motor vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a motor vehicle (1) with several vehicle doors (4) and with a plurality of vehicle seats (2) arranged in the motor vehicle (1), wherein each vehicle seat (2) is equipped with a detection device for occupancy of the vehicle seat (2) and wherein at least one side window (13) of the motor vehicle (1) is tinted. According to the invention, a display device (5) is provided which communicates with the detection devices, by means of which an occupancy of at least individual vehicle seats (2) can be shown to an outside person (6), and a locking device locks at least one of the vehicle doors (4) when the vehicle seat (2) arranged behind the vehicle door (4) is occupied.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a motor vehicle with a plurality of vehicle seats arranged in the motor vehicle, wherein each vehicle seat is equipped with a detection device for an occupancy of the vehicle seat, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] From DE 10 2008 018 938 A1, a rail vehicle with multiple seats arranged in the vehicle or its carriages is known, wherein each seat is equipped with a detection device for seat occupancy, and wherein a display device is provided on the outside of the rail vehicle, which is designed to show the occupancy and position in the carriage for each individual seat. All detection devices, and thus all seats, are connected to the display device via a signal, with each individual signal indicating the occupancy of the seat assigned to the respective detection device. This allows a passenger outside the vehicle to determine in which direction they should move to have a high probability of securing a seat.

[0003] For cost-effective passenger transport, larger passenger vehicles, such as vans, are often used, which, to ensure privacy, often have tinted side windows, at least in the rear seats. These taxis, or minivans, often pick up additional passengers along the way, similar to buses, allowing for a comparatively low fare. However, if such a minivan taxi arrives at a pre-arranged stop and another passenger is to be picked up, the passenger often faces the problem that, due to the tinted side windows, they cannot see whether a seat inside the vehicle is already occupied.To determine this, the person must first open the car door, which can potentially lead to awkward situations, as there might be passengers engaged in conversation behind the opened door. Furthermore, the person outside then has to open another car door or even walk around the vehicle without knowing for sure whether there's a free seat. In some situations, luggage might even fall onto the street due to an inappropriately opened car door.

[0004] The present invention deals with the problem of providing an improved or at least an alternative embodiment for a motor vehicle of the generic type, by means of which in particular the disadvantages known from the prior art can be overcome.

[0005] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0006] The present invention is based on the general concept of providing, for the first time in a motor vehicle, particularly in a large taxi with sliding doors, an externally visible display device by which seat occupancy in the vehicle can be recognized from the outside, even if the side windows are tinted. The motor vehicle according to the invention has a plurality of seats arranged within it, each seat being assigned a detection device for seat occupancy. Such motor vehicles are already known in the art, with the detection devices serving, for example, to control the activation of an airbag or to ensure that the seat belt is fastened.Furthermore, the vehicle can have tinted side windows, at least in the rear seats, which can provide a certain degree of privacy for passengers inside the vehicle, but also prevent a view into the interior. According to the invention, a display device is provided that communicates with the detection device, allowing an outside person, for example, someone wishing to enter the vehicle, to see whether at least some seats, particularly those in the rear, are occupied. This display device thus enables the person, who is initially outside the vehicle, to avoid unnecessarily opening vehicle doors that do not lead to an empty seat and, for example, to prevent an unwanted influx of cold air into the passenger compartment in cold weather.Furthermore, such a display device also makes it possible to expedite the boarding process, as a person wishing to enter the vehicle can relatively quickly see whether there is a free seat available and can position themselves accordingly, particularly in front of the appropriate vehicle door. According to the invention, a locking device further provides that at least one of the vehicle doors locks when the seat behind that door is occupied. By preventing unnecessary opening of the vehicle, it is also possible to avoid disturbing, for example, people conversing inside the vehicle, thus making the overall driving experience more pleasant.Furthermore, the anonymity of passengers inside the vehicle is guaranteed, so that, for example, if a display indicates that the vehicle has no more free seats, the unnecessary opening of the vehicle doors can be completely avoided. Additionally, the unwanted falling of luggage from the vehicle, as well as the unwanted ingress of rain, can be prevented.

