vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising a driver's seat (2) and a module (5) arranged in front of the driver's seat (1) in the direction of travel, having an airbag (3) and a display unit (4), and movable towards the driver's seat (2). According to the invention, the inclination of the module (5) is adjustable around a pivot axis parallel to the vehicle's transverse axis.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The invention relates to a vehicle according to the features of the preamble of claim 1 . [Background technology]

[0002] A motor vehicle such as that described in DE 102019206584 is known in the prior art. The motor vehicle comprises at least one seat, a steering wheel arranged in front of the seat in the direction of travel, and an instrument panel arranged in front of the steering wheel in the direction of travel. The motor vehicle can be driven in an autonomous driving mode. The instrument panel has at least one movable upper panel part which includes at least one operating or display element and / or an airbag, and which is movable, at least in the autonomous driving mode, over the steering wheel in the direction of the seat relative to a fixed lower panel part. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved vehicle over the prior art. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention by a vehicle having the features of claim 1.

[0005] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0006] The vehicle includes a driver's seat and a module arranged in front of the driver's seat in the direction of travel, the module having an airbag and a display unit, and movable toward the driver's seat.

[0007] According to the invention, the tilt of the module is adjustable about a pivot axis parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle.The display unit is designed in particular as a combined display and input device, in particular as a touch-sensitive screen, also called touch screen or touch display.

[0008] The vehicle is designed in particular to perform automated driving, in particular highly automated or autonomous driving, in particular to switch between driving performed by a driver of the vehicle and this automated driving, in which the driver can advantageously assume another seating position, also called an extended seating position, in particular a relaxed seating position, in particular by adjusting the seat back of the vehicle seat backward, i.e. tilting the seat back backward and downward, in which case the driver is leaning back in the driver's seat or at least in a substantially reclining seating position.

[0009] The solution according to the invention allows the display unit, in particular the combined display and input device, to be accessible even in such an extended seating position by moving the module containing the display unit and the airbag toward the driver's seat. Since the module contains not only the display unit but also the airbag, it is always ensured that the airbag deployment is not hindered under any circumstances. If the display unit alone were to move, it would enter the airbag deployment space, which could damage the display unit during deployment and impair the effectiveness of the airbag. This is avoided by the solution according to the invention, because the geometrical positional relationship between the display unit and the airbag remains constant by incorporating the display unit and the airbag together in a movable module.

[0010] Furthermore, by adjusting the module with the airbag and display unit in particular to the driver's seat and thus to the driver's respective seat position, not only is the ergonomics improved with regard to the display unit, even when in an extended seat position, but the effectiveness of the deploying airbag and therefore passive safety is also ensured.

[0011] This is further optimized by the inclination of the module, and thus both the display unit and the airbag, which can be adjusted according to the invention around a pivot axis parallel to the transverse axis of the vehicle, thereby enabling the display unit to be tilted according to the respective line of sight of the driver in each seating position, and the airbag to be adapted to the respective seating position.

[0012] In addition to adjusting the module with the airbag and display unit in the direction of travel, i.e., along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, height adjustments can also be made, for example, which can be performed individually or in combination with one another, so that the module can be adjusted obliquely upwards and backwards.

[0013] The tilt of the module can be adjusted, for example, from the neutral position by 3° in one rotation direction and 3° in the other rotation direction.

[0014] In a possible embodiment, the movement of the module towards the driver's seat and the adjustment of the module's inclination are intended to be activated automatically when automated driving of the vehicle, in particular highly automated or autonomous driving, is activated and the driver's seat back is adjusted backward, i.e., in particular when adjusted to an extended seat position.

[0015] In a possible embodiment, the module extends in the vehicle transverse direction in front of the passenger seat of the vehicle (at the front). In that case, the module advantageously has two airbags, namely an airbag assigned to the driver's seat, also called driver's airbag, and an airbag assigned to the passenger seat, also called passenger airbag. In that case, the display unit can, for example, also extend in the vehicle transverse direction in front of the passenger seat of the vehicle, or the module can, for example, have two display units, namely a display unit assigned to the driver's seat and a display unit assigned to the passenger seat. In that case, both display units can be designed as described above, i.e., in particular as a combined display and input device.

