U.S. patent application number 10/000816 was filed with the patent office on 2002-05-09 for combination instrument.
This patent application is currently assigned to Mannesmann VDO AG. Invention is credited to Erben, Thomas.
Application Number | 20020053246 10/000816 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7876438 |
Filed Date | 2002-05-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020053246 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Erben, Thomas |
May 9, 2002 |
Combination instrument
Abstract
A combination instrument (1) has an instrument carrier which is
designed as a tubular, transparent hollow body (2) which is closed
off at its ends by means of two side parts (3, 4). A plurality of
display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) arranged on a common circuit board
(5) can in this way be inserted without difficulty into the hollow
body (2). The combination instrument (1) is in this way optimally
protected against environmental influences while at the same time
allowing simple adaptation to different applications by cutting the
hollow body (2) to length.
Inventors: |
Erben, Thomas; (Eichberg,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Martin A. Farber
Suite 473
866 United Nations Plaza
New York
NY
10017
US
|
Assignee: |
Mannesmann VDO AG
|
Family ID: |
7876438 |
Appl. No.: |
10/000816 |
Filed: |
November 30, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10000816 |
Nov 30, 2001 |
|
|
|
09364405 |
Jul 30, 1999 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
73/866.3 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 37/02 20130101;
B60K 2370/736 20190501 |
Class at
Publication: |
73/866.3 |
International
Class: |
G01D 007/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 5, 1998 |
DE |
198 35 215.8 |
Claims
1. A combination instrument, in particular for a watercraft, having
an instrument carrier for holding a plurality of display
instruments, wherein the instrument carrier has a hollow body (2,
25) which is transparent at least in sections and in its interior
accommodates the display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) in such a way
that the displays of the display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) are
visible to an observer through the hollow body (2, 25).
2. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
hollow body is tubular, and wherein the ends of the hollow body (2)
are each closed off by means of a side part (3, 4).
3. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein
the hollow body (2, 25) has a transparent section which is directed
toward the front side of the display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) and
an opaque section which is directed toward the rear side of the
display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9).
4. The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding
claims, wherein the hollow body (2, 25) is produced using the
two-component injection-molding process and has a first,
transparent area and a second, nontransparent area.
5. The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding
claims, wherein the side parts (3, 4) have a fixing means for the
display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9).
6. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
fixing means is designed to plug in a circuit board (5, 18) which
is common to the display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9).
7. The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding
claims, wherein the hollow body (2, 25) is fixed between the side
parts (3, 4), which are stressed toward one another.
8. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) are fixed in the hollow body (2,
25) with play with respect to the side parts (3, 4).
9. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein
the side parts (3, 4) are sealed with respect to the hollow body
(2, 25) by means of a seal.
10. The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding
claims, wherein at least one side part (3, 4) has a cutout for
making electrical contact (15).
11. The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding
claims, wherein the hollow body (2, 25) is arranged in a dashboard
(11, 22) in such a manner that it can pivot from an operating
position, in which the display instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) are visible
to an observer, into an at-rest position, in which the display
instruments (6, 7, 8, 9) are covered by the dashboard (11, 22).
12. The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding
claims, which has a cover (21) which can move relative to the
hollow body (2), in order to protect against the incidence of
extraneous light and damage.
13. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 12, wherein the
cover (21) is displaceable in a guide (20) of the respective side
part (3, 4).
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a combination instrument, in
particular for a watercraft, having an instrument carrier for
holding a plurality of display instruments.
[0002] Nowadays, combination instruments of the type mentioned are
used in many different land vehicles and watercraft, for example
including in yachts, but also in stationary machines for example,
generators. An instrument carrier, which is usually in the form of
a box, in this case accommodates a plurality of display instruments
which are sealed in order to protect against penetration of
moisture and dust particles. The instrument carrier is often
arranged pivotably at a suitable position in the cockpit by means
of a support bracket, so that the read-out angle can be
individually adapted to the requirements of the user. The display
instruments may be inserted into the instrument carrier both from
the front and from the rear. The instrument carrier is also
suitable for further display instruments to be retrofitted.
