JP2002096655A - Vehicle display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make it possible that the contrast between a meter design plane and its background is almost uniform when displaying a composite virtual image of a graduation pattern formed by color as the background of the meter design plane. SOLUTION: In the vehicle display device, the light from a display panel 2 placed in front of a meter body 1 is reflected by a translucent panel 3 placed in front of the display of the meter body 1, and is composite to display the virtual image 6 as the background 5 of the meter design plane 4, wherein the background 5 displayed by the display panel 2 is the graduation pattern 7 formed by color. A plurality of light sources for illuminating the meter design plane 4 of the meter body 1 consists of a light source 11 to 13, which are each separated, wherein the brightness of each light source for the meter body 1 can be set or regulated according to the graduation of the background 5, so that the contrast between the meter design plane 4 and the background 5 is almost uniform when the background 5 is formed as the composite graduation pattern 7.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle display device used for a vehicle such as an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 5, light from a display panel 2 disposed above a front surface of an instrument main body 1 is inclined (curved) in front of a display surface of the instrument main body 1 to form a half of a translucent plate. A vehicular display device in which a virtual image 6 is synthesized and displayed as a background 5 of a meter design surface 4 by being reflected by a front cover 3 formed on a mirror is known, for example, from Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 6-49154.

[0003] In this manner, the background 5 of the meter design surface 4 can be given variety and the display capability can be enhanced.

[0004]

However, when the background 5 formed by the display panel 2 is to be a gradation pattern 7 based on color shading as shown in FIG. A light source for illuminating the meter 4 is configured to transmit and illuminate a meter display surface such as a character or a scale via a light guide plate (not shown) with a single long cold cathode tube 8 provided along the lower side of the instrument main body 1. The contrast between the background 5 and the meter design surface 4 in a portion where the color of the gradation pattern 7 is dark (dark) is higher than in other portions, or the gradation pattern 7
There is a problem that the contrast between the background 5 and the meter design surface 4 in the light (bright) part of the color becomes lower than in the other parts, and the visibility deteriorates.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to substantially display the contrast between the meter design surface and the background when a gradation pattern based on color shading is synthesized and displayed as a virtual image as the background of the meter design surface. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle display device that can be made uniform.

[0006]

In order to solve the above problems, according to the first aspect of the present invention, light from a display plate disposed in front of the instrument main body is disposed in front of the display surface of the instrument main body. In a vehicular display device, which is reflected on a semi-transparent plate and combined and displayed as a virtual image as a background of the meter design surface, when the background of the display plate is a gradation pattern of light and dark colors, the meter of the instrument main body is used. The light source illuminating the design surface is divided into a plurality of parts, and when the background of the gradation pattern is synthesized and displayed, the luminance of each light source of the meter main body is set to the background gradation so that the contrast between the meter design surface and the background becomes substantially uniform. , And can be set or adjusted according to

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the background that emits light in a planar manner by the display panel is:
If you want a gradation pattern based on the shade of color,
The light source that illuminates the meter design surface of the instrument body is divided into a plurality of light sources, and the brightness of each light source can be set or adjusted according to the gradation of the background, so that the contrast between the meter design surface and the background can be adjusted over the entire surface. It can be made substantially uniform.

Further, by making the contrast between the meter design surface and the background substantially uniform, it is possible to perform decorative illumination with a three-dimensional effect without lowering visibility. In addition, by making the contrast between the meter design surface and the background substantially uniform over the entire surface, visibility is not reduced, and thus eye fatigue can be prevented.

[0009]

First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention. Note that the same or equivalent parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

First, the structure will be described. Light from a background display plate 2 disposed on the front surface of an instrument body 1 similar to that shown in FIG.
A background 5 of a meter design surface 4 such as a dial plate on which characters and scales of each meter are formed by being reflected by a front cover 3 formed as a semi-transparent half mirror and disposed in front of a display surface of the meter main body 1. Is configured so that the virtual image 6 can be synthesized and displayed. At this time, the front cover 3 is made of a smoke material, and the instrument main body 1 is a so-called black face meter.

In the first embodiment, the background 5 formed by the display panel 2 is used as a gradation pattern 7 based on color shading.
And For example, if the gradation pattern 7 is G1
Five gradations of G5 (G1 is the brightest, G
5 is the darkest).

When the light sources 11 to 13 for illuminating the meter design surface 4 of the instrument main body 1 are divided into a plurality (for example, three) of incandescent bulbs, and the background 5 of the gradation pattern 7 is displayed in a composite manner, Each of the light sources 11 to 11 makes the contrast between the surface 4 and the background 5 substantially uniform over the entire surface.
13 is set or adjusted to a luminance corresponding to the gradation of the background 5. The light source 11 such as an incandescent bulb
Reference numerals 13 to 13 are provided so as to substantially correspond to the respective instrument sections constituting the meter design surface 4.

Conceptually, for example, the gradation G1
(Brightness) L1 of the meter design surface corresponding to the area of
And the brightness (brightness) L2 of the meter design surface corresponding to the area of the gradation G2, the brightness (brightness) L3 of the meter design surface corresponding to the area of the gradation G3, and the area of the gradation G4. If there is a luminance (brightness) L4 of the meter design surface and a luminance (brightness) L5 of the meter design surface corresponding to the gradation G5 region, the luminances (brightness) L1 to L5 are calculated as (L1>L2>). L3
>L4> L5).

More specifically, since the light source 11 is arranged in the area of the gradation G3 and the light sources 12 and 13 are arranged in the area of the gradation G4, when the background 5 of the gradation pattern 7 is synthesized and displayed. Light source 11
13 are set so that (light source 11> light sources 12, 13).

