Electroluminescent (EL) backlighting has enticed the automobile industry for many years with its thin, uniform lighting characteristics. This paper will illustrate the history and material science of EL lighting. The benefits and design parameters of EL as a backlighting source for instrument clusters will be discussed. Comparisons of EL versus incandescent bulbs, LED's, and CCFL are shown. Design criteria and options will be reviewed including luminance, color, electrical characteristics, assembly methods, inverter choices, and interconnect solutions. The future of EL as a backlighting source is very positive. Reduced costs and superb uniform lighting characteristics have positioned EL for extensive use in instrument clusters. Designers can leverage the benefits of EL instrument cluster lighting in new and unique ways. For example, a cluster with one EL lamp can use a variety of applique designs for trim level or brand differentiation. EL lamp designs free up valuable instrument cluster PCB space. This becomes more important as PCB densities increase and more content is added into the instrument cluster. Automotive use of EL for general illumination backlighting is well past the early adoptive stage, and engineers are now designing EL into high-volume clusters with both silhouette and standard graphics. With continued development of brighter EL lamps, daytime-visible or telltale lighting could be the next cluster application.
Instrument cluster design options using electroluminescent lighting
Design-Optionen für die Bordinstrumentierung unter Einsatz elektrolumineszenter Beleuchtung
2002
10 Seiten, 10 Bilder, 2 Tabellen, 4 Quellen
Conference paper
English
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