Illuminated sign module and airbag cover assembly to which it is applied

Abstract

The present invention relates to an illumination sign module and an airbag cover assembly to which the same is applied. The airbag cover assembly provides a configuration including a printed circuit board (hereinafter, referred to as "PCB") having a plurality of LEDs disposed on an upper surface thereof, a PCB housing having the PCB mounted on an upper surface thereof, and a diffusion sheet disposed on an upper portion of the PCB to upwardly diffuse light emitted from each LED while shielding each LED and an upper surface of the PCB. Accordingly, an illumination function as well as a display function for displaying a driving state of a vehicle and an operation state of a device provided in the vehicle can be simultaneously provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to airbag cover assemblies, and more particularly to an illuminated sign module coupled to a steering wheel and having an illumination function, and the airbag cover assembly to which it is applied. Background Technology

[0002] Driver's seat airbags (hereinafter, "driver's airbags") used in automobiles are widely used to protect passengers in the driver's seat from the impact that occurs during a car crash.

[0003] Driver seat airbag devices are typically mounted on the steering wheel and include an inflator, an airbag liner, a housing that accommodates the folded airbag liner, and a cover that covers the opening in the housing.

[0004] In the event of a car collision, the airbag liner expands as gas is injected from the inflator. The cover, made of soft resin, ruptures due to the expansion force of the airbag liner and forms an opening in the cover. The airbag liner then expands toward the vehicle's passengers through the opening.

[0005] The driver's seat airbag may be equipped with a cover featuring a decorative panel (so-called a logo).

[0006] For example, Patent Documents 1 and 2 below disclose airbag cover technology.

[0007] At the same time, the logo is usually made in the company's design or mark, and the logo does not only indicate the company that manufactures the vehicle, but also serves to give value to the vehicle represented by the logo.

[0008] The logo is present in various locations both on the exterior and interior of the vehicle to reflect the brand reputation accumulated within it. The placement of the logo varies depending on the company that manufactures the vehicle, but it is primarily located at the rear of the vehicle and in front of the steering wheel.

[0009] That is, the sign is placed on the airbag cover, which covers the armature located at the center of the steering wheel, which is steered by the passenger driving the vehicle.

[0010] Typically, airbag covers using conventional technology are equipped with indicators indicating whether or not they have an illuminated function.

[0011] Therefore, while airbag covers using conventional technology can be identified by natural light during the day, they are difficult to distinguish at night due to insufficient light. This difficulty in perception leads to problems in normal operation.

[0012] To address these issues, a technology for applying illumination to signs has been developed in Patent Documents 3 to 5 below. However, it suffers from the following problems: the structure becomes complex due to the addition of new components such as LEDs, substrates, housings, diffusers, etc., and the manufacturing cost is unnecessarily increased.

[0013] In other words, in order to provide illumination with various colors or shapes using illuminated signs, multiple light sources must be installed, and the structure needs to be designed so that the light emanating from each light source emits the desired color or shape.

[0014] In addition, recently, besides lighting functions, signs have been used to indicate the driving status of a vehicle, the operational status of devices installed in the vehicle, and any abnormalities.

[0015] To address this, a method has been proposed to reduce the number of LEDs used in the lighting sign module and to install light guides, but this method has the problem of requiring a lot of time and cost to develop the light guides.

[0016] Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology that can provide lighting and display functions with various colors while simplifying the structure of illuminated signs.

[0017] (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1718689 (Published on Monday, Thursday, March 22, 2017)

[0018] (Patent Document 2) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-2005738 (published on July 31, 2019)

[0019] (Patent Document 3) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1076195 (Published on Monday and Thursday, October 26, 2011)

[0020] (Patent Document 4) US Patent No. 8,924,959 (January 6, 2015)

[0021] (Patent Document 5) US Patent No. 8,061,861 (November 22, 2011) Summary of the Invention

[0022] Technical issues

[0023] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide an illuminated sign module that can improve visibility by applying the illuminated sign module to an airbag cover, and an airbag cover assembly to which the illuminated sign module is applied.

[0024] Another object of the present invention is to provide an illuminated sign module capable of simultaneously providing illumination and display functions in various ways, and an airbag cover assembly in which the illuminated sign module is applied.

