JP7041843B2 - Vehicle instruments - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vehicle instrument and is suitable, for example, as a composite instrument provided with a light source.

Vehicle instruments have traditionally been mounted on vehicle instrument panels, and are generally mounted on vehicles as compound instruments that display traveling speed, total mileage, outside air temperature, fuel level, various warning displays, and indicator displays.

These vehicle information can be, for example, a pointer-type display unit that makes it possible to read the vehicle information in comparison with a pointer that rotates according to a measured value and a dial having an index unit such as a scale or a numerical value supported by the pointer, or a back. The display is output by a liquid crystal display panel provided with a light, a vehicle instrument equipped with a tell tail that lights and displays the illumination light of the light emitting diode through the design portion on which the symbol mark is printed.

When displaying multiple vehicle information, depending on the layout inside the vehicle instrument, a patent tail may be provided between the pointer axis in the pointer type display unit and the index unit, that is, at a position overlapping the rotating pointer. For example, it is disclosed in Patent Document 1.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-232251

Further, in the pointer type display unit, the light source provided on the back side illuminates the guideline, and the pointer and the index unit are partially illuminated to improve visibility and commerciality.

However, there is a risk that part of the light emitted from the light source for dial lighting or pointer lighting will pass through the circuit board and enter the lighting room for teltail, and the light will make the teltail appear to be lit. On the contrary, there is a possibility that the light source for the telltale illuminates the index portion and the commercial value is deteriorated. In this case, some measures such as blocking light by applying light-shielding printing or paint on the circuit board surface were required.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to pay attention to this problem, and to apply a vehicle instrument capable of easily dividing a lighting section by blocking exposure through a circuit board.

The vehicle instrument of the present invention is
The first display unit that displays the first vehicle information,
A second display unit that displays a second vehicle information of a type different from the first vehicle information, and a second display unit.
A first light source that illuminates the first display unit,
A second light source that illuminates the second display unit,
A circuit board having a conductive pattern made of a metal layer using a copper foil on which the first and second light sources are surface-mounted on a translucent electrically insulating base material surface .
A light-shielding wall arranged between the first display unit or the second display unit and the circuit board and between the first light source and the second light source is provided.
The circuit board is provided with a linear boundary between a first conductive pattern for driving the first light source and a second conductive pattern for driving the second light source, and this boundary is the boundary. It is characterized in that it is arranged so as to overlap the end face of the light-shielding wall.

Further, the first display unit is provided with a pointer illuminated by the first light source and a dial having an index unit to be referred to by the guideline.
The second display unit is characterized in that a symbol mark is formed and the second display unit has a teller tail that is lit and displayed by the second light source.

Further, the first light source has a light source for a pointer and a light source for an index portion different from the light source for the pointer.
The second light source is characterized in that it is provided between the pointer light source and the index unit light source.

Further, the light-shielding wall is characterized in that it is provided in a cylindrical shape between the second display unit and the circuit board so as to surround the second light source.

The vehicle instrument of the present invention can easily partition the lighting space by blocking the exposure through the circuit board.

The plan view which shows the instrument for a vehicle in embodiment. FIG. 1 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG. 1 in the same embodiment. The cross-sectional view which enlarged the vicinity of the dotted line III of FIG. 2 as the main part in the same embodiment.

As an embodiment to which the present invention is applied, a vehicle instrument A mounted on an automobile will be described as an example with reference to the drawings.

In this case, the vehicle instrument A includes a pointer-type display unit (first display unit) 1, a liquid crystal display panel 2, a telltale (second display unit) 3, a light source 4, a circuit board 5, and a spacer. 6 and a housing 7.

For example, a water temperature gauge, a fuel gauge, and a vehicle speedometer are applied to the pointer type display unit 1 from the left shown in FIG. The pointer-type display unit 1 is a rotatable pointer 11 for instructing a measured value based on an external device outside the vehicle instrument A, in this case, vehicle information input from an in-vehicle electronic control unit (ECU) via communication. And the dial 12 on which the index unit 12a such as the scale and the numerical value to be instructed by the pointer 11 is printed, the vehicle user can read the measured value by comparing and interpreting the instructed position of the pointer 11. Can be done.

