JP2940789B2 - Display device for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a display device for a vehicle.
In particular, the present invention relates to a vehicle display device that is mounted on a vehicle such as an automobile and displays a predetermined measurement amount such as a vehicle speed and an engine speed.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in various vehicles such as automobiles, at night or the like, a so-called transmissive illumination type light source is provided on the back side of a dial of an instrument to emit, for example, predetermined scales and characters. Vehicle instruments are widely used.

FIGS. 11 to 13 show such a conventional display device for a vehicle. For example, a scale 2 of white nuclei is provided at the front end of a meter case 1 of the display device having an open front surface.
a, a letter plate 2 on which letters 2b and the like are formed is attached so as to cover the front opening, and the meter case 1
Inside, the instrument movement 3 which is operated based on a predetermined measured amount such as a vehicle speed and an engine speed is disposed on the back side of the dial 2. The instrument movement 3 is provided with a rotating shaft 4 which is driven to rotate in accordance with the predetermined measurement amount and whose leading end extends to the front side of the dial 2. A pointer 5 located on the front side of the dial 2 is attached to the portion.

A light diffusing plate 6 is provided on the back side of the dial 2, and a CCT (cold cathode) for irradiating light from the back side of the dial 2 is provided inside the meter case 1. An annular light source 7 consisting of a tube is arranged. Further, the front face of the meter case 1 is provided with the dial 2.
A transparent front glass 8 that protects the hand and the pointer 5 and the like is provided.

[0005] In such a conventional vehicle display device, the light source 7 is turned on, so that the dial 2 is turned on.
By driving the instrument movement 3 based on a predetermined measurement amount such as the speed of the vehicle and rotating the rotation shaft 4 by a predetermined amount while irradiating the light of the light source 7 from the back surface of the
By rotating the pointer 5 and reading the position of the scale 2a, the character 2b, and the like in the light emitting state through the back surface light indicated by the pointer 5, the measured amount can be recognized. .

[0006]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional vehicle display device, a CCT is used as a light source 7 for the back light of the dial 2, and the CCT light source 7 is extremely expensive. Therefore, material cost is high,
There is a disadvantage that the manufacturing cost is increased. In addition, since the light source 7 based on the CCT has a large driving circuit (not shown in the drawing), a large installation space is required for the light source 7, which leads to an increase in the size of the device and an increase in the weight of the device. have.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and can be manufactured at low cost in a so-called transmissive illumination type vehicle display device having a light source on the back side of a dial, and can be reduced in size and weight. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle display device that can be achieved.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above object, a vehicle display device according to the present invention has a light source disposed on the back side of a translucent dial plate having a predetermined display portion. In the vehicle display device, which illuminates the display unit by irradiating the dial with the illuminating light, on the back side of the dial, the inside is hollow and a reflective surface is formed on the inner surface. Disposing an annular light guide member having an opening formed in a part thereof, forming a slit on a surface of the light guide member corresponding to the dial, and disposing the light source near the light guide member. A reflecting member is provided between the light source and the opening of the light guiding member for guiding the light emitted from the light source into the light guiding member.

Preferably, the light guide member is formed in a tapered shape so that a cross-sectional area of the opening at a position symmetrical in the diameter direction is minimized. It is characterized by having.

[0010]

According to the vehicle display device of the present invention, when the light source is turned on, the light emitted from the light source is reflected by the reflecting member formed of the reflecting plate, and is transmitted through the opening of the light guiding member. Is guided inside, and the light introduced into the light guide member is reflected by the inner surface of the light guide member and is guided inside, and a part of the guided light is transmitted from the slit to the outside. Radiated.

With this configuration, a normal lamp can be used as a light source, so that the material cost can be significantly reduced, and the size and weight of the device can be reduced.