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle with a driver in a normal seating position. [Figure 2] 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle with the driver in an extended seating position. [Figure 3] 1 is a schematic view of a module movable in the direction of the driver's seat of a vehicle in a front position. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the module in the rear position.

[0018] In all the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate corresponding parts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] 1 and 2 show a vehicle 1 that can perform driving operations performed by a driver F of the vehicle 1, as shown in Fig. 1, and can also perform automated driving, in particular highly automated or autonomous driving, as shown in Fig. 2. In this automated driving, the driver F can take different, in particular relaxed, seating positions, also called extended seating positions, in particular by adjusting the seat back of the driver's seat 2 backward, i.e. tilting the seat back backward and downward, as shown in Fig. 2. In that case, the driver F takes a reclined, or at least approximately reclining, seating position in the driver's seat 2.

[0020] In front of the driver's seat 2, the vehicle 1 has an airbag 3, hereinafter also referred to as driver's airbag 3, and a display unit 4, particularly designed as a combined display and input device, also referred to as a touch-sensitive screen, touch screen or touch display. If the display unit 4 were fixedly integrated into the vehicle 1, it would be difficult for the driver F to use it in the extended seating position, because in that case the display unit 4 would not be optimally aligned with the driver's visual axis and, in addition, would be out of reach of the driver and therefore unable to be operated. If the display unit 4 were designed to be independently adjustable, this could lead to problems such as the display unit 4 getting into the deployment space of the driver's airbag 3, which could result in the display unit 4 being damaged by the airbag during activation and deployment of the airbag 3, and the deployment of the airbag 3 being hindered by the display unit 4, which would prevent the airbag 3 from achieving its full protective effect.

[0021] The solution described here therefore provides for the display unit 4 and the airbag 3 to be mounted on a common module 5, for example on a structural frame, and for this module 5 to be adjustable. This module 5 comprising the driver's airbag 3 and the display unit 4 is therefore arranged in front of the driver's seat 2. In the example shown, this module 5 extends transversely of the vehicle up to in front of the passenger seat (not shown) of the vehicle 1 and, in addition to the display unit 4 and the driver's airbag 3 assigned to the driver's seat 2, further comprises another airbag 6, hereinafter also referred to as passenger airbag 6, assigned to the passenger seat of the vehicle 1.

[0022] Therefore, this arrangement in the common module 5 ensures that the geometric positional relationship between the driver's airbag 3 and the display unit 4, and in the illustrated example, the passenger's airbag 6, remains constant, thereby avoiding the display unit 4 from interfering with the deployment of each airbag 3, 6 or damaging the display unit 4 due to the deployment of each airbag 3, 6.

[0023] As already mentioned, it is intended that this module 5, together with the display unit 4 attached thereto and, in the illustrated example, the two airbags 3, 6 attached thereto, can be adjusted. In particular, it is intended that the module 5 can be adjusted in the direction of the driver's seat 2, i.e., in particular rearward, i.e., in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, the module 5 can also be adjusted, for example, in the vertical direction of the vehicle. These two adjustment directions can be realized, for example, individually or in combination with one another, for example, by correspondingly positioning the adjustment devices.

[0024] Furthermore, it is intended that the module 5, together with the display unit 4 attached thereto and, in the illustrated example, the two airbags 3, 6 attached thereto, can be adjusted around a pivot axis parallel to the vehicle's transverse axis, for example by 3° in each pivot direction from the neutral position.

[0025] For example, it is intended that the adjustment of the module 5 is performed automatically, in particular depending on the seat position of the driver F of the vehicle 1. This achieves good ergonomics for the display unit 4 and an optimal effect of the airbags 3, 6, in the illustrated example, respectively. Furthermore, the repositionability of the display unit 4 means that the dimensioning of the display unit 4 is no longer limited by the height adjustment of the steering wheel. A fixed display unit 4 must be dimensioned so that it is fully visible at any position of the steering wheel 7 of the vehicle 1. In the solution described here, this can be achieved by suitable adjustment of the module 5. The display unit 4 can thereby be dimensioned arbitrarily, in particular in terms of its height, thereby enabling a larger display area.

