Passenger vehicle with a screen forming a headliner

Abstract

The invention relates to a passenger vehicle (1) comprising a roof lining (4) which defines an occupant compartment (3) upwards, a curved screen (5) which forms a section of the roof lining (4), and a roof lining cover (7) which extends frame-like over the edges of the roof lining (7) and frames a display face (6) of the screen (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a passenger vehicle having a screen that forms a section of the roof lining. Background Technology

[0002] Vehicles are known in the automotive market to have enclosed roofs, meaning roofs that are continuously constructed as a sheet top. These roofs have large, typically material-covered, cladding sections on the inside, which form the roof lining. Panoramic sunroofs are becoming increasingly popular in passenger cars to allow more light into the passenger compartment and to allow passengers to experience the sky above the vehicle.

[0003] However, panoramic sunroofs result in a significant increase in weight. Under intense sunlight, a greenhouse effect may occur, potentially causing severe heating of the passenger compartment. Furthermore, panoramic sunroofs do not provide the same accident safety as a closed roof.

[0004] In this context, a virtual sunroof is known from DE102013203162A1, in which the vehicle environment above the vehicle is projected onto the headliner using a projector. This patent document also mentions that a screen can be used instead. However, the use of a projector may be distracting for the driver, especially at night or when the sky is cloudy. A screen mounted on the headliner may also be aesthetically distracting from the interior of the vehicle. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The objective of this invention is to at least partially eliminate the defects mentioned above. This objective is achieved by a passenger vehicle according to claim 1. Advantageous extensions of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a passenger vehicle is provided, the passenger vehicle comprising: a headliner defining an upper passenger compartment; a curved screen forming a section of the headliner; and a headliner cover extending in a frame-like manner along the edge of the headliner and framing the display surface of the screen. The top forms the largest interior surface area in the vehicle. Through this embodiment, the present invention allows for an immersive experience through digital presentation of most of the headliner, and significantly improves the sense of space. By framing the display surface with the headliner cover, the impression of a realistic panoramic sunroof is created, making the screen not feel intrusive or aesthetically unappealing. The display surface can be used to create a completely new feeling in the vehicle interior. For example, in overcast weather, the display surface can present an image that allows for the creation of an impression of driving through a sunny area with palm trees or driving through a sunny mountain view, thus achieving a more welcoming atmosphere in the vehicle interior. Especially when stopped, such as during loading, the display surface can be used to display colored patterns that work in a decompressive manner or to achieve phototherapy. This can be accompanied by simultaneously played tones and / or music.

[0007] According to another embodiment of the invention, the curvature of the screen varies on the display surface. Therefore, the curvature of a real panoramic glass skylight can be mimicked, and thus the display surface produces a more realistic impression of a panoramic glass skylight.

[0008] According to another embodiment of the invention, the inner edge of the roof liner cover is disposed below the display surface about the vehicle's vertical axis. More precisely, the inner edge of the roof liner cover is disposed below the edge of the display surface. This edge can be configured such that it is used for graphic description, or the edge is an extension of a surface configured for graphic description, and the extension itself is not configured for graphic description.

[0009] According to another embodiment of the invention, the curved screen is flexible or pre-bent in its uninstalled state. In particular, the screen is flexible only about one axis. This creates a deployable bend. Such a screen can be advantageously used if it is to be flexible about two axes (perpendicular to each other) in the future.

[0010] According to another embodiment of the invention, the display surface has a minimum area of ​​0.8 square meters. Therefore, the display surface occupies the majority of the area of ​​the headliner, which increases the likelihood of achieving a more aesthetically pleasing vehicle interior atmosphere.

[0011] According to another embodiment of the invention, the display surface has a larger size along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle compared to that along the transverse axis of the vehicle.

[0012] According to another embodiment of the invention, the screen is a panel-shaped LCD, LED, or OLED display. In principle, commercially available LCD, LED, or OLED displays, such as those used in televisions, can be used. However, there is no housing; only the panel is used, which, for example, has at least an imaging layer, a carrier substrate, and a transparent protective layer. The display will be mounted on a carrier member that guarantees its shape and connection point with the vehicle. This has the advantage that the carrier member used can be adapted to vehicle-specific requirements for fixed-point positioning, or to possible measures for passive safety, without affecting the display panel.

[0013] Alternatively, a complete screen, including its housing, may be installed. Here, the screen is flexible or has already been manufactured to be flexible, and is installed in the vehicle.

[0014] According to another embodiment of the invention, the screen has a glass surface layer made of mineral glass or plastic glass on its downward-facing surface. This protects the screen from damage and functions valuablely. In the case of mineral glass, composite safety glass is preferred for occupant safety reasons.

