Light guide for rotary knob operation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12508905-B2
Application number	US-202418757614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2024
Priority date	Jul 5, 2023
Publication date	Dec 30, 2025
Grant date	Dec 30, 2025

Abstract

A light guide includes a viewing side, a rear side opposite the viewing side, a plurality of rib elements formed on the rear side and configured to define a light scatter output from the light guide. The light guide is configured to be coupled to a rotary knob operating device, with the rib elements providing a compression fit with the rotary knob operating device.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A light guide comprising:
a rear side configured to receive light from a light source; a viewing side opposite the rear side and configured to output light received by the rear side; and at least one fastening element disposed on the rear side, the fastening element having a structure configured to produce a predefined light pattern coupled out of the viewing side; wherein, the light guide is configured such that, when coupled to a rotating interior device for a passenger vehicle, the at least one fastening element holds the light guide to the interior device, with the viewing side of the light guide arranged perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the interior device, and the viewing side is visible in the passenger compartment, wherein the at least one fastening element is a semicircular compression rib which forms a frictional engagement with a rolling bearing when a rotary element is fitted onto the rolling bearing such that the rotation of the rotary element causes corresponding rotation of an interior device for a passenger compartment of a transportation vehicle.

2 . The light guide of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fastening element comprises a plurality of identical fastening elements arranged at regular distances from one another on the rear side of the light guide, the plurality of identical fastening element configured to output a regular light pattern from the viewing side.

3 . The light guide of claim 1 , wherein the light guide is formed integrally.

4 . A transportation vehicle comprising:
the light guide of claim 1 coupled to the interior device, wherein the viewing side faces toward the passenger compartment and the viewing side is not fully covered from the passenger compartment by any transportation vehicle components.

5 . An interior device for a passenger compartment of a transportation vehicle, the interior device comprising:
the rotary element configured for rotation about a rotation axis to perform user input of a vehicle passenger; the rolling bearing that is rotated about the rotation axis; and the light guide of claim 1 .

6 . The interior device of claim 5 , wherein a cross section of the at least one semicircular compression rib is configured to produce the desired light pattern to be output from the viewing side.

7 . The interior device of claim 5 , wherein the semicircular compression rib is a plurality of semicircular compression ribs distributed at regular distances over the circumference of the rotation axis.

8 . The interior device of claim 7 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of semicircular compression ribs runs extends longitudinally in the axial direction of the rotation axis.

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Huwer Wojciech
• Thiele Henning

Classifications

• B60K2360/126

  Rotatable input devices for instruments · CPC title

• B60K35/50

  Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle (B60K35/231 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60K2360/336

  Light guides · CPC title

• H01H19/025

  Light-emitting indicators · CPC title

• B60K2360/345

  Illumination of controls · CPC title