JPS59578Y2 - Bar graph display type instrument - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention, for example, gradually lights up or clears a plurality of display elements according to the output signal of a sensor that measures the various quantities that change as the vehicle travels, thereby digitally measuring the various quantities that change as the vehicle travels. Concerning a bar graph display type instrument.

Generally, depending on the type of the above-mentioned quantities, it is necessary to warn the supervisor (driver) that the value has become above or below a certain value.

However, conventionally, analog instruments such as moving coil instruments have been used to display the above-mentioned quantities, but such analog instruments must have an alarm function to issue the above-mentioned alarms. It was not possible to do so, and it was necessary to provide a separate alarm means.

The present invention was developed in view of the above-mentioned problems with analog meters, and its purpose is to activate the display element group when the meter is first used and when various quantities measured by the sensor are above or below a certain level. By blinking,
The instrument itself should have a function to check whether the display element is normal or not and an alarm function.

Therefore, in the present invention, the output signal emitted from the sensor is inputted, and a group of comparators each having a threshold voltage set in a stepwise manner are connected to the power points of both the output signal of the sensor and the threshold voltage, respectively. time constant circuits having different time constants, a group of bar display elements arranged in a line so as to sequentially emit light in response to the output signals of the comparator group, and display the output of the sensor as a bar, and this group of bar display elements. a display section comprising a scale display element group that indicates the displayed amount; a display blinking means connected to the display section and blinking the bar display element group and the scale display element group; and the comparator group. and a gate circuit that opens the gate in response to the output signal of one of the comparators and applies the oscillation output of the oscillator to the display blinking means, and when the power is turned on and the output signal of the sensor is above or below a predetermined value. The basic feature is that the oscillation output of the oscillator is input to the display blinking means to blink the bar display element group and the scale display element group when the bar display element group and the scale display element group are displayed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a water temperature gauge for automobiles, etc. will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In FIG. 1, 1 is a comparator group, and the comparator group 1
is five analog comparators A.

, AI, A2. It consists of A3 and A4.

These comparators A.

, A1, A2, A3, and A4 are connected to each other, and are connected in series between the power line 2, which is connected to the positive electrode of battery B whose negative electrode is grounded via the power switch SW, and the ground. resistance R-, and
Sensor R consisting of a thermistor etc. that detects the temperature of cooling water
Connect to connection point 3 with th, and connect to each of the above inverting input terminals,
E.

A voltage of VccxRth/(R-1+Rth) is applied (where Vcc is the output voltage of battery B).

Furthermore, there are six resistors R6, R1? between the power line 2 and the ground. R2+ R3, R4 and R5 are connected in series to divide the output voltage Vcc of battery B, and the voltage E at the connection point 4 between resistors R6 and R1.

, a voltage E1 at a connection point 5 between resistors R1 and R2, a voltage E2 at a connection point 6 between resistors R2 and R3, a voltage E3 at a connection point 7 between resistors R3 and R4, and a voltage E3 at a connection point 8 between resistors R4 and R5. Comparator A sequentially sets the voltage value as the threshold voltage in steps.

, AI, A2, A3, and A4, respectively.

The above threshold voltage E.

,..., C4 is Eo>El>C2>C3>C4, and the resistors R1,..., R5 are, for example, R1-R2
-R3-R4-R5-RC, Eo= (Vccx5Rc)/(Ro+5Rc), C1= (415) Eo, C2=
(315) Eo, C3-(215) Eo, C4-(1
15) Eo yells.

Note that a capacitor C1 is connected between the connection point 4 side of the resistor R8 and the ground, and the capacitor C1 and the resistor R8
, , , , from R5, the time constant C1X (Ro / 5
While forming a time constant circuit of Rc), a capacitor C2 is also connected between the connection point 3 and the ground, and the time constant C2×(R-1/ R4h) form a time constant circuit,
C,x (Ro/5Rc) <C2x (Rs
/Rth) by setting the capacitance of the above capacitors C1 and C2 so that when the power switch SW is turned on,
Potential E at connection point 4.

is made to rise sufficiently faster than the potential E at the connection point 3.

This is because, as will be explained later, the fluorescent display tube 9 is blinked when the power switch SW is turned on to inform the driver whether or not the fluorescent display tube 9 is operating normally.

