JPH11311548A - Measuring instrument for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance uniformity and stability of luminance of a light emitting pointer and to enhance assembling operability of an analog measuring instrument, by a method wherein a light source and a light guide plate which guides light from the light source to the light emitting pointer are supported by, and fixed to, a fixed frame body which constitutes a movement. SOLUTION: A movement 12 for an analog measuring instrument is fixed to a circuit board 11. In addition, a light guide plate 20 and a light source 21 which is close to a light incident face 20A formed on the light guide plate 20 are fixed to the surface of a bobbib 14. Light which is radiated from a light radiation part 20B is reflected to the tip direction of a light emitting pointer 17 by a reflecting face which is formed on the base part 18 of the pointer 17 so as not to be fixed, and the pointer 17 emits light. In this manner, the light guide plate 20 and the light source 21 by which the light emitting pointer 17 emits light are supported on the bobbin 14 which constitutes the movement 12 for the measuring instrument. That is to say, the light guide plate 20 and the light source 21 are installed integrally with the movement 12 for the measuring instrument.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an analog vehicle instrument using a light emitting pointer for emitting light from a light source through a light guide plate, and more particularly to a light guide plate for illuminating a pointer and a light source provided with an instrument movement. The present invention relates to an instrument for a vehicle which has an integral structure and can enhance the workability of assembling the instrument for the vehicle and the degree of freedom in layout, and can further improve the performance and stability of pointer illumination (luminance).

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional analog device having a pointer illumination mechanism capable of causing a light emitting pointer, which is a component of an analog instrument, to emit light using a light source and a light guide provided in the instrument. As a type instrument, for example, there is one having a structure as shown in FIG. The configuration of this conventional example will be described below. Reference numeral 1 denotes an instrument movement fixed on a housing or a circuit board 2 via a bobbin 3, and a light emitting pointer 5 is attached to a tip of a pointer shaft 4 of the movement 1. ing. Reference numeral 6 denotes a dial for displaying a value indicated by the light emitting pointer 5, and a light guide 7 is disposed between the dial 6 and the instrument movement 1 and bobbin 3, and the light guide 7 is It receives light from a light source 8 disposed and fixed on a housing or a circuit board 2 and emits light from the light emitting pointer 5.
The light guide pointer 5 is caused to emit light, whereby the light emitting pointer 5 emits light.

[0003]

However, the design of the analog instrument having the above configuration, such as the shape and size, is changed, for example, every time a model change of an automobile or a different vehicle type is made.
The position of the instrument movement, the design of the dial, etc. must be set and configured for each model so as to be compatible with each of these types of vehicles. For this purpose, the size of the light guide incorporated in the instrument Since it is necessary to manufacture various shapes, and it is necessary to assemble light guides and the like having these various shapes, there is a lack of consistency in the assembling work. In some cases, the meter itself becomes complicated by assembling a light guide of a different shape, and therefore, the manufacturing economy of the light guide and the manufacturing economy of the meter are lacking. Further, when assembling the light guides of these various shapes into the instrument, it is necessary to change the layout of the light source 8 to be arranged and fixed on the housing or the circuit board 2 in relation to the size and shape of the light guides. As a result, with the change in the layout of the light source 8, the illumination brightness of the pointer changes or becomes unstable, making it difficult to uniformly and stably display the luminescence pointer of each instrument. There was also a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem, and has improved the uniformity and stability of the luminance performance of a light emitting pointer in an analog type instrument having various shapes and configurations having the light emitting pointer. In order to improve the workability of assembling analog instruments and increase the degree of freedom of layout, a light source and a light guide for emitting and displaying the light emitting pointers of various analog instruments are held in a housing of the instrument. The purpose is to develop such a vehicle instrument.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a movement of an analog instrument fixed to a circuit board or a housing and a pointer shaft attached to the movement of the analog instrument are attached to the movement. In a vehicle instrument having a light emitting pointer, a light source and a light guide plate for causing the light emitting pointer to emit light, a light source and light from the light source are guided to the light emitting pointer by a fixed frame constituting the movement. The present invention is characterized in that the instrument is a vehicle instrument in which a light guide plate for supporting the instrument is supported and fixed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in addition to the first aspect, the fixing frame is a vehicle instrument which is a bobbin which is a constituent member of the movement.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail based on an embodiment shown in the drawings.

[First Embodiment] In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a circuit board or a housing of an instrument (hereinafter referred to as a circuit board). On the circuit board 11, a movement 12 of an analog instrument is provided. Fixed. The basic structure of the movement 12 is a conventional well-known structure. However, if the structure of the movement 12 is to be explained, the rotating magnet 13 is rotatably supported in a central space formed at the center of the movement. A bobbin 14, a coil 15 wound outside the bobbin 14 corresponding to the rotating magnet 13, and a pointer shaft 16 fixed on the axis of the rotating magnet 13; A light emitting pointer 17 is attached to the tip of the pointer shaft 16. Reference numeral 18 denotes a pointer cap attached to the base of the light emitting pointer 17, and 19 denotes a shield case attached to the outside of the coil 15 wound around the bobbin 14.

