Integrated overhead console assembly for vehicle

• US 10,053,009 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Changhwan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rao, Andy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jiang, Zaihan
• Application Number:
  US14/935,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20160129839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 348148
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/28 with an adjustable field of view
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0028 Ceiling, e.g. roof rails
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/207 using multi-purpose displays, e.g. camera image and navigation or video on same display
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/8026 in addition to a rear-view mirror system
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/55 with provision for heating or cooling, e.g. in aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/013 Eye tracking input arrangements G06F3/015 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/45 for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

An integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle includes a camera module for taking a forward image of a vehicle in a direction of travel, a multi-display unit for displaying an image taken by the camera module, and various functional operation components of the vehicle that are efficiently incorporated in a single overhead console assembly to improve user convenience.

Claims

1. An integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a camera module configured to capture a forward image of a vehicle in a direction of travel, the camera module including;

a lens for converging light constituting the forward image;

an image sensor coupled to a rear end of the lens to detect the image converged through the lens; and

an image processing board electrically connected to the image sensor;

a multi-display unit configured to provide a driver with a display of the forward image or a reflection of a rear view image of the vehicle; and

an overhead console case assembly providing an installation space for accommodating the camera module and the multi-display unit such that the camera module is hidden from an interior of the vehicle, whereas the multi-display unit is exposed to the interior of the vehicle,

wherein the multi-display unit is spaced apart from the image processing board by a predetermined distance,

wherein the lens comprises a pair of lenses, and the image sensor comprises a pair of image sensors,

wherein the camera module comprises;

a camera holder;

a mounting part to which the pair of lenses and the pair of image sensors are coupled in a state of being longitudinally spaced apart from each other and through which the lenses and the image sensors are coupled to an upper surface of the camera holder; and

a lower cover assembly which accommodates the image processing board and through which the image processing board is coupled to a lower surface of the camera holder, wherein the lower cover assembly is made of highly thermally conductive material, and is in contact with a heat generating region of the image processing board, and

wherein the lower cover assembly comprises;

an upper heat dissipation bracket disposed between the camera holder and the lower cover assembly to dissipate heat generated from the image processing board; and

a lower heat dissipation bracket coupled to the upper heat dissipation bracket with the image processing board disposed therebetween,

wherein a heat generating region of the image processing board contacts a heat transfer portion located at an inner surface of the lower heat dissipation bracket.

2. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the image processing board is horizontally disposed below the lens and the image sensor.

3. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the overhead console case assembly includes:

a front end part configured to be coupled to an inner surface of a windshield glass; and

a rear end part configured to be coupled to a roof inner panel constituting a ceiling surface of the interior of the vehicle.

4. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an interior illumination unit provided at a rear end part of the overhead console case assembly and positioned opposite the camera module with respect to the multi-display unit so as to radiate light to the interior of the vehicle.

5. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the interior illumination unit comprises:

an LED module disposed in the overhead console case assembly to radiate a predetermined amount of light;

a printed-circuit board to which the LED module is fixed;

a switch fixed to the printed-circuit board; and

a push projector configured to actuate the switch and to radiate the light emitted from the LED module,

wherein the push projector constitutes a portion of a lower surface of the overhead console case assembly.

6. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the push projector has a “

U”

shape arranged along a marginal region of a rear end of the overhead console case assembly.

7. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the overhead console case assembly includes:

a microphone configured to detect sound generated from the interior of the vehicle;

a black box configured to convert an image taken by the camera module and the sound detected by the microphone into data, and to store the data in the black box; and

a speaker configured to output a predetermined sound to the interior of the vehicle.

8. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the integrated overhead console assembly is configured to:

determine when there is a safety risk in running of the vehicle based on analysis of a forward image of the vehicle in a direction of travel taken by the camera module;

output a predetermined alarm sound to the interior of the vehicle through the speaker;

convert a sound in the interior of the vehicle detected by the microphone and the forward image captured by the camera module into data;

store the data in the black box; and

display the forward image of the vehicle through the multi-display unit.

9. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the overhead console case assembly further includes a transceiver for radio communication with a portable radio terminal, and

wherein the forward image of the vehicle taken by the camera module or the data of the image and sound stored in the black box are configured to be checked through radio communication between the transceiver and the portable radio terminal according to user selection.

10. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 9, wherein data stored in the portable radio terminal is configured to be checked through radio communication between the transceiver and the multi-display unit according to user selection.

11. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the multi-display unit includes an image output LED module, and

wherein the integrated overhead console assembly further comprises a thermal insulating member disposed in a space between the image sensors and the multi-display unit to prevent thermal interference between the image sensors and the image output LED module.

12. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein one of the upper heat dissipation bracket and the lower heat dissipation bracket is bent at a rear end thereof to partition a space defined between the upper heat dissipation bracket and the lower dissipation bracket.

13. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the multi-display unit is movable to adjust a projection angle of a display surface of the multi-display unit.

14. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein the overhead console case assembly includes a moving mechanism configured to move the multi-display unit to adjust the projection angle of the display surface.

15. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the overhead console case assembly includes a detector configured to monitor a user'"'"'s line of sight, and

wherein the multi-display unit is configured to move to adjust a projection angle of an image output display surface of the multi-display unit in a predetermined direction in accordance with the user'"'"'s line of sight detected by the detector.

16. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the multi-display unit is movable to adjust a projection angle of a display surface for reflecting the rear view image of the vehicle to a driver,

wherein the multi-display unit includes a plurality of indicating switching elements which are spaced apart from one another in horizontal and vertical directions, and

wherein the plurality of indicating switching elements are configured to adjust moving extents of the multi-display unit in the horizontal and vertical directions by driver manipulation.

17. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the multi-display unit comprises:

a display panel disposed in a forward portion of the multi-display unit and configured to display an image captured by the camera module; and

a reflection panel disposed on the display panel and containing a polarization component to reflect and project the rear view image of the vehicle to a driver under inactive conditions of the multi-display unit,

wherein the polarization component includes one of polarized glass containing a polarization material, a polarization film containing a polarization material, and a material that is discolored upon application of power.

18. The integrated overhead console assembly for a vehicle according to claim 17, wherein the multi-display unit includes an indicator element for indicating operational states of various functional operation components provided in the vehicle.