DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

On an inner wall in the interior of a vehicle, a display device is subdivided into a plurality of display fields with two directly adjacent display fields connected to each other along a common axis. At least one display field can be pivoted relative to at least one bending plane to beam display content into the interior at an angle a relative to the at least one bending plane. In a first operating position, a surface of this at least one display field is oriented perpendicular to the at least one bending plane. In a second operating position, this at least one display field is pivoted relative to the at least one bending plane at an angle 90 relative to the at least one bending plane to beam the display content into the interior parallel to the at least one bending plane.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A display device arranged on an inner wall in an interior of a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of display panels, including two directly adjacent display panels connected at a common axis and relatively pivotable about the common axis, at least one of the directly adjacent display panels, pivotable about a bending plane, emitting display content from a surface into the interior at a first angle relative to the bending plane when in a first operating position, and when the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels is pivoted at a second angle of 90 relative to the bending plane to a second operating position, the display content is emitted into the interior parallel to the bending plane.

13. The display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the bending plane is oriented at a predetermined angle with respect to an interior surface of the inner wall.

14. The display device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the first angle is an acute angle greater than 0 and less than 90.

15. The display device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display panels include two pivotable display panels, each pivotable relative to at least one bending plane, the surface of each of the two pivotable display panels being oriented perpendicular to the at least one bending plane in the first operating position to emit respective display content at the first angle relative to the at least one bending plane with the two pivotable display panels emitting the respective display content in different directions at a third angle of 2 between the different directions, and wherein the surface of each of the two pivotable display panels is at the second angle of 90 relative to a respective bending plane in the second operating position, so that the two pivotable display panels emit the respective display content in parallel.

16. The display device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the at least one bending plane is arranged between the two pivotable display panels, wherein the two pivotable display panels emit the respective display content in the different directions away from the at least one bending plane in the first operating position.

17. The display device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first angle for each display panel is permanently set.

18. The display device as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least one of the display panels is fixed in a stationary manner relative to the at least one bending plane, having a fixed surface oriented perpendicular to the at least one bending plane and emitting corresponding display content parallel to the at least one bending plane.

19. The display device as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one of the display panels fixed relative to the at least one bending plane is arranged between the two pivotable display panels.

20. The display device as claimed in claim 19, further comprising at least one holding device having two outer surfaces arranged parallel to one another, a first of the two outer surfaces connected to at least one of the display panels and a second of the two outer surfaces attachable to the inner wall.

21. The display device as claimed in claim 20, wherein the display device is arranged between two seats of the vehicle on the inner wall at a front of the vehicle in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle, wherein the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels emits the display content towards at least one of the two seats when in the first operating position.

22. The display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the display panels include two pivotable display panels, each pivotable relative to at least one bending plane, the surface of each of the two pivotable display panels being oriented perpendicular to a respective bending plane in the first operating position to emit respective display content at the first angle relative to the respective bending plane with the two pivotable display panels emitting the respective display content in different directions at a third angle of 2 between the different directions, and wherein the surface of each of the two pivotable display panels is at the second angle of 90 relative to the respective bending plane in the second operating position, so that the two pivotable display panels emit the respective display content in parallel.

23. The display device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the at least one bending plane is arranged between the two pivotable display panels, wherein the two pivotable display panels emit the respective display content in different directions away from the at least one bending plane in the first operating position.

24. The display device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the display panels include at least one fixed display panel, fixed relative to the at least one bending plane and arranged between the two pivotable display panels.

25. A method for presenting display content by a display device arranged on an inner wall in an interior of a vehicle and subdivided into a plurality of display panels, comprising: emitting display content from at least one of two directly adjacent display panels connected at and relatively pivotable about a common axis, the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels pivotable relative to a bending plane, the display content emitted into the interior at a first angle relative to the bending plane when a surface of the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels is oriented perpendicular to the bending plane in a first operating position; pivoting the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels relative to the bending plane to a second angle of 90 in a second operating position; and emitting the display content, from the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels, parallel to the bending plane in the second operating position.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein said pivoting includes pivoting two pivotable display panels, each pivotable relative to a respective bending plane, from the first operating position with each of the two pivotable display panels oriented perpendicular to the respective bending plane, to the second operating position with each of the two pivotable display panels at the second angle of 90 relative to the respective bending plane, wherein said emitting of the display content in the first operating position includes emitting respective display content from a surface of each of the two pivotable display panels at the first angle relative to the respective bending plane, the respective display content being emitted in different directions at a third angle of 2 between the different directions, and wherein said emitting of the display content in the second operating position includes emitting the respective display content from the surface of each of the two pivotable display panels parallel to the respective bending plane.

27. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein said emitting of the display content in the first operating position includes emitting the respective display content in the different directions away from at least one bending plane, with the at least one bending plane between the two pivotable display panels,

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising emitting corresponding display content parallel to the at least one bending plane from at least one of the display panels having a fixed surface permanently oriented perpendicular to the at least one bending plane during said emitting of the display content in the first and second operating positions.

29. The method as claimed in claim 28, wherein the at least one of the display panels fixed relative to the at least one bending plane is arranged between the two pivotable display panels.

30. The method as claimed in claim 26, wherein the display device is arranged between two seats of the vehicle on the inner wall at a front of the vehicle in a forward direction of travel of the vehicle, and wherein said emitting of the display content in the first operating position includes emitting the respective display content towards at least one of the two seats when the at least one of the directly adjacent display panels is in the first operating position.

31. The method as claimed in claim 25, further comprising emitting corresponding display content parallel to the bending plane from at least one of the display panels having a fixed surface permanently oriented perpendicular to the bending plane during said emitting of the display content in the first and second operating positions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] These and other aspects and advantages will become more apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of exemplary embodiments described in detail and schematically with reference to the drawings of which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of the display device in different operating states which result when carrying out a first embodiment of the method.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of the display device in different operating states which result when carrying out a second embodiment of the method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0028] The figures are described in a connected and comprehensive manner and the same reference signs are assigned to identical components.

[0029] The first embodiment of the display device 2 is schematically illustrated in a first operating position in FIG. 1a and in a second operating position in FIG. 1b. This display device 2 has a first display panel 4 and a second display panel 6 in this case. A bending plane 8 is also defined in the display device 2 and, in the first operating position (FIG. 1a), is oriented perpendicular to the surfaces of both display panels 4, 6, wherein the surfaces of both display panels 4, 6, in the first operating position, are arranged parallel to one another and beside one another in a common plane which is likewise oriented perpendicular to the bending plane 8. In this case, these two display panels 4, 6 form a pair of display panels 4, 6 which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the bending plane 8 and can be pivoted in opposite directions relative to the bending plane 8, wherein a common axis, about which these display panels 4, 6 which are directly adjacent here can be pivoted, runs through the bending plane 8.

[0030] In this case, the display device 2 also has a holding device 10 having a first outer surface or outer side to which the two display panels 4, 6 are pivotably fastened. The holding device 10 also has a second outer surface or outer side, via which the holding device 10 and therefore also the entire display device 2 can be arranged on an inner wall of a vehicle, for example on a center console between two front seats of the vehicle.

[0031] In the first operating position, provision is made for display content 12 of the first display panel 4, which is arranged here to the left of the bending plane 8, to be emitted to the left at an angle which here is pivoted to the left from the display plane 8 in the clockwise direction. Accordingly, the first display content 12 is emitted to the left at an angle of 90 relative to a surface of the first display panel 4. In contrast, second display content 14 of the second display panel 6 is likewise emitted at the angle which, however, is pivoted here to the right from the bending plane 8 in the anti-clockwise direction. Accordingly, the second display content 14 is emitted to the right at an angle of 90 relative to a surface of the second display panel 6. Therefore, the first display content 12 is visible from a first perspective in the first operating position and the second display content 14 is visible from a second perspective in the first operating position, wherein directions of these two display contents 12, 14 are overall oriented at twice the angle or at an angle 2 relative to one another.

[0032] In the second operating position provided on the basis of FIG. 1b, provision is made for the first display panel 4 arranged on the left to be pivoted to the right in the anti-clockwise direction toward the bending plane 8 at an angle of 90, whereas the right-hand, second display panel 6 is pivoted to the left in the clockwise direction toward the bending plane 8 likewise at the angle of 90.

[0033] However, provision is made for a respective angle 90, at which display content 12, 14 of a respective display panel 4, 6 is emitted relative to a respective surface of the respective display panel 4, 6 with respect to the first operating position, to also be retained in the second operating position, thus resulting in the display contents 12, 14 of both display panels 4, 6 being emitted parallel to one another and also parallel to the bending plane 8 in the second operating position.

