Motor vehicle with a switchboard module and with a vehicle body as well as cross members for such a motor vehicle

Abstract

A motor vehicle (10) with a switch panel module (13) and a cross member (15), wherein a left side wall or A-pillar of a vehicle body shell, on the one hand, and a right side wall or A-pillar (16) of the vehicle body shell, on the other hand, are connected by the cross member (15) in the motor vehicle, and / or the switch panel module (13) is arranged on the cross member (15), and wherein an extendable display device (17) is provided in the switch panel module (13), and an actuator unit (23) is configured to move a screen (18) of the display device (17) between an extended state (S1), in which the screen (18) projects out of the switch panel module (13) into a vehicle interior (11), and a retracted state (S0), in which the screen (18) is partially or completely retracted into the switch panel module (13), depending on a control signal (26), characterized inthat a shaft (21) is formed in the cross member (15) and the screen (18) is arranged at least partially in the shaft (21) in the retracted state (S0) and / or in the extended state (S1) and / or during movement, wherein - the actuator unit (23) is held (27) in the control panel module (13) by the cross member (15) and - the screen (18) is held between rotatably mounted rollers (29) and / or wheels (30) and bearings (31) for the rotatable mounting are held by the cross member (15) and - the control panel module (13) is attached (28) to the cross member (15).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle with a control panel module and a vehicle body shell. The vehicle body shell represents the structure or framework of the motor vehicle. A control panel module is installed in such a vehicle body shell in the front area in front of the vehicle seats for the driver and front passenger, for example, to provide a control panel and / or a center console. The invention also includes a cross member that can be installed in the vehicle body shell, for example, to support the control panel module in the vehicle body shell or to secure it there.

[0002] Such a cross member is described, for example, in DE 10 2014 019 023 A1. A cross member is a structural component that contributes to the stability or structure of the vehicle body shell. This document describes how electrical components can be installed in the cavity of such a cross member, so that the cross member also serves as a housing for an electronic device. This allows the cross member and electronic device to be arranged in a space-saving manner in the area below the dashboard module. However, this requires a special manufacturing process, as the electronic components must be installed in the cavity within the cross member. This also makes repairing the electronic device complex.

[0003] One possible electronic device that can be provided in a control panel module is a display device with a movable screen, such as that known from DE 10 2006 025 383 B3. Due to the limited space within the control panel module, such a screen must be mounted very compactly when retracted into the control panel module. Therefore, a very complex mechanism is required for extending and retracting the screen.

[0004] DE 10 2018 208 250 B3 describes how a movable screen can be compactly stored in a control panel module by making the screen foldable. This solution is therefore only of interest for foldable screens.

[0005] US 2014 / 0 355 235 A1 shows a display module that can be installed in a dashboard of a motor vehicle in order to provide a display unit that can be pulled out through a slot in the dashboard.

[0006] GB 2 521 720 A shows such a display module for a rear side of a vehicle seat, so that an extendable display unit can be provided for passengers on the rear seat of a motor vehicle.

[0007] EP 2 551 577 B1 shows an extendable display unit which can be moved vertically by means of a gear consisting of a gear wheel and a rack.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of providing a display device in the area of ​​a dashboard module of a motor vehicle, which display device has an extendable screen that can be extended out of the dashboard module and retracted therein.

[0009] The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described by the dependent patent claims, the following description, and the figures.

[0010] The invention provides a motor vehicle having, in a manner known per se, a vehicle bodyshell into which a switch panel module can be installed or inserted. A cross member is provided in the vehicle bodyshell, by means of which a left side wall or A-pillar of the vehicle bodyshell, on the one hand, and a right side wall or A-pillar of the vehicle bodyshell, on the other hand, are connected to one another in the motor vehicle. In addition to or as an alternative to the connection, the switch panel module can be arranged on the cross member. The switch panel module is visible from a vehicle interior of the motor vehicle, i.e., a vehicle passenger can see a surface of the switch panel module.

[0011] The switch panel module can accordingly be used to create, for example, an instrument panel and / or a center console. For this purpose, an extendable display device is provided in the switch panel module, i.e. an actuator device is configured to move a screen of the display device between an extended state and a retracted state. In the extended state, the screen projects from the switch panel module into the vehicle interior; in the retracted state, the screen is partially or completely retracted into the switch panel module. This movement can be generated by the actuator unit as a function of a control signal, which can be generated, for example, by a control unit of the motor vehicle, in order to extend the screen, for example, when the motor vehicle is started and / or retract the screen when the motor vehicle is switched off.

[0012] As already explained, the installation space inside or below the dashboard module may be limited or narrow. In particular, the cross member, which is located behind and / or below the dashboard module from a vehicle passenger's perspective, may require an installation space in which the screen and / or actuator unit are to be housed or arranged.

