Display device

• US 4,621,306 A
• Filed: 04/04/1985
• Issued: 11/04/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: VDO Adolf Schindling AG (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Sell, Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelli, Raymond A.
• Application Number:
  US06/719,763
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 362/23, 362/29, 362/30, 362/31, 362/34, 362/84, 362/85, 362/318, 362/351, 362/458
• US Class Current: 362/29
• 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 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• 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 35/215 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/12 lighting onto the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1336 Illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133618 for ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133626 providing two modes of illumination, e.g. day-night

Abstract

The present invention relates to a display device having a transparent display field through which ambient light can pass from the side facing away from an observer to the side facing the observer. Characters and/or symbols can be presented against a light background on the display field. On the side facing the observer, the display field has a light-guide plate 9 of transparent material in which light-dispensing particles 19 are distributed and into which the light from a source of light 12 can be introduced.

Claims

1. A display device having a transparent display field through which ambient light can pass from the side facing away from an observer to the side facing the observer and on which characters and/or symbols can be presented against a light background, and wherein said display device is operable with a source of light and further comprises:

a light-guide plate in the display field on the side facing away from the observer, said light-guide plate being formed of transparent material and being positioned for transmitting ambient light via said light-guide plate from a location behind said light-guide plate through said display field toward said observer, said light-guide plate including light-dispersing particles distributed about said light guide plate, said light-guide plate and said source of light being oriented relative to each other for guiding light from said source of light to a region behind said display field for illuminating said display field.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the dispersing particles are transparent particles.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein

the dispersing particles are glass particles.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the light-guide plate has, outside of a region thereof which covers a viewing region of the display field, a recess for receiving the source of light.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein

the region of the light-guide plate on the same side as the source of light has, outside a covering of the display field, a peripheral limiting edge which forms a deflection surface for deflecting the light coming from the source of light into the region covering the display field.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the place of origin of the light of the source of light is located outside the plane of the light-guide plate.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the display device is a liquid-crystal display having a transmissive liquid-crystal cell, the light-guide plate being located on the side of the liquid-crystal cell facing away from the observer.

8. The device according to claim 7, further comprising

a frame which surrounds the viewing region of the cell and is located between the cell and the light-guide plate.

9. The device according to claim 7, further comprising

a housing having guides, and wherein said cell, said frame and said light-guide plate can be inserted individually in said guides within said housing.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the housing has a receptacle for the source of light.

11. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the housing has a continuous window opening in the viewing region of the cell.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein

the window opening can be closed on either one of the sides facing towards and away from the observer.

13. The device according to claim 9, wherein

the housing has a stand.

14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising

a hinge, and wherein

the housing is connected to the stand by said hinge.

15. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a movable pointer, and wherein

opaque permanent characters and symbols can be arranged independently on the display field on the side facing the observer, said movable pointer being associated with said characters and/or symbols.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein

said characters and symbols can be arranged independently on the light-guide plate.

17. The device according to claim 15, wherein

said characters and symbols form a scale.

18. The device according to claim 15, wherein

said pointer is pivoted.

19. The device according to claim 15, further comprising

a frame, and wherein

the peripheral edge of the light-guide plate is enclosed by said frame.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein

the inside of the frame is reflective.

21. The device according to claim 1, wherein

the display device is configured for mounting on the instrument panel of an automotive vehicle.

22. The device according to claim 1, further comprising

a movable pointer, and wherein

the display field is formed of a transmissive liquid-crystal display with controllable characters and symbols with which said movable pointer is associated.

23. The device according to claim 18, wherein

the characters and symbols form a scale.

24. The device according to claim 19, wherein

one of a plurality of controllable scales which can be selected as desired is associated with said movable pointer.

25. The device according to claim 1 further comprising

a pointer, the display device being a liquid crystal display having a transmissive liquid-crystal cell;

a housing supporting said cell; and

pivoting means for pivotally mounting said pointer to said housing to allow said pointer to pass along said display field, said pivoting means including a further light source and means for conducting light from said further light source to said pointer, said pointer being constructed of light-transmissive material to be illuminated by light conducted thereto from said further light source via said light-conducting means.

26. The device according to claim 25, further comprising

means within said housing for shielding said light-guide plate from light associated with said pivoting means.

27. The device according to claim 26 further comprising a transparent cover plate, said cell and said pointer being located between said light-guide plate and said cover plate.