JP2014032043A - Meter device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a meter device to/from which a light guide member can be easily attached/detached, and which can surely lock the light guide member.SOLUTION: A meter device comprises: a case 9 for storing a light source; a dial 5 provided on the front surface of the case 9; and a light guide member 7 attached from the front side of the case 9 and disposed between the case 9 and the dial 5, for guiding light from the light source to the dial 5. The case 9 includes a locking piece 31 protruding to the light guide member 7 side. The light guide member 7 includes an elastically deformable locking claw 21 having a claw 23 for locking the locking piece 31. The locking piece 31 has an insertion hole 32 and a notch 33 into which a tool can be inserted in order to release locking of the locking claw 21 to the locking piece 31 by using the tool from the attaching direction side of the light guide member 7 to the case 9.

Description

  The present invention relates to a meter device mounted on a vehicle, an aircraft, a ship, or the like.

  As a conventional meter device, as shown in FIG. 5, light emitted from a light source is guided between a case 101 and a dial to a scale and letters or pointers of the dial, and these scales and letters or pointers. There is known one provided with a light guide member 102 that shines light (for example, see Patent Document 1). This meter device has a structure in which the light guide member 102 is assembled to the case 101 by locking the claw portion 103 formed on the light guide member 102 to the locking portion 104 of the case 101.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, a structure in which a claw portion 112 is formed on the case 111 side and a locking portion 114 of the light guide member 113 is locked by the claw portion 112 on the case 111 side is also known (for example, Patent Document 2).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the structure in which the claw part is locked and the two parts are assembled is engaged by inserting the jig 122 from the mounting side of the part having the claw part 121 and deforming the claw part 121. A device that can release the stop state is known (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

JP 2010-8334 A JP 2007-33390 A JP-A-9-28018

  In the meter device described in Patent Document 1, when removing the light guide member 102, the claw portion 103 is deformed from the back side of the case 101 to release the locked state, and the replacement work of the light guide member 102 is complicated. Met.

  On the other hand, in the meter device described in Patent Document 2, the claw portion 112 of the case 111 can be deformed from the mounting side of the light guide member 113 to release the locked state, and the light guide member 113 can be replaced. The improvement of the property is achieved. However, unlike the light guide member 113 made of an acrylic material or the like, the material of the case 111 is generally formed of a polypropylene (PP) -based material that is poor in elasticity but inexpensive, and for this reason, the light guide member Compared with the case where the claw portion 112 is provided on the 113, the installation area and the like are restricted due to the size limitation.

  Further, in the locking structure described in Patent Document 3 in which the locking state of the claw portion 121 can be released by the jig 122, the claw portion 121 side is arranged so that the claw portion 121 is deformed by the inserted jig 122. A taper protrusion 121a is provided. For this reason, a gap is generated between the elastic piece 123 having the claw portion 121 and the lock piece receiving portion 124, and the claw portion 121 may come off when vibration or the like occurs.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a meter device in which the light guide member can be easily attached and detached and the light guide member can be reliably locked. is there.

In order to achieve the above-described object, the meter device according to the present invention is characterized by the following (1) and (2).
(1) a case for accommodating a light source;
A dial provided on the front surface of the case;
A light guide member attached from the front side of the case and disposed between the case and the dial, and guiding light from the light source to the dial;
With
The case is provided with a locking piece protruding toward the light guide member side,
The light guide member is provided with an elastically deformable locking claw having a claw portion for locking the locking piece,
The locking piece has an opening through which the tool can be inserted so as to release the locking of the locking claw by the locking claw by a tool from the mounting direction side of the light guide member to the case.
(2) In the meter device configured as described in (1) above, the locking claw has a bent portion formed in a substantially U shape in a sectional view between the claw portion and the light guide member.

