RU2718198C2 - Gearshift indication unit (versions) - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: lighting; transport machine building.

SUBSTANCE: group of inventions relates to vehicle lighting systems. Gearshift indication unit for the vehicle comprises a plurality of light sources, a position indicator, and a first photoluminescent structure. Light sources are located under multiple corresponding indicators. Position indicator is configured to move in coordination with the switching lever. Photoluminescent structure is located on the position indicator and selectively luminesces from one indicator at one time based on the illumination of the corresponding light source from the plurality of light sources.

EFFECT: higher quality of vehicle lighting.

19 cl, 8 dwg

Description

Cross reference to related applications

This application is a partial continuation of the application for US patent No. 14/603,636, filed January 23, 2015, under the name "DOOR ILLUMINATION AND WARNING SYSTEM", which is a partial continuation of the application for US patent No. 14 / 086,442, filed November 21, 2013, under the name " VEHICLE DOME LIGHTING SYSTEM WITH PHOTOLUMINESCENT STRUCTURE. " The aforementioned related applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to vehicle lighting systems, and more particularly to vehicle lighting systems using one or more photoluminescent structures.

State of the art

Backlight due to use

photoluminescent structures, provides a unique and attractive visual perception. In this regard, it is desirable to use such structures in automobile vehicles for various lighting applications.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gearshift indicating unit comprising a light source located under a plurality of pointers and a first photoluminescent structure near the pointers and luminescent in response to excitation by a light source, the first photoluminescent structure selectively highlighting one indicator at a time.

The light source preferably comprises a plurality of printed light emitting diodes.

The first photoluminescent structure preferably contains at least one photoluminescent material configured to down-convert the incoming light received from at least a portion of the light source into visible light that is output to the visible portion.

The incoming light preferably contains one of blue light, violet light, and ultraviolet light.

The gearshift indicating unit preferably further comprises a position indicator configured to move in concert with the shift lever, wherein the position indicator includes a first photoluminescent structure thereon.

The gearshift indicating unit preferably further comprises a position indicator adapted to move in concert with the shift lever, the light source being located on the position indicator and configured to direct light to the first photoluminescent structure.

The gearshift indicating unit preferably further comprises a second photoluminescent structure located on the indicators, configured to be luminescent in response to the excitation of a light source in a color different from the first photoluminescent structure.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gearshift indicating unit for a vehicle, comprising an element having a plurality of pointers thereon, a position indicator adapted to move in concert with the gear lever, the position indicator interacting with the indicators to alert the driver of the gearbox mode, a light source located under the pointers, and a luminescent structure made with the possibility of luminescence in response to the excitation of nick light to illuminate the pointer.

The pointers are preferably made of a luminescent structure.

The luminescent structure is preferably located on the position indicator.

The light source is preferably located on the position indicator.

The light source preferably comprises a printed light emitting diode.

The luminescent structure preferably comprises at least one luminescent material configured to down-convert the incoming light received from at least a portion of the printed light emitting diode into visible light.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gearshift indicating unit comprising an element having one or more light-transmitting portions of the element, a position indicator adapted to move in concert with the gear lever, one or more light sources located under the position indicator, and a first photoluminescent a structure located on the position indicator and made with the possibility of luminescence in response to excitation by a light source.

Light sources preferably comprise a plurality of printed light emitting diodes.

The photoluminescent structure preferably contains at least one photoluminescent material configured to down-convert the incoming light received from at least a portion of the light sources into visible light.

The light transmitting portions of the element preferably include pointers to them, which are related to the state of operation of the vehicle gearbox.

The incoming light preferably contains one of blue light, violet light, and ultraviolet light.

The gearshift indicating unit preferably further comprises a second photoluminescent structure located near the light-transmitting portions of the element, configured to luminesce in response to the excitation of the light source in a color different from the first photoluminescent structure.

The current state of the vehicle gearbox is highlighted in a third color, formed by an additive mixture of light of the first and second photoluminescent structures, by means of pointers located near the light transmitting section.

These and other aspects, objectives and features of the present invention will be understood and taken into account by a person skilled in the art when studying the following description, claims and the attached drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

FIG. 1A is a side view of a photoluminescent structure made in the form of a coating for use in a gear shift indicating unit according to one embodiment;

FIG. 1B is a plan view of a photoluminescent structure made in the form of a discrete particle according to one embodiment;

FIG. 1C is a side view of a plurality of photoluminescent structures made in the form of discrete particles and embedded in a separate structure;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a passenger compartment of a vehicle equipped with a lighting unit used in a gear shift indicating unit according to one embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a gearshift indicating unit using a lighting system according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 illustrating a light source according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 further illustrating a light source according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4C is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 illustrating an alternative light source according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4D is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 illustrating a light source having a luminescent structure separated by light transmitting portions located on a light source, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 4E is a sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3 illustrating an alternative light source having a luminescent structure located on a light source configured to convert a portion of the light emitted from the light source from a first wavelength to a second wavelength according to one embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of a light generating unit according to one embodiment having various types and concentrations of LED sources transversely along the light generating unit;

FIG. 6A is a plan view of an element illustrating a lighting system and pointers thereto to alert a driver of a current gearbox mode of a vehicle, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 6B is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 2 illustrating a lighting system with a gear lever attached to a position indicator having a photoluminescent structure thereon;

FIG. 7A is a plan view of an element illustrating a lighting system and pointers therefor to alert a driver of a current gearbox mode of a vehicle, according to one embodiment;

FIG. 7B is a sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 2 illustrating a lighting system with a gear lever attached to a position indicator having a light source thereon; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a vehicle and a lighting system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In order to describe the expressions “upper”, “lower”, “right”, “left”, “rear”, “front”, “vertical”, “horizontal” and their derivatives will relate to the invention as it is oriented in FIG. 2. However, it should be understood that the invention may take various alternative orientations, unless expressly indicated otherwise. It should also be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings and described in the following description are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventions defined in the attached claims. Therefore, the specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, unless expressly stated otherwise in the claims.

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are only an example of the invention, which may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures do not necessarily disclose the structure in detail, and some circuits may be enlarged or reduced to demonstrate an overview of their function. In this regard, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but only as representing the basis for the person skilled in the art to study the various uses of the present invention.