Next, comparator A.

, . . . A4 output terminals are connected to segments 10 .・・・
. , 14, respectively.

The fluorescent display tube 9 includes the small rectangular segments 10. which constitute a group of bar display elements. ..., 14 are arranged in a line from side to side, and above the segment 10 is a C-shaped segment 1 that indicates that the temperature of the cooling water is low.
5, above segments 11, 12 and 13 are wedge-shaped segments that indicate, respectively, that the temperature of the cooling water is between a low temperature and a suitable temperature, a suitable temperature, and a temperature between a suitable temperature and a high temperature. 16, 17 and 18, and an H-shaped segment 19 that indicates that the temperature of the cooling water is high is placed above the segment 14, and the voltage of the power line 2 is applied. There is.

These segments 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 constitute a scale display element group.

The fluorescent display tube 9 includes the segments 10 to 19 described above.
It is a kind of triode having a plate as its heater 2.
0 is connected in series between the power supply line 2 and the ground together with the resistor R6 for setting the heater current, while the grid 21
is connected to the collector of transistor Q.

The transistor Q has its emitter connected to the power supply line 2 and its collector connected to the ground via the collector resistor R7, while its base is connected to the output of the comparator A4 and the oscillation output of an oscillator 22 consisting of an unstable multivibrator, etc. The output of the AND gate G, which inputs , and , respectively, is input manually through the protective resistor R8 of the transistor Q, and when the temperature of the cooling water becomes high and the output of the comparator A4 becomes °゛H°゛, , and gate G is opened and the transistor Q is turned on and off by the oscillator 22, thereby changing the potential of the grid 21 of the fluorescent display tube 9 to °゛H'' and ``L12''.
As a result, segments 1 to 1u to 19 are blinked.

That is, in the present invention, a transistor Q is used as the display blinking means, and a blinking signal from the transistor Q causes the bar display element group and the scale display element group to blink.

Next, the operation will be explained.

■ Operation when turning on the power switch SW For example, the voltage E applied to each inverting input terminal is (2
4/25) When Eo, time t.

When the power switch SW is turned on, the C
1x (Ro15Rc) <C2X (R-t/R
th), the connection point 4. ..., the potential E of 8.

(t). ..., C4(t) is, as shown in Fig. 2,
The potential at connection point 3 rises faster than the potential E-sD) at time t.
′o is the threshold voltage E.

,..., rises up to C4, while the above connection point 3
The potential E-1(t) rises to the initial value E-1 determined by the temperature of the cooling water when the power switch SW is turned on at time t1, which is sufficiently after the above-mentioned time t'o.

Furthermore, the time constants C1×(Ro/5 Rc) and C2×(R-
1 (Rth) at time t.

The time from to time t'o and time t.

This ratio is set to 1:6, which is equal to the ratio of the time from to time t1, and time t.

If the time from to time t'o is set to be 4 seconds, time t.

The time from then to time t1 is 24 seconds.

(I-1) Therefore, as seen from FIG. 2 above, time t
.

The time t at which E-1(t)=C4. Up to 1, E
, (t)<C4(t)<C3(t)<C2(t
)<El(t)<EO(t), and comparator A.

.

,... All outputs of A4 become "H" (see FIG. 3 A to E).

Comparator A above.

, . . . Among A4, the output of the comparator A4 opens the AND gate G, and the transistor Q is turned on and off by the oscillation output of the oscillator 22 to change the potential of the grid 21 of the fluorescent display tube 9 to " C99 and °"C99, segment 10. ....

19 and these segments 10.19 as a group of display elements. ..., informs the driver that 19 is operating normally.

(I-2) Next, the above time t.

, after passing E. Time t at which (t)=C3.

2. Well, C4(t)<E-1(t)<C3(t)<
Since C2(t)<El(t)<EO(t), comparator A
The output of 4 is L91 (see Figure 3), and the output of
)G output becomes °L".

Therefore, the pnp transistor Q is turned on, and the potential of the grid 21 connected to its collector becomes "Hn".
Comparator A.

,..., Since the outputs of A3 are all "H", segments 10°... 13 and 15...
・, 19 emits light.

