Vehicle interior display device

Abstract

Vehicle Interior Display Device The display device (1) comprises: a flexible coating layer (2) including an outer face (6) and an inner face (8), at least one light-emitting module (4) fixed to a portion of the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2), wherein the light-emitting module (4) comprises a plurality of light sources (12) arranged on a flexible support (14), said light sources (12) extending between the flexible support (14) and the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2), the flexible support (14) conforming to the shape of the portion of the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2) against which the light-emitting module (4) is applied. Figure for abbreviation: 1

Description

Title of the invention: Vehicle interior display device

[0001] The present invention relates to a display device for vehicle interiors.

[0002] Such a display device is for example arranged on a trim element of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, such as a dashboard, a door panel, a center console or other.

[0003] Such a display device generally comprises a coating layer forming a display surface and a light-emitting module covered by the coating layer and arranged to emit light through the coating layer to display an image on the display surface.

[0004] Depending on the location and dimensions of the trim element on which or in which the display device is installed, the shape and dimensions of the display device must be adapted to be satisfactorily integrated on or into the trim element. In other words, a specific display device must be developed for each trim element model, and the same type of display device cannot be used if the trim element is modified from one vehicle to another and / or the shape of the desired display surface is not the same. This increases the production costs of the display devices and complicates the management of the various parts of the vehicle interior.

[0005] One of the aims of the invention is to overcome these drawbacks by providing a display device that can be easily integrated into different types of trim elements without requiring complex modification of the latter.

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to a vehicle interior display device comprising: - a flexible coating layer comprising an outer face, at least part of which forms a display surface, and an inner face, opposite the outer face, the coating layer allowing light to pass through in an emission direction from the inner face to the outer face, the coating layer extending in a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the emission direction, - at least one light-emitting module fixed to a portion of the inner face of the coating layer in the transverse direction, said light-emitting module being arranged to emit light in the direction emission through the coating layer, said light being visible from inside a vehicle on the display surface,

[0007] in which the emission module comprises a plurality of light sources arranged on a flexible support, said light sources extending between the flexible support and the inner face of the coating layer, the flexible support conforming to the shape at least in the transverse direction of the part of the inner face of the coating layer against which the emission module is applied.

[0008] Display device:

[0009] The display device according to the invention may comprise one or more of the following features, considered alone or in any technically feasible combination:

[0010] - the display device comprises at least two fixed emission modules on a different part of the inner face of the coating layer in the transverse direction;

[0011] - the emission modules are adjacent to each other in the direction transverse so as to illuminate a substantially continuous display surface along the transverse direction;

[0012] - the coating layer is curved along the transverse direction, the support flexible conforming to the curvature of the part of the inner face of the coating layer against which the emission module is applied;

[0013] - the emission module comprises a flexible frame extending between the flexible support and the inner face of the coating layer, said frame comprising a plurality of cells each receiving one of the light sources of the emitting module;

[0014] - the emission module further comprises a heat sink fixed on a inner face of the flexible support, said inner face being opposite an outer face of the flexible support on which the light sources extend;

[0015] - the heat sink is fixed to the inner face of the flexible support by via a flexible layer of thermal interface material transmitting the heat generated by the light sources to the heat sink;

[0016] - the light sources are light-emitting diodes, the emitted light by each light-emitting diode forming a pixel of an image displayed on the display surface;

[0017] - the emission module has a width, measured along the transverse direction, approximately between 5 and 20% of the width of the coating layer measured along the transverse direction;

[0018] - the coating layer is mounted in a substantially rigid frame, said frame now the shape of the coating layer.

[0019] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0020] [Fig-1] - [Fig.1] is a schematic cross-sectional representation of a device display according to the invention,

[0021] [Fig.2] - [Fig.2] is a schematic cross-sectional representation of a part of the display device shown in frame II of [Fig.1],

[0022] [Fig.3] - [Fig.3] is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the device display of the [Fig. 1] installed on a first type of trim element in a vehicle passenger compartment, and

[0023] [Fig.4] - [Fig.4] is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the device display of the [Fig.l] installed on a second type of trim element in another vehicle interior.

