JP2009014401A - Meter unit for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a meter unit for vehicles capable of actively letting outside light in and providing design presentability while securing meter visibility. <P>SOLUTION: A speed meeter SM (tachometer TM) is provided with both a case 10 for housing a dial 13 and a stepped, cylindrical hood member 20. The hood member 20 moves between its original position for increasing the amount of incidence of outside light from the front side of the dial 13 and an operating position for reducing the amount of incidence of outside light from the front side of the dial 13 by a rack gear 22; a pinion gear 31; a hood member drive motor 32; and a meter ECU 42 (movement control means) according to detection results by a photo-sensor 43. The hood member 20 has an opening part 21a for letting outside light in from the outer circumferential side of the dial 13. The opening part 21a is shielded by the case 10 when the hood member 20 is at the original position and exposed when the hood member 20 is at the operating position. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle meter unit, and more particularly to an analog vehicle meter unit having a pointer and a dial.

As this type of vehicle meter unit, for example, as described in Patent Document 1 below, based on signals from an illuminance sensor (luminance detection means) and a vehicle speed sensor, a meter cluster is created by a control device (movement control means). Those configured to move in the front-rear direction are known. In this vehicle meter unit, for example, when the illuminance of the dial of the meter due to external light decreases, the meter cluster approaches the driver so that the illuminance of the dial of the meter is always constant. It is possible to ensure the visibility.
JP-A-7-223460

  By the way, in recent years, for example, in vehicles such as open cars that are susceptible to the influence of external light, there is a demand for design effects using external light when the external light changes. However, the vehicle meter unit described in Patent Document 1 is configured to always keep the illuminance of the dial of the meter constant in order to ensure the visibility of the meter. For this reason, the vehicle meter unit described in Patent Document 1 cannot achieve the above-mentioned demand. Therefore, there has been a demand for the development of a technique capable of providing a design effect by actively taking in outside light while ensuring the visibility of the meter.

  The subject of this invention is providing the meter unit for vehicles which can take in external light actively and can produce a design effect, ensuring the visibility of a meter.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vehicle meter unit according to the present invention includes, in a case in which a dial is accommodated, an original position for increasing the amount of external light incident from the front side of the dial, and the front of the dial. A substantially cylindrical hood member that is movably incorporated in an operating position that reduces the amount of incident external light from the side, luminance detection means that can detect the luminance of the dial due to external light, and the luminance detection means A movement control means for moving the hood member between the original position and the operating position in accordance with a detection result by the opening, and the hood member has an opening for taking in external light from the outer peripheral side of the dial. The opening is configured to be shielded by the case when the hood member is in the original position and exposed when the hood member is in the operating position. To do.

  In this vehicle meter unit, the hood member is moved from the original position to the operating position or from the operating position to the original position by the movement control means in accordance with the detection result by the luminance detecting means. That is, when the brightness of the dial due to external light is low (external light is weak), the hood member is moved to the original position so that the amount of external light incident from the front side of the dial increases. On the other hand, when the brightness of the dial due to external light is high (external light is strong), the hood member is moved to the operating position so that the amount of external light incident from the front side of the dial decreases. Thereby, the visibility of the dial can be ensured satisfactorily regardless of the intensity of external light.

  By the way, in this invention, when external light changes from weak to strong, it is comprised so that the opening part formed in the hood member may be exposed, when a hood member moves from an original position to an operation position. . For this reason, the movement of the hood member to the operating position reduces the incident amount of external light from the outer peripheral side of the dial through the opening, instead of decreasing the incident amount of external light from the front side of the dial. To do. As a result, the brightness of the dial alone can be increased compared to when the dial is illuminated by external light from the front side of the dial, and when the external light changes from weak to strong, the external light It is possible to produce a design effect that emphasizes the brightness of the dial that matches the strength of the dial.

  In carrying out the present invention, the hood member has a stepped cylindrical shape, and is fitted in the case so as to be slidable in the central axis direction in the small diameter portion having the opening, and the original position is The hood member may be set corresponding to the zero position of the slide amount away from the driver, and the operating position may be set corresponding to the maximum position of the slide amount when the hood member approaches the driver. It is.

  According to this, at the zero position of the sliding amount of the hood member, the incident amount of external light from the front side of the dial increases, and at the maximum position of the sliding amount as if the hood member extended, the dial The amount of incident external light from the front side of the camera decreases. For this reason, the visibility of the dial face can be secured satisfactorily by a simple slide movement mechanism.

