Display device

• US 7,874,689 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2007
• Issued: 01/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kamiya, Akira, Tane, Seigo, Sugiura, Satoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): O Shea; Sandra L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, DANIELLE NICOLE
• Application Number:
  US11/905,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20080123322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 362 971- 974, 362/600, 362/604, 362/605, 362/609, 362/23, 362/29, 362/30, 362/471, 362/482, 362/489
• US Class Current: 362/23
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/6985 with only part of pointer being visible
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/155 Virtual instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/6985 with only part of pointer being visible
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/213 Virtual instruments
• 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: G01C 21/265 constructional aspects of navigation devices, e.g. housings, mountings, displays G01C21/3688 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 2207/30 Displays providing further information, in addition to measured values, e.g. status
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/02 Indicating value of two or more variables simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/07 Indicating devices, e.g. for remote indication indicating working conditions of vehicles G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/16 Signs formed of or incorporating reflecting elements or surfaces, e.g. warning signs having triangular or other geometrical shape
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/04 by land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 21/049 giving information to passengers inside the vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers

Abstract

A display device includes: a display element for showing information as a screen image; and an ornamental member disposed on a display surface of the display element and having a shape corresponding to the screen image. The ornamental member includes a light transparent element and a light nontransparent element. The screen image includes a designed image on a position of the display surface corresponding to the light transparent element. The display element outputs a screen image light from the display surface. The screen image light corresponding to the designed image passes through the light transparent element so that the screen image light is outputted from the ornamental member to the display side.

Claims

1. A display device comprising:

a display element for showing information as a screen image, wherein the display element has a display side and a backside, and wherein the display element includes a display surface, which is disposed on the display side; and

an ornamental member disposed on the display surface of the display element, wherein

the ornamental member has a shape, which surrounds a shape of the screen image,

the ornamental member includes a light transparent element and a light nontransparent element, which are assembled with each other,

the screen image includes a designed image, which is disposed on a position of the display surface corresponding to the light transparent element,

the display element outputs a screen image light from the display surface,

the screen image light corresponding to the designed image passes through the light transparent element so that the screen image light is outputted from the ornamental member to the display side, and

the light transparent element is directly adjacent to the light nontransparent element so that the ornamental member provides a continuous frame for the designed image.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the light transparent element is made of translucent material,

the light nontransparent element is made of non-translucent material,

the ornamental member further includes a wall between the light transparent element and the light nontransparent element,

the light transparent element contacts the light nontransparent element at the wall, and

the wall extends from the backside to the display side.

3. The display device according to claim 2, wherein

the ornamental member further includes a diffusion reflection layer disposed on the light transparent element on the display side.

4. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the light nontransparent element is made of non-translucent material, and

the light transparent element is surrounded with the light nontransparent element.

5. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the ornamental member further includes a light reflection layer between the light transparent element and the light nontransparent element,

the light transparent element contacts the light nontransparent element via the light reflection layer, and

the light reflection layer has light reflection coefficient, which is higher than other elements of the ornamental member.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the screen image further includes an indication graphic portion, and the designed image includes a high brightness portion,

the indication graphic portion indicates change of the information by showing motion of the indication graphic portion,

the high brightness portion is brighter than other portions around the high brightness portion,

the high brightness portion has a dot shape or a linear shape,

the high brightness portion is disposed on an extension line of the indication graphic portion, and

the high brightness portion is movable relative to the motion of the indication graphic portion.

7. The display device according to claim 6, wherein

the screen image of the display element includes a meter having an indicator for indicating physical quantity on the basis of a position of the indicator, which is rotatable around a rotation center,

the indicator of the meter included in the screen image constitutes the indication graphic portion;

the ornamental member has a ring shape, which is a concentric circle around the rotation center of the indicator, and

the ornamental member is spaced apart from a tip of the indicator.

8. The display device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a designed member having translucency and disposed on the display element; and

a light source, wherein

the designed member is disposed adjacent to an inner circumference of the ornamental member,

the light source emits light toward an inside of the designed member,

the designed member includes a display design for the meter, and

the display design reflects the light from the light source, the light passing through the inside of the designed member, so that the display design is displayed with luminescence.

9. The display device according to claim 6, wherein

the screen image in the display element provides a route indication image for a navigation system,

the indication graphic portion provides a route indication arrow,

the ornamental member is disposed on an outside of the route indication image, and

the ornamental member is spaced apart from a tip of the route indication arrow.

