Optical display of vehicle speed

• US 5,321,415 A
• Filed: 04/15/1991
• Issued: 06/14/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Day O. Mount, Erica O. Nelson, Hjalmar J. Nelson
• Original Assignee: Wilbur S. Mount
• Inventors: Mount, Wilbur S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRIER, JEFFERY A
• Application Number:
  US07/685,071
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• Field of Search: 340/705, 340/980, 340/753, 340/754, 340/461, 340/466, 340/958, 340/722, 340/441, 358/103, 359/630, 359/439, 362/23, 362/26-29, 353/13, 353/14, 345/7-9, 345/35-40, 345/140
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/338 Light strips
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0118 comprising devices for improving the contrast of the display / brillance control visibility
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/012 comprising devices for attenuating parasitic image effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0141 characterised by the informative content of the display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0165 associated with a head-down display
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/01 Head-up displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/00 Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings

Abstract

An optical display of vehicle speed wherein a series of diodes is mounted in an optical speed display assembly to project a series of lights onto a windshield such that the reflections can be seen without changing the focus of the operator as the operator is operating the vehicle. By means of such reflections an operator can determine the speed of the vehicle while maintaining the focus of his eyes on the roadway.

Claims

1. A speed display system for use in a vehicle, intended to be operated by a sighted human operator, said operator having an optical focus point which is changeable, said display system comprising:

a screen for receiving a projection of a vehicle speed indicia, said screen being at least partially transparent;

generating means for generating a point of light to indicate an actual speed of said vehicle and generating means to generate at least one scale, which scale consists of one point of light to indicate a range of predetermined speeds and means for projecting said point of light to indicate an actual speed and said at least one scale onto said screen to generate a light display which is a series of discrete points of light;

wherein said light display is readable by said operator by comparing the point of light representing the actual speed of the vehicle to the point of light representing the scale while maintaining customary driving eye focus, or by a quick glance slightly to the side of the line of vision.

2. A speed display system for use in a vehicle, intended to be operated by a sighted human operator, said operator having an optical focus point which is changeable said display system comprising:

a screen for receiving a projection of a vehicle speed indicia, said screen being at least partially transparent;

generating means for generating a point of light to indicate an actual speed of said vehicle and generating means to generate at least one scale, wherein said scale consists of only one point of light to indicate a predetermined speed and means for projecting said at least one point of light to indicate an actual speed and said at least one scale onto said screen to generate a light display which is a series of discrete points of light;

wherein said light display is readable by said operator by comparing the point of light representing the actual speed of the vehicle to the point of light representing the scale while maintaining customary driving eye focus, or by a quick glance slightly to the side of the line of vision.

3. A display device as in claim 2 wherein the light source is a non-dazzling light source.

4. A display system as in claim 3 wherein said non dazzling light source is an incandescent bulb.

5. A display system as in claim 3 wherein said non dazzling light source is a light emitting diode.

6. A display system as in claim 2 wherein said means for projecting includes a source reflection which corresponds to said point of light indicating an actual vehicle speed and a scale reflection which corresponds to said point of light indicating said scale, said source reflection moving relative to said scale reflection as said actual vehicle speed changes by one predetermined speed increment.

7. A speed display as in claim 2 wherein the speed display is arranged on one side of said screen.

8. A display system as in claim 2 wherein said point of light indicating an actual vehicle speed and said point of light indicating said scale are different colors.

9. A display system as in claim 2 wherein either of said point of light indicating an actual vehicle speed or said point of light indicating said scale flashes for distinctive and contrasting appearance.

10. A display system as in claim 2 wherein said display system includes a mounting, said mounting attaching said display system to said vehicle, said mounting yielding during impact.

11. A display system as in claim 2, said display system being mounted horizontally above the instrument panel of the vehicle, said display system including a surface, said surface being transparent to reflect said point of light indicating an actual vehicle speed and said point of light indicating said scale to said operator.

12. A display system as in claim 11, wherein said surface being a thin film of plastic, said surface being collapsible under impact.

13. A display system as in claim 2, wherein said projection means comprises the end of a light guide, said light guide being illuminated by means remote from said projection means.

14. A display system as in claim 2 wherein said screen is a windshield, said windshield tinted on a first surface facing the operator in a narrow vertical area, said light display being projected onto said narrow vertical area to increase reflection of the light display, and to minimize such reflection from the surfaces of the windshield plastic layer interface.

15. The speed display system according to claim 14 including means for selecting an alternative speed scale.

16. A speed display system for use in a vehicle, intended to be operated by a sighted human operator, said operator having an optical focus point which is changeable, said display system comprising:

a screen for receiving a projection of a vehicle speed indicia, said screen being at least partially transparent;

generating means for generating a single point of light to indicate an actual speed of said vehicle and generating means for generating at least one speed scale, while scale consists of one point of light, to indicate a predetermined speed and means for projecting said single point of light and said at least one scale onto said screen to generate a light display; and

means for selecting an alternative speed scale;

wherein said light display is readable by said operator by comparing the point of light representing the actual speed of the vehicle to the point of light representing the scale while maintaining customary driving eye focus, or by a quick glance slightly to the side of the line of vision.