JPH10142011A - Device for illuminating pointer - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for illuminating the indication section of a pointer by obtaining a comparatively large quantity of light for entrance through a light guide body without increasing a weight of a pointer itself by a comparatively simple structure. SOLUTION: A pinter 1 is comprised of an indication section 4 that is formed of light-transmitting material extending in approximately orthogonal direction against a rotary shaft 3 of a measuring meter 2 and a fixing section 5 that is formed integrally together with the section 4 and is fixed to the shaft 3. A light introducing section 14 is formed on the bottom of the section 5, which is provided with a conical tapered surface 15 whose diameter is made smaller from the section 14 to the section 4.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pointer illuminating device configured to enhance display visibility by transmitting light into a pointer formed of a translucent material to illuminate an indicator of the pointer. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, as shown in FIG. 4, a light guide made of a synthetic resin and having a light-transmitting property is used as a pointer illuminating device of this kind in order to properly determine a measured value such as a traveling speed at night. A dial B having translucency is superimposed on the surface of the light body A, translucent characters and scales are formed on the surface of the dial B, and the surface is irradiated with light emitted from the light source C from the light guide A. In addition to the configuration in which characters and scales are illuminated and displayed, the light emitted from the light guide A further enters the base E of the pointer D to illuminate the indicator F of the pointer D. The thing using an optical body is proposed. This type of pointer illuminating device is configured such that an illuminating light beam incident on the light guide A is made to enter the base E of the pointer D by the reflecting surface G formed by giving the light guide A an inclination of approximately 45 degrees, A reflecting surface H formed with a base E of D having an inclination of about 45 degrees is directed to the pointing portion F of the pointer D, and the pointing portion F is illuminated from inside to shine.

[0003]

When the pointer D is brightly illuminated via the light guide A as described above, the light guide A is used in order to make the light from the light source C enter the light guide A more.
There is a tendency to increase the thickness of the pointer itself to increase the total amount of light incident on the base E of the pointer D as much as possible. However, since the reflection surface G of the light guide A to be incident on the base E of the pointer D is formed so as to have an inclination of approximately 45 degrees on the surface side, the reflection surface A increases as the thickness of the light guide A increases. The area of the base E of the pointer D corresponding thereto also increases accordingly. Then, since the reflecting surface H having an inclination of approximately 45 degrees from below the base E of the pointer D toward the tip of the indicating portion F is formed, the rising length of the reflecting surface H inclined from below the base E is formed. In particular, the height of the base portion E of the pointer D located at the base end portion of the indicating portion F, that is, the thickness of the base portion E is increased, so that the weight of the entire pointer D is increased, and the indicator D is formed on the instrument I (not shown). There is a problem in that a load is applied to the bearing portion of the rotating shaft to cause bearing wear or affect the indicating torque of the instrument I.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and has a relatively simple structure that does not increase the weight of the pointer itself and relatively reduces the amount of light entering through the light guide. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pointer illuminating device capable of brightly illuminating a pointer of a pointer by obtaining a large number.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an indicator made of a light-transmitting material extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of an instrument, and an integral part of the indicator. A pointer is constituted by a fixed portion fixed to the rotating shaft, a light introducing portion is formed on a bottom portion of the fixed portion, and the fixed portion gradually decreases in diameter from the light introducing portion toward the indicating portion. This is provided with a conical tapered surface formed.

A light guide for receiving light from a light source and reflecting and guiding the light is disposed between the fixed portion and the instrument. A light-blocking member is provided on the light guide, and the rotation shaft is inserted through the light guide. A light passage portion without the light blocking member is formed corresponding to the position of the light guide near the light guide portion, and the light introduction portion is provided in parallel with the light passage portion and has a larger diameter than the light passage portion. It is formed in.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An indicator made of a translucent material extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of an instrument, and a fixing part formed integrally with the indicator and press-fittable and fixable to the axis of rotation. Constitutes a guideline. The pointer transmits the illumination light from the light guide disposed between the instrument and the pointer through the fixing part of the pointer to transmit and illuminate the indicator.

