IP Library Granted Patent US 12,446,169
Granted Patent B2
US 12,446,169 · App. 18/052,176 · Granted Oct 14, 2025

Display device, input device, and front cover member

Inventors: Masaki Kontani (Osaka, JP); Takeshi Masutani (Kanagawa, JP)
Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.
H05K5/0217G06F3/016G06F3/044H05K5/03
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,446,169
App. No.
18/052,176
Granted
Oct 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display device includes: a front cover that is optically transmissive; a design sheet that is optically transmissive and is arranged on the front surface side or the back surface side of the front cover; a cushion layer that is optically transmissive and is arranged on the back surface side of the front cover; and a light source that is arranged on the back surface side of the cushion layer. The cushion layer includes a plurality of first recessed portions each of which is, in a cross-sectional view taken along a plane parallel to a stacking direction of the front cover and the design sheet, in a projecting shape in the stacking direction and is in a recessed shape on the back side of the projecting shape.

Claims (48)

1. A display device comprising:

a front cover that is optically transmissive;

a design portion that is optically transmissive and is arranged on a front surface side or a back surface side of the front cover;

a cushion layer that is optically transmissive and is arranged on the back surface side of the front cover; and

a light source that is arranged on a back surface side of the cushion layer,

wherein the cushion layer includes a plurality of recessed portions each of which is, in a cross-sectional view taken along a plane parallel to a stacking direction of the front cover and the design portion, in a projecting shape in the stacking direction and is in a recessed shape on a back side of the projecting shape,

pyramidal or conical spaces are formed by the recessed shape on the back side of the projecting shape of the plurality of recessed portions,

the plurality of recessed portions are spaced,

the cushion layer includes a connection portion that connects adjacent recessed portions among the plurality of recessed portions, and

a light-blocking sheet is arranged between the adjacent recessed portions.

2. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of recessed portions includes a bottom surface portion, and is inclined or curved to taper toward the bottom surface portion.

3. The display device according to claim 2 ,

wherein the recessed portion includes the bottom surface portion and a side surface portion that connects the bottom surface portion and the connection portion, and

a thickness of the connection portion is greater than a thickness of the side surface portion.

4. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a thickness of the connection portion increases toward each of the plurality of recessed portions.

5. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cushion layer includes a first cushion layer and a second cushion layer,

each of the first cushion layer and the second cushion layer includes a plurality of recessed portions each of which is, in the cross-sectional view taken along the plane parallel to the stacking direction of the front cover and the design portion, in a projecting shape in the stacking direction and is in a recessed shape on a back side of the projecting shape,

the second cushion layer is in a shape obtained by inverting the first cushion layer in the stacking direction, and

the second cushion layer is arranged on a side of the first cushion layer, the side facing the front cover.

6. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cushion layer includes:

a first part that is superimposed, in plan view of the display device, on a design formed on the design portion; and

a second part that is around the first part, and

the first part is greater in optical transmittance than the second part.

7. The display device according to claim 6 ,

wherein the first part is transparent or is colored to be optically transmissive, and

the second part is light-blocking.

8. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the design portion is arranged to be superimposed, in the stacking direction, on the plurality of recessed portions and the connection portion.

9. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the cushion layer includes a silicone rubber that is optically transmissive.

10. The display device according to claim 9 ,

wherein the cushion layer includes light diffusing particles whose refractive index is different from a refractive index of the silicone rubber.

11. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the design portion includes a silicone rubber that is optically transmissive and light diffusing particles whose refractive index is different from a refractive index of the silicone rubber.

12. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein each of the plurality of recessed portions is quadrangular, hexagonal, or circular in plan view of the display device.

13. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the design portion is a design sheet arranged on the back surface side of the front cover.

14. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein a wall thickness of the recessed portion is less than a wall thickness of the front cover or is less than a wall thickness of the design portion.

15. The display device according to claim 14 ,

wherein a height of the recessed shape is greater than the wall thickness of the design portion.

16. The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein at least a part of the recessed portion is rounded.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066709/0745 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 12, 2023
From: KONTANI, MASAKI; MASUTANI, TAKESHI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062366/0053 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2021-209327 · Dec 23, 2021 · national
JP 2022-074459 · Apr 28, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230292453A1 · Sep 14, 2023
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