JP2002131093A - Illuminator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illuminator superior in illumination balance by suppressing the luminance irregularity of a display part. SOLUTION: In the illuminator provided with a display plate 1 having a translucent board 2, a translucent display colored layer 3 formed on the surface or the rear face of the board 2, and a shading surface colored layer 4 and forming a translucent display part 5 at a part except for the surface colored layer 4, and a light source 6 transmitting and illuminating the display part 5 arranged rearward of the display plate 1 and providing a translucent light decrease layer 8 attenuating light from the light source formed on the display plate 1 so as to partially cover the display part 5, a regulation part 10 gradually narrowing the display part 5 is provided on a boundary part 9 overlapped on the display part 5 of the light decrease layer 8.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

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

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 6 to 8 show a conventional illuminating device for illuminating a display panel used for a vehicle instrument or the like with a light source disposed behind the display panel. That is, the display plate 1 is formed by printing and forming a display color layer 3 and a ground color layer 4 on the surface of a colorless and transparent substrate 2. For the display color layer 3, for example, a white translucent ink is used. As the color layer 4, for example, a black light-blocking ink is used. Number 5a, character 5b,
The display section 5 including the scale 5c and the index section 5d is provided at a position where the display color layer 3 is exposed by removing the ground color layer 4 into a predetermined shape.

A light source 6 is disposed on the back of the display panel 1 at a predetermined distance, and by illuminating the light source 6, the display unit 5 can be transmitted and illuminated. It is well known that a difference in brightness is formed between the display unit 5 near the light source 6 and the display unit 5 far from the light source 6. As a method of improving the difference between the light and dark, a display area is displayed by superimposing and printing a halftone dot-like light control layer 7 having an increased black point density per unit area in the display area 5 near the light source 6 and having a large amount of light reaching. There is a technique for obtaining the transmission balance of the entire unit 5.

However, in the halftone dot light control layer 7, a portion having a large black dot density becomes almost the same as a normal black print layer due to variations at the time of printing or the like. Sometimes occurred. For this reason, when the dimming layer 7 alone cannot cope, the brightness is adjusted by providing, for example, a white dimming layer 8 between the substrate 2 and the dimming layer 7.

[0005]

However, in the case where the brightness of the display unit 5 is adjusted by the dimming layer 8, the boundary 9 of the dimming layer 8 crossing the display unit 5 is formed by the display unit 5 (excluding the character 5b). 7, the boundary portion 9 is parallel to the extension direction of the scale 5c, and crosses the index portion 5d in a direction substantially orthogonal to the extension direction, as shown in FIG. Therefore, there is a problem that luminance unevenness (difference in brightness) occurs at the boundary 9.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of this point,
A main object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device with reduced illumination unevenness of a display portion and a good lighting balance.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a light-transmitting substrate, a light-transmitting display color layer formed on the surface or back of the substrate, and a light-shielding ground color. A display plate having a light-transmitting display portion at a location other than the ground color layer, and a light source disposed behind the display plate and transmitting and illuminating the display portion. A lighting device provided with a light-transmitting dimming layer formed on the display plate to partially attenuate light from the light source, the boundary portion overlapping the display portion of the dimming layer And an adjusting section for gradually narrowing the display section.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the display section has a shape extending in a predetermined direction, and the adjustment section extends obliquely with respect to the extension direction of the display section.

Further, the present invention is characterized in that the adjusting section gradually narrows the display section in a direction away from the light source.

[0010]

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described based on these figures. FIG. 1 is a front view of a lighting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear view showing a main part of the rear surface of the display panel in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along AA in FIG. . The same and corresponding parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the illuminating device includes a display panel 1 and a light source 6 disposed behind the display panel 1.

The display panel 1 is an instrument display panel which is disposed behind a pointer P which rotates around an axis in accordance with a measured amount, and has a display section to be indicated by the pointer P, which will be described later. A display color layer 3 and a ground color layer 4 are formed on the surface of a substrate 2 made of a light-transmitting synthetic resin such as eggplant PC (polycarbonate) by printing means such as screen printing.

The display color layer 3 is made of a light-transmitting ink of a white color, and the ground color layer 4 is made of a light-shielding ink of a black color. Is formed with a display portion 5 composed of an exposed portion of the display color layer 3.

The display unit 5 has numerals 5a, characters 5b, and scales 5.
c, an index portion 5d, and the numeral 5a represents the running speed of the vehicle in the present embodiment, and "0 to 1" is provided at predetermined intervals of the scale 5c.
Numerals 5a up to "80" are arranged in an arc along the rotation trajectory of the pointer P. Character 5b is a unit of speed "k
m / h ”, and is disposed at the center of the display panel 1. The scale 5c indicates the number 5 by the observer according to the rotation of the pointer P.
A plurality of graduations 5c are arranged in a circular arc shape along the rotation trajectory of the pointer P outside the numeral 5a so that more detailed information can be confirmed than a. have. The indicator 5d has a scale 5c.
And is formed in an arc shape along the arrangement shape.

The light source 6 comprises, for example, a filament bulb (incandescent lamp), and is provided on the back of the display panel 1.
Of the display unit 5 is transmitted and illuminated from behind.

