RADIANT PANEL FOR INSTALLATION INSIDE A VEHICLE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT

Abstract

A radiant panel (3) intended to be installed inside a passenger compartment (1) of a vehicle (2), a motor vehicle for example, is disclosed. The radiant panel (3) includes a dissipative region (10) arranged to generate heat by Joule heating and at least one functional component (17) arranged to perform at least one function other than generating heat by Joule heating in the dissipative region (10).

Claims

1. A radiant panel configured to be installed inside a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, the radiant panel comprising: a dissipative region arranged to generate heat by Joule heating; and at least one functional component arranged to perform at least one function other than generating heat by Joule heating in the dissipative region.

2. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 1, said radiant panel further comprising a first electrode and a second electrode that are arranged to at least produce an electric current in the dissipative region so as to generate heat.

3. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 2, one of the electrodes comprising at least one dissipating branch and a plurality of dissipating branches arranged to produce electric current that flows through the dissipative region between this branch and the other electrode so as to generate heat.

4. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 2, each electrode comprising a plurality of dissipating branches.

5. The radiant panel as claimed in 4, at least one of the dissipating branches of the first electrode being arranged between two neighboring dissipating branches of the second electrode, so that the electric current may be set up between the dissipating branch of the first electrode and the two neighboring dissipating branches of the second electrode.

6. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 4, the plurality of dissipating branches of one of the electrodes being electrically connected to a distributing branch of the one electrode.

7. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 3, at least one of the dissipating branches comprising offshoots at one of its ends, in particular Y-shaped offshoots.

8. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 2, the two electrodes each comprising an additional branch, the two additional branches serving as an electrode for the at least one functional component.

9. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 8, the additional branch connecting to the distributing branch.

10. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 1, the dissipative region consisting of a layer for generating warmth.

11. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 1, the at least one functional component being chosen from: a light source, an odor diffuser, a control and/or information screen, or a touch control box, a sound transmitter, a sound receiver, a biosensor, an actuator such as a button or a potentiometer, a radar transceiver, a radio transceiver, a receiving and/or transmitting antenna, an ambiance sensor, and a haptic controller or device.

12. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 1, the functional component being powered electrically via conductive tracks that are separate from the dissipating branches and the additional branches.

13. The radiant panel as claimed in claim 1, the electrical power delivered to the radiant panel being generated from a DC signal or from a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal so as to provide an average power to the dissipative region.

14. A passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, said passenger compartment comprising: at least one bodywork element and/or at least one passenger-compartment element, the bodywork element and/or the passenger-compartment element comprising at least one radiant panel comprising: a dissipative region arranged to generate heat by Joule heating, and at least one functional component arranged to perform at least one function other than generating heat by Joule heating in the dissipative region.

Description

[0097] Further features, details and advantages of the invention will emerge upon reading the description given below by way of indication with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0098] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vehicle passenger compartment in which are positioned one or more radiant panels according to the invention,

[0099] FIG. 2 is a schematic face-on view of a radiant panel according to the invention,

[0100] FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a radiant panel according to the invention.

[0101] The features, variants and various embodiments of the invention may be associated with one another, in various combinations, provided that they are not mutually incompatible or exclusive. It is possible, in particular, to imagine variants of the invention comprising only a selection of the features described below, in isolation from the other described features, if this selection of features is sufficient to confer a technical advantage or to distinguish the invention from the state of the art.

[0102] In particular, all of the variants and all of the embodiments described may be combined with each other if there is no technical reason preventing this combination.

[0103] It should be noted that the figures illustrate the invention in detail with a view to the implementation of the invention. Said figures may of course serve to better define the invention, where appropriate.

[0104] In the figures, elements common to a number of figures keep the same reference.

[0105] In the present invention, certain elements may be indexed (such as for example first element or second element, etc.). Unless stated otherwise, it is a question of simple indexing, to differentiate between and name elements that are similar but not identical. This indexing does not imply priority of one element with respect to another and such denominations may easily be interchanged without departing from the scope of the present description.

[0106] FIG. 1 illustrates a passenger compartment 1 of a motor vehicle 2 equipped with at least one radiant panel 3 according to the invention. Radiant panels 3 according to the invention are distributed within the passenger compartment 1 to locally generate heat in the direction of the regions intended to be occupied by one or more users of the motor vehicle 2. According to the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the radiant panels 3 according to the invention are arranged on various interior surfaces of the passenger compartment 1, such as for example a door 4, a roof 5, a seat 6, an element of a seat 6 (headrest, backrest, seat base, etc.), a dashboard 7, a lower part of the dashboard such as a footwell 8 and/or an armrest 9. Obviously, other interior surfaces could be equipped with radiant panels 3 according to the invention depending on the needs of each user and/or depending on the configuration of the passenger compartment 1. By interior surface what is meant is any surface facing the regions of the passenger compartment 1 that are occupied by the passengers of the motor vehicle 2.