The background 5 of the gradation pattern 7
Is not displayed in a combined manner, it is preferable that the brightness of the light sources 11 to 13 is equal (the light source 11 = the light sources 12 and 13).

Therefore, the lighting switch 15 of the display panel 2
There is provided a brightness adjusting means 16 that can adjust the brightness of each of the light sources 11 to 13 by adjusting the voltage in conjunction with the on / off of the light source. It is needless to say that PWM control or the like can be used as the brightness adjusting means of each of the light sources 11 to 13.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

In the black face meter, the light sources 11 to
When the lamp 13 is not turned on, the meter design surface 4 is not displayed by the front cover 3 made of a smoke material having a low light transmittance.

When the light sources 11 to 13 are turned on, the meter design surface 4 is displayed through the front cover 3 such as smoke material.

At this time, when the background 5 of the gradation pattern 7 is not synthesized and displayed, the brightness of the light sources 11 to 13 is equal.

When the lighting switch 15 of the display panel 2 is turned on, the brightness adjusting means 16 controls the light sources 11 to 13.
Are respectively adjusted according to the gradation of the background 5. That is, the luminance of the light source arranged in the part where the gradation color is light (bright) is controlled to be higher than the luminance of the light source arranged in the part where the gradation color is dark (dark).

As described above, when the background 5 of the display panel 2 is a gradation pattern 7 of light and shade, the light sources 11 to 13 for illuminating the meter design surface 4 of the instrument main body 1 are divided into a plurality of light sources. The contrast between the meter design surface 4 and the background 5 can be made substantially uniform over the entire surface by making it possible to set or adjust the brightness of each of the colors 11 to 13 according to the gradation of the background 5.

By making the contrast between the meter design surface 4 and the background 5 substantially uniform over the entire surface, it is possible to perform decorative illumination with a three-dimensional effect without lowering visibility. In addition, by making the contrast between the meter design surface 4 and the background 5 substantially uniform over the entire surface, visibility is not reduced, and thus eye fatigue can be prevented. In the above-described embodiment, the translucent plate for reflecting the display light from the display plate 2 is formed integrally with the front cover of the instrument body 1, but it goes without saying that it may be formed separately.

[0025]

FIG. 2 shows a first modification of the first embodiment, in which light sources 21 to 24 are divided into four short cold cathode tubes. The light sources 21 to 24, such as short cold cathode tubes, are provided in a substantially arc shape corresponding to the characters and scales of each instrument constituting the meter design surface 4.

Then, the light source 21 is disposed almost over the areas of the gradations G2 and G3.
The light source 22 is arranged in the area of No. 4 and the gradation G4
And the light source 23 is arranged over the area of G5, and the light source 24 is arranged in the area of the gradation G5.
When the luminance of the light sources 21 to 24 when the background 5 of the gradation pattern 7 is compositely displayed is (light source 21> light source 22
> Light source 23> light source 24).

The configuration other than the above is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same operation and effect can be obtained.

FIG. 3 shows a second modification of the first embodiment.
The gradation pattern formed by the gradation pattern corresponding to the instrument arranged at the center as shown in FIG.
And gradations 72 and 73 formed corresponding to the instruments arranged on both sides of the instrument arranged at the center. The gradation 71 arranged in the center has a brighter gradation pattern than the gradations 72 and 73 arranged on the left and right of the gradation 71. Further, each of the gradations 71, 72, 73 is formed so that the vicinity of the light source becomes brighter (lighter) and gradually becomes darker (darker) as the distance from the light source becomes larger than that of the light source described later.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a light source for illuminating an instrument design surface arranged at the center of the instrument main body.
Is a light source for illuminating the instrument design surface arranged on the left and right of the central instrument.

When the background of the gradation pattern and the meter design surface of the meter main body are displayed in combination, the light source 1
The brightness of the light sources 1, 12, and 13 is controlled so that the light source 11> the light sources 12, 13.

The configuration other than the above is the same as that of the first embodiment, and the same operation and effect can be obtained.

[0032]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the background that emits light in a planar manner by the display panel is a gradation pattern of shades of color, the meter design surface of the instrument main body can be used. Divide the light source to be illuminated into multiple
By setting or adjusting the brightness of each light source according to the gradation of the background, the contrast between the meter design surface and the background can be made substantially uniform over the entire surface.

By making the contrast between the meter design surface and the background substantially uniform, it is possible to perform decorative illumination with a three-dimensional effect without lowering visibility. In addition, by making the contrast between the meter design surface and the background substantially uniform over the entire surface, visibility is not reduced, so that eye fatigue can be prevented. .

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of an instrument main body according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of an instrument main body according to a first modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of an instrument main body according to a second modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a background having a gradation pattern according to a second modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of an instrument according to a conventional example.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a background having a gradation pattern.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a light source position of the instrument main body.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument main body 2 Display board 3 Front cover (semi-transparent board) 4 Meter design surface 5 Background 6 Virtual image 7 Gradation pattern 11 Light source 12 Light source 13 Light source 16 Brightness adjusting means 21 Light source 22 Light source 23 Light source 24 Light source

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A light from a display plate arranged in front of an instrument main body is reflected by a translucent plate arranged in front of a display surface of the instrument main body, and is synthesized and displayed as a virtual image as a background of a meter design surface. In the display device for a vehicle, when the background of the display plate is a gradation pattern based on light and shade of a color, the light source for illuminating the meter design surface of the instrument body is divided into a plurality of light sources, and the background of the gradation pattern is synthesized and displayed. A display device for a vehicle, wherein the brightness of each light source of the instrument main body can be set or adjusted according to the gradation of the background so that the contrast between the meter design surface and the background is substantially uniform.