Display device with a transition formed in a wedge-shaped section for deflecting light that would distort the display

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a display device for showing information for a motor vehicle's handle that includes a control element. A variety of display devices are known in the prior art, in which control elements are embedded or which have control elements. Some of these include display devices with optical elements from which a display can be read.

[0002] EP 3 045 944 A1 discloses a display device for a motor vehicle, comprising a light guide device.

[0003] If a control element is embedded in the optical body, the edges of a recess for embedding the control element, or the recess or the control element itself, may be reflected onto a display surface formed by the optical body and thus be visible on the display surface, which may be perceived as disturbing by the viewer and in most cases also impairs the readability of such a display device.

[0004] The invention is therefore based on the objective of overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages and providing a display device on whose display surface provided by an optical body reflections from elements embedded in the optical body or from recesses in the optical body are minimized.

[0005] This problem is solved by the combination of features according to claim 1.

[0006] According to the invention, a display device for showing information for a motor vehicle handle comprising a control element is proposed. Alternatively, the control element can also be considered part of the display device, so that it can also be a display device with a control element. The proposed display device has an optical body with a display surface lying in a first plane and a reflective surface lying in a second plane. Furthermore, the display device has a recess that intersects or opens into the first plane and, in particular, corresponds to the control element, which preferably forms an opening in the first plane for receiving the control element. The first plane and the second plane intersect each other, forming a wedge-shaped section.The optical body defines a transition between the display surface and the reflection surface in the wedge-shaped section. According to the invention, the transition is designed to prevent, or at least partially prevent, light coupled into the display surface at the recess in the direction of the wedge-shaped section. This is particularly important because, due to the wedge shape formed by the first and second planes, light would otherwise be reflected at the reflection surface. To achieve this, at least a portion of the light can be deflected away from the display surface and / or the first plane at the transition, depending on the light's emission angle relative to a perpendicular at the geometric center of a first coupling surface defined below. This prevents the display surface from being precisely directed into the first plane or allows the light to be coupled out of the optical body.

[0007] This applies preferably to a light with a beam angle of -20° to +20° and further, in particular, of -10° to +10° around the vertical.

[0008] The transition can preferably be formed by at least one chamfer and / or at least one bend and / or at least one rounding, which, however, are designed in such a way, particularly in their proportion(s), that the light striking them from the recess is not reflected in the direction of the display surface or at least not exiting the optical body at the display surface.

[0009] Preferably, the optical body has a first coupling surface on a side of the recess facing the wedge-shaped section or the intersection of the first and second planes, at which light can be coupled into the optical body. This results in an aesthetically pleasing appearance, but may cause the side of the recess or a control element arranged therein to be visible on the display surface, which should be avoided or can be avoided by the measures mentioned above.

[0010] Another variant provides that the transition is formed from two chamfers or bends, of which a first chamfer / bend adjacent to the reflection surface defines a surface parallel to the first coupling surface and a second chamfer / bend adjacent to the display surface defines a surface inclined to the first coupling surface.

[0011] For example, it can be provided that light emitted at an angle of -20° to 20° and in particular -10° to 10° around a perpendicular of the first coupling surface hits the transition and thus not the reflection surface, wherein the perpendicular is preferably located at a geometric center of the first coupling surface.

[0012] It is preferably provided that the first chamfer / bend is larger than the second chamfer / bend and / or that the first chamfer / bend is directly adjacent to the second chamfer / bend.

[0013] For both the first and second chamfers / edges, it is essential that they are sufficiently large and formed at a sufficiently obtuse angle to each other and to the adjacent surfaces in order to avoid the risk of injury, so that an operator of the control element cannot cut themselves on the chamfers / edges or the optical body in general.

[0014] Preferably, the display area in the first plane extends from a side of the recess facing the wedge-shaped section to the transition, thus essentially occupying the entire surface of the optical body lying in the first plane from the recess to the transition.

