Instrument panel having light pipe having legs

In an instrument panel cluster having a subassembled printed circuit board, with a plurality of subassemblies each including a light pipe, a transflector and a liquid crystal display with respect to the printed circuit board the improvement comprising:

• each of said subassemblies having a terminal block having terminals formed in situ and having one end thereof directed through the printed circuit board and the opposite end thereof exposed on an upper surface of said terminal block, an elastomeric connector supported on the upper surface of the terminal block, said surface being raised a substantial distance above the printed circuit board to reduce the bridging distance between the terminal block and the liquid crystal display whereby the elastomeric connector has a reduced height to width ratio that will prevent significant skewing of the elastomeric connector when it is pressed into electrical contact with the liquid crystal display;
• and means for connecting the liquid crystal display, transflector and light pipe as a preassembled unit on each of said terminal blocks for pretesting the juxtaposed relationship of said liquid crystal displays and the transflectors, said last mentioned means including a spacer leg on said light pipe that includes means to connect said light pipe to the printed circuit board and to allow said light pipe and transflector and liquid crystal display supported thereon to be reference with respect to said terminal block;
• and fastener means for releasably connecting one end of said liquid crystal display, transflector and light pipe to said terminal block to complete the electrical connection through said elastomeric connector for testing the graphic display on each of the subassemblies prior to final assembly of an instrument panel bezel.

In an instrument panel assembly having a printed circuit board, with a light source and a light pipe joined thereto, the light pipe being operatively associated with juxtaposed liquid crystal display and transflector components and a terminal block supporting the transflector and light pipe with respect to the printed circuit board the improvement comprising:

• a light pipe beam having an illuminated surface and an illuminating surface thereon, a spacer leg on one end of said beam engaging the printed circuit board to space said light pipe from said printed circuit board, said spacer leg having a tab on its end that engage the printed circuit board and defines a fulcrum to pivot said beam into a supported relationship with the terminal block;
• said illuminated surface including a cavity enclosing a light source on said printed circuit board, a reflector for directing light from said light source to said cavity;
• means on said beam engaging the terminal block to locate said illuminating surface precisely with respect to the liquid crystal display;
• and fastener means for releasably securing said beam and said liquid crystal display to the terminal block whereby the light transfer relationship between said beam and said liquid crystal display can be tested and adjusted prior to final assembly of the instrument panel.

In a visible display having a printed circuit board, with a light bulb and a light pipe joined thereto operatively associated with juxtaposed liquid crystal display and transflector components and wherein the liquid crystal display, transflector and light pipe are supported with respect to the printed circuit board the improvement comprising:

• terminal block means having electrical conductors and including an elastomeric connector supported thereon to be in electrical contact with said in situ conductors and the liquid crystal display for connecting it to the printed circuit board;
• subassembled liquid crystal display and transflector means;
• said light pipe having opposite ends, one of said ends including a spacer leg inserted into said printed circuit board to locate the other end thereof in supported engagement with said terminal block means to reference an illuminating surface for lighting the subassembled liquid crystal display and transflector means prior to final assembly of the visible display to permit adjustment of the transflector and liquid crystal display components prior to such final assembly;
• said illuminated surface including a cavity enclosing a light bulb which is at a point spaced from the terminal block means and which is raised from the printed circuit board;
• and
• means for locating a reflector behind said light bulb to redirect light from said light bulb to said cavity.