Lighting emblem module and airbag cover assembly to which same is applied

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lighting emblem module and an airbag cover assembly to which same is applied. The airbag cover assembly provides a configuration including: a printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as "PCB") having a plurality of LEDs installed on the upper surface thereof; a PCB housing having the PCB mounted on the upper surface thereof; and a diffuser installed on an upper portion of the PCB to diffuse light emitted from each LED upward while shielding each LED and the upper surface of the PCB. Accordingly, a lighting function and a display function for displaying the driving state of a vehicle and the operation state of devices provided in the vehicle can be simultaneously provided.

Description

Lighting emblem module and airbag cover assembly to which it is applied

[0001] The present invention relates to an airbag cover assembly, and more particularly, to a lighting emblem module coupled to a steering wheel and having a lighting function, and an airbag cover assembly to which the same is applied.

[0002] Driver's seat airbag devices applied to automobiles are widely used to protect passengers in the driver's seat from the impact that occurs in a car collision.

[0003] These driver airbag devices are typically mounted on the steering wheel and include an inflator, an airbag cushion, a housing that accommodates the airbag cushion in a folded state, and a cover that covers an opening in the housing.

[0004] In the event of a car collision, the airbag cushion expands as gas is injected from the inflator, and the cover made of soft resin is ruptured by the expansion force of the airbag cushion, forming an opening in the cover, and the airbag cushion expands toward the passengers of the vehicle through the opening.

[0005] These driver's airbag devices may be equipped with a cover having a decorative plate, so-called emblem.

[0006] For example, patent documents 1 and 2 below disclose airbag cover technology.

[0007] Meanwhile, an emblem is usually made with a company's design or mark, and it does not simply indicate the company that manufactured the vehicle, but rather functions to give the value of the vehicle that the emblem represents.

[0008] Emblems are installed in various places on the exterior and interior of a vehicle to reveal the credit value accumulated in the emblem. The location where these emblems are installed varies depending on the company that manufactures the vehicle, but most are installed on the rear of the vehicle and in front of the steering wheel.

[0009] That is, it is installed on the airbag cover that covers the armature installed in the center of the steering wheel that the passenger driving the vehicle steers.

[0010] Typically, airbag covers according to prior art are equipped with emblems without lighting functions.

[0011] Therefore, the airbag cover according to the prior art can be identified by natural light during the day, but at night, due to insufficient light, it is difficult to identify, and thus, there is a problem in that it cannot function properly.

[0012] To solve these problems, a technology for applying lighting to an emblem was developed in patent documents 3 to 5 below, but there was a problem in that the structure became complicated due to the addition of new components such as LEDs, substrates, housings, and diffusers, and the manufacturing cost increased unnecessarily.

[0013] That is, in order to provide lighting functions with various colors or shapes using a lighting emblem, multiple light sources must be installed, and a structural design is required to irradiate the light irradiated from each light source in a desired color or shape.

[0014] Additionally, recently, in addition to the lighting function, emblems have been used to display the vehicle's driving status, the operating status of devices installed in the vehicle, and any abnormalities.

[0015] To this end, a method was proposed to reduce the number of LEDs applied to the lighting emblem module and install a light guide, but this had the problem of requiring a lot of time and cost to develop the light guide.

[0016] Therefore, there is a need for the development of a technology that can provide lighting and display functions of various colors while simplifying the structure of the lighting emblem.

[0017] (Patent Document 1) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1718689 (announced on March 22, 2017)

[0018] (Patent Document 2) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-2005738 (announced on July 31, 2019)

[0019] (Patent Document 3) Republic of Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1076195 (announced on October 26, 2011)

[0020] (Patent Document 4) U.S. Patent No. US 8,924,959 (January 6, 2015)

[0021] (Patent Document 5) U.S. Patent No. US 8,061,861 (November 22, 2011)

[0022] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and to provide a lighting emblem module that can improve visibility by applying the lighting emblem module to an airbag cover, and an airbag cover assembly to which the lighting emblem module is applied.

[0023] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting emblem module capable of simultaneously providing lighting and display functions in various ways and an airbag cover assembly to which the same is applied.

