Indication device

Abstract

To provide a display device that can improve the appearance of decorative components. [Solution] The display device comprises a display unit 10 that displays display content BA and emits display light L corresponding to the display content BA, and a decorative ring member 30 having a specific color layer 33A and positioned to receive the display light L. The decorative ring member 30 includes an appearance switching printing layer 33 that makes the specific color layer 33A visible when no display light L is incident from the display unit 10, and makes the specific color layer 33A invisible while allowing the display content BA to be seen through the decorative ring member 30 when display light L is incident from the display unit 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a display device.

Background Art

[0002] The display device described in Patent Document 1 includes a first display unit, a second display unit adjacent to the first display unit, and a decorative portion that frames the first display unit. A display window is formed in the decorative portion and is set to a smoky color that allows a part of the display information of the second display unit to be visually recognized (see paragraph 0027 and FIG. 1 of Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, even when no information is displayed in the display window, the smoky display window is visible, so there is room for improvement in appearance.

[0005] In view of the above situation, the present disclosure is made, and an object thereof is to provide a display device capable of improving the appearance of a decorative member.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, a display device according to the present disclosure includes a display unit that displays an image and emits display light corresponding to the image, and a decorative member having a layer of a specific color and disposed at a position that receives the display light from the display unit. The decorative member includes an appearance switching layer that, when the display light is not incident from the display unit, displays the layer of the specific color in a way that is visible to the viewer, and when the display light is incident from the display unit, makes the layer of the specific color invisible to the viewer while allowing the image to be seen by the viewer through the decorative member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to this disclosure, the appearance of decorative members can be improved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a front view of a display device when display content is shown in a window portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a front view of a display device when no display content is shown in the window portion according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the VV line. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view of the line VI-VI in Figure 1. [Figure 7] This is a front view of a display device when display content is shown in the window portion according to a modified example of the present disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] A display device according to one embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. This display device is mounted on a vehicle. As shown in Figure 1, the display device 1 includes display surfaces 11a to 11c, each displaying a different type of information. Display surface 11a is an area surrounded by the decorative ring member 30, which will be described later. Display surface 11b is located outside the decorative ring member 30, which will be described later. Display surface 11c is located within a window portion 31 formed on the decorative ring member 30, which will be described later. In the following explanation, the X direction is the left-right direction from the viewer's perspective, the Y direction is the up-down direction from the viewer's perspective, and the Z direction is the depth direction from the viewer's perspective.

[0010] As shown in Figure 2, the display device 1 comprises a display unit 10, a decorative ring member 30, a lower case 21, an upper cover 22, a cover light-transmitting material 23, and a control unit 50.

[0011] The lower case 21 is made of light-shielding resin or metal and has a box-like shape that opens towards the viewer. The display unit 10 is housed inside the lower case 21. The upper cover 22 is formed in a frame shape with light-shielding resin or metal that surrounds the outer circumference of the light-transmitting cover material 23, and is fitted onto the upper end of the lower case 21. The light-transmitting cover material 23 is located on the display surface 11b of the display unit 10 and is formed in the shape of a plate made of light-transmitting resin or glass.

[0012] The control unit 50 consists of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a GDC (Graphics Display Controller), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The control unit 50 receives vehicle information from an external source and displays images on the display surfaces 11a to 11c of the display unit 10.

[0013] The display unit 10 has display surfaces 11a to 11c on the side facing the viewer, and each display surface 11a to 11c displays an image showing vehicle information such as vehicle speed, remaining fuel, and navigation, or entertainment information. At this time, each display surface 11a to 11c emits display light L that shows the image.

[0014] The display unit 10 comprises a liquid crystal display panel 11 and a light source unit 15. The light source unit 15 is located on the back side of the liquid crystal display panel 11 and illuminates the back side of the liquid crystal display panel 11.

[0015] The display unit 10 includes a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) type liquid crystal display panel, and display surfaces 11a to 11c are set on the upper surface (the surface on the viewer side) of the display unit 10. The display unit 10 emits display light L by receiving illumination light from the light source unit 15 while displaying an image including display content on each of the display surfaces 11a to 11c.

[0016] The display unit 10 switches its state between a display state (see FIGS. 1 and 3) in which display content BA is displayed on the display surface 11c and a non-display state (see FIGS. 4 and 5) in which the display content BA is not displayed on the display surface 11c. In this display state, on the display surface 11c, display content BA and background display BG as the background of the display content BA are displayed. The display content BA and the background display BG are set to different colors. The background display BG may have a higher luminance than the display content BA, a lower luminance than the display content BA, or the same luminance as the display content BA. The display content BA consists of a plurality of bars arranged in the circumferential direction C within the window portion 31 of the decorative ring member 30. Information is provided by the increase or decrease in the number of these bars and their colors. The background display BG is formed in the region within the window portion 31 excluding the display content BA.

