ASSEMBLY FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE DASHBOARD AND MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH AN ASSEMBLY

Abstract

The invention relates to an assembly (5) for a dashboard (4) of a motor vehicle (1), said assembly (5) comprising at least one safety airbag (9) and at least one screen (11) located in front of said at least one safety airbag (9), characterized in that said screen (11) comprises at least two sub-parts (11a-b) mounted movably and configured to move under the effect of said at least one airbag (9). Figure to be published with the abstract: [Fig. 2]

Description

Title of the invention: ASSEMBLY FOR A DASHBOARD OF A MOTOR VEHICLE AND MOTOR VEHICLE COMPRISING SUCH A SET

[0001] The present invention relates to the general field of active safety and the ergonomics of the driving position of a motor vehicle, and more particularly to the field of the protection of occupants in the event of a frontal impact of the vehicle and the display of information relating to the vehicle by the driver.

[0002] Indeed, since motor vehicles have been fitted with screens, often flat screens, these have become increasingly larger to maximize the visual comfort of the vehicle's occupants, but also to display more and more information relating to the vehicles. These flat screens are generally located on the dashboard of the vehicle between the driver and passenger seats (or front seats).

[0003] This trend towards increasing the size of screens is also accompanied by a trend towards replacing the traditional indicators, counters, etc. on the dashboard, located partially above and behind the steering wheel, with a flat screen.

[0004] Furthermore, motor vehicles also carry active safety devices, such as airbags, also referred to as "airbags" in English, for example also installed on the dashboard of the vehicle. Said airbags are cushions which inflate with air during an impact, in order to protect the occupants of the vehicle, this by absorbing any impacts that the passengers may suffer, and by limiting the risk of the passengers hitting elements of the vehicle, such as the steering wheel, the windshield, etc.

[0005] It will be noted that this type of safety airbag, or airbag, usually comprises a rigid housing having an outlet orifice for the airbag towards a vehicle seat, this housing being closed by a cover which breaks, when the airbag inflates and exits, and after the safety airbag is triggered, in the event of an accident. The housing of the safety airbag is for example fixed by mechanical means on or in the dashboard.

[0006] Furthermore, the presence of increasingly large flat screens on the dashboard is problematic, because these screens can impair the proper functioning of the vehicle's airbags, for example by interfering with the deployment of the airbag (poor positioning, increased deployment time, etc.), thus reducing the effectiveness of said airbag during an impact.

[0007] The present invention thus proposes to remedy at least one of the aforementioned drawbacks by proposing a new type of assembly for a motor vehicle dashboard, said assembly comprising at least one airbag and at least one screen located in front of said at least one airbag, characterized in that said screen comprises at least two sub-parts mounted to move and configured to move under the effect of said at least one airbag.

[0008] The assembly according to the invention is advantageously formed of a screen comprising at least two movably mounted sub-parts, that is to say that the sub-parts of the screen are arranged to form a single display intended for the passengers of the vehicle, and that said sub-parts of the screen move under the effect of the deployment of said at least one airbag, thus preventing the sub-parts of the screen from hindering or impeding the deployment of said airbag, thus impairing the safety provided by said airbag to the passengers of the vehicle during an impact. Furthermore, the said assembly facilitates the aesthetic integration of safety airbags into the dashboard, which can be concealed by one or more screens.

[0009] According to a possible characteristic, said at least two sub-parts of the screen are configured to direct the deployment of said at least one airbag. Advantageously, said screen sub-portions can guide or orient the deployment of the airbag, in particular by being configured to position themselves so as to limit the deployment of said airbag towards areas of the passenger compartment of the vehicle which are of no interest and to promote the deployment of said bag in certain directions, such as towards the passengers of the vehicle.

[0010] According to another possible characteristic, in the mounted position of said assembly, at least one sub-part of said screen is pivotally mounted around a vertical axis. It is advantageous that said screen sub-parts move outwards, this facilitates the deployment, among other things, of the safety airbag towards vehicle passengers.

[0011] According to another possible characteristic, said screen comprises two sub-parts joined to each other by one of their lateral edges, each of said sub-parts being pivotally mounted around a vertical axis located on an edge opposite said joined edge of each of the sub-parts, said at least one safety airbag being located substantially opposite the joined edges of said sub-parts.

[0012] It is advantageous to have a safety airbag substantially opposite the joined edges of said sub-parts, because, on the one hand, the torque for rotating said sub-parts is minimized and, on the other hand, said safety airbag is hidden from the view of the users of the vehicle.

