JP3880772B2

JP3880772B2 - Dial of vehicle instrument

Info

Publication number: JP3880772B2
Application number: JP2000118080A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 正治小沢; 博道増永
Original assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corp
Current assignee: Calsonic Kansei Corp
Priority date: 2000-04-19
Filing date: 2000-04-19
Publication date: 2007-02-14
Anticipated expiration: 2020-04-19
Also published as: JP2001304922A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、計器文字板の周囲をリング状に発光表示させる車両用計器に使用する透過照明文字板であって、特にその文字板の表面に位置するリング状照明導光部材を高輝度で発光表示せしめると共に、発光リングの周方向に沿う輝度を均一化せしめ、さらにはその文字板の製作経済性を高めることを可能ならしめる車両用計器の文字板に関するものである。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
例えば自動車に設備使用されるアナログ式車両用計器の文字板（表示板）の立体的表示意匠を高め、さらには視認性を高めるために工夫された計器装置として、特開平９−２８７９８０号公報で開示されているものがある。この計器装置は、図３、図４で示すように各透過照明文字板１の周縁部に、その計器文字板１の表面より前方に突出形成されるリング状の照明部材２を設け、さらに上記透過照明文字板１の照明は、その透過照明文字板１の背後に配置せしめた冷陰極管３を点灯することにより透過照明されるように構成されており、またリング状照明部材２は、環状の導光体で形成されており、この導光体の背後でその環状導光体のリング方向に沿って配置せしめている複数の照明灯４を点灯することにより、リング状照明部材２の表側縁部を環状に発光表示させることができ、それら透過照明文字板１及びリング状照明部材２を照明することで透過照明文字板１による透過光表示像が、リング状照明部材２によるリング状照明と相俟って立体的に浮き上って視認されるようした構成のものである。
【０００３】
ところが上記従来の計器装置においては透過照明文字板１を透過照明するための光源と、リング状照明部材２を発光表示せしめるための光源とは、それぞれの別光源となっていることから、リング状照明部材２を照明する専用の光源を多数個配設使用しなければならず、これが原因で光源配置スペースの確保及び多数個の電球が必要となるばかりでなく消費電力が増大する等の問題点が生じている。
【０００４】
またリング状照明部材２の光入射面形状は、そのリング状照明部材２の肉厚と略等しい細幅のエッジ面となっているために、そのリング状照明部材２における光導入効率が低く、このために光源の輝度を上げるかもしくは多数個の光源数を増量しなければ十分な発光輝度が得られない等の問題点があった。
【０００５】
そこでこれらの問題点を解決するために、本発明の出願人は、リング状照明導光部材の専用光源を用いることなくリング状に照明することができる構成の車両用計器を先に出願している。
【０００６】
これは図５、図６で示すように透明基板５表面の文字、目盛等の施し部に例えばオレンジ色からなる光透過性着色層６を施し、さらにその透明基板５の表面において、上記光透過性着色層上で文字、目盛等の表示部形状を避けて黒色の遮光層７を形成し、また透明基板５の裏面には光半透過性の白色層８を施してなる透過照明文字板９の外周部に、受光面に対し直角前方向へ光を放射する環状の発光表示縁１０を形成してなるリング状の照明導光部材１１の上記受光面を重ね合せ、車両用計器内に配設されている透過照明用文字及び指針を照明する光源１２による発光の一部を、上記照明導光部材の裏面１１Ａより取込み発光表示縁１０を発光表示させる車両用計器の構成となしている。
【０００７】
そして、かかる先行例の透過照明文字板９にあっては、その透過照明文字板９の表面において、施した遮光層７がリング状の照明導光部材１１の環状発光表示縁１０に対向する裏面部の一部と重り合うように層成して、照明導光部材１１の内周縁下端と遮光層７辺縁との間で漏光性の隙間が生じないようにし、これにより透過照明文字板９を透過する光源１２からの光が照明導光部材１１の内周縁下端部から文字板前方へ漏光しないように構成しているものである。
