JPH1019610A - Lighting system for instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To suppress halation on a face without additional components. SOLUTION: In this system 11, light from a light guide plate 15 is led from a light guide plate irradiation surface 24 through a pointer incident surface 25 to a hand base portion 19, and reflected by a pointer reflection surface 26 to cause a hand 13 to emit light and illuminate the instrument 11. The light guide plate irradiation surface and the pointer incident surface are disposed in a hand cap 22. Assuming the distance between the light guide plate irradiation surface and a dial 12 as L, the dimension (d) of a gap 29 between the pointer cap and the front surface of the dial is set as d<L.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminating device for an instrument such as an automobile, wherein a pointer on a dial is illuminated by light guided from a light guide plate mounted behind the dial. It is about.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional instrument lighting device will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. FIG. In the illumination device of the meter A, light from the light guide plate 4 behind the dial 3 is reflected by the light guide plate reflection surface 4a, and guided to the pointer base 1b via the light guide plate emission surface 4b and the pointer incidence surface 1c. The light is reflected by the reflection surface 1a and guided to the pointer 1, and the pointer 1 is illuminated.
Reference numeral 5 indicates a pointer shaft.

Here, the light guide plate radiation surface 4b and the pointer incident surface 1
The distance of the gap 7 between c and a _0, and when the distance of the gap 8 between the front of the lower surface and the dial 3 of the pointer cap 2 is set to d _0, instrument A includes a front generally, dial 3 And the light guide plate emission surface 4b is set at the same position, that is, the distance from the light guide plate emission surface 4b to the front surface of the dial 3 is set to L ₀ , L ₀ = 0, and d ₀ ≒ a ₀ > L ₀ = 0. It is formed so that it becomes. Therefore, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6, the straight light orthogonal to the light guide plate radiation surface 4b is guided to the pointer incident surface 1c and becomes the transmitted light 10 of the pointer 1, but is scattered not perpendicular to the light guide plate radiation surface 4b. Part of the light leaks from the gaps 7 and 8 onto the dial 3 and becomes light leakage 10a, which appears around the pointer cap 2 on the dial 3 as halation 10b as shown in FIG. For this reason, there are problems that the visibility of the scales and characters on the dial 3 is deteriorated and that the aesthetic appearance of the instrument is impaired.

In order to solve this problem, conventionally, the diameter of the pointer cap 2 is increased until the halation on the dial 3 is hidden, or the diameter of the light guide plate radiation surface 4b is reduced, so that the halation 10b can reduce the diameter of the pointer cap. 2. However, these are pointer cap 2
Has become too large, the appearance of the meter A has deteriorated, the light guided to the pointer incident surface 1c has decreased, and the visibility of the pointer 1 has deteriorated.

Therefore, a light-shielding ring is conventionally provided in the gap 8 between the pointer cap 2 and the dial 3 as in the device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-124619, and the light guide plate 4 is moved from the pointer base 1b.
There is proposed a device in which transmitted light 10 guided to the dial 3 is provided so as not to leak from the gap 8 onto the dial 3 to suppress halation on the dial 3 (first conventional technology).

Further, in the device described in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 63-67821, a device in which a light-shielding body is provided to similarly suppress halation on the dial 3 has been proposed (second prior art).

[0007]

However, in the first and second prior arts, in addition to the basic components of the meter A,
Since parts such as a light-shielding ring and a light-shielding body are added, the number of parts is increased, the cost is increased, and the number of assembling steps is increased.

In the second prior art, when the pointer base 1b is fitted to the pointer shaft 5 and buried in the assembling work,
The light-shielding body hinders visual observation, and it is not possible to accurately check how much the pointer base 1b is embedded, and the workability of assembly is reduced.

An object of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting device for an instrument which can suppress halation on a dial without adding a component.

[0010]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a through hole is formed in the center of a light guide plate mounted behind a dial, and a tip of a pointer shaft penetrating the through hole is formed at the center of the light guide plate. The pointer is fixed, the pointer base and the through hole of the pointer are covered with a pointer cap, and light from the light guide plate is transmitted from the light guide plate radiation surface around the through hole to the pointer base through the pointer incident surface. In the lighting device of the instrument for guiding and reflecting the pointer at the reflecting portion of the pointer to shine the pointer, the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface are disposed in the pointer cap, and the light guide plate radiation surface and Assuming that the distance from the front face of the dial is L, the distance d between the pointer cap and the front face of the dial is set to d <L.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, when the distance between the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface is a, the gap a is set to a <L. Things.