[0024] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lighting emblem module capable of indicating an operation mode corresponding to the driving state of a vehicle and the operation state of each device provided in the vehicle, and an airbag cover assembly to which the lighting emblem module is applied.

[0025] In order to achieve the above-described purpose, the lighting emblem module according to the present invention is characterized in that it includes a printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as 'PCB') having a plurality of LEDs installed on the upper surface, a PCB housing in which the PCB is mounted on the upper surface, and a diffuser installed on the upper part of the PCB to diffuse light emitted from each LED upward while shielding each LED and the upper surface of the PCB, thereby simultaneously providing a lighting function and a display function that indicates the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices provided in the vehicle.

[0026] In addition, in order to achieve the above-described purpose, the airbag cover assembly to which the lighting emblem module according to the present invention is applied is characterized in that it includes a lighting emblem module to simultaneously provide a lighting function and a display function for indicating the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices provided in the vehicle.

[0027] As described above, according to the lighting emblem module of the present invention and the airbag cover assembly to which it is applied, the present invention obtains the effect of being able to provide a lighting function and a display function simultaneously by using the lighting emblem module.

[0028] And according to the present invention, it is possible to achieve the effect of implementing various dynamic effects such as moving, expanding, or contracting by applying a plurality of LEDs and irradiating light of different colors and concentrations.

[0029] Accordingly, according to the present invention, by implementing dynamic effects corresponding to various operation modes that indicate the driving status of a vehicle or the operating status of each device, the effect of being able to guide the driver and passengers to intuitively check the current driving status or operating status is obtained.

[0030] In addition, according to the present invention, by irradiating light through a display area having a certain area to display images of various shapes such as moving letters, emoticons, and arrows, the aesthetic sense can be improved.

[0031] In addition, according to the present invention, the efficiency of the limited space of the airbag cover assembly can be improved, thereby minimizing the size and weight of the product and reducing the number of parts, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

[0032] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which a lighting emblem module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied;

[0033] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the airbag cover assembly illustrated in Figure 1;

[0034] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along line AA' shown in Figure 1;

[0035] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting emblem module illustrated in Figure 2;

[0036] Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the airbag cover assembly illustrated in Fig. 1 from a different angle;

[0037] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which a lighting emblem module is applied according to another embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view along line BB' shown in Fig. 6;

[0039] Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting emblem module illustrated in Figure 6;

[0040] Figures 9a to 9c are drawings illustrating the shape of light displayed in the lighting emblem module.

[0041] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a name emblem module and an airbag cover assembly to which the same is applied, will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0042]

[0043] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which a lighting emblem module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the airbag cover assembly illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA' illustrated in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting emblem module illustrated in FIG. 2, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the airbag cover assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 from a different angle.

[0044] Hereinafter, the direction in which the connector (50) is installed in the airbag cover (11) is referred to as 'front (B)', and the opposite direction is referred to as 'rear (F)'. In addition, terms indicating directions such as 'left (L)', 'right (R)', 'upper (U)', and 'lower (D)' are defined as indicating each direction based on the 'front (F)' and 'rear (B)' described above in the state illustrated in each drawing.

[0045]

[0046] An airbag cover assembly (10) to which a lighting emblem module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied includes, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an airbag cover (11) coupled to a steering wheel, a lighting emblem module (12) installed in the airbag cover (11) and providing a lighting emblem function by irradiating light to the outside of the airbag cover (11), and an airbag housing (not shown in the drawing) coupled to the airbag cover (11) with an airbag module (not shown in the drawing) accommodated therein.

[0047] And the airbag cover assembly (10) according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention further includes a connector (50) that transmits power and control signals to the lighting emblem module (12), and the connector (50) can be coupled to the airbag cover (11) or the airbag housing using a coupling member.

[0048] The airbag cover (11) can be formed in a roughly cylindrical shape with an open lower surface.

[0049] Therefore, the airbag cover (11) includes a side wall portion (21) extending toward the steering wheel and an upper plate (22) that shields the upper portion of the side wall portion (21) and covers the airbag module (not shown in the drawing) accommodated inside.

