Patent Description:
In particular, the present invention is advantageously, but not exclusively, applied in a high-performance road vehicle, to which the following description will explicitly refer without loss of generality.

Generally, road vehicles are provided with a plurality of display devices arranged on the dashboard of the road vehicle. Historically, each road vehicle comprises at least one display device for the driver, for example the screens or indicators arranged on the vehicle instrument panel, namely on the portion of dashboard interposed between the steering wheel and the windscreen.

In recent years, said devices can be assisted by other screens (for example at least one screen arranged centrally on the dashboard or a head-up display) which complete display of the information for the driver.

In general, the arrangement of an increasingly large central screen is becoming increasingly popular, especially in fully electric cars; however, in the majority of cases, said central screens protrude from the dashboard to which they are connected, dominating it or creating an anti-aesthetic effect, nullifying part of the work of the interior designers who define the shape and curves of the dashboard.

In fact, for technical reasons, the screens in modern cars look like independent elements, not perfectly blended in with the style of the road vehicle in which they are installed.

In general, the need is therefore felt to increase the integration of the vehicle content display systems, giving the driver and the passenger a clear view of the display without having to sacrifice the aesthetics, as happens when a rectangular screen is imposed in the centre of the dashboard.

The document <CIT> and the document <CIT> describe a display device comprising a projector and a projection surface, on the rear side of which the projector projects the information display that can be recognized from the front side.

The document <CIT> describes a method for projection of the light inside a car.

The document <CIT> describes a dashboard provided with an opening in which a display can be positioned. The dashboard further comprises a pivotable display mechanism.

The document <CIT> describes methods for the control of computers that use tactile input devices like touchscreens and touchpads.

The video clip XP054980962: "Can you swim?" taken from the film "The spy who loved me" describes a pivotable dashboard to pass from an automobile mode to an underwater mode.

The document <CIT> describes a head-up display.

The object of the present invention is to provide a road vehicle equipped with an integrated content display device which is at least partially free from the above drawbacks and, at the same time, is easy and inexpensive to produce.

According to the present invention a road vehicle is provided equipped with an integrated content display device as claimed in the following independent claims and, preferably, in any one of the claims depending directly or indirectly on the independent claims.

Below, some embodiments of the invention will be described for a better understanding thereof by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the attached drawings in which:.

In <FIG>, the number <NUM> indicates overall a road vehicle provided with two front wheels <NUM> and two rear wheels <NUM> (in particular driving wheels). The vehicle <NUM> is provided with a passenger compartment <NUM> which is adapted to house at least one driver DR and preferably one or more passengers P, of which at least one alongside the driver DR as illustrated in <FIG>. The same reference numbers and letters in the figures identify the same elements or components with the same function.

In the context of the present description the term "second" component does not imply the presence of a "first" component. Said terms are employed as labels to improve clarity and should not be understood in a limitative manner.

Furthermore, the road vehicle <NUM> comprises a frame (of known type and therefore not illustrated in detail), and a vehicle dashboard <NUM> inside the passenger compartment and fixed to the frame. The vehicle dashboard <NUM> is arranged frontally to the driver DR and to any passenger P and/or, at least partially, between the driver DR and any passenger P.

As illustrated in the non-limiting embodiments of the attached figures, the road vehicle <NUM> comprises a content display device <NUM>, which is arranged at the vehicle dashboard <NUM>, in particular on a central portion <NUM> of the vehicle dashboard <NUM> between a driving position <NUM> and a passenger position <NUM>.

In particular, the dashboard <NUM> comprises in turn an exposed surface <NUM>, which can be seen from the inside of the passenger compartment <NUM>, namely from the driving position <NUM> or from the passenger position <NUM>. More in particular, the exposed surface <NUM> is substantially the aesthetic finish surface of the dashboard <NUM>, namely the curved surface that delimits the top of the dashboard <NUM>. For example, the exposed surface is made of leather, carbon fibre or other composite materials, wood, etc..

Advantageously but without limitation, the content display device <NUM> comprises a projection surface <NUM>, which is arranged so as to substantially correspond to at least part of the exposed surface <NUM> and is configured to be visible to the passenger P and/or to the driver DR while driving. In particular, the projection surface <NUM> is the surface which the driver DR or the passenger P looks at to view the content thereof.

In the non-limiting embodiments of the attached figures the projection surface <NUM> is arranged at the central portion <NUM> of the dashboard <NUM>.

In detail, the content display device <NUM> further comprises at least one projection device <NUM>, which comprises the projection surface <NUM> and is configured to project one or more contents IM (driving-related and/or distracting) onto the projection surface <NUM>.

