US-12623540-B2 - Vehicle and a display device for use therein

Abstract

A display device for attachment to a vehicle roof, comprises a display screen and an operating mechanism to move the screen into a storage position and an operational position. The operating mechanism includes at least one guide rail mounted to the roof and a first and second slide shoe slidably guided in the guide rail. A screen support supports the screen and is pivotally connected to the first or second slide shoe. A lever is pivotally connected to the screen support and to the other of the first and second slide shoes to at least rotate the screen between its operational and storage positions by changing the distance between the first and second slide shoes. Only the first slide shoe is driven by a drive motor. The second slide shoe has a locking mechanism to lock the second slide shoe where the screen is moved toward its operational position.

Inventors

• Marcel Johan Christiaan Nellen
• Viktor Pfeifer

Assignees

• INALFA ROOF SYSTEMS GROUP B.V.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20231208

Priority Date

20221212

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A display device for attachment to a roof of a vehicle, comprising: a display screen capable of showing images to occupants in the vehicle, and an operating mechanism configured to move the display screen at least into a storage position and into an operational position in which the display screen is visible for occupants in an interior space of the vehicle, the operating mechanism including: a guide rail to be mounted to the roof of the vehicle, a first and second slide shoe slidably guided in the guide rail one after the other, a screen support configured to support the display screen, said screen support being pivotally connected to one of the first and second slide shoes, and a lever pivotally connected to the screen support and to the other of the first and second slide shoes to move the display screen between the operational position and the storage position by changing a distance between the first and second slide shoes, a drive motor connected to drive only the first slide shoe, and wherein the second slide shoe is provided with a locking mechanism configured to lock the second slide shoe at a position to the guide rail where the display screen is moved toward the operational position.
2. 2 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the second slide shoe.
3. 3 . The display device according to claim 2 , wherein the screen support is connected such to the first and second slide shoes that, when moving between the operative position and the storage position, the screen support is rotated and simultaneously slid at an upper end thereof in a direction parallel to the guide rail.
4. 4 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the screen support is pivotally connected at an upper end thereof to one of the first and second slide shoes.
5. 5 . The display device according to claim 4 , wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the screen support a distance from the upper end of the screen support.
6. 6 . The display device according to claim 1 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking element continuously connected to the second slide shoe and to the first slide shoe, such that in a first position of the locking element, the first and second slide shoe are locked with respect to each other and in a second position of the locking element, the first slide shoe is free to move with respect to the second slide shoe, the locking element being connected both to the guide rail and to the second slide shoe with a forcing guide configured to move the locking element in both directions between the first position and the second position.
7. 7 . The display device according to claim 6 , wherein the second slide shoe is locked with respect to the guide rail by the locking element in the second position of the locking element.
8. 8 . The display device according to claim 7 , wherein the locking element is a locking lever which is pivotally connected to the second slide shoe at a first end and is slidably in engagement with the first slide shoe, the locking lever being movably in engagement with the guide rail at a second end so as to rotate the locking lever between the first and second position.
9. 9 . The display device according to claim 8 , wherein the forcing guides include a pin on the second end of the locking lever which is in engagement with a curve in the guide rail, said curve including a first portion parallel to a longitudinal direction of the guide rail and a second portion angled with respect to the first portion, and include a pin on the first guide shoe which is slidably in engagement with a guide curve in the locking lever, the guide curve of the locking lever including a first portion extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail in the second position and including a second portion angled with respect the first portion of the guide curve, such that when the locking lever is in the second position the pin of the locking lever is in the second portion of the curve in the guide rail and the pin of the first slide shoe is in engagement with the first portion of the guide curve in the locking lever, and that when the locking lever is in the first position the pin of the locking lever is in the first portion of the curve in the guide rail and the pin of the first slide shoe is in engagement with the second portion of the guide curve in the locking lever.
10. 10 . The display device according to claim 9 , wherein the curve of the guide rail is formed in a locator mounted to the guide rail.
11. 11 . The display device of claim 1 , wherein the operating mechanism at least rotates the display screen between the operational position and the storage position.
12. 12 . A vehicle, comprising: a roof, a display screen capable of showing images to occupants in the vehicle, and an operating mechanism configured to move the display screen at least into a storage position and into an operational position in which the display screen is visible for occupants in an interior space of the vehicle, the operating mechanism including: a guide rail mounted to the roof of the vehicle, a first and second slide shoe slidably guided in the guide rail one after the other, a screen support configured to support the display screen, said screen support being pivotally connected to one of the first and second slide shoes, and a lever pivotally connected to the screen support and to the other of the first and second slide shoes to move the display screen between the operational position and the storage position by changing a distance between the first and second slide shoes, a drive motor connected to drive only the first slide shoe, and wherein the second slide shoe is provided with a locking mechanism configured to lock the second slide shoe at a position to the guide rail where the display screen is moved toward the operational position.
13. 13 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the second slide shoe.
14. 14 . The vehicle according to claim 13 , wherein the screen support is connected such to the first and second slide shoes that, when moving between the operative position and the storage position, the screen support is rotated and simultaneously slid at an upper end thereof in a direction parallel to the guide rail.
15. 15 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the screen support is pivotally connected at an upper end thereof to one of the first and second slide shoes.
16. 16 . The vehicle according to claim 15 , wherein the lever is pivotally connected to the screen support a distance from the upper end of the screen support.
17. 17 . The vehicle according to claim 12 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a locking element continuously connected to the second slide shoe and to the first slide shoe, such that in a first position of the locking element, the first and second slide shoe are locked with respect to each other and in a second position of the locking element, the first slide shoe is free to move with respect to the second slide shoe, the locking element being connected both to the guide rail and to the second slide shoe with a forcing guide configured to move the locking element in both directions between the first position and the second position.
18. 18 . The vehicle according to claim 17 , wherein the second slide shoe is locked with respect to the guide rail by the locking element in the second position of the locking element.
19. 19 . The vehicle according to claim 18 , wherein the locking element is a locking lever which is pivotally connected to the second slide shoe at a first end and is slidably in engagement with the first slide shoe, the locking lever being movably in engagement with the guide rail at a second end so as to rotate the locking lever between the first and second position.
20. 20 . The vehicle according to claim 19 , wherein the forcing guides include a pin on the second end of the locking lever which is in engagement with a curve in the guide rail, said curve including a first portion parallel to a longitudinal direction of the guide rail and a second portion angled with respect to the first portion, and include a pin on the first guide shoe which is slidably in engagement with a guide curve in the locking lever, the guide curve of the locking lever including a first portion extending parallel to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail in the second position and including a second portion angled with respect the first portion of the guide curve, such that when the locking lever is in the second position the pin of the locking lever is in the second portion of the curve in the guide rail and the pin of the first slide shoe is in engagement with the first portion of the guide curve in the locking lever, and that when the locking lever is in the first position the pin of the locking lever is in the first portion of the curve in the guide rail and the pin of the first slide shoe is in engagement with the second portion of the guide curve in the locking lever.