[0013] According to another possible characteristic, in the mounted position of said assembly, at least one sub-part of said screen is pivotally mounted around a substantially horizontal axis. It may also be advantageous to provide screen sub-parts capable of pivoting around a substantially horizontal axis, for example due to space constraints, but also to limit and / or guide the deployment of the airbag along a vertical axis.

[0014] According to another possible characteristic, said at least one sub-part of said screen mounted to pivot about a substantially horizontal axis is configured to pivot away from the dashboard under the effect of the deployment of said at least one airbag. Advantageously, the screen sub-part, when the safety airbag is deployed, pivots about a substantially horizontal axis upwards, thus limiting the deployment of the airbag in this direction, a direction which is of little or no interest in the context of passenger protection.

[0015] According to another possible characteristic, said at least one screen comprises three sub-parts, and that in the mounted position of said assembly: - a central sub-part mounted to pivot around a vertical axis; - two lateral sub-parts which, on the one hand, frame the central sub-part and, on the other hand, are each pivotally mounted respectively around a substantially horizontal axis.

[0016] According to another possible characteristic, in the deployed position of said at least one airbag, at least one of the sub-parts of the screen bears against said at least one airbag.

[0017] The fact that one or more screen sub-parts are in abutment against said at least one airbag when the latter is in the deployed position advantageously makes it possible to stabilize and keep said airbag in an adequate position, in particular when the passenger is cushioned by said airbag.

[0018] According to another possible characteristic, said screen is a flat type screen. Note that a "flat panel display" means a display that extends primarily in one plane, with the depth of a flat panel display being small compared to its other two dimensions (length and width). A flat panel display is typically a liquid crystal display (such as an LCD for "light-emitting diodes"), plasma, etc.

[0019] The subject of the invention further relates to a motor vehicle, for example thermal, hybrid or electric, characterized in that said vehicle comprises a dashboard assembly as defined above.

[0020] The invention will be better understood, and other objects, details, characteristics and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the following description. of two particular embodiments of the invention, given solely for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: - [Fig.l] illustrates a partial schematic and perspective view of a vehicle driving position equipped with a dashboard assembly according to a first embodiment of the invention; - [[Fig.2]] is a view of the driving position of [Fig.l] in which the dashboard assembly is in the deployed position; - [[Fig.3]] illustrates a partial schematic and perspective view of a vehicle driving position equipped with a dashboard assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention; - [[Fig.4]] is a view of the driving position of [Fig.3] in which the dashboard assembly is in the deployed position; - [Fig.5] illustrates a schematic, partial and perspective view of a screen part of a dashboard assembly according to the first or second embodiment of the invention.

[0021] In the present application, it will be noted that "substantially vertical" means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even at most 10° or at most 5° from the vertical axis. It will also be noted that "substantially horizontal" means a direction deviating by at most 20°, or even at most 10° or at most 5° from the horizontal axis.

[0022] In the following description, the term "comprise" is synonymous with "include" and is not limiting in that it allows the presence of other elements in the vehicle, or the structure to which it relates. It is understood that the term "comprise" includes the terms "consist of". Furthermore, it will be noted that in the different figures, the same references designate identical or similar elements.

[0023] [Fig.l] illustrates a partial schematic and perspective view of the interior of a motor vehicle 1, for example thermal, hybrid or electric. More particularly, [Fig.l] partially illustrates a driving position 3 of a motor vehicle 1 equipped with a dashboard 4 and a dashboard assembly 5 according to a first embodiment of the invention.

[0024] The driving position 3 further comprises a steering wheel 7 arranged between a driver's seat (not shown) and the dashboard 4 (or the dashboard assembly 5).

[0025] Said assembly 5 for dashboard thus comprises: - at least one safety airbag 9 (more particularly visible in [Fig.2]) arranged or implemented at the level of the dashboard 4, preferably substantially opposite the driver's seat; - at least one screen 11 located in front of said at least one safety airbag 9 (and therefore also in front of the dashboard 4 and / or the steering wheel 7)

[0026] Furthermore, the screen 11 is advantageously a flat type screen, for example a liquid crystal screen (such as an LCD screen for “light-emitting diodes”), plasma, etc. Note that "flat screen" means a screen that extends primarily in one plane, the depth of a flat screen being small compared to its other two dimensions (length and width).

