JP2005037322A - Pointer instrument for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a novel pointer instrument for vehicles by maintaining a smooth rotation in a pointer shaft and miniaturizing a pointer cap. <P>SOLUTION: Movements 5a-5c are electrically connected onto a flexible substrate 4 by soldering and are fixedly positioned in a case 18, thus hardly changing the position relationship between the movements 5a-5c and the case 18 even if the case 18 is deformed by thermal expansion when an environment temperature changes, and hence miniaturizing the case 18, cylindrical sections 18a-18c that are portions for inserting shafts 51a, 51b, 51c in a dial 2, and a through hole 2c as needed and reducing the diameter of shielding caps 8a-8c that are the bases of pointers 7a-7c. Therefore, the smooth rotation in the shafts 51a-51c is maintained and the shielding caps 8a-8c can be simultaneously, inconspicuously miniaturized, thus achieving a novel combination meter 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular pointer instrument that is mounted on a vehicle and rotates a pointer in accordance with a measured amount, and is suitable, for example, for an automobile.

  Conventionally, for example, in a pointer instrument for a vehicle installed in an automobile, a dial provided with a display unit, a case disposed behind the dial, and a circuit board disposed behind the case are provided. In addition, a light source for emitting and displaying the display unit and a light source for emitting and displaying the pointer are mounted, and a movement for driving the pointer is mounted. The pointer shaft of the movement is extended to the front side of the dial through the cylindrical portion of the case and the through hole of the dial, and the pointer is fixed to the tip thereof.

  In the case of a conventional vehicle pointer instrument, the dial and the case are formed from a resin material, and the circuit board is formed from a glass epoxy resin (for example, see Patent Document 1).

Further, in a conventional vehicle pointer instrument, the base portion of the pointer, that is, the portion where the pointer is attached to the pointer shaft is covered with a circular pointer cap. The pointer cap is for preventing light emitted from the light source for illuminating the pointer from passing directly through the cylindrical portion of the case and the through hole of the dial and directly into the driver's eyes. It is formed larger than the through hole of the dial.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-215137

  In a conventional vehicular pointer instrument, the resin material forming the dial and the case has a large coefficient of thermal expansion, while the glass epoxy resin of the circuit board has a small coefficient of thermal expansion. Therefore, when the environmental temperature of the vehicle changes, the dial or the case moves relative to the pointer shaft of the movement, and the pointer shaft contacts the through-hole of the dial or the cylindrical portion of the case. Smooth rotation of the shaft may be hindered.

  In order to solve this problem, the cylindrical portion of the case and the through hole of the dial are enlarged. Thereby, even if the dial or the case moves relative to the pointer shaft due to the environmental temperature change, the pointer shaft does not contact the dial or the case, and the pointer shaft can be smoothly rotated.

  However, when the through hole of the dial is enlarged, the diameter of the above-mentioned pointer cap needs to be increased correspondingly.

  The pointer cap rotates integrally with the pointer and is visually recognized by the driver. However, when the diameter of the pointer cap increases and the ratio of the pointer cap diameter to the length of the pointer increases, the presence of the pointer cap is increased. However, there is a problem that the appearance of the pointer instrument deteriorates.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vehicular pointer instrument with a novel appearance by reducing the size of the pointer cap while maintaining smooth rotation of the pointer shaft. To do.

  The present invention employs the following technical means to achieve the above object.

  A pointer instrument for a vehicle according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a dial provided with a display, a light source for causing the display to emit light, and a case disposed on the back side of the dial for holding and fixing the dial. A movement for driving a pointer, which is arranged on the back side of the case and extends a pointer shaft on the front side of the dial, and a flexible substrate which is arranged on the back side of the case and on the front side of the movement and on which the light source is mounted, The movement is configured to be electrically connected to the flexible substrate by soldering and positioned and fixed to the case.

  In the conventional vehicle pointer instrument, the movement is fixed to the circuit board by soldering, and the circuit board is fixed to the case. That is, the movement is fixed to the case via the circuit board. For this reason, if the case is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes, the positional relationship between the case and the movement may change, and the movement's pointer shaft may contact the case, preventing smooth rotation of the pointer shaft. It was.

  In contrast, in the vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 1 of the present invention, the movement is positioned and fixed directly to the case. In other words, the movement and the case are almost integrated. For this reason, when the case is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes, the positional relationship between the movement and the case hardly changes. As a result, the portion through which the pointer shaft is inserted in the case and the dial, that is, the size of the cylindrical portion and the through hole can be reduced to the minimum necessary, so that the light from the cylindrical portion and the through hole toward the driver's eyes is blocked. Therefore, the diameter of the pointer cap can be reduced. Therefore, a pointer instrument for a vehicle with a novel appearance can be realized by downsizing the pointer cap while maintaining smooth rotation of the pointer shaft.

  By the way, when the movement is positioned and fixed to the case in this way, the circuit board to which the movement is soldered also moves integrally with the movement, and thus a force acts on the fixing portion between the flexible board and the case.

