JP3344110B2 - Instrument dial lighting system - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminating device for an instrument dial, and more particularly, to disposing a black light lamp (ultraviolet lamp) in front of a dial of an automobile instrument and receiving ultraviolet rays on the dial. The present invention relates to a lighting device for an instrument dial that forms a design surface composed of a phosphor-containing layer that emits excited light and performs so-called black light illumination.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an instrument dial illuminating apparatus for performing this kind of black light illumination, the instrument dial is constructed as shown in FIG. 5 or FIG.

[0003] The instrument dial 1 shown in FIG.
A general ink layer 3 mixed with a phosphor on the surface of
The surfaces of the phosphor-mixed general ink layer 3 and the dial base material 2 are covered with a design print layer 4 made of a non-fluorescent ink such as black.

On the other hand, in the instrument dial 1 shown in FIG. 6, a general ink layer 5 is formed on the surface of a dial base 2, and a phosphor-mixed transparent ink layer 6 is overprinted on the surface of the general ink layer 5. Then, the surfaces of the phosphor-mixed transparent ink layer 6 and the dial base material 2 are coated with a non-fluorescent ink,
It is covered with.

[0005]

However, in the former instrument dial 1, the general ink surrounding the phosphor impairs the efficiency of irradiating the phosphor with ultraviolet light and the luminous efficiency. It has been difficult to obtain high-luminance light emission that can be visually recognized by fluorescent light emission.

Further, the latter instrument dial 1 is irradiated with ultraviolet light only from the front of the dial 1 to the fluorescent material, so that the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency is limited. 1 is effective only in the forward direction, so that the luminous efficiency is limited. Therefore, similarly to the former instrument dial 1, it is difficult to perform black light illumination in the daytime and visually recognize the fluorescent light.

In addition to the instrument dial lighting device described above, an ultraviolet reflecting layer is provided on the inner surface of a transparent windshield on the front of the instrument, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 5-40414. 2. Description of the Related Art There is known an illuminating device that increases the efficiency of irradiating an instrument dial with ultraviolet rays by utilizing the reflection of ultraviolet rays by an ultraviolet reflecting layer.

However, in this illuminating device, since the transparent windshield is usually curved, it is necessary to use a special technique for forming an ultraviolet reflective layer on the inner surface of the transparent windshield, which increases the cost. There is a problem.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned various problems, improves the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency, and provides an inexpensive instrument dial illuminating device that can be black-light illuminated during the daytime and can be visually recognized by fluorescent light emission. The purpose is to do.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a transparent plate mixed with a phosphor which receives ultraviolet rays to excite and emit light is provided on the surface of the dial base material. An instrument dial illuminating device in which a black light lamp is arranged, wherein an instrument dial illuminating device is provided, wherein an ultraviolet reflecting layer is provided between the dial base material and the phosphor-mixed transparent layer. I do.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the instrument dial illumination device according to the first aspect, wherein the ultraviolet reflecting layer is a metal film such as aluminum.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a transparent phosphor-mixed layer for exciting and emitting ultraviolet light is provided on the surface of the dial base, and a black light lamp is disposed in front of the dial-base and the fluorescent mixed transparent layer. In the instrument dial lighting device, the instrument dial lighting device is characterized in that the dial base material is an ultraviolet reflecting plate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the instrument dial illumination device according to the third aspect, wherein the ultraviolet reflecting plate is a metal plate such as aluminum.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, a windshield disposed in front of the dial base material and the black light lamp is provided.
A lighting device for an instrument dial according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the visible light transmittance is about 30% or less.

[0015]

According to the illumination device for an instrument dial according to the first aspect, the ultraviolet light emitted by the black light lamp is:
The phosphor in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer is illuminated from the front while passing through the phosphor-mixed transparent layer and incident on the ultraviolet reflection layer, and reflected by the ultraviolet reflection layer to form the phosphor in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer. Irradiate from behind. For this reason, the efficiency of ultraviolet irradiation of the phosphor is improved. In addition, the fluorescent light emitted from the phosphor includes, in addition to those directly going forward, those once going backward and being reflected by the ultraviolet reflecting layer and then going forward. Therefore, the luminous efficiency is improved. As described above, according to the present illumination device, since both the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency are improved, it is possible to perform black light illumination even in the daytime and visually recognize the fluorescent light. Moreover, the structure is simple, and the lighting device is inexpensive.

According to the instrument dial lighting device of the second aspect, the ultraviolet reflecting layer can be easily formed by a metal film such as aluminum.

In the instrument dial illuminating device according to the third aspect, the ultraviolet light emitted by the black light lamp irradiates the phosphor in the phosphor-containing transparent layer from the front and passes through the phosphor-containing transparent layer. The light enters the ultraviolet reflector, is reflected by the ultraviolet reflector, and irradiates the phosphor in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer from behind. For this reason, the efficiency of ultraviolet irradiation of the phosphor is improved. In addition to the fluorescent light emitted from the phosphor, there is a light that is directed directly forward and a light that is once directed backward and reflected by an ultraviolet reflector and then directed forward. Therefore, the luminous efficiency is improved. As described above, according to the present illumination device, since both the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency are improved, it is possible to perform black light illumination even during daytime and visually recognize the fluorescent light. In addition, the structure is simple, resulting in an inexpensive lighting device.

According to the instrument dial illuminating device of the present invention, the ultraviolet reflecting plate can be easily formed by a metal plate such as aluminum.

According to the instrument dial illuminating device of the present invention, by improving the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency, the windshield is made to have a visible light transmittance of about 30% or less. A dead front black light meter in which the display surface of the instrument dial can hardly be visually recognized can be realized.

[0020]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

(1) First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a sectional configuration of an instrument dial in an instrument dial illuminating device according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a vehicle instrument incorporating the above illuminating device. Each configuration is shown.

