Display assembly, manufacturing method therefor, and vehicle interior component comprising same

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a display assembly and a vehicle interior component comprising same. The display assembly has a simple structure and is low in cost, and can improve the viewing experience of users by means of integrated concealable display technology. The display assembly comprises: a decorative film sheet, the decorative film sheet comprising a pattern layer; a transparent cover plate, the transparent cover plate being formed on one surface of the decorative film sheet to form an integral member with the decorative film sheet; a display unit, the display unit being attached to a back surface of the integral member; and a light source, the light source being arranged on a back surface of the display unit or integrated in the display unit.

Description

Display components, methods of manufacturing thereof, and vehicle interior components including thereof Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of vehicle interior components technology. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a display assembly, a method of manufacturing such a display assembly, and vehicle interior components including such a display assembly. Background Technology

[0002] With the continuous development of vehicle technology, an increasing number of vehicle interior components integrate display devices that can show information or interact with users. However, whether in display mode or not, the display area of ​​these interior components often fails to maintain harmony with the surrounding non-display decorative areas, resulting in a relatively disjointed visual experience. Furthermore, the manufacturing cost, display clarity, and power consumption of these interior components are also key concerns for manufacturers, and there is a need for further improvement.

[0003] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a display component that has a simple structure, low cost, and can improve the user's viewing experience through integrated, hideable display technology.

[0004] To this end, a first aspect of this disclosure provides a display assembly comprising: a decorative film including a textured layer; a transparent cover formed on one surface of the decorative film to form an integral part therewith; a display unit attached to the back side of the integral part; and a light source disposed on the back side of the display unit or integrated into the display unit.

[0005] Based on the above-described technical concept, this disclosure may further include any one or more of the following alternative forms.

[0006] In some alternative forms, the transparent cover is formed on one of the surfaces of the decorative film by injection molding.

[0007] In some alternative forms, the thickness of the decorative film is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm, and / or the thickness of the transparent cover is between 1 mm and 3 mm.

[0008] In some alternative forms, the texture layer is an ink layer.

[0009] In some alternative forms, the transmittance of the decorative film is between 20% and 45%.

[0010] In some alternative forms, the decorative film includes a transparent base layer, a light-shielding layer on the transparent base layer, and a textured layer on the light-shielding layer, wherein the light-shielding layer and the textured layer are provided with a plurality of light-transmitting holes.

[0011] In some alternative configurations, the diameter of the light-transmitting aperture is between 15 μm and 80 μm.

[0012] In some alternative forms, the decorative film may also include a protective layer located on the textured layer.

[0013] In some alternative forms, the transparent cover is injection molded onto the entire back side of the decorative film, and a light-shielding layer is provided on the back side of the decorative film that does not overlap with the display unit or on the back side of the transparent cover that does not overlap with the display unit.

[0014] In some alternative forms, the transparent cover is injection molded onto the entire front side of the decorative film, and a light-shielding layer is provided on the back side of the decorative film in an area that does not overlap with the display unit.

[0015] In some alternative forms, the light-shielding layer extends to include a transition region that overlaps with the boundary of the display unit, the transition region being configured to gradually increase its transmittance inward.

[0016] In some alternative forms, the integral component has a planar or curved shape.

[0017] In some alternative configurations, the display unit is bonded to the integral component using optical adhesive.

[0018] In some alternative configurations, the display unit is a liquid crystal panel, an OLED panel, an LED display matrix, or a fixed beacon pattern.

[0019] In some alternative configurations, the display unit is an RGBW liquid crystal panel.

[0020] In some alternative configurations, the light source is a fixed light box, a side-lit backlight module, or a direct-lit LED backlight module.

[0021] A second aspect of this disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a display component according to a first aspect of this disclosure, comprising: providing the optical film; forming the transparent cover plate on one surface of the decorative film to form an integral part with the decorative film; providing the display unit and the light source, wherein the light source is disposed on the back side of the display unit or the light source is integrated into the display unit, and the back side of the integral part is attached to the front side of the display unit.

[0022] In some alternative forms, the step of providing the optical film includes: forming a transparent substrate layer; forming a light-shielding layer on the transparent substrate layer; forming the texture layer on the light-shielding layer; and performing a perforation process on the texture layer and the light-shielding layer to form a plurality of light-transmitting holes.

[0023] In some alternative forms, the textured layer is formed by coating the light-shielding layer with ink.

[0024] In some alternative forms, the transparent cover is formed on one of the surfaces of the decorative film using an in-mold insert injection molding process.

[0025] A third aspect of this disclosure provides a vehicle interior component including a display assembly according to a first aspect of this disclosure, wherein the vehicle interior component is an instrument panel, a sub-instrument panel, a seat back panel, a door panel, a seat armrest, or a headliner.

