JP2007170899A - Meter for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a meter for a vehicle allowing sufficient recognition of three-dimensional appearance of a dial even at night or the like when it is not easy to obtain a visible effect by the naked eye. <P>SOLUTION: An annular erected inclined plane 33a is formed on the outer periphery of a display region 31 of a measurement value of the dial 3, and a design removing section 33d formed in the erected inclined plane 33a is transmission-illuminated by illumination light radiated from the back side thereof. A light transmission section 33e through which the illumination light radiated from the back side thereof can transmit is formed in an outside communication plane 33c for interconnecting the erected inclined plane 33a and the dial 3 outside it, a reflection plane 35d for reflecting the illumination light having transmitted through the light transmission section 33e to the front side of the communication plane 33c is formed on an inside facing plate section 35a for covering the dial 3 part outside the erected inclined plane 33a from the front side. An annular clearance S for making the illumination light reflected by the reflection plane 35d go to the front side of the dial 3 is disposed between a facing plate 35 and the top of the annular erected inclined plane 33a. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicular instrument that performs transmitted illumination of a design-excluded portion in a three-dimensional annular display area provided on the outer periphery of a measurement value display area.

  Conventionally, various measures have been implemented or proposed in order to eliminate the monotonous appearance of vehicular instruments that display measured values such as travel speed and engine speed, and as an example, three-dimensional dials are used. Can be mentioned.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged cutaway perspective view of a main part of a conventional vehicular instrument in which such a dial is three-dimensionalized. In this vehicular instrument, a measured value corresponding to the rotation range of the pointer 1 (see FIG. 5). The display area 31 is secured on the dial 3, and an annular standing inclined surface that is inclined and stands up so as to protrude toward the front side of the dial 3 as the distance from the display area 31 increases. 33a is arranged.

  As shown in FIG. 5 in an enlarged perspective perspective view of the dial of FIG. 4 seen from a different angle in FIG. 5, the upright inclined surface 33a is connected to the inner and outer dial 3 portions of the upright inclined surface 33a. An annular display region 33 is configured together with the two contact surfaces 33b and 33c, and a design-excluded portion 33d that constitutes a transmitted illumination type scale for use as a guide of the indicated value indicated by the pointer 1 is formed on the standing inclined surface 33a. Are formed at intervals in the circumferential direction.

  Each design-excluded portion 33d is formed by exposing the transparent substrate 3a without providing a part of the light-shielding print layer 3b that covers the front surface of the transparent substrate 3a that is the base material of the dial 3, and this vehicle instrument Then, each design-excluded portion 33d is transmitted and illuminated by illumination light guided from the light source 7 by the light guide plate 5 disposed on the back side of the dial plate 3 and irradiated from the back side of the standing inclined surface 33a.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting surface 33c on the outer side from the top of the standing inclined surface 33a and the outer dial plate 3 part are formed by a turn-back plate 35 whose inner peripheral edge is in contact with the top of the standing inclined surface 33a. Covered from the front side of the dial 3.

  Incidentally, the facing plate 35 includes an inner facing plate portion 35a formed of an annular member having an arc-shaped cross section, and an outer facing plate portion 35b connected to the outer periphery of the inner facing plate portion 35a, for convenience of manufacture. The inner peripheral edge of the inner facing plate portion 35a is in contact with the top portion of the upright inclined surface 33a.

  According to such a conventional vehicle instrument, a three-dimensional instrument can be configured by providing the dial 3 with irregularities due to the presence of the standing inclined surface 33a.

  The above-described conventional vehicle instrument obtains the three-dimensional effect of the dial plate 3 by visually recognizing the unevenness around the standing inclined surface 33a, so that the surrounding of the standing inclined surface 33a is visually recognized by the naked eye, for example, at night. In an environment where it is difficult to recognize, it is not easy to recognize the three-dimensional effect around the standing inclined surface 33a even if the presence of the design-excluded portion 33d that is transmitted and illuminated is visible.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is for a vehicle capable of sufficiently recognizing the three-dimensional effect of a dial even at night or the like when it is not easy to obtain a visual effect with the naked eye. To provide an instrument.

  In order to achieve the above object, the vehicular instrument according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided with an annular display area located on an outer periphery of the display area of the measurement value on the dial of the instrument that displays the measurement value. In the display area, an annular standing inclined surface standing upright with respect to the outer peripheral edge of the display area of the measurement value of the dial, and a top portion of the rising inclined surface on a dial part outside the annular display area Forming a connecting surface to be connected, and transmitting and illuminating the design-extracted portion formed on the standing inclined surface with illumination light that is irradiated from the back side of the standing inclined surface and passes through the design-excluding portion. A vehicular instrument in which a dial portion outside the surface is covered with a facing plate from the front side of the dial plate, the light transmitting portion capable of transmitting illumination light irradiated from the back side of the connecting surface to the connecting surface Forming the contact surface on the facing plate A reflective surface that reflects the illumination light that has passed through the light transmitting portion from the back side to the front side is reflected to the front side of the connecting surface, and the reflective surface between the flip plate and the top of the upright inclined surface An annular gap for emitting illumination light reflected on the front side of the contact surface to the front side of the dial is provided.

