Motor-vehicle inner roof panel, with multi-functional cover

Abstract

A motor-vehicle inner roof panel comprises a structure with a padded body (2) and a cover (3), for example made of fabric, which has an inner surface (3A) in which an electric circuit (6) is integrated, which comprises a plurality of capacitive sensors (9, 11) designed to detect a touch of a user's finger on the outer surface of the cover (3). Two first capacitive sensors (9) are arranged symmetrically on the two sides of a median longitudinal axis (X) of the panel to control the switching on and off respectively of one or more left-hand interior lights (5L) and one or more right-hand interior lights (5R). Two series of second capacitive sensors (11) arranged aligned according to two lines parallel to a longitudinal direction of the panel (1), spaced from each other on the two sides of the median longitudinal axis of the panel, are configured to control the luminous intensity of the left-hand interior lights (5L) and right-hand interior lights (5R). At the aligned series of capacitive sensors (11) the outer surface of the cover (3) bears two marking strips (7L, 7R) which identify the position of said aligned series of capacitive sensors (11) and which have, for example, a increasing width from one end of the strip to the other to give an indication of the direction of increase in the luminous intensity of said interior lights (5L, 5R). LED light sources (12) are associated with the second capacitive sensors (11) to illuminate the portion of the cover (3) in correspondence of a second capacitive sensor (11) which detects the touch by the user. A further LED light source (13) is designed to illuminate a semi-transparent portion of the cover (3) configured to display a logo identifying the manufacturing company of the motor-vehicle or the vehicle model, every time an opening of a motor-vehicle door is signaled to an electronic control unit (10) by a door opening sensor (15).

Description

[0001] “Motor-vehicle inner roof panel, with multi-functional cover”

[0002] ****

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention concerns a motor-vehicle inner roof panel, of the type comprising a padded body and a cover.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] In modem motor-vehicles, it is usual to provide the front or central portion of the motor vehicle inner roof panel with auxiliary controls and commands, as well as with interior lights for illuminating the passenger compartment of the motor-vehicle.

[0007] The present invention is driven by the desire to provide a motorvehicle inner roof panel which is characterized by new functions and which is at the same time simple and cost-effective in manufacturing.

[0008] A motor-vehicle inner roof panel comprising capacitive sensors, LED light sources and an electronic control unit is known from document JP 7 080550 B2.

[0009] Object of the invention

[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a motorvehicle inner roof panel which is characterized by new functions.

[0011] A further object of the invention is to provide a motor-vehicle inner roof panel which has a relatively simple structure and is cost-effective in manufacturing.

[0012] Summary of the invention

[0013] In order to achieve one or more of said aims, the invention has as its object a motor-vehicle inner roof panel, comprising a padded body and a body cover, said panel being characterized in that:

[0014] - the cover has an inner surface in which an electric circuit is integrated, which electric circuit comprises a plurality of capacitive sensors, configured to detect a touch of a user’s finger on the outer surface of the cover, and a plurality of LED light sources associated with at least some of said capacitive sensors,

[0015] - two first sensors of said capacitive sensors are arranged symmetrically on the two sides of a median longitudinal axis of the panel,

[0016] - an electronic control unit is associated with said electric circuit and is configured to switch on and / or to switch off respectively one or more lefthand interior lights and one or more right-hand interior lights of the motorvehicle, following a touch by the user detected by one or the other of said two first capacitive sensors,

[0017] - the electric circuit comprises two series of second capacitive sensors arranged aligned according to two lines parallel to a longitudinal direction of the panel, arranged spaced apart from each other, on the two sides of said median longitudinal axis of the panel, said LED light sources being associated at least with said two series of second capacitive sensors,

[0018] - in correspondence of said aligned series of second capacitive sensors, the outer surface of the cover bears two marking strips which identify the position of said aligned series of second capacitive sensors,

[0019] - said electronic control unit is configured to control the luminous intensity of said one or more left-hand interior lights and said one or more right-hand interior lights of the motor-vehicle according to the touch by the user along the respective marking strip, each marking strip being configured to indicate the direction in which the luminous intensity of said one or more interior lights increases,

[0020] - said electronic control unit is also configured to illuminate, by means of said LED light sources, every time one of said second capacitive sensors detects a touch by the user, the portion of the cover corresponding to the capacitive sensor that has detected the touch by the user.