10. The display device according to claim 1, wherein

the display element is a liquid crystal display element.

11. The display device according to claim 10, wherein

the light transparent element is sandwiched by the light nontransparent element,

the light transparent element contacts the light nontransparent element,

the light transparent element and the light nontransparent element protrude from the display surface of the display element, and

a height of the light transparent element measured from the display surface is greater than a height of the light nontransparent element measured from the display surface.

12. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a designed member having translucency and disposed on the display element; and

a light source for emitting light toward an inside of the designed member, wherein

a part of the display element is visible through the designed member,

the designed member includes a display design corresponding to the screen image of the display element,

the designed member has a predetermined shape, which relates to a shape of the screen image, and

the display design reflects the light from the light source, the light passing through the inside of the designed member, so that the display design is displayed with luminescence.

13. The display device according to claim 12, wherein

the screen image further includes an indication graphic portion and a high brightness portion,

the indication graphic portion indicates change of the information by showing motion of the indication graphic portion,

the high brightness portion is brighter than other portions around the high brightness portion,

the high brightness portion has a dot shape or a linear shape,

the high brightness portion is disposed on an extension line of the indication graphic portion, and disposed on the designed member, and

the high brightness portion is movable relative to the motion of the indication graphic portion.

14. The display device according to claim 13, wherein

the screen image of the display element includes a meter having an indicator for indicating physical quantity on the basis of a position of the indicator, which is rotatable around a rotation center,

the indicator of the meter included in the screen image constitutes the indication graphic portion;

the designed member has a ring shape, which is a concentric circle around the rotation center of the indicator, and

the designed member is spaced apart from a tip of the indicator.

15. The display device according to claim 13, wherein

the screen image of the display element provides a route indication image for a navigation system,

the indication graphic portion provides a route indication arrow,

the designed member is disposed on an outside of the route indication image, and

the designed member is spaced apart from a tip of the route indication arrow.

16. The display device according to claim 12, wherein

the designed member is disposed adjacent to the ornamental member,

the light nontransparent element includes an inner light nontransparent element and an outer light nontransparent element, and

the designed member, the inner light nontransparent element, the light transparent element and the outer light nontransparent element are aligned in this order.

17. The display device according to claim 12, wherein

the display element is a liquid crystal display element.

18. A display device comprising:

a display element for showing information as a screen image, wherein the display element has a display side and a backside, wherein the display element includes a display surface, which is disposed on the display side, and wherein the screen image includes a first display design;

an ornamental member disposed on the display surface of the display element;

a first reflection element disposed on the ornamental member, wherein the first reflection element reflects a screen image light toward a direction in parallel to the display surface, the screen image light corresponding to the first display design of the screen image and outputted from the display element; and

a second reflection member including a second reflection surface, wherein

the second reflection surface reflects a reflected screen image light from the first reflection element toward the display side,

the second reflection surface contacts an outer periphery of the screen image,

the first display design provides a reflected virtual image, which is imaged on the second reflection surface by reflecting the reflected screen image light with the second reflection surface,

the second reflection element is spaced apart from the first reflection element by a predetermined distance, and

the second reflection element is disposed on an outer periphery of the first reflection element in such a manner that the first reflection element faces the second reflection element.

19. The display device according to claim 18, wherein

the ornamental member has a shape corresponding to a shape of the screen image,

the screen image in the display element provides a meter with an indicator for indicating physical quantity on the basis of a position of the indicator, which is rotatable around a rotation center, and

the first display design is a scale of the meter.

20. The display device according to claim 19, wherein

the scale is disposed on a region from a position of the indicator toward a counter clockwise direction.

21. The display device according to claim 18, wherein

the ornamental member is made of translucent material,

the first reflection element includes a beam splitter layer for dividing the screen image light into a transmitted light and a reflected light,

the first display design further provides a real image,

the real image is formed by the transmitted light, which is transmitted through the first reflection element and the ornamental member, and

the reflected virtual image is formed by the reflected light.

22. The display device according to claim 18, wherein

the ornamental member further includes a second display design.

23. The display device according to claim 18, wherein

the display element is a liquid crystal display element.

24. The display device according to claim 18, wherein

the first and second reflection elements surround a shape of the first display design of the screen image on the display element, and

the first and second reflection elements provide a continuous frame for the first display design.