[0027] The screen 11 advantageously comprises at least two sub-parts 11a and 11b, or flaps, mounted movably and configured to move under the effect of said at least one safety airbag 9, in particular during deployment of said airbag 9.

[0028] As is more particularly illustrated in [Fig. 2], the sub-parts 11a and 11b of the screen 11 are pivotally mounted around a substantially vertical axis Ai and A2. Said sub-parts 11a and 11b thus have at least two extreme positions: - a first position, as illustrated in [Fig.l], a position also referred to as the closed position, in which the two sub-parts are joined to each other at one of their respective edges to form a unitary display for the driver of the vehicle; - a second position, as illustrated in [Fig.2], a position also referred to as the open position, in which the edges of said two sub-parts 11a and 11b are no longer joined, and have been moved under the effect of the deployment of the inflatable bag 9 (it will be noted that the inflatable bag 9 in the deployed position has not been illustrated for reasons of legibility of the figures).

[0029] In addition, each of said screen sub-parts 11a and 11b is pivotally mounted respectively around a substantially vertical axis Ai and A2 located on an edge opposite said adjoining edge of each of the sub-parts 11a and 11b. Preferably, said at least one inflatable safety bag 9 is located substantially opposite the adjoining edges of said screen sub-parts 11a and 11b.

[0030] Thus, under the effect of the deployment of the bag 9, for example during an impact, the bag 9 comes to bear against the rear face of said sub-parts 11a and 11b and sets said sub-parts 11a and 11b into rotation. Said sub-parts 11a and 11b pivot around their respective substantially vertical axes A1 and A2 and move away from the dashboard 4, that is to say outwards, for example until they are blocked by an adjacent element located on the dashboard 4 or the dashboard 4 itself.

[0031] Furthermore, when deploying an airbag, said two sub-parts of the screen are configured to orient the deployment of said bag 9, each of the sub-parts delimiting a lateral limit to the deployment of said bag 9. Furthermore, in the deployed position of said airbag 9, said bag 9 is advantageously in abutment against the sub-part(s) 11a and 11b of the screen 11.

[0032] [Fig. 3] illustrates a partial schematic and perspective view of the interior of a motor vehicle 1, for example thermal, hybrid or electric. More particularly, [Fig.3] partially illustrates a driving position 3 of a motor vehicle 1 equipped with a dashboard 4 and a dashboard assembly 5' according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0033] Unlike the first embodiment illustrated in [Fig. 1] and [Fig. 2], the dashboard assembly 5' comprises a screen 11' which comprises (or is formed from) at least three sub-parts 11'a, 11'b and 11'c (or flaps).

[0034] Each of the sub-parts 11'a, 11'b and 11'c of the screen 11' is configured to move under the effect of said at least one airbag 9, in particular during deployment of said airbag 9.

[0035] As is more particularly illustrated in [Fig.4], the sub-parts 11'a, 11'b and 11'c of the screen 11' are pivotally mounted around an axis Ai, A2 and A3. Thus, in the mounted position of said assembly 5, the three sub-parts 11'a, 11'b and 11'c comprise: - a central sub-part 1 l'c pivotally mounted around a substantially vertical axis A3; - two lateral sub-parts 1 l'a and 1 l'b which, on the one hand, frame the central sub-part 1 l'c and, on the other hand, are each pivotally mounted respectively around a substantially horizontal axis Ai, A2.

[0036] Said sub-parts 11a, 11b and 11c thus have at least two extremal positions: - a first position, as illustrated in [Fig.3], a position also referred to as the closed position, in which the three sub-parts are joined to each other at one of their respective edges to form a unitary display for the driver of the vehicle; - a second position, as illustrated in [Fig.4], a position also referred to as the open position, in which the edges of said three sub-parts 11a, 11b and 11c are no longer joined, and have been moved under the effect of the deployment of the inflatable bag 9 (it will be noted that the inflatable bag 9 in the deployed position has not been illustrated for reasons of legibility of the figures).

[0037] It will be noted that the central sub-part 11'c of the screen 11' is configured to pivot away from the dashboard 4 under the effect of the deployment of said at least one safety airbag 9, that is to say that said central sub-part 11'c performs an upward rotation movement under the effect of the deployment of said airbag 9.

[0038] In the embodiments described above, the dashboard assembly 4 is located at the driving position 3, but can be implemented at any dashboard of the motor vehicle equipped with a screen and an airbag. security.