In this context, the expression “and / or” when used in a list of two or more elements means that any of the listed elements can be applied on its own, or any combination of two or more of the listed elements can be applied. For example, if the composition is described as containing components A, B and / or C, then the composition may contain only A; only in; only with; A and B in combination; A and C in combination; B and C in combination; or A, B, and C in combination.

The following disclosure describes a gearshift indicating unit for a vehicle implementing a fluorescent lighting system. The display unit may preferably use one or more photoluminescent structures for illumination in response to predetermined events. One or more photoluminescent structures may be configured to convert light received from an appropriate light source and re-emit light at a different wavelength, typically in the visible spectrum.

With reference to FIG. 1A-1C, various exemplary embodiments of photoluminescent structures 10 are shown, each of which is configured to connect to a substrate 12, which may correspond to a vehicle element or a corresponding piece of vehicle equipment. In FIG. 1A, the photoluminescent structure 10 is generally shown in the form of a coating (eg, film) that can be applied to the surface of the substrate 12. FIG. 1B, the photoluminescent structure 10 is generally shown as a discrete particle with the possibility of integration with the substrate 12. In FIG. 1C, the photoluminescent structure 10 is generally shown as a plurality of discrete particles that can be embedded in a support medium 14 (e.g., a film), which can then be applied (as shown) or integrated with the substrate 12.

At the most basic level, this photoluminescent structure 10 includes an energy conversion layer 16, which may include one or more sublayers, which are approximately shown by dashed lines in FIG. 1A and 1B. Each sublayer of the energy conversion layer 16 may include one or more photoluminescent materials 96 (FIG. 4B) having energy conversion elements with phosphorescent or fluorescent properties. Each photoluminescent material 96 can be excited by receiving light of a specific wavelength, thereby subjecting the light to a conversion process. In accordance with the principle of down-converting, the incoming light is converted to light of a longer wavelength that is output from the photoluminescent structure 10. Conversely, in accordance with the principle of up-converting, the incoming light is converted to light of a shorter wavelength that is output from the photoluminescent structure 10. When a plurality different wavelengths of light is simultaneously derived from the photoluminescent structure 10, the wavelengths of light can be mixed together and expressed as multicolor light.

In some embodiments, the implementation of the light, which was subjected to a downward conversion or upward conversion, can be used to excite other (s) photoluminescent (s) material (s) 96, located in their layer 16 energy conversion. The process of using the converted light 102, derived from one photoluminescent material 96, to excite another, etc., is generally known as an energy cascade and can serve, alternatively, to produce different color expressions. For each conversion principle, the difference in wavelength between the exciting light and the converted light 102 is known as the Stokes shift and serves as the main mechanism for driving the energy conversion process corresponding to the change in the light wavelength. In the various embodiments discussed herein, each of the photoluminescent structures 10 may operate in accordance with any conversion principle.

An energy conversion layer 16 can be prepared by dispersing the photoluminescent material 96 in a polymer matrix to form a homogeneous mixture using a variety of methods. Such methods may include preparing an energy conversion layer 16 from the composition in a liquid carrier medium 14 and applying an energy conversion layer 16 to a desired substrate 12. An energy conversion layer 16 can be applied to the substrate 12 by dyeing, screen printing, spraying, coating through gap, dip coating, roller coating and coating with the removal of excess using a bar. Alternatively, the energy conversion layer 16 can be prepared by methods that do not use a liquid carrier medium 14. For example, the energy conversion layer 16 can be made by dispersing the photoluminescent material 96 into a solid solution (homogeneous mixture in a dry state) that can be incorporated into a polymer matrix, which can be formed by extrusion, injection molding, compression molding, calendering, hot molding, etc. The energy conversion layer 16 can then be embedded in the substrate 12 using any methods known to a person skilled in the art. When the energy conversion layer 16 includes sublayers, each sublayer can be sequentially deposited to form an energy conversion layer 16. Alternatively, the sublayers can be separately prepared and later laminated or pressed together to form an energy conversion layer 16. Also, as an alternative, the energy conversion layer 16 may be formed by coextrusion of the sublayers.

With reference to FIG. 1A and 1B, the photoluminescent structure 10 may possibly include at least one stability layer 18 to protect the photoluminescent material 96 contained in the energy conversion layer 16 from photolytic and thermal degradation. The stability layer 18 can be made in the form of a separate layer optically connected and connected to the energy conversion layer 16. Alternatively, the stability layer 18 can be combined with the energy conversion layer 16. The photoluminescent structure 10 may also include a protective layer 20 optically bonded and connected to the stabilizing layer 18 or another layer (for example, an energy conversion layer 16 in the absence of a stabilizing layer 18) to protect the photoluminescent structure 10 from physical and chemical damage arising due to environmental influences. The stability layer 18 and / or the protective layer 20 can be combined with the energy conversion layer 16 by successively applying or printing each layer, sequentially laminating or pressing, or any other suitable means.

Additional information regarding the construction of photoluminescent structures 10 is disclosed in US Pat. No. 8,232,533 in the name of Kingsley et al., Entitled "PHOTOLYTICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY STABLE MULTILAYER STRUCTURE FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY CONVERSION AND SUSTAINED SECONDARY EMISSION", filed November 8, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. For additional information regarding the manufacture and use of photoluminescent materials for the production of various emissions, see US Pat. US patent No. 8,247,761 in the name of Agrawal and others, under the name "PHOTOLUMINESCENT MARKINGS WITH FUNCTIONAL OVERLAYERS", filed October 19, 2011; US patent No. 8, 519, 359 in the name of Kingsley et al., entitled "PHOTOLYTICALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY STABLE MULTILAYER STRUCTURE FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY ELECTROMAGNETIC ENERGY CONVERSION AND SUSTAINED SECONDARY EMISSION", filed March 4, 2013; US patent No. 8,664,624 in the name of Kingsley et al., entitled "ILLUMINATION DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR GENERATING SUSTAINED SECONDARY EMISSION", filed November 14, 2012; US Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0183677 to Agrawal et al., entitled "PHOTOLUMINESCENT COMPOSITIONS, METHODS OF MANUFACTURE AND NOVEL USES", published March 29, 2012; US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0065442 A1 to Kingsley et al., under the name "PHOTOLUMINESCENT OBJECTS", published October 23, 2012; and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2014/0103258 A1 to Agrawal et al., entitled "CHROMIC LUMINESCENT COMPOSITIONS AND TEXTILES", published December 19, 2013, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the lighting system 22 is located in the gear shift indication unit 24 of the vehicle 26, which is configured to illuminate an area near the shift lever 28 to alert the driver of the vehicle 26 of the current state of the vehicle gearbox 30. Vehicle 26 shown in FIG. 1 includes a seat assembly 32, a steering wheel 34, and a gear shift indication assembly 24. However, it should be understood that additional components may be used with the components described herein. Additionally, the gearshift indication assembly 24 described herein can be used for any vehicle 26, such as, but not limited to, coupe-type cars, sedan-type cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and the like. Additionally, it should be understood that any lighting system located elsewhere on the vehicle 26 can also be manufactured in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

