JP2001153691A - Pointer lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointer lighting system capable of reducing the light leakage from the clearance between a pointer cap and a display board and enhancing the quality of lighting. SOLUTION: This system comprises a pointer 1 having a translucent pointer body 10 having a light inlet part 13 in a turning center area R and a pointer cap 11 for covering the turning center area R, a display board 2 arranged on the back of the pointer 1 with a prescribed distance and having a translucent part 21 in the part corresponding to the pointer, a light source 4b arranged on the back of the display board 2 to illuminate the pointer 1 by supplying an illuminating light to the light inlet part 13 of the pointer 1 through the transparent part 21 of the display board 2, and a cylindrical light shielding wall pat 3b fixed on the display board 2 side between the pointer 1 and the display board 2 and extended to the pointer cap 11 side. An inlet guide control part 18 for controlling the light emitted to the light inlet part 12 is formed on the pointer 1, a cylindrical light shielding part 17 is formed on the inside thereof along the light shielding wall part 3b, and a light shielding wall 37 extending to the center is formed on the inner surface of the light shielding wall part 3b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointer illuminating device used for a vehicle instrument, for example, and more particularly to preventing light from leaking onto a display panel from a gap between a pointer cap and a display panel. The present invention relates to a pointer lighting device having the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a pointer that rotates on a display panel is formed of a translucent material, a light introducing portion is provided, a light guide plate is disposed behind the display panel, and an incandescent lamp or the like guided from the light guide plate. 2. Description of the Related Art A pointer illuminating device that supplies illumination light from a light source to a light introducing portion of a pointer through a light transmitting portion of a display panel to shine the pointer itself is well known.

[0003] In this kind of pointer illuminating device, the front of the rotation center area including the light introducing portion of the pointer and its surroundings are usually covered with a pointer cap made of a light-shielding member. Although light leakage is suppressed, light leakage may occur from the gap between the pointer cap and the display panel.

Therefore, as shown in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-20097, for example, an annular light-shielding ring is provided around a light-transmitting portion of a display plate, which is a light-introducing path of illumination light, and this light-shielding ring is wrapped with a pointer cap. A pointer lighting device that suppresses light leakage has been proposed.

[0005]

However, as described above, the structure for suppressing light leakage by using the light-shielding ring is a structure in which the light-shielding ring and the pointer cap are simply wrapped at a predetermined interval. Of the illumination light supplied to the pointer side through the light guide, the illumination light reflected from the pointer side easily leaks directly to the display panel surface through the gap between the light blocking ring and the pointer cap, which is visually recognized as halation. The lighting quality may be degraded, and improvement in this respect has been desired.

The present invention has been made in view of this point, and a main object of the present invention is to provide a pointer illuminating device capable of reducing light leakage from a gap between a pointer cap and a display plate and improving illumination quality. To provide.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pointer having a light-transmitting pointer body having a light introducing portion in a pivot center area and a pointer cap covering the pivot center area. And a display plate disposed behind the pointer at a predetermined distance and having a light-transmitting portion at a portion corresponding to the pointer,
A light source that is arranged behind the display panel and illuminates the pointer by supplying illumination light to the light introducing portion of the pointer through a light-transmitting portion of the display panel, and the display that is located between the pointer and the display panel. A cylindrical light-shielding wall portion fixed to the plate side and extending to the pointer cap side, and the guide light is formed along the light-shielding wall portion while forming an introduction light control portion for controlling light entering the light introducing portion on the pointer. A cylindrical light-shielding portion is formed inside, and a light-shielding wall extending toward the center is formed on the inner surface of the light-shielding wall portion.

Further, according to the present invention, the light source is arranged in a portion surrounded by the light shielding wall, and the light shielding wall is arranged on the light source side with respect to the display panel.