[0024] With reference to [Fig.1], a display device 1 is described comprising a flexible coating layer 2 and at least one light-emitting module 4.

[0025] The coating layer 2 comprises an outer face 6, at least a portion of which forms a display surface, and an inner face 8 opposite the outer face 6. When the display device 1 is installed in or on a trim element 10, such as a dashboard as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the outer face 6 faces inward toward the interior of the vehicle so that the display surface is visible to the occupants of the vehicle's interior. The inner face 8 then faces toward the trim element 10 on or in which the display device 1 is installed. The thickness of the coating layer 2 corresponds to the distance separating the inner face 8 from the outer face 6 along an emission direction E. The thickness of the coating layer 2 is, for example, substantially between 0.5 and 3 mm.

[0026] The coating layer 2 is arranged to allow light to pass through in the emission direction E from the inner face 8 to the outer face 6. In other words, light emitted in the emission direction E from the inner face 8 is visible on the outer face 6, more particularly on the display surface defined by the outer face. In other words, the coating layer 2 is made of a translucent or transparent material and / or includes openings through its thickness that allow light to pass from the inner face 8 to the outer face 6. The coating layer is, for example, made of a flexible, transparent material, such as polyurethane (PU), polycarbonate (PC), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), extruded PMMA / PC, or similar. Alternatively, the coating layer is made of textile or similar material.According to one embodiment, the coating layer comprises several sub-layers, such as a layer of transparent flexible material covered by a layer of textile. For example, regardless of the material(s) used to create the coating layer 2, it remains flexible enough to be deformable, as will be described in more detail later. By flexible, we mean that the coating layer 2 is pliable and capable of being deformed while retaining its general shape, for example, substantially rectangular when the coating layer 2 is laid flat. More specifically, the flexibility of the coating layer 2 allows it to be curved along a transverse direction T, substantially perpendicular to the emission direction E, so as to form a curved display surface, as shown in [Fig. 1]. The flexibility of the coating layer 2 is measured, for example, by its Young's modulus, which is approximately between 0.8 and 4 GPa. The Poisson's ratio of the coating layer is, for example, between 0.30 and 0.45.

[0027] The emission module 4 is fixed to a portion of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 and is arranged to emit light through the coating layer 2 so that the latter is visible on a portion of the display surface opposite the emission module 4 in the emission direction E. By "fixed to a portion" it is understood that the emission module 4 extends over only a portion of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 at least in the transverse direction T, that is to say that it has a width, measured in the transverse direction T, less than the width of the coating layer 2. More particularly, the emission module 4 has, for example, a width, measured in the transverse direction T, of substantially between 5 and 20% of the width of the coating layer 2.Such a width allows the coating layer 2 to remain incurvable along the transverse direction T without the emission modulus 4 opposing this deformation, as will be described in more detail later. In one embodiment, the emission modulus 4 extends over substantially the entire height of the coating layer 2, for example outside a peripheral area thereof, the height being measured along an elevation direction substantially perpendicular to the emission direction E and to the transverse direction T. Alternatively, the emission modulus 4 extends only over a portion of the height of the coating layer 2.

[0028] As shown in [Fig.2], the emission module 4 comprises at least a plurality of light sources 12 and a flexible support 14 on which the light sources 12 are arranged.

[0029] The light sources 12 are arranged on the flexible support 14 so as to extend, along the emission direction E, between the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 and an outer face 16 of the flexible support 14, facing the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2. Thus, the light sources 12 are arranged to emit light towards the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 along the emission direction E, this light passing through the coating layer 2 to be visible on the display surface of the outer face 6 of the coating layer 2. Each light source 12 is, for example, a light-emitting diode. More specifically, each light source 12 is, for example, an RGB (Red Green Blue) light-emitting diode capable of emitting light of varying colors in the visible spectrum.

