Upholstery element

Abstract

The invention relates to a trim element (2) comprising a cover glass (8) at least partially transparent, comprising an area defining a front display surface (6), at least one display layer (10) extending parallel to the cover glass (8), opposite the front display surface (10), a backlighting device (12) comprising at least one backlighting unit (14) for backlighting said display layer (10), the backlighting unit(s) (14) being controlled by a control unit implemented on a printed circuit board.The trim element (2) further comprising a thin front lighting film (20), extending between the cover glass (8) and the display layer (10), the backlighting device (12) comprising at least one infrared light-emitting unit (18) emitting infrared light through the thin front lighting film (20) and towards the front display surface (6). Figure for abbreviation: Figure 2.

Description

Title of the invention: Upholstery element

[0001] The present invention relates to a trim element.

[0002] The invention lies in the field of equipment, preferably integrating lighting units, for example backlighting units to allow various displays, more particularly equipment integrated into a vehicle.

[0003] The integration of a display device into a trim element, such as a dashboard, a center console, a seat, a door panel or the equivalent, is known in order to display information and / or audiovisual content for the vehicle's passengers.

[0004] Several solutions have been proposed for trim elements comprising an integrated display device, the display device being illuminated by one or more backlighting units, forming for example a luminous sheet of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as described in patent application FR3122616.

[0005] Providing other functionalities for drivers and vehicle occupants is also known, in particular driver and vehicle occupant monitoring systems, also called cabin monitoring systems. In particular, driver monitoring systems are used to analyze driver alertness or drowsiness, so as to provide warnings if driver drowsiness is detected, in order to improve safety and prevent accidents. In some more advanced applications, driver monitoring systems can also trigger autonomous braking or steering of the vehicle.

[0006] Generally, driver or occupant monitoring systems include a processing subsystem, a camera or sensor, and a light source to illuminate the vehicle's interior in order to detect an image of the driver or occupant. One possible solution is to use LED spotlights to illuminate the interior, but this solution is unsatisfactory because the spotlights create a brightness gradient in the captured images, which risks saturating them and making the monitoring less effective. Another existing solution is to use infrared LED spotlights to illuminate the interior. However, infrared LED spotlights might remain as red dots and disturb the driver, giving them the impression of being monitored.It is desirable to use light sources emitting light outside the wavelengths of visible light and that the emitted light does not interfere with the conductor.

[0007] An object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages of known solutions, while reducing the size of the equipment in the passenger compartment of vehicles.

[0008] To this end, the invention proposes a trim element comprising a cover glass that is at least partially transparent, including an area defining a front display surface, at least one display layer extending parallel to the cover glass, opposite the front display surface, and a backlighting device comprising at least one backlighting unit for backlighting said display layer, the backlighting unit(s) being controlled by a control unit implemented on a printed circuit board. The trim element further comprises a thin front lighting film extending between the cover glass and the display layer, the backlighting device comprising at least one infrared light-emitting unit emitting infrared light through the thin front lighting film and towards the front display surface.

[0009] Advantageously, the proposed trim element allows the two functions of informative or decorative display on the one hand, and infrared lighting of the passenger compartment for detection purposes on the other, the overall size being reduced compared to the use of two separate devices, one for informative or decorative display and the other for infrared lighting of the passenger compartment for detection purposes.

[0010] In embodiments of the invention, the trim element comprises one or more of the following features, considered alone or in all technically possible combinations:

[0011] - at least one infrared light-emitting unit is controlled by said control unit;

[0012] - said backlighting device is composed of a diode matrix light-emitting diodes, comprising a plurality of light-emitting diode sub-matrices, at least one sub-matrix being a backlight unit adapted to emit visible light, and at least one other sub-matrix being an infrared light-emitting unit, said light-emitting diode sub-matrices being controlled independently of each other;

[0013] - said at least one infrared light-emitting unit is configured to emit infrared light in the near-infrared range, with a wavelength between 0.78 μm and 3 μm;

[0014] - at least one display layer comprises a liquid crystal panel;

[0015] - at least one display layer includes a decorative layer;

[0016] - at least one display layer comprises a liquid crystal panel and a decorative layer;

[0017] - the thin front lighting film is connected to at least one emission unit infrared light through a coupling element forming an infrared light guide;

[0018] - the coupling element is a part of the thin front lighting film, extending to starting from an edge of said thin front lighting film, and folded towards said printed circuit board;

[0019] - the thin front lighting film is flexible and has a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 millimeter, preferably a thickness between 0.03 mm and 0.2 mm.