The pointer 11 is press-fitted into the pointer shaft 11b that transmits rotation by the motor 11a through the hole 12b of the dial 12, and is a translucent light guide portion 11c for guiding light to the tip end side of the pointer 11. And a light-shielding pointer cap 11d that covers the hole 12b. In the dial 12, a light-shielding printing layer 12c as a background is formed on the translucent plate material, and a transmissive portion on which the light-shielding printing layer 12c is not formed is formed as an index portion 12a. The pointer 11 and the dial 12 are illuminated by the light sources 4 (light sources 41a and 41b) mounted on the circuit board 5 provided on the back surface side, and are partially illuminated.

The liquid crystal display panel 2 can generate a display image using a liquid crystal display element and display and output vehicle information as a numerical value, a bar display, a symbol mark, or the like. The liquid crystal display panel 2 can display a plurality of vehicle information by switching the screen so that it can be displayed. For example, it is conceivable to display various displays such as the integrated mileage, the fuel consumption rate, and the outside air temperature. Further, the liquid crystal display panel 2 is provided so as to be visible even in a dark environment such as at night by being transmitted and illuminated by a backlight (not shown). It is also possible to use a self-luminous organic EL panel instead of the liquid crystal display panel 2 provided with the backlight.

The telltale 3 is an indicator indicating a warning state of the vehicle such as an engine malfunction or a battery abnormality, a lighting state of a headlight, and an operating state of a direction indicator lamp. An example of a display indicating a warning status will be described. In this case, the telltale 3 is configured to be lit and displayed by forming a transmission shape of the symbol mark by the light-shielding printing layer 12c of the dial 12 and transmitting the illumination light from the light source (light source 42) 4 provided on the back side. Is.

The light source 4 is surface-mounted so as to face the dial 12 side of the five circuit boards provided in parallel on the back surface side of the dial 12, and a light emitting diode that illuminates the pointer type display unit 1 and the telltale 3 can be applied. .. The light source 4 is a pointer light source (second light source) 41a provided near the pointer shaft 11b and illuminates the indicator of the pointer 11 through the hole 12b, and an index light source (second light source) for illuminating the index 12a. 1) 41b and a teltail light source 42 for lighting and displaying the teltail 3 based on the vehicle information input by the vehicle instrument A.

A flat plate-shaped hard printed wiring board provided in parallel on the back surface side of the dial 12 can be applied to the circuit board 5, for example, from copper foil formed on the front and back surfaces of an electrically insulating base material using a glass epoxy resin. The conductive patterns 51 to 53, and an insulating coating (not shown) that protects other than the mounting surface of the electronic component are provided. In addition to the light source 4, the motor 11a, and the liquid crystal display panel 2, the circuit board 5 is mounted with, for example, a switch element (not shown), a microcomputer, a wiring connector for external connection, and the like. In this case, the circuit board 5 does not have a copper foil layer in the inner layer, and the portion where the conductive patterns 51 to 53 are not formed is transparent.

A light-shielding synthetic resin can be applied to the spacer 6, and the dial 12 and the circuit board 5 are supported at predetermined intervals. In this case, a white polypropylene material is applied to the spacer 6. The spacer 6 includes a pointer illumination space 61 that shields and partitions the illumination light from the pointer light source 41a so as not to illuminate an unnecessary portion, and a reflection that guides the illumination light from the indicator light source 41b to reach the indicator portion 12a. An indicator lighting space 62 having a surface 62a and further shielding and partitioning the teltail 3 side and the pointer lighting space 61 so as not to illuminate the teltail 3 side, and the illumination light from the teltail light source 42 illuminates the other lighting spaces 61 and 62. A lighting space 63 for teltail is provided so as to block light so as not to illuminate.

The teltail lighting space 63 is provided between the pointer lighting space 61 and the index portion lighting space 62 via a cylindrical light-shielding wall 63a. That is, the teltail light source 42 is provided so as to be surrounded by the light-shielding wall 63a, and the pointer light source 41a or the index portion light source 41b is arranged outside the light-shielding wall 63a.

As shown in FIG. 3, the circuit board 5 mounts a pointer light source 41a and a motor 11a, and a conductive pattern (first conductive pattern) 51 in the pointer lighting space 61 that supplies driving power to these electronic components. A conductive pattern (first conductive pattern) 52 in the indicator lighting space 62 for mounting the indicator light source 41b and other electronic components and supplying driving power to these electronic components, and a teller tail light source 42. A conductive pattern (second conductive pattern) 53 in the telltale lighting space 63 for mounting the accessory components (adjusting resistance element and capacitor) and supplying driving power to these electronic components is formed.

