Vehicle interior panel with shape-changing surface
AssigneeFaurecia Interior Systems, Inc.
InventorHugo Piccin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle interior panel includes an electromagnet configured to add a localized recess to a base contour of the panel when activated. The recess can provide a visual and tactile feature along the outer surface of the panel to allow a user to interact with the panel. The panel may be touch sensitive and/or include a proximity sensor that triggers formation of the recess.
Claims20
A vehicle interior panel, comprising:
- a substrate supporting an electromagnet;
- a decorative layer disposed over the substrate and overlying the electromagnet, the decorative layer having an outer surface with a base contour;
- and
- an elastic layer between the substrate and the decorative layer with one face of the elastic layer in contact with the substrate and an opposite face of the elastic layer in contact with the decorative laver,
- wherein the panel is configured to add a localized recess to the base contour when the electromagnet is activated, and
- wherein the elastic layer biases the localized recess toward the base contour.
A vehicle interior panel having an outer surface with a base contour, wherein the panel is configured to add a localized recess to the base contour when a proximity sensor underlying the outer surface detects an object approaching a location along the outer surface beneath which an actuator is positioned while the outer surface has the base contour.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.