JP2004333362A - Analog / digital hybrid meter and digital display device used therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a high-class analog / digital hybrid meter that eliminates discomfort caused by a digital display unit in the analog / digital hybrid meter.
A dial 51 included in an analog / digital hybrid meter has a black base, the background color of an LCD 41 is also black, and the surface glass 8 is smoked. I do not know at all. Thereby, the sense of discomfort due to the LCD 41 in the meter is removed. Also, the bar designs 41c and 41d and the hollow designs 51a and 51b that shine in black exhibit the same three-dimensional effect as the shining hands. Thereby, a three-dimensional effect similar to that of the analog display unit is generated.
[Selection] Figure 2

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an analog display unit that performs a predetermined analog display by instructing a predetermined design formed on a dial with a rotating pointer, and provides an electric signal to the predetermined display segment, so that the display segment can be displayed. The present invention relates to an analog / digital hybrid meter provided with a digital display unit for performing a predetermined digital display by lighting up, and a digital display device used for the same.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, in most in-vehicle meters and the like, an analog display unit that performs an analog display of speed and the like by designating a design indicating a speed and the like formed on a dial with a pointer and a display segment that indicates a number are driven. 2. Description of the Related Art An analog / digital hybrid meter provided with a flat digital display unit for digitally displaying a traveling distance or the like is employed.
[0003]
For example, as shown in the front view of FIG. 6, in the speed section 90 of the in-vehicle meter as the analog / digital hybrid meter, a design or scale (not shown) indicating the speed formed on the black-based dial 901 has a pointer. By instructing at 901a, the current speed is displayed in an analog manner. In addition, the display segment of the liquid crystal display device 902 disposed on the back of the dial window in which the dial 901 is partially cut out, digitally displays the traveling distance by numerals and characters. Note that such an analog / digital hybrid meter is well known as shown in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-108700 [Patent Document 2]
Published Japanese Utility Model Application No. 3-52620
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional analog / digital hybrid meter, the dial 901 is generally printed in black, while the surface of the liquid crystal display 902 is gray. For this reason, in the analog / digital hybrid meter, the digital display section including the liquid crystal display device 902 and the like is conspicuous and gives a sense of incongruity. Although the analog display unit has a three-dimensional effect due to the rotating pointer 901a, the digital display unit composed of the flat liquid crystal display device 902 and the like has a poor three-dimensional effect. Further, a sense of discomfort occurs. For this reason, the conventional analog / digital hybrid meter lacks a sense of quality.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above situation, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high-quality analog / digital hybrid meter by eliminating a sense of incongruity caused by a digital display unit in the analog / digital hybrid meter.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 1, which has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, provides a predetermined analog display by instructing a dial and a predetermined design formed on the dial with a rotating pointer. An analog / digital hybrid meter, comprising: an analog display unit for performing the operation; and a flat digital display unit for performing a predetermined digital display by turning on the display segment by applying an electric signal to the predetermined display segment. The background color of the digital display is similar to the color of the dial.
[0008]
According to the first aspect of the present invention, the background color of the digital display unit included in the analog / digital hybrid meter is made similar to the color of the dial, so that the flat digital display unit is less noticeable in the meter.
[0009]
The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 2 has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. In the analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 1, both the background color of the digital display unit and the dial are black. The digital display unit and the front face of the dial are covered with black smoke glass as a front glass.
[0010]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the background color of the digital display unit and the dial are both black, and the front surface of the digital display unit and the dial is covered with black smoke glass as a front glass. Therefore, a black face is formed, and the flat digital display section becomes less noticeable.
[0011]
An analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 3 has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. In the analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 1 or 2, the digital display unit has a similar color to the background color when not lit. However, it has a bar design as the display segment that emits light in a color different from the background color when lit.
[0012]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the digital display unit has a bar design that emits a color similar to the background color when not lit, but emits a color different from the background color when lit. Sometimes, as described above, the digital display becomes less noticeable, and when the bar design is lit, the digital display has the same three-dimensional effect as the analog display and does not give a sense of incongruity.
[0013]
The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 4 has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem. In the analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 3, the dial has a hollow design related to the bar design, The digital display unit is provided with a transmission window for transmitting light from a light source disposed on the back of the display unit toward the hollow design.