  In the pointer instrument for a vehicle according to claim 1 of the present invention, a flexible substrate is employed as the circuit board. The flexible substrate can be easily deformed as compared with a circuit board made of glass epoxy resin in a conventional vehicle pointer instrument. Therefore, when the case is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes, the force acting on the fixing portion between the flexible substrate and the case can be relaxed by the deformation of the flexible substrate, and the flexible substrate can be prevented from being damaged.

  A pointer instrument for a vehicle according to claim 2 of the present invention includes at least one of a display, a sounding body, and an operating means operated by a driver, a connector for connecting to the display, an operating means, and a sounding body. Are electrically connected to the flexible substrate by soldering, and the display, the operating means and the sounding body are positioned and fixed to the case.

  In the vehicle pointer instrument, the display unit, the sounding body, and the operating means operated by the driver are arranged on the dial. Therefore, if the display, sounding body and operating means are positioned and fixed to the case, the positional relationship between the display, sounding body and operating means and the case, that is, the dial, even if the case is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes. Therefore, it is possible to improve the appearance of the pointer instrument for the vehicle by reducing the gap between the dial, the display, the sounding body, and the operating means to the minimum necessary level.

  Also in this case, by adopting a flexible board as the circuit board, when the case is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes, the flexible board deforms the force acting on the fixing portion between the flexible board and the case. It is possible to relax and prevent the flexible substrate from being damaged.

  In this case, if at least one of a switch, a variable resistor, and a pulse generator is used as the operation means as in the vehicle pointer instrument according to claim 3 of the present invention, the driver can use these operation means. By operating, it is possible to easily switch the display contents of the display on the dial, or to adjust the brightness of the light source for dial illumination.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the vehicle pointer instrument is mounted with a mounting portion on which the movement is mounted, a mounting portion on which the connector is mounted, a mounting portion on which the sounding body is mounted, and operation means on the flexible substrate. A gap is formed between the mounting part and the other general part, and a connecting part that connects the mounting part and the general part is formed by the gap, and the shape of the connecting part is displaced between the mounting part and the general part. The configuration is set so that it can be easily deformed.

  As a result, when the case is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes, and the movement, the display, the sounding body, and the operating means move, the mounting parts of the flexible board to which they are soldered move integrally. . On the other hand, since the flexible substrate is fixed to the case, relative displacement occurs between each mounting portion and the general portion in the flexible substrate. Here, the connecting portion of the flexible board is easily deformed because it has a lower rigidity than the general part. Therefore, the force acting on the fixing part of the flexible board and the case due to relative displacement between each mounting part and the general part. Is greatly reduced. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the flexible substrate from being damaged.

  Hereinafter, an example in which a vehicular pointer instrument according to the present invention is applied to an automobile combination meter will be described with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination meter 1 which is a pointer instrument for a vehicle according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. The upper side in FIG. 2 is the driver's seat side, and the combination meter 1 is visually recognized from the upper side of FIG. 2 by the driver.

  FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a front view of the flexible substrate 4 of the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram illustrating an electric circuit of the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  The combination meter 1 is disposed at a position visible from the driver in front of the driver's seat of the automobile, and displays various information related to the automobile.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the combination meter 1 mainly includes a speedometer A, a tachometer B, and a fuel gauge C, a fog lamp indicator 23, a voltage indicator 24, and an oil pressure indicator 25 that are display units. It is formed on the dial 2.

  The dial 2 is made of a thin plate such as a transparent polycarbonate resin.

  The dial 2 is formed with scales, characters, various indicators, and the like, which are display units. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, a scale 21a and characters 22a constituting a speedometer A for displaying the traveling speed of the automobile, and a scale 21b constituting a tachometer B for displaying the engine speed of the automobile. And the character 22b, the scale 21c and the character 22c constituting the fuel gauge C for displaying the remaining fuel amount of the automobile, the fog lamp indicator 23 for informing that the fog lamp of the automobile is lit, the battery 48 of the automobile A voltage indicator 24 for warning that the voltage has fallen below a specified value and an oil pressure indicator 25 for warning that the amount of lubricating oil of the vehicle has fallen below the specified value are formed. Scales 21a, 21b, 21c, characters 22a, 22b, 22c, and indicators 23, 24, 25 are on the front surface 2a (upper surface in FIG. 2) or rear surface 2b (lower surface in FIG. 2) of dial 2. It is formed by printing or hot stamping. That is, the scales 21a, 21b, 21c, the characters 22a, 22b, 22c, and the indicator 23, 24, 25 are provided with a colored layer having an opaqueness, and the scales 21a, 21b, 21c, the characters 22a, 22b. 22c, each indicator 23, 24, 25 is kept transparent, or a process such as providing a translucent colored layer is applied.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a through hole 2 c is provided in a substantially central portion of the dial 2. These through holes 2c connect the shafts 51a, 51b, 51c, which are the pointer shafts of the movements 5a, 5b, 5c disposed on the back side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the dial 2 to the front side of the dial 2 (FIG. 2). In order to extend upward).

