Multi display device

• US 7,696,954 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 04/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Harada, Takeshi, Furuya, Yoshiyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bolotin; Dmitriy
• Application Number:
  US11/231,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20070063921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,664 Days
• Field of Search: 116284-288, 116/309, 345/1.1, 345/4, 345/5, 345/7, 345/8, 345/9, 345/76, 345/77, 345/87, 345/102, 345/104, 345629-641, 345/901, 361/627, 362/23, 362 26- 30, 362/489, 340/438, 340/441, 340450-461, 340/691.6, 340/815, 725/75, 248/917, 224/483
• US Class Current: 345/4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/211 producing three-dimensional [3D] effects, e.g. stereoscopic images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• 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

Abstract

A multi display device includes: a first display disposed at a predetermined position; a second display disposed 10B in front of the first display 10A and being movable from a first position where the second display overlaps with the first display to a second position where the second display does not overlap with the first display; and a transferring member for moving the second display. When the first display is mainly monitored, the second display is transferred to the second position, and when the second display is mainly monitored, the second display is transferred to the first position.

Claims

1. A multi display device for a vehicle comprising:

a first display, presenting first operating information to an operator, disposed in a predetermined position;

a second display, presenting second operating information to the operator, disposed in front of the first display, said second display being movable to selectively cover and uncover a surface portion of the first display; and

a transferring member to move the second display over the surface of the first display;

wherein said first display displays at least either of symbols indicating various states or graphics, and said second display displays a measured value using a combination of a dial plate, graduations on the dial plate and a pointer disposed in front of the dial plate;

further comprising a third display disposed behind the second display, wherein the second display overlaps with the third display when transferred to a second position, wherein the third display is partially visible through a transparent area of the dial plate when the second display is in the second position.

2. The multi display device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said dial plate mounted on the second display includes a transparent area through which the first display is partially visible.

3. A multi display (1) for a vehicle, comprising:

a first display device (10A) having a display panel for displaying symbols;

two second display devices (10B), each of which comprising a pointer (12) and a circular dial plate (11) having graduations and a transparent area (11a) formed along the graduations in form of a segment of circle, the second display devices (10B) being disposed parallel in front of the first display device (10B) so that the first display device (10A) is visible at least partly between the second display devices (10B),

wherein the transparent areas (11a) are faced to each other, so that, when said second display devices (10B) are in a first position (P1), the dial plates (11) of the second display devices (10B) overlap partly with the display panel of the first display device (10A) such that the transparent areas (11a) are disposed in-front of the first display device (10A), and

wherein the second display devices (10B) are movable away of each other from the first position (P1) to a second position (P2) in which the first display device (10A) is uncovered from the second display device;

a display controller (10A1) for controlling the first display device (10A) such that, when the second display devices (10B) are in the first display device (10A) such that, when the second display devices (10B) are in the first position (P1), symbols are displayed on the display panel of the first display device (10A) in a smaller version in an area that is uncovered by the second display devices (10B) and are displayed in an area that is arranged behind the circle-segment formed transparent areas (11a), and that the symbols are displayed on the display panel of the first display device (10A) in a bigger version and with changed positions, when the second display devices (10B) are in the second position (P2); and

a transferring device (20) to transfer the second display devices (10B) from the first position (P1) to the second position (P2) in response to a warning display signal or a data display signal and to transfer the second display device from the second position (P2) to the first position (P1) in response to a warning display stop signal or a data display stop signal.

4. The multi display device (1) as claimed in claim 3,

wherein on each of two sides of the first display device (10) a third display device (10C) is disposed, which is adjacent to one of the second display devices (10B), each of the second display devices (10B) comprising an additional transparent area (11b) which has the form of a segment of circle and is formed alongside the graduations, wherein the additional transparent areas (11b) are disposed on the second display devices (10B) facing away from each other so that, when the second display devices (10B) are in the second position, the dial plates (11) of each of the second display devices (10B) partly overlap the display panel of the respective adjacent third display device (10C) such that the respective additional transparent area (11b) is disposed in front of the display panel of these third display device (10C);

and

wherein symbols are displayed on the third display devices (10C) in a smaller or bigger version according to a display control which is analogous to the display control of the second display devices (10B).

5. The multi display device (1) as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a position selector switch with which a vehicle driver selects a position of the second display devices (10B) from the first and the second position (P2),

wherein said transferring device (20) transfers the second display device to the first or second position (P2) corresponding to the selector switch, despite of a priority given due to the signals from the display controller (10A1).

6. The multi display device (1) as claimed in claim 5,

wherein on each of two sides of the first display device (10) a third display device (10C) is disposed, which is adjacent to one of the second display devices (10B), each of the second display devices (10B) comprising an additional transparent area (11b) which has the form of a segment of circle and is formed alongside the graduations, wherein the additional transparent areas (11b) are disposed on the second display devices (10B) facing away from each other so that, when the second display devices (10B) are in the second position, the dial plates (11) of each of the second display devices (10B) partly overlap the display panel of the respective adjacent third display device (10C) such that the respective additional transparent area (11b) is disposed in front of the display panel of these third display device (10C);

and

wherein symbols are displayed on the third display devices (10C) in a smaller or bigger version according to a display control which is analogous to the display control of the second display devices (10B).