JP2006242929A - Illumination system for pointer-type meter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pointer-type meter capable of limiting to a minimum, worsening of the front view field caused by reflection of illumination of the pointer type meter onto a windshield or the like in traveling of a vehicle at night, and dazzlement of driver due to the illumination, and capable of confirming thereby a displayed numerical value of the pointer-type meter. <P>SOLUTION: This illumination for the pointer type meter is constituted to be brought into an extinguished or dimmed condition at normal times, and to confirm the displayed numeral value of the pointer type meter, when lighted or flashed under a set lighting condition. The illumination for the pointer type meter is constituted also to set an operation pattern or the lighting condition of the illumination from the extinguished or dimmed condition to the lighted or flashed condition arbitrarily by the driver. The illumination is constituted further to enable setting optionally the brightness, when lighting, dimming or flashing the illumination, by the driver. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates to a lighting system for a pointer-type meter of a vehicle, and in particular, the deterioration of the forward visibility due to the reflection of the lighting of the pointer-type meter on the windshield etc. during night driving and the dazzling of the driver due to the lighting are minimized The present invention relates to an illumination method for a pointer-type meter that enables confirmation of a display value of the pointer-type meter.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a pointer-type meter that indicates an operation state of a vehicle, there is a pointer-type meter provided with a display unit such as a speedometer, an engine tachometer, a pressure gauge, and a thermometer. These pointer-type meters generally display the characters displayed on the display board using a light source such as an LED or a light bulb on the back side of the display board for visual recognition of the display board of the meter at night. Transmission illumination and reflection illumination that irradiates light from the front side of the display panel toward the display panel to illuminate the entire display panel are provided.

These pointer-type meters are provided with notification means for warning when an abnormality occurs in the operation state of the vehicle, or when it exceeds or falls below a certain numerical value. A light emitting means such as an LED is arranged in one area or in the vicinity thereof so that the driver can be lit or blinked in the event of an abnormality to warn the driver.

For example, the instrument device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-65806 shown in Patent Document 1 notifies the driver that the engine speed has reached a predetermined value without arranging a dedicated indicator in the display panel. A setting device D1 that sets a predetermined value to an arbitrary value, a pointer 4 that rotates about an axis based on a detection signal corresponding to the engine speed, and the pointer 4 is provided in a plurality of colors. And the first and second light sources 61 and 62 (light emitting means 6) so that the emission color of the pointer 4 is emitted when the detection signal is inputted and the value reaches the predetermined value. By providing the control means D3 for controlling the lighting, it is configured to be able to notify that the engine speed has reached a predetermined value based on the change in the emission color of the pointer 4. As a conventional example described in this document, FIG. 4 discloses an instrument device in which a notification unit 105 is provided on a display panel (display plate). In this document, such an instrument device is applied to an instrument device provided on a meter panel of a vehicle. However, the instrument device is naturally applied to a retrofit instrument device attached to an upper surface of a dashboard or the like.

Further, in the vehicle instrument disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-221122 shown in Patent Document 2, a front cover is provided in front of a dial plate that is arranged below the windshield and on which a display unit indicated by a pointer is formed. In the vehicular instrument that indirectly illuminates the display unit and the pointer indicating unit by turning on the light source, an antireflection film is formed on the surface of the front cover, the hood above the front cover is omitted, and the pointer indicating unit A louver that regulates the emission angle is formed on the top surface of the glass and the white diffusion layer facing the display slit formed on the black opaque layer to match the dial display. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent external light from outside the vehicle from being reflected by the front cover and heading toward the viewer side of the instrument, and to the windshield of the display light when the light source is lit at night It is obtained by achieving a reflection of prevention of the windshield of the instrument image by reaching.

  JP 2003-65806 A   JP H10-221122

In the instrument device of Patent Document 1 described above, particularly when applied to a retrofit instrument device attached to the upper surface of a dashboard or the like, the front of the dial and the illumination of the pointer for night viewing are reflected on the windshield. The problem is that the visibility is deteriorated and the lighting of the vehicle instrument dazzles the driver.