According to the present invention, the light source is a light emitting diode.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A pointer illuminating device according to the present invention has a pointer 1 having a translucent pointer main body 10 having a light introducing portion 13 in a pivot center region R and a pointer cap 11 covering the pivot center region R. And a display plate 2 disposed behind the pointer 1 at a predetermined distance and having a light transmitting portion 21 at a portion corresponding to the pointer 1, and a light transmitting portion 21 of the display plate 2 disposed behind the display plate 2 Light sources 4 and 4b for illuminating the pointer 1 by supplying illumination light to the light introducing unit 13 of the pointer 1 through the pointer 1;
A light shielding wall portion 3b, 51 fixed between the display plate 2 and the display plate 2 and extending toward the pointer cap 11; A light control section 18 is formed, a cylindrical light blocking section 17 is formed inside the light blocking wall section 3b along the light blocking wall section 3b, and light blocking walls 37 and 55 extending toward the center are formed on the inner surface of the light blocking wall section 3b. . With this configuration, the shape of the maze between the pointer cap 11 and the display panel 2 becomes more complicated, and the light from the light source 4b enters the gap between the light shielding walls 3b and 51 and the light shielding part 17. It is difficult for the pointer cap 11 to enter, and light can be prevented from leaking onto the display panel 2 from the gap between the pointer cap 11 and the display panel 2.

The light source 4b is disposed in a portion surrounded by the light-shielding wall 3b, and the light-shielding wall 37 is disposed closer to the light source 4b than the display panel 2, so that the pointer cap 11, the display panel 2, the light-shielding wall 3b and the like are provided. It is possible to lengthen the distance of the maze shape formed by the above, the light passing through this maze shape will be weakened, and it is possible to further prevent light from leaking onto the display plate from the gap between the pointer cap and the display plate. it can.

Further, by using a light emitting diode as the light source 4b, the amount of heat generation can be suppressed and the light source can be made compact, so that a small pointer illumination structure can be provided.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 shows a pointer illumination device according to the present invention applied to a pointer type meter.

The pointer type meter device includes a pointer 1, a display plate 2 disposed behind the pointer 1 at a predetermined distance, a frame 3 disposed behind the display plate 2, and a frame 3 disposed behind the display plate 2. Light source 4a arranged in mortar-shaped reflector 3a
A light source 4b disposed in a cylindrical light shielding wall 3b also formed in the frame 3, a rigid circuit board 5 having the light sources 4a and 4b and disposed behind the frame 3, , The pointer 1 and a pointer shaft 7 extending from the instrument main body 6 are connected and fixed via a circuit board 5, a frame 3 and a display panel 2, and the pointer of the instrument main body 6 is fixed. By rotating the pointer 1 around the axis in accordance with the driving of the shaft 7, a display design portion (not shown) such as characters, numerals, and scales formed on the display plate 2 is indicated, and the pointer 1 is illuminated by turning on the light source 4b. I can do it. Also, the display design portion of the display panel 2 can be illuminated by turning on the light source 4a.

The pointer 1 has a light-transmitting pointer body 10 made of a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate or acrylic, and a black-based pointer body 10 which covers the front and the periphery of the pivot center region R of the pointer body 10 and is open at the back. And a disc-shaped covering member 12 fixed behind the center of rotation R of the pointer body 10 and made of a black light-shielding synthetic resin.

The pointer main body 10 is located in its rotation center region R,
Light receiving unit (light introducing unit) that takes in the illumination light of light source 4 inside
13, a pointer reflecting portion 14 for reflecting the illumination light taken in from the light receiving portion 13 to the distal end side, and a boss portion 15 connected to the pointer shaft 7.

The covering member 12 is made of a black synthetic resin material having a light-shielding property, and extends along the opening 16 exposing the boss 15 and the light-receiving portion 13 of the pointer main body 10 and the light-shielding wall 3b formed on the frame 3. A light-shielding portion 17 formed of a ring-shaped protruding wall extending inwardly of the pointer, and an introduction light control portion 18 for preventing light from entering the rotation center region R of the pointer main body 10 from a portion other than the opening 16. .