The instrument for a vehicle shown in FIG. 2 includes an instrument housing 7 having an open front surface, and a front opening of the instrument housing 7 is covered with a transparent resin windshield 8.
Then, inside the instrument housing 7, an instrument main body 9,
The instrument dial 1 is provided in addition to the hands 10 and the like. A display window 11 is formed on the instrument dial 1, and an integrated numeral wheel 12 of an integrator is arranged behind the display window 11. A black light lamp (ultraviolet lamp) 13 for irradiating the front of the instrument dial 1 is disposed in front of the instrument dial 1.

As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument dial 1 is made of a metal film such as aluminum on the surface of a dial base 2 made of a transparent resin sheet or the like by an aluminum vapor deposition method or an aluminum foil hot stamping method. An ultraviolet reflective layer 14 (which can also reflect visible light) is formed, and a phosphor-containing transparent layer 15 is overprinted on the surface of the ultraviolet reflective layer 14, and the phosphor-containing transparent layer 15 and the dial base 2 are printed. Is covered with a design print layer 4 made of non-fluorescent ink such as black.

When the instrument dial 1 configured as described above is irradiated with ultraviolet light from the black light lamp 13, the ultraviolet light is applied to the fluorescent light in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer 15 as shown by the solid arrow in FIG. While irradiating the body 15a from the front, it passes through the transparent ink 15b of the phosphor-containing transparent layer 15 and is incident on the ultraviolet reflecting layer 14;
The light is reflected by 4 and irradiates the phosphor 15a in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer 15 from behind. For this reason, the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency for the phosphor 15a is improved. Further, as shown by a broken arrow in FIG. 3, the fluorescent light emitted from the phosphor 15a not only goes directly forward, but also goes backward once, is reflected by the ultraviolet reflecting layer 14, and then goes forward. Therefore, the luminous efficiency is improved.

As described above, according to the lighting apparatus of the first embodiment, since both the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency are improved, black light illumination can be performed even in the daytime and the fluorescent light can be visually recognized. In addition, the structure is simple, resulting in an inexpensive lighting device.

(2) Second Embodiment FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional configuration of an instrument dial in a lighting device for an instrument dial according to a second embodiment. Like the instrument dial 1, the instrument dial 1 is used for a vehicle instrument shown in FIG. 2.

This instrument dial 1 is, as shown in FIG.
A phosphor-containing transparent layer 15 is overprinted on the surface of the dial base 2 made of a metal plate (ultraviolet reflecting plate) of aluminum or the like, and the surfaces of the fluorescent-containing transparent layer 15 and the dial base 2 are blackened. And the like.

When the instrument dial 1 constructed as described above is irradiated with ultraviolet rays by the black light lamp 13, the operation is the same as in the first embodiment described above with reference to FIG.
The ultraviolet rays irradiate the phosphor 15a in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer 15 from the front, pass through the transparent ink 15b of the phosphor-mixed transparent layer 15, and pass through the dial base (ultraviolet reflector).
2 and is reflected by the ultraviolet reflection layer 2 to irradiate the phosphor 15a in the phosphor-mixed transparent layer 15 from behind. For this reason, the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency for the phosphor 15a is improved. Further, the fluorescent light emitted from the phosphor 15a not only goes directly forward but also goes backward once, is reflected by the dial base material (ultraviolet reflector) 2, and then goes forward. Therefore, the luminous efficiency is improved.

Therefore, according to the lighting device of the second embodiment, since both the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency are improved, the black light can be illuminated even in the daytime and the fluorescent light can be visually recognized. In addition, the structure is simple, resulting in an inexpensive lighting device.

Although the above embodiment relates to the structure of the instrument dial 1, the hands 10 and the integrated numeral wheel 12 are similarly constructed, so that the hands 1
0, black light illumination can be performed on the accumulated number wheel 12 even in the daytime.

Also, by improving the ultraviolet irradiation efficiency and the luminous efficiency, the visible light transmittance of the windshield 8 is set to about 30% or less, so that the display surface of the instrument dial 1 can be almost visually recognized when the black light lamp 13 is turned off. A dead front black light meter that cannot be realized can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an instrument dial in a lighting device for an instrument dial according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a vehicle instrument incorporating the lighting device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of the lighting device.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an instrument dial in a lighting device for an instrument dial according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of an instrument dial in a conventional lighting device.

FIG. 6 is a sectional configuration diagram of an instrument dial in another conventional device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Instrument dial 2 Dial base material 8 Windshield 13 Black light lamp (ultraviolet lamp) 14 Ultraviolet reflective layer 15 Transparent layer mixed with phosphor 15a Phosphor

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G01D 11/00-13/28 G12B 11/00-11/04

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. An instrument dial having a transparent substrate mixed with a phosphor for exciting and emitting light upon receiving ultraviolet rays on a surface of a dial substrate, and a black light lamp arranged in front of the dial substrate and the fluorescent mixed transparent layer. The lighting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an ultraviolet reflecting layer is provided between the dial base material and the phosphor-mixed transparent layer. 2. The illumination device for an instrument dial according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet reflection layer is a metal film such as aluminum. 3. An instrument dial in which a phosphor-mixed transparent layer that receives ultraviolet light to excite and emit light is provided on the surface of the dial base, and a black light lamp is arranged in front of the dial base and the fluorescent-mixed transparent layer. In the lighting device of (1), the dial base material is an ultraviolet reflecting plate. 4. The illuminating device for an instrument dial according to claim 3, wherein the ultraviolet reflecting plate is a metal plate such as aluminum. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the windshield disposed in front of the dial base and the black light lamp has a visible light transmittance of about 30% or less. Instrument dial lighting system.