Signals and indicators – Indicators – Rotary indicator with actuating means
Patent
1997-04-21
2000-11-28
Williams, Hezron
Signals and indicators
Indicators
Rotary indicator with actuating means
116286, G01D 1128, G01D 1300
Patent
active
061520667
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a display instrument.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
There is a known display instrument where two displays are combined visually via a semitransparent mirror on a display surface of the display instrument. This makes it possible to observe either one or both of the displays together on the display surface of the display instrument. However, the display instrument has a relatively great overall depth and also has a relatively high optical attenuation, so the cost of lighting the display instrument is also high. In addition, there is another known display instrument where two liquid crystal displays are arranged in front of a mechanical display instrument where a pointer moves in front of a digital display face. The liquid crystal display facing the observer of the display instrument serves to present information, while the liquid crystal display beneath the former serves as a reversible background for the front liquid crystal display. The rear liquid crystal display can be switched between a dispersing state and a transparent state. However, this display instrument also has a relatively great overall depth and high optical attenuation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The display instrument according to the present invention, however, has the advantage that it has an extremely small overall depth, which facilitates installation of the display instrument. In addition, it has a low optical attenuation, so the cost of lighting the display instrument is very low.
Designing the first display as a pointer instrument offers the advantage that a combination of a conventional pointer instrument such as those used in the automotive industry to display speed, for example, with an electro-luminescent display is created here for other information that is more suitable for electro-luminescent display.
Applying the dial plate to a light-conducting supporting body offers the advantage that the dial plate is supported mechanically and the light-conducting supporting body also serves as a light guide for light to illuminate the dial plate.
The overall depth of the display instrument is reduced in an advantageous manner if an indentation into which the pointer projects is provided when the electro-luminescent display is arranged in front of the pointer.
If the electro-luminescent display is attached to the dial plate, this further reduces the total depth of the display instrument. In addition, this provides a mechanically stable mounting for the electro-luminescent display. Furthermore, optical distortion (such as the parallax effect) in reading the display on the dial plate is also reduced.
The design of the pointer as a disk-shaped light-conducting body with a cutout that serves as the pointer in an opaque cover layer leads to the advantage that the pointer can be illuminated especially easily through the disk-shaped light-conducting body. Furthermore, the pointer exerts practically no imbalancing effect on the shaft in its rotational movement on the shaft holding the pointer. In addition, the disk design is especially suitable for achieving a dark appearance when the lighting for the pointer is off.
When the pointer is made of a disk-shaped opaque material with a recess that serves as the pointer, the light of the lighting device provided to illuminate the dial plate can also be used as a lighted pointer at the same time without having to provide any additional light-conducting body for the pointer. Therefore, this reduces the cost. Here again, the pointer has practically no imbalancing effect on the shaft holding the pointer due to its approximately rotationally symmetrical shape.
If a pointer drive mechanism that drives the pointer is mounted on a base plate together with the lighting device, this reduces the cost of mounting as well as the cost of supplying electric power to the pointer drive mechanism and the lighting device. Moreover, the base plate also prevents interfering light from penetrating into the interior of the casing of the display instrument at the same time
REFERENCES:
patent: 3641967 (1972-02-01), Charbonneaux
patent: 3930459 (1976-01-01), Barrow
patent: 4181925 (1980-01-01), Burrows et al.
patent: 4559582 (1985-12-01), Scardilli et al.
patent: 4951177 (1990-08-01), Nishizaki et al.
patent: 5029946 (1991-07-01), Kameda
patent: 5272463 (1993-12-01), Furuya et al.
patent: 5598382 (1997-01-01), Wilson et al.
Knoll Peter
Mueller-Sybrichs Ralf
Oreans Derk
Moto-Meter GmbH
Williams Hezron
Worth Willie Morris
LandOfFree
Display instrument does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Display instrument, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Display instrument will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1714349