[0050] The side wall portion (21) may be formed in a tubular shape with a cross-section of various shapes, such as a circular shape, an oval shape, or a square shape, to correspond to the joining space formed on the upper surface of the steering wheel. An airbag housing (13) that accommodates the airbag module inside may be joined to the lower portion of the side wall portion (21).

[0051] A leather cover is installed on the upper surface of the upper plate (22), and a tear line (not shown in the drawing) that breaks as the airbag cushion expands can be formed.

[0052] The front and rear ends of the upper plate (22) may be formed to extend downward so as to shield all or part of the front and rear sides of the side wall (21), respectively.

[0053] The above airbag housing is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape with an open upper surface, and can be combined with the lower part of the opened airbag cover (11).

[0054] For example, the side wall of the airbag housing is formed with a size and shape corresponding to the internal space of the side wall portion (21) so as to be able to be joined to the side wall portion (21) of the airbag cover (11), and the side wall may be provided with a plurality of joining protrusions that are joined to a plurality of joining holes provided in the side wall portion (21).

[0055] Each joint hole is formed in a cross-section that is approximately a 'U' shape, and each joint projection can be formed in a hook shape that corresponds to the shape of each joint hole and protrudes outward from the top to the bottom.

[0056] And, a mounting hole for mounting an inflator (not shown in the drawing) is formed in the central portion of the lower surface of the airbag housing, and one or more coupling hooks can be formed or coupled to the lower surface of the airbag housing so as to be coupled to an armature of a steering wheel.

[0057] The connector (50) is coupled with a counterpart connector (not shown in the drawing) that is electrically connected to a control unit and a battery (not shown in the drawing) provided in the vehicle, and has the function of transmitting control signals and power to the PCB (32).

[0058] Here, the above control signal can be transmitted to the lighting emblem module (12) using the LIN or CAN communication method provided in the automobile.

[0059] These connectors (50) can be angle-adjustably coupled to the side wall portion (21) of the airbag cover (11) or the side wall or lower surface of the airbag housing through the above-described coupling member.

[0060]

[0061] Next, the configuration of the lighting emblem module is described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5.

[0062] The lighting emblem module (12) may include a printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as 'PCB') (32) on which a plurality of LEDs (31) are installed at preset intervals on the upper surface, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, a PCB housing (33) on which the PCB (32) is mounted on the upper surface, and a diffuser (35) installed on the upper portion of the PCB (32) to transmit light emitted from each LED toward the upper portion of the airbag cover (11) while shielding the upper surfaces of each LED (31) and the PCB (32).

[0063] Therefore, the lighting emblem module (12) simultaneously provides a lighting (ambient) function that illuminates the upper surface of the airbag cover (11) and an indicator function that displays the driving status of the vehicle or the operating status of each device.

[0064] The PCB (32) is formed in a roughly square plate shape, and a plurality of LEDs (31) can be installed at preset intervals along the length direction of the PCB (32), that is, the left-right direction when viewed in FIG. 4, on the upper surface of the PCB (32).

[0065] Here, each LED (31) may be provided as a single-color LED having the same color, or multiple LED sets consisting of red, green, and blue LEDs may be installed on the PCB (32) so that red, green, and blue LEDs can be selectively combined to emit light in various colors.

[0066] For example, each LED (31) may be mounted on a PCB (32) using a Chip On Board (COB) method or Surface Mount Technology (SMT) so as to prevent damage or breakage by molding the exterior while installed on the PCB (32).

[0067] And the above LED sets can be provided in multiples, for example, about 20 to 50.

[0068] Of course, the present invention can vary the number of LEDs or the number of LED sets depending on the length of the PCB (32) in the front, back, left, and right directions.

[0069] In addition, the present invention can be modified to irradiate light of a desired color by providing a fluorescent material (not shown in the drawing) coated on top of a single-color LED (31).

[0070] In addition, the present invention is not limited to the lighting emblem module (12) having a shape that follows a single straight line, and can be changed into various shapes to correspond to the vehicle manufacturer's name, vehicle name, logo, image, etc.

[0071] PCB (32) can receive the control signal and power from the control unit and battery provided in the vehicle through a cable (321) and connector (50) connected to one side and transmit them to each LED (31).

