Reflection display system

Abstract

The invention relates to a reflection display system (1) for displaying a display image for a vehicle occupant by reflecting the display image on a vehicle window, comprising at least two displays (4 to 6), the rear face (7) of each of which is mounted on a support unit (8). In a mounting region (9) for the displays (4 to 6), the support unit (8) has at least one cooling line (10) which conducts a fluid cooling medium.

Description

[0001] Reflective display system

[0002] The invention relates to a reflective display system for displaying an image to a vehicle occupant.

[0003] From DE 10 2021 112 096 A 1, a method and a device for operating a windshield display system with cover detection, as well as a windshield display system, are known. A display unit is configured to show an image on the display surface. Furthermore, a detection sensor is provided for capturing the displayed image on the display surface. A control unit is configured to control the display unit for display. Additionally, detection information can be determined depending on the detected and displayed image. Furthermore, the control unit detects the presence of a foreign object on the display surface of the display unit, depending on the displayed image and the detection information. The control unit also signals a display malfunction if the presence of a foreign object on the display surface of the display unit is detected.

[0004] A display device and a head-up display for a motor vehicle are known from DE 102023 100 041 A 1. The display device comprises a conveyor belt unit designed to move a conveyor belt in a linear motion along a longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the display device comprises a light element strip with a linear arrangement of light points. The light points are arranged along a transverse direction on the conveyor belt. Additionally, a control unit is provided, which is configured to control the light element strips such that the light points, in conjunction with the linear motion of the conveyor belt, display a predefined image.The assembly line unit is designed to produce a large-area display unit for a head-up display (HUD) for a vehicle using minimal material, while requiring only a small amount of cooling compared to conventional full-surface displays. There is a constant effort to provide vehicle occupants with the most accurate and easily readable information possible, particularly in the area of ​​the windshield, via so-called head-up displays (HLIDs) and panoramic head-up displays (PHUDs). Therefore, PHUDs now extend across the entire width of a vehicle's front and incorporate large-area displays.

[0005] To display a variety of different information on the windshield depending on the situation and the external environment, high-performance integration platforms and control units are required. Due to their high energy consumption in a small area, these integration platforms and control units, as well as the additional large displays, require effective cooling to ensure their continuous functionality.

[0006] Conventional cooling systems are expensive, complex in design, and operate at low efficiency. This is because the displays, integration platforms, and control units are cooled by air supplied by the vehicle's cooling system. This approach increases the vehicle's energy consumption.

[0007] The present invention is based on the objective of providing a reflection display system that can be manufactured in a cost-effective and space-saving manner and in which the most efficient possible cooling of so-called PHUDs is possible.

[0008] According to the invention, this problem is solved with a reflection indicator system having the features of claim 1.

[0009] The inventive reflection display system for displaying an image to a vehicle occupant by reflecting the image off a vehicle window, preferably a windshield, comprises at least two displays, preferably at least three displays, which are mounted with their backs on a carrier unit. The carrier unit has a mounting area for the displays with at least one line carrying a fluid cooling medium. In the inventive reflection display system, the cooling of the displays is structurally relocated from the display area to the carrier unit in a space-saving and cost-effective manner compared to previously known solutions. This is achieved because the cooling line carrying the fluid cooling medium is integrated into the carrier unit, and the operating heat generated in the display area is transferred to the carrier unit and the cooling line integrated therein by thermal conduction.Cooling the at least two displays of the reflective display system via the carrier unit is significantly more efficient compared to previously known solutions that provide separate cooling for each individual display.

[0010] Furthermore, integrating the cooling system and / or cooling line into the carrier unit simplifies sealing and assembly, as it reduces the number of interfaces to the vehicle's cooling system compared to previously known solutions. This is because at least one cooling line can be connected to the vehicle's cooling system with only two connections instead of four, provided the reflective display system includes at least two displays. With prior art reflective display systems, each additional display increases the number of connections by two, resulting in additional connection complexity.

[0011] Furthermore, the integration of the cooling system into the carrier unit significantly simplifies the replacement of one or more defective displays compared to known solutions.

[0012] In an embodiment of the reflective display system according to the invention that can be manufactured with minimal assembly effort, the at least one cooling line is integrally formed with the preferably plate-shaped support unit. The support unit can be designed as an extruded component, preferably made of aluminum. In this case, the cooling line can advantageously be manufactured during the production of the support unit.

[0013] Alternatively, the cooling line can be designed as a separate, preferably flexible pipe, which is inserted into a recess in the support unit and firmly connected to the support unit. The recess in the support unit can, for example, be a milled cutout in a side surface of the support unit.

