DE102023003978A1 - Component in the vehicle interior with three-dimensional depth representation - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a component unit for an interior of a vehicle, comprising a transparent volume body (1), a mirror (3) on a bottom side of the volume body (1), and a frame (5) which surrounds at least one side surface of the volume body (1), as well as light elements (7) arranged in the frame (5) with a light emission in a respective predefined pattern, and a partially reflective cover layer (9) which is arranged on the upper side of the transparent volume body (1) opposite the mirror (3).

Description

The invention relates to a component unit for an interior of a vehicle.

Various additive manufacturing methods are known in the state of the art for gradually producing a desired component. The term "3D printing" has therefore become established for such manufacturing processes. Thermoplastic and resin-based plastics are particularly suitable as materials for such a process, as they can be softened sufficiently for processing at relatively low temperatures compared to metals.

The DE 11 2015 005 758 T5 relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional shaped article by alternately repeating forming a powder layer and forming a solidified layer, the repetition comprising: forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing sintering of the powder in the predetermined portion or melting and subsequent solidification of the powder; and forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the formed solidified layer, followed by irradiating a predetermined portion of the newly formed powder layer with the light beam, wherein the forming of the powder layer and the forming of the solidified layer are performed within a chamber, wherein the irradiation with the light beam for forming the solidified layer is performed by directing the light beam into the chamber through a light transmission window of the chamber, and wherein a gas jet is supplied to the light transmission window by using a movable gas supply device, wherein the light transmission window has been contaminated with smoke generated in the formation of the solidified layer.

Components that have a spatial effect in a vehicle such as a passenger car, especially decorative components, are sometimes difficult to implement due to the extremely limited space available in the interior of a vehicle. If the depth effect is achieved through actual spatial extension, a correspondingly large amount of installation space is required and is lacking elsewhere.

The object of the invention is to provide a three-dimensional component for a vehicle interior that can be designed to save as much space as possible.

The invention results from the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments and embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

A first aspect of the invention relates to a component unit for an interior of a vehicle, comprising a transparent volume body, a mirror on a bottom side of the volume body, and a frame which surrounds at least one side surface of the volume body, as well as light elements arranged in the frame which are designed to emit light in a respective predefined pattern, and a partially reflective cover layer which is arranged on the upper side of the transparent volume body opposite the mirror.

The component unit with the volume body forms an illuminated/backlit interior component or decorative part for a vehicle, in particular a passenger car. The component unit according to the invention is particularly suitable for use on a door decorative part or on a passenger handle on the dashboard. The component unit is intended for the vehicle interior. The special structure of reflective and transparent elements creates an optical depth effect that conveys the illusion of a significantly greater depth than is geometrically present through the use of spatial installation space. This is achieved in particular by the optical interaction of the mirror and the partially reflective cover layer, which together form an infinity mirror.

On the one hand, the volume body can be designed as an empty cavity and thus create a distance between the mirror and the cover layer. On the other hand, the volume body can also be made entirely of transparent material, for example transparent acrylate (polyacrylate). Since such a transparent plastic has a different refractive index than air, corresponding optical effects can also be created by the volume body, in particular by having a corresponding surface shape.

The solid body, whether it is an air-filled cavity or made of volume-filling material such as plastic, is surrounded by a frame on at least one side surface of the solid body. The frame in turn has light elements. The solid body is particularly preferably surrounded by the frame around its entire circumference on its lateral surface, formed by one or more side surfaces, and thus also by light elements. The solid body can in principle take on any shape, including spherical or cuboid. In general However, the frame with the light elements must be arranged at a distance from the mirror so that in particular the light elements are arranged along a circumference around the solid body parallel to the playing surface.

Furthermore, the light elements are preferably arranged above the mirror surface but below the cover surface in order to emit their light into the volume body. Furthermore, the light elements are preferably arranged equidistantly from one another on a circumference around the volume body. The circumference can run parallel to a surface of the mirror, but can also run at a predetermined angle of inclination relative to the surface of the mirror.

Furthermore, it is possible that only one row of light elements is provided, but several rows of light elements, in particular rows parallel to one another, can also be provided.

The light elements can, for example, be designed as individual LED elements that are spaced apart from one another. However, continuous light sources such as LED strips can also be used, in which case sections of an LED strip are to be considered as individual light elements. In addition, light can be guided through the frame to the volume body by means of a light guide, for example from a central light source or several central light sources. In this case too, individual light elements can be formed on the volume element as described, for example by the end of a transparent plastic rod with the purpose of a respective light guide.