The display panel 2 is formed of a transparent synthetic resin panel on the surface of a base material, and is formed of a predetermined color and has a light-transmitting colored printing layer for forming scales, characters, marks, and the like, and surrounds the periphery of the colored printing layer. In this manner, a ground color printing layer serving as a background for scales, characters, marks, and the like is provided (not shown), and the ground color printing layer is formed using a white colored ink in this embodiment.
The display plate 2 has a through-hole-shaped light-transmitting portion 21 in a region corresponding to the pointer shaft 7 and the light-receiving portion 13 of the pointer main body 1, and the light-transmitting portion 21 is large enough to fit the light-shielding wall portion 3 b of the frame 3. Is formed.

The frame 3 is made of a white light-shielding synthetic resin, and includes a display panel illumination room 31 for storing a light source 4a for illuminating the display panel 2 and a pointer illumination room 32 for storing a light source 4b for illuminating the hands 1. Have. In this embodiment, the display panel illumination room 31 and the pointer illumination room 32 are separated by a light shielding wall 3b. The light-shielding wall portion 3b is formed integrally with the frame 3 together with the reflection portion 3a that diffuses light from the light source 4a and irradiates the light toward the back surface of the display panel 2. A hole 33 is provided at a position corresponding to the light source 4a of the frame 3 so as to allow the irradiation light from the light source 4a provided on the circuit board 5 to pass therethrough, and this light is reflected by the reflecting portion 3a. Thus, the display panel 2 is configured to transmit and illuminate the display panel 2 from behind. Light emitted from the light source 4b is guided toward the light receiving unit 13 in the pointer illumination room 32 partitioned from the display panel illumination room 31 by the cylindrical light shielding wall 3b.
The light that has entered the light receiving unit 13 is moved from the rotation center region R to the pointer main body 1 by a pointer reflection unit 14 formed in the rotation center region R.
The pointer body 10 is illuminated by being guided toward the front end of the pointer 0.

With such a configuration, the display panel illumination room 31 and the pointer illumination room 32 are defined by the light shielding wall 3b, and the illumination rooms are respectively different light sources 4a and 4b.
Illuminated by Therefore, since the pointer 1 is illuminated by the light source 4b provided exclusively, the pointer 1 can be illuminated brighter than in the related art. In addition, since the pointer illumination and the display panel illumination can be performed without using a light guide, manufacturing costs such as component costs can be reduced.

The light-shielding wall 3b is provided near the upper end thereof with a mounting portion 34 for supporting the periphery of the light-transmitting portion 21 of the display panel 2, and between the mounting portion 34 and the light-transmitting portion of the display plate 2. Part 21
Is provided with a claw portion 35 for pinching and fixing the periphery of. The claw portions 35 partially protrude outward from the outer peripheral surface of the light shielding wall portion 3b, and are provided so as to face each other.
The periphery of the light-transmitting portion 21 of the display panel 2 is sandwiched between the light-shielding wall portions 3 b provided with the mounting portion 34 and the display plate 2 can be fixedly supported on the frame 3 around the light-transmitting portion 21. It is what becomes.

That is, the light-shielding wall 3b is connected to the display panel illumination room 31.
In addition to preventing the light from entering the adjacent illumination room by partitioning the pointer illumination room 32, the display panel 2 can be placed and vibration of the display panel 2 can be prevented.

The distal end of the cylindrical light-shielding wall 3b extends toward the pointer cap 11, and the light-shielding wall 3b
Opposes the pointer shaft 7 at a predetermined interval from the light-shielding portion 17 of the covering member 12, and forms a substantially maze shape.

On the inner surface of the light shielding wall 3b, a light shielding wall 37 extending toward the center of the light shielding wall 3b and having an opening 36 substantially equal in size to the opening of the light shielding part 17 of the covering member 12 is provided. Is formed. By forming the light-shielding wall 37, the maze shape becomes more complicated, and light from the light source 4b hardly enters the gap between the light-shielding wall 3b and the light-shielding part 17, so that the pointer cap 11 and the display plate 2 Light can be prevented from leaking onto the display panel 2 from the gap between the display panel 2 and the display panel 2.