[0015] The optical body also preferably has a second coupling surface in a third plane, to which light can be coupled for information display on the display surface, which coming from the coupling surface is deflected at the reflection surface to the display surface and becomes visible there to the viewer.

[0016] The optical body is preferably an optical crystal, i.e. a rigid body which is designed to deflect light coupled for display at the second coupling surface exactly once at the reflection surface to the display surface, so that information introduced into the optical crystal by the light at the coupling surface becomes visible to the viewer at the display surface.

[0017] Furthermore, the display device can have a display element provided on the second coupling surface, which is designed to couple a light to the second coupling surface for information display on the display surface, which is deflected to the display surface at the reflection surface.

[0018] Since the display device often needs to be attached to the optical body and / or the optical body to an adjacent support, the display device or the optical body may have mounting elements or interfaces, particularly on its side defining the third plane, which can be visible on the display surface due to reflection. Furthermore, the display element delineates an area of ​​the optical body in the third plane, so these boundaries, such as display edges, can be clearly visible on the display surface, especially when the display is switched off. Therefore, since different color gradations or edges are present on the coupling surface, particularly when the display element is switched off, the optical body or optical body can...The optical crystal may appear less "brilliant" to the viewer, as the color gradations or edges on the display surface may become clearly visible.

[0019] To avoid this, the optical body can have a boundary surface in the third plane that at least partially surrounds the second coupling surface, and which covers an outer edge of the display element and / or a mounting section of the display element and / or an outer edge of a display of the display element and / or an outer edge of a light-generating section of the display element and / or a mounting section of the optical body. Preferably, the boundary surface extends outwards from the display element to an outer edge / outer contour of the optical body located in the third plane.

[0020] Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the optical body is provided with a non-opaque and / or, at least from the perspective of the optical body, reflective coating on its edge surface or over its entire edge surface to conceal the edge surface or the outer edge of the display element and / or the mounting section of the display element and / or the outer edge of the display of the display element and / or the outer edge of the light-generating section of the display element and / or the mounting section of the optical body. Furthermore, the entire (second) coupling surface or the entire optical body in the region of the third plane can also be provided with a coating that is reflective on its side facing the optical body but transparent on its side facing away from the optical body.

[0021] The coating can have at least one layer, i.e., be multilayered. Furthermore, the coating can be a vapor-deposited metal layer, such as aluminum or silver, and / or an optical resonator, which is formed, in particular, from several alternating layers to shift the phase of light incident from the optical body by λ / 2 or a multiple thereof. Such alternating layers can, for example, be layers of indium tin oxide (ITO).

[0022] The features disclosed above can be combined in any way, provided that this is technically possible and they do not contradict each other.

[0023] Other advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims or are described in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the figures. The figures show: Fig. 1 a steering handle of a motor vehicle with a display device; Fig. 2 a schematic diagram of a display device; Fig. 3a a conventional display device in a perspective view; Fig. 3b the conventional display device in a top view; Fig. 4a a display device according to the invention in a perspective view; Fig. 4b the display device according to the invention in a top view; Fig. 5a a conventional display device at different emission angles of coupled light; Fig. 6a a display device according to the invention at different emission angles of coupled light; Fig. 7 a display device according to the invention with display element and coated edge surface.

[0024] The figures are schematic examples. Identical reference symbols in the figures indicate identical functional and / or structural features.

[0025] In Figure 1A steering handle 3 of a motor vehicle is shown, in whose steering rim 4 a display device 1 is embedded on both sides and projects radially inwards from the steering rim 4, i.e., has an end fixed to the steering rim 4 and a free end extending radially inwards from it.

[0026] In a transition area from the steering ring 4 to the display device 1, a control element 2 in the form of a control wheel or control button is also provided, which is embedded in the display device 1 or a recess 20 of the display device 1 which will be explained in more detail below.