[0107] FIG. 2 shows a radiant panel 3 according to the invention comprising a dissipative region 10 arranged to generate heat by Joule heating. Advantageously, the dissipative region 10 has an oval shape. Obviously, depending on the arrangement of the radiant panel 3 within the passenger compartment 1, the dissipative region may be another shape, such as a rectangle, a square, a circle, or a trapezoidal shape. These shapes are given by way of illustrative and non-limiting examples of the present invention. The radiant panel 3 further comprises a first electrode 11 and a second electrode 12 that are arranged to produce an electric current in the dissipative region 10 so as to generate heat by Joule heating.

[0108] The first electrode 11 and the second electrode 12 are organized within the radiant panel 3 as follows: each of the electrodes comprises a plurality of dissipating branches 13. These dissipating branches 13 are arranged to produce electric current in the dissipative region 10, this electric current flowing through the dissipative region 10 between one of the dissipating branches 13 belonging to the first electrode 11 and one of the dissipating branches 13 belonging to the second electrode 12. In the example shown in FIG. 2, the dissipating branches 13 are arranged substantially in alternation with one another (so-called “comb” arrangement). Thus, at least one of the dissipating branches 13 of the first electrode 11 is arranged between two neighboring dissipating branches 13 of the second electrode 12, so that the electric current may be set up between the dissipating branch of the first electrode 11 and the two neighboring dissipating branches of the second electrode 12.

[0109] The term “neighboring” is understood to mean that at least one of the dissipating branches of the first electrode is located at a sufficiently small distance from the two dissipating branches of the second electrode that the electric current is able to flow through the dissipative region 10.

[0110] The plurality of dissipating branches 13 of the first electrode 11 is electrically connected to a distributing branch 14 of the first electrode 11. Reciprocally, the plurality of dissipating branches 13 of the second electrode 12 is electrically connected to a distributing branch 15 of the second electrode 12. By distributing branch what is meant is the portion of the electrode (first electrode 11 or second electrode 12) that is connected to an electrical power source.

[0111] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the distributing branches 14 and 15 are arranged such that they encircle the dissipative region 10 at least locally. Of course, the invention is not limited to this exemplary embodiment, and it is possible to design a radiant panel in which the distributing branches are both arranged outside the dissipative region 10, or in contrast both arranged in the dissipative region 10 at least locally. In another exemplary embodiment, it is possible to imagine a radiant panel in which one of the distributing branches is arranged outside the dissipative region 10 and in which the other distributing branch is arranged at least locally in the dissipative region 10.

[0112] Thus, the distributing branches 14 and 15 are electrically connected to an electrical power source able to deliver an electric current of a magnitude I. This current flows through the distributing branches 14 and 15. The electric power source is also able to deliver a voltage U applied across the distributing branch 14 and the distributing branch 15.

[0113] FIG. 2 shows that certain of the dissipating branches 13 comprise offshoots at one of their ends, certain offshoots being Y-shaped, whereas other dissipating branches 13 have a free end.

[0114] In the electrical portion of the radiant panel 3 located outside the dissipative region 10, each of the electrodes 11 or 12 comprises at least one additional branch 16 arranged to serve as an electrode for at least one functional component 17. The additional branches 16 are arranged outside the dissipative region 10 and each of them is connected to one of the distributing branches. Certain of these additional branches 16 comprise offshoots (which are Y-shaped for example) at one of their ends, whereas others have a free end.

[0115] According to this exemplary embodiment, the dissipating branches 13 and the additional branches 16 are arranged substantially perpendicular to the distributing branches 14 and 15. Furthermore, the dissipating branches 13 and the additional branches 16 are arranged substantially parallel to one another. They also have a substantially equal length. However, depending on the shape given to the radiant panel 3 and depending on its location within the passenger compartment 1, the length of each of the dissipating branches 13 and additional branches 16 may vary to match the variation in the dimensions of the radiant panel 3.

[0116] According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, certain functional components 17, the function of which is not to generate warmth by Joule heating, are located within the dissipative region 10, whereas others are arranged outside said dissipative region 10. It is possible to imagine a radiant panel 3 according to the invention in which all the functional components 17 are arranged outside the dissipative region 10. A functional component 17 is only electrically active if one of its electrical connections is assigned to one of the distributing branches (for example the distributing branch 14) and the other of its electrical connections is assigned to the other distributing branch (the distributing branch 15 in this example). In the example of the arrangement of the functional components 17 shown in FIG. 2, the functional components 17 located in the dissipative region 10 are electrically connected to dissipating branches 13, whereas functional components 17 located outside of the dissipative region 10 are electrically connected to additional branches.

[0117] The functional components 17 in the example illustrated in FIG. 2 are five in number. However, it should be noted that the number of functional components 17 within the electrode network is a non-limiting parameter of the present invention, the invention not being limited by the number of functional components. The size of the radiant panel may be a parameter limiting the number of functional components integrated into the network of electrodes. RFID components, or energetically stand-alone components, although not shown in FIG. 2, may also be implemented in the radiant panel.