  The vehicle instrument of the present invention described in claim 2 is the vehicle instrument of the present invention described in claim 1, wherein the reflecting surface is predetermined by painting, printing, sheet transfer, hot melt, vapor deposition, or the like. The illumination light is colored, and the illumination light colored in the predetermined color by reflection on the reflecting surface is emitted from the gap to the front side of the dial.

  Furthermore, the vehicle meter of the present invention described in claim 3 is the vehicle meter of the present invention described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the light transmitting portion is formed to be connected to the design removal portion. It was.

  According to the vehicle instrument of the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the illumination light transmitted through the light transmitting portion formed on the connecting surface of the annular display region of the dial plate from the back side to the front side of the connecting surface is reflected on the dial plate. Since the light is reflected by the surface to the front side of the connecting surface and is emitted to the front side of the dial from an annular gap provided between the dial plate and the top of the standing inclined surface, the annular shape emitted from this gap The three-dimensional effect of the dial can be sufficiently recognized even at night by the illumination light and the presence of the upright inclined surface that is easily illuminated by the illumination light.

  According to the vehicular instrument of the present invention described in claim 2, in the vehicular instrument of the present invention described in claim 1, the illumination light transmitted through the light transmitting portion of the communication surface is reflected by the reflecting surface of the baffle plate. When it is reflected, it is colored in a predetermined color that is the color of the reflecting surface, so the illumination light emitted from the gap between the dial plate and the top of the upright inclined surface to the front side of the dial is colored in the desired color. As the colored light, the decoration effect by the illumination light emitted from the gap can be enhanced.

  Furthermore, according to the vehicle instrument of the present invention described in claim 3, in the vehicle instrument of the present invention described in claim 1 or 2, the annular shape emitted from the gap between the turn-back plate and the top of the upright inclined surface Since the illumination light and the transmitted illumination light of the design-excluded portion are visually recognized, the design-extracted portion that is visually emphasized by the transmitted illumination is visually recognized by extending to the gap between the turn-up plate and the top of the standing inclined surface. Thus, it is possible to make the standing inclined surface, and hence the dial plate, visually larger than actually recognized.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a vehicle instrument of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  1 is an enlarged cutaway perspective view of a main part of a vehicle instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged cutaway perspective view of the main part of the dial of FIG. 1 viewed from another angle. In FIG. 2, the same parts and members as those in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those used in those drawings, and redundant description is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle instrument of the present embodiment has an annular light transmission portion 33 e formed on the communication surface 33 c (corresponding to the communication surface in the claims) outside the standing inclined surface 33 a. In addition, the configuration differs from the conventional vehicle instrument shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 in that each design-extracted portion 33d of the standing inclined surface 33a is connected to the light transmitting portion 33e of the outer connecting surface 33c. Yes.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle instrument of the present embodiment is configured such that an annular gap S is provided between the inner peripheral edge of the inner facing plate portion 35 a of the facing plate 35 and the top portion of the standing inclined surface 33 a. The facing plate 35 is arranged slightly apart from the top of the standing inclined surface 33a, and is connected to the inner peripheral edge of the inside facing plate portion 35a via the connecting surface portion 35c. 4 and FIG. 5 in that it is colored in a predetermined color (white in this embodiment) by painting, printing, sheet transfer, hot melt, vapor deposition, or the like. The configuration is different from the vehicle instrument.

  Incidentally, the color of the reflective surface portion 35d is basically a white system that easily reflects light, similar to the design-excluded portion 33d and the light transmitting portion 33e. However, if the color is different from these, the design is improved. Since the appearance image can be gorgeous, the reflecting surface portion 35d can be colored in any color regardless of whether it is warm or cold.

  As shown in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 3, the dial plate 3 is formed by covering the front surface of a translucent base material 3a with a light-shielding printing layer 3b such as black, so that a design-excluded portion 33d or a light transmitting portion is formed. The portion 33e is configured by a non-formed portion of the light-shielding print layer 3b having a shape corresponding to them.

  In the vehicle instrument of the present embodiment configured as described above, the back surface of the standing inclined surface 33a is guided from the light source 7 by the light guide plate 5 disposed on the back side of the dial plate 3 as in the conventional vehicle instrument. Each design-extracted portion 33d is transmitted and illuminated by the illumination light emitted from the side.

  In addition to this, in the vehicle instrument of the present embodiment, the illumination light that is guided by the light guide plate 5 and irradiated from the back side of the connecting surface 33c outside the standing inclined surface 33a is transmitted through the light transmitting portion 33e. It reaches the front side of the contact surface 33c and is reflected toward the contact surface 33c at the reflection surface portion 35d of the inner facing plate portion 35a facing the contact surface 33c.

  The illumination light is colored white, which is the color of the reflection surface portion 35d, at the time of reflection at the reflection surface portion 35d, and the colored illumination light can be directly or directly connected to the contact surface 33c portion other than the light transmission portion 33e or the inner faceplate. Reflected by the dial 3 portion outside the connecting surface portion 35c of the portion 35a and the outside connecting surface 33c, and from the annular gap S between the inner peripheral edge of the inner facing plate portion 35a and the top of the upright inclined surface 33a, The light is emitted to the front side.

