Pointer double illumination

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10274348-B2
Application number	US-201715707233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2017
Priority date	Sep 18, 2017
Publication date	Apr 30, 2019
Grant date	Apr 30, 2019

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a mechanical instrument cluster with a lighted pointer. The light pointer is driven by either a shaft or shaft-less stepper motor, and includes applique layers that are viewable when lighted. The pointers disclosed herein are capable of illuminating with at least two colors, with a single light emitting diode (LED) with multiple colors.

First claim

We claim:

1. An instrument cluster, comprising:
a pointer shaft with a hollow portion to propagate light, the pointer shaft being rotate-able around an axis, the pointer shaft having a first end and a second, the first end fitted through a hole in a printed-circuit-board (PCB);
a wall disposed within the hollow portion of the pointer shaft, the wall bisecting the pointer shaft into a first light guide and a second light guide;
a pointer cap fitted on the second end of the pointer shaft, the pointer cap having a hidden applique on a surface of the pointer cap, a first angled reflective surface cooperating with the first light guide and a second angled reflective surface cooperating with the second light guide, wherein the first angled reflective surface is oriented at 90 degrees from the second angled reflective surface;
a pointer tail attached to a first end of the pointer cap and a pointer stem attached to a second end of the pointer cap;
a light source positioned on the PCB adjacent and orthogonal to the first end of the pointer shaft, wherein the light source generates a first light that is projected through the first light guide in the pointer shaft and a second light that is projected through the second light guide in the pointer shaft,
wherein the first light that is projected through the first light guide is reflected off the first angled reflective surface of the pointer cap and through the pointer tail, the second light that is projected through the second light guide is reflected off the second angled reflective surface of the pointer cap through the pointer stem, and the hidden applique being illuminated by only one of the first light and the second light generated by the light source.

2. The instrument cluster according to claim 1 , wherein a stepper motor drives the pointer shaft.

3. The instrument cluster according to claim 1 , wherein the first light and the second light generated by the light source are different colors.

4. The instrument cluster according to claim 1 , wherein the light source further comprises a multi-colored light emitting diode (LED) installed on the PCB, wherein the first light is generated from a first color installed on the LED and the second light is generated from a second color installed on the LED.

5. The instrument cluster according to claim 4 , wherein the first light guide is aligned with the first color of the LED light source and the second light guide is aligned with the second color of the LED light source.

6. A shaft-less instrument cluster, comprising:
a pointer cap fitted on a stepper motor, the pointer cap on one surface of a printer-circuit-board (PCB) and the stepper motor on an opposing surface of the PCB;
a pointer tail attached to a first end of the pointer cap and a pointer stem attached to a second end of the pointer cap;
wherein a first light is projected through a first cavity of the pointer cap, and a second light is projected through a second cavity formed by a cylindrical structure that attaches the pointer cap to the stepper motor.

7. The instrument cluster according to claim 6 , further comprising a hidden applique on a surface of the pointer cap, the hidden applique being illuminated by only one of the first light and the second light.

8. The instrument cluster according to claim 6 , wherein the first light and the second light are different colors.

9. The instrument cluster according to claim 6 , further comprise a multi-colored light emitting diode (LED) installed on the PCB, wherein the first light is generated from a first color installed on the LED and the second light is generated from a second color installed on the LED.

10. The instrument cluster according to claim 9 , wherein the first cavity is aligned with the first color and the second cavity is aligned with the second color.

11. The instrument cluster according to claim 10 , wherein PCB includes a first aperture for the first color and a second aperture for the second color.

12. The instrument cluster according to claim 11 , wherein the first aperture is aligned under the pointer cap, and the second aperture is defined by where the pointer cap is attached to the stepper motor.

13. An instrument cluster comprising:
a surface incorporating a digital display and defining at least one circular plane;
a pointer cap fitted on a stepper motor, wherein the pointer cap is disposed on one surface of a printer-circuit-board (PCB) and the stepper motor is disposed on an opposing surface of the PCB;
a pointer tail attached to a first end of the pointer cap and a pointer stem attached to a second end of the pointer cap, wherein the pointer tail and the pointer stem are disposed adjacent the at least one circular plane of the surface and rotate-able around and axis in the center of the at least one circular plane;
a structure attaching the pointer cap and the stepper motor;
at least one light source cooperating with the pointer cap,
wherein the at least one light source generates a first light that is projected through a first cavity of the pointer cap to the pointer tail attached to the first end of the pointer cap, and generates a second light that is projected through a second cavity formed in the structure attaching the pointer cap to the stepper motor to the pointer stem attached to the second end of the pointer cap.

14. The instrument cluster according to claim 13 , further comprising a hidden applique on a surface of the pointer cap, the hidden applique being illuminated by only one of the first light and the second light generated by the at least one light source.

15. The instrument cluster according to claim 13 , wherein at least one light source further comprises a first LED to generate the first light that is projected through the first cavity of the pointer cap to the pointer tail attached to the first end of the pointer cap and a second LED to generate the second light that is projected through the second cavity formed in the structure attaching the pointer cap to the stepper motor to the pointer stem attached to the second end of the pointer cap.

16. The instrument cluster according to claim 15 , wherein the first light generated by the first LED and the second light generated by the second LED are different colors.

17. The instrument cluster according to claim 16 , wherein the first cavity is aligned with the first LED and the second cavity is aligned with the second LED.

18. The instrument cluster according to claim 17 , wherein PCB includes a first aperture corresponding to and cooperating with the first LED a second aperture corresponding to and cooperating with the second LED.

19. The instrument cluster according to claim 18 , wherein the first aperture is aligned under the pointer cap, and the second aperture is defined by where the pointer cap is attached to the stepper motor.

20. The instrument cluster according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one light source further comprises a multi-colored light emitting diode (LED) installed on the PCB, wherein the first light is generated from a first color installed on the LED and the second light is generated from a second color installed on the LED.

Assignees

• Croy Jean Luc
• Denise Sylvain
• Hammiche Yahia
• Visteon Global Tech Inc

Inventors

• Croy Jean Luc
• Denise Sylvain
• Hammiche Yahia

Classifications

• B60Q3/12

  lighting onto the surface to be illuminated · CPC title

• G01D13/265 Primary

  Pointers which conduct light · CPC title

• G01D11/28

  Structurally-combined illuminating devices · CPC title

• G02B27/20

  for imaging minute objects, e.g. light-pointer · CPC title