JP2001330481A - Meter for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a meter for a vehicle constituted so as to ensure outward appearance having still more amusingness or originality by exerting ingenuity in the illumination mode of a meter board so as to be capable of corresponding to the diversification of user's taste. SOLUTION: In the meter board 10b, a light transmission part 12 receives the transmitted illumination of blue-orange light and a light emitting indicator 70 subsequently emits white light and, thereafter, a vehicle speed display part 11 receives the transmitted illumination of white light.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an instrument for a vehicle.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as this kind of vehicle instrument, there is one as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-14500.
In this instrument, the illumination of the dial is delayed with a certain delay time from the illumination of the light emitting pointer.

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned instrument, as described above, the scale plate is illuminated only with a delay with respect to the luminous pointer, so that the luminous pointer and the luminous pointer required for normal display are provided. It only performs the illumination of the dial. Therefore, the appearance of the display as an instrument has no interest or novelty, and is insufficient for responding to diversification of user preferences.

[0004] In order to cope with the above-mentioned problems, the present invention devises the illumination mode of the scale plate so as to cope with the diversification of the user's preference, thereby further enhancing the fun and novelty. An object of the present invention is to provide an instrument for a vehicle that ensures a certain appearance.

[0005]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle instrument according to the present invention comprises a translucent arc-shaped display section (11) and both ends of the arc-shaped display section in the arc direction. The scale plate (10) having a narrow-width decorative light-transmitting portion (12) extending longitudinally across these two end portions on the side of the scale.
b) a light-emitting pointer (70) that rotates along the surface of the scale plate with reference to the center of the arc-shaped display portion in the radial direction as a reference, and transmits through the arc-shaped display portion. A first illuminating means (90a, 90b) for illuminating, a light source (80) for emitting a light emitting pointer, a second illuminating means (100a, 100b) for illuminating the light transmitting portion, and an illumination and light source of the second illuminating means Control means (200 to 240) for delay controlling the light emission of the first lighting means and the illumination of the first lighting means in that order.

[0006] Thus, the illumination of the light transmitting portion, the emission of the light emitting pointer, and the display portion are performed in this order. As a result of such a three-stage delay control, a more interesting and novel appearance corresponding to diversification of user preferences can be secured.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the second lighting means includes a first light emitting diode (100a) that emits light of a first color, and a second light emitting diode (100a) that emits light of a second color. A second light-emitting diode (100b) that emits light, wherein the control means reduces the light-emitting luminance of the first light-emitting diode and simultaneously controls the light-emission luminance of the second light-emitting diode when controlling the illumination of the second lighting means. The first and second light emitting diodes are controlled so as to gradually increase the threshold voltage.

Thus, the illumination of the transmitting portion of the dial is
Since it changes with the change between the first and second colors, the operation and effect of the invention according to claim 1 can be further improved. For example, when the first color is blue and the second color is orange, the illumination changes from illumination such as aurora light to illumination such as sunrise.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the translucent portion is located on a side opposite to the display portion with respect to a radial center of the display portion. It is characterized by the following.

[0010] Thus, the illumination of the scale plate is performed from the translucent portions on both ends in the arc direction of the display portion to the light emitting pointer and the display portion, so that the function and effect of the invention according to claim 1 or 2 can be further improved. Can be further improved.

The reference numerals in parentheses of the above-mentioned means indicate the correspondence with the concrete means described in the embodiments described later.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIGS. 1 to 5 show an embodiment of a passenger car instrument according to the present invention. This instrument is combined with a part of an instrument panel provided in the passenger compartment of the passenger car located in front of a driver's seat. Mounted as a meter.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the instrument has an instrument panel 10, which is composed of a substrate 10a made of a colorless and transparent material, and both dials 10b, 1b.
0c and both indicators 10d (see FIG. 1). In addition, the surface of the substrate 10a is a scale plate 10b,
Black printing processing has been performed except for portions corresponding to 10c and both indicators 10d.