[0025] Another object of the present invention is to provide an illuminated sign module that indicates an operating mode corresponding to the driving state of a vehicle and the operating state of each device provided in the vehicle, and an airbag cover assembly to which the illuminated sign module is applied.

[0026] Technical solutions

[0027] To achieve the above objectives, the lighting sign module according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises: a printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "PCB") having a plurality of LEDs disposed on its upper surface; a PCB housing, wherein the PCB is mounted on the upper surface of the PCB housing; and a diffuser sheet disposed on the upper portion of the PCB to diffuse upward light irradiated from each LED while blocking the LEDs and the upper surface of the PCB, thereby simultaneously achieving the lighting function and the display function of indicating the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices disposed in the vehicle.

[0028] Furthermore, in order to achieve the above objectives, the airbag cover assembly to which the illumination sign module according to the present invention is applied is characterized in that it includes: an illumination sign module to simultaneously provide illumination function and display function for indicating the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices provided in the vehicle.

[0029] Invention Effects

[0030] As described above, according to the illumination sign module of the present invention and the airbag cover assembly to which the module is applied, the present invention can achieve the effect of providing both illumination and display functions using the illumination sign module.

[0031] Furthermore, according to the present invention, different dynamic effects (such as movement, expansion, or contraction) can be achieved by applying multiple LEDs and irradiating them with light of different colors and intensities.

[0032] Therefore, according to the present invention, by realizing dynamic effects corresponding to various operating modes that indicate the driving state of the vehicle or the operating state of each device, an effect is obtained that can guide the driver and passengers to intuitively check the current driving state or operating state.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the present invention, aesthetics can be improved by emitting light through a display area having a predetermined area to display images in various shapes such as moving letters, emojis, and arrows.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the present invention, the efficiency of the airbag cover assembly in a limited space can be improved, thereby minimizing the size and weight of the product and reducing the number of parts, thus reducing manufacturing costs. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which the illuminated sign module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied;

[0036] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the airbag cover assembly shown;

[0037] Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of line A-A' shown in the diagram;

[0038] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 An exploded perspective view of the lighting sign module shown;

[0039] Figure 5 It's from different perspectives. Figure 1 A perspective view of the airbag cover assembly shown;

[0040] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which an illuminated sign module according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied;

[0041] Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of line B-B' shown in the diagram;

[0042] Figure 8 yes Figure 6 An exploded perspective view of the lighting sign module shown;

[0043] Figures 9a to 9c This is a diagram showing the shape of the light displayed in the lighting sign module. Detailed Implementation

[0044] In the following, a preferred embodiment of the illuminated sign module according to the present invention and the airbag cover assembly to which it is applied will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0045] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the airbag cover assembly to which the illuminated sign module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The exploded perspective view of the airbag cover assembly shown. Figure 3 It is along Figure 1 The cross-sectional view of line A-A' shown. Figure 4 yes Figure 2 The exploded perspective view of the lighting sign module shown, and Figure 5 It's from different perspectives. Figure 1 A perspective view of the airbag cover assembly shown.

[0046] In the following text, the direction in which the connector 50 is positioned within the airbag cover 11 is referred to as “front (F)”, and the opposite direction is referred to as “back (or rear) (B)”. Furthermore, terms indicating direction, such as “left (L)”, “right (R)”, “up (U)”, and “down (D)”, are defined as indicating each direction based on the aforementioned “front (F)” and “rear (B)” in the states shown in each figure.

[0047] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the airbag cover assembly 10 to which the illumination sign module of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied includes: an airbag cover 11 connected to a steering wheel; an illumination sign module 12 disposed in the airbag cover 11 and providing illumination sign function by emitting light to the outside of the airbag cover 11; and an airbag housing (not shown) connected to the airbag cover 11 in which the airbag module (not shown) is housed.

[0048] Furthermore, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the airbag cover assembly 10 includes a connector 50 for transmitting power and control signals to the lighting sign module 12, wherein the connector 50 can be coupled to the airbag cover 11 or the airbag housing using a coupling member.

[0049] The airbag cover 11 can be formed in a generally cylindrical shape with an open lower surface.

[0050] More specifically, the airbag cover 11 includes a sidewall member 21 extending toward the steering wheel and an upper plate 22 that covers the upper portion of the sidewall member 21 and covers the airbag module (not shown) housed therein.