[0072] Here, a controller (not shown in the drawing) that is powered and operates on the PCB (32) and generates a driving signal to drive each LED (31) according to the control signal is provided, and a terminal section may be provided on one side of the PCB (32), at the center of the upper surface as viewed from FIG. 4, to which an internal connector (322) connected to the inner end of a cable (321) is coupled.

[0073] Thus, a plurality of LEDs (31) and PCBs (32) are supplied with power through the connector (50), cable (321), internal connector (322) and the terminal section, and can be turned on or flashed to emit light of the same color or different colors by a driving signal of the controller according to a control signal of the control section.

[0074] This PCB (32) can be fixed to the lower part of the upper plate (22) of the airbag cover (11) by the PCB housing (33) while installed in the PCB housing (33).

[0075] The PCB housing (33) is formed in a plate shape or a roughly hexahedral shape with an open upper surface, and an installation space in which a PCB (32), an internal connector (322), and a cable (321) are installed can be formed inside the PCB housing (33).

[0076] Therefore, the lighting emblem module (12) can individually adjust the on / off timing of multiple LEDs (31) and the duty ratio of each driving signal in the form of a PWM signal to drive each LED (31) according to the operation mode to be displayed, thereby controlling the color and concentration of light irradiated upward from the airbag cover (11).

[0077] The diffuser (35) is formed in a roughly plate shape to correspond to the upper surface of the PCB housing (33), and a space in which the PCB (32) is installed can be formed in the central portion of the lower surface of the diffuser (35). In addition, a diffusion projection (351) protruding upward can be formed to extend in the left and right directions in the central portion of the upper surface of the diffuser (35).

[0078] The diffusion projection (351) has the function of diffusing and irradiating light transmitted from the diffuser (35) upward, and can be coupled to an installation hole (23) formed in the airbag cover (12). To this end, the installation hole (23) can be formed to extend long and left-right in the approximate center of the airbag cover (11) so as to correspond to the shape of the diffusion projection (351).

[0079] Here, a plurality of coupling portions (331) may be formed penetrating along two rows at preset intervals on the front and rear sides of the PCB housing (33), and a plurality of coupling holes (352) may be formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of coupling portions (331) on the front and rear sides of the diffuser (35). In addition, a plurality of coupling protrusions (24) may be formed protruding downward on the lower surface of the upper plate (22) of the airbag cover (11) to be coupled by penetrating through each coupling hole (352) and coupling portion (331).

[0080] Each bonding section (331) can be formed into a roughly cylindrical shape by extending in the vertical direction centered on the PCB housing (33).

[0081] Thus, the diffuser (35) and the PCB housing (33) can be firmly fixed to the lower surface of the upper plate (22) of the airbag cover (11) by the lower part of the plurality of connecting projections (24) whose cross-sectional area is expanded by sequentially penetrating the plurality of connecting holes (352) and connecting portions (331) and then applying heat and pressure through a riveting process.

[0082] And, on the lower surface of the diffuser (35), one or more fixing ribs (353) extending in the left and right directions on the front and rear sides of the diffusion protrusion (351) may be formed to protrude downward. Thus, each fixing rib (353) may be positioned and fixed between the front and rear surfaces of the PCB (32) and the upper surface and joining portion (331) of the PCB housing (33).

[0083] Here, the PCB housing (33) can be manufactured by injection molding using the same synthetic resin material as the airbag cover (11).

[0084] The diffuser (35) can be manufactured using a synthetic resin material containing a diffusion agent so as to diffuse light in various directions and angles.

[0085] For example, the diffuser (35) can be manufactured using a material such as polycarbonate (PC) or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

[0086] In this diffuser (35), the diffusion protrusion (351) may be made transparent so that it can diffuse and transmit light, or may be manufactured using a material mixed with a diffusion agent, or may be coated so that it can transmit light, and the remaining part except for the diffusion protrusion (351) may be colored black or the like so that it blocks the diffusion of light, or may have a coating layer formed on the outer surface or a sticker attached to it.

[0087] In addition, among the mounting ribs (353) formed on the lower surface of the diffuser (35), a pair of bending portions (354) may be provided at both ends of the mounting ribs that contact the front surface of the PCB (32) so as to be bent backward toward the PCB (32).

