Interior component for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an interior component for a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier (6) and at least one layer (8) which is applied to the carrier (6) and has a visible surface (9), wherein at least one ornamental seam (3, 4, 5) is formed on the layer (8) by means of at least one thread (11) or a thread (11) is woven into the layer (8), which is designed as a textile, wherein the thread (11) is a multifilament thread and is made of a transparent polymer and has a textile character by way of its crimping, caused by texturing, wherein the individual filaments have a diameter of at most 60 µm, and wherein at least one coupling-in device, comprising at least one lighting means (12) for coupling light into the thread (11), is provided.

Description

[0001] Interior component for a motor vehicle

[0002] DESCRIPTION:

[0003] The invention relates to an interior component for a motor vehicle.

[0004] The interiors of modern, as well as future, motor vehicles are increasingly expected to feature a minimalist design, creating a clearly structured vehicle interior. This is achieved by combining multiple components and functions into highly integrated, multifunctional elements. One example of this is interior components in the form of interior trim panels with high-quality textile applications. These can be implemented both as individual components and, with a correspondingly multi-part structure, offer the possibility of being part of a highly integrated component that still maintains a simple, minimalist appearance.

[0005] The invention is based on the problem of providing an improved interior component.

[0006] To solve the problem, the invention provides an interior component for a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier and at least one layer applied to the carrier, which layer has a visible surface, wherein at least one decorative seam is formed on the layer by means of at least one yarn or a yarn is woven into the layer designed as a textile, wherein the yarn is a multifilament yarn and is made of a transparent polymer and has a textile character due to its crimping, caused by texturing, wherein the individual filaments have a maximum diameter of 60 pm, and wherein at least one coupling device comprising at least one illuminant for coupling light into the yarn is provided. The interior component according to the invention is characterized by at least one integrated yarn which is formed from a transparent polymer and which serves as a luminous element.The interior component comprises a carrier, for example a suitably stable plastic component that defines the basic shape of the interior component. At least one layer having a visible surface is applied to this carrier, for example made of a textile or leather or similar, which will be discussed below. At least one decorative seam is formed on the layer by means of the yarn provided according to the invention. In the case of a textile, it is also conceivable for the yarn to be woven directly into the textile. In the case of a decorative seam, this provides a correspondingly defined yarn guide and a defined yarn path that is defined by the path of the seam, whereas with a woven-in yarn, a correspondingly large-area coverage is possible, i.e. the yarn is woven into the textile over a correspondingly large surface area.According to the invention, the yarn is made of a transparent polymer whose individual filaments have a maximum diameter of 60 μm. The yarn itself is therefore almost invisible, i.e., when not illuminated, it does not impair the appearance. Since, according to the invention, at least one coupling device comprising at least one illuminant is provided on the interior component, via which light can be coupled into the yarn, the yarn can consequently be made to glow, i.e., for example, the decorative seam glows and forms a corresponding luminous strip, or the surface into which the yarn is woven glows accordingly.

[0007] In the interior component according to the invention, the textile and transparent yarn provided according to the invention therefore also allows the integration of a lighting element either locally or over a larger area, whereby this lighting element emits light, i.e., lights up, as needed. On the one hand, due to the transparency and the textile character of the yarn, which is hardly distinguishable from other yarns in the fabric, the integration of the same is possible without it being visually noticeable. On the other hand, the yarn can be used to provide a corresponding lighting scenario as needed, which in particular improves the feeling of space in the vehicle. Of course, it is also possible to create manufacturer- or user-specific lighting scenarios by varying the course of the decorative seam or the geometry of the surface into which the yarn is integrated.

[0008] The interior component can be, for example, an interior trim part, such as an interior door trim or a pillar trim, etc. However, it can also be, for example, a vehicle seat that is provided with one or more decorative seams or woven surfaces made of the ultra-fine yarn.

[0009] The thin yarn is preferably a multifilament yarn, i.e. it consists of a large number of individual filaments, which are themselves transparent and thus light-conducting. Due to the texturing, the yarn has a textile character. The fineness of the individual filaments is significantly below the usual diameter of known monofilaments. The fineness of the light-conducting multifilament yarn is similar to the usual fineness of warp and weft threads, or sewing threads, as used for textile applications in automotive interiors. It is made, for example, from a suitable polymer such as PC (polycarbonate) or PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) or PET-G (polyethylene terephthalate glycol), although the invention is not limited to this. Rather, other light-optically transparent polymers can also be used, provided they can be sewn or woven accordingly and provided they meet the usual requirements for polymers for textile applications, e.g.in terms of appearance, feel, tear resistance, elasticity, etc.