In addition, in the vehicle instrument of Patent Document 2, as a configuration for forming a louver that regulates an emission angle so that outgoing light does not face the windshield side, on the upper surface of the indicating portion of the pointer and the white diffusion layer, Although it is possible to prevent the instrument image from being reflected on the windshield, there is no problem if the driver's line of sight and the angle (direction) of the louver coincide with each other by the louver that regulates the emission angle. When the driver's line of sight and the angle of the louver deviate from the parallel state due to the difference between the two, there is a problem that the visibility of the pointer and the display unit is impaired, and when applied to a retrofit instrument device, It cannot be denied that it is disadvantageous in terms of cost, for example, that it is necessary to form louvers for regulating the emission angle so that the emitted light does not go to the windshield side on the upper surface and the white diffusion layer.

  The present invention eliminates such problems, minimizes the reflection of the indicator-type meter illumination on the windshield and the like while the vehicle is traveling at night, and allows the driver to check the display value of the meter. The purpose is to provide a lighting system for a pointer-type meter.

According to claim 1 of the present invention, the lighting of the pointer type meter is normally turned off or dimmed, and is turned on or blinking under the set lighting conditions to check the display value of the meter. It is solved by making it possible. According to the second aspect, in the illumination of the pointer type meter, the problem can be solved by allowing the driver to arbitrarily set the operation pattern of the illumination from the extinguished or dimmed state to the illuminated or blinking state. According to the third aspect, in the illumination of the pointer type meter, the lighting condition can be arbitrarily set by the driver. According to the fourth aspect, in the illumination of the pointer-type meter, the problem can be solved by allowing the driver to arbitrarily set the brightness at the time of lighting, dimming and blinking.

According to claim 1 of the present invention, the illumination of the pointer-type meter is normally turned off or dimmed, and is turned on or flashing under the set lighting conditions, so that the display value of the meter can be confirmed. Especially, with a retrofit pointer-type meter mounted on the top of the dashboard, etc., it is possible to prevent deterioration of the forward visibility due to the reflection of the indicator-type meter's illumination on the windshield etc. during night driving of the vehicle, and driving by the meter's illumination itself It becomes possible to provide a lighting system for a pointer-type meter that can minimize the dazzling to the person and confirm the display value of the meter.

According to claim 2 of the present invention, in the illumination of the pointer type meter, the driver can arbitrarily set the operation pattern of the illumination from the extinguished or dimmed state to the illuminated or blinking state. It is possible to provide an illumination method for a pointer-type meter that can select an operation pattern according to a sense.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, in the illumination of the pointer-type meter, the lighting condition can be arbitrarily set by the driver. Therefore, the pointer-type meter can be adjusted according to the driver's own sense with various pointer-type meters. It is possible to confirm the displayed numerical value.