  In this case, the case is provided with a transparent cover having a substantially conical shape and having reflectivity, and a light-transmitting member having a predetermined design is attached to the opening, and the hood member is When in the operating position, external light taken through the translucent member is reflected by the transparent cover and the design applied to the translucent member is visually recognized by the driver as a virtual image on the dial. It is good that it is set as follows.

  According to this, when the hood member is moved to the operating position, a design using external light that did not exist when the hood member is in the original position is displayed on the dial, The production effect can be further enhanced.

  In carrying out the present invention, the hood member has a shape in which the long side wall portion having the longest side wall length and the shortest short rib portion are arranged in a point-symmetrical position by cutting the substantially cylindrical shape substantially obliquely. , The case is rotatably fitted around a central axis, the original position is set corresponding to the uppermost position of the short hook part, and the operating position is the uppermost position of the long hook part. It is also possible to set in accordance with.

  According to this, the incident amount of the external light from the front side of the dial increases at the uppermost position of the short flange portion of the hood member, and the dial of the dial increases at the uppermost position of the long flange portion of the hood member. The amount of incident external light from the front side decreases. For this reason, the visibility of the dial face can be secured satisfactorily with a simple rotational movement mechanism of the hood member.

  In this case, the case is formed with an opening groove that exposes the opening formed in the hood member through the case, and a translucent member is attached to the opening. It is good to set so that the external light taken in through the translucent member may illuminate the dial when in the operating position.

  According to this, compared with when the hood member is at the original position, the brightness of the dial when the hood member is moved to the operating position can be effectively increased.

a. First Embodiment Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a speedometer SM and a tachometer TM adopting the vehicle meter unit according to the first embodiment. Since the speedometer SM and the tachometer TM are configured in substantially the same manner, the internal structure of the speedometer SM will be described here as a representative, and corresponding members are denoted by the same reference numerals, A description of the tachometer TM is omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the speedometer SM includes a case 10 and a hood member 20, and is assembled to the instrument panel IP by the case 10. The case 10 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a bottom 11. A cylindrical base wall 12 is erected on the bottom 11, and a dial 13 and a substrate 14 are accommodated in the base wall 12.

  The dial 13 is formed of a thin plate having translucency. On the outer peripheral portion of the dial 13, transparent prismatic scale members 13 a are fitted at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. The dial 13 is printed with numbers indicating the speed of the vehicle corresponding to the scale members 13a. A non-transparent colored layer is formed on the dial 13 except for the numerals so as not to transmit light.

  The light source 15 (for example, LED) is attached to the outer peripheral part of the board | substrate 14 corresponding to each scale member 13a. A pointer driving motor 16 is attached to the central portion of the substrate 14, and the rotation shaft 16 a penetrates the substrate 14 and the dial 13 and is integrally connected to the pointer 17 on the dial 13. .

  A transparent cover 18 is attached to the base wall 12 so as to cover the dial 13 and the hands 17. The transparent cover 18 has a substantially conical shape with an apex angle of approximately 90 ° in a side view, and is formed of a material (for example, smoked acrylic) having both translucency and reflectivity.

  The hood member 20 has a stepped cylindrical shape, and is inserted into a guide groove 12a formed between the inner peripheral surface of the case 10 and the outer peripheral surface of the base wall 12 at its small diameter portion 21 so as to be slidable in the central axis direction. Has been. The inner peripheral surface of the hood member 20 is painted black.

  A rack gear 22 is integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 21 so as to extend toward the central axis direction. The rack gear 22 is fitted in a guide groove 10 a formed in the case 10 and meshed with the pinion gear 31. The pinion gear 31 is integrally connected to a rotating shaft 32 a of a hood member drive motor 32 fixed to the case 10.

  The hood member drive motor 32 is connected to the meter ECU 42 via the drive circuit 41 (see FIG. 1), and is driven forward or backward in accordance with a control command from the meter ECU 42. When the hood member drive motor 32 is driven to rotate forward, the hood member 20 slides from the original position shown in FIG. 4 to the operating position shown in FIG. 7 according to the meshing of the pinion gear 31 and the rack gear 22. When the hood member drive motor 32 is driven in reverse in this state, the hood member 20 slides from the operating position shown in FIG. 7 to the original position shown in FIG. The rack gear 22, the pinion gear 31, the hood member drive motor 32, and the meter ECU 42 serve as movement control means.