[0012] The invention according to claim 3 is the invention according to claim 1 or 2.
In the invention described in (1), the light guide plate radiation surface is provided at a position behind the front surface of the dial.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the invention, the reflecting portion of the pointer is
It has two or more reflecting surfaces having different inclination angles with respect to the pointer axis.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect of the present invention, at least two reflecting surfaces constituting the reflecting portion of the pointer are formed as conical surfaces, curved surfaces, or a combination thereof. It is.

The first aspect of the invention has the following operation. When the light guide plate emitting surface and the pointer incident surface are disposed in the pointer cap, and the distance between the light guide plate emitting surface and the dial front surface is L, the distance d between the pointer cap and the dial front surface is d <d.
Since it is set to L, the pointer cap approaches the front of the dial, and scattered light leaked from the gap between the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer entrance surface can be blocked by the pointer cap. Therefore, leakage of scattered light from the gap between the pointer cap and the front face of the dial can be reduced, so that halation on the dial near the pointer cap can be suppressed, and the visibility and appearance of the instrument can be improved. .

Further, in order to reduce the leakage of scattered light from the gap between the pointer cap and the front face of the dial, it is not necessary to add additional instrument components such as a light-shielding ring and a light-shielding body. Without any improvement, the assembling work of the instrument can be facilitated.

The second aspect of the invention has the following operation. When the distance between the light guide plate radiation surface and the front face of the dial is L, the distance a between the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface is set to a <L, so that the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface are close to each other. Thus, the scattered light from the light guide plate radiation surface is repeatedly reflected and attenuated between the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface. For this reason, the scattered light leaking from the gap between the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer entrance surface can be reduced, and the halation on the dial can be further suppressed.

The third aspect of the invention has the following operation. Since the light guide plate emission surface is disposed behind the front surface of the hands, the scattered light leaked from the gap between the light guide plate emission surface and the dial entrance surface is blocked not only by the hand cap but also by the dial side surfaces. For this reason, the scattered light leaking from the gap between the pointer cap and the front face of the dial can be further reduced, and halation on the dial can be suppressed more favorably.

The invention according to claim 4 or 5 has the following effects. Since the reflecting portion of the pointer has two or more reflecting surfaces having different angles with respect to the pointer axis, light reflected by each reflecting surface of the pointer reflecting portion is not parallel to the longitudinal direction of the pointer body. It is reflected obliquely, and is repeatedly reflected in a zigzag manner on the front and back surfaces of the pointer main body, and advances toward the tip end of the pointer.
For this reason, light can make the entire length of the pointer shine evenly and evenly, so even if the width of the pointer is made thinner and longer, no uneven light emission occurs, and the pointer is made smart and sharp. be able to.

[0020]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of an instrument to which a first embodiment of an instrument lighting device according to the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the meter shown in FIG. 1 showing an optical path of transmitted light. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the meter shown in FIG. 1 in which the pointer base is at a position higher than a set position with respect to the dial.

As shown in FIG. 1, the instrument 11 is a dial 1
A pointer 13 is arranged on the front side of the instrument 2 and an instrument driving unit (not shown) is provided on the rear side. The pointer 13 is fitted and fixed to the pointer shaft 14 of the instrument driving unit and driven.

The dial 12 is provided with characters and scales, and the dial 12 and the pointer 13 are made of a transparent resin such as acrylic. The illuminating device of the instrument 11 similarly includes a light guide plate 15 made of a transparent resin such as acrylic, and guides light from a light source (not shown) to the dial 12 and the pointer 13 through the light guide plate 15 to write characters. The plate 12 is transmitted and illuminated, and the pointer 13 shines.

