JP2005061924A - Pointer instrument for car - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointer instrument for cars in which the constitution of a photoconductor is devised to enhance a three-dimensional effect and present a new appearance. <P>SOLUTION: A scale 4 is formed inside a scale ring 3 by assembling a plurality of reflecting spots 41 which reflect light emitted from light emitting diode 5 in such a way that a driver can visually recognize it and is formed in such a way that the scale 4 may not intersect with the external surface of the scale ring 3 or, in other words, may be suspended in the scale ring 3. The scale 4 thereby appears completely floating from the surface of a dial 2. In other words, it is possible to visually recognize the scale 4 as if it were drifting in the air above the dial 2. Therefore it is possible to implement a combination meter 1 having both an enhanced three-dimensional effect and a new appearance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a pointer instrument for a vehicle, and is suitable for use in, for example, an automobile.

  2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, various methods have been adopted in order to ensure a beautiful and novel visibility in a vehicular pointer instrument installed in an automobile.

  For example, in the invention previously filed by the applicant of the present invention, a light guide made of a translucent material and a light source arranged so that light can be incident on the light guide are provided, and a light source is provided on the back surface of the light guide. A light reflection part is provided so that the driver can visually recognize the light, and the light guide is formed in a substantially circular or annular shape, and is arranged on the dial surface substantially coaxially with the pointer shaft. The reflection part is a scale of the instrument. Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In this case, the reflection part is formed as an inclined surface of a recess formed on the back side (opposite to the driver) of the light guide, for example.

That is, the reflecting portion is formed so that one side of the reflecting portion protrudes from the dial to the driver side while being in contact with the dial, so that the reflecting portion appears to protrude from the dial. Therefore, the appearance of the pointer instrument for the vehicle can be enhanced with a three-dimensional effect.
Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-248898

  However, in the above-described vehicular pointer instrument, the reflection part as a scale appears to protrude from the dial, but a part thereof is in contact with the dial.

  For this reason, the reflective part is visually recognized as if a part of the dial is raised, and the stereoscopic effect cannot be remarkably emphasized, in other words, it tends to be somewhat flat but looks three-dimensional. There is.

  Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular pointer instrument having a novel appearance with a more three-dimensional effect and a contrivance for the structure of the light guide to deal with such a situation.

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

  A pointer instrument for a vehicle according to a first aspect of the present invention includes a dial, a rotary inner unit that is disposed on the back side of the dial and extends a pointer shaft through the dial, and a dial on the surface. A guide instrument for a vehicle having a pointer supported at the tip of a pointer shaft so as to rotate along a light guide made of a translucent material provided on a dial, and light is incident on the light guide In the vehicle pointer instrument equipped with a light source that, in the interior of the light guide, a reflective design portion is formed that is a collection of a plurality of reflective portions that reflect the light emitted from the light source so that the driver can see, The reflective design portion was formed so as not to intersect the outer surface of the light guide.

  Thereby, since the reflective design part is visually recognized as a state of being lifted completely away from the dial surface, it is possible to provide a vehicular pointer instrument that enhances the three-dimensional effect and has a novel appearance.

  In this case, as in the vehicle pointer instrument according to claim 2 of the present invention, if the reflective design portion is formed as a three-dimensional shape, the reflective design portion is completely lifted and visually recognized from the dial surface. In addition, since the reflective design part itself is visually recognized as a three-dimensional object, it is possible to provide a pointer instrument for a vehicle that has a three-dimensional effect and has a novel appearance.

  The pointer instrument for a vehicle according to claim 3 of the present invention has a configuration in which the reflective design portion is at least one of a scale and letters of the instrument.

  Thereby, in the pointer instrument for vehicles, the scale of the instrument and the appearance of at least one of the characters can be enhanced with a three-dimensional effect.

  The pointer instrument for a vehicle according to claim 4 of the present invention is configured such that the reflection portion is formed by laser processing.

  Thereby, a reflective design part can be easily formed inside the light guide plate.

  In the vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 5 of the present invention, the light guide is formed in a substantially circular shape or an annular shape, and is arranged substantially coaxially with the pointer shaft.

