JP2014178278A - Instrument unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an instrument unit configured to allow a front cover to be detached without disassembling a meter body, and to enable easy maintenance.SOLUTION: A vehicle meter 11 includes: a case 15 for housing a display unit; a mask 17 for covering an outer peripheral surface of the case 15; a front cover 13 attached on a front face 23 of the mask 17 to expose the display unit; a locking claw 25 protruding on the front cover 13 to be locked to a claw locking part 29 formed on the front side of the case of the mask 17; and a flexible operation arm 35 arranged in the case 15, and disposed behind the claw locking part 29 in the case to move the locking claw 25 in an unlocking direction with respect to the claw locking part 29. The operation arm 35 includes: a locking recess 41 which elastically biases the locking claw 25 to be locked to the claw locking part 29; and an operation part 37 which is extended toward the rear of the case to displace the locking claw 25 via the locking recess 41 in the unlocking direction with respect to the claw locking part 29.

Description

  The present invention relates to an instrument unit.

A mobile unit such as an automobile is equipped with an instrument unit that displays the status of the mobile unit measured by various measuring means to passengers of the mobile unit.
Such an instrument unit includes, for example, at least a display instrument composed of a tachometer, a speedometer, a water temperature gauge, a fuel gauge, and the like, and a case that accommodates the display instrument. It is also called instrument panel).

And, for the maintenance of the display instrument, etc., there is a meter locking structure that allows the instrument unit to be easily and securely attached to and removed from the instrument panel, and an instrument structure that can easily and reliably remove the display instrument from the case. Various proposals have been made.
For example, as shown in FIG. 4A, the back cover fixing device for an operation recorder disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a first case 501 and a back cover 503, each having an elastic piece 505 and a locking portion 507. One of a plurality of pairs of coupling means is integrally provided to detachably couple the first case 501 and the back cover 503, and a jig insertion hole 509 is formed in the vicinity of the coupling means to insert the jig. The jig 511 inserted into the hole 509 can release the engagement between the elastic piece 505 and the locking portion 507.

  4B, the first claw portion 513 in the instrument unit disclosed in Patent Document 2 includes a frame portion 515, an elastic arm 517, a locking projection 519, and a locking release portion 521. With. The elastic arm 517 arranged on the frame portion 515 is provided so as to be elastically deformable over a locked state and a locked state. The locking projection 519 is provided so as to protrude from the elastic arm 517, is locked in the hole 523 when the elastic arm 517 is in the locked state, restricts the movement of the instrument unit, and the elastic arm 517 is in the unlocked state. At this time, the lock on the hole 523 is released and the movement restriction of the instrument unit is released. The unlocking portion 521 is connected to the elastic arm 517 and elastically deforms the elastic arm 517 between the locked state and the unlocked state.

  As shown in FIG. 4C, the display unit disclosed in Patent Document 3 includes a claw body 531 that is inserted into a locking hole 529 of an instrument panel 527 in a claw portion 525 provided in the meter body, An elastic arm 533 that is elastically deformable in a direction in which the end on the back side in the insertion direction Y1 of the claw body 531 is in contact with and away from the inner peripheral surface of the locking hole 529, and a protrusion provided from the elastic arm 533 to be locked. A locking projection 535 that is locked to the hole 529 is provided. A wedge portion 537 provided on the cluster panel 536 is inserted into the clearance S between the locking hole 529 and the side of the elastic arm 533 away from the locking projection 535 to restrict elastic deformation of the elastic arm 533. .

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 63-27823 JP 2009-258049 A JP 2012-2630 A

By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, the front cover 547 is attached to the instrument body 539 on the front surface (occupant side) of the meter body so as to surround the display unit 545 having a visual recognition portion such as a dial 541 and a pointer 543. There is. In such an instrument unit structure, the display unit 545 is accommodated in a case 549, and the case 549 is fixed to an instrument panel or the like by a mounting hole 551. Further, the periphery of the case 549 exposed on the passenger side is covered with a mask (covering member) 553.
The front cover 547 has a plurality of locking claws 555, and the locking claws 555 are locked to the inner claw locking portions 557 of the mask 553 so as to block the front cover mounting opening 559 on the front surface of the mask. Attached to the mask 553. Further, the back surface 561 of the mask is closed by fixing the back cover 563.