On the upper surface of the light guide, a dial plate on which a light-shielding portion is formed by printing except for characters and numerals is provided in a laminated manner. This dial plate has a circular notch near the rotary shaft insertion point of the instrument. Holes are provided. That is, this portion forms a light passage portion where the light guide is exposed toward the pointer. A light introducing portion was formed on the bottom portion of the fixing portion corresponding to the light passing portion of the light guide, and the fixing portion was formed to have a gradually decreasing diameter from the light introducing portion toward the indicating portion. A conical tapered surface is provided.

With this configuration, the light from the light source guided into the light guide is introduced into the hands from the light introducing portion of the fixed portion of the hands disposed opposite to the light passage portion of the light guide. The light introduced into the fixed portion of the pointer is directed toward the indicating portion above while being internally reflected by the conical tapered surface, and the light incident on the light introducing portion is directed toward the indicating portion by the conical tapered surface. As a result, the pointing unit can be made bright and bright.

At this time, the light introducing section of the fixing section is
Since it is formed to be larger in diameter than the light transmitting portion which is the light guide exposed portion without the dial, it is possible to prevent light leakage between the pointer fixing portion and the light transmitting portion.

Since the pointer as a whole has a shape constricted from the light introducing portion at the bottom of the fixed portion toward the pointing portion, the weight of the pointer itself is increased, and the incident light is focused to the pointing portion. Since the light is reflected toward the pointer, the brightness of the indicator of the pointer can be increased.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention.

The pointer 1 in the pointer illuminating device of the present invention has a pointing portion 4 made of a translucent material extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the rotating shaft 3 of the meter 2, and a rotating shaft formed integrally with the pointing portion 4. 3 and a fixing portion 5 that can be press-fitted and fixed. The pointer 1 transmits illumination light from a light guide 6 disposed between the meter 2 and the pointer 1 through the fixing section 5 of the pointer 1 to transmit and illuminate the indicating section 4. is there.

The light guide 6 is formed of a translucent material such as acrylic, and receives light from the light source 7 and converts the light into the light guide 6.
A hole 8 through which the rotating shaft 3 of the meter 2 can be inserted is provided at the position of the hole 8 from the back side of the light guide 6. 4 toward the front side
The reflection surface 9 is provided at an angle of 5 degrees.

On the upper surface of the light guide 6, a dial 11 is formed by laminating a light-transmitting substrate on which a light-shielding portion 10 is formed by printing except for characters and numerals. A circular cutout hole 12 having a larger diameter than the hole 8 is provided near eight holes of the light guide 6 through which the rotary shaft 3 is inserted. The notch hole 12 is provided corresponding to the reflection surface 9 of the light guide 6, that is, this portion forms a light passage portion 13 in which the upper surface of the light guide 6 is exposed toward the pointer 1. .

In the device of the present invention, a light introducing portion 14 is formed on the bottom portion of the fixing portion 5 of the pointer 1 corresponding to the light passing portion 13 of the light guide 6, and the light introducing portion 14 is formed upward by the reflecting surface 9. The illumination light reflected by the light introducing portion 14 provided so as to be opposed to the light passing portion 13 in parallel with the light passing portion 13 can be received.

Further, the light introducing section 14 is provided on the fixed section 5 of the pointer 1.
, And a conical tapered surface 15 having a gradually decreasing diameter toward the indicating portion 4.

With this configuration, the light from the light source 7 guided into the light guide 6 is reflected toward the pointer 1 by the reflection surface 9 of the light guide 6 and the light passes through the light passage portion 13. The light introduced into the pointer 1 by the light introducing part 14 of the fixing part 5 of the pointer 1 disposed in parallel to the light passing part 13 and the light introduced into the fixing part 5 of the pointer 1 is the conical tapered surface. The light is directed toward the upper instruction unit 4 while being internally reflected by the light source 15. The light incident on the light introducing unit 14 in this manner is transmitted from the light introducing unit 14 toward the indicating unit 4 by the conical tapered surface 15 having a gradually decreasing diameter.
, And the pointing unit 4 can be made bright and bright.