In this embodiment, since the light shielding wall 37 is disposed closer to the light source 4b than the display panel 2, the distance between the pointer cap 11 and the maze shape formed by the display panel 2, the light shielding wall 3b, and the like is increased. Can be lengthened, and the light passing through this maze shape is weakened.
Light can be prevented from leaking onto the display panel 2 from the gap between the display panel 2 and the display panel 2.

The light source 4b may be an incandescent light bulb or the like depending on the use of the pointer lighting device. However, by using a light emitting diode as the light source 4b, the amount of heat generation can be suppressed and the light source can be made compact. A lighting structure can be provided.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the illumination light reflected toward the display panel 2 by being reflected particularly through the hands 1 is reduced or attenuated, whereby the occurrence of halation can be suppressed and the illumination quality can be improved.

In this embodiment, the example in which the light shielding portion 17 is formed on the covering member 12 has been described.
The light-shielding portion may be formed on a connecting member called a pointer seat for connecting the pointer and the pointer shaft 7.

The pointer illuminating device as in this embodiment is particularly effective when applied to a so-called white dial having a white ground color portion as a display plate.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a second embodiment of the present invention. The same or equivalent parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The pointer-type meter device includes a light guide plate 8 stacked behind the display plate 2, a light source 4 composed of an incandescent lamp disposed at a predetermined distance behind the light guide plate 8, and a pointer 1. And a color member 9 arranged between the display panel 2 and the pointer 1 and a pointer shaft 7 extending from the instrument main body 6 are connected and fixed via the light guide plate 8, the display panel 2 and the color member 9. By rotating the pointer 1 around the axis in accordance with the driving of the pointer shaft 7 of the instrument main body 6, a display design portion (not shown) such as characters, numerals, and scales formed on the display plate 2 is indicated, and the light source 4 is displayed.
The indicator 1 can be illuminated by the lighting of.

The light guide plate 8 is made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin similar to that of the pointer body 1, and has a through hole 37 corresponding to the boss 15 of the pointer body 1, through which the pointer shaft 7 penetrates, and a peripheral edge of the through hole 37. The light guide plate 8 communicates with the conical light guide plate reflection portion (light supply portion) 38 that is located and supplies the illumination light of the light source 4 to the light receiving portion 13 of the hand 1 through the light transmitting portion 21 to shine the hand 1. And a penetrating portion 39 formed at the bottom.

The color member 9 is made of a black synthetic resin material having a light-shielding property, surrounds the light-transmitting portion 21 of the dark-colored display panel 2, covers the periphery thereof, and has its tip at the pointer cap 1.
1, a flange 52 protruding from the outer peripheral portion of the base end side of the light-shielding wall portion 51 around the light-transmitting portion 21 and abutting on the surface of the display panel 2, and a light-shielding wall portion. 5
A hook-shaped engaging piece 54 partially extending along the pointer shaft 7 from the lower end of the hook 1 and having an engaging portion 53 protruding outward at the end thereof.

Then, with the display plate 2 and the light guide plate 8 superposed and arranged, the locking piece 54 of the collar member 9 is inserted into the through portion 39, and the engaging portion 53 of the locking piece 54 is connected to the light guide plate 8. The display plate 2 and the light guide plate 8 are fixed by engaging with the back surface. When the collar member 9 is fixed and fixed, the light-shielding wall 51 is disposed so as to extend toward the light-shielding cap 1, and the light-shielding wall 51 is spaced apart from the light-shielding part 17 of the covering member 12 by a predetermined distance. The light leakage suppressing portion is substantially opposed to the shaft 7 and has a substantially maze shape.

