阅读说明：本技术 具有散热器的车辆显示器承载件 (Vehicle display carrier with heat sink ) 是由 扬·林德斯泰特 约恩·默勒 霍坎·赫登贝里 马蒂亚斯·舍格伦 丹尼尔·托马斯 于 2018-12-18 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种车辆显示器组件包括被构造为以图形方式表示信息的显示器。印刷电路板(PCB)与显示器连通。承载件被夹在显示器与PCB之间,以形成仪表盘组件。承载件包括散热片。(A vehicle display assembly includes a display configured to graphically represent information. A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) communicates with the display. The carrier is sandwiched between the display and the PCB to form a dashboard assembly. The carrier includes a heat sink.)

1. A vehicle display assembly, comprising:

a display configured to graphically represent information;

a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in communication with the display; and

a carrier sandwiched between the display and the PCB to form a dashboard assembly, the carrier comprising a heat sink.

2. The vehicle display assembly of claim 1, wherein the PCB comprises at least one chip and the carrier comprises an aperture, the at least one chip being at least partially disposed within and extending into the aperture.

3. The vehicle display assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one chip comprises at least one of a processor and/or a memory chip.

4. The vehicle display assembly of claim 2 or 3, wherein the carrier comprises a wall portion surrounding the aperture, the wall portion being raised relative to an immediately adjacent portion of the carrier, the at least one chip being at least partially disposed within the wall portion and in overlapping relationship therewith.

5. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the PCB comprises an opening and the carrier comprises a standoff integrally formed therewith and extending through the opening.

6. The vehicle display assembly of claim 5, wherein the PCB is a first PCB and includes a second PCB secured to the support, a connector electrically connecting the first PCB and the second PCB.

7. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the display comprises a mounting device, the carrier comprises a first set of holes and the PCB comprises a second set of holes, and comprising a fastener extending through the first and second sets of holes and secured to the mounting device, thereby sandwiching the carrier between the display and the PCB.

8. The vehicle display assembly of claim 7, wherein the mounting device is a protrusion, the carrier has a first side facing the display and including a notch for receiving the protrusion, and the carrier includes a second side opposite the first side and facing the PCB, the PCB rests on the second side, and the fastener is a screw that is threaded into the mounting device.

9. The vehicle display assembly of claim 7, wherein the carrier has a first thickness at the recess and the heat sink has a second thickness less than the first thickness.

10. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier has a carrier outer edge comprising a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides, the heat sink being disposed on one of the long sides.

11. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the heat sink projects outwardly from the carrier on a side opposite the display, and the PCB is disposed inside and adjacent the heat sink.

12. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the display has a display outer edge and the carrier comprises a mounting tab projecting outwardly beyond the display outer edge, the mounting tab configured to be secured to an instrument panel housing.

13. The vehicle display assembly of claim 12, comprising a housing having a transparent front lens and a rear cover, the housing enclosing the display, the PCB, and the carrier, wherein the display faces the front lens, the mounting tabs being secured to the housing.

14. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the display has a display outer edge and the carrier has a portion extending beyond the display outer edge, the portion comprising a window providing a light pipe, and the PCB comprises a Light Emitting Diode (LED) aligned with and at least partially disposed within the window.

15. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the number of fins is at least eight.

16. The vehicle display assembly of any one of claims 10-15, wherein said heat sink extends along one of said long sides for at least 75% of its width.

17. An instrument panel according to any preceding claim, wherein the carrier has an average cross-sectional thickness in the range of 2-5 mm.

18. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the PCB comprises a processor facing the display and engaging the carrier.

19. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, wherein the carrier is a metal structure that is at least one of cast and/or machined and is at least one of magnesium and/or aluminum.

20. The vehicle display assembly of any preceding claim, comprising a dashboard, wherein the display is configured to graphically represent information corresponding to first data, the PCB has a processor configured to receive second data and provide the first data to the display, the second data corresponds to vehicle information from a communication bus, and the first data corresponds to one or more vehicle parameters.

21. A vehicle display assembly, comprising:

a display configured to graphically represent information;

a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) in communication with the display, the PCB having at least one of a processor and a memory chip; and

a carrier sandwiched between the display and the PCB to form a dashboard assembly, the display being secured to the carrier at a plurality of fastening points, the carrier being a metal structure having a thickness in the range of 2-5mm at the fastening points, and at least one of the processor and the memory chip engaging the carrier and facing the display.