[0034] The second embodiment of the display device 40 is schematically illustrated in a first operating position in FIG. 2a and in a second operating position in FIG. 2b. This display device 40 here includes a first display panel 13, a second display panel 16 and a third, fixed display panel 30 which is arranged between the first and second display panels 13, 16. Furthermore, a first bending plane 15, which is assigned to the first display panel 13, and a second bending plane 17, which is assigned to the second display panel 16, are defined for the display device 40.

[0035] In this case, a first axis, about which the first display panel 13 can be pivoted relative to the directly adjacent third display panel 30, runs through the first bending plane 15. The second display panel 16 can be pivoted relative to the directly adjacent third display panel 30 about a second axis which runs through the second bending plane 17. The two bending planes 15, 17 which are parallel to one another are oriented perpendicular to the surfaces of all three display panels 13, 16, 30 in the first operating position (FIG. 2a), wherein the surfaces of the display panels 13, 16, 30, in the first operating position, are arranged parallel to one another and beside one another in a common plane which is likewise oriented perpendicular to the bending planes 15, 17 which are parallel to one another.

[0036] The display device 40 also here includes a holding device 20 having a first outer surface to which the third display panel 30 is fastened in a stationary manner and is therefore fixed. The holding device 20 also has a second outer surface, via which the holding device 20 and therefore also the entire display device 40 can be arranged on an inner wall of a vehicle, for example on a center console between two front seats of the vehicle. The first outer surface and the second outer surface of the holding device 20, which is parallel to the first outer surface, are oriented perpendicular to the two bending planes 15, 17. The first display panel 13 can be pivoted relative to the first bending plane 15 assigned to it, the third display panel 30 and the holding device 20 and therefore also the inner wall. In addition, the second display panel 16 can be pivoted relative to the second bending plane 17 assigned to it, the third display panel 30 and the holding device 20 and therefore also the inner wall.

[0037] In the first operating position, provision is made for display content 22 of the first display panel 13, which is arranged here to the left of the first bending plane 8 and the third display panel 30, to be emitted to the left at an angle which is here pivoted to the left in the clockwise direction from the display plane 8. Accordingly, the first display content 22 is emitted to the left at an angle of 90 relative to a surface of the first display panel 13. In contrast, second display content 24 of the second display panel 16 is likewise emitted at the angle which, however, is here pivoted to the right in the anti-clockwise direction from the second bending plane 8 and the third display panel 30. Accordingly, the second display content 24 is emitted to the right at an angle of 90 relative to a surface of the second display panel 16. Display content 32 of the third display panel 30 is emitted parallel to the bending planes 15, 17 and perpendicular to the surface thereof in the first operating position. The first display content 22 is therefore visible from a first perspective in the first operating position and the second display content 24 is visible from a second perspective in the first operating position, wherein directions of these two display contents 22, 24 are overall oriented at an angle with respect to one another which is twice as large as the angle , that is to say at an angle 2 or 2*.

[0038] In the second operating position provided on the basis of FIG. 2b, provision is made for the first display panel 13 which is arranged on the left to be pivoted to the right in the anti-clockwise direction toward the first bending plane 15 and the third display panel 30 at an angle of 90, whereas the right-hand second display panel 16 is pivoted to the left in the clockwise direction toward the second bending plane 17 and the third display panel 30 likewise at the angle of 90. In contrast, an orientation of the third display panel 30 and its display content 32 relative to the holding device 20 and therefore the inner wall is unchanged in the second operating position in comparison with the first operating position.

[0039] However, provision is made for a respective angle 90, at which the display content 22, 24 of the first and second display panels 13, 16 is emitted relative to a respective surface of the respective display panel 13, 16 with respect to the first operating position, to also be retained in the second operating position, thus resulting in the display contents 22, 24, 32 of all three display panels 13, 16, 30 being emitted parallel to one another in the second operating position. In the second embodiment, the first and second display panels 13, 16 form a pair of display panels 13, 16 which are arranged symmetrically with respect to the fixed, third display panel 30 arranged between them and can be pivoted in opposite directions with respect thereto.

[0040] A description has been provided with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof and examples, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the claims which may include the phrase at least one of A, B and C as an alternative expression that means one or more of A, B and C may be used, contrary to the holding in Superguide v. DIRECTV, 358 F3d 870, 69 USPQ2d 1865 (Fed. Cir. 2004).