Extendable and retractable display device for a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12477670-B2
Application number	US-202118018111-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 23, 2021
Priority date	Sep 23, 2020
Publication date	Nov 18, 2025
Grant date	Nov 18, 2025

Abstract

The extendable and retractable display device is provided with a flexible display foil which is stiffened by a flexible display foil carrier. The display foil and the display foil carrier can be moved into a housing and back out of this housing by being bent. This is implemented by means of at least one actuator, the lower end of which is supported in the housing and the upper end of which is connected to the upper end of the display foil carrier. The housing comprises a guiding means for deflecting the display foil and the display foil carrier when retracting and extending the display.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An extendable and retractable display device for a vehicle, comprising
a flexible display foil in OLED technology comprising a front side having a display surface and a rear side and an upper end portion adjoined by a main portion of the display foil extending to a lower end of the display foil, a flexible display foil carrier being attached to the display foil at the rear side thereof or being connected thereto by means of an intermediate layer of, in particular, elastic material and being provided with an upper end portion, which is adjoined by a main portion of the display foil carrier extending to a lower end of the display foil carrier, wherein the upper end portion of the display foil carrier abuts against the upper end portion of the display foil and is or can be stiffened, a housing into which the display foil together with the display foil carrier is retractable and out of which the display foil together with the display foil carrier is extendable, at least one motorically drivable, length-variable actuator having a first end supported in and/or on the housing and a second end to which the upper end portion of the display foil carrier is attached, and a guiding means in the housing for guiding the display foil and the display foil carrier in at least a partial area of their main portions along a line of curvature over less than 180 degrees or less than 135 degrees or less than 90 degrees during an extension and retraction of at least partial areas of the main portions of the display foil and the display foil carrier out of and into the housing by changing the length of the at least one actuator.

2 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one actuator has at least two actuator elements arranged between the two ends, wherein neighboring actuator elements are respectively guided so as to be slidable against and/or into one another.

3 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises a substantially C-shaped first actuator profile element and is provided with a closed side and an open side, a second actuator profile element which is slidably guided in the first actuator profile element, is also substantially C-shaped, and is provided with a closed side and an open side, the closed side of which faces the closed side of the first actuator profile element, and a third actuator profile element which is slidably guided in the second actuator profile element, is substantially C-shaped, and is provided with a closed side and an open side, the closed side of which covers the open side of the second actuator profile element.

4 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one length-variable support has a first end supported in the housing and a second end to which the upper end area of the display foil carrier is attached.

5 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one support has at least two support elements arranged between the two ends, wherein neighboring support elements are respectively guided so as to be slidable against and/or into one another.

6 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 5 , wherein the support comprises a substantially C-shaped first support profile element provided with a closed side and an open side, a second support profile element which is slidably guided in the first support profile element, is also substantially C-shaped and is provided with a closed side and an open side, whose closed side faces the closed side of the first support profile element, and a third support profile element, which is slidably guided in the second support profile element, is substantially C-shaped, and is provided with a closed side and an open side, the closed side of which covers the open side of the second support profile element.

7 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator or at least one of its support elements and/or, if present, the at least one support or at least one of its support elements has an inner side facing the display foil carrier, on which inner side a receiving groove is formed or arranged, wherein at least one retaining element is arranged, protruding from the rear side of the display foil carrier facing away from the display foil, in the main portion of said display foil carrier, specifically on an imaginary line which is opposite the receiving groove when the display foil and the display foil carrier are extended and retracted, and wherein the at least one retaining element immerses into the receiving groove when the display foil and the display foil carrier are extended and moves out of the receiving groove when the display foil and display foil carrier are retracted.

8 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 7 , wherein the at least one retaining element has a widened or angled end facing away from the display foil carrier for engaging behind a receiving slot of the receiving groove.

9 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the display foil and the display foil carrier at least partly protrude from the housing with their upper end portions when being retracted into the housing.

10 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one actuator and, if present, the at least one support for pivoting in the upper end portions of the display foil and the display foil carrier in the retracted state into the housing is or are pivotably mounted at the respective first end in the housing.

11 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 10 , wherein the second end of the actuator and, if present, the second end of the at least one support is arranged at the upper end portion of the display foil carrier in an articulated or bendable manner.

12 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 10 , wherein the first end of the at least one actuator and, if present, the first end of the at least one support can be moved away from the rear side of the display foil carrier in the retracted state of the display foil and the display foil carrier and can be pivoted into the housing in the moved-away position, wherein, in particular in the pivoted state, the degree of curvature of the partial area of the main portion of the display foil and the display foil carrier adjacent to the upper end portion is defined by contact elements arranged in the housing.

13 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein two actuators are provided which are arranged on both sides of the display foil and the display foil carrier and are connected to the upper end portion of the display foil carrier.

14 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein an actuator and a support are provided which are arranged on both sides of the display foil and the display foil carrier and are connected to the upper end portion of the display foil carrier.

15 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the guiding means has two guiding slots opposite each other and wherein the display foil carrier has lateral edges extending along its main portion, from which guiding pins cooperating with the guiding slot project or protrude laterally for guiding the display foil carrier.

16 . The extendable and retractable display device according to claim 1 , wherein the displa

Assignees

• Behr Hella Thermocontrol Gmbh

Inventors

• Beschnitt Alexander
• Landgräber Björn

Classifications

• B60K35/223 Primary

  Flexible displays · CPC title

• B60K35/53 Primary

  Movable instruments, e.g. slidable · CPC title

• B60K35/22

  Display screens · CPC title

• B60K2360/682

  Arrangements to cover or hide instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/55

  Instruments with parts that can change their shape or position to configure an active screen, e.g. by folding or by rolling · CPC title