[0051] The sidewall component 21 can be formed in a tubular shape with a cross-section of various shapes (such as circular, elliptical, or square) to correspond to the engagement space formed on the upper surface of the steering wheel. The airbag housing 13, which houses the airbag module therein, can be engaged with the lower portion of the sidewall component 21.

[0052] The leather cover is placed on the upper surface of the upper plate 22 and can form a tear line (not shown) that will break as the airbag pad expands.

[0053] The front and rear ends of the upper plate 22 may be configured to extend downward so as to cover all or part of the front and rear sides of the side wall component 21, respectively.

[0054] The airbag housing is formed in a generally cylindrical shape with an open upper surface and can be attached to the lower part of the open airbag cover 11.

[0055] For example, the sidewall of the airbag housing is formed with a size and shape corresponding to the internal space of the sidewall component 21, so that it can be engaged with the sidewall component 21 of the airbag cover 11, and the sidewall may be provided with a plurality of connecting protrusions to connect to a plurality of connecting holes provided in the sidewall component 21.

[0056] Each connecting hole is formed with an approximately "U" shaped cross section, and each connecting protrusion may be formed in a hook shape corresponding to the shape of each connecting hole and protruding outward from top to bottom.

[0057] In addition, mounting holes for mounting an inflator (not shown) are formed in the central portion of the lower surface of the airbag housing, and one or more connecting hooks may be formed or attached to the lower surface of the airbag housing so that it can be connected to the armature of the steering wheel.

[0058] Connector 50 engages with mating connectors (not shown) electrically connected to a control unit and battery (not shown) located in the vehicle, and has the function of sending control signals and power to PCB 32.

[0059] In this paper, the above control signals can be sent to the lighting sign module 12 via LIN or CAN communication methods set in the vehicle.

[0060] The connector 50 can be connected to the side wall component 21 of the airbag cover 11 or the side wall or lower surface of the airbag housing in an adjustable manner via the aforementioned connecting member angle.

[0061] Next, refer to Figures 2 to 5 Provide a detailed description of the configuration of the illuminated sign module.

[0062] The illuminated sign module 12 may include a printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "PCB") 32, wherein a plurality of LEDs 31 are disposed at predetermined intervals on the upper surface of the PCB, such as... Figures 2 to 5 As shown; PCB housing 33, wherein PCB 32 is mounted on the upper surface of the PCB housing; and diffuser 35, which is disposed on the upper portion of PCB 32 to transmit light emitted from each LED toward the upper portion of the airbag cover 11, while blocking each LED 31 and the upper surface of PCB 32.

[0063] Therefore, the lighting sign module 12 provides both an ambient lighting function that illuminates the upper surface of the airbag cover 11 and a display (indicator) function that shows the driving status of the vehicle or the operating status of each device.

[0064] PCB 32 is formed in a generally square plate shape, and multiple LEDs 31 can be arranged along the length of PCB 32 (i.e., when in...). Figure 4(When observing from the left and right), they are placed on the upper surface of PCB 32 at preset intervals.

[0065] In this regard, each LED 31 can be provided as a monochrome LED with the same color, or multiple LED groups can be arranged on PCB 32, each group consisting of red LEDs, green LEDs and blue LEDs, such that the red LEDs, green LEDs and blue LEDs can be selectively combined to emit light of various colors.

[0066] For example, each LED 31 can be mounted on PCB 32 using chip-on-board (COB) or surface mount technology (SMT) to prevent damage or breakage when placed on PCB 32 by molding external components.

[0067] In addition, the above LED groups can be set to multiple, for example, about 20 to 50.

[0068] Of course, the number of LEDs or the number of LED groups can be varied depending on the length of the PCB 32 in the front, back, left and right directions.

[0069] Furthermore, the present invention can be modified to illuminate with light of a desired color by providing a fluorescent material (not shown) coated on top of the monochrome LED 31.

[0070] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the illuminated sign module 12 which is in the shape of a single straight line, but can be changed into various shapes to correspond to the vehicle manufacturer's name, vehicle name, logo, image, etc.

[0071] PCB 32 can receive control signals and power from the control unit and battery located in the vehicle via cable 321 and connector 50 connected to one side, and can send the control signals and power to each LED 31.

