Delphi Technologies, Inc.

Delco Electronics Corporation

Michael E Fye

Gail M Sylvester

Tim A Kenworthy

Chris Ralph Snider

Raymond Lippmann

Paul A Uglum

Vineet Gupta

Michael G Coady

Curtis Allen Stapert

Allen E Oberlin

Edgar Glenn Hassler

Jeffrey T Bell

Robert L Vadas

Donald G Moeschberger

Kip R Piel

Philip M Scott

Timothy Dean Garner

Joseph K Huntzinger

Kevin Earl Meyer

Dan Darryl Carman

Jerry Wendling

John Michael Matly

Robert Allan Pyburn

Quan N Nguyen

Rick L Hatcher

Paul C Burton

Ray Lippmann

David Stephen Bulin

William R Reed

Gary L Stahl

William R Dawson

Rick Stratman

Kevin E Meyer

Edgar G Hassler

A lightweight radio/CD player for vehicular application is virtually 'fastenerless' and includes a case and frontal interface formed of polymer based material that is molded to provide details to accept audio devices such as playback mechanisms (if desired) and radio receivers, as well as the circuit boards required for electrical control and display. The case and frontal interface are of composite structure, including an insert molded electrically conductive wire mesh screen that has been pre-formed to contour with the molding operation. The wire mesh provides EMC, RFI, BCI and ESD shielding and grounding of the circuit boards via exposed wire mesh pads and adjacent ground clips. The PCB architecture is bifurcated into a first board carrying common circuit components in a surface mount configuration suitable for high volume production, and a second board carrying application specific circuit components in a wave soldered stick mount configuration. The major components and subassemblies are self-fixturing during the final assembly process, eliminating the need for dedicated tools, fixtures and assembly equipment. The major components and subassemblies self-interconnect by integral guide and connection features effecting 'slide lock' and &#x201c;snap lock&#x201d; self-interconnection. The radio architecture includes improved push buttons employing 4-bar living hinge linkage and front loaded decorative trim buttons.

Lightweight audio system for automotive applications and method

An holder or support for a backlit component is disclosed which provides display lighting for the backlit component. The holder may be a one-piece holder and may be made from a polymeric material including one or more fluorescing materials and/or diffusing substances. A trim plate for a backlit display is disclosed. The trim plate may have a front face which provides both a solid support for graphic indicia and display lighting for the graphic indicia.

Display apparatus

An illuminated display system is disclosed. The illuminated display system includes a circuit board with a front surface and a rear surface, and a plurality of light-passing holes. At least one light pipe is arranged on the rear surface of the circuit board. The at least one light pipe includes at least one entrance port and a plurality of corresponding facets and exit ports. Each of the plurality of facets, exit ports, and light passing holes are aligned in a corresponding relationship to the location of individual components of a display surface positioned over the front surface of the circuit board.

Illuminated display system

A light distribution apparatus includes a light distribution hub and at least one light source a reference light wavelength emission. The light distribution hub includes color converter that is enclosed in a light house and converts the reference light wavelength emission to a converted light emission. The color converter is distributed through an aperture in the light house.

Light distribution hub

A backlit display allowing one or more colors to be properly illuminated. Included in the backlit display is a light source that emits light upon a backside of a substrate. A selectively applied opaque layer prevents light from a light source from passing through at least one selected portion of said substrate. Incorporated into the substrate is one or more fluorescing materials to diffuse the light and/or change the color of the light emitted from the light source.

Method of manufacturing a cover of a backlit display using fluorescing materials

A method for producing components such as knobs, switches, and other controls having multiple color display graphics is disclosed. The invention is particularly applicable to the production of graphics that are backlit for night time viewing. In one embodiment, a substrate is initially formed from a light-colored translucent polymeric material. A relatively dark-colored coating is provided on a surface of the translucent substrate, followed by removal of a portion of the coating from the substrate by laser etching to produce on a surface of the component a graphic comprising the material of the substrate. A translucent dye is transferred to the surface of the component by a sublimation dying process. The dye is visible on the graphic, but is either not present or not visible on the remaining surface portion of the component. In another embodiment, a substrate having a light-colored, translucent graphic is made by a multiple material molding method, followed by coloration of the graphic with a translucent dye by the sublimation dying process.

Method of producing multicolor backlit display graphics, and product

A method is provided for producing a graphic for a backlit component, such as a button for an illuminated graphic display of an automobile instrument panel. The method involves a process by which molded plastic backlit buttons are manufactured without the use of hazardous chemicals or materials, and instead utilizes laser energy to produce substantially opaque regions on the button for forming a graphics image. Backlit buttons are preferably formed from a substantially transparent polymeric material in which is present pigmentation that is reactive to laser energy. A graphic image is then created on the button by selectively exposing a portion of the backlit component to laser energy. As a result, the exposed portion becomes substantially opaque while remaining portions of the backlit component remain substantially transparent. As such, the exposed and unexposed portions of the button cooperate to produce the graphic image when the button is backlit with a suitable light source.

Process for manufacturing backlit displays utilizing treated plastics

A pushbutton for an automotive control panel has a button portion extending through a hole in a trim plate and an enlarged skirt portion behind the plate, and is spring loaded to push the skirt against the rear surface of the plate. A ledge surrounding the button opposes the rear surface. The pushbutton is painted and paint on the ledge causes the skirt to stick to the rear surface of the plate. To prevent sticking, pointed spacers are molded on the ledge so that only the spacer points engage the plate. Sticking from paint adhesion is minimized due to the small amount of paint on the spacer points. Alternatively, the pointed spacers are formed on the rear surface of the plate.

Non-stick painted pushbutton assembly

A method is provided for producing an illuminated graphic display composed of non-flat molded plastic backlit components which serve as interior controls for an instrument panel of an automobile. The method involves a process by which such backlit components are manufactured so as to result in minimal variability of backlighting intensity. The method particularly involves molding each backlit component from a white translucent substrate whose thickness is individually tailored such that the backlit component exhibits a suitable level of backlighting intensity when illuminated by a minimal number of light sources. For daytime viewing, a suitable and uniform level of graphics whiteness for the group of backlit components is achieved by painting each substrate with a white translucent coating, such that the backlit components have similar reflective characteristics.

Process for manufacturing painted backlit displays having uniform

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Kokomo, IN, United States of America

Michael E Fye