【０００８】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
ところが、上記車両用計器においては、その照明導光部材１１の裏面と、透過照明文字板９の透明基板５との間の一部に遮光層７が介在することにより、この透過照明文字板９を介して照明導光部材１１へ透過（導光）される光源１２からの透過光が阻害され、このために照明導光部材１１における発光表示縁１０の発光輝度が不足するという問題点があった。
【０００９】
本発明はかかる問題点に着目してなされたもので、リング状照明導光部材のリング状発光表示縁における発光輝度を高め、さらにリング状照明導光部材周縁部で透過照明文字板を透した漏光が生じてたとしても、その漏光による違和感を生じさせないことを第１の目的とする。
【００１０】
また本発明では、上記リング状発光表示縁の全周に亘って、発光輝度を均一化することを第２の目的とする。
【００１１】
さらに本発明では、文字、目盛等の透過表示部の透過光色と、リング状照明導光部材の発光色とを一致させて透過照明文字板の着色層、遮光層等の層成工程を簡素化して、その透過照明文字板の製作経済性を高めることを第３の目的とする。
【００１２】
【課題を解決するための手段】
上記第１の目的を達成するために本発明の請求項１では、透明基板の表面に光透過性着色層で目盛表示部及び数値文字を施し、これら目盛表示部及び数値文字を除く部位に遮光層を施してなる透過照明文字板と、該透過照明文字板を透過照明する照明手段と、上記透過照明文字板の表側外周部に重ねて配置されるリング状照明導光部材を備える車両用計器に使用される透過照明文字板であって、上記透過照明文字板の表面における目盛表示部及び数値文字等の透過表示部を除いた遮光層の外周部に沿って、上記リング状照明導光部材と同色のリング状透過性着色層を形成し、このリング状光透過性着色層の表面に上記リング状照明導光部材の裏面内周部が重ね合せられる車両用計器の文字板であることを特徴としている。
従ってこの車両用計器の文字板によれば、光源からリング状照明導光部材への導光効率が高められ、そのリング状照明導光部材の発光輝度を高めることができる。
【００１３】
また上記第２の目的を達成するために、本発明の請求項２では、請求項１におけるリング状光透過性着色層におけるリング幅を、光源に近い部分を細くし、また光源に遠い部分を太くする輝度調光手段を施した車両用計器の文字板であることを特徴としている。従ってこれによれば、リング状光透過性着色層を透して受光し、発光するリング状照明導光部材のリング状発光表示縁の発光輝度が、その全周に亘って均一化され、発光輝度品質が高められる。
【００１４】
また上記第３の目的を達成するために、本発明の請求項３では、リング状光透過性着色層を透過表示部の光透過層を形成時に使用する光透過性着色塗料（インク）と同一の光透過性着色塗料（インク）で形成した車両用計器の文字板であることを特徴としている。従ってこれによれば、透過照明文字板の着色層、遮光層等の層成工程を簡素化して、その透過照明文字板の製造経済性を高められる。
【００１５】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下に本発明を図面に示す実施の形態に基いて詳細に説明する。先ずは図１、図２において、車両用計器に使用する透過照明文字板の構成について説明する。
【００１６】
透過照明文字板２１は、透明なる例えばアクリル樹脂により所望の文字板形状に形成された透明基板２２の表面には、周方向に配列される目盛表示部２３、これら目盛表示部に対応する数値文字２４等からなる透過表示部と、この透過表示部の外周に沿って同心円状に形成されるリング状光透過性着色層２５が、例えばオレンジ色である光透過性着色塗料（インキ）により印刷形成されている。
【００１７】
さらにこの透明基板２２の表面には、上記目盛表示部２３、数値文字２４等かなる透過表示部、及びリング状光透過性着色層２５を除き、例えば黒色である遮光層２６が印刷形成されている。尚、リング状光透過性着色層２５より外側は、遮光層２６が形成されていない。また透明基板２２の裏面には、半透過性である白色層２７がリング状光透過性着色層２５より内側面に施されており、この白色層２７により、透明基板２２内を導光する光源２８からの光を、透明基板２２の表面方向へ高効率で反射している。
【００１８】