[0072] In this paper, a controller (not shown in the figure) is mounted on PCB 32. This controller is powered and operated to generate drive signals to drive each LED 31 according to control signals. Furthermore, as from... Figure 4 As observed, the terminal segment can be located at the center of the upper surface on one side of the PCB 32, and the internal connector 322 connected to the inner end of the cable 321 is connected to the terminal segment.

[0073] Therefore, multiple LEDs 31 and PCB 32 are powered through connector 50, cable 321, internal connector 322 and terminal segment, and can be turned on or flashed by the controller's drive signal according to the control signal of the control unit to emit light of the same or different colors.

[0074] When the PCB 32 is placed in the PCB housing 33, it can be fixed to the lower part of the upper plate 22 of the airbag cover 11 through the PCB housing 33.

[0075] The PCB housing 33 is formed in a plate-like or generally hexahedral shape with an open upper surface, and the space for housing the PCB 32, internal connector 322 and cable 321 therein can be formed inside the PCB housing 33.

[0076] Therefore, the lighting sign module 12 can individually and variedly adjust the on and off timing of multiple LEDs 31 and the duty cycle of each drive signal in the form of a PWM signal to drive each LED 31 according to the operating mode to be displayed, thereby controlling the color and intensity of the light illuminating upward from the airbag cover 11.

[0077] The diffuser plate 35 is formed in a generally plate-like shape to correspond to the upper surface of the PCB housing 33, and the space in which the PCB 32 is disposed may be formed in the central portion of the lower surface of the diffuser plate 35. In addition, an upwardly protruding diffuser protrusion 351 may be formed to extend in the left-right direction in the central portion of the upper surface of the diffuser plate 35.

[0078] The diffuser protrusion 351 has the function of diffusing upward and irradiating light transmitted from the diffuser plate 35, and can be connected to the mounting hole 23 formed in the airbag cover 12. For this purpose, the mounting hole 23 can be formed to extend long in the left-right direction at approximately the center of the airbag cover 11, so as to correspond to the shape of the diffuser protrusion 351.

[0079] In this regard, a plurality of connection hole components 331 may be formed and penetrate along two columns at predetermined intervals on the front and rear sides of the PCB housing 33, while a plurality of connection holes 352 may be formed on the front and rear sides of the diffuser 35 at positions corresponding to the plurality of connection hole components 331. Furthermore, a plurality of connection protrusions 24 may be formed to protrude downward on the lower surface of the upper plate 22 of the airbag cover 11 so as to be connected by penetrating each connection hole 352 and connection hole component 331.

[0080] Each connecting hole component 331 can extend in the vertical direction with the PCB housing as the center, and is therefore formed in a generally cylindrical shape.

[0081] Therefore, the diffuser 35 and the PCB housing 33 are successively penetrated by a plurality of connection holes 352 and connection hole components 331, and can then be firmly fixed to the lower surface of the upper plate 22 of the airbag cover 11 by the lower ends of a plurality of connection protrusions 24, the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower ends of the plurality of connection protrusions being expanded by a riveting process that applies heat and pressure.

[0082] Furthermore, on the lower surface of the diffuser plate 35, one or more fixing ribs 353 extending in the left-right direction on the front and rear sides of the diffuser protrusion 351 may be formed to protrude downwards. Therefore, each fixing rib 353 can be positioned and fixed between the front and rear surfaces of the PCB 32 and between the upper surface of the PCB housing 33 and the connecting hole component 331.

[0083] In this paper, the PCB housing 33 may be manufactured by injection molding using the same synthetic resin material as the airbag cover 11.

[0084] The diffuser 35 can be made of a synthetic resin material containing a diffusing agent in order to diffuse light in different directions and angles.

[0085] For example, the diffuser sheet 35 can be made of materials such as polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0086] In the diffuser sheet 35, the diffuser protrusion 351 can be made transparent to diffuse and transmit light, and can be made using a material mixed with a diffuser. It can be coated to transmit light, while the remaining part other than the diffuser protrusion 351 can be colored black or the like to block (or shield) the diffusion of light, or can have a coating formed on its outer surface or a label attached thereto.

[0087] Furthermore, in the fixing ribs 353 formed on the lower surface of the diffuser 35, a pair of bending members 354 that are to be bent backward to face the PCB 32 can be respectively provided at both ends of the fixing ribs that contact the front surface of the PCB 32.

