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EP-4741203-A1 - POSITIONING MECHANISM AND METHODS FOR DEPLOYING AND/OR RETRACTING A DISPLAY UNIT, SLIDING MEMBER, AND VEHICLE

EP4741203A1EP 4741203 A1EP4741203 A1EP 4741203A1EP-4741203-A1

Abstract

A positioning mechanism for deploying and/or retracting a display unit is described. The positioning mechanism comprises at least one first sliding member, at least one first sliding rail being at least partially curved and configured to support the at least one first sliding member, and a sliding unit configured to be connected to the at least one first sliding member for moving along the at least one first sliding rail. The sliding unit comprises the display unit. The positioning mechanism further comprises an assist mechanism for guiding and/or stabilizing the sliding unit and a belt drive assembly configured to provide a drive belt for driving the sliding unit. The drive belt is arranged along a predefined driving trajectory, and the predefined driving trajectory is at least partially determined by the at least one first sliding rail.

Inventors

  • Drazic, Zlatko

Assignees

  • Bugatti Rimac LLC

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (18)

  1. A positioning mechanism (10) for deploying and/or retracting a display unit (140), the positioning mechanism (10) comprising: at least one first sliding member (100); at least one first sliding rail (110) being at least partially curved and configured to support the at least one first sliding member (100); a sliding unit (120) configured to be connected to the at least one first sliding member (100) for moving along the at least one first sliding rail (110), wherein the sliding unit (120) comprises the display unit (140); an assist mechanism (150) for guiding and/or stabilizing the sliding unit (120); and a belt drive assembly (130) configured to provide a drive belt (210) for driving the sliding unit (120), wherein the drive belt (210) is arranged along a predefined driving trajectory, and wherein the predefined driving trajectory is at least partially determined by the at least one first sliding rail (110).
  2. The positioning mechanism (10) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first sliding rail (110) has at least one curved portion configured such that the sliding unit (120) is moved at least partly non-linearly, wherein the predefined driving trajectory corresponds at least partially to the at least one curved portion, preferably the predefined driving trajectory corresponds at least partially to a sliding surface of the at least one first sliding rail (110) provided at the at least one curved portion.
  3. The positioning mechanism (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one first sliding rail (110) further has at least one straight portion configured such that the sliding unit (120) is moved at least partly linearly along the at least one first sliding rail (110).
  4. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the belt drive assembly (130) further comprises: a belt guiding structure (200) configured to guide the drive belt (210) at least partially along the predefined driving trajectory, preferably the belt guiding structure (200) provides a guiding surface to guide the drive belt (210) and/or has an offset to the at least one first sliding rail (110).
  5. The positioning mechanism (10) according to claim 4, wherein the belt drive assembly (130) further comprises at least one of: at least one clamp member (220) configured to be movably arranged at the belt guiding structure (200) and to be connected to the drive belt (210) and the sliding unit (120); and at least one of a first motor (230), a first gear box (260), and at least one pulley (240-1; 240-2; 240-3), preferably the first gear box (260) comprises a worm gear transmission, and more preferably the belt drive assembly (130) further comprises a tension adjustment unit (250).
  6. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first sliding rail (110) has a rail cross-section configured to at least partially accommodate the at least one first sliding member (100), preferably the cross-section exhibiting a C-shape.
  7. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the positioning mechanism (10) comprises two of the at least one first sliding rail (110), preferably being provided in an opposing manner on the positioning mechanism (10).
  8. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding unit (120) comprises a support structure (122), wherein the display unit (140) is rigidly and/or pivotably attached to the support structure (122).
  9. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support structure (122) is configured to provide a display rotation mechanism (124) for pivoting the display unit (140), preferably, the display rotation mechanism (124) comprises at least one of a second motor (300), a second gear box, at least one wheel (310-1; 310-2), and at least one cable (320-1; 320-2), more preferably, the second motor (300) is a DC motor and/or the second gear box comprises a planetary gear.
  10. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, the positioning mechanism (10) further comprising: a housing structure (162) for supporting and/or accommodating the sliding unit (120); an opening (164) provided at the housing structure (162) and configured such that the sliding unit (120) at least partially moves through the opening (164); a lid (166) configured to at least partially cover the opening (164); and a lid positioning mechanism (160) configured to move the lid (166).
  11. The positioning mechanism (10) according to claim 10, wherein the lid positioning mechanism (160) is mechanically synchronized with the sliding unit (120) via a mechanical assembly, wherein the mechanical assembly preferably comprises an actuation pin (400), at least one articulated arm unit (410), and at least one spring element (420).
  12. The positioning mechanism (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one first sliding rail (110) and the assist mechanism (150) are configured to provide the sliding unit (120) in a predefined retracted position and/or in a predefined deployed position, and wherein the assist mechanism (150) comprises at least one second sliding rail (152) being at least partially curved and configured to support at least one second sliding member (154) connected to the sliding unit (120), wherein the at least one second sliding rail (152) has an offset to the at least one first sliding rail (110), preferably, the at least one second sliding rail (152) is shaped and/or guided different from the at least one first sliding rail (110).
  13. A method (S) for deploying and/or retracting a display unit (140), the method comprising the following steps: moving (S500) a sliding unit (120) along at least one first sliding rail (110) in a first moving direction from a predefined retracted position or a first predefined deployed position to a second predefined deployed position; pivoting (S510) the display unit (140) from a non-pivoted orientation to a pivoted orientation or from the pivoted orientation to the non-pivoted orientation; moving (S520) the sliding unit (120) along the at least one first sliding rail (110) in a second moving direction from the second predefined deployed position to the first predefined deployed position or the predefined retracted position, wherein the first predefined deployed position is different from the second predefined deployed position, and wherein the first moving direction is different from the second moving direction, and wherein the pivoting (S510) of the display unit (140) is non-sequential to the moving (S500) and/or the moving (S520) of the sliding unit (120).
  14. A method (T) for deploying and/or retracting a display unit (140), the method comprising the following steps: moving (T500) a sliding unit (120) along at least one first sliding rail (110) in a first moving direction from a predefined retracted position to a third predefined deployed position or in a second moving direction from the third predefined deployed position to the predefined retracted position, wherein the first moving direction is different from the second moving direction, and wherein the third predefined deployed position is configured such that the display unit (140) is partially provided outside a housing structure (162).
  15. The method (S) according to claim 13 or the method (T) according to claim 14, wherein the moving (S500) comprises at least one first acceleration, at least one first velocity, and at least one first deceleration and the moving (S520) comprises at least one second acceleration, at least one second velocity, and at least one second deceleration, or the moving (T500) comprises at least one acceleration movement, at least one movement at a constant velocity, and at least one deceleration movement.
  16. A sliding member (100) for sliding along a first sliding rail (110), the sliding member (100) comprising: a sliding body element (600) comprising a first end portion (610), a central portion (620), and a second end portion (630), wherein the first end portion (610) is connected to the central portion (620) and at least one first recess (612) is provided between the first end portion (610) and the central portion (620), wherein the central portion (620) is connected to the second end portion (630) and at least one second recess (632) is provided between the central portion (620) and the second end portion (630), and wherein the central portion (620) comprises a coupling portion (640).
  17. The sliding member (100) according to claim 16, wherein the first end portion (610) comprises a first sliding block, the central portion (620) comprises a central sliding block, and the second end portion (630) comprises a second sliding block, wherein the first sliding block has a first sliding surface, the central sliding block has a central sliding surface, and the second sliding block has a second sliding surface, and wherein the first sliding block has at least one rounded first edge and/or the second sliding block has at least one rounded second edge.
  18. The sliding member (100) according to claim 17, wherein the first sliding block comprises at least one third recess (614) different from the at least one first recess (612) and wherein the second sliding block comprises at least one fourth recess (634) different from the at least one second recess (632), and the central sliding block comprises at least one fifth recess (622).

