Vehicle Gauge LCD Illumination via Pointer Shaft Light Guide

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing lighting structure for liquid crystal panels in vehicle gauges is complicated and expensive due to the need for additional light sources and mechanisms to position them, leading to uneven illumination.

Innovation Solution

A lighting structure that uses a pointer illuminating light source to illuminate both the pointer main body and the liquid crystal display panel, with a luminance adjusting part to distribute light evenly across the panel, eliminating the need for an additional light source and simplifying the gauge's structure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If an exclusively used light source is provided near the liquid crystal display panel, then the liquid crystal display panel can be illuminated, but the structure becomes complicated and expensive due to additional positioning mechanisms and wiring space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination of liquid crystal display panelVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The pointer illuminating light source is designed to serve dual functions: illuminating the pointer main body and illuminating the liquid crystal display panel. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for an exclusively used light source, reducing structural complexity while maintaining adequate illumination for both components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The illumination function for the liquid crystal display panel is merged with the pointer illuminating light source. By combining these two illumination functions into a single light source, the patent reduces the total number of light sources and eliminates the need for separate positioning mechanisms and wiring for an additional light source

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Illumination intensity

If an exclusively used light source is provided near the liquid crystal display panel, then the liquid crystal display panel can be illuminated, but the cost increases due to additional light sources to be mounted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination of liquid crystal display panelVSAvoidmanufacturing cost
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The pointer illuminating light source is designed to serve dual functions: illuminating the pointer main body and illuminating the liquid crystal display panel. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for an exclusively used light source, reducing structural complexity while maintaining adequate illumination for both components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The illumination function for the liquid crystal display panel is merged with the pointer illuminating light source. By combining these two illumination functions into a single light source, the patent reduces the total number of light sources and eliminates the need for separate positioning mechanisms and wiring for an additional light source

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Illumination intensity

If illuminating lights are introduced to the pointer driving shaft, then the pointer main body can be illuminated, but the illuminating lights may not be evenly distributed to the liquid crystal display panel

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination of pointer main bodyVSAvoidluminance uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

A light guide member is introduced as an intermediary component to transfer and distribute the illuminating lights from the pointer driving shaft to the liquid crystal display panel. This light guide member ensures uniform light distribution across the panel while maintaining the existing illumination structure for the pointer

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The illumination is distributed from a linear source (pointer driving shaft) to a two-dimensional surface (liquid crystal display panel) through the light guide member. This dimensional transformation enables uniform illumination across the panel area by spreading the light in multiple directions

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

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 provides stable, uniform illumination to the liquid crystal display panel without increasing the number of light sources, preventing structural complexity and cost, while improving illuminating efficiency and reducing luminance unevenness.

Implementation Method 1

a light guide member (62) arranged in the back surface side of the liquid crystal display panel 130, so that the liquid crystal display panel 130 is irradiated with the illuminating lights outputted from the exclusively used light source 160 for the LCD

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight guide: Optical Fibre

Implementation Method 2

a luminance adjusting part (70) provided between the illuminating light dividing and output part (60) and the liquid crystal display panel 130 to distribute the illuminating lights outputted by the illuminating light dividing and output part (60) to all areas of the back surface of the liquid crystal display panel 130

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight distribution: Reflection

Data Source

PatentEP2776265B1Lighting structure of liquid crystal panel in gauge for vehicle
Publication Date: 2018.03.07 YAZAKI CORP
  • EP2776265B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2776265B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2776265B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A lighting structure of a liquid crystal panel in a gauge for a vehicle is provided which can realize a stable illumination. In a gauge 1, a shaft connecting part 22a of a pointer main body 22 is fixed to an end of a pointer driving shaft 42 to which illuminating lights are guided from a light source 50 and a liquid crystal display panel 30 is arranged in a front part of the shaft connecting part 22a. An illuminating light dividing and output part 60 provided in the front end of the shaft connecting part 22a to output a part of the illuminating lights received from the pointer driving shaft 42 to the liquid crystal display panel 30 side and a luminance adjusting part 70 are provided to adjust a luminance of the liquid crystal display panel 30 by a part of the illuminating lights.