The scale plate 10b is formed at the center of the surface of the substrate 10a in the left-right direction as shown in FIG. 2, and the scale plate 10b has a substantially arc-shaped vehicle speed display portion 11 formed at the center of the surface of the substrate 10a. And a decorative translucent section 12 formed below the vehicle speed display section 11 in the center of the surface of the substrate 10a.

The vehicle speed display section 11 has a substantially arc-shaped scale section 11.
a and a substantially arc-shaped numeral portion 11b located along the inner periphery of the scale portion 11a. The scale portion 11a is formed by alternately forming a plurality of linear scales a1 and a2 at intervals (see FIGS. 1 and 2).

Here, the scales a1 and a2 are set to 100 so that the scale a1 is wider and brighter than the scale a2.
It is formed by printing on a colorless and transparent material having a% light transmittance. Further, a portion between both scales a1 and a2 (hereinafter referred to as a portion between scales b) is a scale a1 and a2.
It is formed by printing on a colorless and transparent material having a smaller light transmittance. As shown in FIG. 1, each scale a1 has the same width, and each scale a2 has the same width. However, the width of the scale a1 is wider than the width of the scale a2. In addition, each inter-scale portion b is a scale portion 11a.
1 is formed so as to be substantially wide in the width direction and long in the longitudinal direction from the center located in the figure to the side located in the left-right direction. This is to make the appearance of the vehicle speed display section 11 novel.

Numeral portion 11b is provided outside the outline of each numeral.
In the same manner as in the black printing process on the surface of the substrate 10a, the inside of the outline of each numeral is printed and formed into a punched shape. Accordingly, in the numeral portion 11b, light can be transmitted inside the outline of each numeral, and light is not transmitted outside the outline of each numeral.

As shown in FIG. 1, the light-transmitting portion 12 is formed to be long in the left-right direction in the drawing and to have a narrow width in the vertical direction in the drawing. Panel 10
It extends from the center of b (corresponding to a rotation base of the light emitting pointer 70 described later) in the left-right direction in the figure, gently and substantially downwardly in the figure. This is to give the image of the sunrise.

The scale plate 10c has a substantially arc-shaped fuel remaining amount display section 13.
Is formed by alternately forming a plurality of linear scales c1 and c2 at intervals (see FIG. 1). Here, the scale c1 is wider and brighter than the scale c2,
Each scale c1, c2 is formed by printing on a colorless and transparent material having a light transmittance of 100%. In addition, a portion between both scales c1 and c2 (hereinafter, a portion d between scales d)
Is printed on a colorless and transparent material having a light transmittance smaller than the scales c1 and c2.

As shown in FIG. 1, each scale c1 has the same width, and each scale c2 has the same width. However, the scale c1 is wider than the scale c2.
Further, each interval d between the scales is shown in FIG.
Is formed so as to be substantially wide in the width direction and long in the longitudinal direction from the center in the figure to the one positioned in the vertical direction. This is to give the fuel remaining amount display section 13 a novel appearance. The two indicator sections 10d are for instructing a left turn and a right turn of the passenger car.

The instrument is provided with a diffuser plate unit 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the diffuser unit 20 is provided on the back side of the instrument panel 10 with both rotating inner machines 30 (scales in FIG. 3). Only the rotating inner unit 30 on the side of the board 10a is shown.), The wiring board 40, and the plate-like reflector 50 are housed in a casing 60.

The diffuser plate unit 20 is provided on the instrument panel 10 along the rear surface thereof with the inner machine main body 31 of the both rotating inner machine 30 (in FIG. 3,
Only the inner machine main body 31 on the scale plate 10a side is shown. ) Is supported via a wiring board 40 and a reflector 50,
The diffusion plate unit 20 includes two diffusion plates 2 parallel to each other.
1 and 22, an outer spacer 23, and both inner annular spacers 24 (only the inner spacer 24 on the scale plate 10a side is shown in FIG. 3).

