JPH10227663A - Illuminating structure for instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illuminating structure for an instrument with simple dimming and small cost required for dimming without disturbing the dimming by a facing shape. SOLUTION: The illuminating structure for an instrument comprises a dial 1, a facing unit 2 provided to cover a periphery of a display unit 11 of the dial 1 from a front side, and a light source 8 (incandescent bulb) 3 disposed at a rear side of the dial 1 so that the unit 11 is indirectly illuminated by the light leaked from a gap A between the dial 1 and the unit 2. A transparent part 12 of the dial 1 is extended to a line L of the light leaked via the gap A from the source 3, and dimming print 13 for regulating a transmitted amount of the light is provided on the part 12.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illumination structure of an instrument for indirectly illuminating a display portion of a dial with light leaking from a gap between the dial and a dial.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an illumination structure of an instrument of this kind, for example, the one shown in FIG. 3 is known. The lighting structure of this instrument includes a dial 1, a facing 2 provided to cover the periphery of the display unit 11 on the dial 1 from the front side, and an incandescent light bulb (light source) 3 arranged behind the dial 1. With
The display unit 11 is indirectly illuminated by light leaking from the gap A between the dial 1 and the dial 2.

That is, the light emitted from the incandescent lamp 3 is reflected by a case (not shown), a facing 2 and the like, and comes out of the gap A to illuminate the display unit 11 and the pointer 4. The inner unit 5 and the incandescent lamp 3 for driving the hands 4 are fixed to the printed circuit board 6.

[0004] However, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a problem on the display section 11 that a portion near the incandescent lamp 3 becomes bright, but a portion far from the incandescent lamp 3 becomes dark.

[0005] For this reason, as shown in FIG. 5, a light shielding wall 21 is integrally provided on the facing 2, and a gap A near the incandescent lamp 3 is provided.
The display unit 11 is illuminated so as to have uniform brightness by limiting the amount of light emitted from the display unit 11.

[0006]

However, in the lighting structure of the instrument using the light-shielding wall 21, there is a problem that it is difficult to control the brightness of the display unit 11 with uniform brightness.
In addition, when the facing 2 is formed integrally, the molding is usually performed using a mold by injection molding. However, every time the light shielding wall 21 is modified, the mold must be changed, and light control is performed. There is a problem that the required cost increases.
Further, there is a problem that the light shielding wall 21 cannot be integrally formed depending on the shape of the facing 2.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to simplify dimming, to reduce the cost required for dimming, and to prevent dimming by the facing shape. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting structure for an instrument without the need.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a dial, a dial provided so as to cover the periphery of a display portion of the dial from the front side, and a back side with respect to the dial. An illumination structure of an instrument for indirectly illuminating the display unit with light leaked from a gap between the dial and the dial, and light emitted from the light source and leaking through the gap. The transparent portion of the dial is extended to the line, and light control printing for adjusting the light transmission amount of the light is provided on the transparent portion.

In the invention configured as described above, the amount of light exiting from the gap through the transparent portion can be continuously changed by changing, for example, the density of halftone dots by the light control printing. Therefore, dimming to make the brightness of the display unit uniform can be performed extremely easily.

Further, even if it is necessary to modify the light control printing, it is not necessary to change the mold, so that the cost required for the light control can be reduced. In addition, the transparent portion can be subjected to the dimming printing regardless of the shape of the facing, so that there is an advantage that the dimming is not hindered by the facing shape.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. However, components common to those of the conventional example shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

The lighting structure of the instrument shown in this embodiment has a transparent line from around the display section 11 of the dial 1 to a line L of light emitted from the incandescent lamp (light source) 3 and leaking to the display section 11 through the gap A. 12 is extended, and a dimming print 13 for adjusting the amount of transmitted light is provided on the transparent portion 12.

The transparent portion 12 is enlarged as much as possible from the display portion 11 to the periphery so as to cover a range through which light from the incandescent lamp 3 passes. In other words, it is desirable to look at the portion of the dial 1 through the opening of the facing 2 and make the entire invisible range into the transparent portion 12. The visible range is the display unit 11.

The dimming printing 13 is performed by halftone dot printing composed of a plurality of black dots. The density of the halftone dots is increased in a portion close to the incandescent lamp 3 and in a large amount of light, and is increased in a portion of small amount of light. Is to reduce the density of the halftone dots so that the density of the halftone dots is continuously changed.

In the illumination structure of the instrument configured as described above, the density of the halftone dots by the dimming printing 13 is continuously changed so as to be high in a portion with a large amount of light and to be low in a portion with a small amount of light. Therefore, the amount of light exiting from the gap A through the transparent portion 12 can be continuously changed to be constant. Therefore, dimming to make the brightness of the display unit 11 uniform can be performed extremely easily.

Further, even if it is necessary to modify the light control printing 13, it is not necessary to change the mold, so that the cost required for light control can be reduced. Moreover, regardless of the shape of the facing 2, the light control printing 13 can be performed on the transparent portion 12, so that the light control is not hindered by the facing shape.

In the above embodiment, the light control printing 1
Although No. 3 is constituted by halftone printing, this light control printing may be constituted by solid printing for printing a wider area at a time. However, it is preferable that the range of the solid printing be finely dispersed according to the amount of light so that light and darkness do not occur on the display unit 11 at a break in printing.

Although the light control print 13 is made of black, it may be made of another color. In this case,
The light control printing 13 can be an effective means for producing the color of the illumination light. Further, the light control printing 13 may be configured with a reflection color such as silver. In this case, the amount of transmitted light can be effectively attenuated using reflection, and the reflected light can be effectively used in a portion with a small amount of light.

[0019]

According to the present invention, by changing the density of, for example, halftone dots by light control printing, the amount of light exiting from the gap through the transparent portion can be continuously changed. Therefore, dimming to make the brightness of the display unit uniform can be performed extremely easily.

Further, even if it is necessary to modify the light control printing, it is not necessary to change the mold, so that the cost required for light control can be reduced. In addition, the transparent portion can be subjected to the dimming printing regardless of the shape of the facing, so that there is an advantage that the dimming is not hindered by the facing shape.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a main part of a lighting structure of an instrument shown as one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a lighting structure of the instrument.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a lighting structure of an instrument shown as a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing a lighting structure of the instrument.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an illumination structure of an instrument shown as another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Dial 11 Display part 12 Transparent part 13 Dimming printing 2 Look back 3 Light source (incandescent light bulb) A gap L Light line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A dial comprising: a dial; a facing provided so as to cover a periphery of a display portion of the dial from a front side; and a light source disposed on a back side of the dial. An illumination structure of an instrument for indirectly illuminating the display unit with light leaked from a gap between the dial and a transparent portion of the dial extending to a line of light emitted from the light source and leaking through the gap. An illumination structure for an instrument, wherein a dimming print for adjusting the amount of transmitted light is provided on a transparent portion.