Display Unit for Vehicle

• US 20120287664A1
• Filed: 05/14/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG), Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Lathrop, William Brian, Coser, Nathaniel, Glaser, Erik, Mejia, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 10,363,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/559
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/20 Optical features of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/336 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/211 producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• 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: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor

Abstract

A display unit for a vehicle includes an electronic display and a light guide coupled to a portion of the display.

Claims

1. A display unit for a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic display configured to display information for an occupant of the vehicle; and

a light guide coupled to a portion of the display and adapted to guide light representing at least a part of the information to predetermined locations spaced apart from the electronic display for viewing.

2. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide includes optical fibers.

3. The display unit according to claim 2, wherein the light guide includes a plurality of optical fibers fused together.

4. The display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a further light guide coupled to a further portion of the display and adapted to guide light representing at least another part of the information to a further predetermined location spaced apart from the electronic display, the further predetermined location being different from the predetermined location.

5. The display unit according to claim 4, wherein a distance of the further predetermined location to the electronic display is different from a distance of the predetermined location to the electronic display.

6. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide includes a first portion and a second portion, a thickness of the first portion in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the electronic display being smaller than a thickness of the second portion in the direction perpendicular of the surface of the electronic display.

7. The display unit according to claim 6, wherein the first portion at least partially surrounds the second portion.

8. The display unit according to claim 7, wherein the second portion and the first portion are arranged concentrically.

9. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide has a cylindrical shape, a ring shape, an elongate shape, and/or a section of a ring shape.

10. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein a surface of a face of the light guide opposite a face facing the electronic display has a flat shape and/or a rounded shape.

11. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide is bonded to the electronic display.

12. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide includes a planer portion covering a surface of the electronic display and a further portion protruding from the planer portion.

13. The display unit according to claim 1, further comprising a bezel covering parts of the electronic display.

14. The display unit according to claim 1, wherein the light guide has a band tape.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a display unit adapted to display information to a driver of the vehicle, the display unit including;

an electronic display configured to display information for the driver; and

a light guide coupled to a portion of the electronic display and adapted to guide light representing at least part of the information to a predetermined location spaced apart from the electronic display.

16. A method for manufacturing a display unit, comprising:

providing an electronic display; and

bonding a light guide to the electronic display to arrange the light guide to guide light representing at least a portion of information displayed on the electronic display to predetermined locations spaced apart from the electronic display.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising fixing a plate to the display, the plate including rings for surrounding the light guide.

18. The method according to claim 16, further comprising fixing a bezel to the electronic display.