  As a result, the positional relationship between the pointer and the light guide plate is visually strong, and a three-dimensional effect is emphasized and a vehicle pointer instrument having a novel appearance can be provided.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicular pointer instrument comprising a dial, a rotary inner unit that is disposed on the back side of the dial and extends a pointer shaft through the dial, and a translucent material. In a pointer instrument for a vehicle comprising a pointer supported at the tip of a pointer shaft so as to rotate along the surface of the dial and a light source arranged so that light can be incident on the pointer and displaying the pointer by emitting light The inside of the pointer is formed with a reflective design portion formed by a collection of a plurality of reflective portions that reflect the light emitted from the light source so that the driver can see it, and the reflective design portion does not intersect the outer surface of the pointer. It was set as the structure formed in.

  In the case of a light emitting pointer in a conventional pointer instrument for a vehicle, a diffuse reflection layer such as a colored layer or a textured surface is formed on the lower surface of the pointer to diffusely reflect light from a light source traveling in the pointer, or on the back side of the pointer A concave portion is formed on the side opposite to the driver, and the light from the light source traveling in the pointer is reflected on the inclined surface so that the driver can visually recognize the light. In this case, the lower surface of the pointer or the portion where the lower surface of the pointer is partially raised is displayed by light emission, and the appearance of the pointer itself is poor in three-dimensional appearance.

  In contrast, in the vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 6 of the present invention, when the pointer is rotated, the reflective design portion is visually recognized so as to fly in the air.

  As a result, it is possible to provide a vehicular pointer instrument that emphasizes the three-dimensional effect and has a novel appearance.

  In the vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 7 of the present invention, the reflective design portion is formed in a three-dimensional shape.

  Thereby, since the reflective design part itself is visually recognized as a three-dimensional object, it is possible to provide a vehicular pointer instrument having a three-dimensional effect and a novel appearance.

  In the vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 8 of the present invention, the reflecting portion is formed by laser processing.

  Thereby, a reflective design part can be easily formed inside the pointer.

  In the vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 9 of the present invention, the reflective design portion is provided on the tip side of the pointer.

  This enhances the visibility of the pointer instrument for the vehicle by emphasizing the stereoscopic effect of the tip side of the pointer, that is, the scale corresponding to the scale and characters of the instrument.

  Hereinafter, an example in which the pointer instrument for a vehicle according to the present invention is applied to a combination meter 1 mounted on an automobile will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination meter 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the vertical direction is the vertical direction of the automobile.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the combination meter 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II in FIG. In FIG. 2, the left side is the driver's seat side.

  FIG. 3 is a front view of the scale ring 3 of the combination meter 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

  4 is an enlarged view of the scale 4 of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged view of a portion IV in FIG.

  FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining an electric circuit configuration of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  A combination meter 1 that is a vehicle pointer instrument is arranged in front of a driver's seat of an automobile and displays various information related to the automobile. A combination meter 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention forms a speedometer that indicates the traveling speed of an automobile, as shown in FIG.

  The combination meter 1 includes a dial 2 for displaying information and allowing the driver to visually recognize it. In FIG. 2, the combination meter 1 is visually recognized by the driver from the left side.

  The dial 2 is formed of a light-transmitting material, for example, a plate material such as a transparent polycarbonate resin, and has a number portion 2a and a character portion 2b as speedometers. That is, on the surface of the dial 2 on the driver side (the left surface in FIG. 2), only the numeral portion 2a and the character portion 2b can be transmitted through light (for example, milky white), and other background portions are impermeable. It is formed by printing or hot stamping so as to be in a light state (for example, matte black). Therefore, the numeral portion 2a and the character portion 2b are transmitted and illuminated by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 10 disposed on the back surface side (the right side in FIG. 2) of the dial plate 2 so as to emit light. Further, a substantially central portion of the dial 2 is provided with a through hole 2c through which a shaft 9a of a movement 9 described later is inserted.

  On the back side of the dial 2 (right side in FIG. 2), a light guide plate 6 is disposed so as to overlap the dial 2 as shown in FIG. The light guide plate 6 is formed of a transparent acrylic resin or the like, and guides the light emitted from the light emitting diode 10 to the number portion 2a and the character portion 2b of the dial 2 so as to transmit and illuminate them. The shape of the light guide plate 6, the number of light emitting diodes 10 and their positions are set so that the brightness of the number portion 2a and the character portion 2b during light emission display is uniform.