[0026] The display component disclosed herein possesses integrated, one-piece display and interactive functionality. Its display area not only provides a clear display but also offers an appearance consistent with the surrounding non-display decorative areas, enhancing the user's visual experience. Furthermore, this display component has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and has low cost, making it widely applicable in various types of vehicle interior components. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Other features and advantages of this disclosure will be better understood through the following detailed description of preferred embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals denote the same or similar parts.

[0028] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a display component according to the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a second embodiment of a display component according to the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a decorative film of a display component according to the present disclosure.

[0031] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the effect of the display component according to the present disclosure in a non-display state.

[0032] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the effect of the display component according to the present disclosure in the display state.

[0033] The elements in the accompanying drawings are shown for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to precise scale or shape. It should be understood that the drawings are not only used for explanation and illustration of this disclosure, but also, where necessary, to limit this disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0034] The implementation and use of specific embodiments are discussed in detail below. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments discussed are merely illustrative of particular ways of implementing and using this disclosure, and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure.

[0035] In this article, when describing the structural position of each component, "front" refers to the surface facing the observer, such as the left side surface of each layer in the display assembly of Figures 1 and 2; "back" refers to the surface away from the observer, such as the right side surface of each layer in the display assembly of Figures 1 and 2.

[0036] It is understood that the placement of the display component in a vehicle according to this disclosure is not restrictive. The display component may be integrated into the vehicle's interior components (i.e., interior trim) such as the instrument panel, sub-instrument panel, seat back panel, door panel, seat armrest, and headliner, or may be placed in any other location where information needs to be displayed for display and interaction purposes.

[0037] Figure 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first embodiment of a display component according to the present disclosure.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the display assembly mainly includes a decorative film 11, a transparent cover plate 12, an optical adhesive layer 13, a display unit 10, and a light source 14 arranged in sequence.

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, according to one embodiment, the decorative film 11 includes a transparent base layer 111, a light-shielding layer 112 located on the transparent base layer 111, an ink texture layer 113 located on the light-shielding layer 112, and an optional protective layer 114 located on the texture layer 113. The light-shielding layer 112 and the texture layer 113 are provided with multiple light-transmitting holes. More specifically, during the molding process of the decorative film 11, firstly, the transparent base layer 111 is formed, for example, by injection molding; then, the light-shielding layer 112 is formed on the transparent base layer 111, for example, by coating with ink; then, the texture layer 113 is formed on the light-shielding layer 112, for example, by coating with ink; then, the texture layer 113 and the light-shielding layer 112 are jointly perforated to form multiple light-transmitting holes; finally, the protective layer 114 is optionally applied to the texture layer 113. When the display unit 10 behind it is turned off, the texture layer 113 of the decorative film 11 will be clearly visible when illuminated by ambient light. When the rear display unit 10 is lit, light can pass through these light-transmitting holes to reach the outermost surface of the product to display patterns on the texture.

[0040] Understandably, the diameter and density of these light-transmitting holes determine the transmittance of the decorative film 11. For example, these light-transmitting holes are micropores with diameters between 15 μm and 80 μm, and the transmittance is preferably set between 20% and 45%. If the transmittance is below 20%, although the decorative effect is good, the light loss is too high, requiring a very high-brightness display light source, resulting in high power consumption and heat dissipation difficulties. If the transmittance is above 45%, although the light loss is low and a very high-brightness display light source is not required, the decorative texture will be relatively faint, resulting in a poor decorative effect. Therefore, a transmittance range of 20%-45% ensures the best decorative and display effects.

[0041] In this first embodiment, the transparent cover 12 is formed on the entire back side of the decorative film 11, for example, through an IML (In-Mold Insertion) process, to form an integral part with the decorative film 11. The transparent cover 12 provides support and strength for the decorative film 11 while protecting the display unit 10 behind it. The thickness of the decorative film 11 is, for example, between 0.1 mm and 1 mm. The thickness of the transparent cover 12 is, for example, between 1 mm and 3 mm. By integrally injection molding the decorative film 11 and the transparent cover 12 using the IML process, the complex bonding process and materials required if optical adhesive were used between the decorative film 11 and the transparent cover 12 are applied, reducing product thickness and cost. It is understood that the transparent cover 12 can be constructed as a flat surface or a curved surface with arbitrary curvature to conform to the specific shape of the vehicle interior trim, so that the integral part formed by the decorative film 11 and the transparent cover 12 has a flat or curved shape.

[0042] The display unit 10 is attached to the back of the integrated component, for example, by bonding it to the integrated component via an optical adhesive layer 13, or more specifically, by vacuum bonding it to the back of the transparent cover plate 12. The type of optical adhesive is not limited; for example, it can be OCA (transparent tape) or OCR (liquid transparent adhesive). After bonding, the areas of the decorative film 11 and the transparent cover plate 12 facing the display unit 10 constitute the display area, while the other areas outside the display area constitute the non-display area.