[0088] And, on the front side of the PCB (32), a pair of joining grooves (323) can be formed, into which a pair of bending portions (354) are joined respectively.

[0089] Therefore, since the diffuser (35) and the PCB (32) are more firmly fixed by the combination of a pair of bending portions (354) and a joining groove portion (323), vibration or external force transmitted to the diffuser (35) and the PCB (32), especially, flow due to vibration or external force transmitted in the left-right direction, can be effectively prevented.

[0090] Of course, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this, and may be modified to form a bend portion (354) at both ends of the mounting rib (353) that contacts the rear surface of the PCB (32), form a joining groove portion (323) on the rear surface of the PCB (32), or form a joining groove portion (323) and a bend portion (354) on a pair of mounting ribs (353) that contact the front and rear surfaces of the PCB (32), respectively.

[0091] In addition, one or more, for example, a pair of fixing protrusions (355) extending forward or backward may be provided on both sides of each fixing rib (353) formed in the diffuser (35), and a fixing groove (332) to which each fixing protrusion (355) is coupled may be formed on the upper surface of the PCB housing (33).

[0092] For example, depending on the installation location, the fixed home portion (332) may be formed to protrude upward from the upper surface of the PCB housing (33) in a shape with an open front or back, such as a '∩' or '∪' shape.

[0093] Therefore, since the diffuser (35) and the PCB housing (33) are more firmly fixed by the combination of the respective fixing protrusions (355) and fixing grooves (332), vibration or external force transmitted to the diffuser (35) and the PCB housing (33), especially, movement due to vibration or external force transmitted in the left-right direction, can be effectively prevented.

[0094] In this way, the present invention can provide both a lighting function and a display function simultaneously by using a lighting emblem module.

[0095] And the present invention can implement dynamic effects by irradiating light of different colors and intensities using only a pair of LEDs.

[0096]

[0097] Next, the coupling relationship between the lighting emblem module and the airbag cover to which it is applied according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described.

[0098] First, the worker assembles the lighting emblem module (12) by placing multiple LEDs (31) on the upper surface of the PCB (32) and placing a diffuser (34) and a PCB housing (33) on the upper and lower surfaces of the PCB (32), respectively.

[0099] At this time, the PCB (32) is placed on the installation space formed on the upper surface of the PCB housing (33), and can be placed on the space between the mounting ribs (353) formed on the lower surface of the diffuser (35).

[0100] Here, the PCB (32) is firmly fixed to the diffuser (35) by being joined to a pair of bending portions (354) formed at both ends of the fixing ribs (353) on the lower surface of the diffuser (35) by a pair of joining grooves (323) formed on the front surface.

[0101] And the diffuser (35) is firmly fixed to the PCB housing (33) by having each of the fixing projections (355) extending forward and backward from each of the fixing ribs (353) and being respectively joined to each of the fixing grooves (332) formed on the upper surface of the PCB housing (33).

[0102] Next, the worker places the lighting emblem module (12) under the upper plate (22) of the airbag cover (11) and moves the lighting emblem module (12) upward to join it.

[0103] At this time, the diffusion projection (351) provided on the upper surface of the diffuser (35) is coupled to the installation hole (23) formed in the upper plate (22), and the plurality of coupling projections (24) formed on the lower surface of the upper plate (22) are coupled by penetrating the coupling hole (352) of the diffuser (35) and the coupling part (331) of the PCB housing (33), respectively, and then the cross-sectional area of ​​the lower part is expanded by a riveting process, thereby firmly fixing the lighting emblem module (12).

[0104] When the assembly of the airbag cover assembly (10) is completed through this process, the airbag housing with the airbag cushion built into it is combined with the lower part of the airbag cover (11) and then mounted on the steering wheel.

[0105]

[0106] Next, the operating method of the lighting emblem module according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail.

[0107] When the airbag cover assembly (10) is installed in a vehicle, the controller provided on the PCB (32) of the lighting emblem module (12) generates a driving signal to individually light or blink a plurality of LEDs (31) or LED sets installed on the PCB (32) according to a control signal received from the control unit. In addition, the controller can provide various operation modes by variously adjusting the duty ratio of the driving signal in the form of a PWM signal.

