OLED Strip Indicator Lights for Vehicle Instrument Clusters
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing instrument clusters are complex, costly, and space-constrained due to the large number of components required for indicator lights, including circuit boards, optics, and transparent covers, which limits the flexibility and simplicity of their design and installation.
Innovation Solution
The use of a single OLED strip divided into separately controllable light segments, which serves as both the light source and cover, eliminating the need for separate circuit boards, optics, and transparent covers, and allowing for flexible placement and assembly within the instrument cluster.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional indicator lights with separate circuit boards, optics, and transparent covers are used, then the indicator lights can be manufactured with conventional components, but the device complexity and number of parts increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the light source function and cover function into a single OLED strip component. The OLED strip serves dual purposes: it emits light to indicate vehicle states and simultaneously acts as the transparent cover that is visible to the driver. This merging eliminates the need for separate circuit boards, optics, and transparent covers, directly resolving the technical contradiction between ease of manufacture and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The OLED strip performs multiple functions within a single component: it serves as the light source for indicator lights, the transparent cover visible to drivers, and the structural element defining the indicator light shape. This multi-functionality approach allows conventional manufacturing processes to produce a single integrated component rather than assembling multiple specialized parts, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturability.
2Reliability
If multiple separate components (circuit board, optics, transparent covers) are used for indicator lights, then each component can be optimized for its specific function, but the assembly process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the light source, cover, and structural elements into a single OLED strip, the patent eliminates the need for complex assembly processes involving multiple components. The OLED strip is produced as a complete functional unit through conventional manufacturing, then simply installed in the instrument cluster. This directly addresses the contradiction by maintaining functional optimization through the OLED technology while dramatically reducing assembly complexity and time.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional indicator light components are used, then the design follows conventional patterns, but the space required in the instrument cluster increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integration of light source and cover into the OLED strip eliminates the space required for separate components and their mounting structures. The OLED strip's compact design allows for more efficient use of space within the instrument cluster, enabling greater design flexibility for arranging indicator lights and other display elements without increasing the overall space requirement.
4Device complexity
If conventional indicator light components are used, then the design is straightforward, but the manufacturing costs increase due to multiple parts
Solution Approach 1:
By producing the OLED strip as a single integrated component through conventional manufacturing processes, the patent eliminates the need to manufacture and assemble multiple separate parts. This reduces manufacturing costs by eliminating assembly operations, reducing inventory of multiple components, and simplifying the supply chain, while maintaining design simplicity through the straightforward integration approach.
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 solution reduces the number of parts, simplifies assembly, saves space, and lowers costs by integrating the light source and cover into a single OLED strip, enabling more flexible and cost-effective design and installation of indicator lights in the instrument cluster.
Implementation Method 1
The indicator lights arranged next to or one above the other are formed by a single OLED strip, with the OLED strip being divided into several separately controllable light segments
Implementation Method 2
While in the past the indicator lights generally had small light bulbs as light sources, indicator lights with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are increasingly being used as light sources in recent times
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a combination instrument (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising at least one analog or digital display device (3) for displaying operational and/or traffic-related information concerning the motor vehicle or its surroundings, as well as several indicator lights (8) arranged side by side or one above the other. It is proposed that the indicator lights (8a; 8b; 8c; 8d; 8e; 8f; 8g; 8h) arranged side by side or one above the other are formed by a single OLED strip (16), wherein the OLED strip (16) is divided into several separately controllable light segments (9), each light segment (9) forming one of the indicator lights (8a; 8b; 8c; 8d; 8e; 8f; 8g; 8h).