Advantageously, the content display device <NUM> comprises at least one first aesthetic surface <NUM>, also configured so as to substantially correspond to the above-mentioned part of the exposed surface <NUM>. In other words, the aesthetic surface comprises an outer layer <NUM> provided with a finish, which preferably corresponds to the finish (for example carbon fibre, leather, wood, etc.) of the rest of the exposed surface <NUM>.

Furthermore, the display device <NUM> comprises a support element <NUM>, pivotably mounted on the vehicle dashboard <NUM> and on which, at contiguous faces (namely portions <NUM>', <NUM>" that define a lateral surface of the support element <NUM>), around an axis A of symmetry of the flippable support element <NUM>, at least the first projection surface <NUM> and the first aesthetic surface <NUM> are arranged.

Preferably, the display device <NUM> further comprises a movement system <NUM>, which is configured to rotate of the support element <NUM> between a first configuration (illustrated in <FIG>), in which the first aesthetic surface is contiguous to the rest of the exposed surface <NUM> and the first projection surface <NUM> is concealed inside the dashboard <NUM>; and a second configuration (illustrated in <FIG>, passing through the intermediate rotation phase illustrated in <FIG>), in which the first projection surface <NUM> is contiguous to the rest of the exposed surface <NUM> and the first aesthetic surface <NUM> is concealed inside the dashboard <NUM>.

Advantageously but without limitation, the first projection surface <NUM> has the same shape as the first aesthetic surface <NUM>. In other words, rotating the support element <NUM> by <NUM>° in the embodiment of <FIG> and by <NUM>° in the embodiment of <FIG>, the exposed surface <NUM> remains the same, namely maintains the same shape, since the surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> have the same shape which, rotating, will occupy the same space, without interruption relative to the rest of the exposed surface <NUM> of the vehicle dashboard <NUM>. In this way, the display device <NUM> is substantially integrated, thus improving the aesthetics and curved line of the passenger compartment <NUM>. In detail, the surfaces <NUM> or <NUM> follow at least a curved line of the exposed surface <NUM>, in particular, they correspond to the exposed surface.

Preferably but without limitation, the first projection device <NUM> is a first curved screen <NUM>, mounted on board the support element <NUM>, in particular on the portion <NUM>'.

The non-limiting embodiment of <FIG> illustrates progressively the passage from the first configuration, in which the aesthetic surface <NUM> can be seen, to the second configuration, in which the projection surface <NUM> can be seen, namely the screen <NUM> from the interior of the passenger compartment <NUM>.

In particular, in the non-limiting embodiments of <FIG>, the support element <NUM> is a double-sided drum <NUM>, in which the first projection surface <NUM> and the first aesthetic surface <NUM> are opposed to each other with respect to a transverse plane of symmetry PL of the support element <NUM>. In other words, the surfaces <NUM> and <NUM> define the lateral surface of the double-sided drum <NUM>, which is divided into the two (sides) portions <NUM>' and <NUM>".

Alternatively, in the non-limiting embodiment of <FIG>, the support element <NUM> is a three-sided drum <NUM>, in which the first projection surface <NUM>, the first aesthetic surface <NUM> and a further surface <NUM> are equally arranged around a transverse rotation axis B of the support element <NUM>. In other words, the drum <NUM> differs from the drum <NUM> due to the addition of a surface <NUM> which, together with the others <NUM> and <NUM>, defines the lateral surface of the drum <NUM>.

In particular, each "side" of the drums <NUM> and <NUM> has the same surface as the others that compose the lateral surface of said drum <NUM>, <NUM>.

Obviously it is also possible, with the same criterion, to use drums with a greater number of sides.

In some non-limiting cases, the drum <NUM> comprises a second projection device <NUM>', which is configured to project one or more contents IM onto the further surface <NUM>.

Preferably but without limitation, the second projection device <NUM>' is a second curved screen <NUM>', mounted on board the support element <NUM>. In particular, the second curved screen <NUM>' is of different type from the first curved screen <NUM>. For example, the first curved screen <NUM> is a liquid crystal or LED screen, while the curved screen <NUM>' is an e-ink screen. In this way, according to the conditions of light and reflection on the dashboard <NUM>, the driver DR or the passenger P can opt for the screen with the best display. Alternatively or additionally, the two curved screens <NUM>, <NUM>' can show different contents, chosen for example by the driver.

Alternatively, without limitation, the further surface <NUM> is a second aesthetic surface, having an outer finish different from the first aesthetic surface <NUM>. As previously mentioned in relation to the first aesthetic surface <NUM>, also the further surface <NUM>, in this case, can be made of carbon fibre, metal, glass, wood, plastic, resin, leather, fabric or any other finish.

Advantageously but without limitation, the road vehicle <NUM> further comprises a control unit <NUM> configured to selectively enable and disable the projection device <NUM>, <NUM>' in the second and in the first configuration respectively. In this way, it is possible to save energy and preserve the electronic components, since the screen <NUM>, <NUM>' is substantially switched off if it is in a position of the support element <NUM> not visible to the driver DR or to the passenger P, namely inside the dashboard <NUM>.