  On the back side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the dial 2, light emitted from light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, which will be described later, is guided to illuminate the scales 21a, 21b, 21c and the characters 22a, 22b, 22c. A light guide plate 3 is disposed in close contact with the dial 2. The light guide plate 3 is made of, for example, a transparent polycarbonate resin.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the through-hole 3c is provided in the approximate center part of the light-guide plate 3. As shown in FIG. These through-holes 3c connect the shafts 51a, 51b, 51c, which are the pointer shafts of the movements 5a, 5b, 5c disposed on the back side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the dial 2 to the front side of the dial 2 (FIG. 2). And is formed so as to overlap the through hole 2c of the dial 2 in the assembled state of the combination meter 1 with the same shape as the through hole 2c of the dial 2.

  A case 18 is disposed on the back side of the dial 2.

  The case 18 is made, for example, by molding a resin material, forms the skeleton of the combination meter 1, and holds and fixes the dial 2 and the light guide plate 3. That is, the dial 2 and the light guide plate 3 are held and fixed to the cylindrical portions 18a, 18b, and 18c formed in the case 18 via the bush 33 as shown in FIG.

  Each cylindrical portion 18 a, 18 b, 18 c has an inner diameter that is substantially equal to the diameter of the through hole 2 c of the dial 2 and the diameter of the through hole 3 c of the light guide plate 3.

  The bush 33 is formed, for example, in a substantially cylindrical shape from a resin material or the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the flange provided on one end of the bush 33 abuts on the surface 2a of the dial 2 and is provided on the other end. The dial 2 and the light guide plate are held and fixed to the case 18 by the locking claws locking to the cylindrical portion of the case 18. The outer diameter of the cylindrical portion of the bush 3 is formed to be equal to the diameter of the through hole 2c and the diameter of the through hole 3c.

  A flexible substrate 4 is disposed on the back side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the dial 2. The flexible substrate 4 is a flexible electrical insulating material, for example, a sheet-like resin formed by pasting a copper foil or the like as an electrical conductor to form a predetermined wiring pattern. An electric circuit part is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 2, light-emitting diodes 61 a, 61 b, 61 c, 63, 64, and 65 are mounted on the flexible substrate 4 as light sources for causing the display unit to emit light. That is, the scale 21a and the characters 22a are illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 61a, the scale 21b and the characters 22b are illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 61b, and the scale 21c and the characters 22c are transmitted and illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 61c. Is done. Further, the fog lamp indicator 23 is illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 63, the voltage indicator 24 is illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 64, and the oil pressure indicator 25 is illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 65.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, white light emitting diodes are used for the light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c. The light emitting diode 63 is a green light emitting diode, and the light emitting diodes 64 and 65 are red light emitting diodes. Accordingly, the scales 21a, 21b, 21c, the characters 22a, 22b, 22c are lit and displayed in white, the fog lamp indicator 23 is lit and displayed in green, and the voltage indicator 24 and the oil pressure indicator 25 are lit and displayed in red.

  In addition, on the flexible substrate 4, three movements 5a, 5b, and 5c for rotating the pointers in the three pointer meters of the speedometer A, the tachometer B, and the fuel meter C are mounted. That is, the terminal pins 52a, 52b, 52c of the movements 5a, 5b, 5c are attached to the flexible substrate 4 arranged on the front side of the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, that is, on the dial 2 side, as shown in FIG. It is inserted and soldered to a wiring pattern (not shown) on the surface 2 a side of the flexible substrate 4.

  Movements 5a, 5b, and 5c are composed of cross coil actuators, stepping motors, or the like, and receive external electric signals (in the first embodiment of the present invention, vehicle speed signals, engine rotation signals, and liquid level signals, respectively). The shafts 51a, 51b, 51c, which are pointer shafts, are rotated by a corresponding angle. The shafts 51a, 51b, 51c of the movements 5a, 5b, 5c extend outward through the through hole 2c of the dial plate 2 and the through hole 3c of the light guide plate 3, and the pointers 7a, 7b, 7c are fixed to the tips thereof. Has been.

  The pointers 7a, 7b, and 7c are formed of a light-transmitting material, for example, a transparent acrylic resin, and are lit and displayed when light emitted from the light-emitting diodes 62a, 62b, and 62c mounted on the flexible substrate 4 enters.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, each pointer 7a, 7b, 7c has a light shielding cap 8a, 8b for preventing light from each light emitting diode 62a, 62b, 62c from directly entering the eyes of the driver. 8c is attached.

  Moreover, each light emitting diode 62a, 62b, 62c is mounted inside each cylindrical part 18a, 18b, 18c of the case 18 on the flexible substrate 4, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the light from each light emitting diode 62a, 62b, 62c enters each pointer 7a, 7b, 7c through each through hole 2c. Furthermore, the cylindrical portions 18a, 18b, and 18c prevent the light from the light emitting diodes 62a, 62b, and 62c from irradiating portions other than the pointers 7a, 7b, and 7c of the dial 2, and the combination meter. The appearance of 1 is improved.