[0043] As shown in Figure 4, when the display unit 10 is off, no pattern is displayed, but the texture of the entire decorative film 11 is clearly visible under ambient light. As shown in Figure 5, when the display unit 10 is on, the light from the display unit 10 can reach the outermost surface of the product to display patterns (such as vehicle speed information, battery information, etc.) on the texture of the display area. Therefore, the display component of this disclosure eliminates the boundary and gap between the display area and the non-display area through this hideable display technology, improving the user's viewing experience.

[0044] It is understood that in this first embodiment, a light-shielding layer is provided on the back of the decorative film 11 in the area that does not overlap with the display unit 10 (i.e., the non-display area on the back of the decorative film 11) or on the back of the transparent cover 12 in the area that does not overlap with the display unit 10 (i.e., the non-display area on the back of the transparent cover 12) to prevent the non-display area from being exposed. The position of this light-shielding layer in the hierarchical structure depends on the requirements for the surface effect, and the light-shielding layer can be implemented by screen printing, curved surface printing, or UV (ultraviolet) printing according to the shape of the decorative film 11 or the transparent cover 12 and the desired effect.

[0045] The display unit 10 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel (LCD panel) or a fixed beacon pattern. Preferably, the display unit 10 is an RGBW (red, green, blue, white) liquid crystal panel. Using an RGBW liquid crystal panel in concealable display technology is highly advantageous because each pixel of an RGBW panel has an additional white photon sub-pixel, improving light extraction efficiency. Therefore, its transmittance is approximately three times that of a conventional RGB (red, green, blue) panel, resulting in lower power consumption for the same brightness. By using a high-transmittance RGBW panel to offset the lower transmittance of the decorative film 11, the display brightness requirements are still met without increasing power consumption or heat generation. For example, the transmittance of a conventional RGB panel is generally 3%. If the surface brightness requirement is 800 nits, the backlight brightness needs to reach 95,000 nits to meet the requirement. After testing, a 3.1-inch edge-lit backlight needs to consume 10.5W to achieve a brightness of 95,000 nits. On the other hand, the transmittance of an RGBW panel is 9%. With the same surface brightness of 800 nits, the backlight brightness only needs to be 31,000 nits, and the power consumption is only 3.5W to meet the requirement.

[0046] The light source 14 is arranged on the back of the display unit 10, and may be, for example, a fixed lamp box, a side-lit backlight module, or a direct-lit zoned LED (light-emitting diode) backlight module (including mini-LED backlight modules and micro-LED backlight modules). Here, "side-lit backlight module arranged on the back of the display unit 10" is understood to mean that the side-lit backlight module includes a light guide plate opposite to the back of the display unit 10 and light-emitting components arranged on the sides surrounding the light guide plate. Light emitted by the light-emitting components enters the light guide plate from the sides and then exits towards the back of the display unit 10 to illuminate it. According to one embodiment, the light source 14 may be integrated into the display unit 10, meaning the display unit 10 itself can emit light without an additional backlight source. In this case, the display unit 10 may be, for example, an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panel or an LED display matrix (including mini-LED display matrices and micro-LED display matrices). "Mini" indicates millimeter-level, and "micro" indicates micrometer-level.

[0047] For a non-self-emissive display unit 10, if the light source 14 uses a side-lit backlight module, a border effect is likely to occur after the display unit 10 is lit, meaning the boundary of the display unit 10 is easily visible. Therefore, in this case, the light-shielding layer disposed on the back of the decorative film 11 or the back of the transparent cover 12 preferably extends inward (i.e. towards the area on the back of the decorative film 11 or the transparent cover 12 that overlaps with the center of the display unit 10) to include a transition area that overlaps with the boundary of the display unit 10. This transition area is configured to gradually increase its transmittance inward (e.g., the printed ink gradually becomes lighter, or the density or diameter of the light-transmitting holes gradually increases), thereby weakening the display boundary after the display unit 10 is lit.

[0048] Figure 2 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the display component according to the present disclosure. The overall structure of the display component according to this second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, so the similarities will not be described again. The difference is that the transparent cover plate 12 is injection molded onto the entire front side of the decorative film 11 to form an integral part with the decorative film 11. That is, in this second embodiment, the transparent cover plate 12 is located on the outermost side of the product, and the display unit 10 is vacuum-bonded to the back side of the decorative film 11, for example, through an optical adhesive layer 13.

[0049] Understandably, in this case, a light-shielding layer can be provided on the back of the decorative film 11 in the area that does not overlap with the display unit 10 (i.e., the non-display area on the back of the decorative film 11) to prevent the non-display area from being exposed, and this light-shielding layer cannot be provided on the back of the transparent cover plate 12.

