Display device

Abstract

To provide a display device capable of changing the display direction.SOLUTION: A display device is used in the interior space of a vehicle. The display device comprises a foldable display, a support part that supports the display, and a drive part that drives a portion of the support part. The display includes a first display region provided on the driver seat side and a second display region provided on the front passenger seat side. The display device is configured to be able to switch between a first form in which any of the first display region and the second display region is visible from the driver seat, and a second form in which the first display region is visible from the driver seat but the second display region is invisible from the driver seat, when the drive part drives the portion of the support part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to display device technology. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in an in-vehicle display device having a large display area and placed on the dashboard, it has been proposed that the driver's display area has its image surface normal facing rearward, while the passenger display area has its image surface normal facing rearward to the left, thereby preventing images intended for passengers from entering the driver's field of view while allowing the passengers to view the images (for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2021-138341 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a display device in which the driver's display area and the passenger's display area always have different display orientations is disposed on the dashboard, the driver cannot see the information displayed in the passenger's display area.

[0005] The technology of the present invention has been developed in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and its purpose is to provide technology in a display device used in the interior space of a vehicle that can be switched between a state in which both the passenger side area and the driver side area of ​​the display are visible from the driver's seat, and a state in which the driver's side area of ​​the display is visible from the driver's seat and the passenger side area of ​​the display is not visible from the driver's seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the technology of the present invention employs the following configuration. That is, a display device as one aspect of the technology of the present invention is a display device used in an interior space of a vehicle. The display device includes a foldable display, a support portion that supports the display, and a drive portion that drives the support portion. The display has a first display area arranged on the driver's seat side in the width direction of the vehicle, and a second display area arranged on the passenger seat side. The drive portion drives the support portion to fold the display, so that the display is switchable between a first form in which both the first display area and the second display area are visible from the driver's seat, and a second form in which the first display area is visible from the driver's seat and the second display area is not visible from the driver's seat. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a display device that is mounted in a vehicle interior and that is capable of changing the display direction depending on the situation. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a display device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the display device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a drive unit of the display device according to the embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a configuration of the display device according to the embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the display device according to the embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a drive unit of a display device according to a first modified example of the embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first form of a display device according to the second modification of the embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a second form of the display device according to the second modification of the embodiment. [Figure 9]FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a drive unit of a display device according to a second modification of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that each configuration and their combination in the present embodiment is merely an example, and addition, omission, substitution, and other modifications of the configuration are possible as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, but is limited only by the claims.

[0010] <Embodiment> FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of the display device 1 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the display device 1 according to the present embodiment. The display device 1 is installed, for example, on a dashboard in the interior space of a vehicle V. In FIG. 1, the direction along the vehicle overall length direction of the vehicle V from the cabin side toward the windshield is defined as "front", and the opposite direction is defined as "rear", and these directions are indicated by arrows. In addition, the direction along the width direction of the vehicle V from the right side toward the left side in a state of looking forward of the vehicle V is defined as "left", and the opposite direction is defined as "right". In addition, the direction along the overall height direction of the vehicle direction from the driver's seat or passenger seat toward the head of the driver or passenger is defined as "up", and the opposite direction is defined as "down". Note that the terms "front", "back", "left", "right", "up" and "down" merely indicate the relative positional relationship of each element of the display device 1. In addition, in this specification, unless otherwise specified, the directions of "front", "back", "left", "right", "up" and "down" correspond to the directions shown in FIG. 1. For convenience, the driver and passenger are collectively referred to as "users," and the driver's seat and passenger seat are collectively referred to as "seats." In addition, in the following description, the direction from the display device side toward the seat side (i.e., the rear side in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle V) may be referred to as the "near side," and the opposite side (i.e., the front side in the fore-aft direction of the vehicle V) may be referred to as the "rear side."

[0011] In this specification, as shown in Fig. 1 etc., a representative example will be described in which the display device 1 is mounted on a so-called left-hand drive vehicle in which the steering wheel V1 is disposed on the left side in the vehicle width direction of the vehicle V. However, the position of the steering wheel is not limited to this, and the display device 1 can also be applied to so-called right-hand drive vehicles etc.

[0012] The display device 1 in this embodiment operates so that the display can be switched between a first form and a second form. In this case, as shown in Fig. 1, the first form is a state in which the display is substantially flat and the entire display area of ​​the display is visible from the driver's seat. As shown in Fig. 2, the second form is a state in which the display area of ​​the display 10 is divided between the driver's seat side and the passenger seat side at the boundary of the display area. The display device 1 according to this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figs. 1 and 2.

