Instrument cluster with three-dimensional display

• US 7,427,143 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Coon, Zachary A
• Primary Examiner(s): Sawhney; Hargobind S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crowe; David R
• Application Number:
  US11/171,703
• Time in Patent Office: 1,181 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362 26- 30, 362/84, 362/125, 362/154, 362/362, 362/367, 362/462, 362/463, 362/600, 362/489, 362/632, 362/471, 362/482, 116/48, 116/49, 116/54, 116/250, 116/286, 116/62.1, 116 622- 624, 116284-305, 734/99, 340/907
• US Class Current: 362/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/6985 with only part of pointer being visible
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/6985 with only part of pointer being visible
• 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: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices

Abstract

A vehicle display having a housing, a pointer that is rotatably coupled to the housing, a first appliqué that is coupled to the housing, a second appliqué coupled to the housing, a first graphics set coupled to a surface of the first appliqué and a second graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué. The second is spaced apart rearwardly from the first appliqué. The first and second graphics sets cooperate to at least partially form a display design that is adapted to be viewed from a front side of the vehicle display.

Claims

1. A vehicle display comprising;

a housing;

a first appliqué

immovably coupled to the housing;

a second appliqué

immovably coupled to the housing so as to prevent relative movement of the second appliqué

with respect to the first appliqué

, the second appliqué

being spaced apart rearwardly from the first appliqué

;

a first graphics set coupled to a surface of the first appliqué

;

a second graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué

;

a third graphics set coupled to a surface of the first appliqué

opposite the first graphics set, the third graphics set also cooperating with the first and second graphics sets to at least partially form the display design; and

a pointer rotatably coupled to the housing, wherein the first and second graphics sets cooperate to at least partially form a display design that is adapted to be viewed from a front side of the vehicle display and wherein the pointer is movable to indicate a value associated with the display design.

2. The vehicle display of claim 1, wherein the first and second graphics sets are spaced apart by a dimension that is greater than or equal to about 2 mm.

3. The vehicle display of claim 2, wherein the dimension is greater than or equal to about 4 mm.

4. The vehicle display of claim 2, further comprising a light source coupled to the housing, the light source being selectively operable for illuminating at least one of the first and second graphic sets.

5. The vehicle display of claim 4, wherein the light source is selectively operable for back-illuminating at least one of the first and second graphics sets.

6. The vehicle display of claim 1, wherein the first and second appliqué

s are separated by an air gap.

7. The vehicle display of claim 1, further comprising a fourth graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué

opposite the second graphics set, the fourth graphics set also cooperating with the first, second and third graphics sets to at least partially form the display design.

8. The vehicle display of claim 7, further comprising a light source coupled to the housing, the light source being selectively operable for illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets.

9. The vehicle display of claim 8, wherein the light source is selectively operable for back-illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets.

10. The vehicle display of claim 1, further comprising a light source coupled to the housing, the light source being selectively operable for illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets.

11. The vehicle display of claim 10, wherein the light source is selectively operable for back-illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets.

12. The vehicle display of claim 1, further comprising a light source that is employed to back-light at least one of the pointer, the first graphics set and the second graphics set.

13. The vehicle display of claim 1, further comprising a light source, the light source illuminating at least a portion of a front side of each of the first and second appliqué

s.

14. The vehicle display of claim 1, further comprising an additional graphics set coupled to at least one of a surface of the first appliqué

opposite the first graphic set and a surface of the second appliqué

opposite said second graphics set.

15. A vehicle display comprising:

a housing;

a pointer rotatably coupled to the housing;

a first appliqué

coupled to the housing;

a second appliqué

coupled to the housing, the second appliqué

being spaced apart rearwardly from the first appliqué

;

a first graphics set coupled to a surface of the first appliqué

;

a second graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué

;

a third graphics set coupled to a surface of the first appliqué

opposite the first graphics set, wherein the first, the second and the third graphics sets cooperate to at least partially form a display design that is adapted to be viewed from a front side of the vehicle display, and wherein the first and second graphics sets are spaced apart by a dimension that is greater than or equal to about 2 mm.

16. The vehicle display of claim 15, further comprising a fourth graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué

opposite the second graphics set, the fourth graphics set also cooperating with the first, second and third graphics sets to at least partially form the display design.

17. The vehicle display of claim 15, further comprising a light source coupled to the housing, the light source being selectively operable for illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets, wherein the light source is selectively operable for back-illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets.

18. A vehicle display comprising:

a housing;

a pointer rotatably coupled to the housing;

a first appliqué

coupled to the housing;

a second appliqué

coupled to the housing, the second appliqué

being spaced apart rearwardly from the first appliqué

;

a first graphics set coupled to a surface of the first appliqué

;

a second graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué

;

a third graphics set coupled to a surface of the second appliqué

opposite the second graphics set, wherein the first, the second and the third graphics sets cooperate to at least partially form a display design that is adapted to be viewed from a front side of the vehicle display, and wherein the first and second graphics sets are spaced apart by a dimension that is greater than or equal to about 2 mm.

19. The vehicle display of claim 18, further comprising a light source coupled to the housing, the light source being selectively operable for illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets, wherein the light source is selectively operable for back-illuminating at least one of the first, second and third graphics sets.