In the meter device having the above configuration (1), a locking claw that is elastically deformed is formed on the light guide member side formed of a material having excellent elasticity, and the case side formed of a material that is poor in elasticity but inexpensive is formed. A locking piece to be locked by the locking claw is formed. Moreover, an opening through which the tool can be inserted from the mounting direction side of the light guide member to the case is formed in the locking piece, and the locking of the locking claw by the claw portion of the locking claw from the front side of the case is released. Is possible. In other words, by providing a locking structure for each member suitable for the material characteristics, the light guide member can be reliably locked without requiring much consideration for design matters such as the elastic shape and dimensions. The light guide member can be easily attached and detached.
In the meter device having the configuration of (2) above, the claw portion can be favorably displaced by providing the locking claw with a bent portion formed in a substantially U shape in cross section, and the light guide member with respect to the case can be displaced. Detachability can be greatly improved.

  According to the meter device of the present invention, it is possible to provide a meter device in which the light guide member can be easily attached and detached and the light guide member can be reliably locked.

  The present invention has been briefly described above. Further, the details of the present invention will be further clarified by reading through a mode for carrying out the invention described below (hereinafter referred to as “embodiment”) with reference to the accompanying drawings. .

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a meter device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a locking portion between the case and the light guide member. FIG. 4 is a perspective view in cross section of a locking portion between the case and the light guide member. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a conventional meter device. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a conventional meter device. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a locking structure.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  1 is a front view showing a meter device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a locking portion between a case and a light guide member FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a cross-sectional view of a locking portion between the case and the light guide member.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the meter device 1 according to the present embodiment is applied to, for example, an automobile speedometer, and is used for a board 2 and a dial plate illumination mounted on the board 2. A light source 3, a movement 4 mounted on the back surface of the substrate 2 on which the light source 3 is mounted, a dial plate 5, a dial plate 6, a reflective plate 8 whose inner surface forms a reflective surface, a dial plate 5 and a reflective plate A light guide member 7 provided between the plate 8, a case 9 for accommodating the substrate 2 and the movement 4, a pointer 10, a back cover 11, an LCD 12 constituting a trip meter and the light source 13 thereof, and a substrate 2 and a light source 14 for pointer illumination mounted in the vicinity of the pointer shaft 41 on the upper side. The case 9 is made of a polypropylene (PP) -based material that is poor in elasticity but inexpensive. Similarly to the case 9, the back cover 11 is formed of a polypropylene (PP) material and covers the back side of the case 9 by being attached to the case 9.

  The meter device 1 of the present embodiment constitutes a part of a combination meter, and the entire circumference on the surface side is covered with a facing plate 6. In addition, the display plate 6 is opened with various display windows for installing various instruments including the meter device 1. Further, the facing plate 6 is covered with a transparent cover glass 15 on the front side.

  The light guide member 7 is, for example, a prism or a diffusion plate formed of an appropriate light-transmitting (or light guide) material having excellent light guide properties such as acrylic, and is attached to the case 9 from the front side. The The light guide member 7 includes a cylindrical portion 7a and a plate-like portion 7b formed on the dial portion 5 side of the cylindrical portion 7a. As the light source 3 provided on the substrate 2, LEDs that emit illumination light are used. A plurality of LEDs are arranged radially at predetermined intervals and face the end surface of the cylindrical portion 7 a of the light guide member 7. It is arranged at the position.

  The reflection plate 8 is formed integrally with the case 9 and is provided along the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 7 a of the light guide member 7 and the back surface of the plate portion 7 b of the light guide member 7. The surface on the light guide member 7 side of the reflecting plate 8 is a surface suitable for reflection by the mirror finish of the molding die, and reflects the light of the light guide member 7 forward.

  A tubular body 16 is provided between the substrate 2 and the dial plate 5, and the tubular body 16 is accommodated in the tubular portion 7 a of the light guide member 7. The cylindrical body 16 covers the periphery of the pointer shaft 41. The light source 14 for pointer illumination mounted on the substrate 2 is disposed inside the cylindrical body 16, and the light of these light sources 14 is guided from the light guide portion 10a of the pointer 10 to the pointer 10, The pointer 10 illuminates.

