Display apparatus for vehicle

• US 8,474,860 B2
• Filed: 09/20/2011
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Subaru Corp.
• Original Assignee: Fuji Jukogyo KK (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohoka, Kenichi, Kokuzawa, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US13/236,940
• Publication Number:
  US 20120074674A1
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.3, 280/731, 280/730.2, 280/732, 340/438, 340/461
• US Class Current: 280/728.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2165 characterised by a tear line for defining a deployment opening

Abstract

A display apparatus for a vehicle provided in an interior member of the vehicle that covers an airbag device and has specified movable areas that, when a bag portion is expanded and inflated, swing and open so as to form an area through which the bag portion passes. The display apparatus for a vehicle includes displays that have a flexible sheet-like shape and that are mounted on surfaces of the respective movable areas, display control devices that are disposed at positions away from the movable areas and drive the displays in order to cause the displays to display images, and flexible wiring portions that connect the displays to the display control devices and that has flexibility so as to be able to bend when the movable areas swing.

Claims

1. A display apparatus for a vehicle provided in an interior member of the vehicle, the interior member covering an airbag device provided with a bag portion that is expanded and inflated in response to a crash or a pre-crash of the vehicle, the interior member having a specified movable area that, when the bag portion is expanded and inflated, swings and opens so as to form an area through which the bag portion passes, the display apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one display that has a flexible sheet-like shape and that is mounted on a surface of the movable area, wherein;

the interior member has a fragile portion that breaks due to an input from the bag portion when the airbag device is operated, and

at least part of end portions of the at least one display is disposed along the fragile portion;

wherein the interior member includes a display end protecting portion that is integrally formed with the interior member so as to cover the end portion of the at least one display.

2. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display control device that is disposed at a position away from the movable area and that drives the at least one display in order to cause the at least one display to display an image; and

a flexible wiring portion that connects the at least one display to the display control device and that has flexibility so as to be able to bend when the movable area swings.

3. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one display comprises a plurality of displays provided adjacent to each other with the fragile portion disposed therebetween, and

the plurality of displays form a multi-display.

4. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one display is a light-emitting display.

5. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one display is a touch-panel display that displays an input portion for receiving a user input on a display portion of the touch-panel display.

6. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1,

wherein the at least one display is provided in a center pad of a steering wheel.

7. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 6,

wherein the center pad includes

means for preventing rotation that prevents the center pad from rotating relative to a vehicle body even when a rim portion of the steering wheel rotates.

8. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one display is provided in an interior member that is part of a surface of an instrument panel disposed so as to oppose a passenger seat, and

the airbag device is an airbag device for a passenger seat contained in the instrument panel.

9. The display apparatus for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the at least one display is provided in an interior member that is part of a pillar trim, and

the airbag device is an airbag device for side crash protection, and at least part of the airbag device for side crash protection is contained in the pillar trim.