Directly viewable speed display system

• US 5,469,184 A
• Filed: 05/11/1994
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• 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:
  US08/240,899
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 345/7, 340/441, 340/977, 340/978, 340/980
• US Class Current: 345/7
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• 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

A directly viewable speed display device for vehicles is located within the visual field of an operator of the vehicle. The display device uses a light illumination source such as a lamp, light emitting diode or exit ends of light guides to denote the actual vehicle speed which can be compared to an illuminated scale. In its simplest form, the illuminated scale can be a single point of light and the light illumination source can also be a single point of light.

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:

at least one illumination device, the illumination of which represents a speed scale,

at least one illumination device distinct from the first mentioned illumination device, the illumination of which represents an actual speed of the vehicle,

means to cause illumination of said speed scale and said actual speed illumination devices,

said illuminated speed scale and actual speed illumination devices being mounted in said vehicle so as to be directly viewable by the operator of the vehicle when the operator'"'"'s optical focus point is directed towards the path of the vehicle.

2. The speed display system of claim 1 wherein the visual appearance of the illumination of the illumination device representing the speed scale is distinct from the visual appearance of the illumination device representing the actual speed of the vehicle.

3. The speed display system of claim 2 wherein the visual appearances differ in color.

4. The speed display system of claim 2 wherein the visual appearances differ in intensity of illumination.

5. The speed display system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle having a windshield and the illuminated speed scale and illuminated actual speed illumination devices are mounted or in said windshield.

6. The speed display system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle having a windshield and the illuminated speed scale and illuminated actual speed illumination devices are mounted adjacent a periphery of the windshield.

7. The speed display system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle having a windshield and a dashboard and the illuminated speed scale and actual speed illumination devices are mounted on the dashboard extending upwardly into or near the operator'"'"'s normal line of sight through the windshield to the path of the motor vehicle.

8. The speed display system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle having a windshield and a roof and the illuminated speed scale and actual speed illumination devices are mounted on the roof extending downwardly into or near the operator'"'"'s normal line of sight through the windshield to the path of the motor vehicle.

9. The speed display system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a motor vehicle having a windshield, a roof and a dashboard and the illuminated speed scale and actual speed illumination devices span from the roof to the dashboard.

10. 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 system comprising

means defining at least a single point of light indicating the actual vehicle speed in comparison to a preselected speed scale,

said preselected speed scale comprising an illuminated scale, comprising a single point of light,

said means and said illuminated scale being mounted within the field of vision of the operator'"'"'s optical focus.

11. The speed display system of claim 10 wherein the means are mounted within the operator'"'"'s peripheral vision.

12. The speed display system of claim 10 including means to select a preset speed.

13. The speed display system of claim 10 wherein the means defining at least a single point of light is selected from the group consisting of lamps, light emitting diodes and the exit ends of light guides.

14. The speed display system of claim 10 wherein the illuminated speed scale comprising a light source selected from the group consisting of lamps, light emitting diodes and the exit ends of light guides.