JP2003035571A - Meter with pointer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a meter with a pointer having novel appearance by varying the length of the pointer freely in every working condition. SOLUTION: The pointer is composed of a discharge tube 2 used as a luminous body radiating when energized, and in a specified condition for example, when an ignition switch 54 is turned on or turned off, the voltage applied between an inner electrode 22 and an outer electrode 23 of the discharge tube 2 is controlled so that the length of radiating portion L of the discharge tube 2, i.e., the length of the pointer is varied. Thereby, the meter with pointer having novel appearance so as to give fresh impression to a driver can be provided. Furthermore, when an abnormal situation occurs, the length of pointer is periodically varied, and thereby the driver visually checks it easily and can recognize the state of a vehicle surely and correctly.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointer instrument equipped with a self-luminous pointer capable of emitting light with high luminous intensity.
Best used for vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, in a pointer instrument provided in an instrument panel of a vehicle, for example, it has been devised to change the pointer length during operation in order to provide a novel appearance. For example, in the display device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 19918/1993, the pointer length is expanded and contracted as the pointer shaft rotates.

[0003]

However, in this method, the pointer length cannot be changed when the pointer shaft is stopped, and the structure is complicated and it is necessary to increase the driving torque for rotating the pointer shaft. There was such a problem.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a pointer measuring instrument in which the pointer length can be freely changed under any conditions of use to obtain a novel appearance. Is.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs the following technical means.

According to the pointer instrument according to the first aspect of the present invention, the pointer uses a self-luminous pointer composed of a light-emitting body that emits light when energized, and the self-luminous pointer emits light in response to a signal from the outside. The length is changed.
As a result, the pointer length can be freely changed under all conditions of use, and it is possible to provide a pointer instrument that can obtain a novel appearance.

According to the pointer instrument according to the second aspect of the present invention, the self-luminous pointer is provided with the internal electrode which is one of the electrodes provided at the end portion on the pointer shaft side and the longitudinal direction of the self-luminous pointer. A second electrode, which is the other electrode provided, is provided, and the emission length of the self-emission indicator is changed by adjusting the voltage applied between the internal electrode and the second electrode.
As a result, the pointer length can be freely changed under all conditions of use, and it is possible to provide a pointer instrument that can obtain a novel appearance.

According to the pointer measuring instrument of the third aspect of the present invention, the luminous length of the self-luminous pointer is changed in a specific situation. As a result, it is possible to provide a pointer instrument that gives a novel appearance, and the driver can more accurately grasp the state of the vehicle. In this case, claim 4
As shown in, the driver changes the condition of the vehicle by changing the light emission length of the self-luminous indicator when the power switch is turned on, when the power switch is turned off, or when an abnormal situation occurs. You can get an accurate grasp.

According to the pointer instrument of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the vicinity of the pointer shaft side end portion of the self-luminous pointer is covered with the light shielding cover. This makes it possible to improve the appearance of the self-luminous pointer by making the electric connection point to the self-luminous pointer invisible to the driver.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A pointer instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals.

1 to 3 show a vehicle speedometer 100 equipped with a pointer measuring instrument 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vehicle speed meter 100 is constructed by mounting the pointer meter 1 in the meter housing 200.

The meter housing 200 has a meter case 201 which is a base body, and a scale plate 202 on the front surface of which a letter, a scale and the like are attached. Scale plate 20
A frame-shaped dial plate 203 is arranged on the front surface of the transparent plate 2.
04 is stuck. Further, in the meter case 201, a printed circuit board 47 forming an electric circuit portion of the vehicle speedometer 100 is attached. On this printed circuit board 48,
The LED 48 is mounted as a light source for illuminating the graduation plate 202.

First, the structure of the pointer instrument 1 will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the pointer device 100 includes a meter case 201 behind a dial 202.
A movement 3 which is a pointer driving means which is disposed inside and which rotates a pointer shaft 3a according to an input signal, a discharge tube 2 which is a self-luminous pointer, and a rear end portion of the discharge tube 2 is the pointer shaft 3
It has a pointer boss 7 that intersects with a and is fixed. Power supply terminals 5 and 6 for energizing the discharge tube 2 are attached to the pointer boss 7.