The gearshift indicating unit 24 may be mounted on the floor console 68 according to one embodiment. However, in alternative embodiments, the gearshift indicating unit 24 may be installed at any other desired location in the vehicle 26, including, but not limited to, the steering column 36, vehicle floor panel 38 and / or any portion of the dashboard 40. Display unit 24 the gear shift may include a shift lever 28 to allow the vehicle driver to change the mode of operation of the gearbox 30. The trim panel 42 may be located around a portion of the shift lever 28 through which the shift lever 28 extends. In the illustrated embodiment, the gear shift indicating unit 24 is provided for the automatic gearbox 30; however, the same principles disclosed herein may be applied to any vehicle 26 having any type of gearbox 30.

The shift knob 44 may be located at one end portion of the shift lever 28. Additionally, the casing 46 may be attached to the shift lever 28. In the shown embodiment, the casing 46 is a cover 48 made of a waterproof material. The casing 46 is attached to the console 68 using the element 50, which can also function as a finishing component of the vehicle 26, located between the casing 46 and the console 68.

The shift lever 28 is movable to allow the driver to select a gear from a set of different gears of the gearbox 30, for example, gear “P” (parking gear), gear “R” (reverse gear), gear “N” (neutral gear), gear “D” (drive transmission), “S” (manual shift) and possible other gears sequentially after transmission “S” (not shown for simplicity). A button 52, which is pressed by the driver to switch to the gear “P” (parking gear) at the same time that the driver also places his / her foot on the brake, can be located on or near the shift knob 44, with the gear “P” turning on / off carried out either mechanically or electronically.

With reference to FIG. 3 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of components integrated in a gear shift indicating unit 24, according to one embodiment. Element 50 may have indicators 54 therein corresponding to transmission positions. The shift lever 28 may be functionally supported on the basis for moving between gear positions. More specifically, the base may include a lower section 56 having mounting flanges 58 for attaching to the vehicle floor panel 38 or other supporting structure on the vehicle 26. The hinges 140 for pivotally supporting the shift lever 28 may extend upward from the sides of the lower section 56 and are shaped so that the pivot pin 142 can be tightly received. As illustrated, the arc 144 extends upward from the bottom section 56 and may include recesses for determining transmission positions.

Element 50 may include a fixed upper portion 146 with mounting flanges 58 configured to provide a secure snap fit or screw mount to the base. A slot 148 is formed in the member 50 for receiving the shift lever 28. Slit 148 extends along indicators 54 and allows movement of the shift lever 2 8 between gear positions. Pointers 54 may be any of a variety of different configurations. The illustrated pointers 54 include the indication letters “P,” “R,” “N,” “D,” and “S.” As illustrated, the indicators 54 are adjacent to the light transmitting portions 150 of the element. In alternative embodiments, indicators 54 may be located on and / or formed from light transmitting portions 150 of the element. According to one embodiment, the element 50 and the indicators 54 can be made of the same or of a plurality of polymeric materials, which are made in a suitable form by multi-stage injection molding. However, it should be understood that the element 50 and the indicators 54 can be made of any practically applicable material known in the art. Additionally, it should also be understood that any known manufacturing process can be used to form any part described here.

The shift lever 28 extends upward through a slot 148 in the member 50 and supports the shift lever handle for the driver to grab the vehicle. A button 52 may be located on the handle to turn on and off the lever 28 to switch multiple modes of the gearbox 30.

At least one light source 62 is located below the element 50 and near the indicators 54. In the present illustrated embodiment, the light source 62 is made in the form of a light generating unit 60, which is made in the form of a strip and can be powered using a vehicle power source (not shown) or other power source. The light source 62 and / or the light generating unit 60 may include any form of the light source 62, for example, fluorescent lighting, light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light emitting diodes (OLED), polymer light emitting diodes (PLED), solid state lighting and / or any other form of lighting device. The light generating unit 60 may also include optical devices configured to scatter or focus the light emitted from it. According to one embodiment, the light generating unit 60 may include a flexible wiring board (eg, a copper flexible board) that is connected to an interior portion of the switching unit. In such a design, the flexible circuit board can be bent together with the inner portion to allow the light source 62 to have a contour to match the geometry of the switching unit used. Moreover, additional light generating units 60 may be connected to other lower portions of the element 50 and / or indicators 54.

The position indicator 156 may be attached to the shift lever 28 by any means known in the art. Alternatively, the position indicator 156 may be integrally formed with a portion of the shift lever 28. The position indicator 156 may be configured to highlight selected and limited portions of the indicators 54 to indicate the selected transmission position of the shift lever 28. The position indicator 156 may be transparent, light transmitting, or opaque, and may include a photoluminescent structure 10 including at least one photoluminescent material 96 therein.

In operation, the photoluminescent structure 10 is configured to luminesce in response to excitation by the light emitted by the light generating unit 60. More specifically, the light emitted from the light generating unit 60 is subjected to an energy conversion process in which the emitted light is converted by the photoluminescent material 96 and re-emitted from it at a different wavelength. The re-emitted light is subsequently directed to the indicators 54, thereby illuminating the indicators 54. The light emitted from the light generating unit 60 is referred to herein as incoming light 100 and is shown in FIG. 4B-4E by solid arrows, while light re-emitted from the photoluminescent material 96 is referred to herein as converted light 102 and is shown in FIG. 4B-4E by dashed arrows. According to one embodiment, the photoluminescent material 96 may be compositionally adapted to convert the incoming light 100 into light with a longer wavelength, otherwise known as down-conversion. Alternatively, the photoluminescent material 96 can be selected in composition with the possibility of converting the incoming light 100 into light with a shorter wavelength, otherwise known as up-conversion. In any approach, the light converted by the photoluminescent material 96 can be immediately removed from the photoluminescent structure 10 or otherwise used in an energy cascade, the converted light 102 serving as incoming light 100 to excite another composition of the photoluminescent material located in the energy conversion layer 16, wherein subsequent converted light 102 can then be removed from the photoluminescent structure 10 or used as incoming light 100, etc. Regarding the energy conversion processes described herein, the difference in wavelength between the incoming light 100 and the converted light 102 is known as the Stokes shift and serves as the main mechanism for driving the energy conversion process corresponding to the change in the wavelength of light.