[0027] The operating principle of such a display device 1 is shown in the illustration according to Figure 2Clearly. An optical body 10, and specifically an optical crystal 10, has a display surface 14 in a first plane 11, a reflective surface 15 in a second plane 12, and a (second) coupling surface 17 in a third plane 13. At the (second) coupling surface 17, light L4 and information or images represented by the light L4 are coupled into the optical crystal 10 from a display element 40, such as a display. Within the crystal, the light is reflected or deflected at the reflective surface 15 in the direction of the display surface 14, so that a viewer B can perceive the information or images represented by the light L4.

[0028] It should also be noted that the display element 40 and the side of the optical crystal 10 which has the (second) coupling surface 17 are attached to the steering rim 4 or a support of the steering handle 3 according to Figure 1The optical crystal 10 can be fixed in place, and the side where the first plane 11 and the second plane 12 intersect in a wedge shape is free and cantilevers over the steering handle 3 or its steering rim 4. The optical crystal 10 can, however, have a coating, so that, for example, the reflection of light inside the optical crystal 10 can be improved by coating the reflective surface 15.

[0029] However, as in the Figures 3a and 3b Since a recess 20 is provided for receiving the control element 2, it often happens that edges formed by the recess 20 are also visible as reflections 21 on the display surface 14, which accordingly impairs the readability of the display device 1 and is perceived as disturbing by the viewer.

[0030] Such disturbing reflections 21 can be completely or at least largely eliminated by a display device 1 according to the invention with a transition 30 from the reflection surface 15 to the display surface 14, as shown in the Figures 4a and 4b As depicted, this can be prevented.

[0031] For this purpose, it is provided that in the area or in the wedge-shaped section 19, in which the first plane 11 and the second plane 12 intersect, a transition 30 having two chamfers 31, 32 is formed, through which light striking the transition 30 or its chamfers 31, 32 from the recess 20 can leave the optical body 10 or be reflected away from the display surface 14.

[0032] For illustration, in the Figures 5a to 5e Light paths of a light L1, L2, L3 coupled at the recess 20 in an optical body 10 which has no transition 30 and in the Figures 6a to 6eThe light paths in an optical body 10 with a transition 30 are depicted.

[0033] The light L1, L2, L3, or its exemplary light paths L1, L2, L3, is in the Figures 5a, 6a at an angle of -20° to the vertical L, in the Figures 5b, 6b at an angle of -10° to the vertical L, in the Figures 5c, 6c at an angle of 0° to the vertical L, in the Figures 5d, 6d at an angle of 10° to the vertical L and in the Figures 5e, 6e coupled into the optical body 10 at an angle of 20° to the perpendicular L.

[0034] Here, the light path L1 corresponds to the light path of the light coupled into the first coupling surface 16 at the first plane 11, the light path L2 corresponds to the light path of the light coupled at the perpendicular at the geometric center of the first coupling surface 16, and the light path L3 corresponds to the light path of the light coupled at the edge of the recess 20 located in the optical crystal 10. The light paths L1, L2, L3, or the light L1, L2, L3, are, of course, only representative and illustrative of the light coupled or capable of being coupled in over the entire first coupling surface 16.

[0035] For the sake of clarity, not all features are included in all. Figures 5, 6 provided with reference numerals, wherein the features of the embodiment are defined according to the Figures 5 in all Figures 5 and the features of the embodiment according to the Figure 6 in all Figure 6 are available.

[0036] In the Figures 5It is clearly evident from the light L1, L2, L3 or from the illustrated exemplary light paths L1, L2, L3 that the light L1, L2, L3 coupled at the first coupling surface 26 leads to reflections 21 at the display surface 14 for all angles -20° to 20°.

[0037] Through the transition 30, as it appears in the variant according to the Figure 6 As shown, the reflections 21 can be completely or at least largely prevented.