[0013] [Device configuration] In this embodiment, the display device 1 includes a foldable display 10, a support unit 11, and a drive unit 12. In this embodiment, the display device 1 is arranged on the dashboard of the vehicle V so that the display 10 extends in the left-right direction from the front of the driver's seat to the front of the passenger seat. The support unit 11 is a member that supports the display 10, and includes support columns 111, 112, and 113, and support panel bands 114 and 115 formed by a plurality of panels. The drive unit 12 is a member that drives the support unit 11. The display device 1 of this embodiment is installed so that the display 10 is placed on the dashboard of the vehicle V, but the installation mode of the display device 1 is one example, and for example, the display device 1 may be installed so as to be embedded in the dashboard or as an instrument panel including instruments such as meters.

[0014] The display 10 according to this embodiment is formed in the shape of a seamless rectangular sheet. The display 10 may be formed of an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode), which is a type of organic EL (Organic Electroluminescence). An OLED is a flexible Therefore, the display 10 can display information while folding its display surface. As shown in FIG. 1, the display 10 is long in the left-right direction (width direction of the vehicle V) and is supported by a support portion 11. However, the embodiment of the display 10 is only an example, and other flexible display materials such as electronic paper and flexible liquid crystal may also be used. The display 10 may also have a touch panel function.

[0015] The display 10 has a display area D for displaying a predetermined content. The predetermined content may be, for example, a content including information on a navigation function, a content including information on a playback function, a content including information on an air conditioning control function, or entertainment content. As shown in FIG. 1, for convenience, the display area on the driver's seat side (i.e., the left side of FIG. 1) in the width direction of the vehicle V is referred to as a first display area D1, the display area on the passenger seat side (i.e., the right side of FIG. 1) is referred to as a second display area D2, and the boundary portion between the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 is referred to as a boundary portion D3. The content displayed on the display 10 may be different in the first display area D1 and the second display area D2, or a single content may be displayed in the entire display area D. For convenience, the surface of the display 10 on which the display area D is formed is referred to as a "display surface" or a "front surface", and the surface on which the display area D is not formed is referred to as a "rear surface".

[0016] 1, the display 10 is substantially flat, and the entire display area D of the display 10 is visible from the driver's seat. In this embodiment, in the first form, both the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 are visible from both the driver's seat and the passenger seat. In the first form, the display directions of both the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 face backward.

[0017] In the second form shown in FIG. 2, separate contents can be displayed to the driver and the passenger. In the second form, the display 10 is folded so that the boundary portion D3 protrudes rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V from the second display area D2. That is, the display 10 is folded so that at least a part of the area on the driver's seat side from the second display area D2 in the lateral direction of the display 10 protrudes forward from the second display area D2. As a result, in the second form, the second display area D2 is shielded from the driver's seat, the first display area D1 is visible from the driver's seat, and the second display area D2 is not visible from the driver's seat. In the display device 1 according to the present embodiment, the second display area D2 is visible from the passenger's seat in the second form. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it is not essential that the second display area is visible from the passenger's seat in the second form.

[0018] The display device 1 may display a single content in the display area D of the display 10 in the first form, and may display different contents in the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 in the second form. The display device 1 may display a single content on the display 10 across the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 in the first form. In this case, the display device 1 may display the content displayed in the second display area D2 in the second form as a single content on the display 10 in the first form. Furthermore, the display device 1 may display a single content across the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 in the second form, and the content displayed at this time may be the same as the content displayed in the first display area D1 or the second display area D2 in the first form.

[0019] In addition, the display device 1 displays the content in the second display area D2 in the second mode as follows: The display position may be changed so as to shift the content to the first display region D1 in the first form. That is, the display device 1 may display the content displayed in the second display region D2 in the second form in the first display region D1 in the first form. Conversely, the display device 1 may change the display position so as to shift the content displayed in the second display region D2 in the second form to the first display region D1 in the second form. The content displayed in the second display region D2 in the second form may be displayed so as to be expanded from the second display region D2 to the first display region D1 in the first form.

[0020] The support unit 11 includes support columns 111, 112, and 113 (an example of "plurality of support columns" in the present application), support panel bands 114 and 115 formed by a plurality of panels (an example of "support panels" in the present application), and links 116 and 117 connecting the support columns and the support panel bands. As shown in Fig. 1, the support unit 11 is disposed on the rear side of the display 10 and supports the display 10 from the rear side.

