GB2152886A - Vehicle instrument board with an ultraviolet ray source - Google Patents

Vehicle instrument board with an ultraviolet ray source Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2152886A
GB2152886A GB08500809A GB8500809A GB2152886A GB 2152886 A GB2152886 A GB 2152886A GB 08500809 A GB08500809 A GB 08500809A GB 8500809 A GB8500809 A GB 8500809A GB 2152886 A GB2152886 A GB 2152886A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
indicates
instrument board
markings
alphanumerical
graphical
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08500809A
Other versions
GB2152886B (en
GB8500809D0 (en
Inventor
Luciano Longhi
Attilio Taini
Edoardo Rogora
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Alfa Romeo Auto SpA
Original Assignee
Alfa Romeo Auto SpA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Alfa Romeo Auto SpA filed Critical Alfa Romeo Auto SpA
Publication of GB8500809D0 publication Critical patent/GB8500809D0/en
Publication of GB2152886A publication Critical patent/GB2152886A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2152886B publication Critical patent/GB2152886B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K37/00—Dashboards
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q3/00—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors
    • B60Q3/10—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors for dashboards
    • B60Q3/12—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors for dashboards lighting onto the surface to be illuminated
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q3/00—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors
    • B60Q3/10—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors for dashboards
    • B60Q3/16—Circuits; Control arrangements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q—ARRANGEMENT OF SIGNALLING OR LIGHTING DEVICES, THE MOUNTING OR SUPPORTING THEREOF OR CIRCUITS THEREFOR, FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60Q3/00—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors
    • B60Q3/60—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors characterised by optical aspects
    • B60Q3/68—Arrangement of lighting devices for vehicle interiors; Lighting devices specially adapted for vehicle interiors characterised by optical aspects using ultraviolet light
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01D—MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01D11/00—Component parts of measuring arrangements not specially adapted for a specific variable
    • G01D11/28—Structurally-combined illuminating devices

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Instrument Panels (AREA)
  • Details Of Measuring Devices (AREA)
  • Illuminated Signs And Luminous Advertising (AREA)