[0038] For an angle of -20°, as in Figure 6a As shown, not all of the light coupled to the first coupling surface 26 is reflected to the display surface 14, but only a reduced portion. At -10°C, as shown in Figure 6b As shown, there is no longer any reflection at the display area 14. For angles of 0°, 10° and 20°, the reflection can be shown as in the Figures 6c to 6eAs shown, this is completely prevented. For this purpose, the transition 30 has two chamfers 31, 32, the first chamfer 31 being directly adjacent to the reflection surface 15 and running parallel to the first coupling surface 16. The second chamfer 32, which could also be a rounded edge, lies between the display surface 14 and the first chamfer 31 and is chosen such that, on the one hand, a risk of cutting is excluded and, on the other hand, the light is reflected back into the optical body 10, i.e., deflected away from the display surface 14.

[0039] In Figure 7A display device 1 is shown with a display element 40 arranged on the optical crystal 10, which is configured to couple light L4 into the optical crystal 10 at a second coupling surface 17. The light L4 coupled in a third plane 13 is then reflected or directed at the reflective surface 15 located in the second plane 12 onto the display surface 14 located in the first plane 11, in order to make the information coupled in via the light L4 visible to the viewer. However, in a state in which the display 41 of the display element 40 is switched off, the display edges may be visible on the display surface 14. Therefore, it is provided that the optical crystal 10 is provided with a coating 42 in an edge region or on an edge surface 18, which surrounds the second coupling surface 17 in a frame-like manner.The coating 42 creates a mirrored surface, which makes the edge of the display 41 invisible on the display surface 14, and thus allows the optical crystal 10 to appear "brilliant" even when the display 41 is switched off.

Claims

1. A display device (1) for displaying information for a motor vehicle, having an optical body (10) with a display area (14) lying in a first plane (11) and a reflection area (15) lying in a second plane (12), wherein the first plane (11) and the second plane (12) intersect each other forming a wedge-shaped section (19), wherein the optical body (10) determines, in the wedge-shaped section (19), a transition (30) between the display area (14) and the reflection area (15), characterised in that the display device (1) is suitable for a handle (3) of the motor vehicle having an operating element (2), the optical body (10) further having a recess (20) intersecting the first plane (11) for receiving the operating element (2) and the transition (30) being designed to not guide light (L1, L2, L3) coupled into the recess (20) in a direction of the wedge-shaped section (19) to the display area (14).

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the optical body (10) has, at a side of the recess (20) facing the wedge-shaped section (19), a first coupling area (16) at which light is able to be coupled into the optical body.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein the transition (30) is formed from two chamfers (31, 32), of which a first chamfer (31) adjacent to the reflection area (15) determines an area parallel to the first coupling area (16) and a second chamfer (32) adjacent to the display area (14) determines an area oblique to the first coupling area (16).

4. The display device according to the preceding claim, wherein the first chamfer (31) is larger than the second chamfer (32) and / or the first chamfer (31) is immediately adjacent to the second chamfer (32).

5. The display device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the display area (14) extends in the first plane (11) from a side of the recess (20) facing the wedge-shaped section (19) up to the transition (30).

6. The display device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the optical body (10) has a second coupling area (17) in a third plane (13), at which light (L4) for displaying information in the display area (14) is able to be coupled into, which is deflected to the display area (14) at the reflection area (15) coming from the second coupling area (17).

7. The display device according to the preceding claim, further having a display element (40) provided at the second coupling area (17), which is designed to couple light (L4) for displaying information in the display area (14) into the coupling area (17), which is deflected to the display area (14) at the reflection area (15).

8. The display device according to the preceding claim, wherein the optical body (10) has, in the third plane (13), an edge area (18) that at least in sections surrounds the second coupling area (17) in edge-shaped manner, which covers an outer edge of the display element (40) and / or a fastening section of the display element (40) and / or an outer edge of a display (41) of the display element (40) and / or an outer edge of a light-generating section of the display element (40) and / or a fastening section of the optical body (10).

9. The display device according to the preceding claim, wherein the optical body (10) is provided with a non-opaque and / or reflective coating (42) at the edge area for laminating the edge area.

10. The display device according to the preceding claim, wherein the coating (42) is a vapour-deposited metal layer and / or an optical resonator which is formed of multiple layers for phase displacement of light that is incident from the optical body (10) by λ / 2 or a multiple thereof.