[0020] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, provided solely by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0021] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 schematically represents a trim element according to a method of implementation;

[0022] [Fig.2] Fig.2 is an exploded cross-sectional representation of the layers of the trim element of [Fig.1], according to one embodiment;

[0023] [Fig.3] Fig.3 is a functional representation of the lighting units according to a method of implementation.

[0024] Figures 1 to 3 describe a vehicle trim element 2 which can be advantageously inserted into the passenger compartment of a vehicle.

[0025] Such a trim element 2 forms a dashboard, a center console, a seat, a door panel or the equivalent, installed inside the vehicle, for example.

[0026] In one embodiment, the trim element 2 is a display module that can be integrated into another trim element such as a dashboard, etc. Such a display module constitutes a finished product, for example, that can be used as a standalone unit, for example, to be installed in a vehicle or in a room of a building, or used in a portable manner. The trim element 2 of [Fig. 1] can thus be installed on the dashboard of a vehicle.

[0027] The trim element 2 comprises an edge portion 4 and a display surface 6, the display surface 6 being an area of ​​a cover glass 8. The edge portion 4 defines the appearance of at least a part of the trim element 2, and the edge portion 4 may be made of any material enabling the trim element 2 to have a satisfactory appearance.

[0028] The display surface 6 is also called the front display surface since it faces a spectator.

[0029] For example, when the trim element 2 is installed inside a vehicle (for example, in the vehicle's passenger compartment), the display surface 6 is oriented towards inside the vehicle. The forward direction, for example towards the inside of the vehicle, is indicated by the arrow of the X axis of the spatial reference frame (X, Y, Z) of [Fig.2].

[0030] The cover glass 8 is translucent and at least partially transparent.

[0031] Translucent means a light transmission rate substantially between 5% and 85%, with a light transmission rate less than 5% corresponding to an opaque part not allowing light to pass through.

[0032] Transparent means a light transmission rate greater than 85%.

[0033] In some embodiments, the cover glass 8 is completely transparent and is made, for example, of plastic, glass or the equivalent.

[0034] As shown in the exploded view of [Fig.2], according to one embodiment, the trim element 2 also includes a display layer 10, extending parallel to the cover glass 8, opposite the front display surface 6. In other words, the display layer 10 is placed behind the cover glass 8, taking into account the direction indicated by the arrow of the X-axis.

[0035] The trim element 2 further includes a backlighting device 12, located behind the display layer 10 and comprising one or more backlighting units 14 adapted to illuminate the display layer 10 by emitting visible light. The backlighting device 12 is controlled by a control unit 32, implemented on a printed circuit board.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the display layer 10 is a liquid crystal panel, for example a thin-film transistor (TFT) display.

[0037] According to another embodiment, the display layer 10 may be a decorative layer comprising at least one transparent area and at least one opaque area, or a plurality of transparent and opaque areas forming a pattern. For example, the decorative layer consists of a thin film and includes perforations that create a pattern visible when backlit by the backlighting device 12.

[0038] According to yet another embodiment, not shown, the trim element comprises two display layers, such as a liquid crystal panel and a decorative layer, the decorative layer being in front of the liquid crystal panel.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the backlighting device 12 consists of a sheet of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), each LED being adapted to emit a light signal of a chosen or controllable wavelength. Preferably, the LED sheet is flexible and deformable, for example, so that its shape can be adapted to its environment in the trim element, the LEDs being particularly thin, with a thickness substantially in the range of 1 mm to 5 mm, for example, preferably in the range of 2 mm to 3 mm. Advantageously, such Thin and flexible LED sheet saves space and can be arranged to take on a desired shape.

[0040] The backlight device 12 comprises at least one, and preferably several, backlight units 14, configured to emit light signals in the visible light spectrum, such as white light or colored light, for example red, green and blue lights, which are suitable for backlighting the display layer 10.

[0041] Advantageously, the trim element 2 further comprises a thin front lighting film 20, extending parallel to the cover glass 8, opposite the display surface 6. The thin front lighting film 20 is adapted to guide light entering it and to diffuse the light homogeneously along a predefined area of ​​the thin front lighting film.

[0042] According to one embodiment, the thin front lighting film 20 extends between the cover glass and the display layer 10.

[0043] According to one embodiment, when the trim element includes a decorative layer, the thin front lighting film 20 extends behind the decorative layer.

[0044] Advantageously, the front lighting thin film 20 is particularly thin, its thickness typically being less than or equal to 0.5 mm, for example, preferably between 0.03 mm and 0.2 mm. The front lighting thin film 20 is also flexible, and is, for example, made of optical-grade polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0045] Advantageously, the front lighting thin film 20 is connected to at least one infrared light emitting unit 18 via a coupling element 22, so as to form an infrared light guide, emitting infrared light in the direction of the front display surface 6.