[0014]
According to the invention as set forth in claim 4, a hollow design related to the bar design is formed on the dial, and the digital display unit directs light from a light source disposed on the back of the display unit toward the hollow design. Since the transmission window through which the light is transmitted is provided, a three-dimensional effect is produced even in the hollow design related to the bar design.
[0015]
An analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 5 made to solve the above-mentioned problem is the analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 3 or 4, wherein a slight distance is provided between the dial and the surface of the digital display section. Characteristic gap is formed.
[0016]
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since a slight gap is formed between the dial and the surface of the digital display section, a remarkable three-dimensional effect is produced by the display segment and the hollow design.
[0017]
7. A digital display device according to claim 6, wherein the digital display device is used for an analog-digital hybrid meter, and is a glass substrate having a background color similar to a dial included in the meter. When not lit, the display segment has a similar color to the background color of the dial, but is illuminated in a different color from the dial when lit in response to a predetermined electrical signal, and a display segment formed on the dial. And a transmission window formed in a part of the glass substrate for transmitting light from a predetermined light source toward the hollow design.
[0018]
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the digital display device is made less noticeable in the hybrid meter by the glass substrate having a background color similar to that of the dial included in the analog-digital hybrid meter. In addition, a display segment that emits light in a color different from that of the dial, and a transmission window that allows light from a predetermined light source to pass through toward the hollow design formed on the dial, allow the digital display to have an analog display. This produces the same three-dimensional effect.
[0019]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a combination meter as an example of an analog / digital hybrid meter according to the present invention. The combination meter is mounted on a vehicle, and includes a meter main body 1, a light guide plate 2, a diffusion plate 3, an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 4, a dial 5, a dial 6, a pointer 7, and a front glass 8, as shown in FIG. Be composed. After the light guide plate 2 and the diffusion plate 3 are mounted on the meter main body 1, an LCD 4 is mounted thereon. Further, the dial 5, the facing 6 and the front glass 8 are mounted thereon in this order. At this time, the pointer 7 is attached to a rotation shaft of a movement (not shown).
[0020]
The meter main body 1 is made of, for example, resin and has a horizontally long dish shape. On the front surface of the meter main body 1, a speed section 10, LCD accommodating sections 11, 12 and an AT section 13 are formed. The speed portion 10 has an elliptical dish shape, and a tubular portion 14 is formed at the center thereof. The speed section 10 corresponds to an analog display section in the claims. Although not shown, a movement for rotating the hands is arranged on the back surface of the cylindrical portion 14, and the rotation axis thereof is covered by the cylindrical portion 14. A plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) 10a are arranged so as to go around the cylindrical portion 14, and a ring-shaped wall 10b is provided upright.
[0021]
Each of the LCD accommodating sections 11 and 12 and the AT section 13 of the meter main body 1 has a square shape or a hook shape corresponding to the shapes of the LCDs 41 and 42 and the light guide plate 2 accommodated therein. A fitting portion 16 used when the facing 6 and the front glass 8 are attached and mounting pieces 15 and 17 used when the meter is attached to the instrument panel are provided on a peripheral portion or a side portion of the meter main body 1. Is provided. It should be noted that a substrate on which a movement and electronic components (not shown) are mounted is attached to the back surface of the meter main body 1. Further, a back cover is provided on the back surface. The LCD accommodating section 11 will be described again with reference to FIG.
[0022]
The light guide plate 2 has a hook shape corresponding to gear positions represented by “P”, “R”, “N”, “D”, “S”, “B”, and the like. The light guide plate 2 is made of, for example, an acrylic resin having a light guide property. The light guide plate 2 guides light from LEDs (not shown) arranged in a board shape, and illuminates a position design 52b formed on the right dial 52 from the back.
[0023]
The diffusing plate 3 is for effectively illuminating the dials 50, 51, 52 and the LCDs 41, 42 from the back with the light emitted from the LEDs, and is made of, for example, a cloudy resin. The diffusion plate 3 has a shape in which a diffusion plate central portion 30 corresponding to the shape of the central dial 50 and a diffusion plate left portion and a diffusion plate right portion corresponding to the shapes of the LCDs 41 and 42 are connected. . A central hole 30a corresponding to the cylinder upper portion 14 is formed in the central portion of the diffuser plate central portion 30.
