Cluster illumination by piezoelectric material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10132662-B2
Application number	US-201615216186-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 21, 2016
Priority date	Jul 23, 2015
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

An instrument cluster for a motor vehicle includes a dial surface having a plurality of indicia located thereon. A pointer contacts the dial surface and is configured to rotate with respect to the dial surface. Piezoelectric material is disposed on one of the dial surface and the pointer. The piezoelectric material is configured to deform due to contact between the pointer and the dial surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument cluster for a motor vehicle, the instrument cluster comprising:
a dial surface comprising piezoelectric material;
a plurality of indicia located on the dial surface, the piezoelectric material overlapping with each indicia of the plurality of indicia; and
a pointer configured to rotate with respect to the dial surface, the pointer being configured to contact the piezoelectric material as the pointer rotates with respect to the dial surface;

wherein the piezoelectric material is configured to illuminate upon contact by the pointer.

2. The instrument cluster of claim 1 , wherein the piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of portions of piezoelectric material, the pointer being configured to contact a first portion of the plurality of portions of piezoelectric material in a first position, the pointer being configured to contact a second portion of the plurality of portions of piezoelectric material in a second position, the first portion of the piezoelectric material configured to illuminate when the pointer is in the first position while the second portion remains free from illumination when the pointer is in the first position, the second portion of the piezoelectric material configured to illuminate when the pointer is in the second position while the first portion remains free from illumination when the pointer is in the second position.

3. The instrument cluster of claim 2 , wherein a first indicium of the plurality of indicia overlaps with the first portion of piezoelectric material and a second indicium of the plurality of indicia overlaps with the second portion of piezoelectric material, the first indicium being illuminated when the pointer is in the first position and the second indicium being illuminated when the pointer is in the second position.

4. The instrument cluster of claim 3 , the dial surface having a front face and a rear face, the piezoelectric material being disposed on the rear face of the dial surface.

5. The instrument cluster of claim 4 , the piezoelectric material having a front side and a back side, the front side being attached to the dial surface, the pointer being configured to contact the back side of the piezoelectric material.

6. The instrument cluster of claim 5 , further comprising a housing disposed around the dial surface.

7. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of indicia are laser etched into the dial surface.

8. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of indicia are cut into the dial surface.

9. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 6 , wherein the piezoelectric material is a single layer of material disposed on the rear face of the dial surface.

10. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 6 , wherein the piezoelectric material comprises a plurality of pieces of piezoelectric material disposed on the rear face of the dial surface, the first portion being part of a first piece of the plurality of pieces of piezoelectric material, and the second portion being part of a second piece of the plurality of pieces of piezoelectric material.

11. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 6 , wherein the piezoelectric material is glued to the rear face of the dial surface.

12. An instrument cluster for a motor vehicle, the instrument cluster comprising:
a dial surface;
a plurality of indicia located on the dial surface;
a pointer contacting the dial surface, the pointer comprised of piezoelectric material disposed on the pointer, and configured to deform due to contact between the pointer and the dial surface and being configured to rotate with respect to the dial surface; and
wherein the piezoelectric material is configured to illuminate when deformed.

13. The instrument cluster of claim 12 , wherein the pointer is configured to rotate to contact a first indicium of the plurality of indicia in a first position and a second indicium of the plurality of indicia in a second position, the pointer illuminating the first indicium in the first position and the second indicium in the second position.

14. The instrument cluster of claim 13 , further comprising a housing disposed around the dial surface.

15. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of indicia are one of: laser etched into the dial surface and cut into the dial surface.

16. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 14 , wherein the pointer comprising a pointer main portion, the piezoelectric material being formed as a piezoelectric layer, the piezoelectric layer being glued to the pointer main portion.

Assignees

• Continental automotive systems inc

Inventors

• Gascon Rivera Maria Cristina

Classifications

• B60K2350/402

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G01D11/28 Primary

  Structurally-combined illuminating devices · CPC title

• G01D13/28 Primary

  with luminescent markings · CPC title

• B60K37/02

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B60K2350/408

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic