Patent Application
20240149686
This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no. 102022000022725 filed on Nov. 4, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a road vehicle provided with a time measurement system.
In particular, the invention can advantageously, though not exclusively be applied to a high-performance road vehicle, to which explicit reference will be made in the description below without because of this lacking generality.
Generally speaking, road vehicles are provided with a plurality of display devices arranged in the area of the dashboard of the road vehicle.
Historically, each road vehicle comprises at least one display device reserved to the driver, for example the screens or the indicators arranged in the area of the control panel of the vehicle, namely on the dashboard portion interposed between the steering wheel and the windshield.
In recent years, these devices have been supported by other screens (for instance, at least one screen arranged at the centre of the dashboard or a head-up display), which complete the display of information to the driver. Generally speaking, the use of a central screen with larger and larger dimensions is becoming more and more successful, especially in full electric cars; however, in most cases, said central screens are exclusively provided with tactile controls, which, when driving in sports mode (for example, on a track), make it difficult, if not impossible, for the driver to select a function without being distracted. In particular, when driving on a track, it often happens that a driver wants to keep track of the time needed to cover a lap or a sector of the track. In order to do so, dedicated sensors are sometimes present on the side of the track. However, these sensors are not always enabled for non-professional races and, therefore, drivers need an aid (usually on beard the vehicle) that measures the time with a chronometer for each sector and for the lap.
As a matter of fact, with known systems, drivers could not autonomously keep track of times without being distracted from driving, which turns out to be dangerous at high speeds, especially for inexperienced drivers.
Furthermore, said screens generally are integral to the dashboard and, therefore, despite being visible both to the driver and to the passenger, are not, for either of them, an ideal point of view for the information, both for perspective reasons and due to possible light reflections (for example, caused by the sun or by the lights of another vehicle), which significantly reduce the driver's reading quickness.
Therefore, generally speaking, the visibility of vehicle display systems needs to be improved, further allowing the driver to autonomously keep track of the times needed to cover some parts of a track or the entire track.
The object of the invention is to provide a road vehicle, which is at least partially free from the drawbacks described above and, at the same time, is simple and economic to be manufactured.
According to the invention, there are provided road vehicle according to the independent claims attached hereto and, preferably, according to any one of the dependent claims directly or indirectly depending on the independent claims.
The appended claims describe preferred embodiments of the invention and form an integral part of the description.
Hereinafter, some embodiments of the invention will be described, in order to allow the latter to be better understood, by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In
In the figures, the same numbers and the same reference letters indicate the same elements or components with the same function.
For the purposes of the invention, the term “second” component does not imply the presence of a “first” component. As a matter of fact, these terms are only used as labels to improve clarity and should not be interpreted in a limiting manner.
The elements and features contained in the different preferred embodiments, drawings included, can be combined with one another or be isolated from one another, without for this reason going beyond the scope of protection of this patent application, as described hereinafter.
Furthermore, the road vehicle 1 comprises a frame (of the known kind and, therefore, not shown in detail) and a vehicle dashboard 4 on the inside of the passenger compartment and fixed to the frame. The vehicle dashboard 4 is arranged in front of the driver DR and of the possible passenger P.
As shown in the non-limiting embodiments of the accompanying figures, the road vehicle 1 comprises a content display device 5, which is arranged in the area of the vehicle dashboard 4, in particular in a central portion 6 of the vehicle dashboard 4 between a driver's seat 7 and a passenger's seat 8.
The content display device 5 comprises a support element 9, which is configured to be mounted on the central portion 6. The support element 9, in other words, determines the main structure of the content display device 5, namely the portion to which the other components of the device 5 are fixed/fastened.
Furthermore, the display device 5 comprises a screen 10, which is mechanically connected and preferably integral to the support element 9 and is configured to be visible to the driver DR and/or to the passenger P. The screen 10 is of the known kind (for example, a preferably tactile liquid-crystal display) and, therefore, is not described in detail hereinafter.
In particular, the vehicle 1 comprises a steering wheel 30 of the known kind, which is not described in greater detail hereinafter.
The road vehicle 1 advantageously comprises mechanical controls 31 arranged (namely, mounted) in the area of the steering wheel 30. In this way, the mechanical controls 31 can easily be found by the driver DR without having to look away from the road ahead (for example, from the track).
As shown in the non-limiting embodiments of
Advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, the mechanical controls 31 comprise at least a first button 32 and a second button 33, which can respectively be operated through compression (namely, towards the steering wheel) along the first direction D and the second direction E, which is different from the first direction D.