The collar member 9 extends from the lower end of the light-shielding wall 51 toward the center of the light-shielding wall 51.
A light shielding wall 55 having an opening 56 substantially equal to the size of the opening of the light shielding portion 17 is provided. The light shielding wall 55 makes the maze shape more complicated, and the light shielding wall 51
Light from the light source 4b via the light guide plate 8 hardly enters the gap between the light guide plate 8 and the light-shielding portion 17, thereby preventing light from leaking onto the display panel 2 from the gap between the pointer cap 11 and the display panel 2. it can.

A contact portion 57 is formed inside the locking piece 54 so that the locking piece 54 can be inserted and attached to the through hole 35. When the portion 53 is engaged with the back surface of the light guide plate 8, the contact portion 57 comes into contact with the inner wall surface of the through hole 35 in a light press-fit state.

As described in detail above, according to this embodiment,
A pointer 1 having a pointer main body 10 having a light receiving portion (light introducing portion) 13 in a rotation center region R, a pointer cap 11 covering the rotation center region R of the pointer body 10, and a light-shielding member composed of a covering member 12. And a display panel 2 disposed behind the pointer 1 at a predetermined distance and having a light transmitting section 21 at a portion corresponding to the light receiving section 13, and a light transmitting section 21 of the display panel 2 superposed and arranged behind the display panel 2. A light guide plate reflector (light supply unit) 32 that supplies illumination light to the light receiving unit 13 of the pointer 1 through the light source and makes the pointer 1 shine.
And a cylindrical light-shielding wall portion which is located between the hands 1 and the display plate 2 and is fixed to the display plate 2 side and covers the periphery of the light-transmitting portion 21 of the display plate 2 and extends to the light-shielding member side. A light-shielding portion 17 extending inward along the light-shielding wall portion 51 of the collar member 9 on the covering member 12, and a lower end of the light-shielding wall portion 51 at the inner surface of the cylinder. The cover member 1 extends toward the center of the light shielding wall portion 51.
The formation of the light-shielding wall 55 having the opening 56 substantially equal to the size of the opening of the light-shielding portion 17 reduces or attenuates the illumination light reflected toward the display panel 2 particularly through the hands 1. Thereby, the occurrence of halation can be suppressed and the illumination quality can be improved.

Further, similarly to the above embodiment, the pointer illuminating device of this embodiment also has a white base color portion as a display plate.
This is particularly effective when applied to a so-called white dial.

[0039]

As described in detail above, a pointer illuminating device which can achieve the intended purpose, can reduce light leakage from the gap between the pointer cap and the display panel, and can improve the illumination quality. Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an essential part perspective view of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a main part of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the collar member of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pointer 2 Display board 3b, 51 Light-shielding wall part 4, 4a, 4b Light source 9 Color member 10 Pointer body 11 Pointer cap 13 Light-receiving part (light introducing part) 17 Light-shielding part 18 Introducing light control part 21 Light-transmitting part 36, 56 Opening 37,55 Shading wall R Rotation center area

Claims (3)

[Claims] A pointer having a light-transmitting pointer main body having a light introducing portion in a rotation center area and a pointer cap covering the rotation center area; and a pointer disposed behind the pointer at a predetermined distance. A display plate having a light-transmitting portion at a portion corresponding to the pointer, and illuminating the pointer by supplying illumination light to the light introducing portion of the pointer through the light-transmitting portion of the display plate disposed behind the display plate. A light source, and a cylindrical light-shielding wall portion which is located between the hands and the display plate and is fixed to the display plate side and extends toward the hands cap, wherein the hands control the light entering the light introducing portion with the hands. A pointer lighting device comprising: a light control unit; a cylindrical light shielding unit formed inside the light shielding wall along the light shielding wall; and a light shielding wall extending toward the center on the inner surface of the light shielding wall. . 2. The pointer lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light source is arranged in a portion surrounded by the light shielding wall, and the light shielding wall is arranged on the light source side with respect to the display panel. 3. The pointer lighting device according to claim 2, wherein said light source is a light emitting diode.