Abstract

A vehicle instrument board comprises a control panel (12) with graphical and alphanumerical markings of fluorescent material excited by a light source (32) which emits ultraviolet rays in the non-visible range, so that said markings are extremely clear and thus easily readable, and in addition no disturbing reflection is generated inside the passenger compartment and on the vehicle windscreen. In a further embodiment the light source may be mounted on the outer cover of the steering column. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Instrument board with an ultraviolet ray source In illuminating motor vehicle instrument boards, use is normally made of light sources such as incandescent lamps. These lamps are either disposed behind the control panel so as to illuminate the information scales on said panel by transparency, or are placed in a suitably shielded manner to the front of the control panel so as to illuminate it by grazing or directly striking light.
Other instrument boards use optoelectronic elements which become illuminated in accordance with predetermined schemes in order to provide the vehicle control information.
However, in most cases said illumination systems for motor vehicle instrument boards have drawbacks. The most common of these is that the light beams transmitted by the incandescent lamps or optoelectronic elements illuminate parts external to the instrument board, and these are reflected for example in the windscreen to disturb the visual field of the driver.
It is in order to obviate the drawbacks due to the said type of illumination that we propose a motor vehicle instrument board which besides allowing clear reading of the alphanumerical information provided on the instrument board control panel, eliminates any reflection. The instrument board according to our invention comprises: an outer support structure, a control panel contained within said structure, and a light source, said panel being divided into several sectors, said sectors carrying graphical and alphanumerical markings, and is characterised in that said graphical and alphanumerical markings are formed from fluorescent material, and said light source is of the ultravoilet ray type, said ultraviolet rays being directed on to the graphical and alphanumerical markings of fluorescent material in order to excite it.
Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, which shown some non-limiting embodiments of the instrument board according to the invention.
Figure 1 is a front view of the instrument board in partial section on the line I-I of Figure 2.
Figure 2 is a section through the instrument board on the line ll-ll of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a modification of the instrument board.
In Figure 1, the reference numeral 11 indicates overall the outer support structure of the instrument board, and 12 indicates overall the panel divided into sectors. The reference numeral 13 indicates the control sector comprising the engine r.p.m. scale 14 with its mobile pointer 15, the reference numeral 16 indicates the sector comprising the vehicle hourly speed indicator scale 17 with its mobile pointer 18, the reference number 19 indicates the total distance odometer, 20 indicates the trip odometer which can be zeroed by means of the control 21, 22 indicates the sector for checking the quantity of petrol available in the tank, 23 indicates the pointer and 24 the relative scale, 25 and 26 indicate respectively the sector and scale for checking the engine oil pressure, the mobile pointer being indicated by 27, the reference numerals 28 and 29 indicate respectively the sector and scale for checking the engine water temperature, the mobile pointer being indicated by 30, the reference numeral 31 indicates a further control sector for possible indication of other quantities, 32 indicates an ultraviolet ray source of tubular type housed in a cavity 33 provided in the outer structure 11, 34 indicates the control for adjusting the supply current and thus the luminous intensity of the lamp 32, and 35 indicates a diffuser screen or alternaitvely a Wood filter which eliminates any visible radiation emitted by the lamp 32.
All the alphanumerical and graphical markings such as the division lines of the various scales, the relative numerical markings and the mobile pointers, are formed from fluorescent material, for example by painting.
In Figure 2 the same reference numerals are used for all the details visible in Figure 1, and in addition the reference numeral 36 indicates the front transparent material protection sheet for the panel 12, and 37 indicates the outer cover of the steering column which is operated by the steering wheel 38.
When the ultraviolet lamp 32 is fed with current, it emits ultraviolet rays within the normally nonvisible range around a wavelenght of 3500 , and said ultraviolet rays are directed in such a manner as to strike the graphical and alphanumerical fluorescent material markings disposed in the various sectors of the panel 12. Said fluoresecent materials forming the graphical and alphanumerical markings are known to become excited and luminous when struck by ultraviolet rays.
In this manner, an instrument board is provided in which the information is extremely clear and thus easily readable, and in addition only the information of interest is made visible with this embodiment. The present embodiment also has the advantage of preventing light diffusion external to the board itself, with the result that no disturbing reflection takes place inside the passenger compartment and on the windscreen.
Figure 3 shows a modification of the preceding embodiment shown in Figure 2. In this case, an ultraviolet ray source 40 is disposed in a cavity 41 provided in the fixed outer cover 42 of the steering column operated by the steering wheel 45, 43 indicating the diffuser screen or Wood filter, and 44 indicating by dashed lines the ultraviolet ray cone emitted by the lamp 40.
1. A vehicle instrument board comprising an outer support structure, a control panel contained within said structure, and a light source, said panel being divided into several sectors, said sectors carrying graphical and alphanumerical markings, characterised in that said graphical and alphanumerical markings are formed from fluorescent ma
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Instrument board with an ultraviolet ray source In illuminating motor vehicle instrument boards, use is normally made of light sources such as incandescent lamps. These lamps are either disposed behind the control panel so as to illuminate the information scales on said panel by transparency, or are placed in a suitably shielded manner to the front of the control panel so as to illuminate it by grazing or directly striking light. Other instrument boards use optoelectronic elements which become illuminated in accordance with predetermined schemes in order to provide the vehicle control information. However, in most cases said illumination systems for motor vehicle instrument boards have drawbacks. The most common of these is that the light beams transmitted by the incandescent lamps or optoelectronic elements illuminate parts external to the instrument board, and these are reflected for example in the windscreen to disturb the visual field of the driver. It is in order to obviate the drawbacks due to the said type of illumination that we propose a motor vehicle instrument board which besides allowing clear reading of the alphanumerical information provided on the instrument board control panel, eliminates any reflection. The instrument board according to our invention comprises: an outer support structure, a control panel contained within said structure, and a light source, said panel being divided into several sectors, said sectors carrying graphical and alphanumerical markings, and is characterised in that said graphical and alphanumerical markings are formed from fluorescent material, and said light source is of the ultravoilet ray type, said ultraviolet rays being directed on to the graphical and alphanumerical markings of fluorescent material in order to excite it. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention are described hereinafter with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, which shown some non-limiting embodiments of the instrument board according to the invention. Figure 1 is a front view of the instrument board in partial section on the line I-I of Figure 2. Figure 2 is a section through the instrument board on the line ll-ll of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a modification of the instrument board. In Figure 1, the reference numeral 11 indicates overall the outer support structure of the instrument board, and 12 indicates overall the panel divided into sectors. The reference numeral 13 indicates the control sector comprising the engine r.p.m. scale 14 with its mobile pointer 15, the reference numeral 16 indicates the sector comprising the vehicle hourly speed indicator scale 17 with its mobile pointer 18, the reference number 19 indicates the total distance odometer, 20 indicates the trip odometer which can be zeroed by means of the control 21, 22 indicates the sector for checking the quantity of petrol available in the tank, 23 indicates the pointer and 24 the relative scale, 25 and 26 indicate respectively the sector and scale for checking the engine oil pressure, the mobile pointer being indicated by 27, the reference numerals 28 and 29 indicate respectively the sector and scale for checking the engine water temperature, the mobile pointer being indicated by 30, the reference numeral 31 indicates a further control sector for possible indication of other quantities, 32 indicates an ultraviolet ray source of tubular type housed in a cavity 33 provided in the outer structure 11, 34 indicates the control for adjusting the supply current and thus the luminous intensity of the lamp 32, and 35 indicates a diffuser screen or alternaitvely a Wood filter which eliminates any visible radiation emitted by the lamp 32. All the alphanumerical and graphical markings such as the division lines of the various scales, the relative numerical markings and the mobile pointers, are formed from fluorescent material, for example by painting. In Figure 2 the same reference numerals are used for all the details visible in Figure 1, and in addition the reference numeral 36 indicates the front transparent material protection sheet for the panel 12, and 37 indicates the outer cover of the steering column which is operated by the steering wheel 38. When the ultraviolet lamp 32 is fed with current, it emits ultraviolet rays within the normally nonvisible range around a wavelenght of 3500 , and said ultraviolet rays are directed in such a manner as to strike the graphical and alphanumerical fluorescent material markings disposed in the various sectors of the panel 12. Said fluoresecent materials forming the graphical and alphanumerical markings are known to become excited and luminous when struck by ultraviolet rays. In this manner, an instrument board is provided in which the information is extremely clear and thus easily readable, and in addition only the information of interest is made visible with this embodiment. The present embodiment also has the advantage of preventing light diffusion external to the board itself, with the result that no disturbing reflection takes place inside the passenger compartment and on the windscreen. Figure 3 shows a modification of the preceding embodiment shown in Figure 2. In this case, an ultraviolet ray source 40 is disposed in a cavity 41 provided in the fixed outer cover 42 of the steering column operated by the steering wheel 45, 43 indicating the diffuser screen or Wood filter, and 44 indicating by dashed lines the ultraviolet ray cone emitted by the lamp 40. CLAIMS
1. A vehicle instrument board comprising an outer support structure, a control panel contained within said structure, and a light source, said panel being divided into several sectors, said sectors carrying graphical and alphanumerical markings, characterised in that said graphical and alphanumerical markings are formed from fluorescent ma terial, and said light source is of the ultraviolet ray type, said ultraviolet rays being directed on to the graphical and alphanumerical markings of fluorescent material in order to excite it.
2. An instrument board as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the ultraviolet ray source is disposed in proximity to the control panel and is housed in its outer support structure.
3. An instrument board as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that the ultraviolet ray source is disposed in front of said control panel and is housed in a fixed part of the vehicle.
GB08500809A 1984-01-19 1985-01-14 Vehicle instrument board with an ultraviolet ray scource Expired GB2152886B (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT8420571U IT8420571V0 (en) 1984-01-19 1984-01-19 BOARD ON BOARD WITH AN ULTRAVIOLET SOURCE.