２９は、上記透過照明文字板２１の表面側外周部に重ねて使用されるリング状照明導光部材であって、このリング状照明導光部材２９は、例えばアクリル、ポリカーボネート、スチロール、塩化ビニール等の樹脂で形成されており、しかもオレンジ色（その他赤色、緑色であっても可）等の有色である蛍光染料、又は蛍光顔料の蛍光物質を混合してなる着色の透過性材料で形成されている。
【００１９】
このリング状照明導光部材２９の透過照明文字板２１との重り面３０（リング状照明導光部材裏面）は、フラットに形成されていて、上記の透過照明文字板２１に形成されているリング状光透過性着色層２５と重り合うように形成されており、またそのリング状照明導光部材２９の内周側には、その表面方向へ突出する鍔形状の発光表示縁３１が環状に形成されているものである。
【００２０】
上記重り面３０には、文字板２１の遮光層２６が形成されていないリング状光透過性着色層２５の外側面より、リング状照明導光部材２９の内部に導光された光源２８からの光を、発光表示縁３１方向へ効率よく反射せしめるための例えば白色である半透過性の白色層３２を形成している。なお３３は計器の前面周辺部に被せられるアッパケースと一体の見返し板、３４はリング状照明導光部材の内周縁下端を示す。
【００２１】
以上が本実施の形態であり、次にその作用について述べると、本実施形態の車両用計器においては、不図示である計器ムーブメントの前方に、上記透過照明文字板２１を配置固定し、さらにその透過照明文字板２１の表側外周部にリング状照明導光部材２９を重ね合せる。そこで透過照明文字板２１の裏側に配置されている光源２８を点灯すると、この光源２８からの光は、透過照明文字板２１の裏面における半透過白色層２７および半透過白色層２７の非施し部から透明基板２２の内部に入射し、透過照明文字板２１の裏面に形成されている半透過白色層２７の影響を受け、透過照明文字板２１の全面が略均一に発光表示され、これによって、該透過照明文字板２１の表面に施されている目盛表示部２３、数値文字２４及びリング状光透過性着色層２５のそれぞれがオレンジ色で透過照明される。
【００２２】
一方、上記光源２８からの光は、文字板２１にオレンジ色に印刷形成したリング状光透過性着色層２５に照射され、該リング状光透過性着色層２５を透過することにより光源からの照明光はオレンジ色に着色され、リング状照明導光部材２９の重り面３０に形成された半透過白色層３２を経てリング状照明導光部材２９の内部に入射し、その発光表示縁３１が該リング状照明導光部材２９の内部に混入されているオレンジ色蛍光物質の作用でさらに高輝度なオレンジ色でリング状に発光表示される。
【００２３】
又かかる照明構造を有する車両用計器においてはリング状照明導光部材２９の内周縁下端３４と、透過照明文字板２１との隙間から、その透過照明文字板２１を透過した光が漏れることがないように、リング状照明導光部材２９の内周縁下端３４と、透過照明文字板２１の表面に施されている遮光層２６との間に隙間が生じないように透過照明文字板２１とリング状照明導光部材２９を位置決めしているが、光源２８からの光を、リング状照明導光部材２９へ入射せしめるための光入射効率を高めるために、上記半透過白色層３２と、遮光層２６との重り部分が少なくなるように設定されているために、計器文字板の組付け作業時等において、リング状照明導光部材２９の寸法精度又は組付け精度に限界があるため、上記内周縁下端３４と遮光層２６の外周端との間に隙間が生じ、この隙間から光源２８による発光色の光の漏れが生じ、この光源発光色とリング状照明導光部材２９による発光色の色違いにより光漏れの違和感が生じることも考えられる。
【００２４】
ところが本実施の形態にあっては、リング状照明導光部材２９の重り面３０と対応する透過照明文字板２１の表面に、遮光層２６と隣接してその外側に、リング状照明導光部材２９の発光色と同色であるリング状光透過性着色層２５を形成しているので、仮に上記隙間から光が漏れたとしても、その漏光色はリング状照明導光部材２９の発光色と同色であることから、このリング状照明導光部材２９の内周縁下端３４からの漏光が目立つことがなく、漏光による違和感が生じない。
【００２５】
またその漏光を、リング状照明導光部材２９の発光色と等しくするためのリング状光透過性着色層２５は光透過性となしていることから、このリング状光透過性着色層２５を透過する光の減衰量が少なく、このためにリング状照明導光部材２９への光透過率が高レベルで維持でき、リング状照明導光部材２９の高輝度発光が期待できる。
【００２６】