According to some preferred non-limiting embodiments, like the ones shown in
Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the mechanical controls 31 are arranged along one or more arms 34 connecting a crown 35 of the steering wheel 30 to a central portion (usually connected to the column of the steering wheel 30). In this way, the mechanical controls 31 can even more easily be found by the driver without having to look away from the road ahead. In particular, the thumbs of the driver DR can particularly easily reach the mechanical controls 31 in this position.
Advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, the device 5 comprises a time measurement system 36, in particular a chronograph 37, wherein mechanical controls 31 are configured to provide instructions to the time measurement system 36.
In addition, the mechanical controls 31 can be configured, depending on the driving mode (for example, if it is different from the high-performance driving mode), to give different instructions to other vehicle systems, for example, though not in a limiting manner, to control an openable roof or to enable functions concerning the powertrain system 4. In any case, in the high-performance driving mode, the mechanical controls 31 serve as an adjustment for the time measurement system 36.
According to further non-limiting cases, the driver DR selects, by means of an interface device, for example the screen 10, a preferred and customized use of the mechanical controls 31 in the driving modes other than the high-performance driving mode (namely, to be performed on a track).
Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the first button 32 is configured to impart a time measurement start/pause command (namely, a start/pause command for a digital or analogue chronometer) and the second button 33 is configured to impart a measurement reset command.
According to some non-limiting embodiments which are not shown herein, the mechanical controls 31 comprise a third button for measuring the lap time (namely, a button that stores the current time value, though carrying on with the measurement). If necessary, this function can also be fulfilled by the second button 33, which, on the contrary, imparts the measurement reset command, when the driver exerts a prolong pressure upon it.
According to some preferred, though non-limiting embodiments, the time measurement system 36 is analogue and is integrated in the screen 10. Hence particular, the screen has a hole 50 (in the case shown herein, a circular hole), which accommodates the analogue time measurement system 36 (therefore, provided with physical pointers 38 and relative 10 moving mechanisms). More in particular, the hole 50 has a size that is at least the same as (if not larger than) a dial 51 of the chronograph 37 or, anyway, of the time measurement system 36. In this way, the reading quickness and the visibility of the driver DR are improved, thus allowing the driver DR, thanks to the three-dimensional character of the pointers 38, to more easily read the information.
In other non-limiting cases, the time measurement system 36 is completely digital and is integrated in the screen 10, namely is part of the screen 10. In this way, the time measurement system 36 can be more flexible and more customizable.
In further non-limiting cases, in order to obtain both a better visibility and a high customization flexibility and as shown in the embodiment of
In particular, the time measurement system 36 comprises a digital dial 51 and analogue pointers 38. Therefore, the time measurement system 36 comprises a hole 50 having a size that is smaller than the digital dial 51 of the time measurement system 36. In other words, the hole 50 has a smaller size than the area covered by the pointers during 38 during their complete revolution.
Advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, hence, the time measurement system 36 comprises a mechanism 52 (of the known kind and not described in detail hereinafter) to move the pointers 38, in particular to change the movement thereof also based on the mechanical controls 27 and on their position/actuation by the driver DR.
In the non-limiting embodiment of
According to some non-limiting embodiments, the portion 55 is integrated in the screen 10 and, therefore, is of the same type as the screen 10 (for example, OLED).
According to other non-limiting embodiments, the portion 55 is accommodated in a dedicated hole of the screen 10 and is of a different kind, for example an electronic ink display to reduce reflections, given its peculiar opacity.
In particular, in any case, in order to permit the movement of the pointers 38, the support 54 determines a slit 56 between the lens 53 and the portion 55 serving as dial 51.
In some non-limiting cases, the lens 53 and the rest of the cover of the screen 10 have different surface treatments or are made of a different material.
In the non-limiting embodiment of
Advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, the content display device 5 comprises a moving system 11, which, on one side, is hinged to the support element 9 and, on the other side, is hinged to dashboard 4 so as to alternately rotate the screen 10 towards the driver DR. In this way, together with the disclosure above, the mechanical controls 31 can more easily be reached by driver DR, who can then place them in a preferred position.
In particular, the moving system 11 is any kinematic mechanism that allows the support element 9 and, hence, the screen 10 to shift from a first configuration, in which the screen 10 is parallel to a transverse axis T of the road vehicle 1 (namely, the configuration of
Therefore, in particular, the moving system 11 is configured to cause the support element 9 to rotate around an axis A, B at least partially transverse (in particular, substantially perpendicular or, anyway, at least at an angle of 70°) relative to a floorboard F of the road vehicle 1.
Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the display device 5 comprises a handling element 12 configured to be grabbed by hand H of the driver DR (as shown in the non-limiting embodiment of
According to some preferred non-limiting embodiments, the handling element 12 comprises a handle 13, which is integral to the support element 9 and is arranged under the screen 10, namely under a lower side 14 of the screen 10.
Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the handle 13 is manufactured as one single piece together with the support element 9.