[0021] The pillars 111, 112, and 113 are round bar members made of a material such as aluminum or plastic, and extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle V. The pillars 111, 112, and 113 support the display 10 from the rear side. The pillar 111 is movable along a guide groove 121 described later, and the first and second forms can be switched by the pillar 111 moving along the guide groove 121. The pillars 112 and 113 are fixed to the dashboard of the vehicle V. The pillars 111, 112, and 113 are connected to the rear side of the display 10. More specifically, the pillar 111 is connected to one end of the display 10 in the left-right direction, and the pillar 113 is connected to the other end of the display 10 in the left-right direction. The pillar 112 and the display 10 are connected at a center position of the display 10 in the left-right direction, which is an intermediate position between the pillars 111 and 113. That is, in this embodiment, the pillars 111, 112, and 113 are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the left-right direction of the display 10, and are arranged in the order of 111, 112, and 113 from left to right. The pillars 111, 112, and 113 are connected to the rear surface of the display area D of the display 10 by adhesive, adhesive tape, or the like. However, the form of the pillars 111, 112, and 113 is merely an example, and they may be appropriately replaced by, for example, a square bar member. The number of pillars is not particularly limited as long as there is more than one.

[0022] The support panel bands 114 and 115 are members in which a plurality of support panels, which are substantially rectangular plate-like members made of aluminum, plastic, or other materials, are arranged with gaps between them. The support panel band 114 is connected to the rear surface of the display 10 in the section from the support column 111 to the support column 112 in the left-right direction of the display 10. The support panel band 115 is connected to the rear surface of the display area D of the display 10 in the section from the support column 112 to the support column 113 in the left-right direction of the display 10. The support panel bands 114 and 115 are connected to the rear surface of the display 10 by adhesive, adhesive tape, or the like. This prevents the display 10 from unintended bending or wrinkling. In addition, the support panels forming the support panel band 114 are arranged so that the seams between adjacent support panels overlap with the boundary portion D3. This allows the display 10 to be folded so as to jut out towards the front at the boundary portion D3, making it possible to switch from the first form to the second form. However, the shape and material of the support panel bands 114, 115 are not limited to these, and may be appropriately replaced with, for example, an elliptical panel, a frame having enough strength to support the display 10, or the like.

[0023] The links 116 and 117 are string-like members such as wires. As shown in FIG. 1, the links 116 and 117 are two string-like members that are arranged in parallel along the left-right direction of the display 10, connecting the support column 111, the support panel band 114, the support column 112, the support panel band 115, and the support column 113. The belt 114, the support pole 112, the support panel belt 115, and the support pole 113 are connected via adhesive, adhesive tape, hooks, etc. However, the embodiment of the links 116 and 117 is one example, and they may be replaced with a belt-like member such as a cloth belt, and the number of links may be increased or decreased according to the range of motion of the display 10.

[0024] By forming the support portion 11 in this manner, the display 10 is not hindered from bending in the front-rear direction, and unintended deformation such as twisting or distorting of the display 10 can be prevented when switching between the first form and the second form or when using the display device 1. That is, the display 10 can be deformed to be curved only in one direction, the front-rear direction. Note that even if a part of the seam of the support panel band 114 does not correspond to the boundary portion D3 in the second form, it is sufficient that the member forming the support panel band 114 is deformed only in one direction, the front-rear direction. The form of the support portion 11 is not limited to this, and for example, the entire display 10 may be curved to the user in the first form by setting the support columns 111 and 113 on the front side of the support column 112.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the driving unit 12 of the display device 1 according to the embodiment. The driving unit 12 includes a guide groove 121, a base 122, a motor 123, a driving pulley 124, a driven pulley 125, a belt 126, a belt clip 127, an anchor 128, and a position detection unit 129. FIG. 3(a) is a diagram showing the driving unit 12 as viewed from directly above (the base 122 and the anchor 128 are not shown). FIG. 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the driving unit 12, showing a cross-section of the driving unit 12 at the position of the support 111 along the vertical direction in which the support 111 extends. In this embodiment, the driving unit 12 is installed so as to be embedded in the dashboard of the vehicle V. The support 111 is disposed so that its upper end protrudes upward from the instrument panel and its lower end abuts against the base 122.

[0026] Guide groove 121 is a generally S-shaped groove formed in the dashboard and defines the trajectory of support pillar 111. In the first configuration, support pillar 111 is disposed at one end of guide groove 121 as shown in Fig. 1, and in the second configuration, support pillar 111 is disposed at the other end of guide groove 121 as shown in Fig. 2. Support pillar 111 moves along the direction indicated by arrow M1 in Fig. 3(a).

[0027] Pedestal 122 is a member installed inside the dashboard, and may be, for example, a flat plate-like member made of metal or resin. Pedestal 122 may have motor 123 installed thereon, and may further have bearings or the like installed thereon so that drive pulley 124 and driven pulley 125 can rotate.

