A veneer may be configured to be secured to a backlit button of a control device. A plate portion of the veneer may have one or more indicia machined therethrough. The indicia may define an open portion, a floating portion, and one or more ribs that suspend the floating portion. The one or more ribs may be configured to create an optical illusion that conceals the ribs from view relative to a user of the control device. The rib may define an upper surface that is recessed relative to a front surface of the veneer, and may define opposed sides that extend from a base of the rib to the upper surface. The sides may be tapered between the base and the upper surface, such that the upper surface is narrower than the base. The sides and the upper surface of the rib may be unfinished.

The information display device comprises a substrate portion, a light emitter, a housing, a display sheet, and a light guide region. The light emitter is disposed on the substrate portion and emits light. The housing is disposed so as to cover the substrate. The display sheet is attached to the housing, has a display surface on which various kinds of information are displayed by light emitted from the light emitter, and whose display surface is deformable. The light guide region is a space formed by the inner wall surface of the housing and the display sheet, and guides the light emitted from the light emitter to the display sheet. The housing has a deformable portion that is provided to at least the portion in contact with the display sheet, and that is more readily deformable than the substrate portion in a direction intersecting the surface of the display sheet. The housing and the display sheet deform along the wall surface with which the display sheet comes into contact.

A backlit operating portion of a control device includes a veneer having indicia defining an open portion exposing a backlit component, a floating portion, and one or more ribs that suspend the floating portion. The rib defines an upper surface recessed relative to a front surface of the veneer, and opposed sides that extend from a base of the rib to the upper surface, such opposed sides tapered between the base and the upper surface, such that the upper surface is narrower than the base.

The invention concerns an operating element (100, 100, 100) for a vehicle interior, comprising an at least partially transparent cover layer (200) having at least one tactilely detectable raised and/or recessed area (210) on an upper side (201) of the cover layer (200) facing the vehicle interior, a light source (300) configured to emit light toward an underside (202) of the cover layer (200) opposite the upper side (201), a non-transparent mask layer (400) arranged between the light source (300) and at least a portion of the cover layer (200), and an actuating element (500), that can be activated by touching the upper side (201) of the transparent cover layer (200), configured to output an operating signal when activating the actuating element (500).

An indication device includes an indication portion made of a light transmitting material and a cover portion made of a light blocking material. The indication portion has a sign including at least one of a character, a symbol and a figure. The cover portion covers a periphery of the sign of the indication portion. The sign is illuminated by light emitted by a light source and guided to the indication portion. The cover portion is configured such that a recess from a surface of the cover portion is provided in a region corresponding to the sign of the indication portion.

A control device includes one or more buttons having an illuminated indicia indicating a function. Each button has a translucent button body and an associated lighting element. A veneer covers a front surface of the button body, the veneer being opaque to block transmission of light through the veneer except for an area defining the indicia. The control device may further comprise a button lighting circuit, wherein the button lighting circuit and the associated lighting element are configured to operate at a first illumination intensity and a second illumination intensity. Selection of the button by a user, such as by pressing the button, results in the selected button displaying a greater illumination intensity.

A veneer may be configured to be secured to a backlit button of a control device. A plate portion of the veneer may have one or more indicia machined therethrough. The indicia may define an open portion, a floating portion, and one or more ribs that suspend the floating portion. The one or more ribs may be configured to create an optical illusion that conceals the ribs from view relative to a user of the control device. The rib may define an upper surface that is recessed relative to a front surface of the veneer, and may define opposed sides that extend from a base of the rib to the upper surface. The sides may be tapered between the base and the upper surface, such that the upper surface is narrower than the base. The sides and the upper surface of the rib may be unfinished.

Apparatus and associated methods relate to a light device with a programmable display. In an illustrative example, a linear multi-mode programmable indicator light (LMPIL) may include a housing extending along a longitudinal axis having a display surface. For example, the LMPIL may include an indicator light, and a programmable display coupled to the housing. For example, the indicator light may emit a light indicium orthogonal to the display surface. For example, the programmable display may display a predetermined visual indicium along a longitudinal axis through the display surface when the indicator light emits the light indicium. For example, based on predetermined associations between light indicia and corresponding predetermined visual indicia, the programmable display may display the predetermined visual indicium as the corresponding predetermined interpretation of the light indicium based on the predetermined associations. Various embodiments may advantageously display preconfigured messages with corresponding light indicia on any visible surface.