Vehicle Meter Illuminated Display with Longitudinal Light Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicle meters have limited flexibility in designing the light emitting member due to its arrangement being constrained by the visors, which affects the display quality and stereoscopic visibility, particularly in adapting to the meter's overall design and improving visibility for drivers.

Innovation Solution

A meter design featuring an annular light guiding member within the visor that surrounds the meter units, with a protruding length adjustable in the longitudinal direction, allowing for flexible positioning and luminance control of the light emitting portion, and separating the light source functions to enhance optical design and visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the light emitting member is arranged on the periphery of meter units constrained by visors, then the meter structure is compact and easy to manufacture, but the flexibility of designing the light emitting member is low and display quality is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveflexibility of designing light emitting memberVSAvoidarrangement constraint by visors
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The light guiding member is configured to protrude in the longitudinal direction of the meter unit, extending from the rear surface toward the front surface. This dimensional extension allows the light emitting portion to be positioned at the protruding end, breaking free from the peripheral arrangement constraint imposed by the visor structure and enabling more flexible design configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The light guiding member acts as an intermediary component that receives light from the light source and redirects it to the light emitting portion. This mediator enables the separation of the light source position from the light emitting position, allowing the light emitting portion to be arranged flexibly at the protruding end without being constrained by the visor's peripheral structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the light emitting member is arranged peripherally within visor constraints, then the number of components is reduced, but the stereoscopic visibility and display quality of meter units are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedisplay quality and stereoscopic visibilityVSAvoidcomponent arrangement simplicity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By extending the light guiding member in the longitudinal direction to create a protruding structure, the light emitting portion is positioned at a different depth plane than traditional peripheral arrangements. This dimensional change enhances stereoscopic visibility by creating depth variation in the light emission, improving display quality without adding excessive component complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Illumination intensity

If the light emitting portion is positioned at the periphery constrained by visors, then the meter structure is simplified, but the luminance and light emission stability are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveluminance of light emitting portionVSAvoidlight guiding member configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The light guiding member serves as an optical intermediary that efficiently transfers light from the light source to the light emitting portion at the protruding end. This intermediary structure concentrates and directs light effectively, achieving high luminance at the light emitting portion while maintaining a relatively simple overall configuration compared to multiple separate lighting components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design enables flexible arrangement of the light emitting portion, improving display quality and stereoscopic visibility, ensuring stable and uniform light emission, and adapting to the shape of the visor, enhancing the meter's appearance and functionality, especially at night.

Implementation Method 1

light emitted by the light source and transmitted through the light guiding member

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical transmission: Light

Implementation Method 2

light irradiated from the light source 500 is substantially totally reflected on the reflecting surface 600S

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP2771648B1Meter with illuminated display
Publication Date: 2021.08.25 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP2771648B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2771648B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2771648B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A meter, comprising a meter unit, a visor arranged around the meter unit, a wiring board, a light source mounted on the wiring board, an annular light guiding member provided within the visor at a side of a light emitting surface of the light source so as to surround the meter unit, and a light emitting portion forwardly emitting light emitted by the light source and transmitted through the light guiding member and annually provided along an edge portion of the visor so as to surround the meter unit, wherein a protruding-length of the light guiding member is displaced to a longitudinal direction of the meter unit.