[0028] The motor 123 may be, for example, a stepper motor, a servo motor, etc. The motor 123 is engaged with a drive pulley 124, and transmits the driving force of the motor 123 to a belt 126.

[0029] Belt 126 is disposed so as to follow the contour of guide groove 121. In addition, belt 126 and support post 111 are connected by belt clip 127, and support post 111 moves in accordance with the movement of belt 126. Belt clip 127 is connected to support post 111 at an arbitrary position on belt 126.

[0030] The anchor 128 is installed on the base 122 to determine the position where the belt 126 is disposed and the trajectory of the belt 126. The anchor 128 has a substantially U-shaped cross section and is disposed so that the groove side faces downward. In addition, since the belt clip 127 follows the belt 126, the anchor 128 is formed so as not to impede the movement of the belt clip 127.

[0031] In the driving unit 12 of this embodiment, the motor 123 is driven to rotate the driving pulley 124. As the driving pulley 124 rotates, the belt 126 slides along a track defined by the anchor 128. As the belt 126 slides, the support 111 moves along the guide groove 121. In this embodiment, the driving pulley 124 is disposed at one end of the guide groove 121, and the driven pulley 125 is disposed at the other end of the guide groove 121. The driven pulley 125 follows the belt 126 and serves as a tensioner for the belt 126. This maintains the belt 126 at an appropriate tension.

[0032] The driving unit 12 is provided with a device for detecting the position of the support 111 and a position detection unit 129 for detecting the rotation state of the motor 123. More specifically, for example, a physical switch that the support 111 can press may be provided at each of one end and the other end of the guide groove 121. This may enable detection of whether the support 111 is at one end or the other end of the guide groove 121. However, the mode of detecting the position of the support 111 in the guide groove 121 is not limited to this, and may be, for example, an infrared sensor or the like provided on the track of the support 111 in the guide groove 121. Also, a rotary encoder or the like may be provided in the motor 123 to detect the rotation state of the motor 123 and grasp the state of the driving unit 12.

[0033] However, the embodiment of the drive unit 12 is just an example, and it is also possible to use gears or the like instead of the drive pulley 124 and the driven pulley 125, or to use a wire or the like instead of the belt 126. Furthermore, friction reducing members such as bearings and rollers may be provided at the locations where the guide groove 121 and the support 111 contact each other, and at the locations where the support 111 and the base 122 contact each other.

[0034] Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the display device 1 according to this embodiment. The display device 1 of this embodiment includes a control device 13. More specifically, the control device 13 is electrically connected to the display 10, the motor 123, the position detection unit 129, and the input / output IF 14. The control device 13 shown in Fig. 4 is, for example, a computer such as an MPU (Micro Controller Unit) including a processor 131 and a storage device 132.

[0035] The processor 131 is a calculation device such as a microprocessor or a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The processor 131 detects the position of the support 111 based on information acquired by the position detection unit 129. The processor 131 also compares the position information of the support 111 with information input by the user to the input / output IF 14 or the display 10, and outputs signals for starting and stopping the operation and the direction of rotation to the motor 123. This allows the display 10 to be switched between the first form and the second form. Also, the display 10 may be configured to display the form of the display 10 at the time of confirmation or the fact that the form is being switched, so that the user can recognize the state of the display 10. The storage device 132 includes at least one of a main storage device and an auxiliary storage device. The storage device 132 may be configured to store the form of the display 10 and the position of the support 111.

[0036] The input / output IF 14 is electrically connected to, for example, output devices such as speakers, input devices such as microphones, switches, touch panels, and cameras, devices for detecting the state of movement of the vehicle V such as a vehicle speed sensor and a global positioning system (GPS), and the like. The input devices such as switches accept input of information related to operational instructions, and output signals to the control device 13. The input devices are preferably installed in positions that are easily reachable by the user, such as the center console, door linings, armrests, and headrests of the front seats. Furthermore, if the display 10 is equipped with a touch panel, the display 10 may accept input of information related to operational instructions by a user's touch operation, and output signals to the control device 13. The display device 1 may also include a camera, a microphone, etc., and may receive input from the user using methods such as eye tracking, gestures, and voice recognition. A communication device such as a smartphone carried by the user may be connected to the control device 13 in a wired or wireless manner so as to be usable as an input device.

[0037] The control device 13 monitors the moving state of the vehicle V using a vehicle speed sensor, a GPS, and the like. Based on information from these sensors, the display 10 may be configured to be switchable between the first form and the second form depending on the moving state of the vehicle V. Also, based on information from these sensors, the display 10 may be fixed to the second form at least while the vehicle V is traveling, and the second display area D2 may be made invisible from the driver's seat. This can prevent the driver from becoming distracted while the vehicle V is traveling, and can increase safety.

