Decorative element for interior equipment.

Abstract

The invention relates to a decorative element (1) designed to be attached to an item of equipment (2) of a vehicle interior, the element (1) comprising a body (3), extending between an internal face (4) and an external face (5), the external face (5) being designed to constitute at least in part the face visible to a user, when the element (1) is mounted on the item of equipment (2), the body (3) being made at least in part of translucent material delimiting on the external face (5) a display area (6) for transmitting light emitted opposite the internal face (4) through the display area (6), the display area (6) having a first and a second part, the first part, covered by at least a first uniform coating layer (9) having an opacity greater than zero, surrounding the second part devoid of the first layer (9) to delimit information to be displayed. (Figure 2)

Description

Title of the invention: Decorative element for passenger compartment equipment.

[0001] The technical field concerns decorative elements designed to display luminous information and to equip passenger compartment equipment, as well as motor vehicles having such passenger compartment equipment.

[0002] For several years, automobile manufacturers have been striving to offer vehicles with a passenger compartment whose lighting environment is particularly well-designed, with varied luminous surfaces that are used to highlight the shapes of the passenger compartment and / or to provide certain information to passengers. These luminous surfaces generally require the use of light guides inserted into the surfaces. These light guides greatly complicate assemblies, in terms of assembly time, but also in terms of the number of parts and especially adjustments. However, for automobile manufacturers, the quality of finish of their vehicles and their aesthetic aspects are essential to stand out from other brands. Therefore, manufacturers are making many efforts to constantly improve the adjustments of the assemblies or to eliminate them.

[0003] Furthermore, the ergonomics of a driving position of a motor vehicle is of crucial importance for automobile manufacturers, since it contributes primarily to the driving experience felt by the driver. Thus, the arrangement of the different elements of the driving position is evolving to offer ever more information easily accessible to the driver. The different elements of the driving position are obviously distributed around the steering wheel in a central position. Traditionally, most steering wheels are provided with a circular rim, allowing a grip on the steering wheel, the rim being linked to a central block allowing the junction of the steering wheel to the steering column. In order to bring a modern style to their vehicles, some innovative manufacturers offer electronic steering wheels, rectangular in shape without a rim.

[0004] These modern steering wheels advantageously have illuminated areas contributing to the luminous environment of the passenger compartment. Obtaining these illuminated areas is all the more complex since the assemblies and adjustments created by these illuminated areas are directly located under the driver's gaze.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for a solution that makes it possible to provide a modern steering wheel with illuminated areas with visually perfect adjustments, as well as to reduce the complexity of the assemblies to obtain such illuminated areas.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the problems set out above. In this technical context, an aim of the present invention is to provide a decorative element making it possible to create a display area, capable of diffusing light, simple and without adjustments around the luminous surfaces.

[0007] For this purpose, the present invention relates to a decorative element designed to be attached to equipment of a vehicle interior, the decorative element comprising a body, extending between an internal face and an external face, the external face being designed to constitute at least in part the face visible to a user, when the element is mounted on the equipment, the body being made at least in part of translucent material to delimit on the external face a display area and to transmit light emitted opposite the internal face through the display area, the display area having a first and a second part, the first part being covered by at least a first uniform layer of coating having an opacity greater than zero, and surrounding the second part devoid of the first layer to delimit information to be displayed.

[0008] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle interior equipment comprising a decorative element according to the invention mounted on the equipment so that the display area of the decorative element forms at least in part a face visible to a user of the equipment, the equipment comprising a light source arranged opposite the internal face of the decorative element to diffuse light through the body and the display area.

[0009] The invention finally relates to a motor vehicle having at least one piece of equipment according to the invention.

[0010] Thus, the second part of the display area of the decorative element according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a luminous surface when the decorative element is mounted on the equipment and is illuminated by a light source arranged opposite the internal face. The light diffused by the second part then makes it possible to display information such as a logo, a pictogram and / or any other outline desired by the designers. The display area of the decorative element is free of adjustment since the first and second parts are arranged on the same element. Thus, the display area of the element according to the invention makes it possible to obtain a smooth external surface, free of adjustment around the luminous outline. The decorative element according to the invention reduces the number of parts and eliminates the problems of mounting and aligning the different parts.The decorative element therefore makes it possible to assemble equipment according to the invention in a simple and particularly aesthetic manner.

[0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the second part is produced by eli partial destruction of the first layer.

[0012] According to one possibility of the decorative element, the second part is formed by laser scraping of the first layer. This makes it possible to obtain a particularly precise outline formed by the second part.

[0013] According to one embodiment, the decorative element comprises a second layer of translucent coating, designed to diffuse light passing through it, arranged between the body and the first layer and covering the display area.

[0014] Advantageously, the first layer is opaque.

[0015] According to one possibility, the second part delimits at least one logo.

[0016] In one embodiment, the decorative element is designed to equip a steering wheel and forms a cover designed to close an airbag housing provided in the steering wheel.

[0017] According to one possibility, the equipment forms a steering wheel, in particular a steering wheel of rectangular shape.

[0018] The invention will be better understood on reading the detailed description which follows, given solely by way of non-limiting example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] [Fig.l] represents a schematic front view of the display area of a decorative element according to the invention;

[0020] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a schematic sectional view of a passenger compartment equipment comprising the element of [Fig.l], the section showing the display area.

[0021] In these figures, the same references are used to designate the same elements.

[0022] A decorative element 1 according to the invention, illustrated in the figures, is designed to be attached to a passenger compartment equipment 2 according to the invention. The equipment 2 is capable of displaying information to be displayed. This information to be displayed is luminous information such as a logo, a pictogram and / or text for the attention of a user of the equipment 2.