In particular, the handle 13 is obtained by means of a through opening 15 of the support element 9 configured to accommodate the hand H of the driver DR and/or of the passenger P.
In the non-limiting embodiment of
In other non limiting embodiments, like the ones shown in
Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the opening 15 comprises two opposite straight portions 16, which are connected to one another by two curved portions 17, preferably circular ones (alternatively, as shown herein, the portions 17 can also be straight, thus generating a rectangular through opening 15).
According to the non-limiting embodiment of
In particular, the first hinge 20 is integral to the support element 9 and is configured to rotate (circularly, with the swing arm 18 as radius) around the second hinge 22, which is (once mounted) integral to the dashboard 4 of the road vehicle 1.
Advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, the first hinge 20 and the second hinge 22 rotate around a first axis A and around a second axis B, respectively, which are at least partially vertical.
Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the axis A and the axis B are parallel to one another.
According to some non-limiting embodiments which are not shown herein, the moving system 11 comprises a third hinge to allow the screen 10 to rotate around a substantially horizontal axis. In this way, the driver DR or the passenger P can orient the screen 10 also based on their height, for an ideal display of information.
According to the non-limiting embodiment of
As mentioned above, advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, the first hinge is configured to generate a first relative rotary movement between the support element 9 and the swing arm 18 around the rotation axis A and the second hinge is configured to generate a second relative rotary movement between the swing arm 18 and the vehicle dashboard 4 around the rotation axis B.
Advantageously, though not in a limiting manner, the relative movement permits the rotation around the axis A by a first angle α and the second relative movement permits the rotation around the axis B by a second angle β. In particular, the first angle α and the second angle β are different from one another. Preferably, though not in a limiting manner, the first angle α is greater than the second angle β.
In other words, the angle α corresponds to the angle comprised between a longitudinal axis of the swing arm 18 and a longitudinal axis of the support element 9 (as shown in
Hence, in particular, the moving system 11, not in a limiting manner, is a system with at least two degrees of freedom (resulting from the hinges 20 and 22 in the embodiment of
Advantageously, though not necessarily and according to the non-limiting embodiment of
In some non-limiting cases, the locking system 40 is a mechanical system comprising springs and/or dampers, which exclusively permit slow movements of the moving system 11.
In other non-limiting cases, the locking system 40 comprises a servo-motor, which, for example, enables the movement of the moving system 11 only below a given speed or following a release command of the driver DR.
According to the disclosure above, preferably, the display device 5, in particular in the area of the handling element 12, namely of the handle 13, as shown in the non-limiting embodiment of
For instance, advantageously, though not necessarily, the release system 41 is configured to enable the movement of the servo-motors of the locking system 40 so as to move the support element 9 around the hinges 20 and 22.
According to some preferred non-limiting embodiments, the road vehicle 1 further comprises a control unit 26, which is configured to detect the actuation of the mechanical controls 31 and to change the contents displayed by the display device 5 according to said actuation.
According to some preferred non-limiting embodiments, the support element 9 further comprises further mechanical controls 27, for example levers, buttons or knobs, which are interposed between the handle 13 and the screen 10. In this way, the driver DR can also use these controls (besides the controls 31) in an easy manner and without distractions, using the handle 13 as a reference and/or support and perceiving, through touch, the activation of the control (unlike what would happen with a tactile control on the screen 10).
In the non-limiting embodiment of
The items of information given above and relating to the buttons 32 and 33 also apply to the paddles 32′ and 33′.
In use, while driving, the driver DR can operate the buttons 32 and 33 (or the paddles 32′ and 33′) for the measurement of the track time, without looking away from the road. As a matter of fact, the position and the different operating hand allow the driver to not have doubts on the button that he/she is about to press and, hence, start, stop or reset the time measurement without distractions and in a quick manner.
Even though the invention described above specifically relates to a precise embodiment, it should not be considered as limited to said embodiment, for its scope of protection also includes all those variants, changes or simplifications covered by the appended claims, such as for example a different type of road vehicle (for instance, a front-drive vehicle), a different conformation of the passenger compartment, different moving systems, a different kind of screen (for instance, with integrated mechanical controls 27), etcetera.
The vehicle described above has numerous advantages. First of all, it reduces the distraction of the driver to look at vehicle data and information, for example the time of the measurement system.
Furthermore, at the same time, it allows the chronograph to be operated in a user-friendly and precise manner, without having to look away from the road ahead.
In addition, the driver's safety is ensured, preventing the display device from hitting or hurting him/her in case of an accident or, anyway, preventing it from moving from the ideal position found, for example when the vehicle is parked, which would be particularly difficult to find again while driving the vehicle, especially during a race.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 102022000022725 | Nov 2022 | IT | national |