  The flexible substrate 4 is held and fixed in parallel with the dial 2 by a case 18. That is, in the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the dial 2 and the flexible substrate 4 are arranged in parallel. As a result, the light emitted from the light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c and the light emitting diodes 62a, 62b, 62c can be incident on the dial 2 with the angle of incidence on the dial 2 being approximately 0 degrees, that is, substantially vertically. Therefore, the utilization efficiency of the light emitted from each light emitting diode can be increased.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the movements 5a, 5b, and 5c are positioned and fixed to the case 18 disposed on the front surface side of the flexible substrate 4 via the locking claws 53a, 53b, and 53c. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the locking claws 53a, 53b, 53c of the movements 5a, 5b, 5c are inserted into the through holes 18d of the case 18 and locked to be fixed. Thereby, each movement 5a, 5b, 5c can maintain the positional relationship with the case 18 with high accuracy. In other words, each movement 5a, 5b, 5c can maintain the positional relationship with the dial 2 with high accuracy.

  Here, the movements 5 a, 5 b, 5 c are held and fixed by the case 18 so that the shafts 51 a, 51 b, 51 c are orthogonal to the dial 2. As a result, the rotation surface, which is the rotation range of each pointer 7a, 7b, 7c, is parallel to the dial 2, in other words, the gap between each pointer 7a, 7b, 7c and the dial 2 is changed to each pointer 7a, The appearance of the combination meter 1 can be improved by always keeping it constant regardless of the rotation angles of 7b and 7c.

  In addition, a connector 15b is mounted on the flexible substrate 4 as shown in FIG. The connector 15b is fitted with a connector 15a formed integrally with the liquid crystal panel 15 which is a display for displaying characters and figures on the screen so as to electrically connect the liquid crystal panel 15 and the flexible substrate 4. belongs to. As shown in FIG. 1, the liquid crystal panel 15 is disposed in the dial 2, and in the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the travel distance of the automobile is displayed by numbers. That is, on the liquid crystal panel 15, an odometer that is an integrated distance meter (displays the total travel distance of the vehicle) and a trip meter that is a section distance meter (displays a travel distance from when the driver performs a predetermined operation). ) As a function. Further, the liquid crystal panel 15 is held and fixed to a case 18 described later, and the dial 2 is provided with an opening 2d so that the driver can visually recognize the liquid crystal panel 15 as shown in FIG. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a buzzer 16 that is a sound generator is mounted on the flexible substrate 4. The buzzer 16 is positioned and held in a case 18 described later.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, the flexible printed circuit board 4 is provided with a changeover switch 17 which is an operation means operated by the driver. The changeover switch 17 is operated by the driver to switch the display content of the liquid crystal panel 15 described above, that is, to switch between the odometer and the trip meter, and to reset the trip meter display, that is, to set the trip meter display value to 0 km. It is for. The changeover switch 17 includes a push rod 171 for the driver to operate, and the tip of the push rod 171 extends to the outside of the combination meter 1 as shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the changeover switch 17 is fixed to the case 18 disposed on the front side of the flexible substrate 4 by inserting and locking the locking claw 172 into the through hole 18 e of the case 18. Yes. Thereby, the changeover switch 17 can maintain the positional relationship with the case 18 with high accuracy. In other words, the changeover switch 17 can maintain the positional relationship with the dial 2 with high accuracy.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the switch 17 is switched in the axial direction of the push rod 172 to switch between the odometer and the trip meter. Further, when the push rod 172 is rotated clockwise while the trip meter is displayed, the display of the trip meter can be reset, that is, the displayed value of the trip meter can be set to 0 km.

  In addition, a first connector 11 is mounted on the flexible substrate 4 to electrically connect the flexible substrate 4 to the printed circuit board 9 by fitting with a second connector 12 of the printed circuit board 9 described later. The first connector 11 is mounted on a connection portion 4 a formed by extending a part of the flexible substrate 4. That is, the connection part 4a plays the role of a lead wire. In addition, in the combination meter 1 by 1st Embodiment of this invention, although the connection part 4a is integrally formed with the flexible substrate 4, it may replace with the connection part 4a and may use a required number of lead wires.

  By the way, various electrical components mounted on the flexible substrate 4, that is, light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, light emitting diodes 62a, 62b, 62c, light emitting diodes 63, 64, 65, movements 5a, 5b, 5c, connectors 15b, When the design of the dial 2 is changed by changing the model or model of the automobile on which the combination meter 1 is mounted, the buzzer 16 and the changeover switch 17 change the mounting position on the flexible substrate 4 in conjunction with the change. Is. In other words, in the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the electrical components whose arrangement is changed in conjunction with the change in the design of the dial 2 are intensively mounted on the flexible substrate 4.

  Here, the shape of the flexible substrate 4 will be described with reference to FIG.

