JPH06347298A - Lighting structure for instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain better diffusive irradiation light and a lighting display without applying special working and light transmission adjusting printing to achieve light diffusion on to a light irradiation surface of a transparent base body made of a resin. CONSTITUTION:Spherical light scattering fine particles comprising a light transmitting material are dispersed and mixed into a photoconductor 1a comprising a transparent resin base body with a light refractive index thereof larger than the photoconductor 1a and light incident from a light source 3 is introduced to an irradiation section on the other end side being scattered internally by transmission and refraction thereof to light a display device such as instrument 6 as a whole in a housing uniformly by the diffusive irradiation light from the irradiation section. A dial plate A as display plate comprising a flat transparent base body is so arranged that a luminous display surface on the side of the other surface thereof is lighted being transmitted by a light source 12 behind it to perform a bright luminous display without lowering light transmittance.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminating structure in an instrument device using a resin-made transparent substrate, which is applied to, for example, instrument illumination of vehicles and ships.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an illumination structure using a resin transparent substrate of this type, for example, there is an illumination structure by a light guide from the front side of a vehicle instrument. Diffusion structures have been proposed. In addition, a light source is placed behind a flat display plate made of a transparent base such as a transmissive dial plate and an alarm display plate, and the display surface and the transmissive display part are illuminated with uniform brightness to perform a light emitting display. A homogenization treatment structure has been proposed.

In the above-mentioned light guide illuminating structure, for example, a light diffusing structure proposed in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 57-34,892 discloses that the irradiation surface of the light guide for illuminating the front face of the dial of the instrument has a satin finish. By doing so, the straight traveling light of the illumination lamp disposed at one end is diffused and radiated.
The light-diffusing structure disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 8,813 also diffuses and irradiates light by illuminating the front surface of the dial plate by making the irradiation surface of the light-guiding member angularly different from each other. The irradiation end portion or the reflection portion of the light body is specially processed so that a wide illumination target can be uniformly illuminated.

Further, as another light diffusing structure for aiming to uniformly illuminate an illumination target with the illumination light from the irradiating section, a light is guided by such a light guide member, and it is provided in the transparent substrate. There is a method in which a light scattering substance (fine particles) is dispersed and mixed to diffuse the irradiation light by the light scattering effect inside.

Such a light-diffusing structure can be easily obtained by mixing a light-scattering substance in the resin during molding of the light guide, and is disclosed in, for example, JP-A 61-288,303. Generally, a structure in which a large number of bubbles as described above are mixed as a light-scattering substance, or liquid or solid fine particles are dispersed and mixed as in JP-A-2-309,392.

Further, a light emitting display is provided by illuminating with a light source arranged behind a flat plate which is made of a transparent resin substrate such as a transmissive dial plate and an alarm display plate and is formed in a flat plate. When this is done, the brightness of the entire display surface or the transmitted light due to the transmissive illumination varies depending on the distance from the light source. A structure for printing and uniforming the brightness transmitted through the display unit, and a structure for applying white or smoke printing to the back surface of the transparent substrate and diffusing transmitted light to achieve uniform brightness on the display surface have been proposed. . Another conceivable structure is one in which light-scattering fine particles are mixed inside the display plate to cause internal scattering.

[0007]

However, in the guided light illumination by the light guide body, in the structure in which the irradiation portion of the light guide body is subjected to special processing such as satin finish, the metal mold is used to mold the light guide body with resin. Since the light-diffusing matte surface is formed by applying satin finish to the molding surface, if the amount of production increases, the microfabricated satin molding surface will be scraped off, and it will not be possible to obtain a light guide with the required diffuse irradiation performance. You have to prepare a mold.

Further, in such a light guide structure, since it is a forming method by special processing of the irradiation part, it is designed to obtain an appropriate light diffusion illumination effect according to the size of the illumination target and the distance from the irradiation part. There is a problem in that it is not possible to determine at each stage, and it is necessary to rework the prototype repeatedly, and such work must be performed for each lighting purpose.