(I-3) The above time t.

2, the time t becomes E-t(t)C2.

Up to 3, C4(t)<C3(t)<E. (t
)<C2(t)<E, (t)<Eo(t), and the output of comparator A3 becomes "L" (see Figure 3).
, segment 13 stops emitting light.

(I-4) Thereafter, in the same manner as in (I-3) above, the above time t is determined.

3, the output of comparator A2 becomes 44 L 11 (3rd
), then time t at which El(t) - El.

At 4, the output of the comparator A1 becomes L" (see the beginning of FIG. 3), and the segments 12 and 11 sequentially stop emitting light.

(I-5) Finally, at the time t1, that is, at time t.

24 seconds later, when the potential E-1(1) at the connection point reaches the initial value E, as shown in FIG.
1〈Eo, so comparator A.

Only the output of becomes "H", segment 10 does not stop emitting light, and the letter C displayed by segment 15 causes
Informs the driver that the coolant temperature is low.

Note that E is (24/25) Eo and time t.

From E. (t) “The time until time t1 when “E-t” is 2
Since it is 4 seconds, the time t.

The time t when E-1(t)-C4=(115)EO.

The time to 1 is about 5 seconds, that is, when the power switch S
Segments 10° . . . , 19 blink in synchronization with the oscillation output of the oscillator 22 for about 5 seconds after turning on W.

Also at time t. From E-t(t)C3= (215)
Time t at which EO occurs.

The time until 2 is about 10 seconds, which is time t.

From E, (t)=C2= (315) Time t when Eo.

The time until 3 is about 15 seconds, time t. to E s (t
)C1= (415) The time until time t04 at which EO occurs is about 20 seconds.

As described above, when a thermistor is used as the temperature display operation and alarm operation sensor Rth, the resistance value Rth becomes smaller as the temperature T of the cooling water becomes higher. Therefore, the potential E 1 of the connection point 3
As shown in FIG. 4, (T) decreases as the temperature T of the cooling water increases.

On the other hand, when the temperature of the cooling water is lower than the temperature H represented by the segment 19, E-
1(T)<C4, the output of the comparator A4 is "L", the segment 14 stops emitting light, and the output of the antagonist G is closed, so the pnp transistor Q is on. are doing.

Therefore, the potential of the grid 21 of the fluorescent display tube 9 is "H", and the potential of the grid 21 is higher than that of the heater 20, and the segment 15. ... 19 is emitting light.

In this state, segment 10. ..., 13 is the temperature T
Light is emitted depending on the value of potential E-1(T) corresponding to .

(II-1) That is, when the temperature T of the cooling water exceeds the temperature C represented by the segment 15, E.

(T)<Eo What, comparator A?

The output becomes °゛H゛ (see Fig. 5A), and the segment 10 emits light to indicate that the temperature T of the cooling water has reached the above temperature C.

(II-2) Below, the temperature T of the cooling water increases, and the temperature T
When T exceeds T1, the output of comparator A1 becomes E-1 (T) <El, and when the temperature T exceeds T2, E-1 (T)
<C2, the output of comparator A2 becomes T, and the temperature T becomes T
3, E, (T)<C3 and comparator A
The outputs of segments 11 and 11 respectively become HI3.
12 and 13 sequentially emit light to notify the temperature of the cooling water.

(II-3) When the temperature T of the cooling water exceeds the temperature H, E-1(T)<C4 and the output of the comparator A4 is “H”.
” becomes.

Therefore, AND gate G is open and transistor Q
In the same manner as in (I-1), all segments 10. ..., 19 flashes in synchronization with the oscillation cycle of the oscillator 22 to notify the driver that the coolant temperature T has exceeded H.

In this way, the driver can be informed of an abnormality in the coolant temperature without using a special warning device.

Next, FIG. 6 shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a fuel meter for automobiles, etc., in which the indicated value decreases with the passage of time. In this embodiment, the circuit shown in FIG. Constant C1×(Ro/'5 Rc) and C2
x (R,/Rth), C1×(Ro15Rc)
>C2x (R, /Rth), and set the potential E-t(t) of the connection point 3 to the potential E of the connection point 4 as shown in FIG.