  And in the vehicle meter of this embodiment, each design removal part of the standing inclined surface 33a in the light transmission part 33e of the connection surface 33c in the optical path of the illumination light radiate | emitted from the clearance gap S to the front side of the dial 3 is carried out. 33d is formed, and the transmitted illumination light of each design-extracted portion 33d is visually recognized by being connected to the emitted illumination light from the annular gap S between the inner peripheral edge of the inner facing plate portion 35a and the top of the upright inclined surface 33a. Will be.

  For this reason, the design-extracted portions 33d that are originally highlighted by the transmitted illumination are emphasized so as to be extended to the annular gap S between the inner peripheral edge of the inner facing plate portion 35a and the top of the upright inclined surface 33a. Thus, the standing inclined surface 33a, and hence the dial plate 3, can be recognized visually larger than actual.

  As described above, the color of the reflective surface portion 35d is not limited to the white color shown in the present embodiment, and any color may be used. Alternatively, the color of the reflective surface portion 35d may be omitted, but as in the present embodiment. If the reflecting surface portion 35d is colored, the color of the illumination light emitted from the annular gap S between the inner peripheral edge of the inner facing plate portion 35a and the top portion of the standing inclined surface 33a to the front side of the dial plate 3 is given to the light source 7. It is advantageous because the decorativeness can be enhanced by coloring other than the dependent color.

  In particular, regardless of whether it is a warm color system or a cold color system, if the reflective surface portion 35d is colored in a color different from the design-excluding portion 33d or the light transmission portion 33e, the design can be improved and the appearance image can be gorgeous. Is more advantageous.

  Further, each design removal portion 33d of the standing inclined surface 33a may not be formed to be connected to the light transmitting portion 33e of the outer connecting surface 33c, and the facing plate 35 is formed by the inner facing plate portion 35a and the outer facing plate portion 35b. It is arbitrary whether it is comprised by two members.

  In the present embodiment, a vehicle instrument that indicates an instruction value with the pointer 1 is taken as an example, and the case where the display area 31 of the measurement value of the dial 3 is secured according to the rotation range of the pointer 1 has been described. The present invention can also be applied to a vehicle instrument that indicates (displays) an instruction value by an analog or digital display using a liquid crystal display or the like without using the pointer 1, and in such a case, a liquid crystal display or the like The present invention can be applied by using the indication (display) area of the indication value of the analog or digital display by the measurement value display area.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the design-excluded portion 33d constitutes a transmitted illumination type scale for indicating the indication value indicated by the pointer 1 has been described, but the design-excluded portion is a letter or number. The present invention can also be applied to the case of a transmission illumination part such as a symbol.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the case where the illumination light is guided from the light source 7 by the light guide plate 5 disposed on the back side of the dial plate 3 has been described. The present invention can also be applied to a vehicle instrument of a type that guides illumination light from the light source 7 by irregularly reflecting the space between the diffuser plate (not shown) and the back surface of the dial plate 3.

It is a principal part expansion cut perspective view of the meter for vehicles concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is the principal part expansion cutting perspective view which looked at the dial of FIG. 1 from another angle. It is an expanded sectional view of the annular display region portion of FIG. It is a principal part expansion cutaway perspective view of the conventional vehicle meter. FIG. 5 is an enlarged cutaway perspective view of a main part when the dial of FIG. 4 is viewed from another angle.

Explanation of symbols

3 Dial 31 Measurement value display area 33 Annular display area 33a Standing inclined surface 33c Outer contact surface (contact surface)
33d Design-excluded part 33e Light transmission part 35 Counterplate 35d Reflective surface part (reflective surface)
S gap

Claims (3)

The dial of the instrument displaying the measured value is provided with an annular display area located on the outer periphery of the display area of the measured value, and the annular display area stands upright with respect to the measured value display area of the dial. Forming an annular standing inclined surface and a connecting surface for connecting a top portion of the standing inclined surface to a dial portion outside the annular display region, and a design removal portion formed on the standing inclined surface A vehicular instrument in which a dial plate portion that is irradiated from the back side of the inclined surface and transmitted through the design-extracted portion is transmitted and illuminated, and the dial portion outside the standing inclined surface is covered with a turn-back plate from the front side of the dial plate There,
Forming a light transmission part that can transmit illumination light irradiated from the back side of the communication surface on the communication surface;
On the facing plate, a reflection surface is formed that reflects the illumination light transmitted through the light transmission portion from the back side of the connection surface to the front side of the connection surface.
An annular gap is provided between the facing plate and the top of the upright inclined surface to emit illumination light reflected by the reflecting surface to the front side of the connecting surface to the front side of the dial plate,
A vehicle instrument characterized by that.   The vehicle instrument according to claim 1, wherein the reflection surface is colored in a predetermined color, and illumination light colored in the predetermined color by reflection on the reflection surface is emitted from the gap to the front side of the dial. .   The vehicle instrument according to claim 1, wherein the light transmission portion is formed so as to be connected to the design removal portion.

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