[0010] The coupling device expediently has a light guide element into which light from the illuminant can be coupled, and which in turn couples light into the yarn. This means that the light guide element runs parallel to the sewn or woven yarn, i.e. either in a strip-like manner along the decorative seam or flatly below the surface into which the yarn is woven. The light from the illuminant is coupled into the light guide element. From there, it couples out again and into the yarn, which in turn then guides the light and illuminates. The arrangement is of course such that the light guide element is not visible, i.e. neither when unlit nor when the light is coupled into the light guide element. Only the yarn into which the light is coupled via the light guide element is visible or illuminates. Alternatively, the light guide can also couple the light directly into one end of the yarn.In this case, the yarn is guided with one end into an exposed position, in which the end is positioned directly adjacent to the light source, so that the light emitted by the light source is coupled directly into the end of the yarn. Instead of a quasi-lateral coupling across the length or surface using the light guide element, as described in the first embodiment, the light is coupled only locally at one end of the yarn. The yarn end is guided into a corresponding holder or connecting device, which also houses the light source, ensuring the best possible coupling.

[0011] When coupling the light into the yarn end, the illuminant is expediently arranged on one side of the carrier, whereby it couples the light either laterally into the light guide element guided to the side or the end of the yarn guided to the side of the carrier.

[0012] The light guide element itself is preferably a piping that runs along a seam between two adjacent layer sections, the piping being sewn to the decorative seam by means of the yarn that overlaps it over its length on its exposed piping side. In this embodiment, the interior component has at least a two-layer layer that forms the visible surface, consisting of two separate layer sections that are adjacent to one another. A piping that serves as a light guide element is arranged in the gap between the two layer sections. This piping is sewn to the layer sections by means of the yarn, i.e. a felled seam is formed there, via which on the one hand the layer sections are fixed, but on the other hand also the piping, which is overlapped or folded over by the yarn over its entire length. The visible surface is therefore not created by the piping itself, but by the yarn that structures the upper side.When light is coupled in, the yarn forming the decorative seam glows. It is also possible to create the decorative seam using the yarn virtually anywhere on the layer or a section of the layer. In this case, the light guide element is a flat component located beneath the yarn provided in the layer. No piping used as a light guide element is used here; instead, a separate light guide element must be provided, located beneath the layer, adjacent to the yarn forming the decorative seam and following the decorative seam pattern.

[0013] The decorative seam is preferably linear and the flat light guide element is designed as a flat strip, the width of which is ultimately matched to the seam width, i.e. the light guide element should not be excessively wider than the seam width.

[0014] If the yarn is woven into a flat section of the layer, a flat light guide element is used according to the invention, with the size of this flat light guide element corresponding to the size of the section. This allows the light to be coupled across virtually the entire woven area in which the yarn is present.

[0015] The light source is preferably an LED, particularly a color LED. A simple white-emitting LED makes it possible to make the yarn glow white. If a color LED is used, i.e. an RGB LED (RGB = red-green-blue), any color of the color spectrum can be created by color mixing, meaning that the yarn can glow in virtually any color. The correspondingly generated luminous color can be set by the user, for example, on a display or other control device, meaning that the color scenario in the interior or the lighting ambience can be adjusted as desired. It would also be conceivable, for example, to use a control device to vary the color of the light depending on one or several parameters, for example depending on the outside temperature (at high temperatures, for example,cooler blue light, warmer red light at lower temperatures), or the given vehicle environment (for example, green light when driving through a forest or across the country, yellow light when driving in the city). A color change depending on the time of day or brightness (day-night, brighter-darker) is also conceivable. These various possibilities underlying the varying control are of course not exhaustive. The corresponding parameters on which the control is based are recorded, for example, via suitable sensors or navigation data, with the control device being set up to vary the light accordingly.

[0016] The layer itself can be made of various materials. Possible options include leather, including genuine leather or synthetic leather, a textile made of almost any material, a fiber fabric such as sound mesh or carbon fiber fabric, or a plastic layer. This list is not exhaustive; any material can be used to form the surface or visible side.

[0017] Preferably, at least one intermediate layer is provided between the layer and the support. This intermediate layer slightly spaces the actual layer from the support. This intermediate layer can, on the one hand, function as a damping layer, thus imparting a certain softness and elasticity to the actual layer when pressed against it. Furthermore, this intermediate layer allows for the easy integration of a light guide element below the layer, i.e., between the layer and the support. Such an intermediate layer can be made, for example, of a textile or a plastic, in particular a foamed plastic.

[0018] In addition to the interior component itself, the invention further relates to a motor vehicle comprising at least one interior component of the type described above. This interior component can be, for example, an interior trim part such as an interior door trim panel, or the trim of a body pillar, but also a part of an instrument panel or another console provided in the vehicle, or the like, although this list is not exhaustive. However, the interior component can also be, for example, a vehicle seat.