On the upper surface of the bobbin 14, a light guide plate 20 is provided.
And a light source 21 (in this embodiment, a light-emitting element such as an LED is shown) that is positioned close to a light incident surface 20A formed on the light guide plate 20.
The light-emitting surface 20B formed at a position close to the base of the light-emitting indicator 18. The light emitted from the light emitting unit 20B is reflected toward the tip of the pointer by the non-fixed reflection surface formed at the base of the light emitting pointer 18, and the pointer 17 emits light. Reference numeral 22 denotes a dial for displaying a value indicated by the light emitting pointer 18, and reference numeral 23 denotes a connection portion between the light source 21 and a circuit pattern of the circuit board 11.

In the vehicle instrument of this embodiment, the bobbin 14 constituting the instrument movement 12 is provided.
The light guide plate 20 and the light emitting pointer 1 through the light guide plate 20
7 supports the light source 21 for light-emitting display, that is, since the light guide plate 20 and the light source 21 are provided integrally with the movement 12 of the instrument, the light guide plate and the light source The assembly work of the analog type instrument having a desired shape and structure can be easily and smoothly performed without being restricted by the space in which the apparatus and the like are to be arranged or the design of the instrument. Further according to the present embodiment,
It is possible to manufacture a single-structure analog instrument in which a light guide plate, a light source, and the like are pre-assembled, and this can be used as a dual-purpose instrument. In this case as well, the brightness and uniformity of the indicator light emission and the stability thereof can be enhanced. Further, it is not necessary to set a light guide for each model in which the position of the light source is different, so that the number of design steps can be reduced.

[Second Embodiment] In FIG. 2, in this embodiment, a concave portion 24 for accommodating a light source is provided on the upper surface of a bobbin 14.
And a light source 2 such as a light emitting element such as an LED is provided in the recess.
1 is accommodated, and the light incident surface 20A of the light guide plate 20 is positioned so as to close the upper opening of the concave portion 24.

Therefore, according to the second embodiment, the light source 2
1 can be suppressed from leaking light emitted from the light source 21.
Can be used effectively.

[Third Embodiment] In FIG. 3, in this embodiment, a bobbin 14 is provided with a light source storage hole 25 penetrating vertically through the bobbin 14, and
5, light source 21 already mounted on circuit board 11
Is fitted simultaneously with the attachment of the bobbin 14 to the substrate 11. Therefore, according to this embodiment,
The light source 21 is attached to the circuit board 11 in advance,
Is fitted into the light source accommodating hole 25 formed in the bobbin 14, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG.
When mounting the bobbin 14 on the circuit board 11, a lead wire drawn from a light source is passed through the circuit board 11,
Further, the movement and the mounting workability are improved as compared with the configuration in which the through end of the lead wire is soldered.

[0014]

As described above, according to the vehicular instrument of the present invention, an analog instrument having a light emitting pointer has a movement in which a light source and a light guide plate for displaying the light emitting pointer are mounted. Therefore, the design and the mounting position of the light source are not restricted as compared with the conventional one in which a light source and a light guide plate are retrofitted for each instrument, and the design of the instrument is easy, and the handling and assembling work of the instrument are easy. Also improve. Furthermore, since the uniformity and stability of the mounting position of the light source and the light guide plate for each instrument can be enhanced, the effect of stabilizing the illumination brightness of the pointer and the performance thereof for each instrument can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural explanatory view showing a first embodiment of a vehicle instrument according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural explanatory view showing a second embodiment of the vehicle instrument according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a structural explanatory view showing a third embodiment of the vehicle instrument according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view showing a conventional vehicle instrument.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Circuit board 12 ... Movement 13 ... Rotating magnet 14 ... Bobbin 15 ... Coil 16 ... Pointer shaft 17 ... Light emitting pointer 18 ... Pointer cap 19 ... Shield case 20 ... Light guide plate 21 ... Light source 22 ... Dial plate 23 ... Pattern connection part 24 ... recess 25 ... light source storage hole

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A movement (12) of an analog instrument fixed to a circuit board or a housing (11), a light emitting pointer (17) attached to a pointer shaft (16) expended from the movement (12), A light source (21) and a light guide plate (2) for causing the light emitting pointer (17) to emit light.
0), a light source (21) and a light guide plate (47) for guiding light from the light source to the light emitting pointer (17) are provided on a fixed frame constituting the movement (12). 20) An instrument for a vehicle, wherein 20) is fixedly supported. 2. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1, wherein the fixed frame is a bobbin (14) serving as a component of the movement.