[0014] After inserting the tube, gaps between the recess and the cooling line can be filled with a suitable material, such as adhesive, resin, or similar substances, to ensure optimal heat transfer between the displays and the cooling medium in the cooling line. Alternatively, a metal cooling line can be permanently attached to the support unit, which will then be at least partially made of metal, by soldering or welding.

[0015] A first section of the cooling line can, in the installed position of the carrier unit, run from a cooling medium inlet located in a first lateral area of ​​the carrier unit, transversely to the vehicle towards a second lateral area opposite the carrier unit. Furthermore, a second section of the cooling line can essentially connect to the first section, running from the second lateral area back towards the first. This second section of the cooling line can be provided with a cooling medium outlet in the first lateral area. This allows the same bulkhead penetration in the vehicle body to be used for both the cooling medium inlet and outlet, resulting in cost and complexity advantages.

[0016] The first and second sections of the cooling line can be connected via an intermediate section in the second lateral area. This intermediate section allows cooling medium from the first section, which runs vertically below the second section when the carrier unit is installed, to flow towards the second section. This enables the cooling medium to flow vertically from bottom to top in the second lateral area, primarily through the preferably U-shaped intermediate section, and then exit the carrier unit laterally on the same side as the inlet. This also provides a simple and effective way to vent the cooling line during operation of the reflective indicator system.

[0017] If the support element is designed to support operating loads acting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle when installed in a vehicle, the stability of an instrument panel is improved in a simple way compared to previously known designs of instrument panels.

[0018] A thermal contact element made of thermally conductive material, whose thermal conductivity has values ​​in a range that preferably exceeds 0.1 W / (mK), can be arranged between the back sides of the displays and the mounting area of ​​the carrier unit.

[0019] Such a thermal interface material can form a thermal pad, for example, in the form of an elastic silicone mat. Alternatively, the thermal interface material can also be a thermal paste or a dispensable thermally conductive material. The thermal interface material effectively prevents air gaps between the mounting area of ​​the carrier unit and the back of the displays in a simple design, thereby minimizing thermal resistance between the back of the displays and the mounting area of ​​the carrier unit.

[0020] Furthermore, it is possible that several heat pipes are arranged in the assembly area between the cable sections and the backs of the displays. Each heat pipe runs between the first and second cable sections and contains an elongated metal vessel. These metal vessels can enclose hermetically sealed volumes. Each volume is partially filled with a liquid and partially with a gaseous working fluid. The heat pipes act as heat exchangers, utilizing the enthalpy of vaporization of the working fluid to achieve a high heat flow density. This allows large amounts of heat to be transferred over a small cross-sectional area. The transport of the liquid working fluid to the evaporator—that is, to the side of the heat pipe where heat is supplied—occurs passively and without auxiliary equipment.The heat pipes ensure that the temperature is equalized in the desired manner, essentially perpendicular to the flow direction of the cooling medium, thus achieving the most homogeneous cooling of the displays possible.

[0021] Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle with an instrument panel and with a reflection indicator system described in more detail above, which is arranged between a windshield of the vehicle and a steering column.

[0022] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. The foregoing description of the features and combinations of features, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown in the figures alone, are not only usable in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own.

[0023] The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to preferred embodiments and the drawing.

[0024] It shows:

[0025] Fig. 1 shows a simplified three-dimensional partial view of a front area of ​​a vehicle body and of a reflective display system mounted in the vehicle body;

[0026] Fig. 2 shows a highly simplified sectional view of the reflection indicator system according to Fig. 1 in isolation; and

[0027] Fig. 3 shows a three-dimensional detail view of another embodiment of a carrier unit of the reflection display system according to Fig. 1.

[0028] Fig. 1 shows a three-dimensional partial view of a front area of ​​a vehicle body 1 and of a reflective display system 2 mounted in the vehicle body 1, which is part of an instrument panel. The instrument panel is designed as a pre-assembled module that is inserted into the vehicle body 1 during vehicle assembly. A display image for vehicle occupants can be generated via the reflective display system 2 and shown by reflection on a vehicle window, preferably a windshield. For this purpose, the reflective display system 2 comprises a so-called panoramic head-up display 3 (PHUD), which in this case extends substantially across the entire width of the vehicle in the transverse direction Y and is designed with three displays 4 to 6. The displays 4 to 6 are each mounted with their back side 7 on a support unit 8 in the simplified manner shown in Fig. 2.