  Therefore, in the case of the instrument unit 539 in which the front cover 547 is attached to the front surface of the meter main body and the periphery of the case 549 is covered with the mask 553, the locking claw 555 of the front cover 547 and the claw locking portion 557 of the mask 553 Since the locking portion of the instrument is hidden inside the meter, even when only the front cover 547 is removed, the mask 553 and the back cover 563 of the instrument unit 539 need to be disassembled, and the maintainability is lowered. There is a problem.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above situation, and an object of the present invention is to provide an instrument unit in which a front cover can be removed without disassembling a meter body and maintenance can be easily performed.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configuration.
(1) A case for housing the display unit, a covering member that covers the outer periphery of the case, a front cover that is attached to the front surface of the covering member and exposes the display unit, and protrudes from the front cover A locking claw that is locked to a claw locking portion formed on the front side of the case of the covering member; and a flexible claw provided on the case, the locking claw being attached to the claw locking portion. An operating arm provided on the rear side of the case from the claw locking portion for moving in the unlocking direction, and the operating arm engages with a tip of the locking claw to disengage the locking claw. A locking recess that elastically biases in a direction to lock the claw locking portion, and a locking release direction that extends rearward of the case and that engages the locking claw with respect to the claw locking portion via the locking recess. And an operation unit for displacing the instrument unit.

According to the instrument unit configured as described in (1) above, when the front cover is attached to the cover member covering the periphery of the case, the locking claw protruding from the front cover is provided on the front side of the cover member. The front cover is fixed to the cover member by being locked by the claw locking portion. At this time, the locking recess of the operating arm provided in the case separate from the front cover and the cover member engages the tip of the locking claw, and the operating arm is engaged by the elastic recess through the locking recess. Elastically biases the pawl in a direction to lock the pawl with respect to the pawl locking portion. As a result, the locking claw is restricted from coming off from the claw locking portion, and the locking reliability against vibration and impact is enhanced.
On the other hand, when removing the front cover, if the operation part of the operation arm extending rearward of the case is operated, the operation arm bends, and the engagement recess of the operation arm presses and urges the engagement claw tip to engage the engagement claw. Is displaced from the claw locking portion in a direction to release the locking. The front cover from which the locking claw has been released from the claw locking portion can be removed from the covering member. For this reason, the front cover can be removed from the meter body without disassembling the meter body (case and covering member).

(2) The instrument unit configured as described in (1) above, wherein the locking recess has a tapered portion that slides into and guides the tip of the locking claw.

  According to the instrument unit having the configuration (2), when the locking claw is engaged with the locking recess of the operation arm, the tip of the locking claw can be smoothly inserted and guided.

(3) The instrument unit configured as described in (1) or (2) above, wherein a back cover is attached to a rear surface of the cover member, and the operation portion is exposed to the back cover so that an operation from outside the case can be performed. An instrument unit, characterized in that an opening for operation is provided.

  According to the instrument unit configured as described in (3) above, even when the back cover is attached to the rear surface of the cover member, the operation unit is operated from the operation opening provided in the back cover, and Operation in the unlocking direction is possible.

  According to the instrument unit according to the present invention, the front cover can be removed without disassembling the meter body, and maintenance can be easily performed.

  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. .

It is the side view which notched a part of instrument unit which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a principal part expanded sectional view of the meter unit shown in FIG. (A) is a principal part expanded sectional view in the middle of insertion of the latching claw shown in FIG. 2, (b) is a principal part expanded sectional view when the operation arm shown in FIG. (A) is principal part sectional drawing of the conventional back cover fixing device, (b) is principal part sectional drawing of the conventional instrument unit, (c) is principal part sectional drawing of the conventional display unit. (A) is a front view of a conventional instrument unit, (b) is a side view with a part of the instrument unit shown in (a) cut out.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, an automotive meter 11 that is an instrument unit according to an embodiment of the present invention accommodates a display unit (see display unit 545 in FIG. 5) having a visual recognition part such as a dial plate and a pointer. A cylindrical case 15, a mask 17 that covers the outer periphery of the case 15, a front cover 13 that is attached to the front surface 23 of the mask 17 to expose the display unit, and a back surface that covers the rear surface 19 of the mask 17 A meter body comprising a cover 21 is provided. The front cover 13, the case 15, the mask 17, and the back cover 21 are formed of a synthetic resin material.