[0007] The detection device can be a seat sensor mounted on the vehicle seat to enable seat occupancy detection. Alternatively, the detection device can include at least one interior camera pointed at the vehicle seats, allowing seat occupancy to be detected through image analysis.

[0008] In an advantageous embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, the display device comprises a display arranged on an outer surface of the vehicle. Such a display allows a person outside the vehicle to see, in a visually simple and easily understandable way, which seats in the vehicle are still free or already occupied. Such a display can also prompt a person to move to the other side of the vehicle, for example, if all seats on the side where the person is currently standing are occupied. This significantly streamlines the boarding process, which is particularly advantageous for commercial operators, especially taxis.

[0009] The display of the warning device is conveniently located on a B-pillar and / or a C-pillar or a rear fender of the vehicle. Such a display is thus easily visible from multiple positions and also easily visually evaluated, reliably preventing the unnecessary opening of the vehicle doors.

[0010] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the motor vehicle according to the invention, the display device includes a projection device via which a seat occupancy display can be projected into the vehicle's surroundings. This offers the significant advantage that no display device, such as a screen, needs to be arranged on the vehicle itself, particularly on its exterior, but rather the vehicle's occupancy can simply be projected into the surroundings, for example, onto an adjacent sidewalk.

[0011] Alternatively, it is also conceivable that a corresponding indicator device, for example in the form of a red or green LED, is arranged on the respective vehicle door, so that a red light is displayed to a person outside if a seat behind the vehicle door is occupied, while the LED shines green if there is a free seat behind the closed vehicle door, thus making it relatively easy and intuitive for a person outside to see which vehicle door has a free seat, thanks to the traffic light function.

[0012] Further important features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the drawing and the associated description of the figures based on the drawing.

[0013] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or individually, without departing from the scope of the present invention. The components of a higher-level unit, such as a device, apparatus, or arrangement, mentioned above and those to be mentioned below, which are designated separately, can form separate parts or components of this unit or be integral areas or sections of this unit, even if this is depicted differently in the drawings.

[0014] A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawing and is explained in more detail in the following description, wherein identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar or functionally identical components. The only Fig. Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle according to the invention in a side view.

[0015] According to the Fig. 1. A motor vehicle 1 according to the invention has a plurality of vehicle seats 2 arranged in the motor vehicle 1. The seats are arranged according to the Fig. 1 Only the two front seats are visible through a windshield 3. Each of these vehicle seats 2 has an unspecified detection device that can detect whether the respective vehicle seat 2 is occupied. Such a detection device is already present in conventional motor vehicles known from the prior art, for example, to detect, together with a seatbelt buckle, whether a person sitting in an occupied vehicle seat 2 is also wearing a seatbelt. To ensure a certain degree of privacy, the side windows 13 of the vehicle 1 are tinted.

[0016] In the case accordingly the Fig. The motor vehicle 1 depicted in Figure 1 is a taxi, in particular a large-capacity taxi, which has at least one rear bench seat or another row of seats behind the front seats with at least two individual seats arranged side by side, or a bench seat with several adjacent seating surfaces. These rear vehicle seats 2 can be accessed via at least one side vehicle door 4, which in this case is designed as a sliding door. According to the invention, a display device 5 is provided, which communicates with the detection devices of the individual vehicle seats 2, and by means of which an external person 6 can see whether at least individual vehicle seats 2 are occupied.

[0017] The display device 5 can, for example, include a display 7 arranged on an outer surface of the vehicle 1, via which the seat occupancy is easily, clearly, and thus intuitively recognizable to a person 6 outside the vehicle. Such a display 7 can, for example, be arranged on a B-pillar 8 or a C-pillar, on a vehicle door 4, or on a rear fender 9. In the present case, the display 7 of the display device 5 is arranged on the rear fender 9.