[0024]
The LCD 4 is a liquid crystal display device, and more specifically, includes an LCD 41 having a shape close to a square and a LCD 42 having a rectangular shape. The LCD 41 displays the fuel consumption and the remaining amount of fuel, and the LCD 42 displays the accumulated traveling distance and the like. The background color of the LCD 4 is black, which is similar to the colors of the dials 51 to 52. The LCD 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0025]
The dial 5 is made of, for example, a thin plate of polycarbonate made of a transparent material, and includes a central dial 50, a left dial 51 and a right dial 52 which are separately formed. The central dial 50 is of an analog type, and a central hole 50a through which a rotating shaft portion of the hands is inserted is formed in a central portion thereof, and a design 50b indicating a speed by a numeral or a scale is formed in a peripheral portion thereof. Is formed. The left dial 51 has an opening 51a in a shape corresponding to the fuel consumption and fuel remaining amount display elements of the LCD 41, and a design 51b on which characters, marks, and the like are formed. The right dial 52 has an opening 52a having a shape corresponding to the display element of the LCD 42 and "P", "R", "N", "D", "S", "B" indicating each gear position. Designs such as are formed. Each of the dials 50, 51, and 52 is black-printed with the above-described designs hollowed out. The dial 5 will be described using the dial 51 in FIG.
[0026]
The facing 6 is made of, for example, a black resin, and has a horizontally long tubular shape having openings 60, 61, and 62 corresponding to the shapes of the dials 50, 51, and 52, respectively. In addition, on the side surfaces of the facing 6, fitting pieces 16 and 17 which are used when the meter is mounted on the instrument panel together with the mounting pieces 15 and 17 of the meter main body 1 are fitted to the fitting portions 16. A dovetail 65 is provided.
[0027]
The pointer 7 has its pointer shaft portion inserted through the rotation axis of the movement, and indicates a predetermined design 50b formed on the center dial 50 with the rotation of the rotation axis of the movement.
[0028]
The front glass 8 is, for example, a horizontally long black smoked glass made of resin. The front glass 8 also serves to black-face the front surface of the meter to enhance a sense of quality. Further, a plurality of lock pieces 86 used when the front glass 8 is attached to the facing 6 are provided on a side surface portion of the front glass 8.
[0029]
Next, the configuration of the analog / digital hybrid meter and the digital display device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The present invention is assumed to be applied to, for example, the left side of the combination meter in FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the left side of the combination meter of FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the left side of the combination meter of FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. Note that, in the perspective view of FIG. 2, the diffusion plate 3 attached to the lower side of the LCD 41 and the facing 6 attached to the upper side of the dial 51 are omitted, and in the front view of FIG. 8 is omitted. 2 to 4, common parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.
[0030]
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, a square dish-shaped LCD accommodating section 11 for accommodating the LCD 41 is formed on the left side of the meter of the meter main body 1. LED windows respectively corresponding to the LEDs L <b> 1 to L <b> 8 arranged on the substrate 101 are formed in the bottom surface of the LCD housing 11. The side wall of the LCD accommodating portion 11 is an inclined wall that gradually opens upward in FIG.
[0031]
The LED L1 corresponds to the transmitting portion 41a and the hollow design 51a, and the LED L8 corresponds to the transmitting portion 41b and the hollow design 51b. The LEDs L3, L2, L4, and L6 correspond to the bar design 41c, and the LEDs L5 and L7 correspond to the bar design 41d. These LEDs L1 to L8 function as backlights of the LCD 41.
[0032]
A female terminal 11d (see FIG. 4) into which the male terminal 41e of the LCD 41 is inserted is provided near one opening side (the lower opening side in FIG. 2) of the LCD housing part 11, A plurality of lock pieces 11e1 and 11e2 that engage with two sides of the LCD 41 attached to the housing 11 are provided in the vicinity of the opening (upper and left sides in FIG. 2). Further, on the front surface of the meter main body 1, LED housing portions 12a and 12b for housing respective LEDs for illuminating each design (not shown) formed on the dial 51 are formed.
[0033]
The LCD 41 is a flat liquid crystal display device having a shape close to a square. The display principle of the LCD 41 is the same as that of a known device. However, the LCD 41 has two glass substrates having a background color similar to that of the dial 51 or the like, for example, a black background color with low transmittance (in particular, FIG. 4) is unique. A plurality of display segments forming the bar designs 41c and 41d are sandwiched between the two glass substrates. The display segment is electrically connected to the male terminal 41e, and turns on or emits light in response to a predetermined electric signal supplied to the male terminal 41e. That is, in response to the predetermined electric signal, the display segments constituting the bar designs 41c and 41d are continuously turned on or emit light to indicate a predetermined value. The bar designs 41c and 41d have a similar color to the glass substrate when not lit, but emit a different color from the background color when lit, for example, light white or light blue.