  The light source 3 of the present embodiment is not particularly limited to the LED, but this LED is preferable in that it is a small point light source with low power consumption. The light source 13 for the LCD 12 and the light source 14 for pointer illumination are the same and use LEDs, but this LED is preferable in that it is a small point light source with low power consumption.

  The movement 4 rotates the pointer 10 by an appropriate angle according to a signal from a speed detector (not shown) in order to display a speed corresponding to the traveling speed of the automobile on which the meter device 1 is mounted. The movement 4 incorporates an appropriate motor (not shown), for example, a stepper motor, a necessary speed reduction mechanism (not shown), and the like, and is integrally connected to the pointer 10 via a pointer shaft 41.

  The dial 5 is printed with necessary information on the design itself, for example, the scale M, numbers F, letters, symbols, etc., such as the car itself or the environment around the car, as well as the LCD 12 constituting a trip meter or the like. Information is displayed. The dial plate 5 of the present embodiment is formed in a disc shape (or semi-disc shape) using an appropriate thin plate material having translucency.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the light guide member 7 is formed with a locking claw 21 at a part of the outer periphery thereof. The locking claw 21 has a bent portion 22 and a claw portion 23. The bent portion 22 extends from the connecting portion 22a on the light guide member 7 side to the side opposite to the mounting direction of the light guide member 7 to the case 9, is bent into a U shape, and is folded back to form the case of the light guide member 7. 9 is extended in the mounting direction. The nail | claw part 23 is formed in the front-end | tip of the bending part 22, and protrudes outward. The claw portion 23 has a tapered surface 23 a whose outer side on the tip side is gradually inclined from the tip toward the protruding side of the claw portion 23.

  In addition, a locking piece 31 that can lock the claw portion 23 of the locking claw 21 is extended to the light guide member 7 on the inner surface of the case 9. The locking piece 31 has a rectangular insertion hole (opening) 32. Further, notches (openings) 33 are formed on both sides of the locking piece 31.

  A holding projection 35 is formed on the inner surface of the case 9, and the light guide member 7 is engaged with and held by the holding projection 35.

  In the meter device 1 described above, the motor provided in the movement 4 is driven to rotate based on a sensor signal corresponding to the current speed detected by a speed sensor (not shown). Then, the pointer 10 integrally connected thereto rotates to indicate the number F or the scale M on the dial plate 5. As a result, the current speed can be notified to the driver by analog display.

  In the meter device 1 that performs such speed display, particularly at night, the light sources 3 and 14 also emit light simultaneously with the lighting operation of the headlights. The light from the light source 3 is introduced from the end face of the cylindrical portion 7a of the light guide member 7, and is guided to the entire plate-like portion 7b of the light guide member 7 through the cylindrical portion 7a. Thereby, the whole plate-shaped part 7b will light-emit. Moreover, the light irradiated to the back surface side of the light guide member 7 is reflected by the reflecting plate 8 and guided to the front side of the meter device 1. As a result, the entire dial plate 5 is illuminated from the rear side, and the numbers F and scales M of the dial plate 5 are illuminated. Further, the light from the light source 14 is guided from the light guide portion 10a of the pointer 10 to the pointer 10, so that the pointer 10 illuminates.

  In order to assemble the light guide member 7 in the meter device 1, the light guide member 7 is fitted into the case 9 from the front side before the dial plate 5 is attached. In this way, first, the tapered surface 23 a of the claw portion 23 of the locking claw 21 abuts on the locking piece 31 of the case 9, and then, the locking piece 31 comes into sliding contact with the tapered surface 23 a, so that the locking claw 21 The nail | claw part 23 is pushed in to the center side of the light guide member 7, Therefore, the bending part 22 elastically deforms. Further, by fitting the light guide member 7 into the case 9, when the claw portion 23 of the locking claw 21 exceeds the locking piece 31, the bent portion 22 that has been elastically deformed is restored. Thereby, the claw part 23 of the locking claw 21 enters the back side of the locking piece 31, and the locking claw 21 is locked to the locking piece 31. Thereby, the light guide member 7 is attached to the case 9.