[0088] In addition, a pair of connecting grooves 323 can be formed on the front side of PCB 32, and the pair of bent components 354 are respectively connected to the pair of connecting grooves.

[0089] Therefore, since the diffuser 35 and PCB 32 are more securely fixed by the combination of the pair of curved members 354 and the pair of connecting grooves 323, vibrations or external forces transmitted to the diffuser 35 and PCB 32 can be effectively prevented, especially flow caused by vibrations or external forces transmitted in the left-right direction.

[0090] Of course, the present invention is not limited to this and can be modified to form a bent member 354 at both ends of the fixed rib 353 that contacts the rear surface of the PCB 32, a connecting groove 323 on the rear surface of the PCB 32, or a connecting groove 323 and a bent member 354 on a pair of fixed ribs 353 that respectively contact the front and rear surfaces of the PCB 32.

[0091] In addition, one or more (e.g., a pair) fixing protrusions 355 extending forward or backward may be provided on both sides of each fixing rib 353 formed in the diffuser 35, and a fixing groove 332 to which each fixing protrusion 355 is connected may be formed on the upper surface of the PCB housing 33.

[0092] For example, depending on the placement, the fixing groove 332 may be formed to protrude upward from the upper surface of the PCB housing 33 in a shape (such as “∩” or “∪”) with an open front or rear surface.

[0093] Therefore, since the diffuser 35 and the PCB housing 33 are more securely fixed by the combination of each fixed protrusion 355 and the fixed groove 332, vibrations or external forces transmitted to the diffuser 35 and the PCB housing 33 can be effectively prevented, especially flow caused by vibrations or external forces transmitted in the left-right direction.

[0094] Thus, the present invention can use an illuminated sign module to simultaneously achieve both illumination and display functions.

[0095] Furthermore, the present invention can achieve dynamic effects by using only a pair of LEDs to emit light in different colors and intensities.

[0096] Next, the connection relationship between the illuminated sign module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the airbag cover to which the module is applied will be described.

[0097] First, workers can assemble the lighting sign module 12 by placing multiple LEDs 31 on the upper surface of the PCB 32 and placing the diffuser 34 and the PCB housing 33 on the upper and lower surfaces of the PCB 32, respectively.

[0098] At this time, the PCB 32 is placed in the placement space formed on the upper surface of the PCB housing 33, and can be placed in the space between the fixing ribs 353 formed on the lower surface of the diffuser 35.

[0099] In this paper, the PCB 32 is securely fixed to the diffuser 35 because a pair of bent parts 354 at both ends of the fixing rib 353 formed on the lower surface of the diffuser 35 are respectively connected to a pair of connecting grooves 323 formed on the front surface of the PCB.

[0100] Furthermore, since each of the fixing protrusions 355 extending forward and backward from each of the fixing ribs 353 is connected to each of the fixing grooves 332 formed on the upper surface of the PCB housing 33, the diffuser 35 is securely fixed to the PCB housing 33.

[0101] Next, the worker can place the lighting sign module 12 under the upper plate 22 of the airbag cover 11 and move the lighting sign module 12 upward to engage it with the upper plate.

[0102] At this time, the diffusion protrusion 351 on the upper surface of the diffuser plate 35 is connected to the mounting hole 23 formed in the upper plate 22, and the multiple connecting protrusions 24 formed on the lower surface of the upper plate 22 are respectively connected to and penetrate into the connecting hole 352 of the diffuser plate 35 and the connecting hole component 331 of the PCB housing 33. Then, the lighting sign module 12 is firmly fixed while the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower end is expanded by the riveting process.

[0103] When the airbag cover assembly 10 is fully assembled through the above process, the airbag housing having the airbag pad built into the lower part of the airbag cover 11 is connected to the airbag cover assembly, and then the assembly is installed on the steering wheel.

[0104] Next, the operation method of the illuminated sign module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

[0105] When the airbag cover assembly 10 is placed in the vehicle, a controller mounted on the PCB 32 of the lighting sign module 12 generates drive signals to individually illuminate or flash multiple LEDs 31 or groups of LEDs mounted on the PCB 32 according to control signals received from the control unit. Furthermore, the controller can provide various operating modes by adjusting the duty cycle of the drive signals in the form of PWM signals.

