Transparent Display Overlay Systems for Vehicle Instrument Cluster Assemblies

• US 20150268465A1
• Filed: 03/20/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagata, Katsumi
• Granted Patent: US 9,959,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/347 Optical elements for superposition of display information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/693 Cover plate features
• 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 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/04 Structural and physical details of display devices
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/10 Automotive applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players

Abstract

An instrument cluster assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle instrument that is viewable by an occupant of the vehicle. A transparent protective cover covers the vehicle instrument such that the vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover. A transparent display overlay system includes an overlay display comprising a transparent display layer connected to the transparent protective cover by an optical adhesive layer. A display controller displays an image on the transparent display layer based on vehicle information. The vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover and the transparent display layer adjacent the image.

Claims

1. An instrument cluster assembly for a vehicle, the instrument cluster assembly comprising:

a vehicle instrument that is viewable by an occupant of the vehicle;

a transparent protective cover covering the vehicle instrument such that the vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover;

a transparent display overlay system comprising;

an overlay display comprising a transparent display layer connected to the transparent protective cover by an optical adhesive layer; and

a display controller that displays an image on the transparent display layer based on vehicle information;

wherein the vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover and the transparent display layer adjacent the image.

2. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the transparent display layer is spaced from the vehicle instrument in a vehicle lengthwise direction.

3. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle instrument is analog.

4. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the vehicle instrument is digitally displayed.

6. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein transparent display overlay system includes an instrument panel displaying an illuminated warning indicator symbol.

7. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 6, wherein the image includes a directional indicator that points toward the warning indicator symbol.

8. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the overlay display is an AMOLED type display.

9. The instrument cluster assembly of claim 1, wherein the overlay display provides a touch screen.

10. A method of displaying vehicle information to an occupant of a vehicle, the method comprising:

providing general indicator information to the occupant of the vehicle using an instrument cluster of an instrument cluster assembly, the instrument cluster including a vehicle instrument and a transparent protective cover covering the vehicle instrument such that the vehicle instrument is viewable though the transparent protective cover; and

providing specific indicator information as part of an image associated with the general indicator information to the occupant of the vehicle using an overlay display of a transparent display overlay system, the overlay display comprising a transparent display layer connected to the transparent protective cover by an optical adhesive layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vehicle instrument is viewable by the occupant through the transparent protective cover and the transparent display layer adjacent the image.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the transparent display layer is spaced from the vehicle instrument in a vehicle lengthwise direction.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of providing general indicator information includes illuminating a warning indicator symbol.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of providing specific indicator information includes providing a description of the warning indicator symbol as part of the image.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the overlay display is an AMOLED type display.

16. A method of forming an instrument cluster assembly for a vehicle, the method comprising:

affixing a transparent display layer of an overlay display to a transparent protective cover with an optical adhesive; and

connecting the transparent protective cover to an instrument cluster thereby covering a vehicle instrument of the instrument cluster, the transparent display layer being spaced from the vehicle instrument in a vehicle lengthwise direction;

wherein the vehicle instrument is viewable through the transparent protective cover and the transparent display layer with the transparent protective cover connected to the instrument cluster.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the overlay display is an AMOLED type display.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising providing the transparent display layer with a touch digitizer layer for providing a touch screen.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the transparent display layer covers at least about 50 percent of an interior surface area of the transparent protective cover.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the vehicle instrument is analog.