Further, the light guide member is hollow and has a reflective surface formed on the inner surface thereof, and is formed in a tapered shape so that the cross-sectional area of the opening at the symmetric position in the diameter direction is minimized. The light introduced through the opening is hardly attenuated in the process of traveling to the distal end while being reflected by the reflection surface, and the tapered shape increases the light flux density of the light traveling to the distal end of the light guide member. That is, the slit of the light guide member can be made to shine uniformly from the base end to the tip end, whereby the back side of the dial can be irradiated uniformly and with high brightness.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. The same reference numerals are used for the same parts as in the prior art. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of a vehicle display device according to the present invention. The front end of a meter case 1 of the display device having an open front has, for example, a scale 2a of white nucleus,
A dial 2 on which characters 2b and the like are formed is attached so as to cover the front opening. Inside the meter case 1 and on the back side of the dial 2, a vehicle speed, an engine speed, and the like are provided. The instrument movement 3 which is operated based on a predetermined measured amount of the instrument is provided. The instrument movement 3 is provided with a rotating shaft 4 which is driven to rotate in accordance with the predetermined measurement amount and whose leading end extends to the front side of the dial 2. A pointer 5 located on the front side of the dial 2 is attached to the portion.

A light diffusing plate 6 is provided on the back side of the dial 2, and in this embodiment, light from the back side of the light diffusing plate 6 is provided inside the meter case 1. The light guide member 9, which is formed into an annular shape and emits light, is disposed in contact with the light diffusion plate 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the light guide member 9 is formed as a hollow cylindrical body,
On its inner peripheral surface, a reflection surface 10 is formed by a mirror surface treatment by polishing, sticking of aluminum foil, vapor deposition, plating, or the like, or a irregular reflection surface treatment by applying a white paint.

A base end 9a of the light guide member 9 located on the lower end side of the dial 2 has openings 1 facing each other.
1 and 11 are formed, and the surface 9c of the light guide member 9 on the light diffusion plate 6 side is diffused so that the sectional area of the distal end 9b at the diametrically symmetric position of the base end 9a is minimized. A surface 9d opposite to the surface 9c is tapered (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Further, an annular slit 12 is formed on a surface 9c of the light guide member 9 on the side of the light diffusion plate 6, and the slit 12 is, as shown in FIG.
Are located immediately below the scale 2a and the character 2b. The light guide member 9 may be formed in a ring shape by, for example, arranging a conical cylindrical body formed in a semicircular arc symmetrically, and connecting with a distal end portion 9b which is a small diameter portion. Good (see FIG. 3).

Further, a pair of reflectors 13 and 13 are provided in the opening 11 of the light guide member 9, and the reflector 1 is located below the opening 11 of the light guide member 9.
A light source 7 which is directed in the direction 3 and is made of, for example, a halogen lamp or the like is provided (see FIGS. 1 and 4).
Then, the light source 7 is turned on, and the light source 7 is
3 is reflected by the reflector 13,
The inside of the light guide member 9 is irradiated through the opening 11 of the light guide member 9.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, mounting brackets 14 are provided at a plurality of locations on the inner peripheral surface of the light guide member 9 and the corresponding outer peripheral surface so as to have a predetermined circumferential interval. The light guide member 9 is fixed to the rear surface of the light diffusing plate 6 via the mounting bracket 14. Instead of providing the mounting bracket 14, the light guide member 9 itself may be fixed to the back surface of the light diffusion plate 6 with an adhesive or the like. Further, the front face of the meter case 1 is provided with the dial 2.
A transparent protective cover 8 that protects the pointer 5 and the like is provided.

Next, the operation of the present embodiment will be described.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the light source 7 is turned on, the light emitted from the light source 7 is reflected by the reflection plates 13 and 13 to be reflected on the left and right sides, and the light guide member is turned on. The light is guided to the inside of the light guide member 9 through the left and right openings 11 of the base end 9a of the light guide member 9, respectively. And
The light introduced into the light guide member 9 is reflected by the reflection surface 10 on the inner surface of the light guide member 9 and is guided to the tip 9b. At this time, since the light emitted from the light source 7 is diffused light, the light reflected on the inner surface of the light guide member 9 also becomes diffused light, and as shown in FIG. Some of the light reflected by the reflection surface 10 is directed toward the slit 12 of the surface 9 c on the light diffusion plate 6 side, and this light is emitted from the slit 12 to the light diffusion plate 6.

Since the light guide member 9 is hollow and has a reflective surface 10 formed on the inner surface thereof, the light introduced through the openings 11 and 11 of the base end portion 9a transmits the light to the distal end portion 9b. There is almost no decay in the process. Further, the light guide member 9 is tapered because the distance between the reflection surface 10 and the slit 12 becomes smaller and closer to the tip 9b due to the tapered surface 9d on the side opposite to the light diffusion plate 6 side. The light flux density at the distal end portion 9b is increased, and the distal end portion 9b is not darkened even at the distal end portion 9b far from the base end portion 9a into which light is introduced. Light can be uniformly radiated from the portion 9a to the tip 9b, and the light radiated from the slit 12 to the outside uniformly irradiates the back side of the dial 2 through the light diffusion plate 6. .