A light-reducing layer 8 for attenuating the light reaching the display section 5 from the light source 6 is provided on the rear surface of the substrate 2 by a printing means such as screen printing in a predetermined area of the display panel 1 including immediately above the light source 6. Have been. The light reducing layer 8 is formed of, for example, a white light transmitting layer, and is formed by printing on the first light reducing layer 81 formed on the back surface of the substrate 2 and on the back surface of the first light reducing layer 81. And a second dimming layer 82.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the light-attenuating layers 81 and 82 are formed so as to partially cover the index portion 5d while covering the scale 5c and the numeral 5a located in the predetermined area. For this reason, a boundary portion 9 is formed at a position where the index portion 5d and the dimming layer 8 overlap.

The boundary portion 9 is formed by the index portion 5 extending in an arc shape.
An adjusting section 10 is formed so as to obliquely cross the index section 5d as d moves away from the light source 6, thereby gradually narrowing the index section 5d.

The adjusting unit 10 adjusts the amount of light transmitted at the boundary 9 when the light source 6 is turned on.
By configuring the dimming rate of the dimming layer 8 to gradually decrease as the distance from the light source 6 increases, the uneven brightness caused by the boundary 9 crossing the index 5d is suppressed, and the index 5d is reduced.
The lighting is made uniform.

The reason why the light-attenuating layer 8 is composed of two upper and lower layers and that the second light-attenuating layer 82 is formed so as to overlap the first light-attenuating layer 81 is that the display unit 5 located in a region very close to the light source 6 is formed. Dimming rate 2
This is for maintaining the illumination balance by increasing the layer structure.
When only one dimming layer 8 can be used, it is not necessary to laminate two upper and lower layers, and when it is desired to further increase the dimming rate, two or more layers can be laminated.

In addition to the dimming layer 8, a halftone dot dimming layer 7 having a different density of black spots (dots) per unit area according to the amount of light reaching the portion can be provided.

In this embodiment, the display color layer 3 and the ground color layer 4 are formed on the surface of the substrate 2. However, the display color layer 3 and the ground color layer 4 may be formed on the back surface of the substrate 2. .

As described above, in the present embodiment, the light-transmitting substrate 2, the light-transmitting display color layer 3 and the light-shielding ground color layer 4 formed on the front surface or the rear surface of the substrate 2 are provided. A display panel 1 having a light-transmissive display section 5 formed at a location other than the ground color layer 4, and a light source 6 disposed behind the display panel 1 and transmitting and illuminating the display section 5. 5 is a lighting device provided with a light-transmitting dimming layer 8 formed on the display plate 1 so as to partially cover the light source 6 and attenuating the light from the light source 6. By providing the adjusting portion 10 for gradually reducing the width of the display portion 5 in the portion 9, the boundary portion 9 becomes the index portion 5.
The brightness unevenness of the display unit 5 caused by crossing the distance d is suppressed, the illumination balance of the display unit 5 is improved, and the illumination quality can be improved.

Further, in the present embodiment, the dimming layer 8 serves as the indicator 5d.
However, the present invention may be applied to a case where the dimming layer 8 crosses the numbers 5a, characters 5b, scales 5c, and the like, which are the display units 5 other than the indicator unit 5d. The present invention is effective when it has a shape extending in a predetermined direction and the difference in lightness and darkness due to the boundary portion 9 tends to be remarkable. Adjustment unit 1
In forming 0, it is advantageous to set the display unit 5 so as to gradually become narrower in the direction away from the light source 6.

In the present embodiment, the adjusting section 10 is formed so as to obliquely cross the index section 5d. However, if the display section 5 is gradually narrowed as shown in FIG. Alternatively, it may have a triangular shape or an arc shape as shown in FIG.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, the intended object can be achieved, the luminance unevenness of the display section can be suppressed, and a lighting device having a good lighting balance can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a lighting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged rear view showing a main part of the rear surface of the display panel in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of a main part of a display panel showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of a main part of a display panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a conventional illumination device.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of a main part of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display board 2 Substrate 3 Display color layer 4 Ground color layer 5 Display part 5a Number 5b Character 5c Scale 5d Index part 6 Light source 7 Dimming layer 8 Dimming layer 9 Boundary part 10 Adjusting part 81 First dimming layer 82 No. 2 extinction layer P guide

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A light-transmitting substrate, comprising a light-transmitting display color layer and a light-shielding ground color layer formed on the front or back surface of the substrate, and at a location other than the ground color layer. A display plate having a light-transmissive display portion, and a light source disposed behind the display plate and configured to transmit and illuminate the display portion, and formed on the display plate so as to partially cover the display portion; A lighting device provided with a light-transmitting dimming layer that attenuates light from a light source, wherein an adjustment unit that gradually narrows the display unit is provided at a boundary portion of the dimming layer that overlaps the display unit. A lighting device, characterized in that: 2. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the display section has a shape extending in a predetermined direction, and the adjustment section extends obliquely with respect to an extension direction of the display section. 3. The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the adjusting section gradually narrows the display section in a direction away from the light source.