  On the back side of the light guide plate 6 (on the right side in FIG. 2), a printed circuit board 7 that forms an electric circuit portion of the combination meter 1 is accommodated.

  On the printed circuit board 7, as shown in FIG. 2, a light emitting diode 10 for transmitting and illuminating the dial 2 and a light emitting diode 11 for emitting and displaying a pointer 9 to be described later are mounted. A light guide member 12 for guiding the light emitted from the light emitting diode 11 to enter the pointer 9 is attached to the printed circuit board 7 corresponding to the light emitting diode 11. Similar to the light guide plate 6, the light guide member 12 is made of a transparent acrylic resin. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, on the printed circuit board 7, a shaft 8 a that is a pointer shaft is rotated by an angle corresponding to an external electric signal (a vehicle speed signal in the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment). A movement 8 which is an internal machine is mounted and fixed. Further, a control circuit 13 is mounted on the printed circuit board 7 for driving the movement 8 and controlling the lighting and extinguishing of the light emitting diodes 10 and 11 and the light emitting diode 5 described later in accordance with the operating state of the automobile. The control circuit 13 is composed of, for example, a microcomputer.

  A movement 8 that is a rotating inner unit is constituted by, for example, a cross coil actuator, a stepping motor, or the like, and is a pointer shaft by an angle corresponding to an external electric signal (vehicle speed signal in one embodiment of the present invention). The shaft 8a is rotated. The shaft 8a of the movement 8 extends forward through the through hole 2c of the dial 2, that is, the left side in FIG. 2, and a pointer 9 is fixed to the tip thereof. The pointer 9 is formed of a translucent material such as an acrylic resin, and on its lower surface, that is, the surface opposite to the driver, a textured surface or a painted surface is formed as a diffuse reflection layer (not shown). Has been. Thereby, the pointer 9 is guided by the light guide member 12 and the light emitted from the light emitting diode 11 incident on the pointer 9 is reflected by the above-described diffuse reflection layer, and is displayed. The pointer 9 is provided with a light shielding cap 17. The light shielding cap 17 is formed of, for example, a light shielding resin or a metal plate, and prevents light from the light emitting diode 11 from directly entering the eyes of the driver.

  On the surface side of the dial 2, a scale ring 3 that is a light guide is disposed so as to overlap as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The scale ring 3 is made of a material that transmits light, such as a transparent polycarbonate resin. As shown in FIG. 1, the scale ring 3 is formed in a C shape, that is, in an annular shape with a part removed, and is arranged substantially coaxially with respect to the shaft 8 a of the movement 8. In other words, the scale ring 3 is arranged coaxially with the fan shape that is the rotation range of the pointer 9.

  Moreover, the scale 4 which is a reflective design part is formed in the scale ring 3 as shown in FIG.1 and FIG.2. As shown in FIG. 1, the scale 4 is arranged on the same circular arc coaxially with the scale ring 3, centering on the shaft 8 a of the movement 8, and forms the scale of the speedometer. . As shown in FIG. 3, light emitting diodes 5 as light sources are attached to both ends 3 a of the scale ring 3 so that light can be irradiated into the scale ring 3.

  These scales 4 are formed as a solid, that is, an octahedron, as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 5, each plane constituting the octahedron as the scale 4 is formed by assembling a plurality of reflection spots 41 that are dot-like reflection portions.

  The reflection spot 41 is formed by applying laser processing to the scale ring 3. That is, when the scale ring 3 is irradiated with a laser, a small substantially spherical body having a fine unevenness, that is, a reflection spot 41 is formed in a part of the scale ring 3 by the energy of the laser inside the scale ring 3. The reflection spot 41 is diffused and reflected by the light from the light emitting diode 5 traveling in the scale ring 3, and is visually shining in a dot shape.

  Therefore, if a plurality of reflection spots 41 are assembled to form an octahedron, that is, a scale 4, the scale 4 diffuses and reflects the light from the light emitting diode 5 traveling in the scale ring 3 to shine as an octahedron. Visible. In other words, it is visually shining in three dimensions.