[0030] The flexible support 14 is, for example, formed by a flexible printed circuit board forming the current supply tracks for the light sources 12, these being electrically connected to the printed circuit board to emit light when the display device is connected to a current source supplying the emission module 4. By "flexible", it is understood that the flexible support 14 is flexible so as to be able to be deformed in the transverse direction T in order to conform to the shape of the part of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 against which the emission module 4 is applied. Thus, if the coating layer 2 is curved in the transverse direction, the flexible support 14 is curved so that its outer face 16 has a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the part of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 against which the emission module 4 is applied, as shown in [Fig.2]. Thus, when the emission modulus 4 is fixed against a part of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2, the flexible support 14 conforms to the shape along the transverse direction T of the part of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 against which the emission modulus 4 is applied. For this purpose, the flexible support 14 has, for example, a Young's modulus substantially equal to that of the coating layer 2. Thus, according to one embodiment, the flexible support has a Young's modulus substantially between 0.8 and 4 GPa and a Poisson's ratio, for example, between 0.30 and 0.45.

[0031] The light sources 12 are arranged on the flexible support 14 so as to be adjacent to each other at least along the transverse direction T as shown in [Fig. 2]. In other words, the emission module 4 comprises at least one line of light sources 12 extending along the transverse direction T. In one embodiment, the light sources 12 are further arranged in a column along the elevation direction, i.e., the emission module comprises light sources 12 aligned along the elevation direction. Thus, in this embodiment, the light sources 12 form a matrix of light sources 12 on the outer face 16 of the flexible support 14. The emission module 4 comprises, for example, between four and six hundred light sources 12.

[0032] In one embodiment, the light sources 12 are separated from each other along the transverse direction T and, where applicable, along the elevation direction so as to reduce, or even avoid, interference between the lights emitted by adjacent light sources 12. In one embodiment, the emitting module 4 further includes a frame 18 defining cells 20, each receiving a light source 12. The cells 20 are isolated from each other so as to prevent interference between the lights emitted by the different light sources 12. By "preventing interference," it is meant that the beam of light emitted by one light source 12 does not intersect the beam of light emitted by another light source 12, so that the light emitted by the light sources 12 does not mix on the display surface of the coating layer 2. In other words, each light source 12 forms a distinct point of light on the display surface. Thus, according to this embodiment, the light emitted by each light-emitting diode forms a pixel of an image displayed on the display surface.

[0033] The frame 18 includes a plurality of branches 22 defining the cells 20 receiving the light sources 12. Thus, the frame 18 has the form of a grid, each opening of which forms a cell 20 receiving a light source 12. As shown in [Fig. 2], the arms 22 extend along the emission direction E from the outer face 16 of the flexible support 14 to the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2. The arms 22 are arranged in this way to prevent the light emitted by one light source 12 from mixing with the light emitted by another light source 12 on the side of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2. For this purpose, at least the arms 22 of the frame 18 are, for example, made of an opaque material in order to prevent the transmission of light from one cell 20 to another.The thickness of the frame 18, measured along the emission direction E, is, for example, substantially equal to the thickness of the light sources 12 and corresponds to the distance separating the outer face 16 of the flexible support 14 from the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2. According to this embodiment, the light sources 12 are thus applied directly against the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 to inject light directly into the coating layer. Alternatively, the thickness of the frame 18 is slightly greater than that of the light sources 12 so as to maintain a gap between the light sources 12 and the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2.

[0034] The frame 18 is also flexible so that it is deformable with the flexible support 14 and also conforms to the shape in the transverse direction T of the portion of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 against which the emission modulus 4 is applied. For this purpose, the frame 18 is, for example, made of a thermoplastic elastomer material, such as polyurethane or the like.