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB8500809D0 GB8500809D0 (en) 1985-02-20
GB2152886A true GB2152886A (en) 1985-08-14
GB2152886B GB2152886B (en) 1987-08-26

Family

ID=11168969

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08500809A Expired GB2152886B (en) 1984-01-19 1985-01-14 Vehicle instrument board with an ultraviolet ray scource

Country Status (4)

Country Link
DE (1) DE8500500U1 (en)
FR (1) FR2558425B3 (en)
GB (1) GB2152886B (en)
IT (1) IT8420571V0 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0367953A3 (en) * 1988-09-19 1991-09-11 Kanto Seiki Co., Ltd. Automotive meter with illuminator
FR2751284A1 (en) * 1996-07-22 1998-01-23 Sagem Simplified dashboard for motor-vehicle
US5829861A (en) * 1997-09-24 1998-11-03 Carter; James C. Illuminating instrument panel with convex cover
US6851840B2 (en) 2002-06-14 2005-02-08 Methode Electronics, Inc. Illuminated surfaces in the interior of an automobile

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0367953A3 (en) * 1988-09-19 1991-09-11 Kanto Seiki Co., Ltd. Automotive meter with illuminator
FR2751284A1 (en) * 1996-07-22 1998-01-23 Sagem Simplified dashboard for motor-vehicle
US5829861A (en) * 1997-09-24 1998-11-03 Carter; James C. Illuminating instrument panel with convex cover
US6851840B2 (en) 2002-06-14 2005-02-08 Methode Electronics, Inc. Illuminated surfaces in the interior of an automobile
EP1534557A1 (en) * 2002-06-14 2005-06-01 METHODE ELECTRONICS, Inc. Illuminated surfaces in the interior of an automobile
EP1534557A4 (en) * 2002-06-14 2008-12-31 Methode Electronics Inc Illuminated surfaces in the interior of an automobile

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT8420571V0 (en) 1984-01-19
DE8500500U1 (en) 1985-04-11
FR2558425B3 (en) 1986-01-03
FR2558425A3 (en) 1985-07-26
GB2152886B (en) 1987-08-26
GB8500809D0 (en) 1985-02-20

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
732 Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977)
732 Registration of transactions, instruments or events in the register (sect. 32/1977)
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 19950114