[0029] The carrier unit 8 is designed in a mounting area 9 for the displays 4 to 6 with a cooling line 10 carrying a fluid cooling medium. Depending on the specific application, the cooling line 10 is either integrally formed with the plate-like carrier unit 8 as shown in Fig. 3, or inserted into recesses 11 of the carrier unit 8 and firmly connected to it as shown in Fig. 2.

[0030] In the embodiment of the carrier unit 8 according to Figs. 1 and 2, a first section 10A of the cooling line 10 extends, in the installed position of the carrier unit 8, from an inlet 12 of the cooling line 10 for the cooling medium, which is located in a first lateral region 13 of the carrier unit 8, in the transverse direction Y of the vehicle towards an opposite second lateral region 14 of the carrier unit 8. A second section 10B of the cooling line connects to the first section 10A, extending in the transverse direction Y of the vehicle from the second lateral region 14 back towards the first lateral region 13 and having an outlet 15 for the cooling medium in the first lateral region 13. Due to the essentially straight paths of sections 10A and 10B, only a low flow resistance occurs in the cooling line 10.

[0031] The first section 10A and the second section 10B of the cooling line 10 are connected to each other in the second lateral area 14 via an intermediate section 10C. In the installed position of the support unit 8, cooling medium is guided through the intermediate section 10C from the first section 10A, which runs in the vehicle's vertical direction Z below the second section 10B, towards the second section 10B. For this purpose, the support unit 8 forms an angle α with a vehicle horizontal plane XY in the vehicle's longitudinal direction X, such that an upper edge 8A of the support unit 8 is positioned above a lower edge 8B in the vehicle's vertical direction Z. This allows air accumulations in the first section 10A of the cooling line 10 to be purged towards the second section 10B and the outlet 15 with minimal design effort.

[0032] Between the back sides 7 of the displays 4 to 6 and the mounting area 9, thermal contact elements 16 are arranged, which consist of a thermally conductive material whose thermal conductivity, depending on the respective application, has values ​​in a range greater than 0.1 W / (mK).

[0033] In assembly area 9, several flat heat pipes 17 are arranged between sections 10A and 10B of the cooling line 10 and the rear sides 7 of the displays 4 to 6. The heat pipes 17 each run essentially in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle between the first section 10A of the cooling line 10 and the second section 10B of the cooling line 10 and are spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction Y of the vehicle. Each heat pipe 17 comprises an elongated metal vessel 18, which in turn encloses a hermetically sealed volume. These volumes are each filled partly with liquid and partly with gaseous working fluid. During operation of the reflection indicator system 2, the working medium is evaporated in areas of the reflection indicator system 2 that are away from sections 10A and 10B of the cooling line 10 and represent so-called remote areas of the cooling line 10.This means that the heat pipes 17 not only equalize temperature gradients in the transverse direction between sections 10B to 10A of the cooling line 10, but also homogenize temperature gradients between areas of the reflection indicator system 2 that are far from and near the line.

[0034] The heat pipes 17 absorb heat, specifically the enthalpy of vaporization required for evaporation. In a known manner, the gaseous phase of the working medium flows towards the condensation zone of the heat pipes 17, which is located above the first section 10A of the cooling line 10. There, the heat pipes 17 transfer thermal energy to the carrier unit 8, causing the gaseous working medium, which can be water or similar, to condense. The condensed working medium then flows back into the heat pipes 17 towards the evaporator zones. In the embodiment of the carrier unit 8 according to Fig. 3, the first section 10A of the cooling line 10 comprises several pipe sections 10A1 running side by side in the transverse direction of the carrier element 8. Additionally, the second section 10A of the cooling line 10 has several pipe sections 10B1 running side by side in the transverse direction of the carrier element 8.Pipe sections 10A1 and 10B1 are separated from each other in the area of ​​the first lateral section 13, with pipe section 10A1 being connected to the inlet 12 and pipe section 10B1 to the outlet 14. The second lateral section 14 is configured with the intermediate section 10C and connects pipe sections 10A1 and 10B1.

[0035] The reflection display system 2 described above also meets the general requirements for cooling concepts regarding robustness. Furthermore, the reflection display system 2 has a low component weight and does not cause any additional energy consumption in the vehicle equipped with it. In addition, the reflection display system 2 can be easily integrated into existing vehicle systems, is cost-effective to manufacture, and exhibits low systematic complexity. Moreover, the increased cooling requirements resulting from the expanded display function can be met with minimal effort.