[0013] In order to obtain installation space below or within the control panel module for both the cross member and the display device (or at least the display device's screen), the invention provides for a shaft to be formed in the cross member and for the display device to be at least partially arranged in the shaft. The display device is located entirely or partially in the shaft: during the retracted state and / or the extended state and / or during movement between the retracted and extended states.

[0014] The installation position of the cross member may, for example, be enforced by the fact that the cross member is intended to hold the steering and / or an airbag of the motor vehicle. The position of the cross member can thus be fixed below or within the dashboard module. To ensure that the cross member is not "in the way" when it comes to moving or positioning the screen of the display device, the invention therefore provides that the area of ​​the cross member that would be "in the way" of the screen is hollowed out or cut out, in that the cross member has a shaft in which the screen can be at least partially arranged when it is retracted and / or extended and / or is currently being moved.

[0015] The invention offers the advantage that the cross member can be provided inside or below the dashboard module, while still leaving enough space for arranging the screen. This allows the screen to be designed, for example, as a rigid screen, i.e., a non-folding screen, if desired.

[0016] According to one aspect, the cross member also holds the actuator unit in the dashboard module. In other words, the cross member is advantageously used to hold the actuator unit in the motor vehicle. Since the cross member can be connected to the vehicle body, this results in a direct connection or attachment to the side walls or A-pillars via the cross member. This increases vibration rigidity, so that the screen in the vehicle interior, when extended, remains stable or low-vibration, even while driving.

[0017] According to an additional aspect, the screen is held between rotatably mounted rollers, for example, rubber rollers, and / or between wheels, for example, rubberized wheels or gears. The bearings for the rotatable mounting of the rollers and / or wheels are held by the cross member. In other words, the screen can also be supported against vibrations by being enclosed between rollers and / or wheels, which are also directly connected to the side walls and / or A-pillars of the motor vehicle via the cross member.

[0018] According to an additional aspect, the control panel module is attached to the cross member. In other words, the control panel module can even be supported or held by the cross member. Thus, for example, a gap or through-opening through which the screen is extended and retracted through a surface of the control panel module can be held stationary relative to the screen. This allows a gap dimension to be maintained between the surface or through-opening of the control panel module, on the one hand, and the screen, on the other.

[0019] The invention also includes embodiments which provide additional advantages.

[0020] The shaft in the cross member does not necessarily have to impair the stability and / or rigidity of the cross member. In fact, the cross member can even gain additional rigidity as a result. For this purpose, one embodiment provides for the shaft to have inner walls through which an upper side of the cross member and an underside of the cross member are connected in the cross member. In other words, in addition to the outer wall of the cross member, at least one additional inner wall is also included within the shaft. Such an inner wall can act as additional reinforcement for the cross member, as is already known from so-called bulkheads for cross members. By providing at least one additional wall in the shaft, the flexural rigidity of the cross member can be increased in particular compared to a cross member with a shaft without an inner wall.

[0021] In one embodiment, the cross member is designed as a sheet metal shell. This allows the shaft to be subsequently cut or punched into the cross member, requiring only one outer wall of the cross member, namely the sheet metal, to be severed. Alternatively, the cross member can be designed as a die-cast part, which advantageously allows the shaft to be directly fixed by the casting mold.

[0022] In one embodiment, the actuator unit for moving the screen comprises a linear motor. A linear motor has the advantage of having a lever arm on the screen that can be selected to be equally stable for all screen positions. Additionally or alternatively, the actuator unit can have a spindle drive, which has the advantage that only the spindle needs to be moved spatially to move the screen. The actuator unit does not require a spatial travel path for, for example, an electric rotor of an electric motor. This can instead be designed as a rotary motor.

[0023] In one embodiment, the shaft is designed as a blind hole, meaning the shaft does not represent a through-hole through the cross member, but rather ends in the cross member. Thus, the cross member can also be used to protect the screen. Alternatively, in one embodiment, the shaft is designed as a through-hole, which has the advantage that a "long screen" can also be arranged in the control panel module, i.e., a screen with a screen height greater than the diameter of the cross member.

[0024] In one embodiment, an inner contour of the shaft and an outer contour of the screen are designed to correspond to one another. The shape of the shaft thus corresponds to the shape of the screen. In other words, the shaft can surround or enclose the screen with a constant gap width, whereby "constant gap width" is understood to mean a gap width that fluctuates along the circumference of the screen or the course of the gap by a maximum of 20 percent, in particular a maximum of 10 percent. The gap width can, for example, range from 0.3 centimeters to 1 centimeter.

[0025] The motor vehicle according to the invention is preferably designed as a motor vehicle, in particular as a passenger car or truck, or as a passenger bus.