[0017] In the above display state, as shown in FIG. 3, when the display content BA and the background display BG are displayed on the display surface 11c, the display light L corresponding to the display content BA and the background display BG is emitted so as to pass through the decorative ring member 30.

[0018] In the above non-display state, as shown in FIG. 5, the display light L is not emitted, and the back side (the side far from the viewer) of the decorative ring member 30 is in a light-shielded state. In this example, by making the display surface 11c non-display, the back side of the decorative ring member 30 is shielded from light. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the back side of the decorative ring member 30 may be shielded from light by displaying a black image on the display surface 11c.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the decorative ring member 30 is formed in a ring shape and is positioned on the front surface (the side closest to the viewer) of the display unit 10 so as to surround the outer circumference of the display surface 11a. The decorative ring member 30 is formed with an appearance (for example, metallic) that will be revealed by the appearance switching printing layer 33 described later. The decorative ring member 30 comprises a window portion 31 formed in a part of the circumferential direction C of the decorative ring member 30, and a ring body portion 36 of the decorative ring member 30 other than the window portion 31.

[0020] From the viewer's perspective, the display surface 11c is located within the window portion 31. The window portion 31 is formed to curve over an angular range of 20° to 40° in the circumferential direction C.

[0021] As shown in Figure 3, the decorative ring member 30 comprises an inclined wall portion 30a, a side wall portion 30b, and bottom plate portions 30c and 30d. The bottom plates 30c and 30d are annular plates located on the display surfaces 11a and 11b of the display unit 10. The bottom plate 30c is located radially inward of the bottom plate 30d. The inclined wall portion 30a is located in front of the display surface 11c and inclins away from the display surface 11c as it extends radially outward from the decorative ring member 30. The radially inner end of the inclined wall portion 30a is connected to the radially outer end of the base plate portion 30c, and the radially outer end of the inclined wall portion 30a is connected to the upper end of the side wall portion 30b. The side wall portion 30b extends in a direction that intersects with the display surface 11c, in this example, in a direction perpendicular to the display surface 11c. The lower end of the side wall portion 30b is connected to the radially inner end of the base plate portion 30d.

[0022] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the decorative ring member 30 comprises a resin plate 35, black printing layers 32 and 38, an appearance switching printing layer 33, and a gradient printing layer 34. The resin plate 35 is the base material for the decorative ring member 30 and is formed over an area extending to the inclined wall portion 30a, the side wall portion 30b, and the bottom plate portions 30c and 30d. The resin plate 35 is a colorless and transparent base material made of acrylic, polycarbonate resin, or glass.

[0023] The black printed layer 32 has light-shielding properties and is formed on the resin plate 35. The black printed layer 32 is formed on the inner surface of the side wall portion 30b and the lower surface of the bottom plate portions 30c and 30d. The black printing layer 32 is the same color as the black background color of the display surfaces 11a and 11b. This makes the black printing layer 32 less conspicuous against the display surfaces 11a and 11b, creating a sense of unity. The black printing layer 32 may be a background layer, and may be a different color from the background color of the display surfaces 11a and 11c.

[0024] The appearance switching printing layer 33 is a printing layer formed on the resin plate 35 and is formed on the lower side of the inclined wall portion 30a. Within the window portion 31, the appearance switching printing layer 33 is positioned to face the display surface 11c in the Z direction. As shown in Figure 5, the appearance switching printing layer 33 has a layer 33A of a specific color for representing the appearance of the decorative ring member 30 by reflected light Sr reflected from external light SL such as sunlight. This specific color is, for example, yellow, red, orange, blue, light blue, green, white, black, wood grain color, or metallic color.

[0025] As shown in Figure 5, when the back side of the appearance switching printing layer 33 is shielded from light by making the display surface 11c invisible, the specific color layer 33A becomes visible to the viewer. In this case, ambient light SL such as sunlight is reflected by the appearance switching printing layer 33 (specific color layer 33A), and the reflected light Sr becomes stronger than the transmitted light that passes through the appearance switching printing layer 33. Therefore, the viewer receives this reflected light Sr and can see the specific color layer 33A of the appearance switching printing layer 33. At this time, as shown in Figure 4, the window portion 31 is not noticeable from the appearance of the decorative ring member 30.