  4 shows various electrical components, that is, light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, light emitting diodes 62a, 62b, 62c, light emitting diodes 63, 64, 65, movements 5a, 5b, 5c, connector 15b, buzzer 16 and switching. A state in which the switch 17 is mounted is shown, and a wiring pattern formed on the flexible substrate 4 is omitted. Further, the connection portion 4a is bent in a U-shape as shown in FIG. 2 when the combination meter 1 is completed, but in FIG. 4, the connection portion 4a is shown extended in the same plane as the flexible substrate 4. .

  On the flexible substrate 4, the movements 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, the buzzer 16, the changeover switch 17, and the connector 15 b connected to the liquid crystal panel 15 positioned and fixed to the case 18 are mounted. As shown in FIG. 4, a slit 4d, which is a gap, is formed between the mounting portion 4b and the general portion 4c other than the mounting portion. By these slits 4d, each mounting portion 4b is separated from the general portion 4c, and a connecting portion 4e that connects each mounting portion 4b and the general portion 4c is formed.

  If the case 18 is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature of the combination meter 1 changes, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 that are positioned and fixed to the case 18 are integrated with the case 18. Move on. At this time, as shown in FIG. 2, the flexible substrate 4 is sandwiched and fixed between the case 18 and the back cover 19 at the outer peripheral portion of the case 18, so that it is connected to the movements 5 a, 5 b, 5 c and the liquid crystal panel 15. Each mounting portion 4b on which the connector 15b, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 are mounted is displaced with respect to the general portion 4c.

  Here, when the flexible substrate 4 does not have the slit 4d, when each mounting portion 4b is displaced with respect to the general portion 4c, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the connector 15b connected to the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 are provided. There is a possibility that a force acts on the soldered portion between the flexible substrate 4 and the flexible substrate 4 to damage the soldered portion and the wiring pattern of the flexible substrate 4, resulting in poor electrical connection.

  On the other hand, in the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the flexible substrate 4 is provided with the slits 4d to form the connecting portions 4e that connect the mounting portions 4b and the general portions 4c. These connecting portions 4e are less rigid than the general portion 4c.

  Therefore, when each mounting portion 4b is displaced with respect to the general portion 4c, the connecting portion 4e is easily deformed, whereby the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the connector 15b connected to the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 are obtained. The force acting on the soldering portion between the flexible substrate 4 and the flexible substrate 4 can be relaxed by the deformation of the connecting portion 4e, and the flexible substrate 4 can be prevented from being damaged.

  On the back side of the flexible substrate 4 (downward in FIG. 2), as shown in FIG. 2, a printed circuit board 9 that constitutes the electric circuit of the combination meter 1 is disposed together with the flexible substrate 4 described above. The printed circuit board 9 is formed of, for example, a glass epoxy board or the like, and is held and fixed to the case 18.

  The printed circuit board 9 includes various electrical components mounted on the flexible substrate 4, that is, movements 5a, 5b, 5c, light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 62a, 62b, 62c, 63, 64, 65, a liquid crystal panel 15, A controller 10 that is a control circuit for driving the buzzer 16 is mounted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a second connector 12 is mounted on the printed board 9 so as to be electrically connected to the printed board 9 and the flexible board 4 by fitting with the first connector 11 of the flexible board 4. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the second connector 12 has a recess 13 that opens to the first connector 11 side. When removing the fitted first connector 11 and second connector 12, by inserting a tool, for example, a screwdriver, into the recess 13 and turning it, the soldered portion between the flexible substrate 4 and the first connector 11, and The first connectors 11 and 12 can be removed without damaging the soldered portion between the printed circuit board 9 and the second connector 12.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a connector 14 for electrically connecting the combination meter 1 to the outside is mounted on the printed circuit board 9. That is, power is supplied from the battery 48 to the combination meter 1 through the connector 14 and various electric signals necessary for the display operation of the combination meter 1 are input.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the printed circuit board 9 is arranged between the movements 5a and 5c at a position that does not overlap with both the movements 5a and 5b in the axial direction (vertical direction in FIG. 2) of the movements 5a and 5c. Has been.

  The controller 10 is composed of, for example, a hybrid IC including a microcomputer, and controls the operation of various devices mounted on the flexible substrate 4 based on various electric signals input from the outside of the combination meter 1. That is, the light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, the light emitting diodes 62a, 62b, 62c, the light emitting diodes 63, 64, 65 are controlled to be turned on / off, and the movements 5a, 5b, 5c are driven to drive the shafts 51a, 51b and 51c are rotated by a predetermined angle. Furthermore, the controller 10 drives the buzzer 16 as necessary, that is, generates a sound.

  Here, the controller 10 mounted on the printed circuit board 9 includes a high-speed switching circuit for driving the movements 5a, 5b, and 5c. Therefore, the electronic circuit generates other electric noise and is mounted on an automobile. This may affect the operation of a radio receiver, for example. Therefore, in order to prevent electrical noise emission from the controller 10, various electronic elements are mounted around the controller 10 of the printed circuit board 9 to form an electrical noise cutoff circuit.

