Display panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019381884-A1
Application number	US-201816480191-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 18, 2018
Priority date	Mar 16, 2017
Publication date	Dec 19, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

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.

First claim

1 . A display panel attached to an appliance including a first light source and a second light source, one of which is capable of being turned off in a case that the other is turned on, and configured to transmit light emitted from the first light source and the second light source, the display panel comprising:
a molded body that is light transmissive, is made of resin that is transparent or translucent, and includes a back surface with a protrusion that is a molded body made of the resin; a front-side decorative layer that is simultaneously integrated with a front surface of the molded body in a case that the molded body is molded and that decorates the front surface; and a sheet-like member that is simultaneously integrated with the back surface of the molded body in a case that the molded body is molded, wherein the molded body or the sheet-like member includes a back-side decorative layer including a first graphic configured to be displayed with light from the first light source passing through the first graphic and a second graphic configured to be displayed with light from the second light source passing through the second graphic, the front-side decorative layer includes a first front-side light-shielding region configured to block light passing through a first window and light passing through a periphery of the first window, the first window being configured to allow light passing through the first graphic to pass through, and a second front-side light-shielding region configured to block light passing through a second window and light passing through a periphery of the second window, the second window being configured to allow light passing through the second graphic to pass through, the back-side decorative layer includes a first back-side light-shielding region configured to block light passing through a periphery of the first graphic and a second back-side light-shielding region configured to block light passing through a periphery of the second graphic, and the second graphic is prevented from being illuminated by the first back-side light-shielding region and the second front-side light-shielding region in a case that the first graphic is illuminated in the first window by the first light source that is turned on, and the first graphic is prevented from being illuminated by the second back-side light-shielding region and the first front-side light-shielding region in a case that the second graphic is illuminated in the second window by the second light source that is turned on.

2 . The display panel according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a light-shielding member fixed to the back surface of the molded body and configured to block light emitted from the first light source toward the second graphic and light emitted from the second light source toward the first graphic.

3 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the light-shielding member includes a back-side decorative sheet in which at least one of the first graphic and the second graphic is printed on the sheet-like member.

4 . The display panel according to claim 3 , wherein
the molded body further includes a support portion that is a molded body made of the resin, protrudes from the back surface, and supports a portion of the back side decorative sheet constituting the light-shielding member.

5 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the light-shielding member and/or the front-side decorative layer includes a reflecting portion configured to reflect light emitted from the first light source and/or the second light source at at least a portion of the light-shielding member and/or the front-side decorative layer.

6 . The display panel according to claim 1 , wherein
the sheet-like member includes a sensor sheet disposed in a region different from the first graphic and the second graphic and configured to receive input from the front surface of the molded body.

7 . The display panel according to claim 1 , wherein
the first window and the second window are disposed having an angle formed by a straight line connecting the first graphic and an edge of the first window and a normal line with respect to the front surface of the molded body; and an angle formed by a straight line connecting the second graphic and an edge of the second window and the normal line, the angles each being greater than a critical angle.

8 . The display panel according to claim 1 , wherein
the front-side decorative layer includes the first window and the second window that are disposed such that light reaching the first window and the second window from an end of the first back-side light-shielding region, from an end of the second back-side light-shielding region, and from the protrusion is incident on the front surface of the molded body at an angle greater than the critical angle.

9 . The display panel according to claim 1 , wherein
the molded body includes a protrusion or a recess configured to refract light emitted through the first window and/or the second window.

10 . The display panel according to claim 1 , wherein
the appliance constitutes a center console of an automobile, and the front-side decorative layer is configured such that a distance from each of the edge of the first window and the edge of the second window to the corresponding one of the end of the first back-side light-shielding region and the end of the second back-side light-shielding region in a plan view is minimum on a rear side in a traveling direction of an automobile.

11 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the sheet-like member includes a sensor sheet disposed in a region different from the first graphic and the second graphic and configured to receive input from the front surface of the molded body.

12 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the first window and the second window are disposed having an angle formed by a straight line connecting the first graphic and an edge of the first window and a normal line with respect to the front surface of the molded body; and an angle formed by a straight line connecting the second graphic and an edge of the second window and the normal line, the angles each being greater than a critical angle.

13 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the front-side decorative layer includes the first window and the second window that are disposed such that light reaching the first window and the second window from an end of the first back-side light-shielding region, from an end of the second back-side light-shielding region, and from the protrusion is incident on the front surface of the molded body at an angle greater than the critical angle.

14 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the molded body includes a protrusion or a recess configured to refract light emitted through the first window and/or the second window.

15 . The display panel according to claim 2 , wherein
the appliance constitutes a center console of an automobile, and the front-side decorative layer is configured such that a distance from each of the edge of the first window and the edge of the second window to the corresponding one of the end of the first back-side light-shielding region and the end of the second back-side light-shielding region in a plan view is minimum on a rear side in a traveling direction of an automobile.

Assignees

• Nissha Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kawashima Eiji
• Terashita Masaru
• Kubomoto Ryouki
• Yoshimura Akihiro
• Ueno Yusuke

Classifications

• B60R11/0235 Primary

  of flat type, e.g. LCD · CPC title

• B60R2011/0007

  Mid-console · CPC title

• F21W2106/00

  Interior vehicle lighting devices · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G09F13/04

  Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia · CPC title