The movement 3 is a known electric type,
When an input signal that changes according to the vehicle speed is input to a built-in coil (not shown), torque is generated on the pointer shaft 3a. This torque and the pointer shaft 3a inside the movement 3
A pair of hair springs 12 and 1 attached to each other in opposition
The pointer shaft 3a is stopped at the equilibrium point with the spring force of 3 (shown in FIG. 1). As a result, the discharge tube 2 is rotated along the scale plate 202 by the pointer shaft 3a, and the speed corresponding to the vehicle speed is displayed. Further, the movement 3 includes a pair of hair springs 41 and 42 for supplying electric power to the discharge tube 2. The hair springs 41, 42 have terminals 43, one end of which is attached to the movement 3,
While being connected to and held by 44, the other end is connected and held by the power supply terminals 5 and 6 mounted on the pointer boss 7 for fixing the discharge tube 2 described later to the pointer shaft 3a. Further, since the spring constants of the hair springs 41 and 42 are set to be smaller than the spring constants of the hair springs 12 and 13, the resistance force to the rotation of the pointer shaft 3a is so small that it can be almost ignored. Furthermore, terminals 43 and 44
Is connected via lead wires 45 and 46 to a printed circuit board 47 that constitutes an electric circuit of the vehicle speedometer 100.
With this configuration, the discharge tube 2 can be energized with almost no hindrance to the rotation of the pointer shaft 3a.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the discharge tube 2 includes an elongated hollow rod-shaped bulb 21 and an internal electrode 22 provided at an end 21a (rear end on the rotation center side) in the bulb 21. The bulb 21 is provided with an outer electrode 23 which is a second electrode adhered to the outer surface of the bulb 21 in a strip shape in the longitudinal direction, and a fluorescent coating 24 is applied to the inner surface of the bulb 21. In addition, an inert gas (eg, xenon, neon, etc.) is enclosed in the valve 21. The outer surface of the bulb 21 is covered with a light shielding film 28. This light-shielding film 28
Has a slit 29 extending in the axial direction of the bulb 21, and this portion serves as a light-transmitting light-emitting surface. Further, the rear end of the slit 29 is provided apart from the internal electrode 22 on the front end side by a distance D. When AC power is supplied between the inner electrode 22 and the outer electrode 23 of the discharge tube 2, both electrodes 22,
Glow discharge is generated between 23 and the fluorescent coating 24 emits high-luminance visible light.

The fixing means 3 for fixing the discharge tube 2 to the pointer shaft 3a includes a pointer boss 7 and a pointer boss cover 8.
And both are made of resin.

The pointer boss 7 is provided with power supply terminals 5 and 6 for energizing the discharge tube 2. When the discharge tube 2 is fixed to the pointer boss 7, the power supply terminal 5 is located outside the discharge tube 2. The power supply terminal 6 press-contacts the electrode 23 with the internal electrode 22 of the discharge tube 2 to supply power to the discharge tube 2. On the other hand, the pointer boss cover 8 is attached to the pointer boss 7 so as to cover the power supply terminals 5 and 6 after fixing the discharge tube 2 to the pointer boss 7, and improves the appearance of the discharge tube 2 which is a self-luminous indicator. .

Next, the operation of the pointer instrument 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above will be described.

First, a method of lighting the discharge tube 2 will be briefly described.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a lighting drive circuit for the discharge tube 2 in the pointer instrument 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

In order to light the discharge tube 2, the discharge tube 2
It is necessary to apply a predetermined voltage and an alternating voltage of a predetermined frequency between the inner electrode 22 and the outer electrode 23 of the. Therefore, the DC voltage of the battery 50 mounted on the vehicle is adjusted to a predetermined DC voltage by the voltage adjusting unit 51, and the DC voltage is converted to an AC voltage of a predetermined voltage and a predetermined frequency by the converter 52 to discharge the discharge tube 2 Is applied between both electrodes 22 and 23.

When a predetermined AC voltage is applied between the inner electrode 22 and the outer electrode 23 of the discharge tube 2, glow discharge is generated between the inner electrode 22 and the outer electrode 23. That is, glow discharge is generated between the entire area of the outer electrode 23 in the axial direction of the discharge tube 2 and the inner electrode 22, whereby the fluorescent coating 24 applied to the inner surface of the bulb 21 is excited and emits light. The emitted light is emitted to the outside through the slit 29 and is visually recognized as a pointer.