The light elements are arranged on the side of the frame facing the solid body in such a way that they shine into the solid body, particularly preferably through the solid body to the mirror. In addition, the light elements are designed in such a way that they emit light in predefined patterns. Such patterns can create desired shapes, structures, emblems, logos and the like. The light elements can be provided with a corresponding template, preferably formed by a masking element.

The interaction of the mirror on the bottom side of the transparent volume body and the partially reflective cover layer on the top side of the transparent volume body creates an infinity effect through mutual reflection of light. Nevertheless, an occupant can look into the volume body through the partially reflective cover layer.

Movements and depth effects can be advantageously displayed by controlling the lighting elements accordingly. Furthermore, different design paradigms can be flexibly displayed, for example switching between a day design and a night design is possible.

The installation space required for implementation remains small. In particular, an improved artificial depth representation is achieved in places in the vehicle interior where installation space is critical. This offers an occupant an expanded sense of space, which is suggested visually. If an additive manufacturing process is used to manufacture the component unit, there is a high degree of flexibility in the design of the volume body and the spatial objects located therein. Both the shape of the volume body and the shape of the cover layer as well as the shape of an optionally integrated spatially extending symbol structure in the volume body can be designed with great flexibility using additive manufacturing; individual patterns are also possible. If the volume body is also manufactured from transparent material using additive manufacturing, almost any light refraction effect can be achieved in order to be able to use the light emitted by the light elements optimally. A wide variety of plastics (resins, recycled filaments, powder, ...) can be used as the starting material. Specifically, the additive manufacturing process can be carried out as FDM printing (abbreviation for “Fused Deposition Modeling”), through a polyjet process, an SLA printing (also called stereolithography), or another suitable process such as DLP printing or LCD printing.

The component unit is thus visible from one side (the frame is preferably opaque to the outside, but can be designed to reflect light towards the volume element); thus, the component unit is particularly suitable as a decorative part, as a cladding, as a display, as a mirror surface or as a mirror surface.

It is also advantageous to provide a component unit that is transparent through the cover layer, the volume body and the mirror, for example in the area of or to replace a glass roof, a pane, and others in the vehicle, by also making the mirror on the bottom side of the volume element partially reflective.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the component unit further comprises at least one masking element on the respective side of one or more of the light elements facing the volume body, wherein the respective masking element has translucent geometric shapes to produce the light emission in a predefined pattern.

Preferably, the masking element is also produced by additive manufacturing, particularly preferably from plastic. The at least one masking element can be made from a plastic strip with recesses that correspond to the desired patterns. The light from the light elements can then only penetrate through these recesses and into the solid body.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the frame is designed to reflect light on its side facing the solid body.

This means that not only are reflective surfaces used in the area of the bottom side of the solid body (through the mirror itself) and in the area of the top side of the solid body (through the partially reflective cover layer), but the side of the frame facing the solid body is itself designed as a mirror element. This results in an even more pronounced spatial depth effect.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the component unit further comprises a control unit for controlling the light elements, wherein the light elements are connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to control the light elements individually in order to generate different lighting modes of the component unit, wherein at least a first lighting mode is a day mode and at least a second lighting mode is a night mode.

The light elements can also be designed to emit different colors when controlled accordingly. For example, a single light element can be an RGB (abbreviation for red/green/blue) element in order to create any color by mixing colors. The control unit can then create a wide range of color effects and optical effects by controlling the light elements individually, including dynamic ones, i.e. changing over time, such as simulating movement or wave-like light effects.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the light elements are connected to a control unit for controlling the light elements, wherein the control unit is designed to control the light elements individually and offset in time from one another to suggest a movement in the component unit.

More complex animations can also be created, and the impression of waves or other movements in the component unit can also be created.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, a spatially extending symbol structure made of plastic is arranged in the volume body.

The symbol structure can have logos, trademarks, models of vehicles, buildings, airplanes, etc., abstract or natural objects such as a coral structure or similar. In this case, it is particularly preferred that the frame completely surrounds the solid body, so that the light elements arranged on the frame also shine around the entire circumference into the solid body and thus onto the symbol structure. The mirroring in the floor-side mirror and, if present, on the side of the frame facing the solid body, supports the spatial and optically enhanced viewing of the symbol structure.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the volume body is a cavity, i.e. an air-filled volume.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the solid body is made of transparent plastic, that is to say the volume of the solid body is (in particular completely) filled with plastic.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, at least one side of the solid body has a curved or stepped or bevelled surface.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the cover surface is curved or stepped or bevelled.