[0038] The input / output IF 14 may further be connected to a sensor in the vehicle cabin that checks the state of the driver, or the processor 131 may determine the driving mode of the vehicle V, thereby determining whether the vehicle V is being driven automatically or manually. In this way, when the vehicle V is being driven automatically and the user seated in the driver's seat is not driving, the display 10 may be in the first mode even while the vehicle V is being driven. Furthermore, the display 10 may be configured to be able to switch between the first mode and the second mode even while the vehicle V is being driven. Also, when manual driving is detected while the vehicle V is being driven, the display 10 may be switched to the second mode.

[0039] [Operation] Next, the operation of the display device 1 according to this embodiment will be described. However, the operation of the display device 1 according to this embodiment is not limited to the following method. Below, the operation of the display device 1 will be described based on the flowchart of FIG. 5 with reference to FIG. 4. The process shown in FIG. 5 is executed repeatedly while the display device 1 is receiving power from an accessory power source or an ignition power source, for example. Also, in this embodiment, the display device 1 accepts an instruction to switch between the first form and the second form by a switch, input information from the display 10, or the like.

[0040] The control device 13 of the display device 1 determines whether an input instructing an operation has been received (FIG. 4: S1). In this step, the processor 131 of the control device 13 detects the input of an operation instruction to the input device. When an operation requesting an operation of the display device 1 is performed on the input device, the input device outputs a signal indicating the request for operation to the control device 13. In this manner, the user can, at his or her own will, transition the display device 1 from the first form shown in FIG. 1 to the second form shown in FIG. 2, or from the second form shown in FIG. 2 to the first form shown in FIG. 1.

[0041] The signal requesting an operation of the display device 1 may be based on the moving state of the vehicle V, which is acquired by a vehicle speed sensor, a GPS, etc. When based on the moving state of the vehicle V, the display device 1 may be controlled to be in at least the second form while the vehicle V is moving, or may be in the first form while the vehicle V is stopped, and may automatically switch to the second form when the vehicle V starts moving.

[0042] If it is determined that an operation command has been input (S1: YES), the control device 13 of the display device 1 determines whether the current (at the time of this processing) state of the display device 1 is "first form" (FIG. 5: S2). In this step, the processor 131 makes the determination based on, for example, the states of the display 10 and the support 111 stored in the storage device 132.

[0043] If it is determined that the display 10 is in the first form (S2: YES), the motor 123 drives the display 10 to switch to the second form (FIG. 4: S3). In this step, the control device 13 of the display device 1 instructs the motor 123 to switch the display 10 to the second form. A signal is sent to rotate the motor 123 in such a manner that the drive pulley 124 rotates and the belt 126 moves in the direction of the arrow M1 shown in Fig. 3. The control device 13 executes the process of S3 until the display 10 completes switching from the first form to the second form based on a signal from a rotary encoder, a physical switch, etc.

[0044] If it is determined in S2 that the display device 1 is not in the first form (S2: NO), the control device 13 determines whether the current state of the display device 1 is in the "second form" (FIG. 4: S4). In this step, the processor 131 also makes a determination based on the state of the display 10 and the support 111 stored in the storage device 132, for example.

[0045] If it is determined that the display is in the second form (S4: YES), the motor 123 drives the display 10 to switch to the first form (FIG. 4: S5). In this step, the control device 13 of the display device 1 sends a signal to the motor 123 to rotate the display 10 so as to switch to the first form. The motor 123 rotates the drive pulley 124, and the belt 126 moves in the opposite direction of the arrow M1 shown in FIG. 3. The control device 13 executes the process of S3 until the display 10 has completed switching from the second form to the first form based on a signal from a rotary encoder, a physical switch, etc.

[0046] After S3 and S5, if it is determined in S1 that no operation instruction has been input (S1: NO), or if it is determined in S4 that the display device is not in the second form (S4: NO), the process in Fig. 5 ends. If it is determined in S4 that the display device is not in the second form, this is when the display device 1 is in a transition state. If it is determined that the display device is in the transition state, it may be determined to change to the first form or the second form by executing the process in S3 or S5 so as to shorten the operation time.

[0047] In switching between the first form and the second form, the driving unit 12 can switch between the first form and the second form by changing the interval between at least a pair of adjacent pillars among the multiple pillars. In this embodiment, when switching between the first form and the second form, the driving unit 12 drives the pillar 111 to change the interval between the pillars 111 and 112 adjacent to each other in the left-right direction of the display 10, thereby switching between the first form and the second form. More specifically, the first form is switched to the second form by narrowing the interval between the pillars 111 and 112, and the second form is switched to the first form by widening the interval between the pillars 111 and 112. In addition, when switching from the first form to the second form, the display 10 is deformed in the left-right direction of the display 10 so as to bend with the boundary portion D3 as an apex and to protrude toward the front side.

