Measuring and testing – Instrument casing
Patent
1989-11-09
1991-07-09
Noland, Tom
Measuring and testing
Instrument casing
D10102, 116305, 324156, G01D 1126
Patent
active
050294725
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a measuring instrument, preferably for watercraft, e.g. for indicating fuel volume, voltage, oil pressure and the like, comprising an instrument body, an indicator dial and a tranparent front plate which covers the indicator dial.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With watercraft instruments of this kind it is known to attach the transparent front instrument glass to the instrument body with the aid of a frame, provided with a bayonet-fitting which coacts with the instrument body. The frame serves as an attachment means and also as a decoration and one and the same instrument can be provided with different frames for fitting the instrument to different installations, e.g. different types of engine. When necessary, one type of frame can be exchanged for another, e.g. if the instrument is moved to another panel.
It must be possible to fit certain types of watercraft instruments, or gauges, into an open recess in a watercraft, which means that the instrument must be watertight and consequently that there must be a close fit between frame, glass and instrument body. Furthermore, a great deal of accuracy is required when fitting the parts together. If the parts are not fitted together correctly it is possible that moisture will penetrate into the instrument and damage the same.
OBJECTION OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an instrument, or gauge, of the aforesaid kind which can be made completely watertight and which can nevertheless be "tailor made" to some extent with regard to its aesthetic appearance, e.g. so as to conform with the engine installation for which the instrument is intended.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the transparent front plate is permanently fixed to the instrument body and/or the dial, and in that a separate decoration strip/decoration panel covers a part of the front plate.
For example, an instrument manufacturer is able to deliver instruments of a basic design to different engine manufacturers and supply decoration strips or panels which bear the name or trade mark of the various engine manufacturers, so that each engine manufacturer or engine installation contractor is able to place, e.g., his name on the instrument, simply by snap-fitting his personal decoration strip onto the transparent front plate of the instrument. It is also possible to supply a variety of decoration strips or panels directly to the customer, so as to enable different tastes, with regard to the aestethic appearance of the instrument instrument installation, to be satisfied to a greater extent than was previously possible.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which
FIG. 1 is a partially sectioned side view of an inventive measuring instrument or gauge;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the ringed are in FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a front plate with a decoration strip attached thereon.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The illustrated instrument, or gauge, may be a moving coil instrument for indicating fuel volume, voltage, amperage, oil pressure, water coolant temperature or the like, and includes a cylindrical instrument casing or body 1 which houses a moving coil and associated electrical components.
A dial 2 is attached to an attachment plate 3 on the instrument casing 1 and is covered by a transparent front plate 4. The plate 3, the dial 2 and the front plate 4 of the illustrated embodiment are square in shape and the front plate 4 has a centrally located circular part 5 which has a spherically cupped surface in the otherwise flat surface thereof (of FIG. 3).
The front plate 4 suitably comprises a plastics material and is glued or welded permanently to the attachment plate 3 and/or the rim of the dial 2, so as to obtain a completely watertight join at 6, in order to prevent the ingress of moistu
REFERENCES:
patent: D58530 (1921-08-01), Anibal
patent: D126076 (1941-03-01), Kimes
patent: D160699 (1950-10-01), Fischer
patent: 2285658 (1942-06-01), Hitchcock
patent: 2374800 (1945-05-01), Bohlke
patent: 2535484 (1950-12-01), Conroy
patent: 3530723 (1970-09-01), Hogue et al.
patent: 3543586 (1970-12-01), Weite
patent: 3630089 (1971-12-01), Bissell
patent: 4350654 (1982-09-01), Yoshida
patent: 4409827 (1983-10-01), Overs
"Electrical Indicating Panel Meters and Pyrometers", Bulletin. G-9, Feb. 1955; API (Assembly Products, Inc.) of Chesterland, Ohio, pp. 1-8.
AB Volvo Penta
Noland Tom
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