The light guide plate 15 is provided on a rear surface 34 of the dial 12.
The dial 12 and the light guide plate 15 are provided with through holes 16 and 17 coaxially at the center of the dial 12 and the light guide plate 15, respectively. The pointer 13 penetrates through the through holes 16 and 17 and extends toward the front surface 18 of the dial 12. The pointer base 19 of the pointer 13 is fitted and fixed to the tip of the pointer shaft 14.

The pointer 13 is configured such that a pointer body 20 extends in one direction from a pointer base 19, and a light diffusing plate 21 is accommodated in the pointer 13. A pointer cap 22 is attached to the outside of the pointer 13 by welding or the like.
Covers the pointer base 19, the through hole 16 of the dial 12, and the through hole 17 of the light guide plate 15.

The light guide plate 15 has a light guide plate reflection surface 23 forming the through hole 17 and a light guide plate emission surface 24 formed around the through hole 17. Light guide plate reflection surface 2
3 is set at an inclination angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the pointer shaft 14.
The light guide plate emission surface 24 is a plane parallel to the front surface 18 of the dial 12, and is provided at a position forward of the front surface 18. In other words, the light guide plate radiation surface 24 is set at a distance L ₁ from the front surface 18 of the dial 12.

On the other hand, the pointer base 19 of the pointer 13 has a pointer incident surface 25 formed at a position facing the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and a pointer reflection surface 26. The pointer incident surface 25 is formed in a planar shape parallel to the front surface 18 of the dial 12. The distance a ₁ of the gap 27 between the pointer incident surface 25 and the light guide plate emitting surface 24 is set to a ₁ <L ₁ , and the light guide plate emitting surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25 are arranged close to each other.
The pointer reflecting surface 26 is formed in the pointer base 19 and is set at an inclination angle of about 45 degrees with respect to the pointer shaft 14.

Accordingly, light from a light source (not shown) passes through the inside of the light guide plate 15 and is guided to the rear of the dial 12 to pass through the dial 12 and, as shown by the arrow in FIG. The light is reflected by the light guide plate 23, passes through the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25, reaches the pointer base 19, is reflected by the pointer reflection surface 26, is guided to the pointer main body 20, and becomes the transmitted light 30, and becomes the transmitted light 30. Shine. Note that the above transmitted light 3
The light that becomes 0 is straight light that is orthogonal to the light guide plate emission surface 24, and light that is not orthogonal to the light guide plate emission surface 24 is scattered light.

Since the pointer cap 22 covers the pointer base 19 and the through hole 16 of the dial 12 and the through hole 17 of the light guide plate 15 as described above, the light guide plate radiating surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25 are provided. Are disposed in the pointer cap 22. The lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 is
A gap 29 with respect to the second front 18, the distance d of the gap 29 is set to d <L _1. As a result, the lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 is arranged closer to the front surface 18 of the dial 12.

According to the above embodiment, the light guide plate radiation surface 2
4 and the pointer incident surface 25 is disposed in the pointer cap 22, and when the distance between the front face 18 of the light guide plate emitting surface 24 and the dial plate 12 and the L _1, lower surface 28 and the dial 12 of the pointer cap 22 The distance d between the gap 29 and the front surface 18 is d <L ₁
, The lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 approaches the front surface 18 of the dial 12, and the scattered light 30a leaked from the gap 27 (distance a ₁ ) between the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer entrance surface 25 is removed. The pointer can be blocked by the pointer cap 22. For this reason, the lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 and the dial 1
Since leakage of the scattered light 30a from the gap 29 (distance d) with the front surface 18 of the dial 2 can be reduced, halation on the dial 12 around the pointer cap 22 can be suppressed, and the instrument 1
1 can improve the visibility and aesthetic appearance.

In order to reduce the leakage of the scattered light 30a from the gap 29 (distance d) between the lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 and the front surface 18 of the dial 12, a light-shielding ring, a light-shielding body or the like as in the prior art is used. Since there is no need to newly add the instrument components described above, the cost of the instrument 11 is not increased, and the assembling work of the instrument 11 can be facilitated.

