JP2007153046A - A/t indicator display device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an A/T indicator display device which achieves space saving and cost reduction by eliminating the need for a plurality of light sources for indicator display and light shielding plates. <P>SOLUTION: Only an indicator design corresponding to a selected shift position is changed over to positive display or negative display out of a plurality of the indicator designs displayed on each of indicator display parts 11a to 11g of a liquid crystal display panel 11 by controlling by a control device 14, and the remaining indicator designs corresponding to the other unselected shift positions are changed over to a reverse display state. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an A / T indicator display device that displays an indicator design corresponding to a shift position of an automatic transmission (hereinafter referred to as A / T), and more particularly, an A / T indicator display provided in a combination meter for a vehicle. Relates to the device.

  A display meter such as a speedometer and a fuel meter is installed in a vehicle combination meter. Further, in a vehicle equipped with an A / T (automatic transmission), the A / T is shifted in the combination meter. An A / T indicator device that displays the position of the shift lever (shift position) is also provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In the combination meter (A / T indicator device) as in Patent Document 1, characters (for example, P, R, N, D, 3, etc.) corresponding to the position of the shift lever (shift position) for shifting the A / T are used. 2, L), and an indicator design corresponding to the position of the shift lever (shift position) provided with a circular A / T position display provided corresponding to each character of the indicator design The A / T position display part of the part is lit up. Moreover, in the said patent document 1, the light source for meter illumination is combined as a light source for night illumination of an indicator design part.
JP-A-9-86226 (paragraph [0017], FIGS. 1 and 2)

  By the way, in the combination meter (A / T indicator device) as in Patent Document 1, a plurality of position display light sources (LEDs) are arranged on the back side of each A / T position display unit, and each A / T Since it is necessary to provide a light-shielding plate for preventing light from the light source of the T-position display unit from leaking to the outside (indicator design unit or the like), a large installation space is required and the cost is increased.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an A / T indicator display device that can save space and reduce costs by eliminating the need for a plurality of position display light sources and light shielding plates.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a liquid crystal display panel in which a plurality of indicator designs corresponding to shift positions of an automatic transmission can be displayed in a positive / negative switchable manner, and a back light for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel from the back side. An A / T indicator display device comprising a light and a control means for controlling a positive / negative switching display of each indicator design, wherein the control means includes the plurality of indicator designs displayed on the liquid crystal display panel. Among them, only the indicator design corresponding to the selected shift position is switched to either positive display or negative display, and the remaining indicator designs corresponding to other unselected shift positions are switched to the reverse display state. It is characterized by control.

  According to the present invention, only the indicator design corresponding to the selected shift position among the plurality of indicator designs displayed on the liquid crystal display panel is switched to either positive display or negative display by the control of the control means, and selected. By switching the remaining indicator designs corresponding to other shift positions that have not been displayed to the reverse display state, the indicator designs corresponding to the selected shift position can be displayed day and night without installing multiple indicator display light sources and light shielding plates. Regardless of whether it is possible to display clearly.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a vehicle combination meter equipped with an A / T indicator display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the A / T indicator display device according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the A / T indicator display device 1 according to the present embodiment is installed in a combination meter 2 provided on an instrument panel (not shown) of a vehicle. In addition to the A / T indicator display device 1, the combination meter 2 includes a speedometer 3, an engine speed meter (tachometer) 4, a fuel meter 5, a water temperature meter 6, and various warning lights (not shown). is set up.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the A / T indicator display device 1 includes a horizontally long liquid crystal display panel 11 provided in the front opening of the case body 10 and a backlight (LED) 12 that illuminates the liquid crystal display panel 11 from the back side. A diffusion filter 13 for diffusing the light of the backlight 12 to illuminate the liquid crystal display panel 11 uniformly, and a control device 14. The liquid crystal display panel 11 has a plurality of indicator designs (for example, “P”, “R”, “N”, “D”, “3”) corresponding to the shift position of a shift lever (not shown) for shifting A / T. ”,“ 2 ”,“ L ”(see FIG. 1)) can be displayed so as to be switched between positive and negative. Note that two or more backlights 12 that illuminate the liquid crystal display panel 11 from the back side may be arranged in accordance with the size and shape of the liquid crystal display panel 11.

