Electro-optical display without reflection

• US 4,521,078 A
• Filed: 05/14/1981
• Issued: 06/04/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Baeger, Holm
• Primary Examiner(s): Corbin, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gallivan, Richard F.
• Application Number:
  US06/263,546
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 350/331 R, 350/334, 350/345, 350/276 R, 350/344, 362/61, 73/432 AD, D12/192, 353/69
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/00 Component parts of indicators for measuring arrangements not specially adapted for a specific variable
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1335 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/00 Indicating arrangements for variable information in which the information is built-up on a support by selection or combination of individual elements in which the variable information is permanently attached to a movable support G09F11/00; abacus G06C1/00; slide-rules G06G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G12B 11/00 Indicating elements; Illumination thereof

Abstract

An electro-optical display for displaying characters and symbols on a display surface facing the viewer on the instrument panel of an automotive vehicle without specular reflection, particularly a liquid-crystal display therefor. The display surface is swingably arranged in a position other than 90 degrees relative to the direction in which the observer views the display surface and the characters and symbols are represented in such distorted manner on the display surface that they can be perceived without distortion from the direction of view of the observer.

Claims

1. In an electro-optical display on an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle, said display including a liquid crystal layer and a polarization filter, said display for displaying characters and symbols in said liquid crystal layer the improvement wherein

a depth of installation of said device on said instrument panel is commensurate with the distance between said filter and said layer;

and

means for swingably mounting said display on said instrument panel are provided so that a central plane through the characters and symbols of the liquid crystal layer is selectively arrangeable in positions other than 90 degrees relative to a direction in which the observer sitting normally in the vehicle views the liquid crystal display and the configuration of the characters and symbols appearing in the liquid crystal layer is a projection of characters and symbols which is perceivable by the observer from a plane vertical to said direction of view of the observer to said plane of the liquid crystal layer.

2. The electro-optical display as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said display layer is flat.

3. The display according to claim 2, wherein

said entire liquid crystal display is inclined.

4. The electro-optical display as set forth in claim 1, wherein

said display layer is curved and has a focal point out of the direction of view of the observer.

5. The electro-optical display as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said display layer is curved convexly.

6. The electro-optical display as set forth in claim 4, wherein

said display layer is curved concavely.

7. The display according to claim 3, wherein

said entire liquid crystal display is curved.

8. The display according to claim 1, wherein

said means for mounting comprises a shaft at a lower end of the display and

fixed bearing means for pivotably mounting said shaft.

9. The display according to claim 8, wherein

said shaft has opposite ends which extend beyond said display, and

said bearing means comprises bearings in which said ends are disposed.

10. In an electro-optical display for displaying characters and symbols in a liquid crystal layer of the display on an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle, the improvement wherein

the layer of said display is curved and is variably arrangeable in a position other than 90 degrees relative to a direction in which an observer sitting normally in the vehicle views the liquid crystal display;

said display comprising said liquid crystal layer and a polarization filter curved as said to maintain a spacing between said layer and said filter; and

wherein

the characters and symbols appearing in the liquid crystal layer are a projection of characters and symbols which are perceivable by the observer from a plane vertical to said direction of view of the observer to said plane of the liquid crystal layer; and

wherein

a depth of installation of said device on said instrument panel is commensurate with the distance between said filter and said liquid crystal layer.

11. A dereflected electro-optical display for representing characters and symbols on a display surface thereof facing a viewer on an instrument panel of a motor vehicle having windows and defining a longitudinal axis, wherein

said display surface is arranged in a position wherein a central perpendicular to the display surface is downwardly inclined at an angle relatively to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, and light arriving from the windows and reflected at the display surface is reflected into a region which is situated below viewing direction of the viewer viewing the display, and

means for pivotally coupling said display to said instrument panel are provided so that said angle is selectively variable.