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a positioning mechanism and methods for deploying and/or retracting a display unit. The present invention also relates to a sliding member for such a positioning mechanism. The present invention further relates to a vehicle comprising such a positioning mechanism. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Advancements in communication technology and consumer electronics enable the provision of digital information in a vehicle. Such information usually comprises visual and/or aural information which may be presented to one or more users. Modern screens are widely used for providing all kinds of visual information and contents. As a consequence, there is an interest in integrating one or more screens into the vehicle. The information provided by such screens may serve different purposes and fulfill various functions in the vehicle, which is why the availability and provision of the screens in the vehicle and, more specifically, in the vehicle interior is of interest. Available screens may then be used for a large variety of applications. The screens may provide information to the user about the vehicle itself. The information may be required to adequately operate the vehicle, such as information about travelling speed, state of charge/fuel level, energy/fuel consumption, or motor heat. The information may also contain facts about maintenance requirements or safety alerts about car components. The screens may also provide information to the user for other purposes than operating the vehicle. The provided information may assist and/or entertain the user while travelling, such as a navigation system, establishing a phone connection, or displaying multimedia content. The challenge in the field of vehicle construction is the provision of the screens and the integration into the vehicle body. Each display requires a suitable support mechanism to ensure that the requirements resulting from vehicle construction, design guidelines, and user experience are met. A challenge arises from the desired interior design of vehicles, which often prefers a rather clean/minimalistic design approach and aims at keeping visible screens to a minimum. Therefore, support mechanisms are usually favored which are able to hold the screens in different positions. A screen may be stored in a predetermined compartment and only appears on demand of the user. However, current support mechanisms are often bulky and require much space, affecting their integration into the vehicle. In addition, the support mechanisms are often individually designed for one particular location in the vehicle, which makes a transfer to other vehicle positions and/or different screens difficult. Hence, the use of available support mechanisms is often not advantageous. The prior art shows an absence of a positioning mechanism in vehicles capable of providing a display unit to the user on demand, which may be positioned at different locations of the vehicle interior, suitable for different types and sizes of display units, having a compact assembly, and easy to manufacture at low cost. Against this background, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an improved positioning mechanism and methods for deploying and/or retracting a display unit, a sliding member for such positioning mechanism, and a vehicle comprising the improved positioning mechanism. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This objective is achieved by a positioning mechanism having the features of claim 1. This objective is further achieved by a method having the features of claim 13. This objective is further achieved by a further method having the features of claim 14. This objective is further achieved by a sliding member having the features of claim 16. A positioning mechanism is disclosed in the present document. In accordance with a first aspect, the positioning mechanism for deploying and/or retracting a display unit comprises at least one first sliding member, at least one first sliding rail, a sliding unit, an assist mechanism, and a belt drive assembly. The at least one first sliding rail is at least partially curved and configured to support the at least one first sliding member. The sliding unit is configured to be connected to the at least one first sliding member for moving along the at least one first sliding rail, wherein the sliding unit comprises the display unit. The assist mechanism is configured to guide and/or stabilize the sliding unit. The belt drive assembly is configured to provide a drive belt for driving the sliding unit. The drive belt is arranged along a predefined driving trajectory, and the predefined driving trajectory is at least partially determined by the at least one first sliding rail. The present invention therefore relates to the positioning mechanism for deploying and/or retracting the display unit. The disclosed positioning mechanism is able to provide the display unit in many different positions in a compact and reli