Abstract:
A disclosed vehicle instrument panel assembly includes a display disposed within a first plane and configured for generating an image indicative of vehicle operation and a pointer disposed on a second plane spaced apart from the first plane and extending at least partially over the display to highlight the image generated by the display.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/738,429 filed on Dec. 18, 2012. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to vehicle instrument panels and clusters, and more specifically to a vehicle instrument panel that includes physical features cooperating with images displayed on a display. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Vehicles include instrument panels to communicate information indicative of operation to an operator. Motor vehicles include instrument panels with several gauges and dials that communicate vehicle conditions such as speed, engine rpm, temperature, oil pressure along with many other operational parameters. Conventional instrument panels include gauges that may only provide one piece of information such as a speedometer. 
         [0004]    Flat screen displays are increasingly being utilized and are capable of providing different information within the same space. For example, a single display can be utilized to display vehicle speed in one moment, and then changed to display a map, engine rpm or other desired parameter indicative of vehicle operation. The flat screen displays allow a vehicle designer to provide more information within a fixed area of the instrument panel. 
         [0005]    Although a flat screen display provides many different possible display combinations, it limits the aesthetic appearance of the instrument panel because although the display itself may provide different images, the physical appearance can be uninteresting and limit design alternatives. Moreover, three-dimensional effects can be displayed on the display but are limited to the graphics generated by images on the display. 
         [0006]    Accordingly, it is desirable to design and develop an instrument panel that includes a flat panel display with features that add both increased functionality while providing desired three-dimensional appearance and effects. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    A vehicle instrument panel assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of this disclosure, among other possible things includes an instrument display that includes an electronic display screen to generate images indicative of vehicle operating parameters and conditions and a pointer that extends over the display to point to a graphic illustrated on the display screen. 
         [0008]    The example instrument display includes a display screen that generates images indicative of vehicle operating conditions and parameters. The example display screen is divided into a central portion, a first side and a second side. Images generated by the display represent a moving scale that moves relative to a fixed pointer. The pointer is fixed relative to the display screen and extends over a portion of display and onto the generated visually moving display. In one example, the moving scale is vehicle speed and the pointer highlights current vehicle speed shown on the display. Another portion of the display generates a tachometer and a second pointer indicates a current engine rpm. 
         [0009]    The combination of generated moving scales on the fixed display screen combined with the physical pointer generates a desired geometrical and 3-D appearance of the example instrument display that provides a different appearance and aesthetically pleasing effects while also generating and communicating functional information to a vehicle operator. 
         [0010]    Although the different examples have the specific components shown in the illustrations, embodiments of this disclosure are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from one of the examples in combination with features or components from another one of the examples. 
         [0011]    These and other features disclosed herein can be best understood from the following specification and drawings, the following of which is a brief description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an example vehicle dashboard and instrument panel. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the example vehicle instrument display. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the example vehicle instrument display. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a portion of the example vehicle instrument display. 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the example vehicle instrument display. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle dashboard  10  is shown and includes an instrument panel  12  that includes an instrument display  16  and other accessory gauges  14 . The example instrument display  16  utilizes an electronic display screen to generate images indicative of vehicle operating parameters and conditions. 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3  with continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the example instrument display  16  includes a display screen  20  that generates images indicative of vehicle operating conditions and parameters. The example display screen  20  is a liquid crystal display or other flat display that is capable of generating images representing information that is communicated to a vehicle operator. As appreciated, instrument panels are typically comprised of dial gauges or other gauges that provide a fixed scale about which a pointer rotates to indicate a specific operating parameter. Such gauges are limited in that they are fixed and can only display one type of information. Accordingly, the use of digital displays is becoming increasingly popular and provides the ability to display different parameters and provides communication of a significant amount of information to an operator within a limited space. 
         [0019]    The example instrument display  16  includes the display screen  20  that is divided into a central portion  40 , a first side  32  and a second side  36 . The first side  32  generates a first image  34 , the second side  36  generates a second image  38  and the central portion  40  is capable of displaying a central image  42 . As appreciated, although three separate images are disclosed for the example display screen  20  other configurations would also fall within the contemplation of this disclosure. 