Here, each of the spacers 23 and 24 plays a role of forming a predetermined gap between the two diffusion plates 21 and 22.
The diffusion plate 22 diffuses light from each light source, which will be described later, and enters the diffusion plate 21 through the gap as diffused light. The diffuser plate 21 diffuses the diffused light from the gap and makes the diffused light incident on the instrument panel 10 from the back side.

As shown in FIG. 3, the rotating inner unit 30 has a bottom wall 61 of a casing 60 formed on its main body 31.
And the pointer shaft 32 on the scale plate 10a side is taken as an example. The pointer shaft 32 is connected to the wiring board 40, the reflector 50, the diffusion plate 22, the respective inner spacers 24 and the diffusion plate 21 from the inner machine main body 31. And rotatably extend therethrough.

The wiring board 40 is supported along the inner machine main bodies 31 of the two rotating inner machines 30 so as to be parallel to the instrument panel 10. The reflector 50 includes the wiring board 40 and the diffusion plate 22.
Is sandwiched between. This reflector 50 has two reflecting surfaces 51 and 52 (in FIG.
Only the two reflecting surfaces 51 and 52 on the 0a side are shown. ), Taking the scale plate 10a side as an example, the reflecting surface 51 is formed in a substantially arc shape from the surface side of the reflector 50 around the pointer shaft 32 so as to correspond to the scale portion 11a of the scale plate 10a. Is formed. Further, the reflection surface 52 is formed to be long in the left-right direction so as to correspond to the light-transmitting portion 12 of the scale plate 10a from the surface side of the reflector 50.

The luminous pointer 70 on the scale plate 10b side or the central side is pointed at the tip of the central side pointer shaft 32 at the rotation base thereof. Is rotated along the surface of the scale plate 10a so as to be instructed on the vehicle speed display section 11. Also,
The light emitting pointer 70 on the side of the scale 10c or on the left side is pointed at the tip of the left pointer shaft 32 at its rotation base, and the left light emitting pointer 70 is rotated by the rotation of the left pointer shaft 32. Fuel level indicator 13 along the surface of 10b
Rotate as indicated above. In addition, each light emitting pointer 70
Emits light from the light source 80 described later at the rotation base.

As shown in FIG. 3, the plurality of central pointer light sources 80 are arranged around the central pointer shaft 32 around the wiring board 4.
0, and the light of each of these light sources 80 is
The light passes through the through-hole of the reflector 50, the through-hole of the diffusion plate unit 20, and the through-hole of the scale plate 10a and enters the center-side light emitting pointer 70 from the rotation base. Here, each center-side pointer light source 80 is formed of a light emitting diode that emits white light. It should be noted that also for the left light emitting pointer 70,
As shown in FIG. 1, a light source 80 is provided.

A plurality of pairs of scale light sources 90a and 90b
The reflector 50 is provided on the surface of the wiring board 40 along the arc direction corresponding to the scale 11a so as to be located in the lower opening 51a of the reflection surface 51 of the reflector 50. The light from each pair of light sources 90a and 90b is diffused by the diffuser unit 20 and enters the scale 11a of the scale 10a. Here, a plurality of pairs of scale light sources 90a and 90b
The light sources 90a and 90b of each pair are located adjacent to each other. Each of the light sources 90a and 90b is formed of a light emitting diode that emits white light. Each light source 90a,
90b are provided (see FIG. 1).

A plurality of pairs of light sources 100a and 100b for the light transmitting portion
Is provided on the surface of the wiring board 40 along the longitudinal direction corresponding to the light transmitting portion 12 so as to be located in the lower opening 52a of the reflecting surface 52 of the reflector 50. The light from each pair of light sources 100a and 100b is
And is incident on the translucent portion 12 of the scale plate 10a. Here, a plurality of pairs of light sources 100a and 100b
Are located adjacent to each other for each pair of light sources 100a and 100b. Each light source 100a is configured by a light emitting diode that emits blue light, and each light source 100b is configured by a light emitting diode that emits orange light.
In FIG. 3, reference numeral 110 indicates a facing plate, and in FIGS. 1 and 3, reference numeral 120 indicates a front panel as a black face.