[0118] In the example illustrated in FIG. 2, the functional components 17 are chosen from: a diode, a loudspeaker, and an actuator such as a button. Of course, the invention is not limited to this type of functional component and depending on user needs and the location of the radiant panel 3 within the passenger compartment 1, other functional components 17 may be envisioned. Thus, the functional component 17 may be chosen from: [0119] a light source, [0120] a scent diffuser, [0121] a control and/or information screen, or a touch control box, [0122] a sound transmitter, [0123] a sound receiver, [0124] a biosensor, [0125] an actuator such as a button or a potentiometer, [0126] a radar transceiver or a radio transceiver, [0127] an ambiance sensor, [0128] a haptic controller or device, [0129] or any other device dedicated to the well-being and/or comfort of said one or more passengers of the vehicle.

[0130] The electrodes 11 and 12 may for example be obtained by screen-printing.

[0131] The electrical power supplied to the radiant panel 3 may be generated from a DC signal or from a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal so as to provide an average power to the dissipative region 10.

[0132] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a radiant panel 3 according to the invention. The radiant panel 3 is arranged on a bodywork element 18 of the passenger compartment 1 of the motor vehicle 2. This bodywork element 18 comprises at least one slab 42 facing the outside of the passenger compartment 1. Advantageously, the bodywork element 18 comprises at least one thermally insulating element 19. The thermally insulating element 19 may be a layer of material having thermally insulating properties (sheet of felt made of natural or synthetic fibers for example). The slab 42 allows the radiant panel 3 to be held against the bodywork element 18 of the motor vehicle 2. The thermally insulating element 19 makes it possible to prevent the dissipation of heat to regions that do not allow the passenger compartment 1 to be heated.

[0133] Such as shown in FIG. 3, the radiant panel 3 advantageously comprises a binding sub-layer 41 that is arranged between the thermally insulating element 19 and the layer 20 for generating warmth by Joule heating. As shown in FIG. 3, at least one portion of the binding sub-layer 41 makes contact with a protective layer 21. The binding sub-layer 41 comprises a material having electrical properties, a high adhesion and/or a low roughness. Such a material may be chosen from polyimides such as Kapton, or polyethylene terephthalates such as Mylar.

[0134] In this particular embodiment, the dissipative region 10 of the radiant panel 3 consists of a layer 20 for generating warmth by Joule heating. The layer 20 for generating warmth comprises at least one heating element, and in particular a plurality of heating elements, and at least two electrodes.

[0135] In the variant embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the dissipative region 10 comprises five dissipating branches 13 arranged parallel to one another. Certain dissipating branches belong to the first electrode and other branches belong to the second electrode of the network (this cannot be seen in FIG. 3 as it is a cross-sectional view of a radiant panel). These electrodes are configured to electrically power the heating element, which may then emit heat via Joule heating. The heating element may be arranged in a thin layer, i.e. in a layer having a thickness smaller than 250 microns. The heating element may further comprise a coat of acrylic paint constituted from carbon particles and/or metal particles. Each heating element is placed between two electrodes and at least two heating elements are arranged adjacently to each other. As shown in cross section in FIG. 3, the electrodes configured to electrically power the heating element are arranged parallel to each other.

[0136] In FIG. 3, the dissipative region 10 advantageously comprises a protective layer 21 for protecting the layer for generating warmth. The layer 20 for generating warmth and the protective layer 21 are securely fastened to each other and at least partly make contact with each other. The protective layer 21 may be made of a material chosen from: a paint, a varnish. The protective layer 21 is advantageously covered with a sheet 22, which serves as a trim therefor. The sheet 22 may be made of a material chosen from: a fabric, a leather, a wood, a paint or any other material able to give the radiant panel an aesthetic appearance.

[0137] In FIG. 3, a single functional component 17, in the present case a loudspeaker, has been shown in the dissipative region 10.

[0138] Of course, the functional components 17 are arranged such that electric current is able to flow through each of them. Thus, the component 17 is placed against the sheet 22 and comprises electrical connection tabs 40 that pass through the protective layer 21 and through the sheet 22, with a view to being electrically connected to the dissipating branches 13.

[0139] Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the integration of functional components 17 into the dissipative region 10. Thus, it is possible to arrange functional components 17 (not shown in FIG. 3) outside the dissipative region 10, these components being arranged against the sheet 22 and comprising electrical connection tabs 40 that pass through the protective layer 21 and through the sheet 22 with a view to being electrically connected to the additional branches 16.

[0140] To conclude, the above description shows how the invention makes it possible to meet the set objectives: to provide a radiant panel capable both of heating the passenger compartment within a vehicle, a motor vehicle for example, and of offering several functional components to users. These functional components are intended for the comfort and well-being of users and it is easy to interact with them, in particular because they are integrated into one and the same interface.