Patent classifications
B60K2370/336
Lensless instrument cluster with integration of hard telltales and halo lighting providing a seamless display appearance
The invention is a robust lensless instrument cluster configured for installation in a vehicle. The instrument cluster comprises an outer case, a PCB and lighting structure, an inner frame, an optical bonding assembly, halo lighting portions, a seamless display comprising tell-tale indicators and gauges, and an outer visor. The instrument cluster further comprises a plurality of LEDs for compartmentalized and indirect lighting of the tell-tale indicators on the seamless display and the halo lighting portions around the edges of the seamless display. Because the instrument cluster is lensless and otherwise exposed to the environment, it comprises a seal system to prevent the ingress of water and dust into the interior components. The seal system can also eliminate the risk of mura in the optical bonding assembly.
FUNCTION DISPLAY FOR SELECTIVELY DISPLAYING SEVERAL SYMBOLS THAT RESPECTIVELY REPRESENT A SWITCHING FUNCTION AND/OR SEVERAL SWITCHING STATES, WITH AN ALIGNMENT FUNCTION OF THE LIGHT SOURCES, AND ASSOCIATED ASSEMBLY METHOD
The invention relates to a function display (1) for selectively displaying several symbols representing one switching function, respectively, and/or at least two switching states, respectively, comprising: a light guide stack which, given an attachment of the function display (1) as intended, forms a display surface (8) facing towards the observer (B); wherein the light guide stack is formed from at least two transparent or translucent, planar light guides (2, 3) arranged in an overlaid manner in a stacking direction, which are arranged so as to be spaced apart by a transparent or translucent layer consisting of a material that is optically thinner compared to the adjacent light guides (2, 3), preferably an air gap (14), so that the light guides (2, 3) each have a main surface (H) facing towards the observer (B) and a main surface (H′) facing away from the observer (B), and, in at least one light guide (2), the main surface (H′) facing away from the observer (B) faces towards a light guide (3) which is most closely adjacent in the opposite direction to the stacking direction;
at least one light source (5, 5′) per light guide (2, 3), which is arranged such that in each case, its light (L, L′), via an end face (11) of an associated light guide (2, 3) facing towards the light source (5, 5′), is coupled into the respective light guide (2, 3); wherein, further, at least one microstructured symbol area (12a, 12b) provided in or on the light guide (2, 3) is provided for each light guide (2, 3), which is configured, if the light source (5, 5′) is respectively activated, to be visible, illuminated by the light (L, L′) coupled into the light guide (2, 3), to the observer (B); a circuit board (7) on which the several light sources (5, 5′) are arranged and fixed; a panel (6) fixed to the light guide stack by substance-to-substance connection and/or non-positively and/or positively, to which the circuit board (7) is fixed while resting against a mounting surface (15), wherein two light sources (5′) of the circuit board serve as an alignment aid in attaching the circuit board (7) and the panel (6); and an associated assembly method.
Plug-and-play stepper motor for a pointer display assembly
Systems and methods are disclosed and include a needle control module that includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in a nontransitory computer-readable medium, a motor driver circuit in communication with the needle control module, the motor driver circuit controlling a stepper motor attached to a needle, and a housing enclosing the needle control module, the motor driver circuit, and the stepper motor, the housing being physically attached to a display of a vehicle. In response to the needle control module receiving a signal representing vehicle state information, the needle control module is configured to instruct the motor driver circuit to control movement of the stepper motor and adjust a position of the needle based on the signal.
Multibeam element-based head-up display, system, and method
A head-up display and a multiview head-up display system provide a plurality of different views of a multiview image combined with a view of a physical environment to an eye box as a combined view. The head-up display includes a multibeam element-based display configured to provide the different views of the multiview image and an optical combiner configured to relay the different views to the eye box along with the view of the physical environment view. The multibeam element-based display includes an array of multibeam elements configured to provide a plurality of directional light beams having directions corresponding to respective view directions of the plurality of different views and an array of light valves configured to modulate the plurality of directional light beams to provide the multiview image.