  By the way, the arrangement of the controller 10 and its electric noise countermeasure device on the printed circuit board 9 is hardly changed even when the movement, the light emitting diode, or the like on the flexible board 4 is changed by a model change of the automobile or the like. In other words, the printed circuit board 9 is mounted with an electrical element that is hardly affected by a change in the design of the dial due to a car model change or the like.

  As described above, the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention depends on the electrical elements whose arrangement on the board is changed due to the change in the design of the dial due to the model change of the automobile and the change in the design of the dial. However, the electrical components that do not change the configuration on the board and easily generate electrical noise are separated and mounted on the flexible board 4 and the printed board 9, respectively.

  Thereby, in the printed circuit board 9, it is possible to easily and surely implement countermeasures against electric noise radiation from the controller 10, and even if the movement, light emitting diode, etc. on the flexible circuit board 4 are changed due to a car model change or the like. The change of 9 becomes almost unnecessary, and the design man-hour of the combination meter 1 corresponding to the model change or the like can be greatly reduced.

  A back cover 19 is attached to the back side (lower side in FIG. 2) of the case 18 so as to cover the flexible substrate 4, the movements 5 a, 5 b, 5 c, and the printed board 9.

  The back cover 19 is made of, for example, a resin material, and prevents dust and the like from entering the combination meter.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the back cover 19 is provided with an opening 19 a, and external electrical wiring (not shown) is connected to the connector 14 through this opening.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a transparent cover 31 is attached to the surface of the dial 2 via a substantially frame-shaped facing plate 30. The transparent cover 31 is formed of a transparent resin thin plate, glass, or the like, and prevents dust and the like from entering the inside of the combination meter 1.

  Next, the electric circuit configuration of the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above will be described.

  As shown in the electric circuit configuration diagram of FIG. 5, power is constantly supplied from the battery 48 to the controller 10. Further, an ignition switch 47 is connected to the controller 10 so as to detect its operating state (ON or OFF). In addition, a speed sensor 41, a rotation sensor 42, a fuel level sensor 43, a fog lamp switch 44, a voltage sensor 45, and a lubricant pressure sensor 46 are connected to the controller 10 so that detection signals can be input. The electrical connection with the outside of the combination meter 1 is made through a connector 14 mounted on the printed circuit board 9.

  The controller 10 includes movements 5a, 5b, and 5c, light-emitting diodes 61a, 61b, and 61c, light-emitting diodes 62a, 62b, and 62c, light-emitting diodes 63, 64, and 65, a buzzer 16, and a buzzer 16 mounted on the flexible substrate 4. A changeover switch 17 is connected. The electrical connection between the flexible board 4 and the printed board 9 is performed by fitting the first connectors 11 and 12 together.

  Next, the operation of the combination meter 1 configured as described above according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  When the ignition switch 47 is turned on by the driver and the vehicle is in an operating state, the controller 10 detects that the ignition switch 47 is turned on, and the light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, the light emitting diodes 62a, 62b, 62c, Lights up. As a result, on the dial 2, the scales 21a, 21b, 21c and the characters 22a, 22b, 22c are displayed by light emission, and at the same time, the hands 7a, 7b, 7c are displayed by light emission.

  Further, the controller 10 drives the movements 5a, 5b, 5c based on detection signals from the speed sensor 41, the rotation sensor 42, and the fuel level sensor 43, and shafts 51a, 51b, 51c by angles corresponding to the detection signals. Thus, the hands 7a, 7b, and 7c indicate the running speed, the engine speed, and the remaining fuel amount, respectively.

  Further, the controller 10 drives the liquid crystal panel 15 and displays either the total traveling distance or the section traveling distance of the vehicle based on the selection signal of the changeover switch 17.

  When the driver operates the fog lamp switch 44 to turn on a fog lamp (not shown), the controller 10 detects this and turns on the light emitting diode 63. As a result, the fog lamp indicator 23 is lit and displayed in green on the dial 2.

  During operation of the automobile, when the battery 48 voltage drops below a specified value due to some cause, the controller 10 detects this by the voltage sensor 45 and turns on the light emitting diode 64. As a result, the voltage indicator 24 is lit and displayed in red on the dial 2. At the same time, the controller 10 drives the buzzer 16 for a predetermined time to sound a warning sound.

  When the lubricating oil pressure of the engine becomes lower than a specified value for some reason during the operation of the automobile, the controller 10 detects this by the lubricating oil pressure sensor 46 and turns on the light emitting diode 65. As a result, the oil pressure indicator 25 is lit and displayed in red on the dial 2. At the same time, the controller 10 drives the buzzer 16 for a predetermined time to sound a warning sound.

  Next, a method for assembling the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be briefly described.

  Heretofore, the flexible substrate 4 has the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the light emitting diodes 61a, 61b, 61c, 62a, 62b, 62c, 63, 64, 65, the connector 15b, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17. And the mounting of the first connector 11 is completed. Further, the mounting of the controller 10 and the like is completed on the printed circuit board 9.