[0108] Therefore, the above controller can control the concentration and color of light irradiated through the airbag cover (11) from the lighting emblem module (12), thereby implementing dynamic effects such as dynamic movement, blinking, and mixing and changing of colors.

[0109] For example, a dynamic effect can be implemented by sequentially driving the LED (31) installed on the left side of the PCB (32) to the LED (31) installed on the right side, or by adjusting the duty ratio of the driving signal to move the display area from the left to the right.

[0110] Of course, it should be noted that the above dynamic effect can be varied in various ways, such as moving from left to right or right to left, moving from the center to the outskirts or from the outskirts to the center, or dividing the display area into multiple sections and individually lighting, blinking, or moving each section.

[0111] In this way, the lighting emblem module (12) divides the operation modes corresponding to the driving status of the vehicle or the operating status of each device into welcome mode, goodbye mode, electric vehicle start on and off mode, reverse gear mode, voice recognition mode, high voltage charging mode, charging error mode, driving mode, side vehicle approach mode, etc., and can maintain a blinking or lighting state according to each operation mode, expand or move the display area in the left and right direction, and mix or change colors to implement various dynamic effects.

[0112] Through the process described above, the present invention can provide both a lighting function and a display function simultaneously by using a lighting emblem module.

[0113] And the present invention can implement various dynamic effects such as moving, expanding, or contracting by applying multiple LEDs to irradiate light of different colors and concentrations.

[0114] That is, the present invention can implement static lighting effects such as single-color lighting and gradient lighting, and dynamic effects such as dimming and movement (FLOW) by using a plurality of LEDs installed on a PCB.

[0115] Accordingly, the present invention can guide drivers and passengers to intuitively check the current driving status or operating status by implementing dynamic effects corresponding to various operating modes that indicate the driving status of a vehicle or the operating status of each device.

[0116]

[0117] Meanwhile, in the above embodiment, it was described that multiple LEDs were installed along a single straight line on the PCB to irradiate light in a bar shape, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to this.

[0118] For example, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an airbag cover assembly to which a lighting emblem module according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB' shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of the lighting emblem module shown in FIG. 6. And FIGS. 9A to 9C are drawings illustrating the shape of light displayed in the lighting emblem module.

[0119] An airbag cover assembly (10) to which a lighting emblem module according to another embodiment of the present invention is applied has the same configuration as the airbag cover assembly (10) to which a lighting emblem module is applied described in the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, except that the display area of ​​the lighting emblem module (12) is configured to have a certain area.

[0120] That is, in this embodiment, a plurality of LEDs (31) or LED sets are arranged in a dot matrix form along a plurality of columns and rows on the PCB (32) to irradiate light in a plane shape toward the upper side of the airbag cover (11) through a display area of ​​a certain area.

[0121] To this end, the length of the PCB (32) and the installation hole (23) of the airbag cover (11) and the diffusion projection (351) of the diffuser (35) in the front-rear direction can be increased to correspond to the area of ​​the above-mentioned display area.

[0122] And the lighting emblem module (12) may further include a masking plate (34) that blocks the light emitted from each LED (31) from spreading to the surroundings.

[0123] The masking plate (34) is formed in a shape corresponding to the upper surface of the PCB (32) and can be installed on the upper part of the PCB (32).

[0124] A plurality of transmission holes (341) may be formed in the masking plate (34) at positions corresponding to each LED (31) or LED set to transmit light emitted from each LED (31) upward.

[0125] These masking plates (34) can be colored black or the like to block the diffusion of light, or a coating layer can be formed on the outer surface or a sticker can be attached to the outer surface.

[0126] For example, instead of forming a plurality of penetration holes on the upper surface, the masking plate (34) may be modified to implement the effect of penetration holes (341) by etching the area corresponding to the penetration holes (341) after being painted or printed with a black or other shielding color.

[0127] In this way, the lighting emblem module (12) can display characters in a stationary or moving state as shown in FIG. 6 by arranging a plurality of LEDs (31) in a dot matrix form, or can display static images such as hearts, human faces, galaxies, arrow shapes, or images with dynamic effects as shown in FIGS. 9a to 9c.