[0021] Thanks to said features, the motor-vehicle inner roof panel according to the invention allows the user (both the driver and the passenger) to control the interior lights of the motor-vehicle and to control the level of luminosity, in a simple and intuitive way.

[0022] According to a further preferred feature, said electric circuit also comprises at least one further LED light source arranged to illuminate a semi-transparent portion of the cover configured to display a logo identifying the manufacturing company or the vehicle model, the electronic control unit control being configured to activate said further LED light source every time that an opening of a motor-vehicle door is signaled to the electronic control unit by a door opening sensor.

[0023] Detailed description of the invention

[0024] Further features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description with reference to the attached drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which:

[0025] - figure 1 is a view of a motor-vehicle inner roof panel according to the invention, showing the main face of the panel which is exposed to view in the condition mounted on the motor-vehicle,

[0026] - figure 2 shows a detail of figure 1 ,

[0027] - figure 3 is a perspective view of the flexible electronic part printed and screen-printed either on the fabric or on a flexible film coupled to the armrest covering fabric, which in the final configuration remains coupled to the inner surface of the panel covering fabric, showing the inner surface of such covering fabric, and

[0028] - figure 4 is a functional diagram of the panel according to the invention.

[0029] In the drawings, reference 1 indicates as a whole a motor-vehicle inner roof panel, comprising a padded body 2 provided with a cover 3, for example made of fabric. The panel 1 has a front edge 1A (with reference to the direction of travel of the motor-vehicle), a rear edge 1 B and two side edges 1 C. The reference X indicates the median longitudinal axis of panel 1 . In the center of the panel, adjacent to the front edge 1 A, there is a central console 4 configured in any known way, for example including a glasses holder or any other device of a known type.

[0030] Again with reference to the illustrated example, on the two sides of the central console 4, a left-hand interior light 5L and a right-hand interior light 5R are arranged in symmetrical positions.

[0031] The switching on and off of the left-hand interior light 5L and the righthand interior light 5R are controlled respectively by means of two buttons 6L, 6R which are incorporated in the cover 3, as will be described in detail below.

[0032] The luminous intensity of the interior lights 5L, 5R can be controlled by touching the cover 3 of the panel 1 in correspondence of two marking strips 7L, 7R and moving the finger along each strip, as will also be described in detail below.

[0033] According to the invention, the cover 3, for example made of fabric, has an inner surface 3A (see figure 3) in which an electric circuit 6 is integrated, using any known technology (for example using ink-jet technology).

[0034] The electric circuit 6 is illustrated schematically in figure 4. It comprises two first capacitive sensors 9 connected to an electronic control unit 10 which is associated with the motor-vehicle inner roof panel 1. The electronic control unit 10 is configured to control the switching on and off of the lights 5L, 5R respectively when a touch is detected on the outer surface of the cover 3 in correspondence of one or the other capacitive sensor 9.

[0035] The electric circuit 6 also comprises two series of second capacitive sensors 11 aligned along two longitudinal directions parallel to the median longitudinal axis

[0036] The electronic control unit 10 is connected to the second capacitive sensors 11 and is configured in such a way that it controls a variation in the luminous intensity of the lights 5L, 5R as the contact of the user’s finger along the respective control strips 7L, 7R varies.

[0037] The strips 7L, 7R can for example be printed on the outer surface of the panel 1 , or created on it in any other way and have for example a width that increases from one end to the other to provide the user with intuitive information on the direction to follow to obtain an increase in the luminosity level of the controlled interior light.

[0038] The second capacitive sensors 11 are associated with respective LED light sources 12 which light up for a specific time following contact of the user’s finger with the portion of the outer surface of the cover 3 which is located in correspondence of a given sensor 11 .