  First, the flexible board 4 and the printed board 9 are connected by connecting the first connector 11 and the second connector 12.

  Next, the flexible substrate 4 is mounted from above at a predetermined position in the back case 19 placed almost horizontally.

  Next, the case 18 is fixed to the back cover 19 from above the flexible substrate 4. At this time, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the buzzer 16 and the changeover switch 17 are locked to the case 18 to be positioned and fixed. Further, the connector 15 a provided on the liquid crystal panel 15 that is fixed to the case 18 in advance is connected to the connector 15 b on the flexible substrate 4.

  Next, the dial 2 and the light guide plate 3 are overlapped and fixed to the case 18 via the bush 33.

  Next, hands 7a, 7b, and 7c, to which light-shielding caps 8a, 8b, and 8c are attached in advance, are fixed to the shafts 51a, 51b, and 51c of the movements 5a, 5b, and 5c protruding from the dial 2, respectively.

  Next, the facing plate 30 and the transparent cover 31 are fixed to the case 18.

  Thus, the assembly of the combination meter 1 is completed.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention described above, the movements 5a, 5b, and 5c are electrically connected to the flexible substrate 4 by soldering and are positioned and fixed to the case 18. did.

  According to this configuration, when the case 18 and the dial 2 are deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature changes, the positional relationship between the movements 5a, 5b, and 5c and the case 18 hardly changes.

  As a result, the sizes of the cylindrical portions 18a, 18b, 18c and the through holes 2c, which are portions through which the shafts 51a, 51b, 51c in the case 18 and the dial 2 are inserted, can be reduced to the minimum necessary. , 7b, 7c, the diameter of the light shielding caps 8a, 8b, 8c can be reduced. Accordingly, the shading caps 8a, 8b, and 8c can be reduced in size and made inconspicuous while maintaining the smooth rotation of the shafts 51a, 51b, and 51c, so that a novel appearance combination meter 1 can be realized.

  Further, in the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the flexible substrate 4 that is flexible and easily deformed is used as the circuit substrate to which the movements 5a, 5b, and 5c are soldered. When the case is deformed due to thermal expansion at the time of change, the force acting on the fixing portion between the flexible substrate 4 and the case 18 can be relaxed by the deformation of the flexible substrate 4, and the flexible substrate 4 can be prevented from being damaged.

  Further, in the combination meter 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the movement 5a, 5b, 5c, the connector 15b, the buzzer 16 and the changeover switch 17 on the flexible substrate 4, that is, the component and the case that are positioned and fixed to the case 18 A slit 4d is provided between a mounting part 4b, which is a part on which a part fitted and connected to a part positioned and fixed to 18 is mounted, and a general part 4c other than the mounting part 4b. Reference numeral 4b denotes a configuration in which a connecting portion 4e is formed which is separated from the general portion 4c and connects each mounting portion 4b and the general portion 4c.

  In this case, when the case 18 is deformed due to thermal expansion when the environmental temperature of the combination meter 1 changes, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 that are positioned and fixed to the case 18 are 18 and move together. When each mounting portion 4b is displaced with respect to the general portion 4c, the connecting portion 4e is easily deformed. Therefore, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the connector 15b connected to the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, the changeover switch 17, and the flexible substrate 4 are used. It is possible to relax the force acting on the soldering portion and to prevent the flexible substrate 4 from being damaged.

  Accordingly, the shading caps 8a, 8b and 8c are reduced in size and inconspicuous while maintaining the smooth rotation of the shafts 51a, 51b and 51c and the high positional accuracy of the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16 and the changeover switch 17 and the dial. Therefore, the combination meter 1 with a novel appearance can be realized.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a combination meter 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the combination meter 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the dial 2 is formed in a curved surface as shown in FIG.

  In this case as well, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 are positioned and fixed to the case 18, and the shape of the flexible substrate 4 is set in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The same effect as in the case of the first embodiment can be obtained, that is, the shaft 51a, 51b, 51c can be smoothly rotated and the high positional accuracy of the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, the changeover switch 17 and the dial can be maintained. On the other hand, since the light shielding caps 8a, 8b, and 8c can be reduced in size and made inconspicuous, a novel appearance combination meter 1 can be realized.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a combination meter 1 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of the combination meter 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, the dial 2 is formed in a folded surface. On the other hand, the flexible substrate 4 is arranged in a parallel relationship with the dial 2, that is, in the same folded surface shape as the dial 2.

  In this case as well, the movements 5a, 5b, 5c, the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, and the changeover switch 17 are positioned and fixed to the case 18, and the shape of the flexible substrate 4 is set in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The same effect as in the case of the first embodiment can be obtained, that is, the shaft 51a, 51b, 51c can be smoothly rotated and the high positional accuracy of the liquid crystal panel 15, the buzzer 16, the changeover switch 17 and the dial can be maintained. On the other hand, since the light shielding caps 8a, 8b, and 8c can be reduced in size and made inconspicuous, a novel appearance combination meter 1 can be realized.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a combination meter 1 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the combination meter 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 8, the back cover 19 is provided with an opening 19a having a size through which the printed circuit board 9 can pass, and a cover 32 is provided. The opening 19a is covered.