また図１で示すように、上記透過照明文字板２１の表面に層成したリング状光透過性着色層２５のリング幅（ａ）はそのリング状光透過性着色層２５の上記光源１２との接近位置では、そのリング幅（ａ）を細くして、発光輝度を抑制し、その他の部位ではリング幅（ａ）を太くしているために、光源１２の配置位置に影響されることなく、リング状光透過性着色層２５の全周を均一の輝度で発光表示させることが可能となり、リング状照明導光部材２９を使用するリング状発光表示（エッジライト）の表示品質を高めることができる。尚、必要に応じて、リング状光透過性着色層２５に対応した文字板２１の裏面側に網点印刷を施すことにより、さらに均一化した輝度で発光表示させることができる。
【００２７】
また透過照明文字板２１の表面に施すリング状光透過性着色層２５を印刷するに使用するインキ（塗料）と、目盛表示部２３及び又は数値文字２４を印刷するに使用するインキ（塗料）とを同じとすることで、その透明基板２２の表面に施す目盛表示部２３、数値文字２４及びリング状光透過性着色層２５のそれぞれを一回の印刷工程で同時に印刷層成することができ、従ってリング状光透過性着色層２５を設ける透過照明文字板２１の製作経済性が大幅に向上する。尚、リング状光透過性着色層２５は、文字板上に使用されている透過性印刷層なら同様に適用することができ、例えば、リング状照明導光部材２９を赤色等とした場合は、レッドゾーンを示す赤印刷をリング状光透過性着色層２５に適用することが可能であり、又警告灯等のウォーニング部の印刷層を適用してもよい。
【００２８】
【発明の効果】
以上述べたように本発明の請求項１によれば、その文字板の表面に施したリング状光透過性着色層により光源からの光をリング状照明導光部材へ導光するための導光効率が高められると共にリング状照明導光部材の内周縁下端部で透過照明文字板のリング状光透過性着色層からの漏光が生じたとしても、その漏光色とリング状照明導光部材の発光色とに違いが生じないために、その漏光による違和感を生ぜしめることがない。
【００２９】
また本発明の請求項２によれば、リング状光透過性着色層を透して受光し、発光するリング状照明導光部材のリング状発光表示縁の発光強度が、その全周に亘って均一化され、発光輝度品質が高められる。
【００３０】
また本発明の請求項３によれば、リング状光透過性着色層を透過表示部の光透過層を形成時に使用する光透過性着色塗料（インク）と同一の光透過性着色塗料（インク）で形成したので、透過照明文字板の着色層、遮光層等の層成工程を簡素化でき、その透過照明文字板の製造経済性を高めながら、高輝度なリング照明が可能となる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明よりなる文字板の実施の形態を示す表面説明図。
【図２】本発明よりなる文字板の断面拡大説明図。
【図３】従来のリング状照明部材を備えたコンビネーションメータの説明図。
【図４】リング状照明部材を備えた従来の計器装置を示す説明図。
【図５】従来使用している文字板の表面説明図。
【図６】従来の文字板の拡大断面説明図。
【符号の説明】
２１…透過照明文字板
２２…透明基板
２３…目盛表示部
２４…数値文字
２５…リング状光透過性着色層
２６…遮光層
２７…半透過白色層
２８…光源
２９…リング状照明導光部材
３０…重り面
３１…発光表示縁
３２…半透過白色層
３３…見返し板
３４…内周縁下端 [0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transmission illumination dial plate used in a vehicle instrument that displays a light emission display in a ring shape around an instrument dial plate, and particularly emits a ring illumination light guide member positioned on the surface of the dial plate with high luminance. The present invention relates to a dial for a vehicle instrument that can display and make the luminance along the circumferential direction of the light-emitting ring uniform, and further improve the production economy of the dial.