[0046] In the example of [Fig.2], the infrared light emission unit 18 is composed of a plurality of LEDs from the backlight unit 12, which are adapted to emit a light signal in the infrared spectrum, and more preferably in the near-infrared spectrum, i.e. having a wavelength between 0.78 μm and 3 μm.

[0047] For example, the backlighting device 12 comprises a plurality of LEDs forming an LED matrix, and comprising several sub-matrices 14, 18 of LEDs, each sub-matrix being controllable independently of the other sub-matrices. Consequently, the sub-matrices can emit identical or different light signals, of different wavelengths and / or intensities.

[0048] The coupling element 22 is for example made of the same material as the front lighting thin film 20, and preferably extends from an edge of the front lighting thin film 20 towards the infrared light emitting unit 18.

[0049] In another embodiment not shown in the figures, the coupling element is an elongated light guide with two opposite end ends, one end end being connected to the front lighting thin film 20 and another end end being connected to at least one infrared light emitting unit 18, so that the elongated light guide diffuses the infrared light along one edge of the front lighting thin film 20.

[0050] Any other embodiments of coupling the infrared light emitting unit 18 to the thin front lighting film 20 known to those skilled in the art are applicable.

[0051] Advantageously, the infrared light is guided forward and emitted forward, through the transparent areas of the cover glass, so as to illuminate the vehicle's interior with infrared light.

[0052] According to a preferred embodiment, illustrated in [Fig. 3], the infrared light-emitting unit(s) 18 are integrated with the backlighting unit(s) 14 on the same printed circuit board 30 and controlled by the same control unit 32. In this embodiment, the coupling element 22 extends from an edge of the thin front lighting film 20, folded towards the printed circuit board 30. This embodiment is advantageous because the backlighting units 14 for backlighting the display layer 10 and the infrared light-emitting units 18 are arranged together, so that the total space occupied by the lighting units is minimized.

[0053] In addition, all infrared light-emitting units advantageously emit over the entire display surface, which provides a larger infrared lighting area and thus improves the accuracy of driver and occupant monitoring systems.

[0054] According to variations, the cover glass can define a display surface extending beyond the surface of the display layer, which forms a main display surface, the display surface further comprising one or more peripheral surfaces, as described in patent application FR3122616. In such an embodiment, the thin front lighting film 20 can extend over the entire display surface, including the main display surface and the peripheral display surfaces. Advantageously, the infrared light-emitting surface is even more extensive.

Claims

Demands

1. A trim element (2) comprising: a cover glass (8) at least partially transparent, including an area defining a front display surface (6), at least one display layer (10) extending parallel to the cover glass (8), opposite the front display surface (10), a backlighting device (12) comprising at least one backlighting unit (14) for backlighting said display layer (10), the backlighting unit(s) (14) being controlled by a control unit (32) implemented on a printed circuit board (30), the trim element (2) further comprising a thin front lighting film (20) extending between the cover glass (8) and the display layer (10), the backlighting device (12) comprising at least one infrared light-emitting unit (18) emitting infrared light through the thin front lighting film (20) and towards the front display surface (6).

2. Trim element according to claim 1, wherein said at least one infrared light emitting unit (18) is controlled by said control unit (32).

3. Trim element according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said backlighting device (12) is composed of a light-emitting diode matrix, comprising a plurality of light-emitting diode sub-matrices, at least one sub-matrix being a backlighting unit (14) adapted to emit visible light, and at least one other sub-matrix being an infrared light-emitting unit (18), said light-emitting diode sub-matrices being controlled independently of each other.

4. A trim element according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said at least one infrared light-emitting unit (18) is configured to emit infrared light in the near-infrared range, with a wavelength between 0.78 pm and 3 pm.

5. Trim element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one display layer (10) comprises a liquid crystal panel.

6. Trim element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one display layer (10) comprises a decorative layer.

7. Trim element according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein at least one display layer (10) comprises a liquid crystal panel and a decorative layer.

8. A trim element according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said front lighting thin film (20) is connected to at least one infrared light-emitting unit (18) via a coupling element (22) forming an infrared light guide.

9. A trim element according to claim 8, wherein said coupling element (22) is a part of the front lighting thin film, extending from an edge of said front lighting thin film, and folded towards said printed circuit board (30).

10. Trim element according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the front lighting thin film (20) is flexible and has a thickness less than or equal to 0.5 millimeter, preferably a thickness between 0.03 mm and 0.2 mm.

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