On the other hand, in the light guide structure in which the light-scattering substance is dispersed and mixed, there is almost no need for special processing on the irradiation part of the light guide, and there is almost no problem of exchanging the metal mold. Since the introduced light beam is internally scattered by the light scattering substance, the incident light from the light source can be emitted as diffused light from the irradiation unit at the other end while internally scattering.

However, since most of the internally scattered light escapes from the side surface of the light guide, the amount of light guided from the light incident end side where the light source is disposed to the irradiation section at the other end is extremely small, and Not suitable for lighting purposes. That is, as the scattering fine particles dispersed and mixed in the transparent substrate constituting such a light guide, fine particles of inorganic substances such as metal such as alumina and talc, fine powder or fiber fine powder has been conventionally used. Since these fine particles are often opaque, almost no light is transmitted through the fine particles A as shown in FIG. 4, and most of them are scattered on the surface and eventually scattered in the traveling direction of light as described above. Most of them escaped to the side.

Therefore, the transparent substrate of this kind which constitutes the above-mentioned light guide body, on the contrary, utilizes such side irradiation as in JP-A-61-288,303 and JP-A-2-309,392. It is used as a surface light emitter in all cases and is not used in the structure as it is as a scattered light guide from the light incident end to the other end. Further, as a structure in which glass beads (scattering fine particles) having different light refractive indexes are mixed in a transparent substrate to internally scatter incident light, there is JP-A-2-221,924, but the amount of fine particles mixed is also increased or decreased. Similar to the above-mentioned conventional example, the surface emitting structure is obtained by the side surface diffusion by the incident edge.

However, in order to use the diffusion effect of such an internal light scattering substance to perform the scattering light guide from the light incident end to the other end, the side surface of the transparent substrate is covered with a light shielding film or a reflective film layer. By doing so, it is possible to prevent light from escaping from the side surface, and to secure the amount of diffused irradiation light from the irradiation end portion.

However, it is difficult to form such a coating layer on the side surface of the transparent substrate when the shape of the transparent substrate is complicated, and a special coating forming step is required after the transparent substrate is molded, so that the production is easy. Not have the problem.

In the case of transmitted illumination from behind a flat display plate made of a transparent resin substrate, the light adjustment printing layer absorbs light and the light scattering fine particles reflect light in different directions. The light transmittance to the display will be significantly reduced, and the brightness of the display surface and display will not be sufficiently obtained due to the attenuation of the amount of light, and the light source must have a high luminous intensity. There is a problem that it will occur.

Therefore, the present invention devises the light scattering fine particles dispersed and mixed in the transparent substrate constituting the above-mentioned light guide or display plate to internally scatter the incident light from one end side into the transparent substrate. However, good diffused illumination light can be obtained by guiding light to the irradiation part on the other end side without greatly reducing the amount of light, or transmitted illumination from the back of the flat display panel can be made uniform by reducing light attenuation. It proposes a possible lighting structure.

[0016]

The illumination structure in the instrument device according to the present invention is such that spherical light-scattering fine particles made of a light-transmissive material having a light refractive index higher than that of the base material are dispersed and mixed in a transparent base material made of resin. To form an elongated light guide plate or a flat display plate, place a light source at one end or one plane side, and irradiate the other end side with the irradiation part or the other surface side to scatter and illuminate the other end or the other surface side. Is formed as a light emitting display surface, and is housed in a housing together with a display device illuminated by diffused illumination light from the irradiation unit, and a light source is arranged behind the flat display plate. The front surface side is housed in the housing as a light emitting display surface.

[0017]

The light rays entering from one end of the light guide plate are scattered by internal refraction and refraction by spherical light scattering fine particles made of a light transmissive material having a large light refractive index dispersed and mixed in the light guide body. , The light is satisfactorily guided to the irradiation unit on the other end side, and the diffuser illumination light from the irradiation unit brightly illuminates the display surface. Further, the illumination light from the back of the flat display plate is scattered by internal transmission and refraction by the light scattering fine particles inside, and the light emitting display surface is uniformly illuminated.