[0026] In order to provide the motor vehicle according to the invention, a cross member with a shaft must be provided for the vehicle body. Such a cross member is also a component of the invention and is designed to connect a left side wall or A-pillar of the vehicle body of the motor vehicle, on the one hand, and a right side wall or A-pillar of the vehicle body of the motor vehicle, on the other hand. The cross member has the said shaft, which is accessible from at least one outer side of the cross member. If it is only accessible from one outer side, then this is the said blind hole; if it extends through the shaft, i.e. from an upper side of the cross member to a lower side, then this is the said through-opening.

[0027] The shaft in the cross member does not necessarily have to impair the stability and / or rigidity of the cross member. Rather, the cross member can even gain additional rigidity as a result. For this purpose, according to one aspect, the shaft is provided with inner walls through which an upper side of the cross member and an underside of the cross member are connected in the cross member. In other words, in addition to the outer wall of the cross member, at least one additional inner wall is also inserted within the shaft. Such an inner wall can act as additional reinforcement for the cross member, as is already known from so-called bulkheads for cross members. By providing at least one additional wall in the shaft, the flexural rigidity of the cross member can be increased in particular compared to a cross member with a shaft without an inner wall.

[0028] According to an additional or alternative aspect, the cross member is designed as a sheet metal shell part. This allows the shaft to be subsequently cut or punched into the cross member, requiring only one outer wall of the cross member, namely the sheet metal, to be severed. Alternatively, the cross member can be designed as a die-cast part, which then advantageously allows the shaft to be directly fixed by the casting mold.

[0029] The invention also includes further developments of the cross member according to the invention that have features already described in connection with the further developments of the motor vehicle according to the invention. For this reason, the corresponding further developments of the cross member according to the invention are not described again here.

[0030] The invention also includes implementations or devices in which the features of the described embodiments are combined.

[0031] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below. Shown are: Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a switchboard module of an embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of a perspective view of a display device with extended screen, as used in the control panel module of Fig. 1 may be provided; Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a cross-section through an interior of the control panel module with the screen in a retracted position; and Fig. 4 a schematic representation of the cross section of Fig. 3, where the screen is shown in the extended state.

[0032] The exemplary embodiments explained below are preferred embodiments of the invention. In the exemplary embodiments, the described components of the embodiments each represent individual features of the invention that can be considered independently of one another, each of which also develops the invention independently of one another. Therefore, the disclosure is intended to encompass combinations of the features of the embodiments other than those shown. Furthermore, the described embodiments can also be supplemented by further features of the invention already described.

[0033] In the figures, the same reference symbols designate elements with the same function.

[0034] Fig. 1 shows a vehicle interior 11 of a motor vehicle 10, as it may appear, for example, from a driver's perspective. It shows how a switch panel module 13 may be installed or provided in the motor vehicle 10 in an area below a windscreen or windshield 12. The switch panel module 13 may provide a trim surface or surface 14 that is accessible from or delimits the vehicle interior 11 and may, for example, be a component of a switch panel module and / or a center console. A cross member 15 may be provided or arranged below and / or within the switch panel module 13, which may, for example, Fig. 1 can connect the right A-pillar 16 of the motor vehicle 10 to a left (not shown) A-pillar of the motor vehicle 10.

[0035] In the control panel module 13, a display device 17 can be provided, from which in Fig. 1 shows an extendable screen 18. The screen 18 can be retracted or extended into the vehicle interior 11 through a slot or opening 19 in the surface 14 of the control panel module 13. Fig. 1 shows the screen 18 in a retracted state S0, in which the screen 18 is completely or partially recessed into the control panel module 13. In the retracted state S0, the display surface 20 can be recessed or arranged in the control panel module 13, whereby it can be protected from damage, for example.

[0036] Fig. Figure 1 further shows how, in the retracted state S0, the screen 18 can be retracted or recessed into the control panel module 13 to such a depth or depth that the screen 18 extends into and / or through the cross member 15. For this purpose, the cross member 15 can have a shaft 21 into which and / or through which the screen 18 can be moved or guided.

[0037] A contour of an edge or an inner contour 22 of the shaft 21 can correspond to a peripheral contour of the screen 18, so that along the circumference or along the inner contour 22 a gap dimension between the shaft 21 and the screen 18 can be constant in the manner described.

[0038] Fig. 2 shows the screen 18 in an extended state S1; in particular, it may be a fully extended state S1. In the extended state S1, a display surface 20 of the screen 18 can be viewed or seen by a passenger of the motor vehicle 10.

[0039] Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 each illustrate a cross-section, where Fig. 3 the retracted state S0 and Fig. 4 illustrates the extended state S1. In addition to the screen 18, the display device 17 can provide an actuator unit 23, by which the screen 18 can be moved or displaced in the control panel module 13 between the retracted position or the retracted state S0 and the extended position or the extended state S1. For this purpose, the actuator unit 23 can have an electric motor 24, which can, for example, be a linear motor and / or can provide a spindle drive with a spindle 25.