At this time, the indicating portion 4 employs a so-called full-surface type indicator in which the indicator 1 emits light over the entire length, and the indicator 4 emits light with substantially uniform brightness over the entire length. In this case, the lower side of the fixing portion 5 and the indicator 4 is formed by a transparent transparent material 16, and the upper side of the indicator 4 is formed by a translucent light diffusing material 17. The boundary surface between the transparent material 16 and the light diffusing material 17 is formed as a reflection surface 18. The reflecting surface 18 is formed so that light reaches both end portions of the indicating portion 4, that is, both side portions in the front-rear direction, starting from a portion immediately above the fixing portion 5 where light is focused by the conical tapered surface 15 of the fixing portion 5. The reflection surface 18 has a curved curvature. The light distributed over the entire area of the transparent material 16 below the indicator 4 in this manner is diffused by the light diffusing material 17 constituting the upper side of the indicator 4 to make the indicator 4 substantially uniform over the entire length. It shines at the brightness.

Further, if necessary, the surface of the indicator 4 may be colored by printing, hot stamping, or the like, so that the indicator 4 shines in a desired color.

Further, in the present invention, the light introducing portion 14 provided at the bottom of the fixing portion 5 is formed to be larger in diameter than the light transmitting portion 13 which is the exposed portion of the light guide 6 without the dial 11. I have. In this way, the light emitted from the light passing portion 13 of the light guide 6 toward the hands 1 is favorably received by the light introducing portion 14 of the fixing portion 5 of the hands 1 having a diameter larger than that of the light passing portions 13. Light leakage between the fixing portion 5 and the light passing portion 13 can be prevented. The light incident on the fixing portion 5 of the pointer 1 from the light introducing portion 14 is converged toward the upper center by the conical tapered surface 15 and can be guided to the indicating portion 4.

As described above, the pointer 1 has a constricted shape as a whole from the light introducing portion 14 at the bottom of the fixed portion 5 toward the pointing portion 4, so that, for example, the light guide 6 is improved to improve brightness. Even if the reflecting surface 9 of the pointer 1 becomes large and the light passing section 13 and the light introducing section 14 of the pointer 1 become large, the indicator 4 of the pointer 1 can be illuminated relatively bright without increasing the weight of the pointer 1 itself.

In this embodiment, the dial 11 is laminated on the upper surface of the light guide 6 and the light shield 10 is formed on the dial 11 as a light shielding member.
The light guide may be provided with a light shielding member in which a light shielding portion is directly formed by printing.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a relatively large amount of light entering through the light guide without increasing the weight of the pointer itself by a relatively simple structure. Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a main part of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Pointer 2 Instrument 3 Rotating axis 4 Indicating part 5 Fixed part 6 Light guide 7 Light source 8 Hole part 9 Reflecting surface 10 Light shielding part 13 Light passing part 14 Light introducing part 15 Conical taper surface

Claims (2)

[Claims] An indicator is formed by a pointing portion made of a translucent material extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a rotation axis of an instrument, and a fixing portion formed integrally with the pointing portion and fixed to the rotation shaft. A light introducing portion is formed on a bottom portion of the fixing portion, and the fixing portion is provided with a conical tapered surface having a diameter gradually reduced from the light introducing portion toward the indicating portion. Pointer lighting device to do. 2. A light guide, which receives light from a light source and reflects and guides the light, is provided between the fixed portion and the meter, and a light blocking member is provided on the light guide, and the rotation shaft is inserted. A light passage portion without the light blocking member is formed corresponding to the position of the light guide near the light guide portion, and the light introduction portion is provided in parallel with the light passage portion and has a larger diameter than the light passage portion. 2. The pointer illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the pointer illumination device is formed in a direction.