  Further, in order to remove the light guide member 7, the tool T (from the mounting direction side of the light guide member 7 to the case 9 to the insertion hole 32 or the notch 33 is removed with the dial 5 removed. (See FIG. 3). For example, a minus driver or the like is used as the tool T. Then, the tool T is inserted between the inner surface of the case 9 and the claw portion 23. At this time, in particular, in the insertion hole 32, the tool T is guided by the inner edge thereof, so that the insertion operation of the tool T is facilitated.

  Thus, when the tool T is inserted between the inner surface of the case 9 and the claw portion 23, the claw portion 23 of the locking claw 21 is pushed toward the center of the light guide member 7, and the bent portion 22 is elastically deformed. Therefore, the nail | claw part 23 displaces to the light guide member 7 side. When the claw 23 is displaced toward the light guide member 7 with respect to the locking piece 31, the locking of the locking piece 31 by the claw 23 is released. In this state, the light guide member 7 is removed from the case 9 by pulling out the light guide member 7 in a removal direction opposite to the mounting direction to the case 9.

  As described above, according to the meter device according to the above-described embodiment, the locking claw 21 that is elastically deformed is formed on the light guide member 7 side that is formed from a material that is excellent in elasticity. A locking piece 31 to which the locking claw 21 is locked is formed on the case 9 side to be formed. Moreover, an insertion hole 32 and a notch 33 through which the tool T can be inserted from the mounting direction side of the light guide member 7 to the case 9 are formed in the locking piece 31, and the locking claw 21 is formed from the front side of the case 9. It is possible to unlock the locking piece 31 by the claw portion 23. In other words, by providing a locking structure for each member suitable for the material characteristics, the light guide member 7 can be reliably locked without requiring much consideration for design matters such as elastic shape and dimensions, In addition, the light guide member 7 can be easily attached and detached.

  Further, by providing the latching claw 21 with the bent portion 22 formed in a substantially U shape in cross section, the claw portion 23 can be favorably displaced, and the detachability of the light guide member 7 with respect to the case 9 is greatly increased. Can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the rectangular insertion hole 32 is formed in the locking piece 31. However, the shape of the insertion hole 32 is not limited to a rectangular shape. For example, the light guide member 7 side has a circular arc shape. It may be circular or the like.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the penetration hole 32 was formed in the locking piece 31, and also the notch part 33 was formed in the both sides of the locking piece 31, either the insertion hole 32 or the notch part 33 is formed. It may be formed.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above at all, In the range which does not deviate from the summary, it can implement with a various form. For example, in each of the above-described embodiments, as a light source, a design portion such as a scale portion, a pointer, and a number on a dial plate is illuminated with a separate dedicated light source. You may install and use two or more.

  Further, as a meter device to which the illumination structure of the present invention is applied, for example, in addition to the speedometer unit of the present embodiment, it can be applied to various instruments such as a tachometer unit, a fuel meter unit, and a water temperature meter. It is.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Meter apparatus 3 Light source 5 Dial 7 Light guide member 9 Case 21 Locking claw 22 Bending part 23 Claw part 31 Locking piece 32 Insertion hole (opening part)
33 Notch (opening)
T tool

Claims (2)

A case for accommodating a light source;
A dial provided on the front surface of the case;
A light guide member attached from the front side of the case and disposed between the case and the dial, and guiding light from the light source to the dial;
With
The case is provided with a locking piece protruding toward the light guide member side,
The light guide member is provided with an elastically deformable locking claw having a claw portion for locking the locking piece,
The locking piece has an opening through which the tool can be inserted so as to release the locking to the locking piece by the locking claw by a tool from the mounting direction side of the light guide member to the case. A characteristic meter device.   2. The meter device according to claim 1, wherein the locking claw includes a bent portion formed in a substantially U shape in a sectional view between the claw portion and the light guide member.

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