[0106] Therefore, the controller can control the concentration and color of the light irradiated from the lighting sign module 12 through the airbag cover 11, thereby achieving dynamic effects such as dynamic movement, flashing, and color mixing and changing.

[0107] For example, dynamic effects can be achieved by sequentially driving LED 31 located on the left side of PCB 32 to LED 31 located on the right side of PCB 32, or by adjusting the duty cycle of the drive signal to move the display area from left to right.

[0108] Of course, it should be noted that the above dynamic effects can be changed in different ways, such as moving from left to right or from right to left, moving from the center to the edge or from the edge to the center, or dividing the display area into multiple segments and making each segment light up, blink or move individually.

[0109] Therefore, the lighting sign module 12 distinguishes the operating modes corresponding to the driving state of the vehicle or the operating state of each device into welcome mode, farewell mode, electric vehicle start-up and disconnection mode, reverse mode, voice recognition mode, high voltage charging mode, charging error mode, driving mode, side vehicle approach mode, etc., and can maintain flashing or lighting status according to each operating mode, expand or move the display area in the left and right directions, and mix or change colors to achieve various dynamic effects.

[0110] Through the above process, the present invention can use an illuminated sign module to simultaneously provide both illumination and display functions.

[0111] Furthermore, the present invention can achieve various dynamic effects such as movement, expansion, or contraction by using multiple LEDs to emit light in different colors and intensities.

[0112] That is, the present invention can use multiple LEDs mounted on a PCB to achieve static lighting effects (such as monochrome lighting and gradient lighting) as well as dynamic effects such as dimming and movement (FLOW).

[0113] Therefore, the present invention can achieve dynamic effects corresponding to various operating modes that indicate the driving status of the vehicle or the operating status of each device, thereby guiding the driver and passengers to intuitively check the current driving or operating status.

[0114] Meanwhile, in the above embodiments, multiple LEDs are described as being arranged along a single straight line on the PCB to illuminate in a strip of light, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0115] For example, Figure 6 This is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which a lighting sign module according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied. Figure 7 It is along Figure 6 The cross-sectional view of line B-B' shown. Figure 8 yes Figure 6 The exploded perspective view of the lighting sign module shown, and Figures 9a to 9c This is a diagram showing the shape of the light displayed in the lighting sign module.

[0116] like Figures 6 to 8 As shown, the airbag cover assembly 10 to which the lighting sign module is applied according to another embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration as the airbag cover assembly 10 to which the lighting sign module is applied according to the above embodiment, except that the display area of ​​the lighting sign module 12 is configured to have a predetermined area.

[0117] That is, in this embodiment, multiple LEDs 31 or LED groups are arranged in a dot matrix on the PCB 32 along multiple columns and rows to illuminate the upper side of the airbag cover 11 with planar light through a display area with a predetermined area.

[0118] Therefore, the PCB 32, the mounting hole 23 of the airbag cover 11, and the diffusion protrusion 351 of the diffuser 35 may have increased length in the front-back direction to correspond to the area of ​​the aforementioned display area.

[0119] In addition, the lighting sign module 12 may include a shielding plate 34 that blocks the light emitted from each LED 31 from spreading to the surroundings.

[0120] The shielding plate 34 is formed in a shape corresponding to the upper surface of the PCB 32 and can be placed on the upper part of the PCB 32.

[0121] Multiple transmission holes 341 may be formed in the shielding plate 34 at positions corresponding to each LED 31 or LED group to transmit light irradiated from each LED 31 upward.

[0122] The shielding plate 34 may be colored black or the like to block the diffusion of light, or a coating may be formed on its outer surface, or a label may be attached to the outer surface.

[0123] For example, instead of forming multiple transmission holes on the upper surface, the shielding plate 34 can be modified to achieve the effect of the transmission hole 341 by coating or printing the plate with black or other masking colors, and then etching the area corresponding to the transmission hole 341.

[0124] Thus, since the multiple LEDs 31 are arranged in a dot matrix, the lighting sign module 12 can be used as follows: Figure 6 The image shows characters that are stationary or waiting to be moved, or can be displayed as follows: Figures 9a to 9c The image displayed can be a static image (such as a heart, face, galaxy, arrow shape, etc.) or an image with dynamic effects.