According to one embodiment, the photoluminescent material 96 is also formulated with the ability to have a Stokes shift resulting in converted light 102 having a radiation spectrum expressed in the desired color, which may vary depending on the application of the lighting. For example, the energy conversion process is carried out by down-converting, and the incoming light 100 includes light at the lower edge of the visibility spectrum, for example, blue, violet or ultraviolet (UV) light. This allows the use of blue, violet or ultraviolet light-emitting diodes as light-emitting diodes, which can provide a relative cost advantage over other colors of light-emitting diodes or simply use light-emitting diodes of the desired color and elimination of the photoluminescent structure 10 as a whole.

With reference to FIG. 4A-4E show a cross-sectional view of a light source 62 with the possibility of being used on a vehicle 26 with an external photoluminescent structure 10 according to one embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the light source 62 may have a multilayer structure that includes a light generating unit 60, a photoluminescent structure 10, a visible portion 64, and molded material 66. It will be appreciated that the visible portion 64 and molded material 66 may be two separate components or may be formed in one piece as a single component.

The light generating unit 60 may correspond to a unit of thin film or printed light emitting diodes (LEDs) and may include a substrate 12 as its lowermost layer. The substrate 12 may include a material of polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of the order of 0.0127-0.1524 cm thickness and is located above the intended surface of the vehicle on which the light source 62 is to be received (for example, indexes 54). Alternatively, as a cost-cutting measure, substrate 12 may directly correspond to an existing vehicle structure 2 6 (for example, a portion of a switching unit, a portion of an element 50, etc.).

The light generating unit 60 includes a positive electrode 70 located above the substrate 12. The positive electrode 70 includes a conductive epoxy resin, such as, but not limited to, an epoxy resin containing silver or copper. The positive electrode 70 is electrically connected to at least a portion of the plurality of LED sources 72 located in the semiconductor ink 74 and placed above the positive electrode 70. Similarly, the negative electrode 76 is also electrically connected to at least a portion of the LED sources 72. The negative electrode 76 is placed above the semiconductor ink 74 and includes a transparent or light transmitting conductive material, such as, but not limited to, indium and tin oxide. Additionally, each of the positive and negative electrodes 70, 76 is electrically connected to the controller 78 and the power source 80 through the corresponding bus 82, 84 and conductive wires 86, 88. The bus 82, 84 can be printed along the opposite edges of the positive and negative electrodes 70, 76, and the connection points between the buses 82, 84 and the conductive wires 86, 88 may be located in opposite corners of each bus 82, 84, in order to facilitate the uniform distribution of current on the bus 82, 84. It should be understood that in alternative In the implementation, the orientation of the components in the light generating unit 60 can be changed without deviating from the intentions of the present invention. For example, the negative electrode 76 can be located under the semiconductor ink 74, and the positive electrode 70 can be located in the aforementioned semiconductor ink 74. Similarly, additional components such as buses 82, 84 can also be located in any orientation so that the node 60 create light can emit light 100 to a desired location.

LED sources 72 can be distributed arbitrarily or in a controlled manner in semiconductor ink 74 and can be configured to emit focused or unfocused light to a photoluminescent structure 10. LED sources 72 can correspond to micro-LEDs from gallium nitride elements of about 5 to about 400 microns in size, and semiconductor ink 74 may include various binders and dielectric material, including, but not limited to, one or more e of gallium, indium, silicon carbide, phosphorus and / or transparent polymeric binders.

Semiconductor ink 74 can be applied using a variety of printing processes, including inkjet and screen printing processes, to selected area (s) of the positive electrode 70. More specifically, it is assumed that the LED sources 72 are distributed in semiconductor ink 7 4 and have this shape and the size, that a significant number of LED sources 72 align with the positive and negative electrodes 70, 76 when applying semiconductor ink 74. Part of the LED sources 72, which, in the end counting, electrically connected to the positive and negative electrodes 70, 76, can be highlighted using a combination of buses 82, 84, controller 78, power supply 80 and conductive wires 86, 88. According to one embodiment, power supply 80 may correspond to transport power supply 80 means operating at 12-16 volts of direct current. Additional information regarding the design of the light generating units 60 is disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2014/02 64396 A1 to Lowenthal et al., Entitled "ULTRA-THIN PRINTED LED LAYER REMOVED FROM SUBSTRATE", published March 12, 2014, complete the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

Also with reference to FIG. 4A, the photoluminescent structure 10 described above is located above the negative electrode 76 as a coating, layer, film or other suitable application. With respect to the present illustrated embodiment, the photoluminescent structure 10 may be in the form of a multilayer structure including an energy conversion layer 16, a possible stability layer 18 and a possible protective layer 20.

A visible portion 64 is located above the photoluminescent structure 10. In some embodiments, the visible portion 64 may include plastic, silicon or urethane material and is molded above the photoluminescent structure 10 and the light generating unit 60. Preferably, the visible portion 64 should be at least partially light transmitting. Thus, the visible portion 64 will be highlighted with a photoluminescent structure 10 during the energy conversion process. Additionally, due to the molding of the visible portion 64, it can also function to protect the photoluminescent structure 10 and the light generating unit 60. The visible portion 64 may be made in a flat shape and / or arcuate shape to increase its visibility potential. Similar to the photoluminescent structure 10 and the light generating unit 60, the visible portion 64 may also have an advantage in a thin design, thereby facilitating the installation of the light source 62 in small spaces to accommodate the vehicle 26.

In some embodiments, the decorative layer 98 may be located between the visible portion 64 and the photoluminescent structure 10. The decorative layer 98 may include polymeric material or other suitable material and is configured to control or alter the appearance of the visible portion 64 of the light source 62. For example, the decorative layer 98 may be configured to impart the appearance of the decoration component on the vehicle 26 to the visible portion 64 when the visible portion 64 is in an unlit state. In other embodiments, the decorative layer 98 may be painted in any color to complement the photoluminescent structure 10 of the vehicle 26 on which the light source 62 is to be received. In any case, the decorative layer 98 should be at least partially light transmitting so that the photoluminescent structure 10 is not prevented from highlighting the visible portion 64 during the energy conversion process.

