Liquid crystal display unit for an automotive vehicle
First Claim
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1. A liquid crystal display unit for an automotive vehicle, comprising:
- (a) a liquid crystal display device having front and back sides and disposed within the vehicle so as to be viewed from the front side thereof;
(b) a light source located at the back side of said liquid crystal device, said light source turning on depending on whether the vehicle headlights are illuminated;
(c) a lens for collecting incident light rays from outside of the vehicle; and
(d) a means for selectively introducing light rays into the back side of said liquid crystal display device from said light source, said introducing means comprising a transparent member provided with a reflective backing layer and being supported so as to be movable between a daytime illumination position in which the incident light rays from said collecting lens are introduced into the back side of said liquid crystal display device by the reflective backing layer and a nighttime illumination position in which the light rays emitted from said light source are alternatively introduced into the back side of said crystal display device by said reflective backing layer.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a display unit for an automotive vehicle using passive display elements such as liquid crystals. The liquid crystal display unit according to the present invention comprises substantially a liquid crystal display device, a light source selectively turned on and off, and an illumination selection mechanism which selectively collects ambient light or uses the light source in order to illuminate the display. Thus the method of illumination can be adapted to the ambient light conditions.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A liquid crystal display unit for an automotive vehicle, comprising:
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(a) a liquid crystal display device having front and back sides and disposed within the vehicle so as to be viewed from the front side thereof; (b) a light source located at the back side of said liquid crystal device, said light source turning on depending on whether the vehicle headlights are illuminated; (c) a lens for collecting incident light rays from outside of the vehicle; and (d) a means for selectively introducing light rays into the back side of said liquid crystal display device from said light source, said introducing means comprising a transparent member provided with a reflective backing layer and being supported so as to be movable between a daytime illumination position in which the incident light rays from said collecting lens are introduced into the back side of said liquid crystal display device by the reflective backing layer and a nighttime illumination position in which the light rays emitted from said light source are alternatively introduced into the back side of said crystal display device by said reflective backing layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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Specification