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle display assembly, in particular an arrangement of a display, a carrier and a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for use in, for example, dashboards and infotainment displays.

Background

Vehicle displays, such as instrument panels, are widely used in passenger and commercial vehicles to communicate vehicle information to the driver. Typical modern dashboards use a display such as an LCD or other commonly used type of display. The display is disposed in a housing, which may also contain a PCB. Electronic components generate heat, particularly through chips on a PCB. The PCB is disposed proximate the display. The heat generating chip on the PCB is disposed opposite the display and on the opposite side with respect to the display to better dissipate heat to the environment within the housing.

Disclosure of Invention

In one exemplary embodiment, a vehicle display assembly includes a display configured to graphically represent information. A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) may be in communication with the display. The carrier may be sandwiched between the display and the PCB to form a dashboard assembly. The carrier may comprise a heat sink.

In a further embodiment of the above embodiments, the PCB may comprise at least one chip. The carrier may comprise an aperture. The at least one chip may be at least partially disposed within and extend into the aperture.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the at least one chip may comprise at least one processor and/or memory chip.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the carrier may include a wall portion surrounding the aperture. The wall portion may be raised relative to an immediately adjacent portion of the carrier. At least one chip may be disposed at least partially within and in overlapping relation with the wall.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the PCB may include an opening. The carrier may include a seat formed integrally therewith. The support may extend through the opening.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the PCB may be a first PCB and may include a second PCB secured to the support. The second PCB may be fixed to the support. The connector may electrically connect the first PCB and the second PCB.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the display may include a mounting device. The carrier may include a first set of apertures. The PCB may include a second set of holes. The PCB may include a fastener extending through the first set of holes and the second set of holes. The fastener may be secured to the mounting device. The fastener may sandwich the carrier between the display and the PCB.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the mounting means may be a protrusion. The carrier may have a first side facing the display and including a notch for receiving the protrusion. The carrier may include a second side opposite the first side and facing the PCB. The PCB may rest on the second side. The fastener may be a screw. The screw may be screwed into the mounting device.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the carrier may have a first thickness at the notch. The heat sink may have a second thickness. The second thickness may be less than the first thickness.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the carrier may have a carrier outer edge. The carrier outer edge may include a pair of long sides and a pair of short sides. The fins may be provided on one of the long edges.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the heat sink may extend outwardly from a side of the carrier opposite the display. The PCB may be disposed inside and adjacent to the heat sink.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the display may have a display outer edge. The carrier may include mounting tabs that extend outwardly beyond the outer edge of the display. The mounting tab may be configured to be secured to the instrument panel housing.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the vehicle display assembly may include a housing. The housing may have a transparent front lens. The housing may have a rear cover. The housing may enclose the display, the PCB and the carrier. The housing may have a transparent front lens and a rear cover enclosing the display, the PCB and the carrier, with the display facing the front lens. The mounting tabs may be secured to the housing.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the display may have a display outer edge. The carrier may have a portion that extends beyond the outer edge of the display. The portion may include a window that provides a light pipe. The PCB may include Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). The light emitting diode may be aligned with and at least partially disposed within the window.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the number of fins may be at least eight.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the fins may extend along one of the long sides for at least 75% of their width.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the carrier may have an average cross-sectional thickness in the range of 2-5 mm.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the PCB may include a processor facing the display and engaging the carrier.

In a further embodiment of any of the above embodiments, the carrier may be a metal structure that is at least one of cast and/or machined. The carrier may be at least one of magnesium and/or aluminum.

In a further embodiment of any of the embodiments above, the vehicle display assembly may include an instrument panel. The display may be configured to graphically represent information corresponding to the first data. The PCB may have a processor configured to receive the second data and provide the first data to the display. The second data may correspond to vehicle information from the communication bus. The first data may correspond to one or more vehicle parameters.

In another exemplary embodiment, a vehicle display assembly may include a display configured to graphically represent information. A Printed Circuit Board (PCB) may be in communication with the display. The PCB may have at least one of a processor and a memory chip. The carrier may be sandwiched between the display and the PCB to form a dashboard assembly. The display may be secured to the carrier at a plurality of fastening points. The carrier may be a metal structure. The carrier may have a thickness in the range of 2-5mm at the fastening points. At least one of the processor and the memory chip may engage the carrier and face the display.

