Multifunction device and dashboard with such a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11117470-B2
Application number	US-201916409004-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2019
Priority date	May 11, 2018
Publication date	Sep 14, 2021
Grant date	Sep 14, 2021

Abstract

A multifunction device for a motor vehicle with a combustion engine or an electric drive includes at least one display device and at least one functional element, where the functional element is arranged in such a way in front of the display device at least area by area with respect to a display direction of the display device in that the functional element at least in a first area of the display device covers the display device along a normal direction of at least area by area the display device, as well as a dashboard with such a multifunctional device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A multifunctional device for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a display device having a first area and a second area;
a functional element, wherein the functional element is arranged in front of the display device with respect to a display direction of the display device; in that the functional element covers the display device at a first area, and wherein the functional element is spaced from the display device so that an interspace is formed between the display device and the functional element;
a cover; and
a housing device having a step-shaped portion,
wherein the cover is arranged in the interspace, covering the first area, covering the interspace, or delimiting the interspace,
wherein the cover is semitransparent or the transparency of the cover is modifiable,
wherein the functional element is accommodated in the housing device and the housing device covers the display device in the first area along a normal direction of the display device,
wherein the second area of the display device is outside the first area so that the second area of the display device is not covered by the functional element or the step-shaped portion of the housing device and can therefore be viewed, and
wherein, in response to the first area being inactive, the first area of the display device is blocked by the cover and not visible along direction of the display device, and in response to the first area being active, the first area is visible through the cover which is semitransparent or has a modifiable transparency, and
wherein the cover forms a top surface of the housing device, and the functional element is formed separately from the cover without being directly on the cover.

2. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional element comprises at least one air-conditioning device including at least one of an air outlet, an outlet nozzle, and air intake opening, at least one operating element including at least one of a switch, a push-button, a rotary switch, a toggle switch, and a selector lever, at least one shelf including at least one of a drawer, a niche, and a cup holder, at least one electrical socket, at least one display device, at least one lighting device, and/or at least one camera device.

3. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , wherein the functional element is movably mounted, wherein the movement is at least one of folding, translating, and rotating, so that the first area can be uncovered in the normal direction.

4. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing device is movably mounted wherein the movement is at least one of folding, translating, and rotating, so that the first area can be uncovered in the normal direction.

5. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , wherein the housing device is spaced from the display device so that at least one interspace is formed between the display device and the housing device.

6. The multifunction device according to claim 5 , further comprising at least one lighting device arranged below the cover or in the interspace formed between the display device and the housing device.

7. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , wherein the cover extends in an incline relative to a surface of the display device and parallel to the normal direction.

8. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , wherein the transparency of the cover can be modified by at least one electrochromic effect.

9. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one control or regulating device which is operatively connected to the display device, the functional element, the housing device, or the cover.

10. The multifunction device according to claim 9 , wherein a modification of the multifunction device can be carried out using at least one control or regulating device, the modification being selected from a group comprising at least one of a display in the first area of the display device can be turned on or turned off, a region of the first area in which information is displayed can be modified in size and shape, the transparency of the cover can be modified, a brightness of the display can be modified in at least one of the first area or the second area of the display device at least one of the housing device or the functional element can be moved using an actuator, which is operatively connected to the at least one control or regulating device control or regulating, and a brightness of a lighting device can be modified.

11. The multifunction device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor device, wherein the sensor device is operatively connected to the display device, the functional element, the housing device, and/or a control or regulating device, and wherein the multifunction device can be modified using measurement data generated or output by the sensor device.

12. The multifunction device according to claim 11 , wherein the sensor device comprises at least one sensor for detecting at least one viewing direction, at least one viewing angle, at least one position, at least one seating position, at least one viewing position, at least one temperature sensor and/or at least one motion sensor.

13. A dashboard for a motor vehicle with at least one of a combustion engine and an electric drive comprising a multifunction device according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Motherson Innovations Co Ltd

Inventors

• Koller Matthias
• Wieczorek Romeo

Classifications

• B60R21/01552 Primary

  detecting position of specific human body parts, e.g. face, eyes or hands · CPC title

• B60K35/21

  using visual output, e.g. blinking lights or matrix displays · CPC title

• B60K35/29

  Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions · CPC title

• B60K35/53

  Movable instruments, e.g. slidable · CPC title

• B60K35/60

  Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles (arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10) · CPC title