CONCEALED DISPLAY FOR AN EXTERNAL SURFACE OF A VEHICLE

• US 20100238006A1
• Filed: 03/17/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Gale, Allan Roy, Grider, Duane M., Chander, Bala
• Application Number:
  US12/405,314
• Publication Number:
  US 20100238006A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/425.500
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/797 at the vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2250/16 by display
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/305 Communication interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/90 Vehicles comprising electric prime movers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A panel assembly includes a body that is attachable to a vehicle and has an aperture. A display sub-assembly configured for illumination has a periphery configured to conform to the aperture. The display sub-assembly is mounted to the body within the aperture such that a surface of the display sub-assembly and a surface of the body are substantially flush. A translucent coating is disposed over both the surface of the body and the surface of the display sub-assembly. The translucent coating substantially conceals the display sub-assembly.

Claims

1. A panel assembly comprising:

a body having an aperture;

a display sub-assembly mounted within the aperture, a periphery of the display sub-assembly generally conforming to the aperture and a surface of the display sub-assembly being substantially flush with a surface of the body; and

a translucent coating disposed over both the surface of the body and the surface of the display sub-assembly to substantially conceal the display sub-assembly.

2. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the translucent coating generally permits light emanating from the display sub-assembly to be transmitted through the translucent coating and wherein the translucent coating generally reflects light emanating from a source external to the body.

3. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the surface of the display sub-assembly is substantially invisible from a position external to the body when the display sub-assembly is not illuminated and wherein the surface of the display sub-assembly is substantially visible from a position external to the body when the display sub-assembly is illuminated.

4. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein a color of the translucent coating disposed over the surface of the display sub-assembly is substantially the same as a color of the translucent coating disposed over the surface of the body such that the surface of the body and the surface of the display sub-assembly together appear to form an uninterrupted and contiguous surface when the display sub-assembly is not illuminated.

5. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the body comprises an A-pillar or a C-pillar of the vehicle.

6. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a front quarter panel or a rear quarter panel of the vehicle.

7. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the display sub-assembly comprises a light emitting diode.

8. The panel assembly of claim 1 wherein the display sub-assembly comprises a liquid crystal display.

9. A panel assembly comprising:

a body configured to be attached to a vehicle having an electric charging system, the body comprising an outer surface of the vehicle, and the body having an aperture defined therein;

a display sub-assembly configured for connection to the electric charging system, the display sub-assembly being further configured for illumination, the illumination corresponding to a status of an electric charging system of the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, the display sub-assembly having a periphery configured to generally conform to the aperture, the display sub-assembly being mounted to the body such that the periphery is disposed within the aperture and such that a surface of the display sub-assembly is substantially flush with a surface of the body; and

a translucent coating disposed over both the surface of the body and the surface of the display sub-assembly, the translucent coating substantially concealing the display sub-assembly.

10. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the translucent coating generally permits light emanating from the display sub-assembly to be transmitted through the translucent coating and wherein the translucent coating generally reflects light emanating from a source external to the body.

11. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the display sub-assembly includes a thermal detector and wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to illuminate in response to the thermal detector detecting the presence of a predefined thermal signal.

12. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the display sub-assembly includes a motion detector and wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to illuminate in response to the motion detector detecting motion proximate the display sub-assembly.

13. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the display sub-assembly includes a touch sensor and wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to illuminate in response to a user touching the display sub-assembly.

14. The panel assembly of claim 13 wherein the touch sensor uses a resistive, capacitative, or a stray capacitative method to detect that the display sub-assembly has been touched.

15. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the electric charging system includes a rechargeable battery, the display sub-assembly being further configured to display information corresponding to a state of charge of the rechargeable battery.

16. The panel assembly of claim 15 wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to display information corresponding to a length of time until charging the rechargeable battery is complete.

17. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to permit a user to enter information corresponding to the electric charging system.

18. The panel assembly of claim 17 wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to permit a user to set a start time and a completion time for charging the electric charging system.

19. The panel assembly of claim 9 wherein the display sub-assembly is further configured to display an alert when the electric charging system detects a fault during electric charging.

20. A vehicle assembly having an electrical charging system, the vehicle assembly comprising:

a vehicle body;

a body panel connected to the vehicle body, the body panel having an aperture therethrough;

a display sub-assembly connected to the electrical charging system, the display sub-assembly being configured for illumination, the illumination corresponding to a status of the electric charging system, the display sub-assembly having a periphery configured to generally conform to the aperture, the display sub-assembly being mounted to the body panel such that the display sub-assembly is disposed within the aperture and a surface of the display sub-assembly is substantially flush with a surface of the body panel;

a translucent paint disposed over both the surface of the body panel and the surface of the display sub-assembly.