[0018] The display device 5 can alternatively only have a differently lit LED 10, which, for example, lights up green if the vehicle seats 2 behind the respective vehicle door 4 are free, while it lights up red if the vehicle seats 2 behind the associated vehicle door 4 are occupied.

[0019] Alternatively, the display device 5 can also include a projection device 11, via which a seat occupancy display 12 can be projected into the vicinity of the motor vehicle 1, for example, to the side of it onto a sidewalk. The projection device 11 can, for example, be arranged on the underside of an exterior mirror 14.

[0020] With the motor vehicle 1 according to the invention, it is relatively easy for an outside person 6, who wishes to use the motor vehicle 1, for example, which is designed as a taxi, to recognize which of the vehicle seats 2 in the motor vehicle 1 are occupied and which are free.

[0021] It is assumed that the vehicle seat 2 directly behind the rear left door 4 and the middle seat 2 on the rear bench are occupied, while on the opposite side both the front passenger seat and the seat 2 directly behind it are free. For example, by means of the seat occupancy indicator 12 projected onto the sidewalk in front of the person 6, the person 6 can easily, quickly, and, above all, intuitively recognize that they must first move to the opposite side of the vehicle to find a free seat. This also reliably prevents the unnecessary opening of the vehicle door 4, thus ensuring that the occupants of the vehicle 1 are not disturbed, especially by external weather conditions, and also sparing the person 6 the embarrassing experience of opening the wrong vehicle door 4.

[0022] When indicating that a vehicle seat 2 is occupied, it is conceivable that the display device 5 or the projection device 11, for example, displays a red signal or a crossed-out signal, while for a free vehicle seat 2 a green signal or an empty field is displayed.

[0023] Furthermore, the display device 5, in particular the occupancy display 12, can of course also be used to give an instruction as to which vehicle seat 2 is free, so that, for example, an arrow can be thrown on the ground which guides the person 6 standing outside around the vehicle 2 to get in.

[0024] All in all, the vehicle 1 according to the invention, with its tinted side windows 13, easily ensures privacy and thus anonymity for the persons or passengers, particularly those sitting on the rear seat of the vehicle 1. This also maintains discretion from other passengers, as the unnecessary opening of the vehicle door 4 can be reliably avoided. This is particularly advantageous in cold or rainy weather conditions. If, for example, luggage is stored on the corresponding vehicle seat 2, preventing the vehicle door 4 from being opened also reliably prevents this luggage from accidentally falling out.

[0025] In a further embodiment, it would be conceivable that if a vehicle seat behind one of the vehicle doors 4 is occupied, this very vehicle door 4 is locked by a locking or locking device (not shown) and cannot be opened from the outside. This would further prevent unnecessary or unintentional opening of the vehicle door 4 behind which there is no longer a free seat. This locking or locking device is preferably part of the door lock of the respective vehicle door 4. If, therefore, the [missing information] were [missing information] Fig. If the vehicle seat 2 located behind the rear left vehicle door 4 is occupied, this seat occupancy could be indicated via the display device 5 and the vehicle door 4 could remain locked. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2008 018 938 A1

[0002]

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle (1) with several vehicle doors (4) and with a plurality of vehicle seats (2) arranged in the motor vehicle (1), wherein each vehicle seat (2) is assigned a detection device for an occupancy of the vehicle seat (2), characterized by , that a display device (5) is provided which communicates with the detection devices, by means of which an external person (6) can be shown that at least some of the vehicle seats (2) are occupied, and that a locking device locks at least one of the vehicle doors (4) when the vehicle seat (2) located behind the vehicle door (4) is occupied. [2] Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , the display device (5) has a display (7) arranged on an outer surface of the motor vehicle (1). [3] Motor vehicle (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the display (7) is located on a B-pillar (8), a vehicle door (4) or a rear fender (9) of the motor vehicle (1). [4] Motor vehicle (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the display device (5) has a projection device (11) via which a seat occupancy display can be projected into an environment of the motor vehicle (1).

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