[0026] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, the back side of the appearance switching printing layer 33 is not shielded from light, and when display light L from the display surface 11c is transmitted through it, the layer 33A of a specific color becomes invisible, while the display content BA and background display BG become visible, as shown in Figure 1. In this case, the display light L transmitted through the appearance switching printing layer 33 becomes stronger than the reflected light Sr reflected from the appearance switching printing layer 33.

[0027] The appearance-switching printing layer 33 is formed over the entire lower surface of the inclined wall portion 30a. As shown in Figure 6, outside the window portion 31, a black printing layer 38 is formed on the lower surface of the appearance-switching printing layer 33. Therefore, outside the window portion 31, the back side of the appearance-switching printing layer 33 is always shielded from light, and the layer 33A of a specific color is always visible to the viewer. This allows the ring body portion 36 to be formed with the same appearance as the window portion 31 when it is not visible, as shown by the appearance-switching printing layer 33. Thus, a sense of unity can be achieved in the appearance of the decorative ring member 30.

[0028] The appearance-switching printing layer 33 changes in appearance to the viewer depending on the ambient light conditions. The appearance-switching printing layer 33 employs a known screen printing technique that switches the visible printing layer from the two printing layers depending on whether the light source is on or off. A printed material to which this known technique is applied comprises two printing layers, an RGBW printing layer and a CMYK printing layer, and a smoke layer between the two printing layers. The RGBW printing layer is located on the viewing side, and the CMYK printing layer is located on the light source side. The interference light from the halftone dots on the RGBW printing layer and the transmitted light from the halftone dots on the CMYK printing layer are additively mixed in the human eye. For example, when the light source is turned off, the image of the RGBW printing layer on the side in front of the viewing side is visible due to the reflected light from the outside. When the light source is turned on, the light transmitted from the light source through the CMYK printing layer becomes stronger, and the image of the CMYK printing layer becomes visible. In the appearance switching printing layer 33 of this embodiment, instead of switching the on and off of the light source of the known technology, the visibility of the appearance switching printing layer 33 (specific color layer 33A), which corresponds to the RGBW printing layer, is switched by switching the presence or absence of the emission of display light L. The appearance switching printing layer 33 (specific color layer 33A) comprises a first color pattern layer composed of a plurality of first color dots, a second color pattern layer composed of a plurality of second color dots provided on the first color pattern layer, and a third color pattern layer composed of a plurality of third color dots provided on the second color pattern layer.

[0029] The gradient printing layer 34 is formed on the lower surface of the appearance switching printing layer 33, around the outer periphery of the window portion 31. The gradient printing layer 34 is formed around the outer periphery of the window portion 31, extending from the edge of the black printing layer 32 closer to the window portion 31 to the periphery of the window portion 31. The gradient printing layer 34 is formed in such a way that the presence of the window portion 31 is not noticeable. For example, the gradient printing layer 34 has a gradient such that the color gradually becomes lighter from black as it moves from the edge toward the periphery of the window portion 31. The method of applying the gradient in the gradient printing layer 34 can be changed as appropriate, as long as it makes the window portion 31 less noticeable when it is hidden. For example, if the color of the window portion 31 and the color of the ring body portion 36 are different when they are hidden, the gradient in the gradient printing layer 34 may be applied in such a way that the difference in these colors becomes less noticeable. Fine irregularities such as hairline patterns or textures are formed on the outer surface of the decorative ring member 30 (for example, the lower surface of the resin plate 35). This makes the window portion 31 less noticeable when it is not visible.

[0030] (effect) According to the embodiment described above, the following effects are achieved. (1) The display device 1 includes a display unit 10 that displays display content BA, which is an example of an image, and emits display light L corresponding to the display content BA, and a decorative ring member 30, which is an example of a decorative member, having a layer 33A of a specific color and positioned to receive the display light L. The decorative ring member 30 includes an appearance switching printing layer 33, which is an example of an appearance switching layer, that displays the layer 33A of a specific color in a visible manner when no display light L is incident from the display unit 10, and makes the layer 33A of a specific color invisible when display light L is incident from the display unit 10, while making the image (display content BA) visible through the decorative ring member 30 in the window 31. With this configuration, when the image on the display unit 10 is not displayed, the specific color layer 33A of the appearance switching printing layer 33 can be made visible by the reflected light Sr of the ambient light SL. Therefore, the prominence of the window portion 31 when it is not displayed is suppressed. Thus, the appearance of the decorative ring member 30 can be improved.