By shaping the solid body (if it is not an air-filled cavity but is filled throughout with material such as plastic) and/or the cover surface, different impressions of spatiality and other optical effects can be created.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, scattering bodies are arranged in a discontinuous manner in the volume body.

These scattering bodies can be, for example, color particles, quantum dots, or similar and are integrated into the matrix material of the solid body in the additive manufacturing process.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the partially reflective cover layer is a partially reflective film.

Further advantages, features and details emerge from the following description, in which - if necessary with reference to the drawing - at least one embodiment is described in detail. Identical, similar and/or functionally identical parts are provided with the same reference symbols.

• 1: Eine Bauteileinheit mit optischer Tiefenwirkung für einen Innenraum eines Fahrzeugs gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.
• 2: Eine Bauteileinheit gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel der Erfindung.
• 3: Mögliche Anordnungen von Lichtelementen aus einer Seitenansicht gemäß Ausführungsbeispielen der Erfindung.
• 4: Mögliche Formen von Volumenkörpern gemäß Ausführungsbeispielen der Erfindung.
• 5: Mögliche Ausführungen von Maskierelementen.
• 6: Mögliche Ausführungen von Symbolstrukturen bzw. Streukörpern.
• 7: Perspektivisch eine beispielhafte Bauteileinheit.

They show:

• 1 : A component unit with optical depth effect for an interior of a vehicle according to an embodiment of the invention.
• 2 : A component unit according to another embodiment of the invention.
• 3 : Possible arrangements of light elements from a side view according to embodiments of the invention.
• 4 : Possible shapes of solid bodies according to embodiments of the invention.
• 5 : Possible designs of masking elements.
• 6 : Possible designs of symbol structures or scattering bodies.
• 7 : An exemplary component unit in perspective.

The representations in the figures are schematic and not to scale.

1 shows an exemplary component unit for an interior of a vehicle. A hollow volume body 1 is delimited from below by a mirror 3. A frame 5 is also mirrored towards the volume body 1. The frame 5 and a partially reflective cover layer 9 delimit the volume body 1, which is designed as a hollow space, in a U-shape in addition to the mirror 3. The frame 5 has side legs on which light elements 7 are arranged with a light output in a predefined pattern. The light elements 7 are arranged in a ring shape at least in one row along a circumference around the hollow volume body 1 so that they shine into the volume body 1 and down to the mirror 3. In the 1 a possible beam path is drawn in dashed lines. Through defined masking by means of a masking element 11 in the radiation area of the light elements 7 or arrangement of defined elements in the volume body 1, defined patterns, structures, emblems, logos, etc. are created in the optical view. The very high-quality optical appearance can make a particular contribution to the luxury claim. Degrees of freedom in the design of a respective component unit are the height of the frame 5 and its orientation, in particular relative to the surface of the mirror 3, the arrangement and radiation direction of the light elements 7, in particular relative to the surface of the mirror 3, the configuration of one or more masking elements 11, the orientation and design of the surface of the mirror 3 and the partially reflective cover layer 9. The different masking elements 11 allow any shapes and logos to be used for the infinity effect. (e.g. stripes, stars, frosted glass, brand logos).

For example, a respective pattern is provided for a respective one of the light elements 7, or the same pattern is assigned to all light elements 7.

2 shows another component unit. In contrast to the component unit of the 1 this also has a symbol structure 13. In addition, in this example of the component unit, the volume body 1 is manufactured from acrylate plastic by additive manufacturing. The symbol structure 13 is therefore already manufactured in the volume body 1 during production, and there are also color particles in the volume body 1 to act as scattering bodies to scatter the light from the light elements 7. This means that the volume of the volume body 1 is perceived as being flooded with light. A control unit is used to individually control the light elements 7. Various lighting modes of the component unit can thus be generated, with at least a first lighting mode being a day mode and at least a second lighting mode being a night mode. The optical effects and the impression of depth are thus achieved by the reflections of the light from the light elements 7, by the transparent volume body 1 and the symbol structure 13, which represents a 3D structure inside the volume body 1. Despite the incorporation of the symbol structure 13, only an installation space depth of less than nine millimeters is necessary for the integration of the component unit into the interior of the vehicle, regardless of the length of the component unit.

When realizing the component unit according to 1 or 2 or similar component units, geometric degrees of freedom as well as different arrangements of the light elements 7 and differently shaped masking elements 11 can also be used. Examples of this are shown in the following 3 until 6 shown.