According to some preferred but non-limiting embodiments, the vehicle <NUM> further comprises an actuator system <NUM> configured to move the support element <NUM> between the first configuration and the second configuration.

In some cases, the actuator system <NUM> is an electric motor. In other cases, the actuator system <NUM> is a spring mechanism.

Preferably but without limitation, the actuator system <NUM> is configured to move the support element <NUM> from the first configuration to the second configuration when the road vehicle <NUM> is switched on and, vice versa, when the road vehicle <NUM> is switched off.

Alternatively or additionally, the actuator system <NUM> can be operated by the driver DR and/or by the passenger P by means of an appropriate command.

In the non-limiting embodiments of the attached figures, the rotation axis B of the support element <NUM> is parallel to the transverse axis T of the road vehicle.

In other non-limiting embodiments not illustrated, the axis B of the support element <NUM> is parallel to the longitudinal axis L, namely to a normal direction of travel of the road vehicle.

In further non-limiting embodiments not illustrated, the dashboard <NUM> comprises a central tunnel, namely the structure between the driving position <NUM> and the passenger position <NUM> with longitudinal extension, along the axis L. In particular, in said embodiments the display system <NUM> is arranged at the upper surface of the central tunnel. More in particular, without limitation, the axis B of the support element <NUM> is parallel to the longitudinal axis L and therefore the support element <NUM> rotates around an axis parallel to the normal direction of travel of the road vehicle <NUM>.

In use, while driving, the driver DR and the passenger P can easily view the projection surface <NUM>. In particular, the projection device <NUM>, <NUM>' projects and varies the contents IM according to the vehicle conditions (for example speed, accelerations applied, torque delivered, etc.). In particular, when the road vehicle <NUM> is switched on, the support element <NUM> rotates around a pin <NUM> (substantially corresponding to the rotation axis B) to pass from the first configuration to the second configuration. In other words, with the vehicle switched off, or according to the preference of the driver DR or passenger P, the display device <NUM> can be concealed inside the dashboard, and its place is taken by the aesthetic surface <NUM>, preferably having the same finish as the rest of the exposed surface <NUM> of the dashboard <NUM>.

In the case of a three-sided drum <NUM>, on the other hand, in use, the driver DR and the passenger P can vary the aesthetic surface as they prefer, passing for example from a carbon finish to a leather finish, to rest an object thereon and obtain greater adhesion.

Preferably, the display devices <NUM> described above are also used to provide the driver DR with suggestions for driving on the racing circuit, for example of the type described in the <CIT> by the same Applicant.

Although the invention described above makes particular reference to a precise embodiment example, it should not be considered limited to said embodiment example, since its scope includes all the variations, modifications or simplifications covered by the attached claims such as, for example, a different type of road vehicle (for example with front wheel drive), a different shape of the passenger compartment, a different type of projection surface or device, an extreme curvature of the exposed surface, etc..

The vehicle described above has numerous advantages.

Firstly, it reduces the visual impact for the driver, eliminating protruding screens.

Claim 1:
A road vehicle (<NUM>) comprising:
- four wheels (<NUM>), of which at least one pair of driving wheels (<NUM>);
- a passenger compartment (<NUM>) configured to accommodate a driver (DR) and at least one passenger (P) alongside the driver (DR);
- a vehicle dashboard (<NUM>), comprising in turn an exposed surface (<NUM>) visible from within the passenger compartment (<NUM>);
- a content display device (<NUM>);
the road vehicle (<NUM>) being characterized in that the content display device (<NUM>) comprises:
- a first projection device (<NUM>), which is configured to project one or more contents (IM) onto a first projection surface (<NUM>); the first projection device (<NUM>) comprising the first projection surface (<NUM>), which is configured to substantially correspond with a part of the exposed surface (<NUM>), to be visible to the passenger (P) and/or driver (DR) while driving;
- at least a first aesthetic surface (<NUM>), also configured to substantially correspond with said part of the exposed surface (<NUM>); characterized by
- a support element (<NUM>), pivotably mounted to the vehicle dashboard (<NUM>) and on which at least the first projection surface (<NUM>) and the first aesthetic surface (<NUM>) are arranged around an axis (A) of symmetry;
- a movement system (<NUM>) configured to rotate the support element (<NUM>) between:
a first configuration, wherein the first aesthetic surface (<NUM>) is contiguous with the rest of the exposed surface (<NUM>) and the first projection surface (<NUM>) is hidden within the dashboard (<NUM>), and
a second configuration, wherein the first projection surface (<NUM>) is contiguous to the rest of the exposed surface (<NUM>) and the first aesthetic surface (<NUM>) is hidden within the dashboard (<NUM>).