[0039] Thus, under the effect of the deployment of the bag 9, for example during an impact, the bag 9 comes to bear against the rear face of said sub-parts 11a, 11'b and 11'c and sets said sub-parts 11a, 11'b and 11'c in rotation. Said sub-parts 11a, 11'b and 11'c therefore pivot around their respective substantially vertical or horizontal axis Ai, A2 and A3 and move away from the dashboard 4, that is to say outwards, for example until they are blocked by an adjacent element located on the dashboard 4 or the dashboard 4 itself.

[0040] As previously, said two sub-parts 11'a, 11'b and 11'c of the screen 11' are configured to orient the deployment of said bag 9, each of the sub-parts delimiting a lateral and vertical limit to the deployment of said bag 9. Furthermore, in the deployed position of said airbag 9, said bag 9 is advantageously in abutment against the sub-part(s) 11'a, 11'b and 11'c of the screen 11'. Thus, the three sub-parts 11'a, 11'b and 11'c, with the dashboard 4, form a cone to guide and orient the expansion of said airbag 9 during its deployment following an impact.

[0041] [Fig.5], for its part, illustrates an example of support 13 of a screen sub-part 11 or 11'. It will be noted that said support 13 can be applied to any of the embodiments previously described.

[0042] Said support 13 thus comprises at least three parts: - a base 13a, for example fixed to said dashboard 4, or to any other element of the vehicle allowing a fixed connection; - two fixing lugs 13b which are connected on the one hand to the base 13a and, on the other hand, to a screen sub-part ll'a-b or ll'a-c.

[0043] Each of said fixing lugs 13b is configured to establish a pivot-type connection with said screen sub-part 11a-b or 11a-c, each of said connections being configured so that in the mounted position of said assembly 5, the rotation axis AR defined by said connections is substantially parallel to the vertical axis or the horizontal axis (this depending on the type of rotation desired for said screen sub-part).

[0044] In a variant embodiment of the invention not shown, the screen of said assembly according to the invention is a foldable and / or flexible screen whose fold or junction is configured to break under the effect of the deployment of the airbag, each of the sub-parts of said screen then being able to have the same characteristics and / or kinematics as in the first and second embodiments described above.

Claims

Claims

1. Assembly (5) for dashboard (4) of motor vehicle (1), said assembly (5) comprising at least one inflatable safety bag (9) and at least one screen (11; 11') located in front of said at least one inflatable safety bag (9), characterized in that said screen (11; 11') comprises at least two sub-parts (lla-b; ll'a-c) mounted movably and configured to move under the effect of said at least one inflatable bag (9).

2. Assembly (5) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said at least two sub-parts (lla-b; ll'a-c) of the screen (11; 11') are configured to direct the deployment of said at least one inflatable safety bag (9).

3. Assembly (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the mounted position of said assembly (5), at least one sub-part (11c) of said screen (11') is pivotally mounted around a substantially vertical axis (A3);

4. Assembly (5) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said screen (11) comprises two sub-parts (lla-b) joined to each other by one of their lateral edges, each of said sub-parts (lla-b) being pivotally mounted around a substantially vertical axis (Ai; A2) located on an edge opposite said joined edge of each of the sub-parts (lla-b), said at least one inflatable safety bag (9) being located substantially opposite the joined edges of said sub-parts (lla-b).

5. Assembly (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the mounted position of said assembly (5), at least one sub-part (11c) of said screen (11') is pivotally mounted around a substantially horizontal axis (A3).

6. Assembly (5) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said at least one sub-part (11c) of said screen (11') pivotally mounted around a substantially horizontal axis (A3) is configured to pivot away from the dashboard (4) under the effect of the deployment of said at least one safety airbag (9).

7. Assembly (5) according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that said at least one screen (11') comprises three sub-parts (ll'a-c), and that in the mounted position of said assembly: - a central sub-part (11'c) pivotally mounted around a substantially vertical axis (A3); - two lateral sub-parts (1 a-b) which, on the one hand, frame the central sub-part (1 c) and, on the other hand, are each pivotally mounted respectively around a substantially horizontal axis (Ai; A2).

8. Assembly (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the deployed position of said at least one inflatable safety bag (9), at least one of the sub-parts of the screen (1 la-b; 1 l'a-c) bears against said at least one inflatable safety bag (9).

9. Assembly (5) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized said screen (11; 11') is a flat type screen.

10. Motor vehicle (1), characterized in that said vehicle (1) comprises an assembly (5) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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