  Further, the scale 4 is formed in the scale ring 3 so as not to intersect the outer surface of the scale ring 3 as shown in FIG. In other words, the scale 4 is arranged in a suspended state in the scale ring 3.

  The dial 2, the scale ring 3, the printed circuit board 7, the movement 8, and the like described above are housed and fixed in the case 14.

  A transparent cover 16 is attached to the surface of the dial 2 via a substantially frame-shaped facing plate 15. The transparent cover 16 is made of a transparent resin thin plate or glass.

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

  As shown in FIG. 6, power is constantly supplied from the battery 19 to the control circuit 13. Further, an ignition switch 18 is connected to the control circuit 13 so as to be able to detect its operating state (ON or OFF). The control circuit 13 is connected to a speed sensor 20 for detecting the traveling speed of the vehicle so that a detection signal can be input.

  The control circuit 13 is connected to the light emitting diodes 5, 10, 11 and the movement 8.

  Next, the operation of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described focusing on the visual recognition state.

  When the ignition switch 18 is turned on by the driver and the automobile is in an operating state, the control circuit 13 detects that the ignition switch 18 is in an ON state and turns on the light emitting diode. As a result, on the dial plate 2, the numeric part 2 a and the character part 2 b are transmitted and illuminated by the light from the light emitting diode 10 to be lit and displayed, and the pointer 9 is lit and displayed by the light from the light emitting diode 11. In the scale ring 3, the scale 4 diffuses and reflects the light from the light emitting diodes 5 traveling in the scale ring 3, thereby emitting and displaying.

  In the vehicular pointer instrument disclosed in the invention previously filed by the applicant of the present application, the scale is formed as an inclined surface of a recess formed on the back side (opposite to the driver) of the light guide.

  In this case, the scale is formed so that one side thereof is in contact with the dial and protrudes from the dial toward the driver. In other words, the scale is formed so as to intersect the surface of the light guide. Therefore, the scale is visually recognized so as to protrude from the dial, and a three-dimensional appearance can be obtained. However, there is a problem that the scale is visually recognized as if a part of the dial is raised, and tends to have a slightly flat appearance although it is three-dimensional.

  On the other hand, in the combination meter 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention, the scale 4 does not intersect the outer surface of the scale ring 3 as shown in FIG. It is placed in a suspended state inside. For this reason, when the driver visually recognizes the combination meter 1, the scale 4 appears to be lifted completely from the surface of the dial 2. That is, the scale 4 is visually recognized as if it floats above the dial 2 in the air. Therefore, it is possible to realize the combination meter 1 with a three-dimensional effect enhanced and a novel appearance.

  In addition, in the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the material of the scale ring 3 which is a light guide is made of polycarbonate resin, this is made into other materials, for example, acrylic resin, glass, etc. It may be replaced.

  Moreover, in the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the shape of the scale 4 is made into an octahedron, other shapes, for example, solid shapes, such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, a rugby ball shape, or a plane It may be a curved surface.

  Moreover, in the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention demonstrated above, although the scale ring 3 shape which is a light guide is made into substantially cyclic | annular form, it is good also as a round shape or the substantially same shape as the dial 2. FIG.

  Moreover, in the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention, although the scale 4 of the instrument is formed as a reflective design part, it does not need to be restricted to the scale 4 and forms numbers, characters, various warning display figures, etc. May be.

  In the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, a speedometer is formed as a pointer meter. However, the speedometer is not limited to the speedometer, and another pointer meter, for example, an engine speed is indicated. A tachometer, a water temperature gauge, a fuel fuel gauge, a voltmeter, etc. may be replaced or added.

  In FIG. 7, the fragmentary sectional view in the modification of the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention is shown.

  In the modification of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 7, a pointer 90 of the instrument is formed as a light guide, and is disposed on the distal end side of the pointer 90 as a reflective design portion. A pointer 91 is formed.

  The pointer 90 is made of a translucent material, for example, polycarbonate resin, and a pointer 91 that is a reflective design portion is provided on the tip side inside the pointer 90.