[0018]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 shows a light guide structure which constitutes an illumination mechanism in an instrument device according to the present invention, which is made of an acrylic resin material, a styrene resin material or a polycarbonate resin material having good light transmittance. The transparent resin base (light guide) 1 like this is formed in a rod-like elongated shape,
Spherical light-scattering fine particles 2 made of a light-transmissive material having a light refractive index larger than that of the substrate 1, which is a characteristic element of the present invention as a substance for transmitting, refracting and scattering light, are dispersed and mixed therein.

As the light scattering fine particles,
The optical refractive index is larger than that of the substrate 1, preferably 0.01 to
The particulate matter is not particularly limited as long as it is 0.15 or more, but is a (co) polymer of a phenyl group-containing vinyl resin such as styrene, vinyltoluene, α-methylstyrene, halogenated styrene, and a crosslinked product thereof. Or a (co) polymer of a phenyl group-containing (meth) acrylate resin such as phenyl (meth) acrylate or benzyl (meth) acrylate and a cross-linked product thereof.

A light source lamp 3 is disposed with one end side of the transparent substrate (light guide) 1 as a light entrance portion, and the other end portion is planarly formed as an irradiation portion 4, and an incident light L from the light source lamp 3 is formed.
Is scattered by the light-scattering fine particles 2 dispersed and mixed inside, and is guided to the irradiation unit 4 at the other end.

In this case, since the spherical scattering substance made of a translucent material having a light refractive index larger than that of the transparent substrate (light guide) 1 is used as the light scattering fine particles 2, the scattering effect of incident light is The scattering in the traveling direction is extremely large, and it has been experimentally found that the diffused light emitted from the irradiation unit 4 spreads widely and evenly from the irradiation surface with respect to the amount of incident light, and the object to be illuminated can be satisfactorily illuminated. .

That is, as shown in FIG. 2, since the light-scattering fine particles 2 are formed into a spherical shape made of a transparent material having a light refractive index higher than that of the transparent substrate (light guide) 1 into which the light-scattering fine particles 2 are mixed, the light source lamp 3 is formed. The incident light ray L from is directly transmitted as it is with respect to the light ray L1 passing through the spherical center of the light-scattering fine particles 2, and the light ray L2 passing near the center is slightly refracted to change its direction, so that it is favorably directed to the traveling direction of the light. Scattered.

Further, the light ray L3 largely deviated from the spherical center of the light-scattering fine particles 2 causes large scattering due to its refraction angle, but the amount of scattering can be greatly reduced as compared with the conventional one, and Such scattered light L3 is re-refracted and transmitted in the light traveling direction as shown in FIG. 2 by another light scattering fine particle 2 that follows a part thereof.
It is possible to more effectively suppress the escape light to the side surface and to perform good scattering and guiding to the irradiation surface side.

Therefore, due to the characteristic of the scattering direction control by the light scattering fine particles 2 as described above, the irradiation portion 4 can be effectively conducted without increasing the escape of scattered light from the side surface of the transparent substrate 1.
It can scatter and guide light to the side. In the experiment, acrylic resin was used as the material of the transparent substrate (light guide) 1, and the spherical light-scattering fine particles 2 dispersed and mixed in the transparent substrate 1 had a light-refractive index higher than that of the acrylic material (1.49). High rate (range of 1.5 to 1.6 was very good in practice)
As a result of selecting a translucent material and using a transparent sphere having a diameter of about 10 microns, a very good scattering and guiding effect was obtained. If the light-scattering fine particles 2 have an excessively large light-refractive index, the light-scattering fine particles 2 become prism-reflecting and return to the incident side.

FIG. 3 shows a transparent substrate 1 in which light-scattering fine particles 2 are dispersed and mixed and formed as a flat plate, and a light source lamp 3 is arranged on one plane side thereof, as a display plate constituting an illumination mechanism in the instrument device of the present invention. In addition, the other surface of the flat transparent substrate (display plate) 1 is used as a light scattering irradiation surface (light emitting display surface). According to such a configuration, the light-scattering irradiation surface of the flat transparent substrate (display plate) 1 is used as the light-emitting display surface, so that the illuminating light emitted from the light source 3 is refracted and transmitted by the light-scattering fine particles 2 inside, so that a special light is emitted. It is possible to obtain a relatively uniform light-emitting display without performing surface processing or printing.