[0048] [Actions and Effects] In the first form of this embodiment, both the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 are visible from both the driver's seat and the passenger seat. Therefore, in the first form, when a user watches content, the wide display area D extending from the front of the driver's seat to the front of the passenger seat is used to enjoy content with improved realism and immersion. In addition, in the second form, the second display area D2 is blocked by the first display area D1 when viewed from the driver's seat, so the driver's view is not obstructed and the driver's attention is not reduced.

[0049] As described above, according to the display device 1 of this embodiment, in the first mode, the driver and the passenger can enjoy the same content on a large screen, and in the second mode, the information required for the driver and the passenger can be displayed separately. In addition, since the display 10 is formed so as to be switchable between the first mode and the second mode, the display 10 can be effectively used according to the situation.

[0050] The display device 1 according to this embodiment can display information required by the driver and passengers separately without using a special display with limited display direction. In addition, there is no problem that the resolution is halved in the left-right direction of the display.

[0051] [First Modification of the Embodiment] Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a driving unit 12A of a display device 1 according to a modified example of the embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the driving unit 12A as viewed from directly above. Note that the description of this modified example will focus on differences from the driving unit 12 of the display device 1 described in Fig. 3.

[0052] The driving unit 12A uses a link mechanism. As shown in Fig. 6(a), the driving unit 12A includes a guide groove 121, a base 122, a motor 123, links 12A1, 12A2, 12A3, 12A4, 12A5, 12A6, 12A7, movable joints 12A10, 12A11, 12A12, 12A13, 12A14, and a fixed joint 12A15. The movable joints 12A10, 12A11, 12A12, 12A13, 12A14 are formed to be movable relative to the base 122, but the fixed joint 12A15 is fixed to the base 122 and does not move. FIG. 6(a) shows the state of the driving unit 12A in the first form, FIG. 6(d) shows the state of the driving unit 12A in the second form, and FIG. 6(b) and FIG. 6(c) show the transition state of the driving unit 12A in the middle of switching between the first form and the second form. That is, when the display 10 transforms from the first form to the second form, the driving unit 12A goes from the state of FIG. 6(a) to the state of FIG. 6(b) and the state of FIG. 6(c) to the state of FIG. 6(d). When the display 10 transforms from the second form to the first form, the driving unit 12A goes from the state of FIG. 6(d) to the state of FIG. 6(c) and the state of FIG. 6(b) to the state of FIG. 6(a). In this modification, the driving unit 12A is installed so as to be embedded in the dashboard of the vehicle V.

[0053] A link 12A1 that rotates in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shaft 1231 and a link 12A3 that can rotate with respect to the rotating shaft 1231 are connected to the rotating shaft 1231 of the motor 123. One end of the link 12A1 is connected to be fixed to the rotating shaft 1231, and the other end is connected to the link 12A2 via a movable joint 12A10 so as to be rotatable. As will be described later, when the driving unit 12A operates, the link 12A2 and the link 12A3 move so as to overlap each other in the vertical direction, so that the attachment position of the link 12A1 connected to the link 12A2 and the attachment position of the link 12A3 on the rotating shaft 1231 may be shifted in the vertical direction. One end of the link 12A3 is connected to the rotating shaft 1231 so as to be rotatable, and the other end is connected to the link 12A4 via a movable joint 12A12 so as to be rotatable. One end of the link 12A4 is rotatably connected to the link 12A3 via the movable joint 12A12, and the other end is rotatably connected to the link 12A2 via the movable joint 12A11 at a position slightly shifted from the middle position of the link 12A2 toward the other end. One end of the link 12A2 is rotatably connected to the link 12A1 via the movable joint 12A10, and the other end is rotatably connected to the links 12A5 and 12A7 via the movable joint 12A13. One end of the link 12A5 is rotatably connected to the links 12A2 and 12A7 via the movable joint 12A13, and the other end is rotatably connected to the link 12A6 via the movable joint 12A14. One end of the link 12A6 is rotatably connected to the link 12A5 via the movable joint 12A14, and the other end is rotatably connected to the fixed joint 12A15. Fixed joint 12A15 is fixed to base 122, and link 12A6 is rotatable about fixed joint 12A15. Link 12A7 has one end rotatably connected to links 12A2 and 12A5 via movable joint 12A13, and the other end rotatably connected to support 111.