[0002]
[Prior art]
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-287980 discloses an instrument device devised to enhance the three-dimensional display design of a dial (display panel) of an analog vehicle instrument used in an automobile and to further improve the visibility. Some have been disclosed. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, this instrument device is provided with a ring-shaped illumination member 2 that protrudes forward from the surface of the instrument dial 1 at the periphery of each transmitted illumination dial 1, and further The illumination of the transmitted illumination dial 1 is configured to be transmitted by turning on the cold cathode tube 3 disposed behind the transmitted illumination dial 1, and the ring-shaped illumination member 2 is annular. The front side of the ring-shaped illumination member 2 is turned on by lighting a plurality of illumination lamps 4 arranged behind the light guide along the ring direction of the annular light guide. The edge can be illuminated and displayed in a ring shape, and by illuminating the transmission illumination dial 1 and the ring illumination member 2, the transmitted light display image by the transmission illumination dial 1 is ring illumination by the ring illumination member 2. Together with the surface It is intended as the structure is visible.
[0003]
However, in the above-described conventional instrument device, the light source for transmissively illuminating the transmissive illumination dial 1 and the light source for causing the ring-shaped illumination member 2 to emit light are separate light sources. Many dedicated light sources for illuminating the illuminating member 2 must be arranged and used, which causes problems such as securing a light source arrangement space and requiring a large number of light bulbs as well as increasing power consumption. Has occurred.
[0004]
Moreover, since the light incident surface shape of the ring-shaped illumination member 2 is a narrow edge surface substantially equal to the thickness of the ring-shaped illumination member 2, the light introduction efficiency in the ring-shaped illumination member 2 is low, For this reason, there is a problem that sufficient light emission luminance cannot be obtained unless the luminance of the light source is increased or the number of light sources is increased.
[0005]
Therefore, in order to solve these problems, the applicant of the present invention has filed an application for a vehicle instrument that can illuminate in a ring shape without using a dedicated light source for the ring-shaped illumination light guide member. Yes.
[0006]
As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, the transparent substrate 5 is provided with a light-transmitting colored layer 6 made of, for example, orange on the surface of characters, scales, etc. on the surface of the transparent substrate 5. A black light-shielding layer 7 is formed on the transparent colored layer while avoiding the shape of the display portion such as characters and scales, and a transparent semi-transparent white layer 8 is formed on the back surface of the transparent substrate 5. The light-receiving surface of a ring-shaped illumination light-guiding member 11 formed by forming an annular light-emitting display edge 10 that emits light in a forward direction perpendicular to the light-receiving surface is overlapped on the outer periphery of the light-receiving surface and arranged in a vehicle meter. A part of the light emitted by the light source 12 that illuminates the characters for transmitting illumination and the pointer that are provided is taken in from the back surface 11A of the illumination light guide member, and is configured as a vehicle instrument that emits and displays the light emission display edge 10.
[0007]
In the transmitted illumination dial plate 9 of the preceding example, the back surface of the transmitted illumination dial plate 9 where the applied light shielding layer 7 faces the annular light emitting display edge 10 of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 11. The light guide member 11 is layered so as to overlap a part of the light guide member 11 so that a light-leaking gap is not generated between the lower end of the inner peripheral edge of the illumination light guide member 11 and the edge of the light shielding layer 7. The light from the light source 12 that transmits the light is configured not to leak from the lower end portion of the inner peripheral edge of the illumination light guide member 11 to the front of the dial.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned vehicle meter, the light-shielding layer 7 is interposed between the back surface of the light guide member 11 and the transparent substrate 5 of the light-transmitting light dial 9 so that the light-transmitting light plate 9 is transmitted. Therefore, the transmitted light from the light source 12 that is transmitted (guided) to the illumination light guide member 11 is obstructed, and this causes a problem that the light emission luminance of the light emitting display edge 10 in the illumination light guide member 11 is insufficient. It was.