         [0020]    In this example, the first side  32  generates an image  34  that is indicative of a vehicle speed. The second side  36  generates an image  38  that is indicative of engine rpm. The central portion  40  generates an image in this example that provides directional information such as is provided by a GPS guidance system. 
         [0021]    The first image  32  represents a moving scale that moves relative to a fixed pointer  28 . The pointer  28  is fixed relative to the display screen  20  and extends over a portion of display that is provided by the first side  32 . The first image  34  is an image that is generated to replicate a moving scale. In this example, the moving scale is vehicle speed and the specific current operating condition or vehicle speed in this instance is indicated by the pointer  28 . 
         [0022]    The combination of the pointer  28  extending over the first side  32  of the display screen and first image  34  provides a three dimensional effect to replicate movement of the scale as if it were rotating on a cylindrical surface. Replication in this disclosure is utilized to represent an image displayed on the fixed display screen  20  that creates the impression of a physically moving scale. 
         [0023]    The second image  38  also replicates an image of a moving scale. The example second image  38  moving scale is of engine speed in rpm. As with the first image  34 , the second image  38  replicates moving scale as if it were rotating vertically on a cylindrical surface and a second pointer  30  extends over the second side  36  to provide a focus point on the second image  38  that cooperates to indicate a current value for engine rpm. 
         [0024]    The display screen  20  is disposed within a housing  18  that supports the first and second fixed pointers  28 ,  30 . Each of the first and second pointers  28 ,  30  include a cap  48 A,  48 B. The caps  48 A and  48 B are also fixed to the housing  18  and do not move relative to the display screen  20 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the display screen  20  is disposed on a first plane  24  and the first and second pointers  28 ,  30  are disposed on a second plane  26 . In the example illustrated in  FIG. 4 , only the second side  36  is shown. The second plane  26  is spaced apart from the first plane  24  and is closer to the vehicle operator than the display screen  20 . The relative distance between the first plane  24  and the second plane  26  creates a three dimensional effect that corresponds with the moving scale provided by the first and second images  34 ,  38 . 
         [0026]    In the disclosed example, the moving scale replicates a movement of a cylindrical surface in a vertical direction about an axis parallel with the first and second planes  24 ,  26 . In this example, the graphic images of the numerals increase in size as they move closer to the location indicated by the corresponding first and second pointers  28 ,  30 . 
         [0027]    In this example, the graphic images are reference numerals within the first and second images  34 ,  38  and increase in size as is indicated at  54  when generated at a location corresponding with the corresponding pointer  28 ,  30 . As the reference numeral is generated to visually move away from the location indicated by the pointer  28 ,  30 , they become smaller in size as is indicated at  56 . The increase in size of the reference numeral as shown at  54  highlights the current value of the operating parameter to a vehicle operator and increases the ability to monitor vehicle operating conditions with only short glances at the instrument display  16 . 
         [0028]    Caps  48 A and  48 B are disposed over the corresponding pointer  28 ,  30  and include a corresponding graphic  50 A and  50 B. The graphics  50 A and  50 B may be illuminated to indicate the specific scale that is being disclosed and generated by the display screen  20  on the corresponding side. As appreciated, the display screen  20  may be modified to display other vehicle operating parameters and, therefore, the pointer caps  48 A;  48 B can be illuminated to indicate which vehicle parameter is being represented by the first and second images  34 ,  38 . 
         [0029]    A printed circuit board  22  is supported within the housing  18  and includes a light source  52 . The light source  52  emits light into the second pointer  30  and the cap  48 B. The illumination provided by the light source  52  can be utilized to illuminate both the second pointer  30  and the pointer cap  48 B. In this example, the pointer cap  48 B includes a graphic  50  that is illuminatable to indicate the specific scale being displayed within the second image  38 . In this example, the second image  38  is providing a scale indicative of an engine rpm. Accordingly, the graphic  50  may be illuminated to indicate that the scale is engine rpm. 
         [0030]    The characteristics and physical, geometrical and actual 3-D effects provided by the example instrument display  16  provides a different appearance and aesthetically pleasing effects while also generating and communicating functional information to a vehicle operator. 
         [0031]    Although an example embodiment has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this disclosure. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the scope and content of this disclosure.