  As shown in FIG. 4, an opening 21 a is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the small diameter portion 21. As shown in FIG. 6, the opening 21 a has a rectangular shape, and a plurality of openings 21 a are formed in the circumferential direction of the small-diameter portion 21 so as to correspond to the positions of the numbers displayed on the dial 13. 4 is shielded by the case 10 when it is in the original position of FIG. 4, and is arranged so as to be exposed from the case 10 when it is in the operating position of FIG. Each opening 21a has a color that is different from a color (for example, white) of a number constituting the predetermined design, for example, the same number as the number displayed on the corresponding dial 13 and the number displayed on the dial 13 (for example, white). For example, a white film-like translucent member 23 printed in black) is attached.

  As a result, when the hood member 20 is in the operating position, as shown in FIG. 7, the external light taken in through the translucent member 23 is reflected on the transparent cover 18, and as shown in FIG. The black number printed on the member 23 is replaced with the white number displayed on the dial 13 (see FIG. 2), and is operated as a virtual image VI on the dial 13 together with a high brightness white background projected in a fan shape. Is visible to the person.

  The meter ECU 42 has a microcomputer composed of a CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output circuit and the like as main components, and after the ignition switch is turned on, the motor control program of FIG. 8 stored in the ROM is repeated every predetermined short time. The hood member drive motor 32 is rotationally driven via the drive circuit 41 according to the execution. An optical sensor 43 is connected to the meter ECU 42. The optical sensor 43 (luminance detection means) detects the luminance of the dial 13 due to external light (external light intensity) and outputs it to the meter ECU 42.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. The meter ECU 42 repeatedly executes the motor control program shown in FIG. 8 every predetermined short time after the ignition switch is turned on.

  The motor control program starts to be executed in step S10, and in step 11, it is determined whether or not the luminance C of the dial 13 due to external light detected by the optical sensor 43 is equal to or higher than a predetermined luminance Co. To do. Here, the brightness Co is a value that is set to a size that makes it difficult for the driver to visually recognize the dial 13 because the amount of incident external light from the front side of the dial 13 is large. A case will now be described in which the vehicle is running in the daytime under fine weather and the brightness of the dial 13 is low due to external light (for example, when entering a tunnel with low external light).

  In this case, “No” is determined in step S11, that is, it is determined that the luminance C is less than the luminance Co, and the hood member drive motor 32 is driven in reverse in step S13. As a result, the hood member 20 slides from the operating position shown in FIG. 7 to the original position shown in FIG. In this state, the driver visually recognizes the scale member 13a and the pointer 17 illuminated by the lighting operation by the light control switch or by the light source 15 that is automatically turned on. After execution of the process of step S13, the execution of this motor control program is once terminated in step S14.

  Next, a case where the brightness of the dial 13 is increased by external light (for example, a case where the dial 13 exits from a tunnel where external light is weak) is described. In this case, “Yes” in step S11, that is, it is determined that the luminance C is equal to or higher than the luminance Co, and the hood member drive motor 32 is driven to rotate forward in step S12. As a result, the hood member 20 slides from the original position shown in FIG. 4 to the operating position shown in FIG. In this state, the same effect as that obtained when the entire hood of the hood member 20 is formed long can be obtained. That is, the effect of blocking the external light directly hitting the transparent cover 18 is higher than when the entire length of the hood member 20 is short as shown in FIG.

  As the opening 21a is exposed from the case 10, the projected image of the opening 21a onto the transparent cover 18 gradually increases. In the state where the hood member 20 has been moved to the operating position, as shown in FIG. 5, the driver displays the numbers printed on the translucent member 23 together with the white background with a high brightness projected in a fan shape. It is visually recognized as the upper virtual image VI. If the light control switch is not turned off by the driver when the brightness of the dial 13 is increased by external light, the light source 15 is automatically turned off or the brightness of the light source 15 is reduced. Is set to

  As is clear from the above description, in the first embodiment, when the brightness of the dial 13 due to external light is low (external light is weak) according to the detection result by the optical sensor 43, the process of step S13 is performed. Thus, the hood member 20 is moved to the original position so that the amount of external light incident from the front side of the dial 13 increases. On the other hand, when the brightness of the dial 13 due to external light is high (external light is strong), the hood member 20 is adjusted so that the amount of external light incident from the front side of the dial 13 is reduced by the processing in step S12. Moved to the operating position. Thereby, the visibility of the dial 13 is ensured satisfactorily regardless of the intensity of external light.