[0034]
The LCD 41 is also formed with transmission windows 41a and 41b for transmitting light emitted from the LEDs L1 and L8 provided through the diffusion plate 3 toward the hollow designs 51a and 51b formed on the dial 51, respectively. . The transmission windows 41a and 41b have a shape corresponding to the hollow designs 51a and 51b. Although the transmission windows 41a and 41b are black, the transmittance is higher than other portions on the glass substrate. By using the LCD 41 having such a configuration for an analog / digital hybrid meter, the digital display unit becomes less noticeable in the meter, and the digital display unit can have the same stereoscopic effect as the analog display unit. Therefore, by using the LCD 41, it is possible to provide an analog / digital hybrid meter having a very high quality feeling. The LCD 41 corresponds to a digital display device in the claims. As the digital display device, a well-known VFD (fluorescent display tube) may be used instead of the LCD.
[0035]
Further, the dial 51 is black-printed as a whole after a portion corresponding to the hollow design 51a, 51b made of a polycarbonate sheet made of transparent fabric is lightly colored or hollow. The hollow design 51a is related to the bar design 41c, and the hollow design 51b is related to the bar design 41d. A quarter-circle opening 51c is formed in the center of the dial 51 so as to simultaneously surround the bar designs 41c and 41d. When the dial 51 is attached to the meter main body 1, a gap S as shown in FIG. 4 is formed between the dial 51 and the LCD 41. The gap S is useful for making the three-dimensional effect of the hollow designs 51a and 51b and the bar designs 41b and 41d more conspicuous. The dial 51 is also formed with a design such as a direction instruction and various warnings, but the description is omitted here. The front glass 8 covered on the front surface of the dial 51 is also black smoke glass.
[0036]
Further, the operation and effect of the analog / digital hybrid meter of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 5 and FIG. 4 again. FIG. 4 is as described above, and FIG. 5 is a front view showing the state of the left side of the meter after the ignition is turned on.
[0037]
First, before the ignition switch is turned on, all LEDs are not lit, so that the front of the meter is visually recognized as a black face. In particular, since the dial 51 has a black base, the background color of the LCD 41 is also black, and the front glass 8 is smoked, it is completely unknown that the LCD 41 is arranged. Therefore, the feeling of strangeness due to the digital display section in the meter is eliminated. Here, the front surface of another portion where the LCD is not arranged, such as a speed portion (not shown), is also black-faced and visually recognized.
[0038]
After the ignition switch is turned on, the LEDs L3, L5, L8 and the like are turned on as shown in FIG. For example, the outgoing lights R3 and R5 from the LEDs L3 and L5 are appropriately diffused by the diffusion plate 3, respectively, and then illuminate the vicinity of the back surface of the bar designs 41c and 41d on the LCD 41. The bar design 41c is not lit if the vehicle is not traveling, and the bar corresponding to the instantaneous fuel consumption is lit in the above color while traveling. In the bar design 41d, the bar corresponding to the remaining fuel amount is lit in the above-mentioned color regardless of whether the bar is running or not running. These lighting lights pass through the front glass 8 and go to an eye range of a driver or the like located in the upper part of FIG. The emitted light R8 from the LED L8 is appropriately diffused by the diffusion plate 3 and then passes through the transmission portion 41b on the LCD 41 to illuminate the hollow design 51b on the dial 5 from behind. This illumination light also passes through the front glass 8 and likewise travels to the eye range of the driver or the like. Note that emitted light from other LEDs not shown here also exhibits the same function. Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the bar designs 41c and 41d and the hollow designs 51a and 51b that shine in black exhibit the same three-dimensional effect as the shining hands on the analog display unit (not shown). That is, a three-dimensional effect similar to that of the analog display unit occurs on the digital display unit. Of course, since the portions other than the shining portions are black, there is no sense of incongruity due to the digital display section as shown in FIG.
[0039]
As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate a sense of incongruity caused by the digital display unit in the analog / digital hybrid meter and to provide a high-class analog / digital hybrid meter.