[0036] Furthermore, the waste heat dissipated by displays 4 to 6 can be used for temperature control in other areas of the vehicle, depending on the operating conditions. Therefore, the integration of the reflective display system 2 into the vehicle's cooling system has an overall positive effect on the efficiency with which the entire vehicle is operated.

[0037] Furthermore, the modular design of the reflection display system 1 reduces complexity. In case of service, the displays 4 to 6 of the PHUD 3 can be easily and selectively replaced without additional measures in the area of ​​the cooling system of the carrier unit.

[0038] Furthermore, the reflection indicator system 2 also contributes to the improvement of

[0039] The acoustics in the interior of a vehicle equipped with the Reflection Display System 2 are improved, as air accumulation in the cooling system is reduced and the internal fans used in known PHUDs are no longer required.

[0040] List of reference signs

[0041] 1 Vehicle body

[0042] 2 Reflection display system

[0043] 3 Panorama Head-Up Display

[0044] 4 to 6 display

[0045] 7 Back of the display

[0046] 8 carrier unit

[0047] 8A Top edge of the carrier unit

[0048] 8B Lower edge of the carrier unit

[0049] 9 Mounting area of ​​the carrier unit

[0050] 10 Cooling line

[0051] 10A first section of the cooling line

[0052] 10A1 Pipe sections of the first section of the cooling pipe

[0053] 10B second section of the cooling line

[0054] 10B1 Pipe sections of the second section of the cooling pipe

[0055] 10C Intermediate section of the cooling line

[0056] 11 recess

[0057] 12 Inlet of the cooling line

[0058] 13 first lateral area of ​​the carrier unit

[0059] 14 second lateral area of ​​the carrier unit

[0060] 15 Cooling line outlet

[0061] 16 thermal contact element

[0062] 17 Heat pipe

[0063] 18 containers

[0064] X Vehicle longitudinal direction

[0065] Y Vehicle transverse direction

[0066] Z Vehicle lifting direction

[0067] XY vehicle horizontal plane a angle

Claims

Patent claims 1. Reflection display system (1) for displaying a display image to a vehicle occupant by reflecting the display image onto a vehicle window with at least two displays (4 to 6) which are mounted with their back side (7) on a carrier unit (8), characterized in that the carrier unit (8) is provided in a mounting area (9) for the displays (4 to 6) with at least one cooling line (10) carrying a fluid cooling medium.

2. Reflection display system according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one cooling line (10) is integrally designed with the preferably plate-like support unit (8).

3. Reflection display system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooling line (10) is inserted into recesses (11) of the carrier unit (8) and is firmly connected to the carrier unit (8).

4. Reflection display system according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a first section (10A) of the cooling line (10) in the installation position of the carrier unit (8) extends from an inlet (12) of the cooling line (10) for the cooling medium, which is arranged in a first lateral region (13) of the carrier unit (8), in the transverse direction (Y) of the vehicle towards an opposite second lateral region (14) of the carrier unit (8), wherein a second section (10B) of the cooling line (10) is substantially connected to the first section (10A), which extends from the second lateral region (14) towards the first lateral region (13) and has an outlet (15) for the cooling medium in the first lateral region (13).

5. Reflection display system according to claim 4, characterized in that the first section (10A) and the second section of the cooling line (10) are connected to each other in the second lateral area (14) via an intermediate section (10C), through which, in the installed position of the carrier unit (8), the cooling line is separated from the cooling line in the vehicle's upward direction (Z). The cooling medium can be carried below the first section (10A) running below the second section (10B) in the direction of the second section (10B).

6. Reflection indicator system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element (8) is configured to support operational loads acting in the longitudinal direction (X) of the vehicle when installed in a vehicle during operation.

7. Reflective display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a thermal contact element (16) is arranged between the back sides (7) of the displays (4 to 6) and the mounting area (9), the thermal contact element being made of thermally conductive material whose thermal conductivity has values ​​in a range preferably greater than 0.1 W / (mK).

8. Reflection display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that several heat pipes (17) are arranged in the mounting area (9) between the sections (10A, 10B) of the cooling line (10) and the back sides (7) of the displays (4 to 6), each of which is arranged running between the first section (10A) of the cooling line (10) and the second section (10B) of the cooling line (10) and each has an elongated metal vessel (18) that hermetically encapsulates volumes, the volumes being filled to a small extent with liquid and to a larger extent with gaseous working medium.

9. Reflection display system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the carrier unit (8) is designed as a metal component, preferably as an aluminum component or the like.

10. Vehicle including: - an instrument panel located between the vehicle's windshield and a steering column; - the reflection indicator system (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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