Next, with reference to FIG. 4, the configuration of each light source and the electric circuit for each rotating inner machine will be described. The control circuit 130 is composed of a microcomputer. The control circuit 130 executes a computer program according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 5, and during this execution, according to the detected vehicle speed of the sensor group 140 and the detected fuel remaining amount. A process for controlling the drive of the center rotating inner unit 30 and the left rotating inner unit 30 and the light sources 80, 90a, 90b, 100a,
The lighting control process of 100b is performed.

The computer program is stored in the ROM of the microcomputer in advance.
Further, the control circuit 130 is operated by being supplied with power from the battery B via an ignition switch IG of the passenger car, and operates.
Start execution of the computer program. Also,
The sensor group 140 detects the vehicle speed of the passenger car and the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

In the present embodiment configured as described above,
It is assumed that the passenger car has started by turning on an ignition switch IG. Further, when the control circuit 130 starts the computer program according to the flowchart of FIG. 5 with the turning on of the ignition switch IG (see time t1 in FIG. 6), in step 200, each light source 1
Lighting control of 00a and 100b is performed as follows.

That is, at time t1, the voltage indicated by reference symbol W1 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is applied to each light source 100a, and to each light source 100b at time t1.
A voltage indicated by reference symbol W2 is applied. This allows
Each light source 100a emits blue light, and each light source 100b emits orange light.

Then, the blue light of each light source 100a and 10
The orange light of 0b is diffused by the diffusion plate unit 20 under the reflection action of the reflection surface 52 of the reflector 50 to transmit and illuminate the light transmitting portion 12 of the instrument panel 10. Here, the voltage W
1 and the voltage W2 change with the waveforms shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the blue luminance of each light source 100a gradually decreases from the value corresponding to the voltage Vc in accordance with the waveform change of the voltage W1. The orange luminance of each light source 100b gradually increases from zero voltage to a value corresponding to the voltage Vc in accordance with the waveform change of the voltage W2.

Accordingly, with the above-mentioned changes in the blue luminance and the orange luminance, the illumination of the light transmitting portion 12 gradually changes from the blue illumination to the orange illumination. Thus, the illumination at the lower portion of the scale plate 10a in FIG. 1 gradually changes from an illumination state such as aurora light to an illumination state such as sunrise due to sunlight.

In this state, when a predetermined time ΔT1 (see FIG. 6) has elapsed after the ignition switch IG is turned on, the determination in step 210 becomes YES. Then, in step 220, lighting control processing of each light source 80 is performed as follows.

That is, to each light source 80, at time t3, a voltage indicated by a symbol W3 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is applied. Thus, each light source 80 emits white light. Then, the white light of each light source 80 passes through each of the through holes of the diffusion plate unit 20 and the scale plate 10a, and enters the center-side light emitting pointer 70 from its rotating base. As a result, the central light emitting pointer 7
0 emits white light. This light emission is performed after the sunrise lighting. Note that the left light emitting pointer 70 emits light similarly.

In such a state, when a predetermined time ΔT2 (see FIG. 6) has elapsed after the rising timing of the voltage W3 (see time t3 in FIG. 6), the determination in step 230 becomes YES. Then, in step 240, lighting control processing of each of the light sources 90a and 90b is performed as follows.

That is, at time t3, each light source 90a
5 and 6, a voltage indicated by reference numeral W4 is applied, and at time t3, a voltage indicated by reference numeral W5 in FIGS. 5 and 6 is applied to each light source 90b. Thereby, each light source 8
0 emits white light. Then, the white light of each light source 80 is diffused by the diffusion plate unit 20 under the reflection action of the reflection surface 51 of the reflector 50, and illuminates the scale portion 11 of the scale plate 10b. This illumination is performed after each light emitting pointer 70 emits light.