(1) while making it rise faster than comparator A4.
Instead of inputting the output of
The output of
In addition, instead of segments 15 and 19 of the fluorescent display tube 9 in FIG. segment 19' is attached.

However, in this embodiment, a potentiometer or the like is used as the sensor Rth, and its resistance value increases in proportion to the amount of fuel consumed.

In addition, the time constant CIX (RO/5RC) and C2×(R
-1/Rth) is the time t.

to time t1 and time t.

is equal to the ratio of the time from to time t'o, and this ratio is 5:
1 and time t.

If the time from to time t1 is 25 seconds, then time t.

The time from to time t'o is 5 seconds.

For example, when an automobile tsuyuel meter is configured as described above, the voltage E applied to each inverting input terminal is (9/25)
When Eo, time t.

If the power switch SW is turned on at
-10) is the initial value E at time t'o, as shown in FIG.

, whereas the potential E at the connection point 4 reaches.

(1) is the threshold voltage E at time t1, which is sufficiently after the above-mentioned time t'o.

reach. Therefore, the time t between the above-mentioned times t'o and tl.

1, t02. Every time toa and t04 are passed,
Eo(t)>E, , El(t)>E-1, C2(
t)>E, , C3(t)>E-1 (However, in the case of FIG. 7, E-1>C4(t).

), comparator A. , . . . , the output of A3 is at the above-mentioned time t, as shown in FIG.

1. ..., at t04, it becomes "H" sequentially, and the bar graph extends from the left to the right, segmentation)
The segments 10, 11, 12 and 13 can be illuminated in sequence to inform the driver that these segments 10, 11, 12 and 13 are operating normally.

By the way, time t.

From the time when the power switch SW is turned on until the above time to1, E-1(t)>E, (t)>El(t
)>E2(t)>Ea(t)>E4(t), and comparator A.

, . . , the outputs of A4 are all °L", and the segments 10, 11, 12, 13 and 1 of the fluorescent display tube 9
4 does not emit light, but since the output of comparator A□ is "L", gate G is open, and segments (15', 16, 17, 18, and 19' that are always connected to power supply line 2) are blinking. do.

Note that E-1 is (9/25) E, and time t.

From E. (t)=Time until time t1 when EO is reached is 25
Since it is a second, the time t.

From EO(t)=E, = (9/25) Time t at which Eo.

The time it takes to reach 1 is about 9 seconds. That is, segments 15', 16, 17 for about 9 seconds after turning on the power switch.
．． 18 and 19' blink in synchronization with the oscillation output of the oscillator 22.

Moreover, the above-mentioned time t.

1 to Et Ct ) > E ] (t ).
Until 02, Eo (t)>E-1(t)>E
l(t)>E2(t)>Ea(t)>E4 (
t ) and comparator A.

The output of °゛H゛ comparator A1. A2. The outputs of A3 and A4 become "L".

At this time, since the gate G is open, the segments of the fluorescent display tube 9) 15', 16, 17, 18, and 19'
together with a segment forming a bar display element group) 10
．． Segment 10 of 11, 12.13 and 14
will blink.

Then time t.

2. Lo3. Each time Lo4 passes, segments 11, 12 and 13 emit light in sequence as described above, and time t1
At connection point 4. ... Potential E of 8.

(t),... E4 (t) is the initial value E.

,..., reaches E4. That is, at time t1, segment 10. ..., 13 and 15'.

16, 17, 18, and 19' are emitting light.

By the above operation, the time constant C1×(Ro15Rc)
The operation of the fluorescent display tube 9 can be checked using the signal C2x (R, /Rth).

After time t1, fuel consumption progresses and E-1>E, and when the output of comparator A1 becomes "Lo", ant-game 1
-G is opened by the output of the inverter 23, and the transistor Q is opened on the fluorescent display tube 9 in synchronization with the oscillation period of the oscillator 22.
segment 10 and segment) 15'.

16. Flash 17. 18 and 19'.

This flashing lets the driver know when the fuel is low.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be applied to various instruments other than automobiles. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the display section may be replaced with a fluorescent display tube 9. Segment 10. ....

A panel cut out in the shape of 19 (not shown).

), the light emitting diodes D1o,...,D1
It is also possible to use a light emitting diode type display device 9' in which 9 are respectively arranged.

