JPH0120182Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a driving mode display device that displays the driving mode of an automatic transmission of a vehicle.

[Prior Art] In an automatic transmission, driving modes are switched depending on road conditions and driving conditions. In other words, when driving on a normal flat road, if the driving mode is set to D, the gears will automatically change from 1st gear to the highest gear, and on a slope, if the driving mode is set according to the slope, the gears will change from 1st gear to the highest gear. The gear changes to 3rd gear,
In the driving mode, the gear changes between the first speed and the second speed, and on a steep slope, if the driving mode is selected, the gears will mesh only in the first speed. A driving mode R is provided in preparation for reversing.

The driving mode is switched by a selector lever provided on the side of the driver's seat, and the operating position of the selector lever is detected by the switch and displayed on a driving mode display device provided on the instrument panel.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the conventional driving mode display device, the display panel 2 is printed with windows 3 and 3a for displaying each driving mode ~, D, R, and N.
A light guide plate 5 for night illumination made of an acrylic material and a color lens 6 are superimposed on the back side of the display panel 2, and a reflector plate 8 is further provided.
An indicator light 7 is arranged on a reflector plate 8 for each window 3, 3a.

In the daytime, the corresponding indicator light 7 is simply turned on in response to the switching of the driving mode, so that the driver can easily see it, but in the nighttime, the selected operation position, for example D driving mode Even if only the window 3 is illuminated by the indicator light 7, the characters displayed on the window 3 are small, and the window 3 on the entire display panel is
It is difficult to recognize which driving mode the vehicle is in at first glance because the position of the vehicle cannot be recognized.

Therefore, the light guide plate 5 for night illumination is brightened as a whole by the illumination light 4 disposed at the base end 5a of the light guide plate 5 for night illumination made of an acrylic resin material bent into an L shape, and the display panel 2 is illuminated. I have to. However, in the above configuration, the display panel 2
The width is the dimension W of the base end 5a of the light guide plate 5 for night lighting.
However, it may not fit into the limited space of the instrument panel. Further, if the brightness of the indicator light corresponding to the switching position of the driving mode is the same during the day and at night, there is a problem that the indicator light is too bright at night, and the driver is even dazzled.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] The purpose of the invention is to turn on the indicator lights indicating each driving mode in a dimmed state during night driving, and to turn on the indicator lights for the selected driving mode in a dimmed state than during the daytime. To provide a small and economical driving mode display device which allows the driving mode during night driving to be easily recognized without being dazzled by making it brighter than other indicator lights even though it is dark.

[Means for Solving the Problem] In order to achieve the above object, the configuration of the present invention includes a series circuit of a first transistor and a Zener diode that conducts in accordance with each indicator light and operation mode for the power supply. , each indicator light is connected to a series circuit of a dimming resistor and a second transistor, and a first transistor and a Tuna diode are connected to the connection point between the night light switch and the night light, which are connected in series to the power supply. The connection point of the transistor is connected through a diode, and the base of the second transistor is connected.

[Function] When the starting switch 16 is closed during the day, the transistor 21 corresponding to the operating mode becomes conductive, and the positive terminal of the battery 12 is connected to the starting switch 16, the indicator light 7,
A current flows to the negative electrode of the battery 12 via the transistor 21, the diode 31, and the night light 14 (headlight, etc.), and the indicator light 7 is turned on. At this time, since the resistance of the night illumination light 14 is much smaller than that of the indicator light 7, the night illumination light 14 is not turned on.

When the night light switch 13 is closed, the collector voltage is increased by connecting the emitter of the transistor 21 to the connection point between the night light switch 13 and the night light 14 via the diode 31, and a display corresponding to the operating mode is displayed. The current flowing through the light 7 is limited and dimmed.

Further, when the night light switch 13 is closed, the transistor 23 is turned on, and a current supply circuit passing through the dimming resistor 25 is formed in the other indicator lights 7, so that the other indicator lights 7 are turned on dimly and brightly.

[Embodiment of the invention] As shown in FIG. 3, the display panel 2 has an elongated window 3a in the center showing the neutral position N, and displays the driving mode (first speed) and driving mode (first speed) on the upper side.
There is a window 3 on the lower side that shows the driving mode (second speed), driving mode D (all-speed automatic shifting), and driving mode R (reverse). The display panel 2 now has a window 3 compared to the previous model.
The minimum size is enough to arrange a and 3. Indicator lights 7 are disposed on reflective plates corresponding to the windows 3a, 3 on the back side of the display panel 2, the windows 3a, 3 are illuminated, and the characters of each driving mode are displayed as in the conventional example. .

As shown in FIG. 4, each indicator light 7 has one terminal connected to the positive terminal of the battery 12 via a starter switch 16, and the other terminal connected to a transistor 21.
and battery 12 via Zener diode 32
It is further connected to the negative electrode of the battery 12 via a transistor 21, a diode 31, and a night light 14 (such as a headlight).