  The front cover 13 is attached to the front surface 23 of the mask 17 to expose the display unit on the front surface (occupant side) of the meter body. The front cover 13 is provided with a locking claw 25 protruding toward the rear side of the case (right side in FIG. 1), and the locking claw 25 has a stepped shape on the tip side of one surface of the tongue piece shape. A claw portion 27 is provided. A rectangular tube-like claw locking portion 29 is formed on the front side of the mask 17 (on the left side in FIG. 1), and the claw locking portion 29 has a claw portion 27 of the locking claw 25 inserted inward. It can be locked to the edge of the opening end opposite to the insertion direction. As shown in FIG. 2, a release gap 31 is provided between the claw locking portion 29 and the locking claw 25, and the claw portion 27 moves in the release gap 31 so that the claw portion 27 is engaged with the claw engagement. The stopper 29 can be released from the edge of the opening end of the stopper 29 and unlocked. In the state where the claw portion 27 is locked to the claw locking portion 29, the front end 33 of the locking claw 25 protrudes from the claw locking portion 29 to the inside of the mask 17. A plurality of pairs of locking claws 25 and claw locking portions 29 are provided along the circumferential direction of the mask 17, and the front cover 13 is fixed at a predetermined position of the mask 17 by locking all together.

  On the other hand, the case 15 is provided with a plurality of operation arms 35 corresponding to the claw locking portions 29 of the mask 17 with flexibility. The operation arm 35 is formed such that one end in the longitudinal direction of the strip plate is connected to the case 15 and bent into a substantially S shape, and the other end in the longitudinal direction is a free end that can be displaced in the front and back direction. The free end of the operation arm 35 is a flat operation portion 37. A thick portion 39 is formed on the base end side of the operation portion 37, and a locking recess 41 facing the claw locking portion 29 is provided in the thick portion 39. The locking recess 41 receives the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 protruding from the claw locking portion 29 and engages with the tip 33 of the locking claw 25. The engaging recess 41 is elastically biased in a direction in which the engaging claw 25 is engaged with the claw engaging portion 29 by engaging with the tip 33 of the engaging claw 25.

  A bent portion 43 bent in a U shape is formed between the locking recess 41 and the base end of the operation arm 35. The bending portion 43 relieves stress concentration when the operation arm 35 is bent, exhibits springiness, and makes it difficult to cause plastic deformation.

  A taper portion 45 is formed in the locking recess 41. When the front cover 13 is attached to the mask 17, the tapered portion 45 is in sliding contact with the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 protruding from the claw locking portion 29 and receives the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 into the locking recess 41. Guidance for insertion. At this time, the operation arm 35 is displaced in a direction opposite to the direction in which the locking claw 25 is locked, but at the same time as the locking claw 25 is locked to the claw locking portion 29, the operation arm 35 is elastically restored and locked. The claw 25 is elastically biased in the locking direction. That is, the operation arm 35 further presses and urges the locking claw 25 locked to the claw locking portion 29 in the locking direction.

  A back cover 21 is attached to the rear surface 19 of the mask 17. The back cover 21 is provided with an operation opening 49 that exposes the operation portion 37 of the operation arm 35 and allows operation from the outside of the case 47. The operation portion 37 of the operation arm 35 may be led out from the operation opening 49 to the outside of the case 47, and can be released from the operation opening 49 by a finger, a release jig or the like. May be arranged. As described above, the operation unit 37 is configured to be able to flex the operation arm 35 from the case exterior 47 in the unlocking direction (downward in FIG. 2). By operating the operating portion 37 in one unlocking direction in the front and back directions, the operating arm 35 presses and biases the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 in the unlocking direction via the locking recess 41. . Thereby, the operation arm 35 moves the locking claw 25 with respect to the claw locking portion 29 in the locking release direction.

Next, the operation of the automobile meter 11 having the above configuration will be described.
In the automotive meter 11 according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, when the front cover 13 is attached to the mask 17 covering the periphery of the case 15, the locking claw 25 protruding from the front cover 13 is provided. The front cover 13 is fixed to the mask 17 by being locked by a claw locking portion 29 provided on the case front side of the mask 17. At this time, the locking recess 41 of the operation arm 35 provided in the case 15 separate from the front cover 13 and the mask 17 engages with the tip 33 of the locking claw 25, as shown in FIG. In addition, the operation arm 35 elastically biases the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 with respect to the claw locking portion 29 via the locking recess 41 by elastic force. Thereby, the latching claw 25 is prevented from coming off from the claw latching portion 29, and the latching reliability against vibration and impact is enhanced.

