Automotive information display device

• US 4,983,951 A
• Filed: 04/14/1989
• Issued: 01/08/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Engineering Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Engineering Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.), Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Igarashi, Osamu, Matuoka, Yoji, Terashima, Kunio, Shibata, Takanori, Watanabe, Kazuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Woodiel, Donald O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TUMM, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/338,297
• Time in Patent Office: 634 Days
• Field of Search: 340/461, 340/462, 340/995, 340/438, 340/700, 180/90, 358/103
• US Class Current: 340/461
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/22 Display screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/53 Movable instruments, e.g. slidable
• 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: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0205 for radio sets B60R11/0211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0047 using hidden fastening means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0082 collapsible, e.g. for storing after use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0087 around two axes
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0288 Apparatus made of several modules independently mounted

Abstract

An automotive information display device has a CPU unit capable of performing the processing of various informations, an electronic display unit including a liquid crystal panel and a plurality of switches for selecting the information to be displayed on the liquid crystal panel, and an information-reading actuating device capable of reading, in accordance with the instructions given by the CPU, information from a storage device and for enabling the read information to be displayed on the liquid crystal panel. The electronic display unit is extractable to the outside of the instrument panel. After the extraction of the electronic display unit, the display surface can be stationary at any desired angles both in the vertical direction and horizontal direction so that display surface correctly faces the driver or the assistant seat personnel, whereby the driver or the assistant seat personnel can look at the display surface in the front direction thereof for easy recognition of the display image.

Claims

1. An automotive information display device for displaying various kinds of information in an automobile, comprising:

a processing unit for processing various information in an automobile;

a memory information-reading actuating unit for reading, in accordance with an instruction given by said processing unit, selected recorded information;

a display unit including a display panel for displaying the information read by said information-reading actuating unit;

an instrument panel having an opening portion formed therein in which opening portion said processing unit, said actuating unit and said display unit are received; and

means for mounting said display unit in the opening portion so as to be retracted into or extracted from said opening portion and rotatable about a first axis when the display unit has been extracted from the opening portion, while said display panel is mounted in said display unit so as to be movable about a second axis transverse to said first axis, to position said display panel for viewing.

2. An automotive information display device according to claim 1, comprising:

means for holding said display panel at a selected one of a plurality of inclination angles.

3. An automotive information display device according to claim 2, wherein said mounting means for rotatively moving the display unit about said first axis includes click means for holding the display unit at a selected one of a plurality of angles.

4. An automotive information display device for displaying various kinds of information in an automobile, comprising:

a processing unit for processing various information in an automobile;

a memory information-reading actuating unit for reading, in accordance with an instruction given by said processing unit, selected recorded information;

a display unit for displaying the information read by said information-reading actuating unit;

an instrument panel having an opening formed therein in which opening said processing unit, said actuating unit and said display unit are received; and

support means for mounting said display unit in said opening so as to be retracted into or extracted from said opening and so that the display unit is rotatively movable about a horizontal axis to cover the opening when the display unit is extracted from the opening;

said display unit including a display panel and a frame in which said display panel is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis;

a case accommodating said processing unit, said information-reading actuating unit and said display unit, said case being received in said opening of said instrument panel.

5. An automotive information display device according to claim 4, comprising means for rotatively retaining said display unit at a selected one of a plurality of desired inclination angles on the front side of said opening.

6. An automotive information display device according to claim 5, wherein said means for rotatively retaining the display unit includes click means for holding the display unit at the selected one of said plurality of angles.

7. An automotive information display device comprising:

an instrument panel of an automobile having an opening formed in the front wall thereof;

case means disposed in said opening of said instrument panel and having guide means extending substantially in the longitudinal direction of said automobile;

information display means disposed in said case means and having guide pins engaging with said guide means so that said information display means is movable in said longitudinal direction, said display means including a body and a liquid crystal panel; and

rotatable moving means for supporting said body and said liquid crystal panel of said display means for rotatable movement about a respective axis, said rotatable moving means including a first rotatable moving mechanism including first engaging members provided on ends of said guide pins of said display means and having an engaging serration on the surfaces thereof facing said case means and second engaging members provided on said case means and having serrations engageable with said serrations on said first engaging members when said body of said display means has been extracted from said case means, and a second rotatable moving mechanism including third engaging members provided on said liquid crystal panel and having serrations on their surfaces facing said body of said display means, and fourth engaging members provided on said body of said display means and having serrations engaging with said serrations on said third engaging members.

8. An automotive information display device for displaying various kinds of information in an automobile, comprising:

a processing unit for processing various information in an automobile;

a memory information-reading actuating unit for reading, in accordance with an instruction given by said processing unit, selected recorded information;

a display unit for displaying the information read by said information-reading actuating unit, including a liquid crystal panel arranged in a recess formed therein; and

an instrument panel having an opening portion formed therein in which opening portion said processing unit, said actuating unit and said display unit are received, said display unit being mounted in the opening portion so as to be retracted into or extracted from said opening portion and so that the positions of the display unit and the liquid crystal panel are independently adjustable when the display unit is extracted from the opening portion.

9. An automotive information display device according to claim 8, comprising means for rotatively moving said display unit to a selected one of a plurality of desired inclination angles on the front side of said opening portion.

10. An automotive information display device according to claim 9, wherein said means fore rotatively moving the display unit includes click means for holding the display unit at the selected one of said plurality of angles.

11. An automotive information display device according to claim 8, wherein said display unit includes a click means for keeping said liquid crystal panel at any desired stationary position.

12. An automotive information display device according to claim 8, wherein said display unit is placed on the upper side of said processing unit and said memory information-reading actuating unit both of which are received in said instrument panel in a stacked state.