[0054] FIG. 6(a) shows the state of the driving unit 12A in the first form, and the transformation to the second form is started by the rotation of the motor 123 in the direction of the arrow M2. In FIG. 6(b), the link 12A1 and link 12A2 increases, pushing the support 111 from the position of the first form to the position of the second form. It is pushed from the left side to the right side. In FIG. 6(c), link 12A1 and link 12A2 become approximately linear, and the movement of the support 111 changes to a movement in the front-to-rear direction. In FIG. 6(d), the movement of the support 111 in the front-to-rear direction is completed, and the transformation to the second form is completed. At this time, link 12A2 and link 12A3 move so as to overlap in the vertical direction.

[0055] Furthermore, in the driving unit 12A of this modified example, the movement of the support pillar 111 is determined by the link mechanism, so that the guide groove 121 need not be disposed on the dashboard of the vehicle V.

[0056] [Modification 2 of the embodiment] FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a first embodiment of a display device 1B according to the second modified embodiment. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the display device 1B according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a driving section 12B of the display device 1B according to the second embodiment. In the following, the display device 1B according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. Note that in the description of the present embodiment, differences from the display device 1 described in FIGS. 1 to 5 will be mainly described. Also, among the members constituting the display device 1B, members common to the display device 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0057] In this embodiment, the display device 1B includes a display 10, a support unit 11B, and a drive unit 12B. In this embodiment, the display device 1B is arranged on the dashboard of the vehicle V such that the display 10B extends in the left-right direction from in front of the driver's seat to in front of the passenger seat. The support unit 11B is a member that supports the display 10, and includes support columns 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B. The display device 1B of this embodiment is installed such that the display 10 is placed on the dashboard of the vehicle V, but the installation mode of the display device 1B is just an example, and for example, the display device 1B may be installed so as to be embedded in the dashboard.

[0058] 8, for the sake of convenience, the display area on the driver's seat side is referred to as a first display area D1, and the display area on the passenger seat side is referred to as a second display area D2. The content displayed on the display 10B may be different in the first display area D1 and the second display area D2, or a single content may be displayed in the entire display area D.

[0059] 7, the display 10 is substantially flat, and the entire display area D of the display 10B is visible from the driver's seat. In this embodiment, in the first mode, both the first display area D1 and the second display area D2 are visible from both the driver's seat and the passenger seat.

[0060] In the second form shown in Fig. 8, different contents can be displayed to the driver and the passenger. In the second form, the display 10 is folded so that the boundary portion D3 protrudes rearward in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle V from the second display area D2. In other words, the display 10 is folded so that at least a part of the area of ​​the display 10 on the driver's seat side from the second display area D2 in the lateral direction protrudes forward from the second display area D2. As a result, the second display area D2 is shielded from the driver's seat, so that the second display area D2 is visible from the passenger seat but not visible from the driver's seat.

[0061] The support portion 11B includes pillars 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B. As shown in Fig. 7, the support portion 11B supports the display 10 from the rear side. In this embodiment, the pillars 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B are round bar members made of aluminum, plastic, or other material, and extend in the vertical direction of the vehicle V. The pillar 111B has a guide groove 12 1. The support pillar 111B moves along the guide groove 121, so that the distance between the support pillar 111B and the support pillar 113B is changed in the left-right direction of the display 10, and the support pillar 112B arranged at the boundary portion D3 moves in the front-rear direction of the vehicle V, so that the display 10 is bent at the boundary portion D3 to switch between the first form and the second form. The support pillars 111B and 113B are fixed to the dashboard of the vehicle V. The support pillars 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B are connected to the back surface of the display 10. More specifically, the support pillar 111B is connected to one end of the display 10 in the left-right direction, and the support pillar 114B is connected to the other end of the display 10 in the left-right direction. In addition, in the left-right direction of the display 10, the support columns 112B and 113B are arranged at equal intervals between the support columns 111B and 114B, and the support columns 112B and 113B are connected to the display 10. That is, in this embodiment, the support columns 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B are arranged in parallel at equal intervals in the left-right direction of the display 10, and the support columns 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B are arranged in this order from the left side to the right side. In this modified example, the support column 112B is connected to the display 10 using a hinge or the like, and is arranged so as to overlap the boundary portion D3 of the display 10. The support columns 111B, 113B, and 114B are connected to the back surface of the display area D of the display 10 by adhesive, adhesive tape, or the like. However, the number of support columns is not particularly limited as long as there are multiple support columns.

