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Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFD's) for automotive Electronic Instrument Panels (EIP's) have been advancing in recent trends toward large scale systems. These systems offer the attractive appearance of large graphics, the flexibility of both analog and digital style images, and the cost reduction advantages of simpler power supplies, driving circuitry, and assembly procedures. A VFD consisting of all of the primary gages of an EIP was developed and mass produced. This paper will discuss this full size integrated cluster panel.

In 1976, Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFD) were first used for automotive clocks. Through various technical improvements, VFDs have contributed to the advancement of electronic instrument systems for automobiles. At present, VFDs are the most widely used display device for the automotive market. Current applications include message centers, audio systems, temperature control systems, clocks and Head Up Displays (HUD). This paper reports the technical improvements attained and implemented to date. Latest developments are also included.

The adoption of the newly developed self-standing grid construction allows a more flexible layout of the electrodes and location of the grids, while reducing the number of grid leads. These improvements make it possible to minimize the lead pitch and to increase the flexibility of the lead out position. For example, the leads of the new clip-on type displays will allow them to be condensed on one side of the display, while in the case of the ordinary Vacuum Fluorescent Displays (VFDs) the leads are located on both the top and the bottom. By connecting flat cables to the minimized leads, a clip-on VFD was successfully developed, which is excellent in terms of mounting flexibility, circuit maintenance, system cost and function. The manufacturing process and features of the clip-on VFD will be described later.