For example, even when characters and designs are masked and printed on the display surface of the flat transparent substrate (display plate) 1 and the display part is illuminated by the light source lamp 3, the transmissive display parts are uniformly illuminated. It is possible to display evenly.
Further, even in the case of displaying colored illumination such as an alarm, the display surface is provided with an arbitrary colored transmission printing layer, or the light scattering fine particles 2
By forming with a coloring material, a relatively uniform colored illumination display can be performed.

In particular, due to the coloring material effect of the light-scattering fine particles 2 itself, bright colored illumination display can be performed without greatly impairing the light transmittance, and various transmitted illumination can be performed together with the above-described display masking formation. Available for display board.

FIG. 4 shows the transparent substrate (light guide) shown in FIG.
1 is formed in an elongated flat plate shape to form a light guide plate 1a for illumination,
By using a reflection inclined surface at the end thereof and changing the irradiation angle of the irradiation unit 4, an illumination structure from the front as a measuring device embodying the present invention is shown. Further, the instrument dial plate A and the alarm display plate B are the display plate 1 in which the transparent substrate 1 also shown in FIG. 1 is formed in a flat plate shape as shown in FIG.
It is configured as b. In the figure, the light guide plate 1a
Contains therein transparent spherical light-scattering fine particles 2 having the same scattering direction control characteristics as shown in FIG. 2, and has a partially bent optical path shape and has a reflection inclination at its end. The surface 5 is provided, and the irradiation portion 4 is formed on the end portion side of the facing lower surface of the reflective inclined surface 5.

The light guide plate 1a is an instrument 6 as a display.
The light source lamp 3 mounted along the inside of the upper side wall of the housing 7 in which the housing 7 is housed and facing one end thereof and connected to the voltage supply path of the printed board 8 provided on the back surface of the housing 7.
Are arranged to provide illumination from the front of the instrument 6.

Further, the irradiation part 4 of the light guide plate 1a is arranged so as to face the opening of the dial plate 9 which hides the periphery of the instrument 6, and the illumination light from the light source lamp 3 is shown in FIG. 2 inside the light guide plate 1a. Due to the scattering effect as shown, the light is satisfactorily scattered and guided in the traveling direction of the light, is guided to the other end side, is reflected by the reflection inclined surface 5, and is diffusely irradiated from the irradiation section 4 to the front side of the instrument 6. It

Therefore, the instrument 6 is illuminated by the scattered illumination light diffusely emitted from the illuminating section 4 with uniform brightness, so that not only good visual recognition is possible but also the light guide plate 1a.
By mixing colored fine particles therein, it is possible to illuminate with any colored light.

Further, the light guide plate 1 used in the measuring device of the present invention.
By using the light-scattering fine particles 2 themselves dispersed and mixed in a as a coloring material, the light rays L refracted and transmitted through the light-scattering fine particles 2 are colored well, and the light scattering is not disturbed by mixing the colored fine particles separately. In this way, the colored light can be satisfactorily scattered in the advancing direction, and an excellent colored illumination effect can be exhibited even in the colored illumination of the instrument as shown in FIG.

As described above, by using the spherical fine particles having the above-described characteristics as the light scattering fine particles 2 dispersed and mixed in the light guide plate 1a, the light scattering in the traveling direction of the light inside is effectively performed, and thus the light guide is performed. The light can be satisfactorily guided to the irradiation unit 4 on the other end side of the light plate 1a without large light attenuation.
It should be noted that the light guide plate 1a can obtain a good light scattering and light guiding effect in the state at the time of molding without any surface treatment on its side surface, but the light amount of the light source lamp 3 is small and the light guide plate 1a is not entirely covered. When used, a light-shielding film or a reflective film layer may be applied to the side surface.