[0128] Meanwhile, the present invention may be modified to install the masking plate (34) on the upper part of the PCB (31) shown in FIG. 4.

[0129] Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0130] That is, in the above embodiment, the lighting emblem module (12) is described as being applied to the airbag cover assembly (10), but the present invention is not necessarily limited thereto.

[0131] For example, the present invention may be modified to apply the lighting emblem module (12) to various devices and locations provided in a vehicle, such as a steering wheel or cockpit.

[0132] Although the invention made by the present inventor has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0133] The present invention applies to a lighting emblem module that provides both a lighting function and a display function, and an airbag cover assembly technology to which the same is applied.

Claims

1. A printed circuit board (hereinafter referred to as “PCB”) on which multiple LEDs are installed on the upper surface. A PCB housing on which the PCB is mounted on the upper surface; and Including a diffuser installed on the upper part of the PCB and diffusing the light emitted from each LED upward while shielding each LED and the upper surface of the PCB. A lighting emblem module characterized by simultaneously providing a lighting function and a display function that indicates the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices provided in the vehicle.

2. In paragraph 1, The above plurality of LEDs are provided individually, each LED emitting a single color, or as an LED set combining red, green, and blue LEDs. The above PCB is provided with a controller that drives the plurality of LEDs in different colors or the same color according to a control signal from a control unit provided in the vehicle. A lighting emblem module characterized in that the controller controls the on and off timing and the duty ratio of each driving signal for driving the plurality of LEDs so as to implement a dynamic effect preset for each operating mode indicating the driving status of the vehicle or the operating status of each device provided in the vehicle.

3. In paragraph 2, The above plurality of LEDs are installed on the PCB in the form of a dot matrix having a plurality of columns and rows so as to irradiate light through a display area having a plane shape, A lighting emblem module characterized in that the controller controls the on and off timing and duty ratio of each driving signal for driving the plurality of LEDs to provide a dynamic effect of displaying a moving image through the display area.

4. In paragraph 1, The above diffuser is formed in a plate shape, A space is formed on the lower surface of the above diffuser in which the PCB is installed, A lighting emblem module characterized in that a diffuser is provided on the upper surface of the diffuser to be coupled to an installation hole formed in the airbag cover.

5. In paragraph 4, On the front and rear sides of the PCB housing, a plurality of joint holes are formed at preset intervals along two rows, respectively. A plurality of coupling holes are formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of coupling holes on the front and rear sides of the above diffuser, respectively. The above diffuser and the PCB housing are fixed to the airbag cover by applying heat and pressure to the lower portions of the plurality of joining protrusions formed on the airbag cover and increasing the cross-sectional area through a riveting process while being joined by penetrating the plurality of joining holes and joining workpieces.

6. In paragraph 5, On the lower surface of the above diffuser, one or more fixing ribs are formed protruding downwards, extending in the left and right directions on the front and rear sides of the diffusion protrusion, respectively. A lighting emblem module characterized in that the above-mentioned fixing rib is positioned and fixed between the front and rear surfaces of the PCB, the upper surface of the PCB housing, and the joining portion.

7. In paragraph 6, A pair of bending portions are formed at both ends of the above-mentioned fixing rib to be bent toward the PCB, The above PCB is formed with a pair of joining grooves to which the pair of bending portions are respectively joined, The above-mentioned fixing rib is formed with a fixed projection extending forward or backward, A lighting emblem module characterized in that a fixing groove is formed on the lower surface of the PCB housing to which the fixing projection is coupled.

8. In paragraph 1, Further comprising a masking plate installed on the upper part of the PCB and blocking the light emitted from each LED from spreading to the surroundings; A lighting emblem module characterized in that the masking plate has a plurality of penetration holes formed at positions corresponding to each LED to transmit light emitted from each LED, or, instead of the penetration holes, a shielding painting or printing is performed, and then an area corresponding to the penetration holes is etched to implement the effect of the penetration holes.

9. An airbag cover assembly having an applied lighting emblem module, characterized in that it simultaneously provides a lighting function and a display function that displays the driving status of the vehicle and the operating status of devices provided in the vehicle, including the lighting emblem module described in any one of Articles 1 to 8.

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