[0035] The use of such a frame 18 makes the light emitted by each light source 12 particularly distinguishable on the display surface from the light emitted by the surrounding light sources 12. Thus, the image formed by the light emitted by the light sources 12 is particularly well-defined and visible on the display surface. The display device 1 can therefore be used to display information, such as text and / or various alphanumeric characters, as well as other types of images, including animated images, can be displayed by changing the number of illuminated light sources 12 and / or by changing the color of the light emitted by some of the light sources, for example. Since each light source forms a pixel of the image displayed on the display surface, and this pixel is clearly separated by the branches 22 of the frame 18 from its neighboring pixels, the resulting image on the display surface can be described as low-resolution.

[0036] According to the embodiment shown in Figs 1 and 2, the emission module 4 further includes a heat sink 24 fixed to the flexible support 14, for example by means of a flexible layer of thermal interface material 26.

[0037] The heat sink 24 is arranged to dissipate the heat generated by the light sources 12 and by the power supply tracks of the flexible support 14 to the outside of the display device 1 on the inner face side 8 of the coating layer 2. For this purpose, the heat sink 24 is fixed on an inner face 28 of the flexible support 14, opposite to the inner face 16 receiving the light sources 12.

[0038] According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the heat sink 24 is formed by a radiator. This radiator comprises, for example, a plurality of fins 30, each extending substantially along the emission direction E from the flexible layer of thermal interface material 26, interposed between the radiator and the inner face 28 of the flexible support 14, and spaced apart from each other along the transverse direction T. Such fins improve the heat dissipation obtained by the heat sink 24. Insofar as the heat sink 24 is, for example, made of a rigid material, such as a metallic material, its width is arranged so as not to impede the curvature of the coating layer 2 along the transverse direction T, as will be described in more detail later.For this purpose, the heat sink 24 extends, for example, over a width, measured along the transverse direction T, substantially equal to the width of the flexible support 14. By rigid, it is understood that the heat sink 24 is substantially undeformable under normal vehicle operating conditions, and has, for example, a Young's modulus between 50 and 70 GPa. The Poisson's ratio of the heat sink 24 is, for example, between 0.30 and 0.40.

[0039] As previously stated, the flexible layer of thermal interface material 26 is interposed between the inner face 28 of the flexible support 14 and the heat sink 24 and secures the heat sink 24 to the flexible support 14. The thermal interface material is chosen to ensure good heat transfer between the flexible support 14 and the heat sink 24. For this purpose, the flexible layer of thermal interface material 26 is, for example, made in the form of a foam pad or pad, for example, an epoxy foam or a foam based on silicone, filled with metallic or graphite thermally conductive material. By flexible, we mean that the flexible layer of thermal interface material 26 is deformable along the transverse direction T in order to follow the deformation of the flexible support 14, which itself follows the deformation of the portion of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2 against which the emission modulus 4 is applied. Thus, the flexible layer of thermal interface material has, for example, a Young's modulus substantially equal to or close to that of the flexible support 14.

[0040] The emission module 4 is fixed to the inner face 8 of the coating layer, for example by an adhesive, such as an optical glue that allows light to pass through without altering it and / or an adhesive that does not have any particular optical properties, applied to the end of the arms 22 of the frame 18, i.e. in areas where light does not pass to the coating layer 2.

[0041] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment shown in [Fig. 1], the display device 1 comprises at least two emission modules 4 as described above, each emission module 4 being fixed to a different part of the inner face 8 of the coating layer 2. These parts are, for example, adjacent along the transverse direction T so that the emission modules 4 can together define a single extended image or separate images along the transverse direction T on the display surface. According to the embodiment of [Fig. 1], the number of emission modules 4 is chosen so that most of the width of the coating layer 2 is provided with emission modules 4.By "major part," we mean that the entire width of the coating layer along the transverse direction T is provided with an emission module 4, or that only peripheral parts not forming a section opposite the display surface are devoid of an emission module 4, as shown in [Fig. 1]. It should be noted that several rows of emission modules 4 can be provided when an emission module 4 does not occupy the entire height opposite the display surface. Such embodiments make it possible to form an extended or continuous display surface along the transverse direction T, for example, so that it occupies substantially the entire width of the vehicle's passenger compartment when the display device 1 is installed in or on a dashboard 10, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.By continuous, we mean that the display surface allows, for example, the display of an image formed by the light emitted by at least two emission modules 4 without an observer being able to determine that the light forming this image comes from two distinct emission modules 4.