  The pointer 91 is formed in the same manner as the scale 4 in the combination meter 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention. That is, an octahedron is formed by collecting a plurality of reflection spots 41 formed by laser processing, and this is used as a pointer 91.

  The pointer 91 is diffused and reflected by the light emitted from the light emitting diode 11 that has been guided by the light guide member 12 and entered the pointer 9 and is displayed in a light emitting manner.

  When the driver visually recognizes the combination meter 1, the pointer 91 is visually recognized as an octahedron in the pointer 90, that is, as a three-dimensional shape.

  In the case of the pointer 9 of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the reflected light from the diffuse reflection layer on the lower surface thereof is mainly emitted in the driver's viewing direction. For this reason, the pointer 9 has a flat appearance.

  On the other hand, in the pointer 90 in the modified example of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, the pointer 91 diffuses and reflects light toward all directions around it. For this reason, since the pointer 91 emits light in a three-dimensional manner and is visually recognized, it is possible to realize the combination meter 1 with a three-dimensional effect enhanced and a novel appearance.

  In this modified example, as in the case of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the scale ring 3 including the scale 4 may be disposed, or the scale ring 3 is not used. The scale of the instrument may be formed on the dial 2 like a normal combination meter.

  In the modification of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention described above, the shape of the pointer 91 is an octahedron, but other shapes, for example, a solid shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped, a cylinder, and a rugby ball shape. Alternatively, it may be a flat surface or a curved surface.

It is a front view of the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention, and is the II-II sectional view taken on the line in FIG. It is a front view of the scale ring 3 of the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective external view of the scale 4 of the combination meter 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is an enlarged view of a portion IV in FIG. 3. It is an expansion perspective appearance figure of scale 4 of combination meter 1 by one embodiment of the present invention, and is the V section enlarged view in Drawing 4. It is a block diagram explaining the electric circuit of the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the modification of the combination meter 1 by one Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Combination meter (vehicle pointer instrument)
2 Dial 2a Number part 2b Character part 2c Through-hole 3 Scale ring (light guide)
4 Scale (reflective design part)
41 Reflection spot (reflection part)
5 Light emitting diode (light source)
6 Light guide plate 7 Printed circuit board 8 Movement (rotary inner machine)
8a Shaft (pointer shaft)
9 Pointer 10 Light-emitting diode 11 Light-emitting diode 12 Light guide member 13 Control circuit 14 Case 15 Turn plate 16 Transparent cover 17 Light-shielding cap 18 Ignition switch 19 Battery 20 Speed sensor

Claims (9)

Dial,
A rotating inner unit arranged on the back side of the dial and extending a pointer shaft through the dial;
In a vehicular pointer instrument provided with a pointer supported at the tip of the pointer shaft so as to rotate along the surface of the dial,
A light guide made of a translucent material provided on the dial;
A light source for making light incident on the light guide,
Inside the light guide, there is formed a reflective design part comprising a plurality of reflective parts that reflect the light emitted from the light source so that the driver can visually recognize the light,
The vehicle pointer instrument, wherein the reflective design portion is formed so as not to intersect with an outer surface of the light guide.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 1, wherein the reflective design portion is formed in a three-dimensional shape.   3. The vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 1, wherein the reflective design portion forms at least one of a scale and a character of the instrument.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reflecting portion is formed by laser processing.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the light guide is formed in a substantially circular shape or an annular shape and is disposed substantially coaxially with the pointer shaft. Dial,
A rotating inner unit arranged on the back side of the dial and extending a pointer shaft through the dial;
A pointer made of a translucent material and supported by the tip of the pointer shaft so as to rotate along the surface of the dial;
In a vehicle pointer meter provided with a light source that is arranged so that light can be incident on the pointer and that emits and displays the pointer.
In the inside of the pointer, a reflective design part is formed, in which a plurality of reflective parts that reflect the light emitted from the light source so that the driver can visually recognize the light are collected,
The vehicle pointer instrument, wherein the reflective design portion is formed so as not to intersect with an outer surface of the pointer.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 6, wherein the reflective design portion is formed in a three-dimensional shape.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to claim 6, wherein the reflecting portion is formed by laser processing.   The vehicular pointer instrument according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the reflective design portion is provided on a tip end side of the pointer.

Images