[0040]
In the above embodiment, the left side of the meter is illustrated, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is equally applicable to the right side of the meter, and can be applied to other parts as well. Further, the present invention can be applied to not only one place but also a plurality of places in a meter. The present invention is also applicable to meters other than the combination meter described in the above embodiment and meters not mounted on a vehicle.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the background color of the digital display unit included in the analog / digital hybrid meter is set to the same color as the color of the dial, so that the flat digital display unit is provided in the meter. Less noticeable. Accordingly, the sense of incongruity due to the digital display section in the hybrid meter is eliminated, and a high-quality analog-digital hybrid meter can be provided.
[0042]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the background color of the digital display unit and the dial are both black, and the front surface of the digital display unit and the dial is covered with black smoke glass as a front glass. Therefore, a black face is formed, and the flat digital display section becomes less noticeable. Therefore, it is possible to provide a higher-grade analog / digital hybrid meter.
[0043]
According to the third aspect of the present invention, the digital display unit has a bar design that emits a color similar to the background color when not lit, but emits a color different from the background color when lit. Sometimes, as described above, the digital display becomes less noticeable, and when the bar design is lit, the digital display has the same three-dimensional effect as the analog display and does not give a sense of incongruity. Therefore, it is possible to provide a higher-grade analog / digital hybrid meter.
[0044]
According to the invention as set forth in claim 4, a hollow design related to the bar design is formed on the dial, and the digital display unit directs light from a light source disposed on the back of the display unit toward the hollow design. Since the transmission window through which the light is transmitted is provided, a three-dimensional effect is produced even in the hollow design related to the bar design. Therefore, it is possible to provide an analog / digital hybrid meter having a higher quality.
[0045]
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, since a slight gap is formed between the dial and the surface of the digital display section, a remarkable three-dimensional effect is produced by the display segment and the hollow design. Therefore, it is possible to provide an analog / digital hybrid meter having a higher quality.
[0046]
According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, the digital display device is made less noticeable in the hybrid meter by the glass substrate having a background color similar to that of the dial included in the analog-digital hybrid meter. In addition, a display segment that emits light in a color different from that of the dial, and a transmission window that allows light from a predetermined light source to pass through toward the hollow design formed on the dial, allow the digital display to have an analog display. This produces the same three-dimensional effect. These make it possible to provide an analog / digital hybrid meter with a very high quality feel.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a combination meter as an example of an analog / digital hybrid meter according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the meter left side of the combination meter of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a front view of the meter left side of the combination meter of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a front view showing the state of the left side of the meter after the ignition is turned on.
FIG. 6 is a front view of a conventional analog / digital hybrid meter.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Meter body 2 Light guide plate 3 Diffusion plate 4 LCD
5 Dial 6 Look back 7 Pointer 8 Front glass 11 LCD accommodating part 41 LCD (digital display part)
51 Left dial (dial)
41a, 41b Transmitting portions 41c, 41d Bar designs 51a, 51b Hollow designs 51c Openings L1 to L8 LED

Claims (6)

A dial, an analog display section for performing a predetermined analog display by instructing a predetermined design formed on the dial with a rotating hand, and an electric signal to the predetermined display segment to display the display segment. Illuminated and performs a predetermined digital display, a flat digital display section,
The background color of the digital display unit was similar to the color of the dial,
An analog-digital hybrid meter characterized by the above. 2. The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 1,
The background color of the digital display and the dial are both black.
On the front surface of the digital display unit and the dial, black smoke glass as a front glass is covered.
An analog-digital hybrid meter characterized by the above. The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 1 or 2,
When the digital display unit is not lit, the background color is similar to the background color, but when lit, emits light of a different color from the background color, and has a bar design as the display segment.
An analog-digital hybrid meter characterized by the above. The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 3,
A hollow design related to the bar design is formed on the dial,
The digital display unit is provided with a transmission window that transmits light from a light source disposed on the back of the display unit toward the hollow design,
An analog-digital hybrid meter characterized by the above. The analog-digital hybrid meter according to claim 3 or 4,
A slight gap is formed between the dial and the surface of the digital display unit,
An analog-digital hybrid meter characterized by the above. A digital display device used for an analog / digital hybrid meter,
A glass substrate having a background color similar to the dial included in the meter,
A display segment that is similar in color to the background color of the dial when not lit, but emits a different color to the dial when lit in response to a predetermined electrical signal;
A transmission window formed in a part of the glass substrate, which transmits light from a predetermined light source toward a hollow design formed on the dial,
A digital display device comprising:

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