Indicator device in a motor vehicle

• US 8,681,014 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PREH GmbH (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: PREH GmbH (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Jeitner, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US12/596,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20100171632A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,167 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 359/603, 359/265
• US Class Current: 340/815.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/122 Instrument input devices with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/122 with reconfigurable control functions, e.g. reconfigurable menus
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133605 including specially adapted reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/182 Illumination of the symbols or distinguishing marks H01H9/181 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a display device (1, 20) in a motor vehicle, consisting of a display (3, 25), a transilluminatable screen (4, 21) disposed behind the display (3, 25), a lighting means (6, 23) and a reflector (7, 24), wherein the lighting means (6, 23) is attached in the display device (1, 20) between the screen (4, 21) and the reflector (7, 24) and the light (L) of the lighting means (6, 23) can be parallelized and directed towards and through the screen (4, 21) onto the display (3, 25) by means of the reflector (7, 26), so that symbols that can be changed by means of the screen (4, 21) can be shown on the display (3, 24), and wherein the reflector (7, 24) is a facetted reflector.

Claims

1. Display device in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a display;

a transilluminatable screen disposed behind the display;

a lighting means; and

a reflector;

wherein the lighting means is attached in the display device between the screen and the reflector;

wherein a light of the lighting means can be parallelized and directed towards and through the screen onto the display by means of the reflector, so that symbols that can be changed by means of the screen can be shown on the display;

wherein the reflector is a facetted reflector;

wherein facet members are oriented depending on a position of the screen, so that light can be directed onto the screen in a substantially parallel manner; and

wherein the facet members, depending on the lighting means, are oriented such that the screen can be illuminated over its entire surface, wherein the light can be directed behind the area of a circuit board accommodating the lighting means.

2. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board is attached in the display device between the screen and the reflector, wherein the lighting means is attached on a side of the circuit board disposed facing away from the screen and wherein the circuit board comprises openings, so that the light of the lighting means can be directed by the reflector through the openings towards the screen.

3. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the circuit board, the reflector, and the screen are attached parallel to the display in the display device.

4. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the lighting means is attached centrally relative to the reflector in the display device.

5. Display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one further lighting means is disposed on sides of the circuit board facing away from the screen.

6. Display device according to claim 5, wherein the further lighting means has the same or a different emission spectrum.

7. Display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one diffusion sheet is applied on the display and/or the screen between the display and the screen.

8. Display device according to claim 1, wherein at least one diffusion sheet is applied on the screen and on a side facing away from the display.

9. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a part of a control element comprising a push button.

10. Display device according to claim 1, wherein the display device is a part of a control element, or wherein the display is associated with a control element, so that the display can be controlled by means of the control element.