[0003] A drawback of the combination instrument described is that
the display instruments, which are inserted in suitable recesses,
have to be carefully sealed with respect to the instrument carrier,
since otherwise it is easy for moisture to penetrate into the
combination instrument, which may lead to damage to the display
instruments.
[0004] Consideration has already been given to providing the
instrument carrier with a cover plate, in order in this way to
achieve an effective seal. A drawback of this solution is that in
this arrangement either the display instruments have to be inserted
into the housing from the rear side of the instrument carrier, or
the covering plate has to be releasably connected to the instrument
carrier. In this case, the outlay which is required in order to
seal the instrument carrier increases as the size of the
combination instrument rises, so that a multipart cover plate is
required for large embodiments. This reduces the attractiveness of
its appearance. Furthermore, the freedom available to the designer
is considerably limited by the essentially flat cover plate, so
that it is scarcely possible for the design to differ.
[0005] The invention is based on the problem of designing a
combination instrument of the type mentioned in such a way that the
instrument carrier is designed so as to be particularly well
protected against the penetration of environmental influences. At
the same time, it is intended that it be easy to mount the display
instruments in the instrument carrier.
[0006] According to the invention, this problem is solved by the
fact that the instrument carrier has a hollow body which is
transparent at least in sections and in its interior accommodates
the display instruments in such a way that the displays of the
display instruments are visible to an observer through the hollow
body.
[0007] This design allows the display instruments to be arranged in
the interior of the hollow body, which is closed on all sides with
the exception of an installation opening, without a special seal
being required. The display instruments can be read without
difficulty as a result of their arrangement in the transparent
hollow body; if the hollow body is transparent only in sections,
the displays on the display instruments can be seen and read
through these sections. It is possible to produce corresponding
hollow bodies in virtually any desired sizes and shapes and to
adapt them individually for different applications. For example, it
is possible to use acrylic plastic hollow bodies as long sections
which then merely have to be cut to the desired length. Due to the
simple design of the novel instrument which is sealed from
environmental influences, this instrument can be used to good
effect not only in watercraft and road vehicles but also in
stationary machines and installations, such as for example
generators.
[0008] The display instruments may, for example, be introduced into
the interior of the hollow body through a rear-side installation
opening. However, an embodiment of the invention in which the
hollow body is tubular and the ends of the hollow body are each
closed off by means of a side part is particularly advantageous. As
a result, the display instruments can be introduced without
difficulty through the initially unclosed ends of the hollow body
and can be fixed inside the hollow body. Then, it is merely
necessary to attach each of the side parts. In this case, it is
also conceivable for the hollow body to be joined to one of the
side parts so as to form a single component. The instruments are
introduced into such a pot-like hollow body from its open side,
which is then closed off by means of the second side part.
[0009] That section of the hollow body which is located in the area
of the rear side of the display instruments may have a covering or
coating, in order to make it impossible to see the components of
the display instruments. However, an embodiment of the invention in
which the hollow body has a transparent section which is directed
toward the front side of the display instruments and an opaque
section which is directed toward the rear side of the display
instruments is particularly advantageous. This provides simple yet
effective protection from being able to see components situated on
the rear. This additionally prevents extraneous light from
impinging at the rear of the display instruments, thus improving
the reading accuracy especially in darkness and in the case of
back-lit display instruments. At the same time, the area
surrounding the combination instrument is shielded from light
radiation from the display instruments emerging diffusely from the
hollow body, an effect which is often found to be distracting.
[0010] To this end, the hollow body could, for example, be composed
of a transparent half shell and a nontransparent half shell.
However, it is particularly advantageous if the hollow body is
produced using the two-component injection-molding process and has
a first, transparent area and a second, nontransparent area. In
this way, it is possible, with a single-piece hollow body, to
produce both an essentially transparent area and an essentially
nontransparent area. The assembly outlay is consequently relatively
low.
[0011] On its inside, the hollow body may have a receiving
compartment for the display instruments. An embodiment of the
invention in which the side parts have a fixing means for the
display instruments is particularly advantageous. In this way, the
display instruments can be fixed inside the hollow body with only a
low level of outlay. To this end, the display instruments may, for
example, initially be connected to the side part and then
introduced as a unit into the hollow body. This eliminates the
outlay which results in known combination instruments from mounting
work inside the instrument carrier. At the same time, the display
instruments are fixed in place as a result of the arrangement of
the fixing means on the side parts and independently of the hollow
body, which consequently can be procured as a standard component
and cut to length as required.