[0009]
The present invention has been made paying attention to such problems, and enhances the light emission luminance at the ring-shaped light emission display edge of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member, and further transmits the transmission illumination dial at the periphery of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member. Even if light leakage occurs, the first object is not to cause a sense of incongruity due to the light leakage.
[0010]
A second object of the present invention is to make the light emission luminance uniform over the entire circumference of the ring-shaped light emitting display edge.
[0011]
Furthermore, in the present invention, the transmitted light color of the transmissive display part such as characters and scales and the luminescent color of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member are matched to simplify the layering process of the colored layer, the light shielding layer, etc. The third object is to improve the production economy of the transparent illumination dial.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the first object, in claim 1 of the present invention, a scale display portion and numerical characters are provided on the surface of the transparent substrate with a light-transmitting colored layer, and light shielding is applied to portions other than the scale display portion and numerical characters. A vehicular instrument comprising: a transmission illumination dial having layers; illumination means for transmitting illumination of the transmission illumination dial; and a ring-shaped illumination light guide member disposed on the outer peripheral portion of the front side of the transmission illumination dial The ring-shaped illumination light guide member is used for a transparent illumination dial plate used in the above-mentioned, and along the outer peripheral portion of the light shielding layer excluding the transparent display portion such as the scale display portion and numerical characters on the surface of the transparent illumination dial plate. A ring-shaped transparent colored layer of the same color as the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer, and the surface of the ring-shaped light-transmissive colored layer is overlapped with the inner periphery of the back surface of the ring-shaped illumination light-guiding member. It is a feature.
Therefore, according to the dial of this vehicle instrument, the light guide efficiency from the light source to the ring-shaped illumination light guide member can be increased, and the light emission luminance of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member can be increased.
[0013]
In order to achieve the second object, in claim 2 of the present invention, the ring width in the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer in claim 1 is made narrower at a portion closer to the light source and further away from the light source. It is characterized by being a dial of a vehicle instrument provided with a brightness dimming means for thickening. Therefore, according to this, the light emission luminance of the ring-shaped light-emitting display edge of the ring- shaped illumination light-guiding member that receives and emits light through the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer is made uniform over the entire circumference to emit light. Luminance quality is improved.
[0014]
In order to achieve the third object, according to claim 3 of the present invention, the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer is the same as the light-transmitting colored paint (ink) used when forming the light-transmitting layer of the transmissive display portion. It is characterized by being a dial of a vehicle instrument formed of a light transmissive colored paint (ink). Therefore, according to this, the stratification process of the colored layer, the light shielding layer, etc. of the transmission illumination dial can be simplified, and the manufacturing economy of the transmission illumination dial can be enhanced.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the drawings. First, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the structure of the transmitted illumination dial used for the vehicle instrument will be described.
[0016]
The transparent illumination dial 21 is a transparent display 22 formed in a desired dial shape using, for example, acrylic resin, and a scale display section 23 arranged in the circumferential direction, and numerical characters corresponding to these scale display sections. 24 and the like, and a ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 formed concentrically along the outer periphery of the light-transmitting display portion is printed with, for example, an orange light-transmitting colored paint (ink) Has been.
[0017]
Further, on the surface of the transparent substrate 22, for example, a black light shielding layer 26 is printed and formed except for the scale display portion 23, the transmissive display portion including the numerical characters 24, and the ring-shaped light transmissive colored layer 25. Yes. The light shielding layer 26 is not formed outside the ring-shaped light transmissive colored layer 25. A semi-transparent white layer 27 is provided on the inner surface of the transparent substrate 22 from the ring-shaped light transmissive colored layer 25, and a light source that guides the transparent substrate 22 through the white layer 27. The light from 28 is reflected toward the surface of the transparent substrate 22 with high efficiency .
[0018]
29 is a ring-shaped illumination light guide member which is used by being overlapped on the outer peripheral portion on the surface side of the transmission illumination dial 21. The ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 is, for example, acrylic, polycarbonate, styrene, vinyl chloride or the like. And is formed of a colored transparent material formed by mixing a fluorescent dye that is colored in orange (or other colors such as red and green), or a fluorescent pigment fluorescent material. Yes.