[0019] A motor vehicle can contain multiple interior components, with the lighting devices being controlled via a common control device. This makes it possible to create various lighting scenarios and generate different color schemes via a central control device. For example, all the lighting devices can emit light of the same color. However, it is also conceivable for the lighting devices to emit light of different colors, with the color variation also being individually adjustable by the occupants of the vehicle. This means, for example, that a different light is generated and emitted via the yarn in the area of ​​the front seats than in the area of ​​the rear seats. The possible variations are ultimately unlimited.

[0020] Further advantages and details of the present invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments described below and from the drawings. These show:

[0021] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of an interior component according to the invention in the form of an interior trim part with a first decorative seam formed along a piping and two further decorative seams running adjacent thereto,

[0022] Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the interior component of Fig. 1 in the direction of the line ll-ll,

[0023] Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial view as a schematic representation of area III from Fig. 2, and

[0024] Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a part of an interior component of a further embodiment. Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of an interior component 1 according to the invention in the form of an interior trim part, here an interior door trim 2 or a part thereof. A first decorative seam 3 is formed on the interior component 1 by means of a piping and a yarn, as well as two further decorative seams 4, 5, which are formed by means of a yarn.

[0025] 2 and 3 show, in corresponding sectional views, the structure of the interior component 1. This consists of a carrier 6, which is a suitable, stable, three-dimensionally shaped plastic component. An intermediate layer 7, for example made of a textile or a foamed plastic, is applied to the carrier 6 and serves as a spacing and damping layer. A layer 8, for example made of leather or a textile or a fiber fabric or the like, is applied to the intermediate layer 7 and has or forms a visible side 9 that is visible from the interior of the motor vehicle. The carrier 6, as well as the intermediate layer 7 and the layer 8, are, for example, laminated onto one another or glued to one another.

[0026] As Fig. 3 shows, the layer 8 consists of two layer sections 8a, 8b, which are essentially fixed by a double felled seam and abut one another, with a piping 10 made of a light-optically transparent material being arranged in the abutment area and serving as a light guide element. The piping 10 is sewn to the layer 8 or the layer sections 8a, 8b by means of a yarn 11, over which the first decorative seam 3 is formed. The yarn 11 overlaps or winds around the piping 10 on the upper side, i.e. on the visible side, and forms a very fine surface structuring. The yarn 11 thus wraps around the piping 10. The yarn 11 itself is a multifilament yarn made of individual filaments of a transparent polymer such as polyester or polyamide and has a fineness that essentially corresponds to the fineness of conventional warp and weft threads, or sewing threads, used in the present application.The fineness of the individual filaments is significantly lower than that of conventional monofilament yarns. The individual filaments of the multifilament yarn have a maximum diameter of 60 m. If light is coupled into the piping 10 serving as a light guide element by means of a light source 12, for example an LED 13, preferably a color LED, which preferably occurs at one end, i.e. the end face there, the light is guided by the piping 10 but simultaneously also coupled laterally into the yarn 11, so that the yarn 11, which completely envelops the piping 10 on the visible side, illuminates. Thus, the first decorative seam 3 illuminates across the ultrafine yarn 11, creating a luminous line across the decorative seam 3.

[0027] Also shown are the two additional decorative seams 4, 5, which are also formed by a yarn 11 sewn to the layer sections 8a, 8b. Arranged beneath the layer sections 8a, 8b, virtually integrated into the intermediate layer 7, are two light guide elements 14, 15, which are designed as surface light guides, i.e., as elongated, flat strips. The light guide elements 14, 15 are somewhat wider than the respective decorative seam 4, 5. Light is also coupled into them at one end via the illuminant 12, or possibly additional illuminants, and is then transported via the light guide 14, 15. Since the light guide 14, 15 runs parallel and immediately adjacent to the respective decorative seam 4, 5, i.e. the respective yarn 11, the light from the light guide element 14, 15 is coupled into the respective yarn 11, which then in turn illuminates, so that the respective decorative seam 4, 5 illuminates.If both the piping 10 and the light guide elements 14, 15 are operated via a common light source 12, the decorative seams 3, 4, and 5 illuminate together. If each decorative seam 3, 4, and 5 is assigned a separate light source 12, they can be illuminated individually.

[0028] In any case, a control device 16 is provided to control the light source(s) 12, which controls the light source(s) 12, optionally also depending on one or more external control parameters, for example in the form of environmental parameters such as brightness, the environment being traveled through, the time of day, and the like. If several interior components 1 are installed in different positions in the motor vehicle, it would be conceivable to control the light sources 12 of all of these interior components 1 via a common control device 16, which makes it possible to create a varying lighting scenario throughout the entire interior. This is particularly true in conjunction with a design of the respective light source 12 as an RGB LED, which allows the creation of any desired luminous colors for the respective decorative seam 3, 4, 5, as well as different local color zones, etc.