These and other features of the present disclosure can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.

Drawings

The disclosure may be further understood with reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary vehicle instrument panel.

Fig. 2A is an exploded view of a vehicle display used as a dashboard assembly, showing a carrier and a first side of a Printed Circuit Board (PCB).

Fig. 2B is an exploded view of the vehicle display showing the carrier and the second side of the PCB.

Figure 3A shows a second side of another carrier embodiment.

Fig. 3B is an end view of the long side of the carrier shown in fig. 3A.

Figure 3C is another end view of the short side of the carrier shown in figure 3A.

Fig. 4A is a cross-sectional perspective view of the display, carrier, and PCB shown in fig. 2A and 2B in an assembled state.

Fig. 4B is a schematic diagram of the assembly shown in fig. 4A connected to a second display.

Fig. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the carrier and PCB.

Fig. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of an instrument panel.

Fig. 7A and 7B schematically represent an alternative vehicle display assembly showing a carrier and a cover.

Detailed Description

The embodiments, examples and alternatives in the preceding paragraphs, claims or in the following description and drawings, including their various aspects or respective independent features, may be considered individually or in any combination. Features described in relation to one embodiment are applicable to all embodiments unless such features are incompatible.

The vehicle 10 includes an interior 12 generally having an instrument panel 14. The instrument panel 14 may be provided in a variety of configurations depending on a variety of aesthetic and packaging considerations. While the disclosed vehicle display assembly is described in more detail with respect to the instrument panel 14, it should be understood that the vehicle display assembly may also be used in other vehicle applications, such as infotainment systems.

The instrument panel 14 includes a housing 16 having an opening 18 covered by a lens 20. A display 22 is disposed within the housing 16 below the lens 20. The display, which may be an LCD, LED or other display type, communicates information 24 to the driver using a variety of graphical and text messages relating to a variety of vehicle operating parameters.

The instrument panel assembly is shown in fig. 2A and 2B. The display 22 includes a frame 26 that supports a screen 28. The display 22 is mounted to a carrier 33 that provides structural support to the display 22 within and on the housing 16. A PCB42 in communication with the display 22 is also mounted to the carrier 33. The display 22 is configured to graphically represent information corresponding to first data from the PCB42 based on second data from a communication bus (e.g., CAN, FlexRay, in-vehicle ethernet, etc.), and the first data corresponds to one or more vehicle parameters, such as speed, camera capture content or images, and RPM. The cover 35 is disposed over the PCB42 and the carrier 33, for example in a snap-fit relationship with the outer edge of the frame 26.

The carrier 33 includes a first side 34 that supports the display 22 and a second side 36 that supports the first side 52 of the PCB. The second side 54 of the PCB42 faces away from the display 22. The PCB42 and the display 22 are arranged in close contact with a carrier 33 made of metal and capable of dissipating heat.

In an exemplary arrangement, the back side of the frame 26 comprises first and second mounting means 30, 32, in this example corresponding to protrusions, which are received by first and second recesses 38, 40, respectively, of the carrier 33 when set in an assembled state, as shown in fig. 4A. Holes 48a, 48b may be provided in the PCB42 and carrier 33, respectively, in the region of the first recess 38. The first mounting device 30 has threaded holes 48c that receive fasteners 50 that secure the carrier 33 and PCB42 in clamped relation to the frame 26. In this manner, the display 22, carrier 33, and PCB42 are provided as a rigid, structurally sound stack. If desired, one or more spacer pads or spacers may be provided between the display 22 and the carrier 33.

Ribbon cable 43 is used to electrically connect display 22 to PCB42 and its various chips, which may include memory chip 56 and one or more processors 58. These chips generate a large amount of heat that must be dissipated. The heat generating side of the most heat dissipating chips (e.g., processor 58 and memory chip 56) is "sandwiched" between display 22 and carrier 33, trapping heat within the assembly.

The carrier 33 includes one or more notches 60 that provide electromagnetic field (EMF) shielding for any chips disposed within the notches 60. The recess 60 is provided by a wall portion 61 extending a depth D (fig. 5) and is provided with an outer edge 62 surrounding the chip such that the chip and the wall portion 61 are in overlapping relationship with each other. In one example, the depth D is in the range of 5-15 mm. The recess 60 may include a surface 64 on which a thermally conductive material 66, such as a thermally conductive paste, is disposed. Thermally conductive material 66 is bonded to both surface 64 and the chips (e.g., of memory 56 and processor 58) as shown in fig. 5. This arrangement transfers heat to the carrier 33 and towards the display 22, which is an area where heat is generally not desired.