The electrically insulating portion (the portion where the conductive patterns 51 to 53 are not laminated) 53a, which is the boundary between the conductive pattern 53 and the conductive pattern 51 or the boundary between the conductive pattern 53 and the conductive pattern 52, is provided linearly. Further, the electrically insulating portion 53a is provided so as to be overlapped so as to be covered by the end surface 63b on the circuit board 5 surface side of the light shielding wall 63a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the illumination light from the light source 4 from passing through the circuit board 5 via the electrically insulating portion 53a.

The housing 7 is made of a light-shielding synthetic resin material, and houses and holds the pointer 11, the dial 12, the circuit board 5, and the spacer 6. The housing 7 is preferably a dark-colored member such as black so that the illumination light is not unnecessarily reflected. Further, the housing 7 may be provided with a translucent cover member that covers the pointer 11 and the dial 12.

Such a vehicle instrument A has a pointer-type display unit 1 that displays a vehicle speed (first vehicle information) and a light source that displays a vehicle warning state (second vehicle information different from the first vehicle information). A conductive pattern 51 composed of a pointer light source 41a or an index light source 41b for illuminating the pointer type display unit 1, a teltail light source 42 for illuminating the teltail 3, and a metal layer on which these light sources 41 to 42 are surface-mounted. A light-shielding wall 63a arranged between the light source 41a and 41b and the light source 42 for the telltale, which is between the pointer type display unit 1 and the telltale 3 and the circuit board 5, and the circuit board 5 having the to 53. The circuit board 5 is arranged so that the electrically insulating portion (boundary) 53a of the conductive pattern 53 for driving the teltail light source 42 overlaps the end surface 63b of the light shielding wall 63a.

Therefore, the vehicle instrument A can block the exposure through the circuit board 5 and can easily partition the lighting space.

In particular, even when the light sources 41a and 41b for the pointer-type display unit 1 that are output with high brightness because they are illuminated via the plurality of reflecting surfaces 62a and the light guide unit 11c are provided nearby, the telltale It is possible to effectively prevent the illumination light from sneaking into the lighting space 63 side. This also has the effect of reducing the materials and processes required for light-shielding coating and printing on the electrically insulating portion 53a.

Although the vehicle instrument of the present invention has been described by way of example in the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this, and other configurations also deviate from the gist of the present invention. Of course, it is possible to make various improvements and change the design as long as it is not.

The present invention can be applied, for example, as a vehicle instrument mounted on a moving body equipped with an automobile, a motorcycle, or an agricultural machine or a construction machine.

1 Pointer type display unit (first display unit)
11 Guideline 11a Motor 11b Guideline shaft 11c Light guide unit 11d Guideline cap 12 Dial 12a Indicator unit 12b Hole 12c Light-shielding printing layer 2 Liquid crystal display panel 3 Teltail (second display unit)
4 Light source 41a Pointer light source (first light source)
41b Light source for index section (first light source)
42 Light source for Telterre (second light source)
5 Circuit board 51, 52, 53 Conductive pattern 53a Electrical insulation part (boundary)
6 Spacer 61 Pointer lighting space 62 Indicator lighting space 62a Reflective surface 63 Teltail lighting space 63a Light-shielding wall 63b End face 7 Housing A Vehicle instrument

Claims (4)

The first display unit that displays the first vehicle information,
A second display unit that displays a second vehicle information of a type different from the first vehicle information, and a second display unit.
A first light source that illuminates the first display unit,
A second light source that illuminates the second display unit,
A circuit board having a conductive pattern made of a metal layer using a copper foil on which the first and second light sources are surface-mounted on a translucent electrically insulating base material surface .
A light-shielding wall arranged between the first display unit or the second display unit and the circuit board and between the first light source and the second light source is provided.
The circuit board is provided with a linear boundary between a first conductive pattern for driving the first light source and a second conductive pattern for driving the second light source, and this boundary is the boundary. A vehicle instrument characterized by being placed so as to overlap the end face of a light-shielding wall. The first display unit is provided with a pointer illuminated by the first light source and a dial having an index unit to be referred to by the guideline.
The vehicle instrument according to claim 1, wherein the second display unit has a teltail on which a symbol mark is formed and is lit and displayed by the second light source. The first light source has a light source for a pointer and a light source for an index portion different from the light source for the pointer.
The vehicle instrument according to claim 2, wherein the second light source is provided between the pointer light source and the index unit light source. One of claims 1 to 3, wherein the light-shielding wall is provided in a cylindrical shape between the second display unit and the circuit board so as to surround the second light source. Vehicle instruments described in.

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