[0039] It can be expected that, following the contact detected by a second capacitive sensor 11 , the LED source 12 associated with the capacitive sensor lights up for a relatively short time, so that, if the user’s finger moves along the strip, every time only the LED source associated with the sensor that detects the touch of the user’s finger lights up. Or it can be expected that following the contact detected by a capacitive sensor 11 , the LED source 12 associated with the capacitive sensor 1 1 lights up for a relatively longer time, so in the case of a movement of the user’s finger along the strip, an increasing portion of the marking strip 7L or 7R lights up.

[0040] According to a further feature, the electric circuit 6 also comprises at least one further LED source 13 in a central position between the two aligned series of sensors 11 , arranged to illuminate a semi-transparent portion of the cover 3 configured to display a logo 14 identifying the manufacturing company of the motor-vehicle or the vehicle model.

[0041] In the preferred embodiment, the electronic unit 10 is configured to illuminate the logo 14 when it receives a signal indicative of an opening of a motor-vehicle door from one or more sensors 15. The electronic control unit 10 can be configured to keep the logo 14 illuminated for a determined time after opening at least one of the doors of the motor-vehicle.

[0042] As is evident from the previous description, the panel according to the invention is simple and cost-effective in manufacturing and at the same time is characterized by new functions, simple and intuitive to use. Of course, notwithstanding the principle of the invention, the construction details and the embodiments may vary widely with respect to what is described and illustrated purely by way of example, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A motor-vehicle inner roof panel, comprising a padded body (2) and a cover (3) on the padded body (2), characterized in that:- the cover (3) has an inner surface (3A) in which an electric circuit (6) is integrated, which electric circuit comprises a plurality of capacitive sensors (9, 11 ) configured to detect a touch of a user’s finger on the outer surface of the cover (3) and a plurality of LED light sources (12) associated with at least some (11 ) of said capacitive sensors (9, 11 ),- two first sensors (9) of said capacitive sensors (9, 11 ) are arranged symmetrically on the two sides of a median longitudinal axis (X) of the panel (1 ),- an electronic control unit (10) is associated with said electric circuit (6) and is configured to switch on and off respectively one or more left-hand interior lights (5L) and one or more right-hand interior lights (5R) of the motor-vehicle, following a touch by the user detected by one or the other of said two first capacitive sensors (9),- the electric circuit (6) comprises two series of second capacitive sensors (11 ) arranged aligned according to two lines parallel to a longitudinal direction (X) of the panel (1 ), arranged spaced apart on the two sides of said median longitudinal axis (X) of the panel (1 ), said LED light sources (12) being associated at least with said two series of second capacitive sensors (11 ),- in correspondence of said aligned series of second capacitive sensors (11 ), the outer surface of the cover (3) bears two marking strips (7 L, 7R), which identify the position of said aligned series of second capacitive sensors (11 ),- said electronic control unit (10) is configured to control the luminous intensity of said one or more left-hand interior lights (5L) and said one or more right-hand interior lights (5R) of the motor-vehicle according to the touch by the user along the respective marking strip (7L, 7R), each marking strip being configured to indicate the direction in which the luminous intensity of said one or more interior lights (5L, 5R) increases,- said electronic control unit (10) is also configured to illuminate, by means of said LED light sources (12), every time one of said secondcapacitive sensors (11 ) detects a touch by the user, the portion of the cover corresponding to the capacitive sensor that has detected the touch by the user.

2. The motor-vehicle inner roof panel according to claim 1 , characterized in that said electric circuit (6) comprises at least one further LED light source (13) arranged to illuminate a semi-transparent portion of the cover (3) configured to display a logo (14) identifying the manufacturing company of the motor-vehicle or the vehicle model, the electronic control unit (10) being configured to activate said further LED light source (13) every time an opening of a motor-vehicle door is signaled to the electronic control unit (10) by a door opening sensor (15).

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