By the way, the discharge current value of the discharge tube 2 during glow discharge is always an eigenvalue based on the specifications of the discharge tube 2. Further, since the external electrode 23 of the discharge tube 2 is formed by being attached to the outer surface of the bulb 21 in a strip shape in the longitudinal direction, an arbitrary point in the entire length can be an electrode. Therefore, in the discharge tube 2, when the voltage applied between the electrodes 22 and 23 is changed, the discharge current between the electrodes 22 and 23 is maintained at the above-mentioned specific value so that the discharge current between the electrodes 22 and 23 is maintained. It has a resistance characteristic, in other words, a characteristic that the length of the section where the glow discharge occurs on the external electrode 23 changes. For example, if the applied voltage is lowered from the state where the glow discharge is generated between the entire area of the discharge tube 2 in the axial direction and the inner electrode 22, the section where the glow discharge is generated on the outer electrode 23 is the inner electrode 22. To the side and become shorter,
A portion where glow discharge does not occur appears on the tip side of the external electrode 23. As a result, the light emission length, that is, the pointer length is shortened. Therefore, the light emission length of the discharge tube 2, that is, the pointer length of the pointer meter 1 can be freely changed by changing the voltage applied to the discharge tube 2. The pointer instrument 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a lighting control device 53, and various information S1 to Sn relating to the operating state of the vehicle including ON / OFF information of the ignition switch 54 is provided to the lighting control device 53. The discharge tube 2 receives the electric signal, determines the length of the pointer, that is, the light emission length based on the electric signal, controls the output voltage of the voltage adjusting unit 51, and discharges the discharge tube 2.
It controls the voltage applied to.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing the relationship between the voltage E applied to the discharge tube 2 and the light emission length L.

In order to discharge and emit light from the discharge tube 2, it is necessary to apply a voltage at which the insulation between both electrodes is destroyed and electrons can be ejected, that is, a discharge start voltage Ea, between both electrodes 22 and 23. . Then, once the discharge is started, it has a characteristic that the discharge is continued even if the applied voltage E is lowered below the discharge start voltage Ea.

First, when the applied voltage E to the discharge tube 2 is gradually increased from 0 V, the applied voltage at which the insulation between both electrodes is broken and electrons can be ejected, that is, until the discharge start voltage Ea is reached. No discharge occurs, that is, no light is emitted. When the applied voltage E reaches Ea, the discharge tube 2 starts emitting light, and the light emission length L at that time becomes La.

When the applied voltage E is further increased, the light emission length L of the discharge tube 2 is also increased accordingly. When the applied voltage E eventually reaches Eb, the discharge of the discharge tube 2 at this time extends over almost the entire length of the discharge tube 2, and the light emission length L thereof is L.
b. As a result, the light emission length L is constant at Lb even when the applied voltage E is increased. When the applied voltage E is lowered from this state, the light emission length L is also reduced accordingly. Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the discharge continues even when the applied voltage E becomes equal to or lower than the discharge start voltage Ea, and continues until the applied voltage E becomes zero. That is, the state of change in the light emission length L is different between when the applied voltage E is increased and when it is decreased, that is, it has a hysteresis characteristic.

Here, the rear end of the slit 29 formed in the light shielding film 28 on the outer surface of the discharge tube 2 and the internal electrode 2 are described.
The distance D from 2 is set so that D> La.
As a result, the pointer 3 emits light when the emission length L of the discharge tube 2 exceeds D, so that the emission length P of the pointer 3 can be gradually increased from zero.

Next, in the pointer instrument 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, a specific method of controlling the pointer length by the lighting control device 53, that is, the light emission length of the discharge tube 2 will be described.

(1) When the ignition switch 54 of the automobile is turned on.

FIG. 8A shows both electrodes 22, 2 of the discharge tube 2.
FIG. 8B shows the relationship between the voltage applied to the LED 3, that is, the light emission length L and the time T, and FIG. . The ignition switch 54 is O for T _ON on the horizontal axis.
It indicates the time when N is given.

As shown in FIG. 8, when the ignition switch 54, which is the power switch of the vehicle, is turned on, first, the root portion of the pointer emits light at the light emission length Lc. And
The light emission length L gradually increases and a predetermined time (for example, 2
(Second), the emission length L becomes the maximum Lb. Then, at the same time when the light emission length L of the pointer becomes Lb, the LED 48 is turned on and the scale plate is illuminated and appears.

(2) Vehicle ignition switch 54
When is turned off.

FIG. 9A shows both electrodes 22, 2 of the discharge tube 2.
FIG. 9B shows the relationship between the voltage applied between the three, that is, the light emission length L and the time T, and FIG. 9B shows the relationship between the voltage applied to the LED 48 which is the light source for illuminating the scale and the time. The ignition switch 54 is OFF for T _OFF on the horizontal axis.
The time when it was done is shown.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the ignition switch 54 is turned off, the LED 48 is turned off and the illumination of the dial is turned off. At the same time, the light emission length L of the pointer gradually decreases, and after a predetermined time (for example, 2 seconds), the light emission length L
Is 0, that is, the pointer disappears.

(3) When something abnormal happens to the vehicle.

FIG. 10A shows both electrodes 22 of the discharge tube 2,
The relationship between the voltage applied between 23, that is, the light emission length L and the time T is shown. Tf on the horizontal axis indicates the time of occurrence of abnormality.