According to claim 4 of the present invention, in the illumination of the pointer-type meter, the brightness at the time of lighting, dimming, and blinking can be arbitrarily set by the driver, so that it is adapted to the visual sense by each driver. Since it can be set, the deterioration of the forward visibility due to the reflection of the indicator-type meter's illumination on the windshield etc. while the vehicle is running at night and the dazzling of the driver by the meter's illumination itself are minimized. In addition, it is possible to provide an illumination method for a pointer-type meter that makes it possible to confirm the display value of the meter.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Next, the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiment shown in FIGS. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the pointer type meter of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the operation. The pointer-type meter of the present invention will be described below as a pointer-type meter such as a speedometer, an engine tachometer, a pressure gauge, a thermometer, etc. attached to a vehicle. In FIG. 1, (1) is a pointer-type meter body, a microcomputer (1a) having an internal RAM (1a-2) that performs calculation by receiving sensor signals and small signals from the vehicle, lighting conditions, and lighting operation patterns. An EEPROM (1i) for setting a driver, a driver (1b) for sending a drive control signal to a stepping motor (1e) for driving a pointer (not shown) of a pointer-type meter in response to a calculation result of the microcomputer (1a), Similarly, the driver (1c) for driving the illumination light source (1f), the driver (1d) for driving the warning light source (1g), the lighting conditions of the illumination light source (1f), the warning light source (1g), The operation switch (1h) is used to arbitrarily change the operation pattern and luminance.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in the block diagram of FIG. 1, the pointer-type meter (1) obtains a power source from an IG power source (ignition power source) of the vehicle, and a speedometer, an engine tachometer, Sensors such as pressure gauges, thermometers, speed sensors for speedometers, engine rotation sensors for engine tachometers, pressure sensors for pressure gauges, sensor signals from temperature sensors for thermometers, and nighttime In a state where the small signal is input to the microcomputer (1a) from the small lamp circuit that is turned on during driving and the small lamp circuit is closed, that is, the small lamp is lit and the headlight is lit The illumination light source (1f), which is the illumination of the pointer-type meter (1), is normally turned off or dimmed, and EEPR According to the set lighting conditions M (1i), to change the lighting or blinking state allows confirmation of the value displayed meter driver.

The operation of the pointer type meter (1) thus configured will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
1. The calculation result of the internal RAM (1a-2) of the microcomputer (1a) is set to “0”. Thereafter, the warning warning value (W1), the lighting lighting value (W2), the warning light source (1g), and the operation pattern of the lighting light source (1f) set as lighting conditions are read from the EEPROM (1d). (S1)
2. Measures an input signal (sensor signal) from an external engine rotation sensor or the like. (S2)
3. Calculate the measured data. (S3)
4). In (S4), the calculation result is compared with the illumination lighting value (W2), and if the value of the calculation result is equal to or greater than the lighting lighting value (W2), the process proceeds to step (S5) and read in the initial setting (S1). After the operation pattern (lighting or blinking) of the illumination light source (1f) is determined, the light source is set (step S11).
5. If the value of the calculation result is smaller than the illumination lighting value (W2) in (S4), the process proceeds to (S8), and the operation pattern (extinguishing or dimming) of the illumination light source (1f) read in the initial setting (S1). Set after judgment.
6). Next, in the warning point determination process in (S11), the comparison between the calculation result and the warning warning value (W1) and the operation pattern are determined, and the process proceeds to (S12).
7). The calculation result in the display process of (S12), the stepping motor (1e), the light source for illumination through each display pattern and drivers (1b), (1c), (1d) set in (S4) to (S11) (1f) Display on the warning light source (1g). Thereafter, the process returns to step (S2) and repeats until the power of the pointer type meter is turned off.
8). Further, by providing an operation switch (1h) in the block diagram of FIG. 1, each operation pattern and setting can be changed. (About the second to fourth embodiments)

With the above configuration, the retrofit pointer-type meter attached to the top of the dashboard of the vehicle is easy to reflect the indicator-type meter's illumination on the windshield at night. Since the lights are off or dimmed, there is no reflection or dazzling for the driver when the lights are off, and there is minimal reflection or dazzling for the driver when dimmed. It becomes possible to concentrate on.

Further, when the sensor signal satisfies the lighting condition set in the EEPROM (1i), the illumination of the pointer type meter is turned on or blinking, so that the display numerical value of the pointer type meter can be reliably confirmed. The pointer-type meter configured in this way is not a speedometer or engine tachometer that needs to be always visible, but it is not necessary to always view it like a pressure gauge or a thermometer. It is particularly effective for a retrofit pointer type meter.

In the second embodiment, an operation switch (1h) is provided so that the driver can arbitrarily set the lighting operation pattern from the extinguishing or dimming state stored in the EEPROM (1i) to the lighting or blinking state. Therefore, it is possible to provide a pointer-type meter that can select a warning operation pattern according to the driver's own feeling.