  On the other hand, when the front cover 13 is removed, as shown in FIG. 3B, when the operating portion 37 of the operating arm 35 extending rearward of the case is operated in the direction of arrow A in the figure, the operating arm 35 bends. Then, the locking recess 41 of the operation arm 35 presses and urges the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 to displace the locking claw 25 from the claw locking portion 29 in the direction of releasing the locking. The front cover 13, which has been released from the locking claw 25 with respect to the claw locking portion 29, is pulled in a direction away from the front surface 23 of the mask 17 (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 3B). The pawl 25 comes out of the pawl locking portion 29 and can be removed from the mask 17. For this reason, the front cover 13 can be removed from the meter main body only by operating the operation portion 37 of the operation arm 35 without disassembling the meter main body (case 15, mask 17 and back cover 21).

  By the way, as a locking structure for locking the tip of the locking claw to the claw locking portion, the locking claw itself of the front cover itself is formed in a long shape, a claw portion is provided on the extended tip side, and the back of the mask It is also conceivable to provide a claw locking portion on the side so that the claw portion can be released from the rear of the case with fingers or a release jig. However, if the locking claw is long, it is difficult to obtain an appropriate locking elastic force for the claw locking portion, and an increase in mass causes an inertial force in the unlocking direction due to vibration, impact, etc. This makes it easier to reduce the reliability of the locking structure. On the other hand, according to the locking structure in the automotive meter 11 of the present embodiment, the locking claw 25 can be released by the operation portion 37 of the operation arm 35 extending rearward of the case. There is no need to make it long, and the latching claw 25 can be formed in a shape substantially the same as that of the prior art.

  Further, in the automobile meter 11 of the present embodiment, the locking recess 41 has a tapered portion 45 that slides into contact with the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 and guides the insertion. Therefore, when engaging the locking claw 25 with the locking recess 41 of the operation arm 35, the tip 33 of the locking claw 25 can be smoothly inserted and guided.

  Furthermore, in the automobile meter 11 of the present embodiment, the back cover 21 is attached to the rear surface 19 of the mask 17, and the operation arm 37 is operated from the operation opening 49 provided in the back cover 21 to operate the operation arm 35. Can be operated in the unlocking direction.

  In the above embodiment, the claw locking structure between the front cover 13 and the mask 17 that is a covering member that covers the case 15 is taken as an example, but the present invention is another covering member such as a part of the instrument panel. In the meantime, the present invention can be applied to the case where the claw locking structure is left inside the meter, and the same effect as described above can be obtained.

Therefore, according to the automobile meter 11 according to the present embodiment, the front cover 13 can be removed without disassembling the case 15, the mask 17 and the back cover 21 which are meter bodies, and maintenance can be easily performed. .
In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above, A deformation | transformation, improvement, etc. are possible suitably. In addition, the material, shape, dimensions, number, arrangement location, and the like of each component in the above-described embodiment are arbitrary and are not limited as long as the present invention can be achieved.

11 ... Auto meter (instrument unit)
13 ... Front cover 15 ... Case 17 ... Mask (covering member)
19 ... rear face of mask (rear face of covering member)
21 ... Back cover 23 ... Front face of mask (front face of covering member)
25 ... locking claw 29 ... claw locking part 33 ... tip 35 of the locking claw ... operation arm 37 ... operation part 41 ... locking recess 45 ... taper part 47 ... case exterior 49 ... opening for operation

Claims (3)

A case for accommodating the display unit;
A covering member that covers the outer periphery of the case;
A front cover attached to the front surface of the covering member to expose the display unit;
A locking claw protruding from the front cover and locked to a claw locking portion formed on the front side of the case of the covering member;
An operation arm provided in the case with flexibility and provided on the rear side of the case from the claw locking portion to move the locking claw in the unlocking direction with respect to the claw locking portion; With
The operation arm is engaged with a tip of the locking claw and elastically biased in a direction to lock the locking claw with respect to the claw locking portion,
An operation portion that extends rearward of the case and displaces the locking claw in the locking release direction with respect to the claw locking portion via the locking recess;
An instrument unit comprising: The instrument unit according to claim 1,
The instrument unit according to claim 1, wherein the locking recess has a taper portion that is inserted and guided in sliding contact with a tip of the locking claw. The instrument unit according to claim 1 or 2,
A back cover is attached to the rear surface of the covering member,
The instrument unit according to claim 1, wherein the back cover is provided with an operation opening that exposes the operation portion and allows operation from outside the case.

Images