In FIG. 4, a dial A is a display unit 10 for displaying letters, numbers, scales, etc. on the display surface of a flat transparent substrate 1.
Except for the above, the display panel 1b is formed by printing the light shielding layer 11, and the display section 10 is caused to emit light by the transmission illumination by the light source lamp 12 arranged behind. Also in this case, the transmitted light to the display section 10 can be well scattered by the transmissive refraction effect of the light scattering fine particles 2 as shown in FIG. The brightness of the display unit 10 can be made relatively uniform.

In particular, when the dial A is formed thin, the problem that the conventional halftone dot printing can be seen through is eliminated, and the light scattering fine particles 2 mixed and dispersed can be used as a coloring material, for example, in the display unit 10. It can be printed in white and displayed as white characters in the daytime, and can be changed to colored display by colored transmission during nighttime illumination, and it has good brightness against light attenuation such as nighttime colored illumination by dedicated colored backside printing. Is what you get.

Further, the alarm display board B (display board 1b) of FIG.
With respect to the above, even if the light source lamp 13 at the back is turned on, it is possible to uniformly illuminate the entire display surface, the alarm color can be arbitrarily selected, and the back surface of the transparent substrate 1 is scattered due to the scattering effect of the light scattering fine particles 2 dispersed and mixed inside. Bright light can be displayed without the light attenuation due to the diffusion printing layer.

[0036]

As described above, according to the illumination structure in the instrument device according to the present invention, the incident light from the light source is efficiently scattered and guided to the other end side by the internal scattering, and the diffused illumination light from the irradiation section is provided. Therefore, it is not necessary to perform a special processing such as a satin finish on the irradiation portion and the reflection portion of the light guide made of a transparent substrate, and the die replacement due to die abrasion for obtaining a fine specially processed surface is eliminated. In addition, it is possible to easily set according to the purpose by accumulating the scattering data by the amount of the light scattering fine particles dispersed and mixed, without repeating the trial and error of forming the specially processed surface according to the purpose of illumination. Further, there is no light attenuation by the light adjustment print layer for the purpose of uniform illumination, and it is possible to configure a display plate which has a high light transmittance and a bright illumination display.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram showing an embodiment of a light guide body made of a transparent base used in a measuring device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of light scattering of light scattering fine particles dispersed and mixed in the transparent substrate used for the light guide of the instrument device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram showing an embodiment of a display plate made of a flat transparent substrate used in the measuring device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of an illumination structure in the instrument device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of light scattering by conventional light scattering fine particles.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transparent substrate 2 Light-scattering fine particles 3, 12, 13 Light source 4 Irradiation part 5 Reflective inclined surface 6 Instrument as a display device 7 Housing 10 Display part 1a Light guide A (1b) Instrument dial B (1b) Alarm display plate

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kunihiro Maseda 9-30-10 Iriya, Adachi-ku, Tokyo Meiki Jushi Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Shimakage 2-32 Higashi Zao, Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture Within Nippon Seiki Co., Ltd.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A light guide formed by dispersing and mixing spherical light-scattering fine particles made of a light-transmissive material having a light-refractive index larger than that of a transparent substrate made of resin in an appropriate location in a housing. In addition, a light source is arranged at one end side of this light guide, and an irradiation section for irradiating the illumination light scattered and guided by the light-scattering fine particles to the outside is provided at the other end side, and the diffusion irradiated from this irradiation section. An illumination structure in an instrument device, wherein an indicator such as an instrument illuminated by illumination light is housed in the housing. 2. A flat display plate constituted by dispersing and mixing spherical light-scattering fine particles made of a light-transmitting material having a light refractive index larger than that of a transparent base made of a resin into a transparent opening of the housing, as appropriate at the opening of the housing. An illumination structure in an instrument device, characterized in that the light source is disposed at a location, a light source is disposed behind the display plate, and the front surface of the display plate is used as a light emitting display surface. 3. The illumination structure for an instrument device according to claim 1, wherein a light refractive index of the light scattering fine particles is 0.01 to 0.15 larger than that of the substrate. 4. The lighting structure according to claim 2, wherein a light-shielding layer is formed on a display surface of the flat display plate except for display portions such as numbers and patterns.