Display system of a vehicle for displaying a virtual image and method for displaying the virtual image for the vehicle
A display system of a vehicle displays a virtual image. The display system has a projection device, which is configured to emit display light in order to generate an image, and a reflecting device, which is configured for a first reflection of display light of the projection device arranged above the reflecting device by way of the reflecting device attached in or on an instrument panel of the vehicle. The display light of the projection device incident on the reflecting device is substantially retroreflected. The display system further includes a windshield of the vehicle, which windshield is configured for a second reflection of at least part of the display light, which was reflected by the reflecting device, to the eyes of an observer in the vehicle in order to allow the observer to see, behind the windshield, the virtual image of the image generated by the projection device.
LIGHT SOURCE APPARATUS, AND INFORMATION DISPLAY SYSTEM AND HEAD-UP DISPLAY APPARATUS USING THE SAME
In an information display system that allows an observer to visually recognize image information displayed on an image display apparatus by superimposing the image on an external scenery through a window glass and a combiner, the system includes a light source apparatus that supplies light having a specific polarization direction at a narrow divergence angle to the image display apparatus, a reflection position of the image is changed by arranging a position and an angle of the image display apparatus with respect to the window glass so that the position and the angle change while a monitoring angle of the image visually recognized by the observer is constant, and a virtual image display distance of the image visually recognized by the observer and a size of the image of the virtual image can be changed by the arrangement state in the vehicle.
HEAD-UP DISPLAY DEVICE
A head-up display device including a display unit, a polarization beam-splitting module, and an optical module is provided. The polarization beam-splitting module receives a first image beam and a second image beam from the display unit, and transmits the first image beam and the second image beam to the optical module. The first image beam and the second image beam are respectively reflected by the optical module to an outside of the head-up display device, and then transmitted to a target element, to form a first virtual image and a second virtual image. By the polarization beam-splitting module, an optical path length of the first image beam from the display unit to a position of the first virtual image formed by itself is longer than an optical path length of the second image beam from the display unit to a position of the second virtual image formed by itself.
Light guide pointer and light emitting pointer device
In a light guide pointer, a vertex portion of a light control space is located on a sub-pointer portion side with respect to a center axis of a light entrance shaft, providing appropriate luminance balance between a main pointer portion and the sub-pointer portion. The light control space includes a circular arc portion, thereby broadening diffusion range of light that has passed through the light control space and preventing attenuation of light traveling along inclined portions. A center of the circular arc portion is located on the main pointer portion side with respect to the center axis, allowing strong light that has entered the light control space from the vertex portion to be diffused more. Local focusing and/or attenuation of light can be prevented, while providing appropriate luminance balance between the main pointer portion side and the sub-pointer portion side, thereby reducing luminance unevenness at the light emitting face.
SKIN FOR A VEHICLE INTERIOR TRIM PART COMPRISING A LIGHT SOURCE
The skin (1) comprises at least a translucent elastomeric layer (5) composed of a pigmented plastic material and comprising at least one first portion (8) which is configured to be placed in front of a light source (9). The light of this light source (9) produces an image on this first portion (8) of the translucent layer due to the presence of a surface relief (17, 18) on the surface of the translucent layer (5). A clearly visible image can be obtained by providing even small differences in thickness of the translucent layer (5) when the pigmented plastic material thereof has an average spectral attenuation coefficient (α.sub.av) of between 1.0 and 25 mm.sup.−1. The difference in layer thickness (d.sub.2-d.sub.1) and the average spectral attenuation coefficient (α.sub.av) should moreover be large enough to meet the formula: α.sub.av(d .sub.2−d.sub.1)>-In a, wherein a is equal to 0.50. Since the surface relief (18an automatically be produced when moulding the translucent layer (5) against a mould surface, the image can easily be obtained in the correct position on the skin (1).
TRIM ELEMENT COMPRISING A MAIN DISPLAY SURFACE AND A PERIPHERAL DISPLAY SURFACE
A trim element having an outer surface that is at least partially translucent, the outer surface defining a main display surface and a peripheral display surface, the peripheral display surface extending around at least a portion of the main display surface, a screen of a display device extending opposite the main display surface. The trim member includes an illumination device having a luminous sheet extending opposite the main display surface and the peripheral display surface so as to emit at least a first luminous signal onto the screen and at least a second luminous signal illuminating at least a portion of the peripheral display surface when the luminous sheet is activated.