MULTIFUNCTION DEVICE AND DASHBOARD WITH SUCH A DEVICE

Abstract

A multifunction device for a motor vehicle with a combustion engine or an electric drive includes at least one display device and at least one functional element, where the functional element is arranged in such a way in front of the display device at least area by area with respect to a display direction of the display device in that the functional element at least in a first area of the display device covers the display device along a normal direction of at least area by area the display device, as well as a dashboard with such a multifunctional device.

Claims

1. A multifunctional device for a motor vehicle with at least one of a combustion engine and an electric drive, comprising at least one display device; at least one functional element, wherein the functional element is arranged at least area by area in front of the display device with respect to a display direction of the display device, in that the functional element at least in a first area of the display device covers the display device at least area by area along a normal direction of the display device; and at least one cover, wherein the functional element is spaced from the display device such that at least one interspace is formed between the display device and the functional element, wherein the cover is arranged at least area by area in the interspace, covering at least area by area the first area, covering at least area by area the interspace at least area by area or delimiting at least area by area the interspace, wherein the cover is transparent or semitransparent at least area by area or the transparency of the cover is modifiable at least area by area.

2. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises at least area by area at least one air-conditioning device including at least one of an air outlet, an outlet nozzle, and air intake opening, at least one operating element including at least one of a switch, a push-button, a rotary switch, a toggle switch, and a selector lever, at least one shelf including at least one of a drawer, a niche, and a cup holder, at least one electrical socket, at least one display device, at least one lighting device, and/or at least one camera device.

3. The multifunction device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one housing device (11) which is step-shaped design at least area by area, wherein the functional element is accommodated at least area by area in the housing device and/or the housing device covers the display device at least area by area in the first area along the normal direction.

4. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is movably mounted and at least one of foldable, translator, and rotatory, so that the first area can be released in the normal direction.

5. The multifunction device according to claim 3, wherein the housing device is movably mounted and at least one of foldable, translator, and rotatory, so that the first area can be released in the normal direction.

6. The multifunction device according to one of the preceding claim 3, wherein the housing device is spaced from the display device so that at least one interspace is formed between the display device and the housing device.

7. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the cover extends at least area by area inclined relative to the surface of the display device and parallel to the normal direction.

8. The multifunction device according to claim 1, wherein the transparency of the cover can be modified at least area by area by at least one electrochromic effect.

9. The multifunction device according to claim 6, further comprising at least one lighting device arranged below the cover or in the interspace.

10. The multifunction device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one control or regulating device which is operatively connected to the display device, the functional element, the housing device, or the cover.

11. The multifunction device according to claim 10, wherein a modification of the multifunction device can be carried out using the control and/or regulating device, in particular a display in the first area of the display device can be turned on, turned off and/or switched on, an region of the first area in which information is displayed can be modified, in particular in size and shape, the transparency of the cover can be modified, a brightness of the display can be modified in the first area of the display device and/or in at least one second area of the display device which lies outside the first area, the housing device and/or the functional element can be moved using an actuator which is operatively connected to the regulating and/or control device, and/or a brightness of the lighting device can be modified.

12. The multifunction device according to claim 3, further comprising at least one sensor device, wherein the sensor device is operatively connected to the display device, the functional element, the housing device, the cover and/or the control and/or regulating device and/or using measurement data generated and/or output by the sensor device the multifunction device (3) can be modified.

13. The multifunction device according to claim 12, wherein the sensor device comprises at least one sensor for detecting at least one viewing direction, at least one viewing angle, at least one position, at least one seating position and/or at least one viewing position (P) of at least one part of a a driver of the vehicle or a front passenger or a passenger, at least one temperature sensor and/or at least one motion sensor.

14. A dashboard for a motor vehicle with at least one of a combustion engine and an electric drive comprising a multifunction device according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustration, there is shown in the drawings certain embodiments of the present disclosure. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate an implementation of systems and apparatuses consistent with the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain advantages and principles consistent with the invention.

[0032] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of an example of a dashboard with a multifunction device; and

[0033] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an example of the multifunction device of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a dashboard 1 with a multifunction device 3 according to the disclosure. As shown in FIG. 1, the multifunction device comprises a display device 5 and a plurality of functional elements 7 arranged in a housing device 11 designed as an upstream step 9. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the display device 5 is spaced from step 9 by a distance A. The distance A creates an interspace 13. This interspace 13 is covered by a cover 15 illustrated in FIG. 1 as in transparent. In alternative embodiments, it may be provided that the cover is arranged in the interspace 13. Below the cover 15, a first area 17 of the display device 5 is arranged. This area 17 is covered by the functional elements 7 or step 9. FIG. 1 also shows that a second area 19 of the display device 5 is present outside the first area. This second area 19 is uncovered by the functional devices 7 or step 9 and can therefore be viewed from any direction.

[0035] FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of the multifunction device 3. As can be seen from FIG. 2, step 9 covers the first area 17 of the display device 5 in a normal direction N. The first area is the area of the display device 5 in a normal direction N. If an observer now looks from diagonally above along the viewing direction R in the direction of the display device 5, the cover 15 prevents the observer from seeing the first area 17 of the display device 5. If the first area 17 of display device 5 is now activated, the information can be viewed through the semi-transparent cover 15. This can be supported by the fact that the cover 15 is designed to be switchable, i.e. can be switched from non-transparent to transparent, in order to enable a view of the first area 17 of display device 5.

[0036] The cover 15 is switched, in particular, by a control or regulating device which is not shown, depending on a detected viewing direction R or viewing position P of a viewer. Depending on this viewing position P and the resulting visibility of the display device 5, the sizes of the areas 17 and 19 in which information is presented are adjusted so that these areas can be viewed by the user or viewer. In particular, only an region of the first area 17 visible to the viewer will be activated. Outlet nozzles 23 supplied with air via a canal 21 integrated in step 9, lighting devices 25 or switches 27 step can be considered as functional element 7. In this way, the multifunction device according to the disclosure enables the best possible balance to be achieved between the size of the monitors and display devices available for displaying information on the one hand and the provision of further functional elements within the vehicle on the other.

[0037] The features disclosed in the preceding description in the claims and drawings may be essential to the disclosure in its various forms, either individually or in any combination.

REFERENCE LIST

[0038] 1 Dashboard

[0039] 3 Multifunction device

[0040] 5 Display Device

[0041] 7 Functional element

[0042] 9 Step

[0043] 11 Housing device

[0044] 13 Interspace

[0045] 15 Cover

[0046] 17 area

[0047] 19 area

[0048] 21 Canal

[0049] 23 Outlet nozzle

[0050] 25 Lighting device

[0051] 27 Switches

[0052] A Distance

[0053] B Display direction

[0054] N Normal direction

[0055] R Viewing direction

[0056] P Viewing position