LIGHT CONDUCTOR DEVICE

• US 20170108944A1
• Filed: 10/14/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Horvath, Cary, Arceo, Marc, Webb, Gareth
• Application Number:
  US14/882,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20170108944A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/20 Optical features of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/336 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/1537 Displays on a manual operation element
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/20 Optical features of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/336 Light guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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 35/212 displaying on manual operation elements, e.g. on a knob
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/022 Viewing apparatus G02B27/04, G02B27/06, G02B27/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A light conductor is non-opaque and has a bottom surface and a top surface, which are distant from each other in a height direction. A display device has a screen configured to create an indication. The bottom surface of the light conductor is faced to the display device and to elevate the indication to show the indication on the top surface of the light conductor.

Claims

1. A light conductor device comprising:

a light conductor being non-opaque and having a bottom surface and a top surface, which are distant from each other; and

a display device having a screen configured to show an indication on the screen, wherein

the bottom surface of the light conductor is faced to the screen, and

the light conductor is configured to elevate the indication on the screen therethrough to show the indication on the top surface.

2. The light conductor device of claim 1, further comprising:

a knob being hollow and accommodating the light conductor, wherein

the knob has a top wall having a window, and

the window is faced to the top surface of the light conductor.

3. The light conductor device of claim 2, wherein

the top wall of the knob is in a circular shape, and

the window opens in a circumferential direction in an angular range.

4. The light conductor device of claim 1, wherein

the top surface and the bottom surface are in parallel with each other.

5. The light conductor device of claim 2, further comprising:

a bezel configured to receive the light conductor and to support the knob.

6. The light conductor device of claim 5, wherein

the bezel and the display device are affixed to a base plate and supported by the base plate.

7. The light conductor device of claim 2, further comprising:

a controller configured to control the display device, wherein

the controller is configured to modify the indication according to a rotary position of the knob.

8. The light conductor device of claim 7, wherein

the controller is configured to cause the display device to indicate a numeral symbol according to the rotary position of the knob.

9. The light conductor device of claim 8, wherein

the controller is configured to cause the display device to indicate a first numeral when the knob is at a first rotary position and to indicate a second numeral, which is different from the first numeral, when the knob is rotated to the first rotary position again.

10. The light conductor device of claim 8, wherein

the controller is configured to cause the display device to indicate a symbol, which slowly follows the window when the knob is rotated.

11. The light conductor device of claim 8, wherein

the controller is configured to cause the display device to indicate a symbol, which instructs a user of a direction in which the knob is to be rotated.

12. The light conductor device of claim 8, wherein

the controller is configured to cause the display device to narrow the window in at least one of a circumferential direction and a radial direction.

13. The light conductor device of claim 5, further comprising:

a sensor equipped to the bezel and configured to detect a rotary position of the knob; and

a bracket supporting the bezel, wherein

the bracket includes an electric wire to conduct a detection signal from the sensor.

14. The light conductor device of claim 1, further comprising:

the light conductor is in an arch shape,

the display device is configured to indicate a meter in a circular shape, and

the light conductor surrounds the meter.

15. The light conductor device of claim 14, wherein

the top surface is at an angle relative to the bottom surface.