Molded material 66 is arranged around the light generating unit 60 and / or the photoluminescent structure 10. The molded material 66 can protect the light generating unit 60 from physical and chemical damage caused by environmental influences. Molded material 66 may have viscoelastic properties (i.e., have both viscosity and elasticity), low Young's modulus and / or high fracture deformation compared to other materials so that molded material 66 can protect the light generating unit 60 upon contact with him. For example, the molded material 66 may protect the light generating unit 60 from contact with additional components of the gear shift indicating unit 24 when the shift lever 28 is moved from a first position to a second position. It is also contemplated that the visible portion may be formed by the molded material portion 66.

In some embodiments, the implementation of the photoluminescent structure 10 can be used separately and at a distance from the site 60 of the creation of light. For example, the photoluminescent structure 10 may be located on the indicators 54, the position indicator 156 and / or any close surface (for example, components near the gear shift indicating unit 24), but not in physical contact with the light generating unit 60. It should be understood that in embodiments where the photoluminescent structure 10 is integrated in various components separate from the light source 62, the light source 62 may, however, have the same or similar structure as the light source 62 described with reference to FIG. 4A.

With reference to FIG. 4B, an energy conversion process 104 for creating a single luminescence color according to one embodiment is illustrated. For purposes of illustration, the energy conversion process 104 is described below using the light source 62 of FIG. 4A. In this embodiment, the energy conversion layer 16 of the photoluminescent structure 10 includes one photoluminescent material 96, which is configured to convert the incoming light 100 received from the LED sources 72 into the outgoing light 102 having a wavelength different from the wavelength associated with the incoming light 100. More specifically, the photoluminescent material 96 is selected in composition with the possibility of having an absorption spectrum that includes the radiation wavelength of the incoming light 100 supplied from the LED s source 72. The photoluminescent material 96 is also matched in composition to the possibility of having a Stokes shift, which leads to the converted visible light 102 having an emission spectrum, expressed in a desired color, which can vary depending on the application of lighting. The converted visible light 102 is output from the light source 102 through the visible portion 62, thereby causing illumination of the visible portion 64 in the desired color. The backlight provided by the visible portion 64 may provide a unique, substantially uniform and / or attractive visual perception, which may be difficult to repeat using non-photoluminescent means.

With reference to FIG. 4C, a second energy conversion process 106 is illustrated to create multiple colors of light according to one embodiment. For comparability, the second energy conversion process 106 is also described below using the light source 62 of FIG. 4A. In this embodiment, the energy conversion layer 16 includes first and second photoluminescent materials 96, 108 that are mixed in the energy conversion layer 16. Alternatively, the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 can be isolated from each other if necessary. It should also be understood that the energy conversion layer 16 may include more than two different photoluminescent materials 96 and 108, in which case the designs provided below are applied in a similar manner. In one embodiment, the second energy conversion process 106 occurs by down-converting using blue, violet and / or ultraviolet light as an excitation source.

With respect to the present illustrated embodiment, the excitation of photoluminescent materials 96, 108 is mutually exclusive. That is, the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 are selected in composition with the possibility of having non-overlapping absorption spectra and Stokes shifts, which give different radiation spectra. Also, when selecting the composition of the photoluminescent materials 96, 108, attention should be paid to the selection of the corresponding Stokes shifts so that the converted light 102 emitted from one of the photoluminescent materials 96, 108 does not excite the other, except when it is desired. According to one exemplary embodiment, the first portion of the LED sources 72, roughly shown as LED sources 72a, is configured to emit incoming light 100 having a radiation wavelength that excites only the photoluminescent material 96 and converts the incoming light 100 into visible light 102 of the first colors (e.g. white). Similarly, the second part of the LED sources 72, roughly shown as LED sources 72b, is configured to emit incoming light 100 having a radiation wavelength that excites only the second photoluminescent material 108 and converts the incoming light 100 into visible light 102 of the second color ( e.g. red). Preferably, the first and second colors are visually distinguishable from each other. Thus, the LED sources 72a and 72b can be selectively activated using the controller 78 to cause the photoluminescent structure 10 to luminesce in a variety of colors. For example, the controller 78 can only activate LED sources 72a to excite only the photoluminescent material 96, resulting in the illumination of the visible portion 64 in the first color. Alternatively, the controller 78 can only activate the LED sources 72b to excite only the second photoluminescent material 108, resulting in the backlighting of the visible portion 64 in the second color.

Also, as an alternative, the controller 78 can activate the LED sources 72a and 72b together, which causes both photoluminescent materials to be excited 96, 108, resulting in the illumination of the visible portion 64 in the third color, which is a mixture of the first and second colors (for example, pink) . The intensities of the incoming light 100 emitted from each light source 62 can also be proportionally varied with respect to each other so that additional colors can be obtained. For energy conversion layers 16 containing more than two different photoluminescent materials, a greater variety of colors can be obtained. The colors provided include red, green, blue, and a combination thereof, including white, all of which can be obtained by selecting the appropriate photoluminescent materials and properly controlling the respective LED sources 72.

With reference to FIG. 4D, a third energy conversion process 110 is illustrated including a light generating unit 60, such as described with reference to FIG. 4A, and a photoluminescent structure 10 disposed thereon according to an alternative embodiment. The photoluminescent structure 10 is configured to convert incoming light 100 received from the LED sources 72 into visible light 102 having a wavelength different from the wavelength associated with the incoming light 100. More specifically, the photoluminescent structure 10 is selected in composition with the possibility of having an absorption spectrum , which includes the wavelength of the radiation of the incoming light 100 supplied from the LED sources 72. The photoluminescent material 96 is also selected in composition with the possibility of having a Stokes shift, leading s converted to visible light 102 having an emission spectrum, expressed in a desired color, which can vary depending on the application of lighting.

