TFT display trim lighting structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9523593-B2
Application number	US-201414311867-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2014
Priority date	Jun 24, 2013
Publication date	Dec 20, 2016
Grant date	Dec 20, 2016

Abstract

The present teachings provide for a light guide for a vehicle dashboard display having a first display panel. The light guide can include a guide structure secured to the vehicle dashboard display proximate to the first display panel. The guide structure can be configured to transmit light from the first display panel at a first position, through the guide structure, to a second position spaced apart from the first display panel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light guide for a vehicle dashboard display having a first display panel, said light guide comprising:
a guide structure configured to be secured to the vehicle dashboard display proximate to the first display panel and configured to transmit light from the first display panel through said light guide to a surface of said guide structure spaced apart from the first display panel;
the guide structure includes a base and a light distribution element, the base extends away from the first display panel to the light distribution element, the light distribution element extends from the base in a direction outward and away from the first display panel, a first location of the base is at the first display panel and receives light from the first display panel into the guide structure; and
an inner surface of the base of the guide structure extends away from the first display panel to the light distribution element at an angle configured to reflect light that has entered the base at the first location, the inner surface is configured to prevent light from escaping out of the base through the inner surface so that the light can be visible to the operator at the light distribution element, but not through the inner surface;
wherein the guide structure is disposed about a periphery of the first display panel such that the inner surface provides a frame of the first display panel; and
wherein the light distribution element extends outward from the base to a second location that is outside of an outer periphery of the first display panel.

2. The light guide of claim 1 , wherein said first display panel is a TFT display.

3. The light guide of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle dashboard display has a second display panel separate from the first display panel, and said guide structure partially overlaps the second display panel.

4. The light guide of claim 3 , wherein the second display is one of an LCD, a TFT, or a dial.

5. The light guide of claim 1 , wherein the guide structure is formed of a transparent or translucent material.

6. The light guide of claim 5 , wherein the guide structure includes the inner wall proximate to an interior of the first display panel and an outer wall proximate to a periphery of the first display panel, said outer wall being opaque and said inner wall being angled relative to the first display panel to cover the periphery of the first display panel.

7. The light guide of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle dashboard display has a light source spaced apart from the first display panel, and said guide structure is configured to transmit light from the light source to a first area that is spaced apart from the first display panel and is between the first display panel and a second area to which said guide structure directs light from the first display panel.

8. The light guide of claim 7 , wherein said guide structure includes at least one indicator for indicating a mode of the vehicle and said guide structure is configured to direct said light from the second light source to illuminate said indicator.

9. A light guide for a vehicle dashboard display having a display panel, said light guide comprising:
a base and a light distribution element, said base configured to be secured at the display panel and configured to direct light emitted by the display panel away from the display panel to said light distribution element when said base is mounted to the display panel;
the base extends away from the display panel to the light distribution element, the light distribution element extends from the base in a direction outward and away from the display panel, a first location of the base is at the display panel and receives light from the display panel into the guide structure; and
an inner surface of the base extends away from the display panel to the light distribution element at an angle configured to reflect light that has entered the base at the first location, the inner surface is configured to prevent light from escaping out of the base through the inner surface so that the light can be visible to the operator at the light distribution element, but not through the inner surface;
wherein the light guide is disposed about a periphery of the display panel such that the inner surface provides a frame of the display panel; and
wherein the light distribution element extends outward from the base to a second location that is outside of an outer periphery of the display panel.

10. The light guide of claim 9 , wherein said base and said light distribution element are formed of a transparent or translucent material and said light travels within said material to be directed from the display panel through said base and said light distribution element to a location spaced apart from said display panel.

11. The light guide of claim 10 , wherein said light distribution element is integrally formed with said base.

12. The light guide of claim 9 , wherein said base overlaps a portion of a perimeter of the display panel when said base is secured at the display panel.

13. The light guide of claim 9 , wherein said light distribution element overlaps the display panel and a portion of a secondary display panel of the vehicle dashboard display when said light guide is mounted to the vehicle dashboard display.

14. The light guide of claim 9 , wherein the light distribution element includes at least one indicator for indicating a mode of the vehicle and is configured to be illuminated by a light source of the vehicle dashboard display.

15. A vehicle dashboard display comprising:
a first electronic display panel having a display face; and
a light guide including:
a base proximate to said display face and disposed about a periphery of said display face; and
a light distribution member coupled to said base and spaced apart from said display face;

the base extends away from the display panel to the light distribution member, the light distribution member extends from the base in a direction outward and away from the display panel, a first location of the base is at the display panel and receives light from the display panel into the guide structure; and
an inner surface of the base of the guide structure extends away from the display panel to the light distribution member at an angle configured to reflect light that has entered the base at the first location, the inner surface is configured to prevent light from escaping out of the base through the inner surface so that the light can be visible to the operator at the light distribution member, but not through the inner surface;
wherein the guide structure is disposed about a periphery of the display panel such that the inner surface provides a frame of the display panel; and
wherein the light distribution member extends outward from the base to a second location that is outside of an outer periphery of the display panel.

16. The vehicle dashboard display of claim 15 , further comprising a second display spaced apart from said first electronic display, wherein said light distribution member overlaps a portion of said second display.

17. The vehicle dashboard display of claim 15 , further comprising at least one indicator disposed within said light distribution member and a secondary light source spaced apart from said display face, wherein said light source is configured to illuminate said indicator.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Kunitachi Ryo
• Mishra Ramesh

Classifications

• G01D7/04

  using a separate indicating element for each variable · CPC title

• G01D11/28 Primary

  Structurally-combined illuminating devices · CPC title