  Thereby, the printed circuit board 9 can be easily detached from the combination meter 1 while the combination meter 1 is mounted on the automobile.

  In addition, in the combination meter 1 by 1st-4th embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the three movements 5a, 5b, and 5c are provided, it is not necessary to limit the number of movement to three, There may be one, two, or four or more.

  Moreover, in the combination meter 1 by 1st-4th embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the changeover switch 17 for odometer / trip meter switching is provided as an operation means, it is necessary to restrict only to the changeover switch 17. Instead, other operating means, for example, a variable resistor for adjusting the light emission illuminance of the dial 2, a pulse generator for adjusting the light emission illuminance of the dial 2, a so-called rotary encoder, may be substituted or added.

  Moreover, in the combination meter 1 by the 1st-4th embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the fog lamp indicator 23, the voltage indicator 24, and the oil pressure indicator 25 are provided as a display part provided in the dial 2, At least one of these may be replaced with another display unit, or another display unit may be added. Examples of other display units include a direction indicator indicator, a brake fluid level indicator, and an airbag abnormality indicator.

  Moreover, in the combination meter 1 by 1st-4th embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the liquid crystal panel 15 is used as an odometer / trip meter, it is not necessary to restrict to an odometer / trip meter, others May be displayed. For example, the vehicle interior temperature / vehicle exterior temperature, various warnings, and the like may be displayed.

It is a front view of the combination meter 1 by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the combination meter 1 by 1st Embodiment of this invention, and is the II-II sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the combination meter 1 by 1st Embodiment of this invention, and is the III-III sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a front view of the flexible substrate 4 of the combination meter 1 by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram explaining the electric circuit of the combination meter 1 by 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the combination meter 1 by 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the combination meter 1 by 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the combination meter 1 by 4th Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Combination meter (vehicle pointer instrument)
2 Dial 2a Front surface 2b Back surface 2c Through-hole 2d Opening 21a, 21b, 21c Scale (display part)
22a, 22b, 22c Character (display part)
23 Fog light indicator (display)
24 Voltage indicator (display)
25 Oil pressure indicator (display)
3 Light guide plate 3c Through hole 4 Flexible substrate 4a Connection portion 4b Mounting portion 4c General portion 4d Slit (gap)
4e Connecting part 5a, 5b, 5c Movement 51a, 51b, 51c Shaft (pointer shaft)
52a, 52b, 52c Terminal pin 53a, 53b, 53c Locking claw 61a, 61b, 61c Light emitting diode (light source)
62a, 62b, 62c Light emitting diode (light source)
63, 64, 65 Light emitting diode (light source)
7a, 7b, 7c Pointer 8a, 8b, 8c Light-shielding cap 9 Printed circuit board 10 Controller 11 First connector 12 Second connector 13 Recess 14 Connector 15 Liquid crystal panel (display)
15a connector 15b connector 16 buzzer (sounding body)
17 Changeover switch (operation means, switch)
171 Locking claw 172 Push rod 18 Case 18a Tubular portion 18b Tubular portion 18c Tubular portion 18d Through hole 18e Through hole 19 Back cover 19a Opening portion 30 Counterplate 31 Transparent cover 32 Cover 33 Bush 41 Speed sensor 42 Rotation sensor 43 Fuel level sensor 44 Fog lamp switch 45 Voltage sensor 46 Lubricating oil pressure sensor 47 Ignition switch 48 Battery A Speedometer (Vehicle pointer instrument)
B Tachometer (Vehicle pointer instrument)
C Fuel gauge (Vehicle pointer instrument)

Claims (4)

A dial with a display,
A light source for emitting and displaying the display unit;
A case arranged on the back side of the dial to hold and fix the dial;
A movement for driving a pointer which is arranged on the back side of the case and extends a pointer shaft on the front side of the dial;
A flexible substrate disposed on the back side of the case and on the front side of the movement and on which the light source is mounted,
The movement indicator is electrically connected to the flexible substrate by soldering and is positioned and fixed to the case. Comprising at least one of a display, a sounding body and an operating means operated by a driver;
The connector for connecting to the display, the operation means and the sounding body are electrically connected to the flexible substrate by soldering,
The pointer instrument for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the indicator, the operation means, and the sounding body are positioned and fixed to the case.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 2, wherein the operation means is at least one of a switch, a variable resistor, and a pulse generator. In the flexible substrate,
A gap is formed between a mounting portion on which the movement is mounted, a mounting portion on which the connector is mounted, a mounting portion on which the sounding body is mounted, and a mounting portion on which the operation means is mounted and other general portions. And
A connecting portion that connects the mounting portion and the general portion is formed by the gap,
The shape of the connecting portion is set so as to be easily deformable when a displacement occurs between the mounting portion and the general portion. The vehicle pointer instrument as described.

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