An in-vehicle lighting device includes: a panel that has a front surface and a back surface, and has a through-hole penetrating through the front surface and the back surface; a light source disposed on a side of the back surface of the panel; and a button inserted in the through-hole, the button including a front end part protruding from the front surface, an first intermediate part provided continuously with the front end part and located between the front surface and the back surface of the panel, a surface of the first intermediate part containing a material that reflects light emitted from the light source, and a back end part provided continuously with the first intermediate part and protrudes from the back surface.

Disclosed herein are a film and a hidden switch structure having the same. The film includes a base layer made of a transparent material, a first adhesive layer laminated on the base layer, a shield layer laminated and bonded on the first adhesive layer and having a symbol laser-machined after an opaque paint is applied to the shield layer, a second adhesive layer laminated on the shield layer, and a sheet layer laminated on the second adhesive layer and made of thin real wood, thereby enhancing visibility. The hidden switch structure includes a first substrate having LEDs, a second substrate spaced apart from the first substrate and having a touch sensor, a molded article having a built-in prism and laminated on the second substrate, and the film, thereby increasing a degree of freedom of design and enhancing aesthetics.

A start switch device includes a start button configured to send a command to start or stop a vehicle drive device, a biometric sensor arranged on the start button for reading a biometric information of an operator to operate an operating surface of the start button, a light source configured to emit an illuminating light from an inside of the start button toward the operating surface, and a design part arranged around the biometric sensor on the operating surface and configured to define a design on the operating surface by the illuminating light transmitted therethrough.

A display panel is attached to an appliance that includes first and second light sources, in which one of the first and second light sources is capable of being turned off when the other is turned on. The display panel basically includes a molded body, a front-side decorative layer, and a sheet-like member. The display panel is capable of individually illuminating a plurality of graphics, which is simultaneously molded and decorated, with light passing through a molded resin. In particular, a first graphic is illuminated in a first window by turning on the first light source, while a first back-side light-shielding region and a second front-side light-shielding region prevent a second graphic from being illuminated. The second graphic is illuminated in a second window by turning on the second light source, while a second back-side light-shielding region and a first front-side light-shielding region prevent the first graphic from being illuminated.

An operation input apparatus for a vehicle, comprising: a touch panel display that extends in a vehicle width direction; an instrument panel that has a flat surface that extends from a position near a lower end of the touch panel display, in a rearward direction of the vehicle; and an operation input unit that is provided in the flat surface, wherein the operation input unit includes one or more button switches, and upper surfaces of the one or more button switches are flush with the flat surface, or are located on a lower side of the vehicle relative to the flat surface.

A method, system, and devices for implementing a selectively lighted instrument cluster are disclosed herein. The aspects employ a light house layer (or collection of light house layers) using a combination of light and dark materials to provide individually lit indicia on a cover layer (i.e. applique layer) of an instrument cluster. The combination of light and dark layers selectively applied prevents light leakage into other non-intended portions on the viewable surface of the instrument cluster.

A vehicle interior component includes an interior component body arranged along a vehicle body member with a face thereof exposed to a vehicle room and a display unit arranged at the interior component body to perform displaying for a passenger. The display unit includes a light source to radiate light to the interior component body from a back face side thereof, a transmissive section to perform displaying to be visible from a front face side of the interior component body by being transmissively illuminated with light from the light source as being formed by thinning a region of the interior component body, and a reinforcing member arranged on the back face side of the interior component body to reinforce the transmissive section.

An operation input device includes a detection unit configured to sense a detection value changing according to a distance to a detection target object and a controller configured to detect input operation in a case where the detection value is equal to or greater than a first threshold. The controller stands by in a sleep mode in which a power consumption is reduced as compared to a normal standby mode in a case where the detection value is less than a second threshold, which is smaller than the first threshold, as a threshold indicating that the distance between the detection target object and the detection unit is equal to or shorter than a second distance longer than the first distance, and stands by in the normal standby mode in a case where the detection value is equal to or greater than the second threshold.

Various implementations of a track pad system include an array of force sensors disposed between a base surface and a touch interface plate. The touch interface plate passes touch forces incident on an upper surface thereof to one or more of the force sensors in the array. At least one light source is disposed adjacent the touch interface plate such that the light from the light source is directed through the touch interface plate to illuminate at least a portion of the upper surface of the touch interface plate. One or more icons may be disposed adjacent the illuminated portion of the touch interface plate.

An operating knob for an operating apparatus extends away from a reference plane that delimits the operating knob on a rear side. The operating knob is in the form of a three-dimensionally protruding body in relation to the reference plane up to a knob height. The operating knob has at least one side wall extending between the reference plane and the knob height at an angle greater than 20 with respect to the reference plane as a placement surface for at least one finger operating the operating knob. Luminous outputs of at least one luminous segment or a pixel matrix are provided on the side wall.