[0050] In fact, the positions of the decorative film 11 and the transparent cover 12 can be determined according to the surface decoration requirements. If a depth-of-field decorative effect is required, where the decorative texture is below the transparent part, the decorative film 11 is positioned on the back of the transparent cover 12. If the decorative surface needs to be exposed or has a certain tactile feel, the decorative film 11 is positioned on the front of the transparent cover 12. The display clarity of the decorative film 11 on the back of the transparent cover 12 is better than that of the decorative film 11 on the front of the transparent cover 12 (the closer the decorative film 11 is to the display unit 10, the higher the display clarity), but there is no difference in terms of display concealment.

[0051] In the manufacturing process of the aforementioned display component, firstly, a light-transmitting decorative film 11 comprising a transparent base layer 111, a light-shielding layer 112, and a textured layer 113 is provided, for example, by the molding method mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Then, a transparent cover plate 12 is injection molded onto the entire front or back of the decorative film 11 using, for example, an IML (In-Mold Insertion) process to form an integral part with the decorative film 11. This process allows for the integration of a thin, light-transmitting flexible decorative film 11 with the transparent cover plate 12, enabling the entire integral part to have a flat shape or various curved shapes adapted to specific shapes of vehicle interior trim components. Finally, a display unit 10 and a light source 14 are provided, with the light source 14 arranged on the back of the display unit 10, or integrated into the display unit 10. The back of the integral part is then bonded to the front of the display unit 10 using an adhesive layer 13, thereby obtaining the entire display component.

[0052] The technical content and features of this disclosure have been disclosed above. However, it is understood that under the creative concept of this disclosure, those skilled in the art can make various changes and improvements to the above-disclosed concept, but all of them fall within the protection scope of this disclosure.

[0053] The above description of the embodiments is illustrative and not restrictive, and the scope of protection of this disclosure is determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A display component, characterized in that, include: A decorative film, the decorative film including a textured layer; A transparent cover plate is formed on one surface of the decorative film to form an integral part with the decorative film; A display unit is attached to the back of the integral component; as well as A light source, which is disposed on the back of the display unit or integrated into the display unit.

2. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transparent cover is formed on one of the surfaces of the decorative film by injection molding.

3. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the decorative film is between 0.1 mm and 1 mm, and / or the thickness of the transparent cover is between 1 mm and 3 mm.

4. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The texture layer is an ink layer.

5. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transmittance of the decorative film is between 20% and 45%.

6. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The decorative film includes a transparent base layer, a light-shielding layer on the transparent base layer, and a textured layer on the light-shielding layer, wherein the light-shielding layer and the textured layer are provided with a plurality of light-transmitting holes.

7. The display component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The diameter of the light-transmitting hole is between 15 μm and 80 μm.

8. The display component according to claim 6, characterized in that, The decorative film also includes a protective layer located on the textured layer.

9. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transparent cover is injection molded onto the entire back side of the decorative film, and a light-shielding layer is provided on the back side of the decorative film that does not overlap with the display unit or on the back side of the transparent cover that does not overlap with the display unit.

10. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The transparent cover is injection molded onto the entire front side of the decorative film, and a light-shielding layer is provided on the back side of the decorative film in an area that does not overlap with the display unit.

11. The display component according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The light-shielding layer extends to a transition region that overlaps with the boundary of the display unit, the transition region being configured to gradually increase its transmittance inward.

12. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The integral component has a planar or curved shape.

13. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display unit is bonded to the integral component using optical adhesive.

14. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display unit is a liquid crystal panel, an OLED panel, an LED display matrix, or a fixed beacon pattern.

15. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The display unit is an RGBW liquid crystal panel.

16. The display component according to claim 1, characterized in that, The light source is a fixed light box, a side-lit backlight module, or a direct-lit LED backlight module.

17. A method for manufacturing a display component according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that, include: Provide the optical film; The transparent cover is formed on one surface of the decorative film to form an integral part with the decorative film; The display unit and the light source are provided, the light source is arranged on the back of the display unit, or the light source is integrated into the display unit, and the back of the integrated component is attached to the front of the display unit.

18. The manufacturing method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The steps of providing the optical film include: Form a transparent base layer; A light-shielding layer is formed on the transparent substrate layer; The texture layer is formed on the light-shielding layer; The texture layer and the light-shielding layer are jointly perforated to form multiple light-transmitting holes.

19. The manufacturing method according to claim 18, characterized in that, The textured layer is formed by applying ink to the light-shielding layer.

20. The manufacturing method according to claim 17, characterized in that, The transparent cover is formed on one of the surfaces of the decorative film using an in-mold insert injection molding process.

21. A vehicle interior component, characterized in that, The vehicle interior components include a display assembly according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the vehicle interior components are an instrument panel, a sub-instrument panel, a seat back panel, a door panel, a seat armrest, or a roof.

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