When something abnormal occurs during the operation of the vehicle, for example, when the tire air pressure becomes lower than a predetermined value, the information is externally input to the lighting control device 53, and the pointer that has been emitting light for the entire length until then is The full length light emission and the partial light emission in which the root portion emits light at the light emission length Lc are repeated at a predetermined cycle.
This allows the driver to be surely aware of the occurrence of the abnormal situation.

In the pointer instrument 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the pointer is constituted by the discharge tube 2 which is a light emitting body which emits light when energized, and a specific situation, for example, the ignition switch 54 is turned on. The internal electrode 22 of the discharge tube 2,
The voltage applied between the external electrodes 23 is controlled to change the light emission length L of the discharge tube 2, that is, the pointer length.
As a result, it is possible to provide the pointer instrument 1 with a novel appearance that gives a fresh impression to the driver. Further, by periodically changing the length of the pointer when an abnormal situation occurs, the driver can easily visually recognize it and surely recognize the vehicle state without error.

The control form of the light emission length L of the discharge tube 2 and the blinking control form of the LED 48 for graduation plate illumination are limited to the control forms shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 in the embodiment of the present invention described above. It is not a thing, but can be changed as necessary for the effect.

Further, in the pointer instrument 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the discharge tube 2 is used as the luminous body forming the pointer, but it is not limited to the discharge tube and light is emitted according to a signal from the outside. Other light emitters may be used as long as the length changes. For example, a large number of LEDs may be arranged linearly adjacent to each other to form a pointer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a pointer instrument 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a vehicle speedometer 100 to which a pointer instrument 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a view on arrow III in FIG.
It is a partial front view of 00.

4 is an IV arrow view in FIG. 1 and is an external view of the discharge tube 2. FIG.

5 is a view on arrow V in FIG. 4, and is an external view of the discharge tube 2. FIG.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a lighting drive circuit of the discharge tube 2 in the pointer meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a graph showing a relationship between an applied voltage E and a light emission length L in the discharge tube 2 of the pointer meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8A shows the relationship between the light emission length L of the discharge tube 2 and the time T. (B) shows the relationship between the voltage E applied to the LED 48, which is a light source for illuminating the scale, and the time T.

FIG. 9A shows the relationship between the light emission length L of the discharge tube 2 and the time T. (B) shows the relationship between the voltage E applied to the LED 48, which is a light source for illuminating the scale, and the time T.

FIG. 10 shows the relationship between the light emission length L of the discharge tube 2 and the time T.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 pointer instrument 2 Discharge tube (light emitter, self-luminous pointer) 3 movements (pointer drive means) 3a Pointer shaft 5, 6 power supply terminal 7 pointer boss 8 Pointer cover (shade cover) 12, 13 Hair spring 21 valves 21a end 22 Internal electrode (electrode) 23 External electrode (second electrode) 24 Fluorescent film 28 Light-shielding film 29 slits 41, 42 Hair Spring 43,44 Terminal 45,46 Lead wire 47 printed circuit board 48 LED 50 battery 51 Voltage regulator 52 converter 53 Lighting control device 54 ignition switch 100 speedometer 200 meter housing 201 meter case 202 scale plate 203 Facing plate 204 meter glass D distance E voltage Ea discharge start voltage L, La, Lb, Lc Emission length S1-Sn information T time Tf Abnormal occurrence time

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Naoki Yokota             1-1, Showa-cho, Kariya city, Aichi stock market             Inside the company DENSO F-term (reference) 2F041 QA01 QA03                 2F074 AA04 BB10

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A pointer driving means for rotating a pointer shaft according to an input signal, and a pointer mounted on the pointer shaft and rotating integrally with the pointer shaft, wherein the pointer emits light when energized. In a pointer meter which is a self-luminous pointer constituted by a light emitting body, the self-luminous pointer has a luminescent length which changes according to a signal from the outside. 2. An internal electrode, which is one of the electrodes provided at the end portion of the self-luminous pointer on the pointer shaft side, and a second electrode, which is the other electrode provided along the longitudinal direction of the self-luminous pointer. The pointer instrument according to claim 1, further comprising an electrode, wherein a light emission length of the self-luminous pointer is changed by adjusting a voltage applied between the internal electrode and the second electrode. . 3. The pointer instrument according to claim 1, wherein a signal from the outside is changed in a specific situation to change a light emission length of the self-luminous pointer. 4. The power switch is O when the specific situation is
4. The pointer instrument according to claim 3, which is either when the power is turned off, when the power switch is turned off, or when an abnormal situation occurs. 5. The pointer instrument according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the self-luminous pointer near the end on the pointer shaft side is covered with a light-shielding cover.