[0019]
The weight surface 30 (the back surface of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member) of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 and the transmission illumination dial plate 21 is formed flat, and the ring formed on the transmission illumination dial plate 21 described above. The ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 is formed so as to overlap, and a ring-shaped light emitting display edge 31 protruding in the surface direction is formed in an annular shape on the inner peripheral side of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29. It is what has been.
[0020]
On the weight surface 30, the light from the light source 28 guided to the inside of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 from the outer surface of the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 where the light shielding layer 26 of the dial 21 is not formed. For example, a semi-transparent white layer 32 which is white for efficiently reflecting light toward the light emitting display edge 31 is formed. In addition, 33 is a turning plate integrated with the upper case which covers the front peripheral portion of the instrument, and 34 indicates a lower end of the inner peripheral edge of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member.
[0021]
The above is the present embodiment, and its operation will be described next. In the vehicular instrument of the present embodiment, the transmission illumination dial 21 is arranged and fixed in front of an instrument movement (not shown), and further A ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 is superimposed on the outer peripheral portion on the front side of the transmitted illumination dial 21. Therefore, when the light source 28 arranged on the back side of the transmission illumination dial 21 is turned on, the light from the light source 28 is not applied to the semi-transmission white layer 27 and the semi-transmission white layer 27 on the back surface of the transmission illumination dial 21. enters the inside of the transparent substrate 22 from affected by the semi-transmissive white layer 27 formed on the back surface of the transmissive illumination dial 21 only, the entire surface of the transmission illumination dial 21 is substantially uniformly emitting display, thereby Each of the scale display portion 23, the numerical character 24, and the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 provided on the surface of the transmission illumination dial 21 is transmitted and illuminated in orange.
[0022]
On the other hand, the light from the light source 28 is applied to the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 printed on the dial 21 in orange, and the light from the light source is transmitted through the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25. The light is colored orange and enters the inside of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 through the semi-transparent white layer 32 formed on the weight surface 30 of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29. Due to the action of the orange fluorescent material mixed in the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29, the light is displayed in a ring shape with a brighter orange color.
[0023]
Moreover, in the vehicle meter having such an illumination structure, light transmitted through the transmissive illumination dial 21 does not leak from the gap between the inner peripheral lower end 34 of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 and the transmissive illumination dial 21. As described above, the transmission illumination dial 21 and the ring shape are formed so that no gap is formed between the lower end 34 of the inner periphery of the ring illumination light guide member 29 and the light shielding layer 26 provided on the surface of the transmission illumination dial 21. Although the illumination light guide member 29 is positioned, the semi-transparent white layer 32 and the light shielding layer 26 are used in order to increase the light incident efficiency for allowing the light from the light source 28 to enter the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29. for weight portion is set to be less and, in the working time of such assembling the instrument dial, since there is a limit in dimensional accuracy or assembly accuracy of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29, the inner peripheral edge shielding the lower end 34 A gap between the outer peripheral edge of the layer 26, the leakage of the emission color of light generated by the light source 28 through the gap, the light leakage by the color difference in emission color due to the light source emission color and the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 It may be possible to feel uncomfortable.
[0024]
However, in the present embodiment, the ring-shaped illumination light guide member is provided on the surface of the transmission illumination dial 21 corresponding to the weight surface 30 of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29, adjacent to the light shielding layer 26 and outside thereof. Since the ring-shaped light transmissive colored layer 25 having the same color as the light emission color 29 is formed, even if light leaks from the gap, the light leakage color is the same color as the light emission color of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29. Therefore, light leakage from the inner peripheral lower end 34 of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 does not stand out, and a sense of incongruity due to light leakage does not occur.
[0025]
Further, since the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 for making the light leakage equal to the emission color of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 is light-transmitting, the light passes through the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25. Therefore, the light transmittance to the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 can be maintained at a high level, and high-luminance emission of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 can be expected.
