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 carbon decorative panel includes a clear decoration body and a carbon color layer. The clear decoration body has a main body 10a transmitting light and includes a carbon-toned irregular surface provided on the opposite side to the viewer side of the main body and having a carbon-toned pattern formed with protrusions and depressions. The carbon color layer is laminated on the carbon-toned irregular surface, includes a reflective surface reflecting incident light transmitted through the clear decoration body, and is colored in a carbon color.

A clear decoration body includes a character display area and an indicator display area that light up and display a design pattern by transmitting light. A first partition layer is laminated on a carbon style irregular surface, shields light, and forms a first partition boundary of the character display area. A carbon colored layer is laminated on the carbon style irregular surface, shields light, and forms a first partition boundary of the indicator display area. The character display area of the clear decoration body is provided with a projecting flat part that at least projects relative to a bottom part of irregularities of a decoration surface toward a side opposite to a viewing side, and that is formed in a flat shape.

A gauge assembly includes a gauge surface including at least one graphic, which may be a plurality of graphics defining a scale in a generally circular pattern on the gauge surface. The gauge surface has a viewable side. A light guide has a main body portion disposed adjacent to the gauge surface and corresponding to the shape of the gauge surface. The light guide has a plurality of raised tick marks extending from the main body portion. Each tick mark is viewable via a viewing side of the gauge surface. The light guide includes ends that curve away from the gauge surface to receive light. The light guide is configured to provide illumination to the illuminable graphic(s) and the plurality of tick marks.

A device for entering information includes an operating element and a control device. The device further includes an angle encoder configured to detect a rotational movement about an axis of rotation of the operating element, a touch encoder configured to detect a pressure movement of the operating element, and a transmission element configured to transmit data from the angle encoder and/or from the touch encoder to the control device. In addition, the device includes an energy transmission device configured to supply energy to the operating element via a cable-free transmission of energy.

A display device includes a liquid crystal panel providing a display surface where an image is displayed, a backlight emitting light to the liquid crystal panel from behind, a real object placed between the liquid crystal panel and the backlight and visible through the liquid crystal panel, and a controller controlling the liquid crystal panel such that a specific pixel region of the display surface behind which the real object is positioned is higher in light transmittance than another pixel region of the display surface.

The present invention relates to a display gauge, particularly used in a cab of a motor vehicle. The display gauge comprises a display unit and a control unit, the display unit having a stationary warning zone, the control unit being connectable with different types of sensors to receive sensor signals, wherein the display gauge further comprises a coded selector that can be operated by a user, the selector being electrically connected to the control unit to transmit to the control unit a signal indicative of a type of a current sensor signal selected by the user, and the control unit controls display of the display unit according to a value of the current sensor signal, so that a state in which the value of the current sensor signal reaches a warning value range can be displayed through the warning zone regardless of the type of the sensor. The present invention allows to display multiple types of sensor signals by a single display gauge, and to exhibit different functions or sensor signal types with different symbols or icons.

A block of light-transmissive material having a substantially planar top surface and a stepped bottom surface provides uniform or at least substantially uniform luminance to both graphics and tickmarks on a dial face for a motor vehicle instrument panel dial. The tickmarks are embodied as light-transmissive protuberances from the top surface.

Disclosed embodiments provide a programmable gauge suited for vehicular applications. A multicolored lighting element illuminates a gauge needle in response to an input value. Thus, the needle can be a first color under certain conditions, and then transition to a second color under different conditions. In embodiments, the programmable gauge can serve as a tachometer, speedometer, fuel level gauge, oil pressure gauge, temperature gauge, altimeter, and/or other gauge types.