Referring to fig. 3A-3C, carriage 33 includes a carriage periphery 68 that extends over a width W and a height H that provide a long side 70 and a short side 72, respectively. The carrier 33 is also provided with a thickness T sufficient to provide structural support and torsion resistance during operation of the components of the instrument panel. In one example, the thickness T is in the range of 2-5 mm. The carrier 33 may be made of a thermally conductive metal material, such as aluminum or magnesium, which may be cast or machined from a blank. The carrier 33 has a carrier thickness 88 in the range of 2-5mm, for example in the area near the fastening point of the display 22 (e.g., around the hole 48 b).

In this example, the heat sink 74 is provided on one of the long sides 70 (corresponding to the top of the display 22 in this example) and is formed integrally with the carrier 33. The heat sink 74 extends outwardly from the second side 36 of the carrier 33 opposite the display 22, and the PCB42 is disposed inside and adjacent to the heat sink 74.

The heat sinks 74 may be organized into a first group 76 and a second group 78 in one exemplary embodiment. Together, first set 76 and second set 78 extend at least 75% of their width along long side 70. In one example eight fins 74 are provided with gaps 80 between each other and have a thickness 82, width 84 and height 86. In one example, the gap 80 is about 5mm, the thickness 82 is about 2mm, the width 84 is about 13mm, and the height 86 is about 17 mm. In the exemplary embodiment, "about" or "approximately" refers to +/-25%. The carrier 33 has a first thickness (i.e., thickness 88) at the notch 60 and the heat sink 74 has a second thickness (i.e., thickness 82) that is less than the first thickness.

In this example, the display 22 includes a display outer edge 90 disposed within the carrier outer edge 68. In the example shown in fig. 3A-3C, mounting tabs 92 extend beyond the display outer edge 90 and are used to mount the instrument panel assembly within the housing 16 and to the housing 16.

As shown in fig. 2B, the carrier 33 includes a plurality of integrally formed standoffs 46. Referring to fig. 4A, the standoffs 46 extend through the openings 44 in the PCB42 and may be used to support an optional expansion plate 94. The expansion board 94 may provide functionality specific to a particular OEM and the PCB42 may provide functionality common across multiple OEMs. The expansion board 94 is connected to the PCB42 through a connector 98 that connects with a first expansion slot 96A and a second expansion slot 96B. A ribbon cable connector is shown in fig. 4A. Alternatively, as shown in fig. 4B, a rigid, interlocking connector configuration may be used, which also serves to support the ends of the PCB relative to each other. Fasteners 100 secure the extension plate 94 to the support 46. An aperture 102 (fig. 2B) may be provided in the cover 35 and the fastener 100 shown in fig. 4A may be used to secure the cover 35 to the support 46.

In the arrangement shown in fig. 2A and 2B, the cover 35 encloses the carrier 33 and the PCB 42. A heat sink 74 is also provided within the cover 35. Referring to fig. 7A, heat sinks 174 on the carrier 133 may be provided outside the cover 135 to improve cooling, depending on display size and packaging considerations. The cover 135 protects the electronic devices on the PCB142 from dust and moisture. For smaller PCBs 242 and/or larger displays, as shown in fig. 7B, the cover 235 is about the size of the PCB242 and much smaller than the carrier 233. For these configurations, heat sinks are not necessary because the exposed portions of the thicker metal carrier 233 provide an effective heat sink.

Returning to fig. 3A, 3C, and 6, the carrier 33 may include a window 104 that is a light pipe. A light 106 (e.g., an LED) may be partially disposed in each window 104. The light 106 may be selectively activated to illuminate a symbol disposed on the lens 20, which may be used to communicate a message or warning to the driver.

It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements may benefit herefrom. Although particular step sequences are shown, described, and claimed, it should be understood that steps may be performed in any order, separated or combined unless otherwise indicated and will still benefit from the present invention.

Although different examples with specific components are shown in the figures, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to these specific combinations. Some features or characteristics from one example can be used in combination with features or characteristics from another example.

Although exemplary embodiments have been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of the claims. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine their true scope and content.