[0012] It is particularly expedient in this connection if the
fixing means is designed to plug in a circuit board which is common
to the display instruments. Such a plug-together connection allows
the circuit board to be fixed in the holder, which is designed for
example as a groove, without additional attachment means and
special tools. As a result, the display instruments, together with
their common circuit board, can be removed from the holder in one
action; the holder may at the same time also, for example, be
provided with the electrical contact means which are required. As a
result, it is possible to exchange the display instruments as a
single unit or for the desired additional display instruments to be
retrofitted outside the hollow body, with the result that these
display instruments can be adapted optimally and so as to provide a
professional visual appearance.
[0013] The side parts may be connected to the hollow body by means
of a screw connection, for example. On the other hand, a refinement
of the invention in which the hollow body is fixed between the two
side parts which are stressed toward one another is particularly
advantageous. As a result, there is no need for any attachment
means whatsoever to be provided on the hollow body, so that the
hollow body can be adapted particularly easily. To this end, the
two side parts which face toward one another are connected to one
another, for example by means of a screw connection. The side parts
may additionally have a guide, for example a groove, which prevents
the hollow body from slipping transversely with respect to the
fixing direction.
[0014] It is particularly expedient if the display instruments in
the hollow body are fixed with play with respect to the side parts.
This makes it possible to prevent the functioning of the display
instruments from being impaired by excessive, damaging mounting
forces. A particularly suitable solution consists in mounting the
display instruments with sufficient tolerance with respect to the
side parts, and also fixing them by means of elastic fixing
means.
[0015] It is also expedient if the side parts are sealed with
respect to the hollow body by means of a seal. In this way, it is
possible, in a simple manner, to considerably improve the sealing,
so that the resultant combination instrument is suitable even for
applications in which it is highly exposed to environmental
influences.
[0016] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention,
at least one side part has a cutout for making electrical contact.
As a result, the hollow body may be designed without openings, thus
further improving protection of the hollow body against
environmental influences. The electrical contact may, for example,
also be arranged integrated into a bearing bracket, so that it is
not visible from the outside. Also, switching elements or plug
contacts may be arranged in the side parts. The ability of the
hollow body to pivot remains unimpaired. Moreover, the hollow body
can in this case be exchanged without problems.
[0017] In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention,
the hollow body is arranged in a dashboard in such a manner that it
can pivot from an operating position, in which the display
instruments are visible to an observer, into an at-rest position,
in which the display instruments are covered by the dashboard. As a
result, the combination instrument, after it has been used, can be
pivoted into an at-rest position, so that it is protected in the
dashboard against damage and environmental influences. For this
purpose, the instrument carrier may be mounted so that it can
rotate sideways. In the case of essentially circular instrument
carriers, the dashboard may to this end surround more than half the
circumference of the instrument carrier, making it easy to rotate.
At the same time, the contacts can be located inside the dashboard,
in such a manner that they are invisible to an observer. It is also
possible to arrange a lock mechanism on the instrument carrier,
preventing unauthorized pivoting and, at the same time, providing
good antitheft protection.
[0018] Another particularly practical embodiment of the invention
is achieved by means of a cover which can move relative to the
hollow body, in order to provide protection against the incidence
of extraneous light and damage. The cover covers an adjustable
partial area of the hollow body, in particular of the transparent
area covering the display instruments, thus allowing simple and
effective protection against, for example, solar radiation. To this
end, the cover may be pivotable about a pin arranged on the
combination instrument.
[0019] On the other hand, it is particularly expedient if the cover
is displaceable in a guide of the respective side part. In this
way, it is possible to achieve a design of the cover which is both
effective and space-saving. In this case, the cover is moved in the
side-part guide, which is designed, for example, as a groove, in a
similar manner to a roller shutter. For this purpose, the side
parts may also have a cross-sectional area which differs from that
of the hollow body, so that the cover can be displaced in a guide
which is arranged at a distance from the hollow body. Furthermore,
the position of the cover relative to the hollow body is not
changed by a possible pivoting movement, allowing simple
operation.