In the third embodiment, the operation switch (1h) is provided so that the driver can arbitrarily set the lighting conditions stored in the EEPROM (1i). It is possible to check the display value of the meter in accordance with.

In the fourth embodiment, the operation switch (1h) is provided so that the driver can arbitrarily set the brightness at lighting, dimming and flashing of the illumination stored in the EEPROM (1i). It is possible to check the numerical value displayed on the meter in accordance with the visual sense of each driver.

The pointer-type meter of the present invention configured as described above is normally turned off or dimmed in the illumination of the pointer-type meter, and is configured to light up or blink under the set lighting conditions. The retrofit pointer-type meter attached to the top of the dashboard, etc., deteriorates the forward visibility due to the reflection of the indicator-type meter's illumination on the windshield etc. during night driving of the vehicle and dazzles the driver due to the meter's illumination. It has become possible to provide a pointer-type meter that allows the display value of the meter to be confirmed while minimizing it. In addition, since the driver can arbitrarily set the lighting operation pattern from off or dimming to lighting or blinking, it is possible to select a warning operation pattern that matches the driver's own sense. It became. Furthermore, since the driver can set the lighting conditions arbitrarily, it is possible to check the display characteristics of the meter according to the characteristics of the vehicle and the driver's own sense with various pointer-type meters. It was. Furthermore, since the driver can arbitrarily set the brightness when lighting, dimming, and flashing, the indicator-type meter illumination system can be set according to the visual sense of each driver. Can be provided.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a small signal is input to the microcomputer (1a) from the small lamp circuit that is turned on during night driving, and the small lamp circuit is turned on, that is, the small lamp is turned on. In the state and the state where the headlight is turned on, the illumination light source (1f) which is the illumination of the pointer-type meter (1) is set to the EEPROM (1i) and is normally in the off state or the dimming state, It changes to lighting or flashing state under the set lighting conditions, and it is possible to check the display value of the meter to the driver, but the meter illumination lights up or flashes regardless of the state of the small lamp and headlight. You may make it become. The lighting may be turned on or blinked by pressing the operation switch (1h). In this case, the operation switch (1h) is pressed again, or a timer circuit is provided to turn off the light after a set time. Or you may make it return to a dimming state. The operation switch (1h) is provided inside the pointer type meter in the block diagram, but may be provided separately from the main body of the pointer type meter.

Further, in the embodiment of the present invention, the lighting condition of the illumination light source (1f) is normally set to be off or dimmed when the illumination lighting value (W2) is lower, and is turned on or blinked when the lighting condition is higher. However, on the contrary, the lighting or blinking state may be set when the lighting lighting value (W2) falls below, and the lighting or dimming state may be set as normal when the lighting lighting value (W2) is exceeded. The lighting condition may be linked with the warning light source, or may be turned on or blinking, turned off, or dimmed before or after the warning warning value (W1). Furthermore, in the present invention, a retrofit pointer-type meter has been described, but it goes without saying that the present invention may be applied to an existing pointer-type meter provided in a vehicle meter panel.

It is a block diagram of the pointer type meter of the present invention. It is a flowchart of the pointer type meter of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 pointer type meter 1a microcomputer 1a-2 RAM
1b, 1c, 1d Driver 1e Stepping motor 1f Light source for illumination 1g Light source for warning 1h Operation switch 1i EEPROM

Claims (4)

The indicator-type meter illumination method is characterized by the fact that the indicator-type meter illumination is normally turned off or dimmed, and is lit or blinking under the set lighting conditions so that the meter display value can be confirmed. . The illumination method of the pointer-type meter according to claim 1, wherein in the illumination of the pointer-type meter, a driver can arbitrarily set an operation pattern of illumination from a light-off or dimming state to a lighting or blinking state. The lighting method of the pointer type meter according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the driver can arbitrarily set a lighting condition in the lighting of the pointer type meter. The illumination method for the pointer-type meter according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein in the illumination of the pointer-type meter, the driver can arbitrarily set the brightness at the time of lighting, dimming, and blinking.

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