  The control device 14 includes “P”, “R”, “N” as indicator designs displayed on the plurality of indicator display portions 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 11e, 11f, and 11g of the liquid crystal display panel 11 by the liquid crystal elements, respectively. ”,“ D ”,“ 3 ”,“ 2 ”,“ L ”(see FIG. 1), positive (light) / negative (dark) switching control, and energization control to the backlight 12 are performed. “P”, “R”, “N”, “D”, “3”, “2”, “L” of the indicator display portions 11a to 11g are shift levers (not shown) for shifting the A / T. It corresponds to the shift position. Note that the A / T indicator display device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is in a state where an ignition switch (not shown) of the vehicle is OFF and the liquid crystal display panel 11 is not illuminated by the backlight 12.

  The A / T indicator display device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention is configured as described above. For example, when an ignition switch (not shown) of a vehicle is turned on and the shift position is N (neutral), the shift lever A signal for switching to the N position (not shown) is output to the control device 14. As shown in FIG. 3, the control device 14 controls to switch “N” displayed on the indicator display unit 11 c of the liquid crystal display panel 11 to a negative (dark) display, and to perform other indicator display units 11 a and 11 b. , 11d, 11e, 11f, and 11g, “P”, “R”, “D”, “3”, “2”, and “L” are respectively switched to positive (bright) display and controlled. Even when the shift position is selected other than N, similar switching control is executed.

  Moreover, the control apparatus 14 is energized with respect to the backlight 12, and is illuminating each indicator display part 11a-11g from the back side. That is, in the daytime when the position lamp switch (not shown) is not turned on, the indicator display portions 11a, 11b, 11d, 11e, 11f, and 11g “P”, “R”, The energization amount of the backlight 12 is increased so that “D”, “3”, “2”, and “L” can be visually recognized with good brightness. Further, in the night when the position lamp switch (not shown) is turned on, the indicator display portions 11a, 11b, 11d, 11e, 11f, and 11g “P”, “R”, “ Energization of the backlight 12 is suppressed and illumination is performed with medium to low luminance so that D ”,“ 3 ”,“ 2 ”, and“ L ”can be visually recognized without being too dazzling.

  Thus, for example, when the shift lever (not shown) is in the N position, as shown in FIG. 3, only the indicator display portion 11c of the liquid crystal display panel 11 corresponding to the selected shift position (N) is displayed regardless of day or night. However, the negative shift display of “N” as the indicator design allows the driver to visually recognize the selected shift position.

  Furthermore, regardless of day or night, “P”, “R”, “ By displaying “D”, “3”, “2”, and “L” in a positive manner, the driver can also visually recognize other shift positions other than the selected shift position.

  Thus, according to the A / T indicator display device 1 according to the present embodiment, each indicator design (“P”, “R”, “N”, “D”, “3”, “2”, “L”) )), It is not necessary to use a plurality of light sources for individually illuminating and a light shielding plate provided between the light sources, so that the cost can be reduced and the entire apparatus can be reduced in size. , Space can be saved.

The front view which shows the combination meter of the vehicle provided with the A / T indicator display apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an A / T indicator display device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The figure which shows the state by which "N" is displayed negatively on the liquid crystal display panel of the A / T indicator display device which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 A / T indicator display apparatus 2 Combination meter 10 Case case main body 11 Liquid crystal display panel 11a-11g Indicator display part 12 Backlight 13 Diffusion filter 14 Control apparatus (control means)

Claims (1)

A liquid crystal display panel in which a plurality of indicator designs corresponding to the shift position of the automatic transmission can be displayed in a positive / negative switchable manner, a backlight for illuminating the liquid crystal display panel from the back side, and a positive / negative of each indicator design A / T indicator display device comprising control means for controlling the switching display,
The control means switches only the indicator design corresponding to the selected shift position from the plurality of indicator designs displayed on the liquid crystal display panel to either positive display or negative display, and is not selected. Control the remaining indicator design corresponding to the shift position to switch to the reverse display state.
An A / T indicator display device characterized by the above.

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