[0023] A particularly advantageous piece of equipment 2 is a steering wheel, in particular a rectangular steering wheel, the decorative element 1 then forming a cover designed to close a housing for an airbag provided in the steering wheel.

[0024] The decorative element 1 comprises a body 3, illustrated in [Fig.2], extending between an internal face 4 and an external face 5. The external face 5 is designed to constitute at least in part the face visible, by a user, of the passenger compartment equipment 2, when the element 1 is mounted on the equipment 2.

[0025] The body 3 is made at least in part of translucent material delimiting on the external face 5 a display zone 6. The part of the body 3 made of translucent material is designed to transmit light emitted opposite the internal face 4 through the display zone 6. Advantageously, the body 3 is entirely made of translucent material. Advantageously again, the translucent material is transparent. Such a material is, for example, a transparent plastic, in particular a polycarbonate.

[0026] The display area 6 has a first 7 and a second 8 part, illustrated in [Fig.l]. The first part 7 is covered by at least a first uniform coating layer 9, illustrated in [Fig.2], having an opacity greater than zero. Advantageously, the opacity of the first layer 9 is greater than 50%. In one embodiment of the invention, the first layer 9 is opaque. The first layer 9 is, for example, produced using a paint.

[0027] The first part 7 surrounds the second part 8 which is devoid of the first layer 9 to delimit the information to be displayed. Advantageously, the second part 8 is produced by partial elimination of the first layer 9. For example, the second part 8 is formed by laser scratching of the first layer 9. As illustrated in [Fig.l], the second part 8 forms a line 10 representing the information to be displayed.

[0028] By way of example, the display area 6 can be obtained by implementing a method comprising a first step consisting of depositing the first layer 9 on the external face 5 of the body 3. The method then comprises a second step consisting of defining the first 7 and second 8 parts. During the second step, the outline of the second part 8 is obtained by scratching the first layer 9 using suitable laser radiation capable of removing the coating of the first layer 9 under the effect of the laser.

[0029] For example, the second part 8 delimits at least one logo.

[0030] In the example illustrated in [Fig.2], the decorative element 1 comprises a second layer 11 of translucent coating, designed to diffuse light passing through it, arranged between the body 3 and the first layer 9. The second layer 11 is uniform and covers the display area 6. Thus, the second layer 11 is particularly interesting when the body 3 is made of transparent material, to diffuse light passing through the body 3. The second layer 11 is, for example, made using a translucent paint.

[0031] Advantageously, the use of the second layer 11 makes it possible to define the color(s) of the line 10. For example, the second layer 11 is produced with a white or light gray or even yellow colored coating.

[0032] The equipment 2 according to the invention comprises a decorative element 1 according to the invention mounted on the equipment 2 so that the display area 6 of the decorative element 1 forms at least in part a face visible to a user of the equipment 2. The equipment 2 further comprises a light source 12 arranged opposite the internal face 4 of the decorative element 1 to diffuse light through the body 3 and the display area 6. By way of illustration, the light source 12 is a device comprising at least one diode capable of emitting one or more colors, preferably adaptable by the user.

[0033] Advantageously, the respective opacities of the first 9 and second 11 layers are different in order to improve the contrast of the information to be displayed. Indeed, when the first layer 9 of the first part 7 is opaque, the display area 6 emits light coming from the light source 12 only through the second part 8. When the opacity of the first layer 9 is less than 100%, the first part 7 also emits light coming from the light source 12 but with an intensity and possibly a color different from the light emitted by the second part 8.

[0034] Thus, the second part 8 of the display area 6 of the element 1 makes it possible to obtain a luminous surface, when the element 1 is mounted on the equipment 2 and it is illuminated by the light source 12. The light diffused by the second part 8 then makes it possible to display information such as a logo, a pictogram and / or any other line 10 desired by the designers. The display area 6 is devoid of adjustment, since the first 7 and second 8 parts are arranged on the same element 1. Thus, the display area 6 of the element 1 makes it possible to obtain a smooth exterior surface, devoid of adjustment around the luminous line 10.

[0035] The invention is not limited to the embodiment of the decorative element described above, only by way of example, but other embodiments can be designed by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Decorative element (1) designed to be attached to equipment (2) of a vehicle interior, the decorative element (1) comprising a body (3), extending between an internal face (4) and an external face (5), the external face (5) being designed to constitute at least in part the face visible to a user, when the element (1) is mounted on the equipment (2), the body (3) being made at least in part of translucent material to delimit on the external face (5) a display area (6) and to transmit light emitted opposite the internal face (4) through the display area (6), the display area (6) having a first (7) and a second (8) part, the first part (7) being covered by at least a first uniform coating layer (9) having an opacity greater than zero, and surrounding the second part (8) devoid of the first layer (9) to delimit information to be displayed.

2. Decorative element (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the second part (8) is produced by partial removal of the first layer (9).

3. Decorative element (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the second part (8) is formed by laser scraping of the first layer (9).

4. Decorative element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a second layer (11) of translucent coating, designed to diffuse light passing through it, arranged between the body (3) and the first layer (9) and covering the display area (6).

5. Decorative element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first layer (9) is opaque.

6. Decorative element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the second part (8) delimits at least one logo.

7. Decorative element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is designed to equip a steering wheel and forms a cover designed to close an airbag housing provided in the steering wheel.

8. Equipment (2) for the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle comprising a decorative element (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7 mounted on the equipment (2) so that the display area (6) of the decorative element (1) forms at least in part a face visible to a user.

9.

10. of the equipment (2), the equipment (2) comprising a light source (12) arranged opposite the internal face (4) of the decorative element (1) for diffusing light through the body (3) and the display area (6). Equipment (2) according to claim 8, characterized in that it forms a steering wheel, in particular a steering wheel of rectangular shape. Motor vehicle having at least one piece of equipment (2) according to claim 8 or 9.

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