  By the way, in this 1st Embodiment, when the external light changes from weak to strong, the opening part 21a formed in the hood member 20 is the case 10 as the hood member 20 moves from the original position to the operating position. It is comprised so that it may be exposed from. For this reason, the movement of the hood member 20 to the operating position reduces the incident amount of external light from the front side of the dial 13, but instead of external light from the outer peripheral side of the dial 13 through the opening 21 a. Incident amount increases. Thereby, compared with the case where the dial 13 is illuminated by the external light from the front side of the dial 13, only the brightness of the dial 13 can be increased, and when the external light changes from weak to strong. The design effect of enhancing the brightness of the dial 13 that matches the intensity of external light can be performed.

  In the first embodiment, the incident amount of external light from the front side of the dial 13 increases at the zero position of the sliding amount of the hood member 20, and the sliding amount is as if the hood member 20 is extended. At the maximum position, the amount of incident external light from the front side of the dial 13 decreases. For this reason, the visibility of the dial 13 can be secured satisfactorily by a simple slide movement mechanism including the rack gear 22, the pinion gear 31, and the hood member drive motor 32.

  In the first embodiment, when the hood member 20 is moved to the operating position, a design using outside light that was not present when the hood member 20 is in the original position, that is, a projected image and display of the opening 21a. Since the numbers with different modes are displayed as virtual images on the dial 13, the design effect can be further enhanced.

  In the first embodiment, the design of the translucent member 23 is the same number as the number displayed on the dial 14, but the design of the translucent member 23 is not limited to this. For example, Various graphic patterns such as patterns, symbols, and the like can be used.

b. Second Embodiment In the first embodiment, the hood member 20 is formed in a stepped cylindrical shape, and the hood member 20 is configured to be slidable in the central axis direction in the case 10, but instead, for example, You may use the hood member 120 and case 110 of a shape as shown in FIGS. Since other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, members and portions that perform the same functions as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted. In FIGS. 9 and 12, numerals displayed on the dial 13 are omitted.

  The hood member 120 has a shape in which a long cylindrical portion 121 having a longest side wall length and a short short rod portion 122 are arranged at point-symmetrical positions by cutting a substantially cylindrical shape substantially obliquely. Is inserted into the shaft so as to be rotatable around the central axis.

  An arc-shaped light shielding member 123 having an opening 123a is integrally provided at the end of the hood member 120 on the dial 13 side. An arcuate translucent member 124 is attached to the opening 123a. The translucent member 124 is formed of a film-like material such as colorless and transparent and colored and transparent.

  An opening groove 111 is formed in the outer peripheral portion of the case 110. When the light shielding member 123 faces the opening groove 111, the entrance of external light to the dial 13 side is prohibited, and the opening 123a is formed. When facing the opening groove 111, external light is taken into the dial 13 through the translucent member 124.

  A ring-shaped gear 125 is integrally provided on the outer periphery of the hood member 120. The gear 125 is meshed with the gear 131. The gear 131 is integrally connected to the rotation shaft 32 a of the hood member drive motor 32 fixed to the substrate 14.

  The hood member drive motor 32 is connected to the meter ECU 42 via the drive circuit 41 and is driven forward or reversely according to a control command from the meter ECU 42 (see FIG. 1). When the hood member drive motor 32 is driven to rotate forward, the hood member 120 rotates 180 ° from the original position shown in FIG. 11 to the operating position shown in FIG. 13 according to the meshing of the gear 125 and the gear 131. In this state, when the hood member drive motor 32 is driven in reverse, the hood member 120 rotates 180 ° from the operating position shown in FIG. 13 to the original position shown in FIG. The gears 125 and 131, the hood member drive motor 32, and the meter ECU 42 serve as movement control means.

  Next, the operation of the second embodiment configured as described above will be described. The meter ECU 42 repeatedly executes the same motor control program of FIG. 8 as in the first embodiment every predetermined short time after the ignition switch is turned on.

  If it is determined that the brightness C of the dial 13 due to external light detected by the optical sensor 43 is less than the predetermined brightness Co (“No” in step S11), the hood member drive motor 32 is determined in step S13. Is driven in reverse. Thereby, the hood member 20 rotates from the operating position shown in FIG. 13 to the original position shown in FIG.

  If it is determined that the brightness C of the dial 13 by the external light detected by the optical sensor 43 is equal to or higher than the predetermined brightness Co (“Yes” in step S11), the hood member drive motor 32 is determined in step S12. Is driven forward. Thereby, the hood member 20 rotates from the original position shown in FIG. 11 to the operating position shown in FIG. In this state, since the long rod portion 121 of the hood member 120 is positioned above, the external light directly hitting the transparent cover 18 is blocked as compared with the case where the short rod portion 122 of the hood member 120 is positioned above. Increases effectiveness.