[0040] The actuator unit 23 can be controlled by a control signal 26, which can be generated, for example, by a control unit of the motor vehicle. The actuator unit 23 can be connected via a mechanical fastening 27 (in Fig. 3 shown only symbolically) be held on the cross member 15.

[0041] In Fig. 3 further shows how the control panel module 13 can also be held on the cross member 15 via a mechanical holder 28.

[0042] Rollers 29 and / or wheels 30 may be provided for the screen 18, by which the screen 18 can be supported with respect to horizontal movement so that the screen 18 does not wobble or rattle, for example, due to vibration, such as may be caused during travel of the motor vehicle 10. Bearings 31 of the roller 29 and / or wheels 30 may be mounted on the cross member 15.

[0043] The shaft 21 does not necessarily reduce the flexural rigidity or stability of the cross member 15. Rather, by providing additional inner walls 32 in the shaft 21, the flexural rigidity can even be increased compared to a hollow cross member 15. An inner wall 32 can, for example, be designed as a sheet metal that connects an upper side 33 of the cross member to a lower side 34 of the cross member 15 through an interior space of the cross member 15.

[0044] Fig. 4 illustrates corresponding to Fig. 2 the extended position S1 of the screen 18 in the representation according to Fig. 3.

[0045] A screen or display in a vehicle can thus be larger than the space available on just one side of the cross member. Furthermore, it can be positioned at any location within the vehicle cockpit during vehicle design. Furthermore, it is possible to design the display / screen in a variable manner with regard to the portion visible from the vehicle interior, i.e., to make it retractable and extendable, and also to stop or hold it at an intermediate position.

[0046] The extendable display now has additional space within the control panel package or control panel module and can therefore be positioned as desired.

[0047] The proposed support and mounting structure for extendable displays is a module cross member (MQT) or cross member with a cutout for the extendable display. With appropriate design, the MQT retains its strength and other properties. Furthermore, the MQT can be used to attach the display, including its kinematics (actuator unit), to a fixed vehicle structure. This allows for package-optimized integration of the MQT and display / display kinematics. This opens up a new positioning option in the cockpit of a motor vehicle.

[0048] Overall, the examples show how an arrangement for a retractable display (screen) can be provided.

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle (10) with a switch panel module (13) and with a cross member (15), wherein a left side wall or A-pillar of a vehicle body shell, on the one hand, and a right side wall or A-pillar (16) of the vehicle body shell, on the other hand, are connected by the cross member (15) in the motor vehicle and / or the switch panel module (13) is arranged on the cross member (15), and wherein an extendable display device (17) is provided in the switch panel module (13) and an actuator unit (23) is configured to move a screen (18) of the display device (17) between an extended state (S1), in which the screen (18) projects out of the switch panel module (13) into a vehicle interior (11), and a retracted state (S0), in which the screen (18) is partially or completely retracted into the switch panel module (13), depending on a control signal (26), characterized bythat a shaft (21) is formed in the cross member (15) and the screen (18) is arranged at least partially in the shaft (21) in the retracted state (S0) and / or in the extended state (S1) and / or during movement, wherein - the actuator unit (23) is held (27) in the control panel module (13) by the cross member (15) and - the screen (18) is held between rotatably mounted rollers (29) and / or wheels (30) and bearings (31) for the rotatable mounting are held by the cross member (15) and - the control panel module (13) is attached (28) to the cross member (15). [2] Motor vehicle (10) according to claim 1, wherein the shaft (21) has inner walls (32) by which an upper side (33) of the cross member (15) and a lower side (34) of the cross member (15) are connected in the cross member (15). [3] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross member (15) is designed as a sheet metal shell part or as a die-cast part. [4] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuator unit (23) for moving the screen (18) comprises a linear motor (24) and / or a spindle drive (25). [5] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the shaft (21) is designed as a blind hole or as a through opening. [6] Motor vehicle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein an inner contour (22) of the shaft (21) and an outer contour of the screen (18) are configured to correspond to one another. [7] Cross member (15) for a motor vehicle (10), wherein the cross member (15) is designed to connect a left side wall or A-pillar of a vehicle body shell on the one hand and a right side wall or A-pillar (16) of the vehicle body shell on the other hand, characterized by in that the cross member (15) has a shaft (21) which is accessible from at least one outer side (33, 34) of the cross member (15), wherein the shaft (21) has inner walls (32) by which an upper side (33) of the cross member (15) and a lower side (34) of the cross member (15) are connected in the cross member (15) and / or wherein the cross member (15) is designed as a sheet metal shell part or as a die-cast part.

Images