[0042] Providing display modules 4 with a relatively small width compared to that of the coating layer 2 allows the latter to retain its deformability, in particular to be curved along the transverse direction T, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thus, the same display device 1 can be used to equip different vehicle interior architectures or trim elements by adapting the shape of the coating layer and the display surface accordingly. The display surface of the same display device 1 can, for example, have different radii of curvature, as can be seen by comparing Figs. 3 and 4. In other words, the same display device 1 can be adapted to different installation configurations, notably by modifying the curvature of the coating layer 2. The emission module(s) 4 adapt to follow the curvature of the parts of the coating layer 2 against which they are applied, particularly due to the flexibility of their flexible support 14.

[0043] The radius of curvature of the coating layer can thus, for example, be modified in a range of 1000 to 6000 mm.

[0044] When the radius of curvature of a display device 1 has been chosen for a particular passenger compartment and / or trim element, the shape of the coating layer can be fixed by installing it in a rigid frame that receives the peripheral area of ​​the coating layer 2 and has the desired shape. Such a frame can be provided in or on the trim element 10 or attached to or attached to it along with the rest of the display device 1.

[0045] The invention thus makes it possible to produce only one model of display device 1 for several types of passenger compartments and / or trim elements 10, which simplifies the production and management of display devices 1.

Claims

Demands

1. A vehicle interior display device (1) comprising: - a flexible coating layer (2) having an outer face (6), at least a portion of which forms a display surface, and an inner face (8) opposite the outer face (6), the coating layer (2) allowing light to pass through in an emission direction (E) from the inner face (8) to the outer face (6), the coating layer (2) extending in a transverse direction (T) substantially perpendicular to the emission direction (E), - at least one light-emitting module (4) fixed to a portion of the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2) in the transverse direction (T), said light-emitting module (4) being arranged to emit light in the emission direction (E) through the coating layer (2), said light being visible from inside a vehicle on the display surface,in which the emission module (4) comprises a plurality of light sources (12) arranged on a flexible support (14), said light sources (12) extending between the flexible support (14) and the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2), the flexible support (14) conforming at least in the transverse direction (T) to the shape of the portion of the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2) against which the emission module (4) is applied.

2. Display device according to claim 1, comprising at least two emission modules (4) each fixed on a different part of the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2) along the transverse direction (T).

3. Display device according to claim 2, wherein the emission modules (4) are adjacent to each other along the transverse direction (T) so as to illuminate a substantially continuous display surface along the transverse direction (T).

4. A display device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the coating layer (2) is curved along the transverse direction (T), the flexible support (14) conforming to the curvature of the part of the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2) against which the emission module (4) is applied.

5. Display device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the emission module (4) comprises a flexible frame (18) extending between the flexible support (14) and the inner face (8) of the coating layer (2), said frame (18) comprising a plurality of cells (20) each receiving one of the light sources (12) of the emission module (4).

6. Display device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the emission module (4) further comprises a heat sink (24) fixed on an inner face (28) of the flexible support (14), said inner face (28) being opposite an outer face (16) of the flexible support (14) on which the light sources (12) extend.

7. Display device according to claim 6, wherein the heat sink (24) is fixed to the inner face (28) of the flexible support (14) by means of a flexible layer of thermal interface material (26) transmitting the heat generated by the light sources (12) to the heat sink (24).

8. Display device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the light sources (12) are light-emitting diodes, the light emitted by each light-emitting diode forming a pixel of an image displayed on the display surface.

9. Display device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the emission module (4) has a width, measured along the transverse direction (T), substantially between 5 and 20% of the width of the coating layer (2) measured along the transverse direction (T).

10. Display device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the coating layer (2) is mounted in a substantially rigid frame, said frame maintaining the shape of the coating layer (2).

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