Patent Application
20140167947
The present disclosure relates to vehicle instrument panels and clusters, and more specifically to a vehicle instrument panel that includes physical features cooperating with images displayed on a display.
Vehicles include instrument panels to communicate information indicative of operation to an operator. Motor vehicles include instrument panels with several gauges and dials that communicate vehicle conditions such as speed, engine rpm, temperature, oil pressure along with many other operational parameters. Conventional instrument panels include gauges that may only provide one piece of information such as a speedometer.
Flat screen displays are increasingly being utilized and are capable of providing different information within the same space. For example, a single display can be utilized to display vehicle speed in one moment, and then changed to display a map, engine rpm or other desired parameter indicative of vehicle operation. The flat screen displays allow a vehicle designer to provide more information within a fixed area of the instrument panel.
Although a flat screen display provides many different possible display combinations, it limits the aesthetic appearance of the instrument panel because although the display itself may provide different images, the physical appearance can be uninteresting and limit design alternatives. Moreover, three-dimensional effects can be displayed on the display but are limited to the graphics generated by images on the display.
Accordingly, it is desirable to design and develop an instrument panel that includes a flat panel display with features that add both increased functionality while providing desired three-dimensional appearance and effects.
A vehicle instrument panel assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes an instrument display that includes an electronic display screen to generate images indicative of vehicle operating parameters and conditions and a pointer that extends over the display to point to a graphic illustrated on the display screen.
The example instrument display includes a display screen that generates images indicative of vehicle operating conditions and parameters. The example display screen is divided into a central portion, a first side and a second side. Images generated by the display represent a moving scale that moves relative to a fixed pointer. The pointer is fixed relative to the display screen and extends over a portion of display and onto the generated visually moving display. In one example, the moving scale is vehicle speed and the pointer highlights current vehicle speed shown on the display. Another portion of the display generates a tachometer and a second pointer indicates a current engine rpm.
The combination of generated moving scales on the fixed display screen combined with the physical pointer generates a desired geometrical and 3-D appearance of the example instrument display that provides a different appearance and aesthetically pleasing effects while also generating and communicating functional information to a vehicle operator.
Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples.
These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description.
Referring to
Referring to
The example instrument display 16 includes the display screen 20 that is divided into a central portion 40, a first side 32 and a second side 36. The first side 32 generates a first image 34, the second side 36 generates a second image 38 and the central portion 40 is capable of displaying a central image 42. As appreciated, although three separate images are disclosed for the example display screen 20 other configurations would also fall within the contemplation of this disclosure.
In this example, the first side 32 generates an image 34 that is indicative of a vehicle speed. The second side 36 generates an image 38 that is indicative of engine rpm. The central portion 40 generates an image in this example that provides directional information such as is provided by a GPS guidance system.
The first image 32 represents a moving scale that moves relative to a fixed pointer 28. The pointer 28 is fixed relative to the display screen 20 and extends over a portion of display that is provided by the first side 32. The first image 34 is an image that is generated to replicate a moving scale. In this example, the moving scale is vehicle speed and the specific current operating condition or vehicle speed in this instance is indicated by the pointer 28.
The combination of the pointer 28 extending over the first side 32 of the display screen and first image 34 provides a three dimensional effect to replicate movement of the scale as if it were rotating on a cylindrical surface. Replication in this disclosure is utilized to represent an image displayed on the fixed display screen 20 that creates the impression of a physically moving scale.
The second image 38 also replicates an image of a moving scale. The example second image 38 moving scale is of engine speed in rpm. As with the first image 34, the second image 38 replicates moving scale as if it were rotating vertically on a cylindrical surface and a second pointer 30 extends over the second side 36 to provide a focus point on the second image 38 that cooperates to indicate a current value for engine rpm.
The display screen 20 is disposed within a housing 18 that supports the first and second fixed pointers 28, 30. Each of the first and second pointers 28, 30 include a cap 48A, 48B. The caps 48A and 48B are also fixed to the housing 18 and do not move relative to the display screen 20.
Referring to
In the disclosed example, the moving scale replicates a movement of a cylindrical surface in a vertical direction about an axis parallel with the first and second planes 24, 26. In this example, the graphic images of the numerals increase in size as they move closer to the location indicated by the corresponding first and second pointers 28, 30.
In this example, the graphic images are reference numerals within the first and second images 34, 38 and increase in size as is indicated at 54 when generated at a location corresponding with the corresponding pointer 28, 30. As the reference numeral is generated to visually move away from the location indicated by the pointer 28, 30, they become smaller in size as is indicated at 56. The increase in size of the reference numeral as shown at 54 highlights the current value of the operating parameter to a vehicle operator and increases the ability to monitor vehicle operating conditions with only short glances at the instrument display 16.
Caps 48A and 48B are disposed over the corresponding pointer 28, 30 and include a corresponding graphic 50A and 50B. The graphics 50A and 50B may be illuminated to indicate the specific scale that is being disclosed and generated by the display screen 20 on the corresponding side. As appreciated, the display screen 20 may be modified to display other vehicle operating parameters and, therefore, the pointer caps 48A; 48B can be illuminated to indicate which vehicle parameter is being represented by the first and second images 34, 38.
A printed circuit board 22 is supported within the housing 18 and includes a light source 52. The light source 52 emits light into the second pointer 30 and the cap 48B. The illumination provided by the light source 52 can be utilized to illuminate both the second pointer 30 and the pointer cap 48B. In this example, the pointer cap 48B includes a graphic 50 that is illuminatable to indicate the specific scale being displayed within the second image 38. In this example, the second image 38 is providing a scale indicative of an engine rpm. Accordingly, the graphic 50 may be illuminated to indicate that the scale is engine rpm.
The characteristics and physical, geometrical and actual 3-D effects provided by the example instrument display 16 provides a different appearance and aesthetically pleasing effects while also generating and communicating functional information to a vehicle operator.
Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope and content of this disclosure.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/738,429 filed on Dec. 18, 2012.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61738429 | Dec 2012 | US |
