Patent ID: 6854853
Filing Date: 2005-02-15
Classification: B60Q,H05K,Y02P,Y10S

Abstract:
1. An instrument cluster for communicating a vehicle's operating status to a vehicle occupant, the instrument cluster comprising: a housing for supporting the instrument cluster, wherein the housing is mountable to a vehicle instrument panel; a circuit board secured to the housing; a motor having a motor shaft rotatably coupled to the motor, wherein the motor is secured to the circuit board; a gauge pointer mounted on the motor shaft and rotatable therewith for indicating the vehicle's operating status; at least one diode for illuminating the gauge pointer; and at least one diode footprint disposed on the circuit board proximate the motor shaft for electrically interconnecting the at least one diode to the circuit board, the at least one diode footprint having a cathode solder pad and an anode solder pad, wherein at least one of the anode solder pad and the cathode solder pad is substantially L-shaped.