[0015] According to another embodiment of the invention, a passenger vehicle is provided with roof beams extending along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle on both sides and cross braces extending along the transverse axis of the vehicle between the roof beams and fixed to each roof beam, the screen being fixed to each cross brace. In this manner, reliable fixing is achieved without additional installation height compared to panoramic sunroofs to date. Additionally, the screen can be fixed to each longitudinal beam of the roof.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the invention, the cross brace is curved. Therefore, the curvature of the screen can be achieved by the cross brace being curved, and the screen being curved by fixing it to the cross brace.

[0017] According to another embodiment of the invention, the passenger vehicle further includes a storage medium, particularly a storage chip, on which moving or non-moving graphic descriptions (e.g., colored patterns or other fictional content) and / or moving or non-moving images of the vehicle environment that do not correspond to a real vehicle environment are stored. The contents of the storage medium can be displayed on a display surface. The vehicle environment is depicted from an upward perspective, particularly using a camera mounted on the roof, so that the perspective is simulated as realistically as possible, as through a real panoramic sunroof, and thus as well as well as possible, using a vehicle environment different from a real vehicle environment.

[0018] According to another embodiment of the invention, the passenger vehicle also has a speaker connected to the storage medium, the speaker producing a tone adapted to the display.

[0019] According to another embodiment of the invention, the passenger vehicle also has at least one camera for graphically detecting the vehicle environment, particularly the vehicle environment above the passenger vehicle, wherein the images detected by the camera can be displayed on a display surface, such that the display surface reproduces a realistic description of the vehicle environment above the passenger vehicle. In particular, the camera is mounted on the roof of the vehicle. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings are as follows:

[0021] Figure 1 This invention shows a passenger vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 2 Showing a roof liner viewed from below according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 3 Showing the view from below at an angle Figure 2 The roof lining;

[0024] Figure 4 Showing examples with the first theme from Figure 2 The roof lining;

[0025] Figure 5 Showing examples with a second theme from Figure 2 The roof lining;

[0026] Figure 6 Showing examples with a third theme from Figure 2 The roof lining;

[0027] Figure 7 The display shows the passage along the yz plane from... Figure 1 A sectional view of the roof of a passenger car; and

[0028] Figure 8 Showing along the xz plane through from Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of the roof of a passenger car. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Figure 1This illustrates a passenger vehicle 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A coordinate system is shown, showing the vehicle's longitudinal axis x, transverse axis y, and vertical axis z, all of which are perpendicular to each other. The passenger vehicle 1 has a roof 2 and a passenger compartment 3 located below the roof. The roof 2 has an outwardly or upwardly facing, fully enclosed roof surface and an inwardly or downwardly facing roof lining 4, the roof surface being, in particular, made of metal or carbon fiber composite material.

[0030] Figure 4 This shows the roof liner 4 as viewed from below according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 3 Showing the view from below at an angle Figure 2 The headliner 4 has a screen 5 with a downward-facing (referring to the vehicle's vertical axis z) display surface 6 pointing towards the passenger compartment 3. The screen 5 is essentially constructed in the xy-plane; more precisely, it has its maximum size along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x and its minimum size along the vehicle's vertical axis z. The screen 5, and more precisely, the display surface 6, is framed by a headliner cover 6, which extends in a frame-like manner along the edge of the headliner 4. In this case, the headliner cover 7 surrounds the display surface 6 in the form of a completely enclosed frame, which can be constructed as a single piece or in multiple pieces. The headliner cover 7 is made of, for example, plastic and can be covered with fabric, leather, or artificial leather. The screen 5 and the headliner cover 7 can be separate components, or they can be constructed as a single piece or constitute a single, unique component.

[0031] The screen 5 is a panel-shaped LCD, LED, or OLED panel, which has at least an imaging layer and a carrier substrate. The screen 5 may also have a backlight matrix, especially in the case of an LCD panel. In this way, a very thin display can be installed.

[0032] The screen 5 is flexible about an axis, so that the screen and therefore the display surface 6 can have a desired curvature.

[0033] Figures 4 to 6 Showing examples of themes from Figure 2 The headliner. Therefore, for example, as in... Figure 4 As described, display panel 6 can show the blue sky under sunlight, even though in reality it is cloudy and gray outside. Figure 5An exemplary view of a sunlit palm-lined landscape is shown, even though the passenger vehicle 1 is not actually situated within or moving within such a landscape. This realistic depiction of the sky, environment, or landscape is, for example, pre-drawn and stored on a storage medium (not shown), such as a memory chip or hard drive. In this case, the photography is drawn from an upward perspective, specifically along the vehicle's vertical axis z, through the moving vehicle, so that the moving photography reproduces the panoramic sunroof as realistically as possible on the display surface, even though a panoramic sunroof does not actually exist. The rendering speed can be adapted to the actual vehicle speed, so that the rendering speed of the moving photography is as if the actual vehicle environment were moving through the panoramic sunroof at that actual vehicle speed.