The photoluminescent structure 10 can only be applied to a portion of the light generating unit 60, for example in the form of a strip. Between the photoluminescent structures 10, there may be light-transmitting portions 112, which allow the passage of incoming light 100 emitted from the LED sources 72 at the first wavelength. The light transmitting portions 112 may be an open space or may be made of a transparent or light transmitting material. The light 100 emitted through the light transmitting portions 112 may be directed from the light generating unit 60 to a second photoluminescent structure 10 located near the light generating unit 60. The second photoluminescent structure 10 can be made with the possibility of luminescence in response to the incoming light 100, which is sent through the light-transmitting sections 112.

With reference to FIG. 4E shows a fourth energy conversion process 114 for generating a plurality of light colors using the light generating unit 60, such as described with reference to FIG. 4A, and a photoluminescent structure 10 located on it. In this embodiment, the photoluminescent structure 10 is located above the upper portion 14 6 of the light generating unit 60. The excitation of the photoluminescent material 96 occurs so that part of the incoming light 100 emitted from the LED sources 72 passes through the photoluminescent structure 10 at the first wavelength (i.e., the incoming light 100 emitted from the light source 62 is not converted by the photoluminescent structure 10). The intensity of the emitted light 100 can be converted by pulse width modulation or current control to change the amount of incoming light 100 emitted from the LED sources 72, which passes through the photoluminescent structure 10 without conversion to the second outgoing wavelength 102. For example, if the light source 62 is configured to emit light 100 at a low level, substantially all of the light 100 can be converted to a second wavelength 102. In this configuration, the color of the light 102 corresponding to the photoluminescent structure 10 may be emitted from the light generating unit 60. If the light source 62 is configured to emit the incoming light 100 at a high level, only a portion of the first wavelength can be converted by the photoluminescent structure 10. In this configuration, the first part of the emitted light 100 can be converted by the photoluminescent structure 10, and the second part of the light 100 can be emitted from node 60 to create light at the first wavelength to additional photoluminescent structures 158, located near the light source 62. Additional photoluminescent structures 158 may luminesce in response to light 100 emitted from the light source 62.

According to one exemplary embodiment, the first portion of the LED sources 72, roughly shown as LED sources 72a, is configured to emit incoming light 100 having a wavelength that excites the photoluminescent material 96 in the photoluminescent structure 10 and converts the incoming light 100 into visible light 102 of the first color (e.g., white). Similarly, the second part of the LED sources 72, roughly shown as LED sources 72 s, is configured to emit incoming light 100 having a wavelength that passes through the photoluminescent structure 10 and excites additional photoluminescent structures 158 located near the lighting system 22, thereby highlighting in the second color. The first and second colors can be visually distinguishable from each other. Thus, the LED sources 72a and 72b can be selectively activated using the controller 78 to cause the lighting system 22 to luminesce in a variety of colors.

The light generating unit 60 may also include optical devices 116 that are configured to direct the light 100 emitted from the LED sources 72a, 72c and the light 102 emitted from the photoluminescent structure 10 to predetermined locations. For example, the light 100 emitted from the LED sources 72a, 72c and the photoluminescent structure 10 can be directed and / or focused toward the desired element and / or location near the light source 62.

With reference to FIG. 5, the light generating unit 60 according to one embodiment is illustrated in a plan view having various types and concentrations of LED sources 72a, 72d transversely along the light generating unit 60. As illustrated, the first portion 118 of the light generating unit 60 includes LED sources 72a that are configured to emit incoming light 100 having a radiation wavelength in a first color (e.g., red) spectrum. Similarly, the second portion 120 of the light generating unit 60 includes LED sources 72d that are capable of emitting incoming light 100 having a radiation wavelength in a second color (e.g., orange) spectrum. The first and second sections 118, 120 of the light generating unit 60 can be separated by insulating or non-conductive partitions 122 from adjacent areas by any means known in the art, so that each section 118, 120 can be illuminated independently of any other section 118 , 120. Insulation walls 122 can also prevent a significant amount of emitted light 100 from crossing from nearby illuminated light sources 72a, 72d with an insulation wall 122. Additionally, each portion 118, 120 located in the light generating unit 60 may include a respective bus 82, 84, 124, 126, 128, 130, 132, 134, 136, 138 connected to the controller 78 and configured to illuminate each respective portion 118 , 120.

According to one embodiment, the first and second colors are visually distinguishable from each other. Thus, the LED sources 72a and 72d can be selectively activated using the controller 78 to cause the LED sources 72a, 72d to be illuminated in a variety of colors. For example, the controller 7 8 can only activate LED sources 72a to illuminate only a portion 118 of the light generating unit 60 in the first color. Alternatively, the controller 78 can only activate LED sources 72d to illuminate only a portion 120 of the light generating unit 60 in a second color. It should be understood that the light generating unit 60 may include any number of sections 118, 120 having different LED sources 72a, 72d, which can be illuminated in any desired color. Moreover, it should also be understood that areas having different LED sources 72a, 72d can be oriented in any practical manner and are not necessarily adjacent.

As described above, the photoluminescent structure 10 may be located on a portion of the light generating unit 60. If necessary, any of the LED sources 72a, 72d can be used to excite any photoluminescent material 96 located near and / or above the light generating unit 60.

Semiconductor ink 74 may also contain different concentrations of LED sources 72a, 72d so that the density of LED sources 72a, 72d or the number of LED sources 72a, 72d per unit area can be adjusted for various lighting applications. In some embodiments, the density of the LED sources 72a, 72d may vary along the length of the light generating unit 60. For example, the first section 118 of the light generating unit 60 may have a higher density of LED sources 72 than alternative sections 120, or vice versa. In such embodiments, the implementation of the light source 62 and / or indicators 54 may look brighter or have a higher brightness in order to preferentially highlight predefined places. In other embodiments, the density of the LED sources 72a, 72d may increase or decrease with increasing distance from a preselected point.

According to one embodiment, the light generating unit 60 includes a higher concentration of LED sources 72a near the indicator 54 marked “P”, thereby indicating that the vehicle 26 is in the parking mode, with a lower concentration, for further modes of the box 30 gears. Alternatively, or in addition, the plurality of sections 188 may have a higher concentration to alert the driver of the selected mode of operation.

