Illumination – Illuminated scale or dial – Edge illuminated modifier or light rod/pipe
Patent
1992-09-10
1994-03-15
Cole, Richard R.
Illumination
Illuminated scale or dial
Edge illuminated modifier or light rod/pipe
362 28, 362 32, 116288, G01D 1128
Patent
active
052950492
ABSTRACT:
An instrument preferably employable for a vehicle includes a dial and at least one pointer for indicating the present operative state of the vehicle such as a running speed, an engine speed or the like through a window glass. The dial is illuminated from the rear side by activating a dial illuminating unit, while the pointer is illuminated indirectly via a reflective coating film formed thereon by activating a pointer illuminating unit. The pointer is rotated in a normal direction via a stepping motor when an ignition key is shifted to ON, while it is rotated in a reverse direction when it is shifted to OFF. The instrument is additionally provided with a pointer mask plate made of an opaque plate-shaped material and placed between the window glass and the pointer. The pointer mask plate is located below a zero calibration on the dial and at least the window glass side of the pointer mask plate is blackened without any optical brightness like a frosted glass. When the ignition key is shifted to OFF with a driver's hand to stop running of the vehicle, the pointer is rotated in the reverse direction in excess of the zero calibration on the dial toward the minus angle side of the instrument. Thus, when the window glass is exposed directly to sunlight while the ignition key is shifted to OFF, the pointer can not visually be recognized from the outside because it is fully covered with the pointer mask plate.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3033155 (1962-05-01), Beckman
patent: 3568630 (1971-03-01), Blackwell
patent: 4180847 (1979-12-01), Cresko et al.
patent: 4252078 (1981-02-01), Fukasawa et al.
patent: 4878453 (1989-11-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5142453 (1992-08-01), Ohta et al.
Cole Richard R.
Stanley Electric Co. Ltd.
Weinstein Louis
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