Here, since the voltage W4 and the voltage W5 change with the waveforms shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the white luminance of each light source 90a changes from the value corresponding to the voltage Vc according to the waveform change of the voltage W4. On the other hand, the white luminance of each light source 90b gradually increases from zero voltage toward a value corresponding to the voltage Vc / 2 according to the waveform change of the voltage W5. Therefore, the illumination of the scale portion 11 is performed by the luminance change of the synthetic white light as described above. The same applies to the fuel remaining amount display section 13 of the scale plate 10c. Since the graduations a1 and a2 of the graduation portion 11 and the inter-scale portion b have different transmittances, the above-described effects can be achieved while making the appearance of the graduation portion 11 more novel.

Thereafter, in step 250, an instruction process of the vehicle speed and the remaining fuel amount of the passenger car is performed based on the detection output of the sensor group 140. In response to this instruction processing, each rotation inner machine 30 rotates the corresponding light emitting hands 70 respectively.

As described above, when the ignition switch IG is turned on, the illumination from the aurora illumination to the sunrise illumination of the transmission portion 12 of the dial 10b, the white light illumination of each of the light emitting hands 70, and the subsequent dial Since the white illumination of the vehicle speed display unit 11 of the scale plate 10c and the fuel remaining amount display unit 13 of the scale plate 10c are sequentially performed, the interesting and distinctive personality is provided from the lower portion to the upper portion of the scale plate 10b immediately after the ignition switch IG is turned on. Thus, three-stage staggered illumination according to the user's preference is performed, and a novel and diverse appearance can be provided.

After the process of step 250 is completed, the process of step 250 is repeated until the determination of step 260 becomes YES due to the turning off of the ignition switch IG.

In implementing the present invention, each light source 10
0a may be a light emitting diode that emits blue-green light without being limited to blue.

In implementing the present invention, each light source 10
0a or 100b may be omitted, and each light source 90
a or 90b may be omitted.

In implementing the present invention, the light transmitting portion 12
Is not limited to the transmission illumination, but may be illumination from the front side of the instrument panel 10, and the light of each of the light sources 100 a and 100 b may be guided to the light transmission unit 12 by the light guide plate.

In practicing the present invention, the present invention may be applied not only to a passenger car meter but also to a vehicle meter.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially broken front view showing an embodiment of a passenger car meter according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of a scale portion of a center-side scale plate of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an electric circuit configuration of the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the microcomputer which is the control circuit of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing delayed lighting control of the light source in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

10b: scale plate, 11: vehicle speed display section, 12: translucent section for decoration, 70: light emitting pointer, 80, 90a, 90b, 100
a, 100b: light source, 130: control circuit.

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Yuji Okamoto 100 Kanayama, Ichiriyama-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi F-term (reference) 2F074 AA01 AA04 BB06 DD03 EE03 FF01 GG08 GG09 3D044 BA21 BA22 BB01 BC13 BD02 BD13 5C094 AA60 BA12 BA23 CA14 CA24 GA10 HA05

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A translucent arc-shaped display portion (11), and a narrow-width decorative translucent light extending longitudinally at both ends in the arc direction of the arc-shaped display portion. A scale plate (10b) having a portion (12), and a light emitting indicator (10b) which rotates along the surface of the scale plate with reference to the center of the arc display portion in the radial direction as indicated on the arc display portion. 70); and a first illuminating means (90) for transilluminating the arc display unit.
a, 90b), a light source (80) for emitting the light emitting pointer, and a second illuminating means (100a, 1b) for transmitting and illuminating the light transmitting portion.
00b) and control means (200) for delay-controlling the illumination of the second illumination means, the light emission of the light source, and the illumination of the first illumination means in that order.
To 240). 2. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the second lighting unit includes a first light emitting diode (100a) emitting light of a first color and a second light emitting diode (100b) emitting light of a second color. Means for controlling the illumination of the second illuminating means so as to gradually decrease the emission luminance of the first light emitting diode and at the same time gradually increase the emission luminance of the second light emitting diode. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode is controlled. 3. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1, wherein the translucent section is located on a side opposite to the display section with respect to a radial center of the display section.