Content display device for road vehicle equipped with time measurement system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12227075-B2
Application number	US-202318499282-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 1, 2023
Priority date	Nov 4, 2022
Publication date	Feb 18, 2025
Grant date	Feb 18, 2025

Abstract

Road vehicle comprising a passenger compartment configured to accommodate a driver and at least one passenger alongside the driver; a vehicle dashboard; a steering wheel; a content display device comprises: a support element hinged in the area of a central portion of the vehicle dashboard, at the front between a driver's seat and a passenger's seat; at least one screen mechanically connected to the support element and configured to be visible to a passenger and/or to a driver while driving; a time measurement system, in particular a chronograph; the vehicle comprises mechanical controls arranged, namely mounted, in the area of the steering to give instructions to the time measurement system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Road vehicle ( 1 ) comprising
four wheels ( 2 ), of which at least one pair of wheels ( 2 ) is driven;
a passenger compartment ( 3 ) configured to accommodate a driver (DR) and at least one passenger (P) alongside the driver (DR);
a vehicular dashboard ( 4 );
a steering wheel ( 30 );
a displaying content device ( 5 );
wherein the displaying content device ( 5 ) comprises:
a support element ( 9 ) hinged at a central portion ( 6 ) of the vehicular dashboard ( 4 ), frontally between a driver's position ( 7 ) and a passenger's position ( 8 ) (P);
at least one screen ( 10 ), mechanically connected to the support element ( 9 ) and configured to be visible to the at least one passenger (P) and/or the driver (DR) while driving;
a time measurement system ( 36 ); and
mechanical controls ( 31 ) arranged at the steering wheel ( 30 ) to give instructions to the time measurement system ( 36 ).

2. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical controls ( 31 ) comprise at least a first button ( 32 ) or a first lever ( 32 ′) for imparting a measurement start/pause command and at least a second button ( 33 ) or a second lever ( 33 ′) for imparting a measurement reset command.

3. Vehicle ( 5 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the first button ( 32 ) or the first lever ( 32 ′) and the second button ( 33 ) or the second lever ( 33 ′), are operable respectively in compression along a first direction (D) and a second direction (E), different from the first direction (D).

4. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical controls ( 31 ) are operable respectively along a first direction (D) and a second direction (E), which are parallel to each other and perpendicular to a plane on which the steering wheel ( 30 ) lies.

5. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the time measurement system ( 36 ) is at least partially analogue and is integrated in the screen ( 10 ).

6. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the mechanical controls ( 31 ) are arranged along one or more arms ( 34 ) connecting a crown ( 35 ) of the steering wheel ( 30 ) to a central portion so as to be operated by the driver while keeping his/her hands on the steering wheel ( 30 ).

7. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 further comprising a control unit ( 26 ) configured to detect actuation of the mechanical controls ( 31 ) and vary the contents displayed by the display device ( 5 ) according to said actuation.

8. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 further comprising a handling system ( 11 ) hinged to the support element ( 9 ) and to the vehicular dashboard ( 4 ) for alternately rotating the screen ( 10 ) towards the driver (DR).

9. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 8 , wherein the handling system ( 11 ) comprises at least one swing arm, of which a first end ( 19 ) is hinged, by means of a first hinge ( 20 ), to the support element ( 9 ), and a second end ( 21 ) is hinged, by means of a second hinge ( 22 ), to the vehicular dashboard ( 4 ) of the road vehicle ( 1 ).

10. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 9 , wherein the first hinge ( 20 ) is integral with the support element ( 9 ) and is configured to rotate around the second hinge ( 22 ), which is configured to be integral with the vehicular dashboard ( 4 ) of the road vehicle ( 1 ).

11. Vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the time measurement system is a chronograph.

Assignees

• Ferrari Spa

Inventors

• Ive Jonathan P
• Whang Eugene
• Bataillou Jeremy
• Ashcroft Anthony
• Zhou Suhang
• Louzaouen Benoit
• Kiss Jemima
• Wilson Christopher
• Wan Wan Si
• Natera Biotz
• Mcgrath James
• Guyett Roger
• Luxton Joseph
• Matas Michael
• Kessler Patrick
• Romani Maximilian
• Conigliaro Vito

Classifications

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R2011/0005

  Dashboard · CPC title

• B60R2011/0085

  with adjustment by rotation in their operational position · 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

• B60K35/81

  for controlling displays · CPC title