[0031] (2) The ring-shaped decorative ring member 30 comprises a window portion 31 formed in a part of the circumferential direction C of the decorative ring member 30, which is an area in which an image (display content BA) can be displayed through the decorative ring member 30, and a gradient printing layer 34 formed around the outer circumference of the window portion 31, which is an example of a gradient layer that has a gradient that changes the color density or hue as it approaches the window portion 31. This configuration makes it less noticeable to the viewer the window portion 31 when the image is not displayed. Therefore, the appearance of the decorative ring member 30 can be improved.

[0032] (3) Fine irregularities are formed on the outer surface of the decorative ring member 30. This configuration makes it less noticeable to the viewer the window portion 31. Furthermore, the texture of the decorative ring member 30 is improved. Therefore, the appearance of the decorative ring member 30 can be enhanced.

[0033] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and drawings described above. Modifications (including the deletion of components) can be made as appropriate, provided they do not alter the essence of this disclosure. An example of such a modification is described below.

[0034] (modified version) In the above embodiment, at least one of the black printing layer 32, the appearance switching printing layer 33, and the gradient printing layer 34 may be formed on the upper surface of the resin plate 35 rather than on the lower surface of the resin plate 35. In the above embodiment, the gradient printing layer 34 may be omitted. In the above embodiment, the black printing layer 32 may be omitted. In this case, instead of the omitted black printing layer 32, a black display may be shown on the screen of the display unit 10.

[0035] In the above embodiment, the background display BG may be omitted. In this case, as shown in Figure 7, only the display content BA consisting of multiple bars may be displayed on the decorative ring member 30. In the above embodiment, the angular range occupied by the window portion 31 within the entire circumference of the decorative ring member 30 can be appropriately set. The window portion 31 can be set within a range of 1° to 359° in the circumferential direction C of the decorative ring member 30. Furthermore, multiple window portions 31 may be formed on the decorative ring member 30. The display content BA was a bar graph bar, but is not limited to this and may be other characters, symbols, or figures.

[0036] In the above embodiment, the decorative ring member 30 is not limited to an annular shape, but may also be formed in a rectangular annular shape. Furthermore, the decorative ring member 30 is not limited to a ring shape, but may be formed in other shapes such as a C-shape or a rod shape as a decorative member. In the above embodiment, the fine irregularities formed on the outer surface of the decorative ring member 30 may be omitted.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the decorative ring member 30 when cut radially was a right-angled triangle, but it may be any other shape, for example, a polygonal shape such as a rectangle, or a semicircular shape. Also, the decorative ring member 30 may be formed in the shape of a flat plate. In the above embodiment, either the display surface 11a or 11b may be omitted. In the above embodiment, the display unit 10 may be an organic EL (Electro-Luminescence) display device. Furthermore, the display surface 11c of the display unit 10 may not be composed of a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display, but rather of multiple light sources (LEDs). In this case, information may be switched between being displayed and not displayed by turning the multiple light sources on and off.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the display device 1 was mounted on a vehicle, but it is not limited to this and may be mounted on other vehicles such as ships or airplanes. Furthermore, the display device 1 may be mounted on electrical products other than vehicles. Moreover, the display device 1 may be a standalone product. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0039] 1...Display device 10...Display unit, 11...Liquid crystal display panel, 11a~11c...Display surface, 15...Light source unit 21...Lower case, 22...Upper cover, 23...Cover light-transmitting material 30...Decorative ring component, 30a...Inclined wall section, 30b...Side wall section, 30c,30d...Bottom plate section, 31...Window section, 32,38...Black printing layer, 33...Appearance switching printing layer, 33A...Specific color layer, 34...Gradient printing layer, 35...Resin plate, 36...Ring body section 50…Control Unit BA...Displayed content, BG...Background display C: Circumferential light, L: Indicating light, SL: Ambient light, Sr: Reflected light

Claims

1. A display unit that displays an image and emits display light corresponding to the image, A decorative member having a layer of a specific color and positioned to receive the display light from the display unit, The decorative member includes an appearance switching layer that, when no display light is incident from the display unit, displays the layer of the specific color in a way that is visible to the viewer, and when the display light is incident from the display unit, makes the layer of the specific color invisible to the viewer while allowing the image to be seen by the viewer through the decorative member. Display device.

2. The ring-shaped decorative member is A window portion is formed in a part of the circumferential direction of the decorative member, and the window portion is such that the image can be displayed through the decorative member via the appearance switching layer, The system comprises a gradient layer formed around the outer periphery of the window portion, which has a gradient that changes in color density or hue as it approaches the window portion. The display device according to claim 1.

3. The ring-shaped decorative member has a window portion formed on a part of its circumferential direction, which is an area through which the image can be displayed via the appearance switching layer. The outer surface of the decorative member has a fine uneven surface formed thereon. The display device according to claim 1 or 2.

Images