[0026] 1 shows a driver F in a normal seat position during a driving maneuver of a vehicle 1 performed by the driver F, where a module 5 comprising a display unit 4 and, in this example, two airbags 3, 6, is arranged in a basic position at the front adapted to the driving task of the driver F.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the driver F in an extended seat position tilted backward during autonomous driving of the vehicle 1. In this case, the module 5, which includes the display unit 4 and, in this example, the two airbags 3 and 6, is positioned rearward, i.e., toward the driver's seat 2 and thus toward the driver F, i.e., positioned in a rearwardly displaced position and can be tilted, in particular tilted downward. This ensures that the display unit 4 remains in the driver F's line of sight and within the reach of the driver F, who can operate it, and that the respective airbags 3 and 6 are in an optimal position and orientation to achieve full deployment and protective effect. In this case, the steering wheel 7 of the vehicle 1 is retracted, for example, since it is not needed during autonomous driving. Therefore, only the steering column 8 is shown in FIG. 2, not the steering wheel 7.

[0028] Between these two positions of the module 5, for example, one or more intermediate positions are possible. In particular, a stepless adjustment of the module 5 is provided for in order to be able to optimally adapt it to the respective driver F and his respective seat position.

[0029] Figures 3 and 4 show an embodiment of the module 5 and a possible adjustment device. Here, for the sake of clarity, the airbags 3, 6 are not shown. Figure 3 shows the module 5 in its forward basic position, while Figure 4 shows the module 5 displaced rearward.

[0030] As mentioned above, in this example, the display unit 4 and the two airbags 3, 6 are mounted on a module 5, which in the illustrated example is designed as a structural frame. The adjustment device, for example, comprises at least one telescopic unit 9, and in the illustrated example, as also shown in Figures 1 and 2, there are two telescopic units 9. Each telescopic unit 9 has a base member 10 attached to a cross member of the body structure of the vehicle 1 and at least one drive rod 11 that can be linearly extended and retracted therefrom, and to which a module 5 is attached. The extension and retraction of each drive rod 11 is performed, for example, by an electric motor. Each drive rod 11 can be extended, for example, by 200 mm, thereby allowing the module 5 to be adjusted in the fore-and-aft direction of the driver's seat 2.

[0031] Furthermore, each telescopic unit 9 is provided with an angle adjustment to allow adjustment of the tilt of the module 5. For this purpose, for example, the modules 5 are pivotally mounted on respective drive rods 11, or the base member 10 of each telescopic unit 9 is pivotally mounted on a cross member of the body structure.

[0032] Each telescopic unit 9 may, for example, be a unit provided for steering wheel adjustment or may be designed similarly thereto. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 vehicle 2 Driver's seat 3 airbags, driver's airbag 4 Display Unit 5 Modules 6 airbags, passenger airbag 7. Steering wheel 8. Steering column 9 Telescopic unit 10 Base member 11 Drive rod F. Driver [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0034] [Patent Document 1] German Patent Invention No. 102019206584

Claims

1. A vehicle (1) comprising a driver's seat (2) and a module (5) arranged in front of the driver's seat (1) in the direction of travel, the module having an airbag (3) and a display unit (4), and movable toward the driver's seat (2), The tilt of the module (5) is adjustable around a pivot axis parallel to the vehicle's transverse axis, the display unit (4) is designed as a combination of a display device and an input device, and the movement of the module (5) towards the driver's seat (2) and the adjustment of the tilt of the module (5) are automatically activated when automated driving of the vehicle (1), in particular highly automated or autonomous driving, is activated and the seat back of the driver's seat (2) is adjusted backward. A vehicle (1) characterized in that:

2. The tilt of the module (5) can be adjusted by 3° in each rotation direction from the neutral position.

2. A vehicle (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that:

3. The module (5) extends in the transverse direction of the vehicle in front of the passenger seat and has an airbag (3) assigned to the driver's seat (2) and an airbag (6) assigned to the passenger seat. A vehicle (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it

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