[0034] However, the display surface 6 can be used not only to mimic a panoramic glass skylight, but also to create a fictional description, such as in... Figure 6 As shown in the image, such fictional descriptions can be selected to provide a stress-relieving effect or a color light therapy effect for vehicle occupants. These fictional descriptions can be accompanied by appropriate tones and / or music. This is particularly useful during loading breaks, when vehicle occupants can relieve driving tension. Furthermore, when stationary, the front seats can be flipped back to allow occupants in the front seats to have a better upward gaze.

[0035] Figure 7 and 8 The roof of passenger car 1 is shown from different angles. Figure 7 Showing a sectional view from the rear, that is, a sectional view along the yz plane, and Figure 8The images show a sectional side view, i.e., a sectional view along the xz plane. As can be seen in these images, roof beams 8 are provided on both sides of the roof 2, extending substantially along the vehicle's longitudinal axis x. Multiple cross braces 9 extend between these roof beams 8, each longitudinal end of which is fixed to a roof beam 8. Each cross brace 9 extends substantially in the form of an elongated, plate-like profile along the vehicle's transverse axis y, and thus across the passenger compartment 3. Each cross brace 9 is arched or bent outwards. (Regarding the vehicle's vertical axis z) A screen 5 is provided below each cross brace 9. In a section along the yz plane passing through one of the cross braces 9 and the screen 5, the screen 5 has the same curvature around the vehicle's longitudinal axis x as the cross brace 9. The screen 5 also has a carrier member, either mounted on the carrier member (i.e., the carrier member is integrally formed with the screen 5) or manufactured separately from the screen. This carrier member is, for example, in the form of a correspondingly bent plate, which ensures the shape of the screen 5 and its connection point with the vehicle. The screen 5, including the carrier components, is fixed from below to each of the cross braces 9. The roof liner cover 7 frames the screen 5, or rather, frames the display surface 6 of the screen, such that the inner edge 10 of the roof liner cover 7 (about the vertical axis z of the vehicle) is positioned below the display surface 6, and in particular, against the display surface.

[0036] The invention is set forth and described in detail in the accompanying drawings and the foregoing description, which should be understood as exemplary and not as limiting, and is not intended to limit the invention to the disclosed embodiments. The mere fact that specific features are mentioned in the various dependent claims should not imply that combinations of these features cannot be advantageously utilized.

Claims

1. A passenger vehicle (1), comprising: The roof liner (4) defines the passenger compartment (3) with the roof liner facing upwards. A curved screen (5) that forms a section of the roof lining (4); as well as A roof liner cover (7) extends in a frame-like manner along the edge of the roof liner (7) and frames the display surface (6) of the screen (5).

2. The passenger vehicle (1) according to claim 1, wherein, The inner edge (10) of the roof lining cover (7) is positioned below the display surface (6) about the vehicle's vertical axis (z).

3. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The curvature of the screen (5) varies on the display surface (6).

4. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The curved screen (5) is either flexible or pre-bent when not in use.

5. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The display surface (6) has a minimum area of ​​0.8 square meters.

6. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The display surface (6) has a larger dimension along the vehicle's longitudinal axis (x) than along the vehicle's transverse axis (y).

7. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The screen (5) is a panel-shaped LCD, LED, or OLED display.

8. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The screen (5) has a glass surface made of mineral glass or plastic glass on its downward-facing surface.

9. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The passenger vehicle includes roof beams (8) extending along the vehicle's longitudinal axis (x) on both sides and a plurality of cross braces (9) extending along the vehicle's transverse axis (y) between the roof beams (8) and fixed to each roof beam (8), with the screen (5) fixed to each cross brace (9).

10. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The cross brace (9) is curved.

11. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, the passenger vehicle further comprising a storage medium storing a moving or non-moving graphic description and / or a moving or non-moving image of the vehicle environment that does not correspond to the actual vehicle environment, the contents of the storage medium being displayable on the display surface (6).

12. The passenger vehicle (1) according to claim 11, the passenger vehicle further comprising a speaker connected to the storage medium, the speaker producing a tone adapted to the display.

13. The passenger vehicle (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the passenger vehicle further having at least one camera for graphically detecting the vehicle environment, especially the vehicle environment above the passenger vehicle (1), wherein the image detected by the camera can be displayed on a display surface (6) such that the display surface (6) reproduces a true description of the vehicle environment above the passenger vehicle (1).

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