Piece of motor vehicle interior equipment and associated method of manufacture

1. A piece ( 10 ; 110 ) of motor vehicle interior equipment, comprising:

a rigid support frame ( 12 );

an external skin ( 14 ) of soft appearance, at least partially translucent, the external skin ( 14 ) having an exterior surface ( 24 ) intended to be placed facing an occupant of the motor vehicle, and an interior surface ( 26 );

a layer of foam ( 16 ) inserted between the support frame ( 12 ) and the external skin ( 14 );

an assembly ( 18 ) for displaying at least one light signal on the exterior surface ( 24 ) of the skin, the assembly ( 18 ) comprising at least one device ( 30 ) for illuminating, through the skin, from the interior surface ( 26 ) of the skin, a chosen region ( 48 ) of the exterior surface ( 24 ) of the skin,

wherein the illuminating device ( 30 ) is flexible so that it deforms when touched, and is fastened on the interior surface ( 26 ) the skin, the skin ( 14 ) covering the illuminating device ( 30 ), a region ( 40 ) of the layer of foam ( 16 ) being inserted between the support frame ( 12 ) and the illuminating device ( 30 ).

2. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the illuminating device comprises a matrix display or segment screen ( 38 ).

3. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the illuminating device ( 30 ) comprises a mask defining at least one pictogram and a light source capable of illuminating the pictogram of the mask.

4. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible illuminating device ( 30 ) has a thickness, considered perpendicular to a guiding surface ( 24 ) of the skin, less than 50% of a thickness of the layer of foam ( 16 ), considered perpendicular to a guiding surface ( 24 ) of the skin.

5. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the flexible illuminating device ( 30 ) is fastened on the interior surface ( 26 ) of the skin via a flexible interface glue capable of deforming locally when the skin ( 14 ) is locally deformed by touching to allow local movement of the illuminating device ( 30 ) in relation to the opposite interior surface ( 26 ).

6. The piece ( 10 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the layer of foam ( 16 ) is made in a single piece.

7. The piece ( 110 ) according to claim 2 , wherein the frame ( 12 ) and the layer of foam ( 16 ) comprise a peripheral region ( 112 ) defining a cavity ( 114 ), the bottom of the cavity ( 114 ) being at least partially defined by the illuminating device ( 30 ), the frame ( 12 ) and the layer of foam ( 16 ) comprising a central region ( 116 ) with a shape substantially complementary to the cavity ( 114 ), the central region ( 116 ) being removably attached on the peripheral region ( 112 ).

8. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the illuminating device ( 30 ) comprises a mask defining at least one pictogram and a light source capable of illuminating the pictogram of the mask.

9. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible illuminating device ( 30 ) has a thickness, considered perpendicular to a guiding surface ( 24 ) of the skin, less than 50% of a thickness of the layer of foam ( 16 ), considered perpendicular to a guiding surface ( 24 ) of the skin.

10. The piece ( 10 ; 110 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the flexible illuminating device ( 30 ) is fastened on the interior surface ( 26 ) of the skin via a flexible interface glue capable of deforming locally when the skin ( 14 ) is locally deformed by touching to allow local movement of the illuminating device ( 30 ) in relation to the interior surface ( 26 ).

11. The piece ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the layer of foam ( 16 ) is made in a single piece.

12. The piece ( 110 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the frame ( 12 ) and the layer of foam ( 16 ) comprise a peripheral region ( 112 ) defining a cavity ( 114 ), the bottom of the cavity ( 114 ) being at least partially defined by the illuminating device ( 30 ), the frame ( 12 ) and the layer of foam ( 16 ) comprising a central region ( 116 ) with a shape substantially complementary to the cavity ( 114 ), the central region ( 116 ) being removably attached on the peripheral region ( 112 ).

13. A method for manufacturing the piece ( 10 ; 110 ) of motor vehicle interior equipment according to claim 1 , the method comprising:

providing the rigid support frame ( 12 ) and the external skin ( 14 ) of soft appearance, at least partially translucent, the external skin ( 14 ) having the exterior surface ( 24 ) intended to be placed facing an occupant of the motor vehicle, and the interior surface ( 26 );

mounting the assembly ( 18 ) for displaying the at least one light signal on the exterior surface ( 24 ) of the skin, the mounting comprising providing the at least one device ( 30 ) for illuminating, through the skin, from the interior surface ( 26 ) of the skin, the chosen region ( 48 ) of the exterior surface ( 24 ) of the skin, the illuminating device ( 30 ) being flexible so that it deforms when touched, and the fastening of the illuminating device ( 30 ), on the interior surface of the skin ( 26 );

placing the layer of foam ( 16 ) between the support frame ( 12 ) and the outer skin ( 14 ), the region ( 40 ) of the layer of foam ( 16 ) being inserted between the support frame ( 12 ) and the illuminating device ( 30 ).

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the placement step comprises:

introducing a foaming material into the interior volume ( 28 ) defined between the interior surface ( 26 ) of the skin and the frame ( 12 ), and

the expansion and hardening of the foaming material to form the layer of foam ( 16 ).

15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein before the step for introducing the foaming material into the interior volume ( 28 ), the placement step comprises introducing a protrusion ( 130 ) into the interior volume ( 28 ) opposite the illuminating device ( 30 ), the frame ( 12 ) and the layer of foam ( 16 ) defining, after hardening of the foaming material, a cavity ( 114 ) in the space occupied by the protrusion ( 130 ) during the foaming step, the placement step also comprising the provision of a central region ( 116 ) of the layer of foam ( 16 ) and the frame ( 12 ) with a shape substantially complementary to that of the cavity ( 114 ) and the removable fastening of the central region ( 116 ) in the cavity ( 114 ).