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the light guide member 9 is formed hollow, and the reflection surface 10 is formed on the inner surface thereof. Since the distance between the reflecting surface 10 and the slit 12 is reduced toward the tip 9b by the tapered surface 9d, light introduced through the opening 11 of the light guide member 9 is reflected by the reflecting surface 10. The light hardly attenuates in the process of traveling to the distal end portion 9b while the density of the light flux at the distal end portion 9b increases, and the slits 12 of the light guide member 9 are uniformly distributed from the base end portion 9a to the distal end portion 9b. It is possible to make the surface of the dial 2 illuminate uniformly and with high luminance.

Further, by using the light guide member 9 described above,
An ordinary lamp can be used as the light source 7, so that the material cost can be significantly reduced, and the size and weight of the device can be reduced.

FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the light source 7 is arranged behind the dial 2 in the direction of irradiating the back side of the dial 2. A second reflector 1 is provided in front of the light source 7 to reflect the irradiation light from the light source 7 to the reflector 13 of the light guide member 9.
5 are provided. Further, in the present embodiment, near the front of the light source 7, a convection prevention plate 16 that covers the front of the light source 7 and allows only light to pass therethrough and blocks the passage of heat is provided. The heat generated from the light source 7 is blocked by the convection prevention plate 16 so that the heat does not reach the second reflection plate 15, the reflection plate 13, and the light guide member 9. The other parts are the same as those of the above-described embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In this embodiment, similarly to the above embodiment,
When the light source 7 is turned on, irradiation light from the light source 7 is reflected by the second reflection plate 15 and the reflection plate 13, guided to the inside of the light guide member 9, and introduced into the light guide member 9. A part of the light is radiated to the outside from the slit 12 of the light guide member 9 to irradiate the back side of the dial 2 uniformly and with high luminance through the light diffusion plate 6.
Material costs can be significantly reduced,
The size and weight of the device can be reduced.

Generally, the heat generated from the light source 7 has a property of being reflected together with the light. In this embodiment, a convection prevention plate 16 is disposed in front of the light source 7. As a result, heat generated from the light source 7 can be cut off, heat transfer to the light guide member 9 can be prevented, and heat generation in the light guide member 9 and the dial 2 can be prevented. can do.

In the above embodiment, the second reflection plate 15 is provided between the light source 7 and the reflection plate 13 of the light guide member 9. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. Even if the plate 16 is merely provided, a sufficient effect can be obtained in preventing heat transfer to the light guide member 9.

Therefore, in this embodiment, since the convection preventing plate for blocking the heat generated from the light source is provided in the light irradiating portion of the light source, the heat from the light source is blocked and the heat to the light guide member is reduced. Transmission can be prevented, and heat generation of the light guide member and the dial can be prevented.

FIG. 9 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which a light source 7 covered with a convection preventing plate 16 is disposed so as to be directed downward, and the light source 7 and a second reflector are provided. 1
5, the light emitted from the light source 7 is
A heat-transmissive reflection plate 17 that reflects light in the direction of the reflection plate 15 and passes heat generated from the light source 7 and transmitted through the convection prevention plate 16 is provided. The other parts are the same as those of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 and their description is omitted.

In this embodiment, as in the previous embodiment,
Irradiation light from the light source 7 is reflected by the second reflection plate 15 by the heat transmission reflection plate 17, is guided to the light guide member 9 via the reflection plate 13, and is uniformly transmitted from the slit 12 to the back surface of the dial 2. In addition, the irradiation can be performed with high luminance, the material cost can be significantly reduced, and the size and weight of the device can be reduced.

Further, since the convection preventing plate 16 is disposed in front of the light source 7, the heat generated from the light source 7 can be cut off. Even when the heat is transmitted through the plate 16, this heat is not transmitted through the heat-transmissive reflection plate 17 and is not reflected in the direction of the second reflection plate 15, so that heat transfer to the light guide member 9 is prevented. As a result, heat generation of the light guide member 9 and the dial 2 can be reliably prevented.