[0125] Meanwhile, the present invention can be modified to place the shielding plate 34 in Figure 4 On the upper part of PCB 31 shown.

[0126] Although the present invention made by the inventors has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0127] That is, although the lighting sign module 12 in the above embodiments has been described as being applied to the airbag cover assembly 10, the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0128] For example, the invention can be modified to apply the lighting sign module 12 to various devices and locations housed in a vehicle, such as a steering wheel or cockpit.

[0129] As described above, although the present invention made by the inventors has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it should be understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0130] Industrial applicability

[0131] This invention will be applied to an illuminated sign module that simultaneously realizes both illumination and display functions, and to the airbag cover component technology to which the aforementioned illuminated sign module is applied.

Claims

1. A lighting sign module, the lighting sign module comprising: A printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "PCB") in which multiple LEDs are mounted on the upper surface of the printed circuit board; A PCB housing, wherein the PCB is mounted on the upper surface of the PCB housing; and A diffuser sheet is disposed on the upper portion of the PCB to diffuse upward light from each LED while blocking the LEDs and the upper surface of the PCB. The lighting sign module is characterized by providing both illumination and display functions to indicate the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices disposed in the vehicle.

2. The lighting sign module according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs are individual LEDs, each emitting a single color, or the plurality of LEDs are provided in the form of an LED group consisting of a combination of red LEDs, green LEDs, and blue LEDs. The PCB is equipped with a controller that drives the plurality of LEDs to different or the same color according to control signals from a control unit disposed in the vehicle. The controller controls the on and off timings and the duty cycle of each drive signal used to drive the plurality of LEDs, so as to achieve a preset dynamic effect for each operating mode that indicates the driving state of the vehicle or the operating state of each device set in the vehicle.

3. The lighting sign module according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of LEDs are arranged on the PCB in a dot matrix form having a plurality of columns and rows, so that light is emitted in a planar manner through the display area, and The controller controls the on and off timings and the duty cycle of each drive signal used to drive the plurality of LEDs in order to provide a dynamic effect of displaying moving images through the display area.

4. The lighting sign module according to claim 1, wherein the diffuser sheet is formed in a plate shape. The space in which the PCB is disposed is formed on the lower surface of the diffuser sheet, and A diffuser protrusion to be connected to a mounting hole formed in the airbag cover is disposed on the upper surface of the diffuser.

5. The lighting sign module according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of connecting hole components are formed and penetrate along two columns at predetermined intervals on the front and rear sides of the PCB housing. Multiple connection holes are formed on the front and rear sides of the diffuser at positions corresponding to the multiple connection hole components, and The diffuser sheet and the PCB housing are fixed to the airbag cover by applying heat and pressure to the lower end of the plurality of connecting protrusions formed on the airbag cover, with the plurality of connecting holes and connecting hole components penetrating and connecting, and increasing the cross-sectional area by riveting.

6. The lighting sign module according to claim 5, wherein one or more fixing ribs extending in the left-right direction are respectively formed on the front and rear sides of the diffuser protrusion to project downwards onto the lower surface of the diffuser plate, and The fixing rib is placed and fixed between the front and rear surfaces of the PCB and between the upper surface of the PCB housing and the connecting hole component.

7. The lighting sign module according to claim 6, wherein a pair of curved members formed to bend toward the PCB are disposed at both ends of the fixing rib. The pair of curved components are respectively connected to a pair of connecting grooves formed in the PCB. A fixed protrusion extending forward or backward is formed in the fixed rib, and The fixing protrusion and the fixing groove connected thereto are formed on the lower surface of the PCB housing.

8. The illuminated sign module according to claim 1, further comprising: A shielding plate, which is mounted on the upper portion of the PCB, to block light emitted from each LED from scattering into the surrounding area. The lighting sign module is characterized in that a plurality of transmission holes are formed in the shielding plate at positions corresponding to each LED to transmit light emitted from each LED, or in place of the transmission holes, the effect of the transmission holes is achieved by masking the plate with a coating or printing and then etching the area corresponding to the transmission holes.

9. An airbag cover assembly to which an illuminated sign module is applied, the airbag cover assembly comprising: The illumination sign module according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the airbag cover assembly simultaneously provides illumination and a display function indicating the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices disposed in the vehicle.

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