[0020] Various embodiments of the invention are possible. In order
to further explain the basic principle of the invention, three of
these embodiments are illustrated in the drawing and described
below. In the figures, corresponding components are provided with
identical reference numerals. In the drawing:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a combination instrument
according to the invention,
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the combination instrument,
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of the combination
instrument,
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a combination instrument which is installed in
a dashboard,
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a side view of a further combination
instrument, with the side part removed.
[0026] FIG. 1 shows a front view of a combination instrument 1
according to the invention. The combination instrument 1 has a
transparent, tubular hollow body 2, the ends of which are each
closed off by a side part 3, 4. Through the hollow body 2, which is
of essentially transparent design, a plurality of display
instruments 6, 7, 8, 9, which are attached in its interior to a
common circuit board 5, are arranged so that they can be seen from
the outside. By means of a bearing bracket 10, the side parts 3, 4
are connected to a section of a dashboard 11, which is illustrated
only by way of example, in such a way that the hollow body 2 is
arranged so that it can pivot about its longitudinal axis.
[0027] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the combination instrument 1.
The figure illustrates the side part 3, which is connected to the
dashboard 11 by means of the bearing bracket 10. The combination
instrument 1 is mounted so that it can pivot about a pivot pin 12,
making it possible to set an individual read-out angle which is
comfortable for the particular observer. The side part 3 is screwed
to the opposite side part 4, which is illustrated in FIG. 1, by
means of a screw 13. The side part 3 furthermore has a switch
element 14 which can be used, for example, to actuate a reset
mechanism for an odometer or an operating-hours counter.
Furthermore, the side part 3 is provided with an electrical contact
means 15 which is arranged outside the field of view of an
observer.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of the combination
instrument 1. In its interior, the essentially circular hollow body
2 accommodates the display instrument 9, the pointer tab 16 of
which can be moved by means of a pointer drive 17 arranged on the
rear side of the common circuit board 5. In a rear area of the
hollow body 2, which is not visible to the observer, there is a
further circuit board 18 which bears the control elements of the
pointer instrument. The circuit boards 5, 18 are each arranged in a
guide (not shown) in the side parts 3, 4. For mounting purposes,
the circuit boards 5, 18 are initially connected to the side part
4. Then, the hollow body 2 is fitted over the circuit boards 5, 18,
and finally, the second side part (not shown) is stressed toward
the first side part 3, which is illustrated in FIG. 1, by means of
the screw 13 and a further screw 19. Before this, a cover 21, which
can be displaced in the area of the guide 20, is inserted into a
guide 20 which is arranged in the peripheral area of the side parts
3, 4. This cover 21 is used to protect the combination instrument 1
from environmental influences, for example solar radiation, and
from mechanical damage.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows a combination instrument 23 which is set into a
dashboard 22. In contrast to the combination instrument shown in
FIG. 1, the hollow body 2 is in this case inserted directly into a
recess 24 in the dashboard 22 in such a manner that it can rotate,
so that there is no need for a bearing bracket. The hollow body 2
may be rotated to any desired angle, so that the pointer tab 16
which can be moved by means of the pointer drive 17 can be read
optimally. Furthermore, the hollow body 2 may also be pivoted
through 1800 with respect to the operating position shown, into a
rear at-rest position, with the result that the combination
instrument 1 is particularly well protected and, for example,
prevents the vehicle or craft from being started up, so as to
protect against theft. With this in mind, the hollow body 2 may in
particular be produced using the two-component injection-molding
process and may be transparent only on the front side.
[0030] FIG. 5 shows a sectional side view of a hollow body 25 of a
further combination instrument 26. In this embodiment, the hollow
body 25 is modified in cross section, with a fixing means 27, 28
arranged on its inside in order to hold a common circuit board 5
and the rear circuit board 18, respectively. In its rear area, the
essentially transparent hollow body 25 is shielded from an observer
by means of a nontransparent protective film or foil 29. Other
embodiments may also dispense with such a protective film or foil
29, in order to make it possible to view the inner electronic
components. That section of the hollow body 25 which faces towards
the display instruments 8, 9 may be of any desired and expedient
design, for example convex or concave. In addition to transparent
sections, the surface of the hollow body 25 may also have opaque
coatings or areas with colored or light-diffusing areas.
* * * * *