With reference to FIG. 6A-6B illustrate a top view of an element 50 and a corresponding cross-sectional view of a gear shift indication unit 24, respectively. The position indicator 156 is located above the plurality of light generating units 60 and below the indicators 54. Also, the position indicator 156 is attached to the shift lever 28 so that the two components move in concert. The position indicator 156 includes a photoluminescent structure 10 in it and / or on it, which is configured to luminesce in response to the excitation by incoming light 100 emitted from the plurality of light generating units 60. Due to the close proximity of the position indicator 156 to the indicators 54, the indicators 54 can be illuminated with converted light 102 emitted from the photoluminescent structure 10. Since the position indicator can be located under one indicator 54 at a time, the illuminated indicator 54 will notify the driver of the vehicle 26 the position of the shift lever 28, and therefore the current mode of operation of the vehicle gearbox 30. However, it should be understood that the position indicator can be directly attached to the shift lever 28, attached by using additional components to the shift lever 28, or otherwise move in concert with the shift lever 28 depending on the gear shift indication unit 24 used in the vehicle kit without deviation from the plans provided here.

As illustrated, the five light generating units 60 are arranged longitudinally adjacent to each other and under each marking of the pointers 54 provided on the element 50. Each light generating unit 60 can be independently illuminated when the position indicator 156 is located above it. Alternatively, all the light generating units 60 can be illuminated simultaneously when the light source is powered by the vehicle power source.

According to one embodiment, an additional photoluminescent structure 158 is located on and / or used to form pointers 54. In this configuration, the light generating units 60 can be simultaneously illuminated and configured to output light at a first wavelength. The position indicator 156 has a first photoluminescent structure 10 in it and / or on it, which is configured to output light at a second wavelength in response to receiving incoming light 100 from the light generating unit 60. At the same time, an additional photoluminescent structure 158 may be configured to illuminate at a third wavelength. Thus, the position indicator can emit a first color behind the indicators 54, while the indicators 54 can emit a second color. The first and second colors can be visually distinguishable from each other. In such a configuration, the current mode of the gearbox 30 can be highlighted in a color that is a combination of the first and second colors, while modes not currently used can only be highlighted in a second color.

With reference to FIG. 7A-7B illustrate a top view of an element 50 and a corresponding cross-sectional view of a gear shift indicating unit 24, respectively, according to an alternative embodiment. As shown, the photoluminescent structure 10 is located on or formed integrally with the indicators 54. The light generating unit 60 is located on and / or forms a position indicator 156 that moves simultaneously with the shift lever 28. In such a configuration, the light generating unit 60 emits light at a first wavelength to an element 50 located close to it. The photoluminescent structure 10 is configured to emit light at a second wavelength in response to receiving light at a first wavelength.

As illustrated, the light generating unit 60 is sized such that it can only be located under one pointer 54 at a time. Additional components may be added to the end portions of the light generating unit 60 to further prevent excitation by light emitted from it located near photoluminescent structures. Additionally, the electrical connectors in this configuration can be located through the switching lever 28 so as not to interfere with any additional components of the switching unit.

With reference to FIG. 8 is a diagram of a vehicle 26 on which a lighting system 22 is implemented. Lighting system 22 includes a controller 78 in communication with the light generating unit 60. The controller 78 may include a memory 160 having instructions therein that are executed by the processor 162 of the controller 78. The controller 78 may provide power to the light source 62 or the corresponding bus 82, 84 through a power source 80 located on board the vehicle 26. B in addition, the controller 78 may be configured to control the light output of the light source 62 based on feedback received from one or more vehicle control modules 164, such as but not ranichivayas control module BCM, engine control module, steering control module, a brake control unit or the like and / or combination thereof. By controlling the light output of the light source 62, the lighting system 22 may be illuminated with a variety of colors and / or patterns to provide an aesthetic appearance or may provide vehicle information to the intended observer. For example, when the vehicle engine is in the on position, the light generating unit 60 may illuminate the indicators 54 and / or the position indicator 156 in the vehicle 26.

In operation, each photoluminescent structure 10 can provide a constant single-color or multi-color backlight. For example, the controller 78 may cause the light source 62 to emit only light of a first wavelength by means of a light emitting diode to cause the photoluminescent structure 10 to be illuminated in a first color (eg, white). Alternatively, the controller 78 may cause the light source 62 to emit only second-wavelength light by means of a light emitting diode to cause illumination of the photoluminescent structures in a second color (e.g., red). Also, as an alternative, the controller 78 may cause the light source 62 to simultaneously emit light of the first and second wavelengths to cause illumination of the photoluminescent structures in a third color (eg, pink) formed by an additive mixture of light of the first and second colors. Moreover, additional photoluminescent structures 158 can be added to the lighting system 22, which convert the light emitted from the light source 62 to a different wavelength. Alternatively, the controller 78 may cause the light source 62 to alternate between periodically emitting light of the first and second wavelengths to cause periodic illumination of the photoluminescent structure 10 by alternating between the first and second colors. The controller 78 may cause the light source 62 to periodically emit light of the first and / or second wavelengths at a regular time interval and / or an irregular time interval.

In another embodiment, the lighting system 22 may include a user interface 166. The user interface 166 may be configured such that the user can control the wavelength of light that is emitted by the light emitting diodes and / or the light emitting diodes that are illuminated. Such a configuration may allow the user to control which elements are highlighted to help bring the vehicle gearbox 30 to the desired mode. User interface 166 may be located in the vehicle cabin or on any surface that is accessible to the user using the lighting system 22 described herein. User interface 166 may use any type of control known in the art to control light source 62, such as, but not limited to proximity sensors.

In relation to the above examples, the controller 78 can convert the intensity of the emitted first and second wavelengths of light by pulse-width modulation or current control. In some embodiments, the controller 78 may be configured to adjust the color of the emitted light 100 by sending control signals to adjust the intensity or energy output level of the light source 62. For example, if the light source 62 is configured to output the first radiation at a low level, essentially all of the incoming light 100 can be converted to outgoing visible light. If the light source 62 is configured to emit the incoming light 100 at a high level, only a portion of the incoming light 100 can be converted into the outgoing light by a photoluminescent structure 10. In this configuration, the color of the light corresponding to the mixture of the incoming light 100 and the outgoing light can be output as radiated light. Thus, each of the controllers 78 can control the output color of the emitted light.