[0029] The diameter of the yarn 11, regardless of which decorative seam is formed, is within the range of conventional sewing threads used in textile applications in the automotive sector. A multifilament yarn is used. This thin yarn can be sewn almost invisibly, as it is barely noticeable due to its transparency and textile nature, yet still creates a sufficiently bright decorative seam.

[0030] Although the two decorative seams 4, 5 run parallel to the decorative seam 3 with the piping 10, it is conceivable to have the decorative seams 4, 5 run in any desired direction. This means that virtually any desired pattern can be embroidered on the layer using the multifilament yarn 11, allowing any desired luminous image to be created.

[0031] Fig. 4 shows a schematic diagram of a section of an interior component

[0032] I of a second embodiment. Here, too, a carrier 6 and a layer 8 are provided, which here, as an example, is applied directly to the carrier 6. The layer 8 is made of a textile, wherein the yarn 11 is woven into the textile over a corresponding surface area, i.e., in addition to the actual textile threads 17 forming the textile. The yarn

[0033] II is also a transparent multifilament with a diameter between 12.5 - 125 pm, and consists of a transparent polymer. Below the textile, i.e. layer 8, there is again a light guide element 18, which is also designed as a surface guide, but has a correspondingly large area. Its size corresponds to the size of the section of the textile into which the yarn 11 is woven. In this embodiment, if light is coupled into the light guide element 18 via a light source, the light in turn couples back into the woven yarn 11, so that the latter illuminates and consequently the surface section into which the yarn is woven also illuminates. Layer 8, i.e. the textile, is of course woven so tightly that the light guide element 18 as such is not visible, but only the geometry formed by the woven yarn 11 illuminates.Of course, any geometry can be defined via the yarn 11, for example, a logo or a geometric structure, or the like, which geometry then illuminates accordingly. Such larger-area illuminated zones can also be provided together with correspondingly smaller decorative seams on a common interior component 1. The lighting operation of this area lighting can also be controlled via a preferably common control device.

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

1. Interior component for a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier (6) and at least one layer (8) applied to the carrier (6), which layer has a visible surface (9), wherein at least one decorative seam (3, 4, 5) is formed on the layer (8) by means of at least one yarn (11) or a yarn (11) is woven into the layer (8) designed as a textile, wherein the yarn (11) is a multifilament yarn and is made of a transparent polymer and has a textile character due to its crimping, caused by texturing, wherein the individual filaments have a maximum diameter of 60 pm, and wherein at least one coupling device comprising at least one illuminant (12) is provided for coupling light into the yarn (11).

2. Interior component according to claim 1, characterized in that the yarn (11) is made of PC (polycarbonate), PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) or PET-G (polyethylene terephthalate glycol) 3. Interior component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coupling device has a light guide element (10, 14, 15, 18) into which light from the illuminating means (12) can be coupled, and which in turn couples light into the yarn (11), or in that the illuminating means (12) couples the light directly into one end of the yarn (11).

4. Interior component according to claim 3, characterized in that the illuminant (12) is arranged on one side of the support (6) and couples the light laterally into the light guide element (10, 14, 15, 18) guided to the side or the end of the yarn (11) guided to the side of the support (6).

5. Interior component according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the light guide element is a piping (10) which runs along a seam between two adjacent layer sections (8a, 8b), which is sewn to the decorative seam (3) by means of the yarn (11) which overlaps it on its exposed piping side over its length.

6. Interior component according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the light guide element (14, 16, 18) is a flat component which is arranged below the yarn (11) provided in the layer (8).

7. Interior component according to claim 6, characterized in that the decorative seam (4, 5) is linear and the flat light guide element (14, 15) is designed as a flat strip, or that the yarn (11) is woven into a flat section of the layer (8) and the size of the flat light guide element (18) corresponds to the size of the section.

8. Interior component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the illuminant (12) is an LED, in particular a color LED.

9. Interior component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the layer (8) is made of a leather, a textile, a fiber fabric, or a plastic.

10. Interior component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one intermediate layer (7) is provided between the layer (8) and the carrier (6). 11 . Interior component according to claim 10, characterized in that the intermediate layer (7) is made of a textile or a plastic, in particular a foamed plastic.

12. Motor vehicle, comprising at least one interior component (1) according to one of the preceding claims.

13. Motor vehicle according to claim 12, characterized in that a plurality of interior components (1) are provided, wherein the lighting means (12) can be controlled via a common control device (16).

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