The light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the front surface 18 of the dial 12
When the distance was as L ₁ and, since the distance a ₁ of the gap 27 between the light guide plate emitting surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25 is set to a ₁ <L _1, the light guide plate emitting surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25 Are disposed close to each other, and the scattered light 30a from the light guide plate radiation surface 24 is transmitted to the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 2
The light is repeatedly reflected between 5 and attenuated. Therefore, the scattered light 30a leaking from the gap 27 between the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer entrance surface 25 can be reduced, and the dial 1
2 can be more favorably suppressed.

Further, the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25
Since the pointer reflecting surface 26 is disposed on the same parallel axis as the pointer shaft 14, and the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25 are disposed in parallel, as shown in FIG. Even if a manufacturing error or assembling error of the pointer base 19 occurs, the assembling position of the pointer base 19 is displaced in the axial direction of the pointer shaft 14 with respect to the set position P with respect to the dial 12 (in FIG. The case where the base 19 is displaced upward by ΔP from the set position P is shown), and the light transmitted through the light guide plate radiation surface 24 and the pointer incident surface 25 and reflected by the pointer reflection surface 26 is efficiently transmitted to the pointer main body 20. I can guide you.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an instrument to which the second embodiment of the instrument lighting device according to the present invention is applied. In the second embodiment, the same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In this instrument 31, the light guide plate radiation surface 32 of the light guide plate 15 and the pointer incident surface 33 of the pointer base 19 are connected to the dial 1
The rear face of the dial 12 is located below the front face 18 of the dial 2, and in FIG. The distance between the light guide plate radiation surface 32 and the front surface 18 of the dial 12 is L.
When set to ₂ , the light guide plate emitting surface 32 and the pointer incident surface 3
The distance a ₂ of the interval 35 with respect to ₃ is set so that a ₂ <L ₂ , and the light guide plate radiation surface 32 and the pointer incident surface 33 are arranged close to each other. The lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 and the dial 12
The distance d of the gap 29 with respect to the front surface 18 is set to d <L ₂ , and the pointer cap 22 is arranged close to the front surface 18 of the dial 12. Note that the light guide plate radiation surface 32 and the pointer incident surface 33 are also provided in the pointer cap 22.

Accordingly, also in this instrument 31, the light guided to the light guide plate 15 transmits through the dial 12 and
The straight light orthogonal to the light guide plate radiation surface 32 is the pointer incident surface 3
From 3, the pointer 13 enters the pointer base 19, is reflected by the pointer reflection surface 26, is guided to the pointer main body 20, and shines the pointer 13.

In addition, d <L ₂ is set as described above,
Since the lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 is disposed close to the front surface 18 of the dial 12, the scattered light 30 a that is not orthogonal to the light guide plate emission surface 32 generates the gap 35 (between the light guide plate emission surface 32 and the pointer incidence surface 33). It leaks from the distance a ₂ ), but the dial 1
It is blocked by the side surface 36 constituting the second through hole 16 and the pointer cap 22. Therefore, leakage of scattered light from the gap 29 (distance d) between the lower surface 28 of the pointer cap 22 and the front surface 18 of the dial 12 can be reduced.
The halation on the dial 12 around the can be suppressed, and the visibility and beauty of the instrument 31 can be improved.

In particular, the light guide plate radiation surface 32 and the pointer incident surface 33
The scattered light 30a leaked from the gap 35 between the pointer cap 22 and the dial 12 is blocked not only by the pointer cap 22 but also by the side surface 36 of the dial 12 as described above.
The scattered light 30a leaking from the gap 29 (dimension d) with the front surface 18 can be further reduced, and the halation on the dial 12 can be suppressed more favorably.

Further, as described above, a ₂ <L ₂ is set and the light guide plate radiation surface 32 and the pointer incident surface 33 are arranged close to each other, so that the scattered light from the light guide plate radiation surface 32 is The scattered light 30a itself that is repeatedly reflected and attenuated between the radiation surface 32 and the pointer incident surface 33 and leaks from the gap 35 (distance a ₂ ) can be reduced.
Halation can be suppressed.

In addition, the meter 31 has the same effect as the meter 11. FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an instrument to which the third embodiment of the instrument lighting device according to the present invention is applied. In this third embodiment,
The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description is omitted.

In this instrument 41, the pointer reflecting portion 42 of the pointer base 19 of the pointer 13 is constituted by reflecting surfaces 43 and 44 composed of two conical surfaces having different inclination angles θ ₁ and θ ₂ with respect to the pointer shaft 14. (Θ ₁ ≠ θ ₂ ).