The indicator light drive circuit 19 includes a shift register 20 and the aforementioned transistor 21, and the shift register 2
0 applies a voltage to the base of the corresponding transistor 21 via the resistor 26 upon receiving the output signal of the electronic control unit 17 which receives the signal from the selector lever 18 for selecting the operation mode.

Further, the terminal 22 of each indicator light 7 is connected to the negative electrode of the battery 12 via an individual dimming resistor 25 and a transistor 23, respectively. transistor 2
3 is connected to the negative terminal of the battery 12 via a resistor 24 and a night light 14.

In order to drive the night light 14, the battery 1
The positive electrode of the battery 12 is connected to the negative electrode of the battery 12 via a night light switch 13 and a night light 14.

Next, the operation of the device of the present invention will be explained. During daytime operation, when the start switch 16 is closed, the electronic control unit 17 sends a signal corresponding to the operating mode selected by the selector lever 18 to the shift register 20. For example, when the selector lever 18 is in operation mode D, a predetermined transistor 21 is made conductive by the output of the shift register 20, and the four transistors from the top are turned on.
Only the th indicator light 7 is lit. That is, the starting switch 16, the indicator light 7, the transistor 21, the diode 31, and the night lamp 14 are energized from the battery 12. At this time, since the resistance of the night illumination light 14 is much smaller than that of the indicator light 7, the night illumination light 14 is not turned on.

The electronic control device 17 corresponds to the driving mode of the selector lever 18 and automatically switches the gear stage of the automatic transmission based on the vehicle speed and the amount of depression of the accelerator pedal. However, such a configuration is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 51-121657, and is not related to the gist of the present invention, so a description thereof will be omitted.

During nighttime operation, when the nightlight switch 13 is closed, the emitter voltage of the transistor 21 is increased by the action of the Zener diode 32, and the indicator light 7 corresponding to a predetermined operation mode is dimmed more than during the daytime.

Further, the base voltage of the transistor 23 becomes high, and the transistor 23 becomes conductive. Therefore, the starting switch 16,
Electricity is supplied to the negative terminal of the battery 12 via the indicator light 7, terminal 22, dimming resistor 25, and transistor 23.
The other indicator lights 7 are lit more dimly than the indicator lights 7 corresponding to the driving mode.

As mentioned above, the Zener diode 32 and the transistor 23 operate in conjunction with the night light switch 13, and the indicator light 7 corresponding to the current driving mode is lit brightly, and the other indicator lights are dimly lit, so that the driver can You won't be dazzled by the indicator light being too bright,
The driving mode can be easily recognized.

Since the Zener diode 32 is operated in conjunction with the night light switch 13 to limit the current flowing through the transistor 21, the circuit configuration is extremely simple.

[Effects of the invention] As described above, the present invention includes a series circuit of a first transistor and a Zener diode that are conductive in accordance with each indicator light and operation mode, and a dimming resistor for each indicator light. and a series circuit of the second transistor, and the connection point between the first transistor and the Tuna diode is connected via the diode to the connection point between the night light switch and the night light lamp, which are connected in series to the power supply. , and the base of the second transistor is connected, so that during night driving, only the windows corresponding to the current driving mode are brightly illuminated (but darker than during the day), and the windows for other driving modes are dimly illuminated. The driver can easily recognize the driving mode from the relative position on the display panel.

When driving at night, the indicator light that displays the current driving mode is dimmed compared to during the day, so there is no fear that the driver will be dazzled by this.

Since there is no need to attach a conventional light guide plate for night lighting, the display panel can be made narrower, and the instrument panel can be easily placed in a limited space.

When the night light switch is closed, the short circuit of the Zener diode controlling the energization circuit of the indicator light corresponding to the current operating mode is released, the brightness of the indicator light is reduced, and the other indicator lights include dimming resistors. Since a current-carrying circuit is formed, there is no need for a relay switch, and the circuit configuration is extremely simple.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a conventional operation mode display device, FIG. 2 is a bottom sectional view of the same, FIG. 3 is a front view of the operation mode display device according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram of the same. . 2: Display panel, 3, 3a: Window, 8: Reflector,
12: Battery, 13: Night light switch, 1
4: night illumination light, 16: starting switch, 18: selector lever, 19: indicator light drive circuit, 20: shift register, 21, 23: first and second transistors, 25: dimming resistor, 31: diode ,
32: Zena diode.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A series circuit of a first transistor and a Zener diode that conducts in accordance with each indicator light and the operating mode, and a series circuit of each indicator light, a dimming resistor, and a second transistor are connected to the power supply. , the connection point between the first transistor and the Tuna diode is connected via the diode to the connection point between the night light switch and the night light lamp, which are connected in series to the power supply;
Operation mode display device connected to the base of the transistor.