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Vehicle information display    
United States Patent5576687   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5576687.html
Inventor(s)Blank; Rodney K. (Holland, MI); Schierbeek; Ken L. (Zeeland, MI); Beck; Jerry L. (Zeeland, MI)
AbstractAn information display for use in vehicles including a module or housing located behind, and attached to, a support for the interior rearview mirror assembly. The module includes a display which is observable around the profile of the mirror by the vehicle operator or passengers. An upper portion of the display module is attached to the mount used to support the mirror assembly on the vehicle windshield. The upper portion of the module may be detachably coupled to the mount by a snap-on clip, by a threaded fastener secured directly to the mount, or by a resilient S-clip. The information display of this invention lends itself to quickly and inexpensively adding a wide range of information displays such as a compass, trip computer, clock, warning light, temperature readout, or the like, to any vehicle, at a location readily seen by the vehicle operator within the forward field of vision without substantially interfering or impairing the operator's field of vision.
   














 Title Information Submit all comments and votes
 
Patent Text Patent PDF Print Page Summary File History
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Drawing from US Patent 5576687
Vehicle information display - US Patent 5576687 Drawing
Vehicle information display
Inventor     Blank; Rodney K. (Holland, MI); Schierbeek; Ken L. (Zeeland, MI); Beck; Jerry L. (Zeeland, MI)
Owner/Assignee     Donnelly Corporation (Holland, MI)
Patent assignment
All assignments
Publication Date     November 19, 1996
Application Number     08/195,353
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     February 10, 1994
US Classification     340/438 340/457 340/461 340/815.55 359/630 359/838 359/839 362/488 362/545
Int'l Classification     B60Q 001/00
Examiner     Swarthout; Brent A.
Assistant Examiner     Tong; Nina
Attorney/Law Firm     Price, Heneveld, Cooper, DeWitt & Litton
Address
Parent Case     CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation-in-part application of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/142,509 filed Oct. 25, 1993, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/811,578, filed Dec. 20, 1991, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,442, issued Oct. 26, 1993.
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     340/438 340/464 340/473 340/457 340/461 340/815.55 362/83.1 359/839 359/838 359/630
Patent Tags     vehicle information display
   
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 References Submit all comments and votes
 
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Market Size
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Market Share
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25% - 49.99%
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 Technical Review Submit all comments and votes
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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An information display for use in a vehicle, comprising:

a module adapted for mounting behind and separate from an interior mirror assembly and having a display window adapted to extend from behind the mirror assembly and observable by an occupant of the vehicle when said module is mounted in the vehicle;

said module includes a housing separate and apart from said mirror assembly;

said housing includes a first portion adapted for attachment to said interior rear-view mirror assembly;

said first portion of said housing includes a couple for engaging a mount for supporting said interior rearview mirror assembly; and

said coupler includes a tab at one end for catching said mount, and a clip at another end to engage a portion of said interior rearview mirror assembly.

2. The information display as defined in claim 1, including said module adapted for mounting behind and at least partially concealed by said interior rearview mirror assembly.

3. The information display as defined in claim 1, including said module adapted for mounting behind and substantially concealed by said interior rearview mirror assembly.

4. The information display as defined in claim 1, further including:

a circuit disposed within said housing;

a conductor means for connecting said circuit to a remote power source; and

a display element disposed within said housing and positioned within said display window, said display element powered by said circuit.

5. The information display as defined in claim 4, wherein said display element includes a vacuum fluorescent display.

6. The information display as defined in claim 4, wherein said display element includes a light-emitting diode display.

7. The information display as defined in claim 4, wherein said display element includes a liquid crystal display.

8. The information display as defined in claim 4, wherein said circuit and