Although the convection preventing plate 16 is provided in front of the light source 7 in the above-described embodiment, the heat transmission to the light guide member 9 can be prevented only by the heat transmitting / reflecting plate 17 without the convection preventing plate 16. The heat transfer can also be prevented by omitting the convection prevention plate 16 and the heat transmission reflection plate 17 and simply configuring the second reflection plate 15 as a heat transmission reflection plate.

Therefore, in this embodiment, since the heat-transmitting reflector for reflecting light and transmitting heat is disposed between the light source and the reflector, the heat from the light source is transmitted by the heat-transmitting reflector. As a result, the light is not reflected in the direction of the reflection plate, so that heat can be prevented from being transmitted to the light guide member, and the heat generation of the light guide member and the dial can be reliably prevented.

FIG. 10 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a triangular prism 18 is used in place of the reflecting plate of the embodiment shown in FIG. The other configuration is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG.

In this embodiment, as in the previous embodiment,
The light emitted from the light source 7 is incident on a triangular prism 18, and the triangular prism 18 separates the illuminating light into right and left, and through the left and right openings 11, 11 of the light guide member 9, the inside of the light guide member 9. When a part of the light guided to the light guide member 9 is radiated to the outside through the slit 12, the back side of the dial 2 is uniformly and high-brightness. Irradiation can be performed, and material cost can be significantly reduced, and the size and weight of the device can be reduced.

In each of the above embodiments, the dial 2
The light diffusing plate 6 is provided on the back surface of the dial 2. However, the light diffusing plate 6 is unnecessary if the base material of the dial 2 itself has light diffusing properties. It is not limited, and can be variously changed as needed.

[0035]

As described above, the display device for a vehicle according to the present invention has a hollow inside on the back side of the dial, a reflective surface formed on the inner surface, and an opening formed on a part thereof. An annular light guide member is provided, a slit is formed on a surface of the light guide member corresponding to the dial, and a light source is provided near the light guide member. Since a reflection member that guides the irradiation light from the light source to the inside of the light guide member is disposed therebetween, a normal lamp can be used as the light source, and the material cost can be significantly reduced, and the size of the device can be reduced. Thus, the weight can be reduced.

Also, the light guide member is hollow and has a reflective surface formed on the inner surface thereof, and is formed in a tapered shape so that the cross-sectional area of the opening at the symmetric position in the diameter direction is minimized. The light introduced through the opening is hardly attenuated in the process of traveling to the distal end while being reflected by the reflection surface, and the tapered shape increases the light flux density of the light traveling to the distal end of the light guide member. Thus, the slit of the light guide member can be made to shine evenly from the base end to the tip end, and thereby, the effect of uniformly irradiating the back side of the dial with high brightness can be obtained. Play.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing one embodiment of a vehicle display device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a half plan view showing a main part of FIG.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C are a perspective view, a front view, and a plan view of the light guide member of FIG. 1, respectively.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the light guide member fixing means of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial side view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating a light guide path of light according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of a side state showing a light guide path of light according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a partial side view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a partial side view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a partial plan view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional vehicle display device.

FIG. 12 is a side sectional view showing a conventional vehicle display device.

FIG. 13 is a half plan view showing a main part of a conventional vehicle display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Meter case 2 Dial 3 Instrument movement 5 Pointer 6 Light diffusing plate 7 Light source 9 Light guide member 9a Base end 9b Tip 11 Opening 12 Slit 13 Reflecting plate 15 Second reflecting plate 16 Convection preventing plate 17 Heat transmission reflecting plate 18 Triangular prism

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A light source is provided on the back side of a translucent dial plate having a predetermined display unit, and the display unit is illuminated by irradiating light from the light source through the dial plate. In the display device for a vehicle, an annular light guide member having a hollow inside, a reflective surface formed on the inner surface, and an opening formed in a part thereof, is disposed on the back side of the dial. A slit is formed on a surface of the light guide member corresponding to the dial, and the light source is disposed near the light guide member, and irradiation light from the light source is provided between the light source and the opening of the light guide member. A display device for a vehicle, wherein a reflection member for guiding light is provided inside the light guide member. 2. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide member is formed in a tapered shape so that a cross-sectional area of the opening at a symmetric position in a diameter direction is minimized. 3. The vehicle display device according to claim 1, wherein the reflection member is a reflection plate.