INSTRUMENT PANEL WITH ILLUMINATED POINTER AND TRIM RING

A vehicle instrument panel assembly that includes a pointer, a light source, and a light pipe. The pointer is movable about an axis to point to indicia on a display surface of the assembly. The pointer defines a shaft portion of the pointer that rotates about the axis. The light source is configured to emit light into the shaft to illuminate the pointer. The light pipe is arranged on the display surface and proximate to a sweep path of a tip of the pointer. The pointer is further configured to project light from the light source into the light pipe.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF INVENTION

This disclosure generally relates to vehicle instrument panel assemblies, and more particularly relates to an assembly with an illuminated pointer that illuminates a trim ring or light pipe proximate to the tip of the illuminated pointer.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

It is known to provide a vehicle instrument panel assembly with a trim ring or light pipe that visually emphasizes the perimeter or sweep path of a movable pointer used to point to indicia on a display surface of the assembly. Typically, the trim ring or light pipe is illuminated by one or more light sources (e.g. LEDs) located behind the display surface. These light sources undesirable occupy locations on a circuit board that is part of the assembly, and undesirably increase the cost of the assembly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Described herein is a vehicle instrument panel assembly that uses an illuminated pointer to project light into a trim ring or light pipe located on a display surface of the assembly, and thereby illuminate the light pipe without having to provide additional light sources to back-light the light pipe.

In accordance with one embodiment, a vehicle instrument panel assembly is provided. The assembly includes a pointer, a light source, and a light pipe. The pointer is movable about an axis to point to indicia on a display surface of the assembly. The pointer defines a shaft portion of the pointer that rotates about the axis. The light source is configured to emit light into the shaft to illuminate the pointer. The light pipe is arranged on the display surface and proximate to a sweep path of a tip of the pointer. The pointer is further configured to project light from the light source into the light pipe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1illustrates a non-limiting example of a vehicle10equipped with an instrument panel assembly, hereafter referred to as the assembly12, installed into a dashboard16of the vehicle10. In general, the assembly12displays vehicle information to a human14or operator of the vehicle10such as vehicle speed, engine coolant temperature, and the like.

FIG. 2illustrates a non-limiting example of some of the parts that form the assembly12as those parts may appear prior to assembly and not installed into the dashboard16of the vehicle10. In general, the assembly12includes an applique28that defines a display surface18of the assembly12. In this example the applique28spans most of the viewing area of the assembly12. The applique28or the display surface18typically includes graphics and indicia that determine the appearance of an instrument panel (the assembly12). Some of the graphics or indicia24may be configured to become visibly apparent to the human14only when suitably backlit.

The assembly12may also include one or more pointers, hereafter referred to as the pointer20. In general, the pointer20is movable about an axis22in a manner effective for the pointer20to point to indicia24on the display surface18of the assembly12. In order for the pointer20to be moveable as described herein, the pointer20may include or define a shaft26portion of the pointer20that rotates about the axis22.

FIG. 3further illustrates non-limiting features of a portion of the assembly12after the parts described above, and other parts, are assembled to form the assembly12. By way of example and not limitation, the assembly may include a stepper motor30in this example is part of a motor assembly32that may include a reduction gear arrangement34that couples the stepper motor30to the pointer20such that a plurality of rotations by a rotor36of the stepper motor30, one-hundred (100) rotations or revolutions for example, is necessary to move the pointer20through a range of motion, two-hundred-forty degrees (240°) of angle for example. As such, the stepper motor30is coupled to the pointer20via a reduction gear arrangement34.

The assembly12may also include a light source40configured to emit light into the shaft26to illuminate the pointer20. By way of example and not limitation, the light source may preferably be a light emitting diode (LED) as LEDs are generally considered to be reliable and inexpensive compared to other light sources such as an incandescent bulb.

The assembly12may also include a trim ring or light pipe42arranged on the display surface18and proximate to a sweep path44of a tip46of the pointer20. The terms ‘trim ring’ and ‘light pipe’ may be used herein interchangeably as ‘trim ring’ describes the part in accordance with its appearance, and ‘light pipe’ describes the part in accordance with its function. The sweep path44is used herein to generally describe a line or arc, or arced area of the display surface18that is swept by the tip46. The light pipe42is preferably formed of a generally transparent, possibly tinted material such as a polymeric compound.

The pointer20is also generally configured to project or propagate the light48from the light source40into the light pipe42. In general, the light pipe42is configured to distribute the light48so that the light pipe42, along with all or part of the pointer20, is illuminated by the light48emitted by the light source40. This arrangement is advantageous because the hue (color) of light emitted by the pointer20and the light pipe42(i.e. the trim ring) are well matched because the light48emitted by both originates from the same light source (the light source40). This overcomes prior problems with pointers and trim rings being illuminated with separate distinct light sources that did not have well matched hues of light. This arrangement is also advantageous as the limited and expensive space of a circuit board50that is part of the assembly12is not unnecessarily wasted by accommodating multiple light sources.

In the non-limiting example shown inFIG. 3, the light pipe42is located outside of the sweep path44. For this arrangement, the light48propagates from the pointer20to the light pipe42in a generally straight line that is generally perpendicular to the discretion that the human14views the assembly12. As such, evidence that the pointer20is providing light to the light pipe42may not be readily apparent to the human14, which may be preferable. Once the light48is inside or within the light pipe42, the light48may be reflected, refracted, diffused, or otherwise manipulated so that the light48is generally dispersed throughout the light pipe42so the light pipe42appears to be as uniformly illuminated as possible. It is contemplated that the light pipe42may include various indicia such as tic-marks and/or numbers for aesthetic reasons.

By way of example and not limitation, the light pipe may be configured to define a reflective surface52configured to distribute light received from the pointer (i.e. the light48) throughout the light pipe. For example, the reflected surface52may reflect the light48to project reflected light54toward the human14. The reflective surface52may be formed by adding a reflective coating to the appropriate surfaces of the light pipe42, as will be recognized by those in the art.

FIG. 4illustrates an alternative embodiment of the assembly comparable to that shown inFIG. 3, except that the tip46and the sweep path44defined by the tip46generally overlays the light pipe42. Having the tip46overlay the light pipe42may be preferred for aesthetic reasons. In order to get the light48directed toward or into the light pipe42, the tip46may include a reflective element56configured to reflect the light48from the pointer20toward the light pipe42. By way of example, the reflective element may be a small mirror formed of glass or polished metal that is insert-molded into the pointer20near the tip46. Alternatively, the tip46may include an angled portion corresponding to the illustration of the reflective element56, with a reflective coating applied to the surface of the angled portion. This arrangement may be preferably for aesthetic reasons.

Accordingly, a vehicle instrument panel assembly12is provided that illuminates a light pipe42or trim ring arranged to define the perimeter of a gauge type indicator. By illuminating the pointer20and the light pipe42with light from the same light source, the hue of light emitted by the pointer20and the light pipe42are easily matched. Also, such an arrangement make more efficient use of circuit board space as it is unnecessary to provide multiple distinct light sources to illuminate both the pointer20and the light pipe42. While the shapes of the light pipe42and the pointer20illustrated in the examples herein are generally simple, it is recognized that an innumerable number of shapes may be useful to achieve certain light distribution characteristics. For example, the surface of the light pipe42that is viewed by the human14may be curved to prevent glare/reflection caused by ambient light impinging on the light pipe42.