Although a low level and a high level of intensity are discussed with reference to the incoming light 100, it should be understood that the intensity of the incoming light 100 can be varied between a plurality of intensity levels to adjust the color tone corresponding to the emitted light 100, 102 from the lighting system 22. As described here, color the outgoing light can significantly depend on the particular photoluminescent material 96 used in the photoluminescent structure 10. Additionally, the photoluminescent conversion ability of structure 10 may depend significantly on the concentration of the photoluminescent materials 96 used in the photoluminescent structure 10. By adjusting the range of intensities that can be emitted from the light source 62, the concentration and proportions of the photoluminescent materials 96 in the photoluminescent structure 10 and the types of photoluminescent materials used in the photoluminescent material discussed herein structure 10 can be configured to create a range of color tones of the emitted light by combining I of the incoming light 100 with the outgoing light 102. It is also contemplated that the intensity of each light source 62 may vary simultaneously or independently of any number of other light sources 62.

Accordingly, a lighting system implemented as a gearshift indicating unit for a vehicle is preferably described herein. The lighting system can provide various advantages, including a simple and economical means for creating a variety of lighting elements that can be used as a design element and / or to help the driver when using the gearshift indication unit 24 with illumination.

One skilled in the art should understand that the construction of the described invention and other components is not limited to any particular material. Other exemplary embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may be made from a wide variety of materials, unless otherwise described herein.

For the purposes of description, the expression “connected” (in all its forms: connect, connecting, connected, etc.) generally means the connection of two components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly with each other. Such a connection may be fixed or movable in nature. Such a connection can be obtained using two components (electrical or mechanical) and any additional intermediate elements formed in one piece in the form of a single solid body with each other or with these two components. Such a connection may be permanent in nature or may be removable or detachable, unless otherwise indicated.

It should also be noted that the construction and placement of elements of the invention, as shown in exemplary embodiments, are only illustrative. Although only a few variations of the present invention are described in detail in this disclosure, a person skilled in the art who is studying this disclosure should take into account that many transformations are also possible (for example, changing the sizes, volumes, designs, shapes and properties of various elements, parameter values , layouts, use of materials, colors, orientations, etc.) without significant deviation from new ideas and advantages of the essence of the invention. For example, the elements shown as formed in one piece can be made of many parts, or the elements shown in many pieces can be formed in one piece, the operation of the interfaces can be reversed or otherwise changed, length or width structures and / or elements, or connectors, or other elements of the system may be changed, the nature or number of adjustment positions provided between the elements may be changed. It should be noted that the elements and / or components of the system can be made of any of a wide variety of materials that provide sufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors, textures and combinations. Accordingly, all such transformations are intended to be included within the protection scope of the present invention. Other replacements, transformations, changes and exceptions may be made in the design, operating conditions and layouts of the desired and other exemplary embodiments without deviating from the intent of the present invention.

It should be understood that any described processes or steps in the described processes may be combined with other disclosed processes or steps to form structures within the scope of protection of the present invention. The exemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are provided for purposes of illustration and should not be construed as limiting.

It should also be understood that changes and transformations can be made in the above constructions and methods without deviating from the intentions of the present invention, and it should further be understood that such intentions are intended to be encompassed by the following claims, unless explicitly stated in the claims. otherwise.

Claims (33)

1. The gearshift indication unit for a vehicle, comprising: a plurality of light sources located under a plurality of corresponding indicators; a position indicator configured to move in concert with the shift lever; a first photoluminescent structure located on the position indicator, wherein the first photoluminescent structure selectively luminesces from one pointer at a time based on illumination of a corresponding light source from a plurality of light sources. 2. The gearshift indication unit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources are configured as a plurality of printed light emitting diodes. 3. The gearshift indication assembly according to claim 2, wherein the first photoluminescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to convert incoming light received from at least a portion of the plurality of light sources into visible light that is output into visible light plot. 4. The gearshift indicating unit according to claim 3, wherein the incoming light comprises one of blue light, violet light and ultraviolet light. 5. The gearshift indication assembly according to claim 1, wherein a position indicator is located under one of the plurality of pointers and once illuminates one of the plurality of pointers. 6. The gearshift indication assembly according to claim 1, further comprising: a second photoluminescent structure located on the pointer and made with the possibility of luminescence in response to excitation by many light sources in a color different from the first photoluminescent structure. 7. A gearshift indicating unit for a vehicle, comprising: an element that has many pointers to it; a position indicator located under one of the plurality of indicators and arranged to move in concert with the gear lever, the position indicator interacting with the indicators to alert the driver of the gearbox mode; a plurality of light sources, each light source being located under one of a plurality of indicators; and a luminescent structure configured to luminesce in response to excitation by one of the plurality of light sources to illuminate one of the plurality of indicators. 8. The gearshift indication unit for the vehicle of claim 7, wherein the indicators are made of a luminescent structure. 9. The gearshift indication unit for the vehicle of claim 8, wherein the luminescent structure is located on the position indicator. 10. The gearshift indicating unit for the vehicle of claim 7, wherein the plurality of light sources are operatively coupled to optical devices for directing the light emitted from them to a predetermined location. 11. The gearshift indicating unit for a vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of light sources are in the form of a printed light emitting diode. 12. The gearshift indicating unit for the vehicle of claim 11, wherein the luminescent structure comprises at least one luminescent material configured to down-convert the incoming light received from at least a portion of the printed light emitting diode into visible light. 13. A gearshift indicating unit for a vehicle, comprising: an element having one or more light transmitting portions of the element; a position indicator configured to move in concert with the gear lever and located under the element; one or more light sources located under the position indicator; and a first photoluminescent structure located on the position indicator and made with the possibility of luminescence in response to excitation by one or more light sources, so that the position indicator is highlighted under one light transmitting portion of the element at the same time. 14. The gearshift indicating unit according to claim 13, wherein the one or more light sources is configured as a plurality of printed light emitting diodes. 15. The gearshift indicating unit according to claim 14, wherein the first photoluminescent structure comprises at least one photoluminescent material configured to convert incoming light received from at least a portion of the light sources into visible light. 16. The gearshift indication assembly according to claim 13, wherein the light transmitting portions of the element include pointers to them that are related to the operation state of the vehicle gearbox. 17. The gearshift indicating unit according to claim 15, wherein the incoming light comprises one of blue light, violet light, and ultraviolet light. 18. The gearshift indication assembly according to claim 13, further comprising: a second photoluminescent structure located near the light-transmitting portions of the element, made with the possibility of luminescence in response to excitation by one or light sources in a color different from the first photoluminescent structure. 19. The gearshift indicating unit according to claim 18, wherein the current state of the vehicle gearbox is highlighted in a third color formed by an additive light mixture of the first and second photoluminescent structures, by means of indicators located near the light transmitting portion.

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