Description

BACKGROUND The discussion below is merely provided for general background information and is not intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. Aspects of the invention relates to a display device for a vehicle. Display devices in vehicles are known from the prior art for instance in which display devices are attached to the interior side of the roof of a vehicle and which displays can be pivoted from a storage position into an operational position in which the display screen is readable to the occupants of the vehicle. However, a simplified operating mechanism is desired. SUMMARY This Summary and the Abstract herein are provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary and the Abstract are not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor are they intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. The claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in the Background. A display device for attachment to a roof of a vehicle, comprises a display screen capable of showing images to occupants in the vehicle and an operating mechanism mounted to the roof construction for moving the display screen at least into a storage position and into an operational position in which the display screen is visible for occupants in an interior space of the vehicle. The operating mechanism includes at least one guide rail to be mounted to the roof of the vehicle and a first and second slide shoe slidably guided in the guide rail one after the other. A screen support supports the display screen. The screen support is pivotally connected to one of the first and second slide shoes. A lever is pivotally connected to the screen support and to the other of the first and second slide shoes to at least rotate the display screen between its operational position and storage position by changing the distance between the first and second slide shoes. Only the first slide shoe is driven by a drive motor. The second slide shoe is provided with a locking mechanism, configured to lock the second slide shoe at a position where the display screen is moved toward its operational position. In an advantageous embodiment, this display device only requires one drive motor which saves considerable cost. In one embodiment, the lever is pivotally connected to the second slide shoe and preferably the screen support is connected such to the first and second slide shoes that, when moving between the operative position and the storage position, it is rotated and simultaneously slid at its upper end in a direction substantially parallel to the guide rail. The screen support may be pivotally connected at its upper end to one of the first and second slide shoes. The top of the display screen will then stay close to the roof when moving to the operational position. The lever may be pivotally connected to the screen support a distance from the upper end of the screen support. This distance will determine the transmission ratio between relative movement of the slide shoes and the angle of rotation of the screen support. The locking mechanism includes a locking element, preferably continuously, connected to the second slide shoe and to the first slide shoe, such that in a first position of the locking element, the first and second slide shoe are locked with respect to each other and in a second position of the locking element, the first slide shoe is free to move with respect to the second slide shoe. The locking element is preferably connected both to the guide rail and to the second slide shoe with a forcing guide configured to move the locking element in both directions between the first position and the second position. Due to this forcing guide acting in both directions, there is no need for a spring to lock and an additional slide shoe to unlock the second slide shoe. The second slide shoe is preferably locked with respect to guide rail by the locking element in the second position of the locking element. In a preferred embodiment, the locking element is a locking lever which is pivotally connected to the second slide shoe at a first end and is slidably in engagement with the first slide shoe, the locking lever being movably in engagement with the guide rail at its second end so as to rotate the locking lever between its first and second position. Such locking lever is a reliable locking element as a rotational movement is more reliable and wear resistant than a sliding/translational movement. In a further development, the locking lever is provided with a pin on its second end which is in engagement with a curve in the guide rail, said curve including a first portion parallel to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail and a second portion angled with respect to the first portion, the first slide sh