[0026]
Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the ring width (a) of the ring-shaped light transmitting colored layer 25 formed on the surface of the transmission illumination dial 21 is the same as that of the light source 12 of the ring-shaped light transmitting colored layer 25. In the approach position, the ring width (a) is narrowed to suppress the light emission luminance, and the ring width (a) is thickened in other parts, so that it is not affected by the position of the light source 12, The entire circumference of the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 can be displayed with light emission with uniform brightness, and the display quality of the ring-shaped light-emitting display (edge light) using the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 can be improved. . If necessary, halftone dot printing is performed on the back side of the dial 21 corresponding to the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 so that light emission display can be performed with a more uniform luminance.
[0027]
Also, an ink (paint) used for printing the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 to be applied to the surface of the transmission illumination dial 21, and an ink (paint) used for printing the scale display portion 23 and / or the numerical characters 24 By making the same, each of the scale display portion 23, the numerical characters 24, and the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 applied to the surface of the transparent substrate 22 can be simultaneously formed in a single printing step, Therefore, the production economy of the transmission illumination dial plate 21 provided with the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25 is greatly improved. The ring-shaped light transmissive colored layer 25 can be applied in the same manner as long as it is a transmissive printing layer used on the dial. For example, when the ring-shaped illumination light guide member 29 is red, etc., Red printing indicating a red zone can be applied to the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 25, or a printing layer of a warning portion such as a warning light may be applied.
[0028]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the light guide for guiding the light from the light source to the ring-shaped illumination light guide member by the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer applied to the surface of the dial. Even if efficiency is enhanced and light leakage from the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer of the transmission illumination dial occurs at the lower end of the inner peripheral edge of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member, the light leakage color and the light emission of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member Since there is no difference in color, there is no sense of incongruity due to light leakage.
[0029]
According to claim 2 of the present invention, the light emission intensity of the ring-shaped light-emitting display edge of the ring- shaped illumination light guide member that receives and emits light through the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer extends over the entire circumference. It is made uniform, and the luminance brightness quality is improved.
[0030]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the same light-transmitting colored paint (ink) as the light-transmitting colored paint (ink) used when forming the light-transmitting layer of the transmissive display portion is used. Therefore, it is possible to simplify the layering process of the colored layer, the light shielding layer, and the like of the transmission illumination dial, and it is possible to achieve high-luminance ring illumination while improving the manufacturing economy of the transmission illumination dial.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a surface explanatory view showing an embodiment of a dial plate according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional enlarged explanatory view of a dial plate according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of a combination meter provided with a conventional ring-shaped illumination member.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a conventional instrument device provided with a ring-shaped illumination member.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of the surface of a dial used conventionally.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional explanatory view of a conventional dial.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... Transmission illumination dial plate 22 ... Transparent substrate 23 ... Scale display part 24 ... Numerical character 25 ... Ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer 26 ... Light-shielding layer 27 ... Semi-transmission white layer 28 ... Light source 29 ... Ring-shaped illumination light guide member 30 ... weight surface 31 ... light emitting display edge 32 ... translucent white layer 33 ... flipping plate 34 ... inner peripheral lower end

Claims

A transparent illumination dial plate having a light-transmitting colored layer on the surface of the transparent substrate with a scale display portion and numerical characters, and a light-shielding layer on portions other than the scale display portion and the numerical characters, and the transparent illumination dial plate. Illuminating means for illuminating and a transmissive illumination dial plate used in a vehicle instrument comprising a ring-shaped illumination light guide member disposed so as to overlap the outer peripheral portion on the front side of the transmissive illumination dial plate, A ring-shaped transparent colored layer having the same color as that of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member is formed along the outer peripheral portion of the light-shielding layer excluding the scale display section and the transparent display section such as numerical characters on the surface, and this ring-shaped light transmission A dial for a vehicle instrument, wherein the inner peripheral portion of the back surface of the ring-shaped illumination light guide member is superimposed on the surface of the colored layer.

2. The vehicular meter according to claim 1, wherein the ring width in the ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer is provided with light adjusting means for narrowing a portion close to the light source and thickening a portion far from the light source. Dial.

The ring-shaped light-transmitting colored layer is formed of the same light-transmitting colored paint (ink) as the light-transmitting colored paint (ink) used when forming the light-transmitting layer of the transmission display portion. The dial of the vehicle meter according to claim 1 or 2.