VEHICULAR DISPLAY APPARATUS

• US 20140355236A1
• Filed: 06/03/2014
• Published: 12/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Yasuhiro, Kunitachi, Ryo, Kamon, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 9,522,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/23.01
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/10 for dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G12B 11/04 Pointers; Setting-mechanisms therefor

Abstract

A vehicular display apparatus is provided with an ambient-light luminous region that surrounds an outer periphery of a display region. An ambient light source emits light, which is then guided by an ambient-light guide body into an acrylic cylindrical body. The guided light is then outputted from a light output end face of the acrylic cylindrical body towards a light output direction. The light output end face forms the ambient-light luminous region. The vehicular display apparatus includes a light collection structure that collects an output light, which is outputted from the light output end face, towards the light output direction. Collecting the output light towards the light output direction enables the reduction of a light leakage to a direction different from the light output direction, improving an outputted luminance of the ambient-light luminous region.

Claims

1. A vehicular display apparatus in a vehicle, the vehicular display apparatus providing a luminous region that outputs luminance, the luminous region surrounding a display region that displays vehicular information,

the vehicular display apparatus comprising:

a light source to emit light;

a transmissive member made of light transmissive material and receiving the light emitted from the light source, the transmissive member having a light output face that outputs the light received from the light source as an output light to form the luminous region; and

a light collection device that collects the output light by the light output face towards a light output direction in which the light output face faces.

2. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the light collection device includes a refractive face providing refraction to collect the output light towards the light output direction.

3. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the refractive face forms a convex lens portion providing a convex projecting towards the light output direction.

4. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the refractive face is divided into a plurality of sub-faces that are aligned in a direction orthogonal to the light output direction.

5. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the refractive face is integrated into the light output face, forming the light luminous region.

6. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the light collection device includes a standing wall that stands towards the light output direction from a boundary portion which adjoins the light output face in the transmissive member.

7. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

the light output face is provided along an outer periphery of the display region; and

the standing wall includes an inner peripheral wall portion and an outer peripheral wall portion opposite to the inner peripheral wall portion such that the light output face intervenes between the inner peripheral wall portion and the outer peripheral wall portion,

the inner peripheral wall portion standing closer to the display region than the light output face,

the outer peripheral wall portion standing farther from the display region than the light output face.

8. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the standing wall includes a back-extension wall portion that extends from the light output face in a direction opposite to the light output direction.

9. The vehicular display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light-dark acquisition section to acquire light-dark information on lightness and darkness, the light-dark information indicating a luminance in vicinity of the vehicle; and

a light source control section to reduce a light amount emitted from the light source as the luminance in vicinity of the vehicle becomes darker based on the light-dark information acquired by the light-dark acquisition section.