  As the elongate part 121 of the hood member 120 rotates and moves upward, the light shielding member 123 that has blocked the external light wraps around and is shielded by the case 110, while the opening 123 a is formed in the case 110. It is exposed from the case 10 through the opening groove 111. As a result, the driver visually recognizes the dial 13, the scale member 13 a, and the pointer 17 illuminated by the external light taken in through the translucent member 124.

  Also according to the second embodiment, the visibility of the dial is ensured satisfactorily regardless of the intensity of external light, as in the first embodiment. In addition, when the external light changes from weak to strong, a design effect of enhancing the brightness of the dial 13 that matches the external light intensity can be performed.

  In the first and second embodiments, the optical sensor 43 is used as the luminance detecting means and the luminance of the dial 13 due to external light is detected. In addition to this, for example, the luminance outside the vehicle is detected. You may make it determine the strength of external light according to the difference of the brightness inside and outside a vehicle using an optical sensor. Further, in place of the optical sensor 43, for example, only an optical sensor that detects the luminance outside the vehicle may be used to determine the strength of the external light.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the speedometer SM and the tachometer TM has been described. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention is applied to various meters such as a fuel sender gauge and a water temp gauge. It is also possible to apply.

The block diagram of the speedometer and tachometer which were based on 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention, and employ | adopted the meter unit for vehicles of this invention. The front view of the speedometer which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention and was shown in FIG. The top view when a hood member exists in an original position in the speedometer shown in FIG. 4-4 sectional drawing of FIG. The front view when a hood member exists in an operation position in the speedometer shown in FIG. The top view when a hood member exists in an operation position in the speedometer shown in FIG. 7-7 sectional drawing of FIG. The flowchart which shows the motor control program which concerns on 1st and 2nd embodiment of this invention, and is performed by meter ECU of FIG. The front view when a hood member exists in an original position in the speedometer concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. The speedometer which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention WHEREIN: The side view when a hood member exists in an original position. 11-11 sectional drawing of FIG. In the speedometer which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention, the front view when a hood member exists in an operation position. 13-13 sectional drawing of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

SM Speedometer TM Tachometer 10, 110 Case 13 Dial 13a Scale member 15 Light source 18 Transparent cover 20, 120 Hood member 21 Small diameter portion 21a, 123a Opening portion 22 Rack gear (movement control means)
23,124 Translucent member 31 Pinion gear (movement control means)
32 Hood member drive motor (movement control means)
42 Meter ECU (movement control means)
43 Optical sensor (luminance detection means)
121 long rod portion 122 short rod portion 123 light shielding member 125, 131 gear (movement control means)

Claims (5)

The case containing the dial can be moved between the original position where the incident light from the front side of the dial is increased and the operating position where the incident light from the front side of the dial is decreased. A substantially cylindrical hood member incorporated in
A luminance detecting means capable of detecting the luminance of the dial by external light;
A movement control means for moving the hood member between the original position and the operating position according to a detection result by the luminance detection means;
The hood member is formed with an opening for taking in external light from the outer peripheral side of the dial, and the opening is shielded by the case when the hood member is in the original position, and the hood member It is comprised so that it may expose when is in the said operation position, The meter unit for vehicles characterized by the above-mentioned.   The hood member has a stepped cylindrical shape, and is inserted into the case so as to be slidable in the central axis direction at the small-diameter portion having the opening. 2. The vehicle meter according to claim 1, wherein the meter is set corresponding to a zero position of the slide amount that has moved away, and the operating position is set corresponding to a maximum position of the slide amount that the hood member has approached the driver. unit.   The case is provided with a transparent cover having a substantially conical shape and having reflectivity, and a translucent member having a predetermined design is attached to the opening, and the hood member is in the operating position. The external light taken in through the translucent member is reflected on the transparent cover so that the design applied to the translucent member is visible to the driver as a virtual image on the dial. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 2.   The hood member has a shape in which a long heel portion having a maximum side wall length and a short ridge portion having a minimum side wall are formed in a point-symmetrical position by cutting a substantially cylindrical shape substantially obliquely, and has a center axis line in the case. The original position is set corresponding to the uppermost position of the short hook part, and the operating position is set corresponding to the uppermost position of the long hook part. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 1.   The case is formed with an opening groove that exposes the opening formed in the hood member through the case, and a translucent member is attached to the opening, and the hood member is at the operating position. 5. The vehicle meter unit according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle meter unit is set so that external light taken in through the translucent member illuminates the dial.

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