FR2885215A1 - Motor vehicle speed indicating device, has needle moving relative to partially translucent surface, and light guides associated to lamps or light emitting diodes and selectively displaying scales with variable magnitude across surface - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a partially translucent surface (1), a rotating needle (2) disposed in front of the surface and moving relatively to the surface. Three light guides (3) are disposed behind the surface and associated to three lamps or light emitting diodes (4). The guides selectively display three different scales with variable magnitude across the surface, where the scales are formed by alphanumeric lettering formed on the respective guides.

Description

Indication device

  The invention relates to an indication device. The invention relates more particularly to an indication device, in particular for a motor vehicle, comprising an at least partially translucent surface, an indication element that is movable relative to the surface and means for selectively displaying a plurality of scales. the same variable size across the surface.

  Such indication devices are used in particular in motor vehicle combinations to represent the speed of the vehicle. To increase the readability of the information, it is known to represent the variation of the speed with respect to different scales.

  The known solutions to allow to selectively display these different scales are however complex, expensive and have a relatively large size.

  An object of the present invention is to overcome all or part of the disadvantages of the prior art noted above.

  To this end, the indication device according to the invention, moreover in conformity with the generic definition given in the preamble above, is essentially characterized in that the display means comprise a plurality of associated light guides. means for emitting a luminous flux, the light guides being assigned respectively to the display of the different scales.

  In addition, the invention may include one or more of the following features:

  - the scales are formed by inscriptions

  alphanumeric formed on the respective light guides, -the alphanumeric inscriptions are located on growths of the body of the light guide, -the scales are formed by alphanumeric inscriptions silkscreened translucently on the surface, -the light guides are arranged relatively to being adjacent respectively to the alphanumeric screen-printed inscriptions, the light guides are arranged in successive planes and superimposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface, the means for transmitting a luminous flux comprise a plurality of sources respectively associated with the light guides, - the mobile indication element is a rotating needle, - the translucent surface comprises a screen-printed plate comprising a fixed pattern intended to cooperate with each of the scales of the variable size.

  Other features and advantages will appear on reading the following description, with reference to the figures in which: FIG. 1 represents a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the indication device according to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a front view of a detail of FIG. 1, illustrating a portion of the display means of the invention; FIGS. 3 to 5 represent front views of the device of FIG. 1; according to, respectively, three operating configurations of the display means, - Figure 6 shows a front view of the device of Figure 1 in which are superimposed the three operating configurations of Figures 3 to 5.

  Referring to Figure 1, the indicating device according to the invention comprises a plate defining a surface 1 at least partially translucent. The plate may consist, for example, of screen printed plastic material.

  A rotating needle 2 is disposed in front of the surface 1 of the plate to be observed by a user. The needle 2 is connected to a drive motor 5 via an axis 6 passing through the plate 1. The axis 6 also passes through an electronic card on which the motor 5 is fixed.

  Three light guides 3 are arranged behind the plate 1. The light guides 3 are, for example, arranged in an arc of a circle, the convex central portion of the arc of a circle being oriented substantially upwards (see FIG. 2).

  In the example shown, the three light guides 3 are arranged in successive planes and superimposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface 1.

  The light guides 3 are associated with means 4 for transmitting a luminous flux such as lamps or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for example. Three LEDs are respectively disposed at one end of each of the light guides 3.

  The light guides 3 are respectively assigned to display different scales across the surface 1. As illustrated in FIG. 2, a speed scale is formed on each light guide 3 by alphanumeric inscriptions. The alphanumeric inscriptions (speed digits) are located, for example, on protuberances of the body of the light guide 3.

  In this way, the control of the light emitting means 4 of the various light guides 3 makes it possible to display selectively across the surface 1 three different scales. The light injected into the light guides 3 is transmitted homogeneously through the translucent surface 1.

  In the example of FIGS. 3 to 5, three speed scales (10 to 170 km / h or 10 to 120 km / h or 10 to 60 km / h) may be displayed selectively to cooperate visually with one or more fixed patterns and screen printed on the translucent surface 1 (a curve comprising a plurality of transverse markers for example).

  FIG. 6 represents the simultaneous display of the three scales of the display means 3 of FIGS. 3 to 5. This configuration, which is unsuitable for use, is given solely for purposes of explanation of the invention.

  Alternatively, scales may be formed by alphanumeric inscriptions silkscreened translucently on the surface 1. The light guides 3 can then be arranged relatively so as to be adjacent to each other.

  respectively to alphanumeric inscriptions

silkscreened.

  While being simple and inexpensive structure, the invention improves the readability and accuracy of information displayed.

Claims (9)

  1. Indication device, especially for a motor vehicle, comprising a surface (1) at least partially translucent, a member (2) of indication movable relative to the surface (1), means (3, 4) of display selective of a plurality of scales of the same magnitude variable across the surface (1), characterized in that the display means (3, 4) comprise a plurality of light guides (3) associated with means (4) for emitting a luminous flux, the light guides (3) being respectively assigned to the display of the different scales.   2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the scales are formed by alphanumeric inscriptions (13) formed on the respective guides (3) of light.   3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the alphanumeric inscriptions (13) are located on protuberances of the body of the guide (3) of light.   4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the scales are formed by alphanumeric inscriptions silkscreened translucently on the surface (1).   5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the guides (3) of light are relatively arranged to be adjacent respectively to the inscriptions (13) alphanumeric screen-printed.   6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guides (3) of light are arranged in successive planes and superimposed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface (4).   7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means (4) for transmitting a luminous flux comprise a plurality of sources respectively associated with the guides (3) of light.   8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element (2) movable indication is a rotating needle.   9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface (1) translucent to comprises a screen printed plate comprising a fixed pattern for cooperating with each of the scales (3) of the variable size.