3 shows in the partial images (A) to (F) different arrangements for the light elements 7. In partial image (A) two rows of light elements 7 are arranged one above the other. The two rows run parallel around the solid body 1. In partial image (B) the two rows of light elements 7 from partial image (A) have a convex angle to one another, i.e. they radiate in the direction of the mirror 3 and in the direction of the cover layer 9. In partial image (C), the lower row of light elements 7 radiates perpendicularly away from the frame 5, but the upper row of light elements 7 is directed towards the mirror 3. In partial image (D), the light elements 7 are arranged so as to protrude into the volume body 1. In partial image (E), unlike in partial images (A) to (D), a light guide is used instead of individual LED elements, the light source of which is outside the frame 5. LED elements and light guides can also be combined to form mixed light elements 7, as shown in partial image (F).

4 shows in the matrix with rows (A), (B), (C) and columns (U), (V), (W), (X) different shapes of the solid body 1, which can also be combined with each other. In row (A) a variation in the top of the solid body 1 is shown, specifically in columns (U) to (X): convex, concave, diamond-shaped, relief-shaped. In row (B) with the same columns possible shapes of the bottom of the solid body 1: convex, concave, diamond-shaped and with an angle of inclination. In row (C) in the same columns the lateral outer surface of the solid body 1 in the same columns as convex, concave, with an upward inclination and with a downward inclination, but with a straight section. Analogous to the solid body 1, the cover layer 9 can also have corresponding shapes.

5 shows in lines (A) to (D) various designs of the masking element 11. In line (A) equidistant recesses are shown, in line (B) a pattern, in line (C) scale-shaped openings, in line (D) a vertical pattern.

6 also shows exemplary designs of the symbol structure 13, which are projected onto the drawing plane. In fact, the symbol structure 13 is preferably designed three-dimensionally. In line (A), objects from nature are spatially depicted in the additive manufacturing process of the solid body 1. In line (B) a waveform is shown, which can also be introduced flatly into the solid body 1 during its manufacture. Line (C) shows a particle pattern with smaller particles, which can also be easily introduced in an additive manufacturing process during the manufacture of a solid body 1 made of plastic.

7 shows an example component unit with a view into the volume body 1. The symbol structure 13, which is physically set up as a single cuboid, appears infinitely often mirrored and is illuminated by the light elements 7 arranged in several rows around a respective circumference. The viewer has the impression of looking into an infinitely deep component unit with an infinitely often mirrored symbol structure 13.

Although the invention has been illustrated and explained in detail by preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples and other variations can be derived therefrom by the person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of possible variations exist. It is also clear that embodiments mentioned by way of example really only represent examples that are not to be understood in any way as a limitation of the scope of protection, the possible applications or the configuration of the invention. Rather, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete terms, whereby the person skilled in the art, with knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, can make a variety of changes, for example with regard to the function or the arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 11 2015 005 758 T5 [0003]

Claims (10)

Component unit for an interior of a vehicle, comprising a transparent volume body (1), a mirror (3) on a bottom side of the volume body (1), and a frame (5) which surrounds at least one side surface of the volume body (1), as well as light elements (7) arranged in the frame (5), which are designed to emit light in a respective predefined pattern in the volume body (1), and a partially reflective cover layer (9) which is arranged on the upper side of the transparent volume body (1) opposite the mirror (3). component unit according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one masking element (11) on the respective side of one of the light elements (7) facing the volume body (1), wherein the respective masking element (11) has translucent geometric shapes in order to generate the light emission in a respective predefined pattern. Component unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame (5) is designed to reflect light on its side facing the solid body (1). Component unit according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a control unit for controlling the light elements (7), wherein the light elements (7) are connected to the control unit, wherein the control unit is designed to control the light elements (7) individually in order to generate different lighting modes of the component unit, wherein at least a first lighting mode is a day mode and at least a second lighting mode is a night mode. Component unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the light elements (7) are connected to a control unit for controlling the light elements (7), wherein the control unit is designed to control the light elements (7) individually and offset in time from one another to suggest a movement in the component unit. Component unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a spatially extending symbol structure (13) made of plastic is arranged in the volume body (1). Component unit according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the volume body (1) is an air-filled cavity. Component unit according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , wherein the volume body (1) is made of a volume made of transparent plastic. component unit according to claim 8 , wherein at least one side of the solid body (1) has a curved or stepped or bevelled surface. Component unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein scattering bodies are arranged in a discontinuous manner in the volume body (1).

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