In this case, the light emitting diodes D1o, . . . Among D-engineering, light-emitting diode D1o,..., D-engineering.

Comparator A is connected to the comparator A via the inhibit gate G, which uses the output of the analog gate G as the inhibit input.

,..., a ready-made transistor Q whose emitter is connected to the power supply line 2 while inputting the output of A4.
′ is connected to the light emitting diode D15. ..., D-engineer,
If the output of the AND gate G is input to the base of the transistor Q', when the output of the comparator A4 becomes "H", the inhibit gate G1
Various configurations may be used within the scope of the present invention, such as blinking the light emitting diodes D1o,..., D19 using G5, G5, and transistor Q' to notify that the temperature of the cooling water has increased. be able to.

In addition, in FIG. 1, FIG. 6, FIG. 9, etc., use a sensor Rth whose resistance value Rth or the direction of change in its output voltage changes in the opposite direction to that described above. is also possible, in which case connection point 3 is connected to comparator A.

,..., while connected to each non-inverting input terminal side of A4,
Connecting points 4°...8 can be input to the inverting input terminal side.

Further, in order to display more precisely the bar graph display type meter, the number of comparators and the number of segments and light emitting diodes may be increased.

As is clear from the above detailed explanation, the present invention is a bar graph display type meter that has a display that blinks when the power is turned on and when the displayed quantities exceed or fall below a certain value. As a result, the instrument itself has an alarm function and a function to check its display element, and there is no need to provide a separate alarm means, which greatly simplifies the configuration. 1. Can be checked dynamically.

Further, if a fluorescent display tube or the like is used as the display section, the segments can be made to blink by changing the potential of the grid, so the above-mentioned blinking at the time of an alarm can be performed very easily.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram when the bar graph display type instrument according to the present invention is applied to a water temperature gauge for an automobile, and Figure 2 is the input applied to the inverting input terminal and non-inverting input terminal of the comparator in Figure 1. An explanatory diagram showing temporal changes in voltage. Figure 3 A to E are explanatory diagrams of the output of each comparator with respect to the above input voltage, respectively. Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the input voltage (sensor Fig. 5 A to E are explanatory diagrams of the output of each comparator with respect to the input voltage shown in Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 shows a bar graph display type meter according to the present invention. Circuit diagram when applied to an automobile tsuyuel meter, No. 7
The figure is an explanatory diagram showing the temporal change in the input voltage applied to the inverting input terminal and the non-inverting input terminal of the comparator in Fig. 6,
Figures A to H are explanatory diagrams of the output of each comparator for the above input voltage in Figure 7, and Figure 9 is a circuit of a bar graph display type meter using a light emitting diode display device instead of the fluorescent display tube in Figure 1. It is a diagram. 1... Comparator group (Ao,..., A4...
Comparator), 2...Power line, 3, 4, 5, 6
, 7.8... Connection point, 9... Fluorescent display tube (10,..., 19... Segment, 20...
...heater, 21...grid), 9'...
...Light-emitting diode display device (Dlo, ...,
D19... light emitting diode), 22... oscillator, G...... AND gate, G1. ..., G5
...Prohibition gate, Q, Q'...Transistor, Rth...Sensor, R,, -1, Ro,...
・, R8...Resistance, B...Battery, SW・
...Power switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] At the same time as the output signal emitted from the sensor is input,
a plurality of comparator groups whose threshold voltages are set in a stepwise manner, time constant circuits having different time constants connected to the input points of the output signal of the sensor and the threshold voltage, respectively; A display consisting of a group of bar display elements that sequentially emit light in response to an output signal and are arranged in a line to display the output of the sensor as a bar, and a group of scale display elements that indicate the display amount displayed by the group of bar display elements. a display blinking means connected to the display section for blinking the bar display element group and the scale display element group; and a display blinking means connected to the display section for blinking the bar display element group and the scale display element group; and a gate circuit that applies the oscillation output to the display blinking means, and when the power is turned on and the output signal of the sensor becomes above or below a predetermined value, the oscillation output of the oscillator is input to the display blinking means to oscillate. A bar graph display type instrument, characterized in that the bar display element group and the scale display element group are made to blink in synchronization with the output.