Pointer structure of an instrument cluster

• US 8,579,448 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Frens, Jonathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Evan
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALLEN, DANIELLE NICOLE
• Application Number:
  US12/692,743
• Publication Number:
  US 20110182052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,387 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362 26- 28, 362/471, 362/488, 362/489, 362/30, 116/288, 116/286, 116/284, 116 621- 623, 116/47, 116/48, 116/37, 340/815.42
• US Class Current: 362/23.21
• 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

Instrument cluster and pointing device for a car or other vehicle, the pointing device being mounted rotatable about a rotation axis and having a shaft element in the vicinity of the rotation axis, the pointing device further comprising at least one of a light guide element or a mirror element in the region of the shaft element and comprising one of an image forming element or an aperture, wherein the one of the image forming element or the aperture and the one of the light guide element or the mirror element are able to be rotated about the rotational axis with the shaft element, and wherein light incident to the shaft element is directed from the one of the light guide element or the mirror element to the image forming element or aperture and projecting to a visible surface.

Claims

1. Pointing device for an instrument cluster of a car or other vehicle, wherein the pointing device is mounted rotatable about a rotation axis, wherein the pointing device has a shaft element in the vicinity of the rotation axis, wherein the pointing device further comprises at least one light guide element in the region of the shaft element, wherein the pointing device further comprises an image forming element, wherein the image forming element and the light guide element are able to be rotated about the rotational axis with the shaft element, wherein light incident to the shaft element is directed from the at least one light guide element to the image forming element, wherein the pointing device further comprises an opaque covering element, wherein a light image is formed by light incident to the shaft element passing from the light guide element through the image forming element, wherein light incident to the shaft element is visible to a user of the instrument cluster only after the light image is formed, and projected from the pointing device, reflected by an appliqué

towards the user;

wherein the pointing device further comprises a focusing element, wherein the focusing element is able to be rotated about the rotational axis together with the shaft element, and wherein incident light is directed from the one of the image forming element to the focusing element before the light image is projected from the pointing device, the image forming element and the one of the light guide element are integrally formed with the shaft element and the focusing element is integrally formed with the image forming element.

3. Pointing device according to claim 1 wherein the covering element is visible during daylight lighting conditions, preventing the pointing device from being completely visible when there is a reduced ambient lighting from an exterior of the vehicle, and wherein the light image reflected on the appliqué

is only visible to a driver when there is the reduced ambient lighting from the exterior of the car or other vehicle.

4. Pointing device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide element comprises a mirror, the image forming element comprises an aperature and the covering element comprises a shroud.

2. Instrument cluster of a car or other vehicle, wherein the instrument cluster comprises a pointing device, wherein the pointing device is mounted rotatable about a rotational axis, wherein the pointing device has a shaft element in the vicinity of the rotation axis, wherein the pointing device further comprises at least one light guide element in the region of the shaft element, wherein the pointing device further comprises an image forming element, wherein the image forming element and the at least one light guide element is able to be rotated about the rotational axis together with the shaft element, wherein light incident to the shaft element is directed from the at least the light guide element to the image forming element, wherein the pointing device further comprises an opaque covering element, wherein a light image is formed by light incident to the shaft element passing from the at least one light guide element through the image forming element, wherein light incident to the shaft element is visible to a user of the instrument cluster only after the light image is formed, and projected from the pointing device, reflected by an appliqué

on an instrument cluster towards the user;

wherein the pointing device further comprises a focusing element, wherein the focusing element is able to be rotated about the rotational axis together with the shaft element, and wherein incident light is directed from the one of the image forming element to the focusing element before the light image is projected from the pointing device, the image forming element and the one of the light guide element are integrally formed with the shaft element and the focusing element is integrally formed with the image forming element.

5. Pointing device for an instrument cluster of a car or other vehicle, wherein the pointing device is mounted rotatable about a rotation axis, wherein the pointing device has a shaft element in the vicinity of the rotation axis, wherein the pointing device further comprises at least one light guide element in the region of the shaft element, wherein the pointing device further comprises an image forming element, wherein the image forming element and the light guide element are able to be rotated about the rotational axis with the shaft element, wherein light incident to the shaft element is directed from the at least one light guide element to the image forming element, wherein the pointing device further comprises an opaque covering element, wherein a light image is formed by light incident to the shaft element passing from the light guide element through the image forming element, wherein light incident to the shaft element is visible to a user of the instrument cluster only after the light image is formed, and projected from the pointing device, reflected by an appliqué

towards the user;

wherein the pointing device further comprises a focusing element, wherein the focusing element is able to be rotated about the rotational axis together with the shaft element, and wherein incident light is directed from the one of the image forming element to the focusing element before the light image is projected from the pointing device, the image forming element and the one of the light guide element are integrally formed with the shaft element and the focusing element and the image forming element are integrally formed with the at least one light guide element.

6. Pointing device according to claim 5 wherein the covering element is visible during daylight lighting conditions, preventing the pointing device from being completely visible when there is a reduced ambient lighting from an exterior of the vehicle, and wherein the light image reflected on the appliqué

is only visible to a driver when there is the reduced ambient lighting from the exterior of the car or other vehicle.

7. Pointing device according to claim 5, wherein the light guide element comprises a mirror, the image forming element comprises an aperature and the covering element comprises a shroud.