attached to the support base 116, the display module 104 does not need to be directly connected to the support base 116. In this way, mechanical forces exerted on the display module 104 due to rigid contact with the support base 116 are avoided. The display module 104 and the bonding material 108 connecting the display module 104 to the cover lens 102 are thus isolated and protected from stresses that could cause chromatic aberration.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, at least one adhesive member 142 may be used to connect the rear side 138 of the display module 104 to the support base 116 along the side wall 130 adjacent to the recess 124, along the rear wall 132, or along both the side wall 130 and the rear wall 132. Figure 2 and Figure 5 In the illustrated example, a plurality of adhesive members 142 are spaced apart along the rear wall 132 of the adjacent sidewall 130. The one or more adhesive members 142 may be used to reduce stress on the bonding material 108 due to the floating mounting arrangement of the display module 104 within the display assembly 100. It should be understood that at least one adhesive member 142 may have any shape, size, or thickness, and is not limited to the configuration or number of adhesive members 142 shown. As described above with respect to the adhesive 128 for attaching the cover lens 102 to the support base 116, at least one adhesive member 142 may be a flexible, highly elongated adhesive that is expansion-compliant and capable of absorbing and withstanding dynamic and static loads.

[0022] Because the display module 104 is floating within the display assembly 100, the display module 104 and the display assembly 100 may not have a standard electrical grounding contact. To ground the display module 104 without compromising its floating arrangement within the display assembly 100, the embodiments disclosed herein may include at least one compliant grounding contact 144 between the support base 116 and the display module 104, such as... Figure 6The compliant ground contact 144 can have a pad form that can be secured by an adhesive. In another embodiment, the compliant ground contact 144 can include a metal spring of any form factor (i.e., coil spring, leaf spring, etc.), where it is desirable for the spring to have a low spring constant so that the force applied to the display module 104 is negligible. The compliant ground contact 144 can be secured to the display module 104, the support base 116, or both the display module 104 and the support base 116. The one or more compliant ground contacts 144 provide electrical contact between the back side 138 of the display module 104 and a portion of the support base 116, such as but not limited to the back wall 132 contiguous with the recess 124.

[0023] A trend in the automotive interior industry is for instrument panels to have larger lenses and more display solutions that require index-matched high definition bonding materials. The embodiments disclosed herein provide a way to bring the cover lens 102 and display module 104 components together with the support base 116 so that stress is avoided on these fragile components and bonding materials 108, thus preventing color shift in the display module 104. Quality defects in the bonding materials 108, such as bubbles, air gaps, stiffness or flexibility changes, or delamination, can also be avoided. The disclosed embodiments provide a competitive advantage in the field of vehicle display assemblies that include display modules and cover lenses.

[0024] While the foregoing describes exemplary embodiments, these embodiments are not meant to describe all possible forms of the application. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the application. Additionally, features of various implementations can be combined to form further implementations of the application.

Claims

1. A display assembly for a vehicle comprising: a support base having side walls connected to a back wall, the side walls and the back wall defining a recess, the support base being comprised of an electrically conductive material, the support base having a generally rectangular central portion, the recess being located in the central portion and being surrounded by a border region; a display module at least partially received within the recess, the display module having a front side and a back side; and a cover lens attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive, the flexible adhesive directly attaching the cover lens to the support base by substantially encircling the display module along the border region of the support base.

2. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the display module is arranged to be at least partially received in the recess but not to contact the support base.

3. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the support base has an elongated configuration tapering to narrower end portions on each side thereof.

4. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the flexible adhesive comprises a high elongation, swelling compliant adhesive.

5. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one adhesive member coupling the back side of the display module with the support base.

6. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one compliant ground contact to provide electrical contact between the support base and the display module.

7. The display assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover lens has an elongated configuration having a generally rectangular central portion tapering to narrower end portions on each side thereof.

8. The display assembly of claim 1, further comprising a vehicle interface base, the support base being arranged to be mounted to the vehicle interface base.

9. A display assembly for a vehicle comprising: a support base having side walls connected to a back wall, the side walls and the back wall defining a recess, the support base having an elongated configuration having a generally rectangular central portion tapering to narrower end portions on each side thereof, the recess being located in the central portion and being surrounded by a border region; a display module at least partially received within the recess but not to contact the support base, the display module having a front side and a back side; and a cover lens attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive, the flexible adhesive directly attaching the cover lens to the support base by substantially encircling the display module along the border region of the support base.

10. The display assembly of claim 9, wherein the flexible adhesive comprises a high elongation, swelling compliant adhesive. ​ ​ 11. The display assembly of claim 9, further comprising at least one compliant ground contact to provide electrical contact between the support base and the display module.

12. The display assembly of claim 9, wherein the cover lens has an elongated configuration having a generally rectangular central portion tapering to narrower end portions on each side thereof.

13. The display assembly of claim 9, further comprising a vehicle interface base, the support base being arranged to mount to the vehicle interface base.

14. A display assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a support base having a side wall connected to a back wall, the side wall and the back wall defining a recess, the support base being comprised of an electrically conductive material, the support base having an elongated configuration having a generally rectangular central portion tapering to narrower end portions on each side thereof, the recess being in the central portion and surrounded by a border area; a display module at least partially received within the recess, the display module having a front side and a back side, wherein the back side of the display module is coupled to the support base with at least one adhesive member; and a cover lens attached to the front side of the display module with a bonding material and having an elongated configuration having a generally rectangular central portion tapering to narrower end portions on each side thereof, the cover lens being coupled to the support base in a floating mount arrangement using a flexible adhesive, the flexible adhesive directly attaching the cover lens to the support base by substantially surrounding the display module along the border area and the end portions of the support base.

15. The display assembly of claim 14, wherein the flexible adhesive comprises a high elongation, expansion compliant adhesive.

16. The display assembly of claim 14, further comprising at least one compliant ground contact to provide electrical contact between the support base and the display module.

17. The display assembly of claim 14, further comprising a vehicle interface base, the support base being arranged to mount to the vehicle interface base.

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