Display unit

• US 7,015,986 B2
• Filed: 12/17/1998
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Brandt, Peter, May, Norbert, Cezanne, Gerd, Reisinger, Achim
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dung T.
• Application Number:
  US09/213,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20010001565A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,651 Days
• Field of Search: 349/1, 349/11, 349/68, 349/16, 349 58- 60, 349/62, 349/64, 362/27, 362/29, 362/30, 362/31, 362/23, 362/28, 362/489, 362/559, 362/561, 362/487
• US Class Current: 349/58
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/698 Pointers of combined instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/154 Combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/698 Pointers of combined instruments
• 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: 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: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/002 giving both analog and numerical indication
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1335 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors

Abstract

In a display unit for a motor vehicle, a display designed as an LCD is arranged in the same plane as a dial plate of a pointer-type instrument. For this purpose, the dial plate has a cutout into which the display is bonded. This makes the display and the dial plate particularly easy to read.

Claims

1. A display unit, suitable for a vehicle, comprising:

a dial assembly and a display located in a region of the dial assembly, the display comprising a liquid crystal screen with a front polarizing filter located on a front surface of the liquid crystal screen facing an observer, the dial assembly comprising a dial plate having an optical waveguide covered with a film with dial markings located on a front surface of the dial plate facing the observer, wherein

the front surface of the liquid crystal screen is arranged in the same plane as a front surface of the optical waveguide, the front surface of the liquid crystal screen contacting the front surface of the optical waveguide to form therewith a continuous planar surface; and

the polarizing filter of the display is arranged in the same plane as the film of the dial assembly.

2. The display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal screen of the display comprises a front panel arranged in a cutout in the dial plate.

3. The display unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the display is attached by bonding or clipping in the cutout in the dial plate.

4. The display unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the optical waveguide abuts an edge of the display;

and

wherein the front panel of the display is connected to the optical waveguide so as to form a single component.

5. The display unit as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a support element located at the back of the dial plate;

and

wherein the front panel of the display is fastened on the support element.

6. The display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the film covers the dial plate and the display, comprises a scale in the region of the display, and serves as the polarizing filter.

7. The display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the livid crystal screen comprises a rear panel which is bonded to the back of the dial plate.

8. The display unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dial plate comprises plastic.

9. The display unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a first light source serving as a backlight to illuminate the dial plate, and a second light source serving as a backlight to illuminate the display.

10. A display unit, suitable for a vehicle, comprising:

a dial assembly and a display located in a region of the dial assembly, the display comprising a liquid crystal screen with a front polarizing filter located in front of a front surface of the liquid crystal screen facing an observer, the dial assembly comprising a dial plate and a film with dial markings located on a front surface of the dial plate facing the observer, wherein the polarizing filter of the display is arranged in the same plane as the film of the dial assembly; and

wherein, the front polarizing filter of the liquid crystal screen connects to the dial plate film so as to form a single component with a continuous planar surface, and there is an empty space behind the front polarizing filter.

11. The display unit as claimed in claim 10, wherein said empty space serves as a lightproof channel.

12. The display unit as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a frame for holding components of the liquid crystal screen.

13. The display unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the frame includes the lightproof channel.

14. The display unit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the frame is bonded or clipped into a support of the dial plate.

15. The display unit as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a first light source serving as a backlight to illuminate the dial plate, and a second light source serving as a backlight to illuminate the display.

16. A display unit, suitable for a vehicle, comprising:

a dial plate, a frame and a display, the display being located in a region of the dial plate and having a front surface, the display comprising a liquid crystal screen with a front polarizing filter, a front surface of the polarizing filter being the front surface of the display, the dial plate having a film thereon and constituting with the film a dial assembly, wherein

the front surface of the display, which faces an observer, is arranged in the same plane as a front surface of the dial assembly, which faces the observer, the front surface of the display contacting the front surface of the dial assembly to form therewith a continuous planar surface; and

wherein, in the contacting of the front surface of the display with the front surface of the dial assembly, the front polarizing filter of the liquid crystal screen is spaced apart from the liquid crystal screen to form therewith and with the frame an empty space behind the front polarizing filter, said empty space serving with the frame as a light proof channel for light incident from a side of the display to facilitate a reading of the display unit.

17. The display unit as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a first light source serving as a backlight to illuminate the dial plate, and a second light source serving as a backlight to illuminate the display.