[0062] In this modification, the display 10 is formed in the shape of a single flexible rectangular sheet, but for example, displays formed in the shape of multiple rectangular panels may be combined. In this case, a display that is not flexible like a conventional liquid crystal display may be used. For example, three displays are prepared, and one display panel is arranged between the support 111B and the support 112B, one display panel is arranged between the support 112B and the support 113B, and one panel display is arranged between the support 113B and the support 114B. In this way, by arranging the display panels between the support columns and connecting the display panels in a folding screen shape, information can be displayed by folding a part of the display 10. However, when multiple display panels that are not flexible are used, the support columns 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B are not limited to a mode in which they support the back side of each display panel, and may be installed in a mode in which they extend in the vertical direction along the left and right ends of each display panel, for example. In this case, the columns 111B, 112B, 113B, and 114B may be connected to the respective display panels by means of hinges or the like.

[0063] Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the driving unit 12B of the display device 1 according to the embodiment. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the driving unit 12B as viewed from the side from the rear to the front. The driving unit 12B includes a base 12B1, a motor 12B2, a motor fixing stay 12B3, a gear 12B4, a screw 12B5, a screw fixing stay 12B6, a slider 12B7, and a position detection unit 129. In this embodiment, the driving unit 12B is installed on the dashboard of the vehicle V.

[0064] The motor 12B2 is mounted on the base 12B1 by a motor fixing stay 12B3. The motor 12B2 may be, for example, a stepping motor, a servo motor, etc. The motor 12B2 is engaged with a gear 12B21, and transmits the driving force of the motor 12B2 to a gear 12B4.

[0065] The screw 12B5 is rotatably fixed to the base 12B1 by a pair of screw fixing stays 12B6. The screw 12B5 is engaged with a gear 12B4. The screw 12B5 is driven by the rotation of the gear 12B4. A spiral groove is carved in the screw 12B5, and the screw 12B5 and a slider 12B7 are formed so as to be able to slide relatively to each other. A support 111B is connected to the slider 12B7. This allows the screw 12B5 to rotate. Even when the screw 12B5 rotates, the slider 12B7 is restricted from rotating, so that the slider 12B7 slides relative to the screw 12B5. As a result, when the screw 12B5 rotates, the support 111B can move in the direction of the arrow M3 when transforming from the first form to the second form, and in the direction opposite to the arrow M3 when transforming from the second form to the first form.

[0066] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention, a first variant of the embodiment, and a second variant of the embodiment. However, each aspect disclosed in this specification can be combined with any other feature disclosed in this specification. [Explanation of symbols]

[0067] 1:Display device 10: Display 11, 11B: Support part 12, 12A, 12B: Drive unit 13: Control device V: Vehicle

Claims

1. A display device for use in an interior space of a vehicle, A foldable display A support portion that supports the display; A drive unit that drives the support unit, The display has a first display area arranged on a driver's seat side in a width direction of the vehicle and a second display area arranged on a passenger seat side in the width direction of the vehicle, The drive unit drives the support unit to fold the display, thereby switching the display between a first form in which both the first display area and the second display area are visible from the driver's seat and a second form in which the first display area is visible from the driver's seat and the second display area is not visible from the driver's seat. Display device.

2. In the first mode, both the first display area and the second display area are visible from the passenger seat side. The display device according to claim 1 .

3. In the second embodiment, the display is folded in a width direction of the vehicle such that a boundary portion between the first display area and the second display area protrudes rearward in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and the second display area is shielded from the driver's seat, so that the second display area is not visible from the driver's seat. The display device according to claim 1 .

4. the support portion includes a plurality of pillars that support the display from a rear surface side, the plurality of pillars extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle and arranged side by side in a width direction of the vehicle, The drive unit switches between the first form and the second form by changing a distance between at least a pair of adjacent columns among the plurality of columns. The display device according to claim 3 .

5. the support portion is a column that supports the display from a back surface side, the column extending in a vertical direction of the vehicle and disposed at the boundary portion, the drive unit moves the support in a front-rear direction of the vehicle to fold the display at the boundary portion, thereby switching between the first form and the second form. The display device according to claim 3 .

6. the support portion includes a plurality of support panels arranged in a width direction of the vehicle and supporting the display from a rear surface side, The boundary portion overlaps with a seam between adjacent support panels, the drive unit drives the support unit to fold the display at the seam, thereby switching between the first form and the second form. The display device according to claim 3 .

7. In the second form, different contents are displayed in the first display area and the second display area, In the first form, a single content is displayed on the display. The display device according to claim 1 .

8. a content displayed in the second display area in the second form is displayed as the single content on the display in the first form; The display device according to claim 7.

9. In the first embodiment, the single content is displayed on the display across the first display area and the second display area. The display device according to claim 7 or 8.

10. a content displayed in the second display area in the second form is displayed as the single content in the first display area in the first form; The display device according to claim 8.

Images