As described above, the pointer reflecting portion 4 of the pointer base 19 is provided.
2 is formed by the reflecting surfaces 43 and 44 formed at different angles θ ₁ and θ ₂ with respect to the pointer shaft 14, so that the transmitted light 30 reflected by the reflecting surfaces 43 and 44 of the pointer reflecting unit 42 is The light is reflected obliquely, not parallel to the longitudinal direction of the main body 20, repeatedly reflected in a zigzag manner between the front surface and the back surface of the main body 20, and travels toward the front end of the main body. Therefore, the transmitted light 30
The entire length of the pointer 13 in the longitudinal direction can be evenly and uniformly illuminated. Even if the width of the pointer 13 is made small and the length is made long, no uneven light emission occurs, and the pointer 13 can be made smart and sharp.

In addition, the gauge 41 has the same effect as the gauge 11. In the instrument 41, the pointer reflecting portion 42 may be formed of three or more conical surfaces having different inclination angles with respect to the pointer shaft 14,
Further, the surface may be a curved surface such as a spherical surface, an elliptical surface, a hyperboloid, or a radiation surface, or a combination of these curved surfaces and a conical surface.

Further, the configuration of the pointer reflecting portion 42 of the meter 41 may be applied to the pointer reflecting surface 26 of the meter 11 or 31 shown in FIGS.

[0044]

As described above, according to the instrument lighting device of the present invention, halation on the dial can be suppressed without adding a component.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a part of an instrument to which a first embodiment of an instrument lighting device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the instrument shown in FIG. 1, showing an optical path of transmitted light.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the meter in FIG. 1 in which a pointer base is at a position raised from a set position with respect to a dial;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an instrument to which a second embodiment of the instrument lighting device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an instrument to which a third embodiment of the instrument lighting device according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing an instrument to which a conventional instrument lighting device is applied.

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the meter of FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Instrument 12 Dial 13 Pointer 14 Pointer shaft 15 Light guide plate 17 Through hole of light guide plate 18 Front face of dial 19 Pointer base 22 Pointer cap 24 Light guide plate radiation surface 25 Pointer incidence surface 27 Light guide plate radiation surface and pointer incidence surface Gap 28 Lower surface of pointer cap 29 Gap between lower surface of pointer cap and front surface of dial 32 Light guide plate radiation surface 33 Pointer entrance surface 34 Rear surface of dial 35 Gap between light guide plate radiation surface and pointer entrance surface 36 Side surface of dial 42 pointer reflecting portions 43 and 44 reflection surface L, and the distance d pointer cap lower surface of the L _1, L ₂ light guide plate emitting surface and the distance between the dial front a, a _1, a ₂ light guide plate emitting surface and guidelines incident surface Distance from the front face of the dial θ ₁ , θ ₂ Tilt angle

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A through hole is formed in the center of a light guide plate mounted behind a dial, a pointer is fixed to a tip of a pointer shaft passing through the through hole, and a pointer base of the pointer and the penetrating hole. The hole is covered with a pointer cap, and the light from the light guide plate is guided from the light guide plate radiation surface around the through hole to the pointer base through the pointer incident surface, and is reflected by the reflection part of the pointer, In a lighting device for an instrument that shines a pointer, the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface are disposed in the pointer cap, and the distance between the light guide plate radiation surface and the front surface of the dial is L, A distance d between the pointer cap and the front surface of the dial is set to be d <L, wherein the lighting device for an instrument is provided. 2. The instrument lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the distance a is set to a <L, where a is a distance between the light guide plate radiation surface and the pointer incident surface. 3. The illuminating device for an instrument according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting surface of the light guide plate is provided at a position behind the front surface of the dial. 4. The illuminating device for an instrument according to claim 1, wherein the reflecting portion of the pointer has two or more reflecting surfaces having different inclination angles with respect to the pointer axis. 5. The illuminating device for an instrument according to claim 4, wherein the two or more reflecting surfaces constituting the reflecting portion of the pointer are formed as a conical surface, a curved surface, or a combination thereof.