U.S. patent application number 15/777459 was filed with the patent office on 2021-07-01 for instrument device for vechicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to Calsonic Kansei Corporation. The applicant listed for this patent is CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Wataru KONDOH.
Application Number | 20210197715 15/777459 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005508730 |
Filed Date | 2021-07-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210197715 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KONDOH; Wataru |
July 1, 2021 |
INSTRUMENT DEVICE FOR VECHICLE
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle instrument device
including a dial plate, and an illumination casing disposed on the
back side of the dial plate. A least the dial plate includes an
indicator needle shaft hole. The illumination casing includes a
tubular wall which fits the indicator needle shaft hole. The
illumination casing is provided with ribs which are longer than a
contact length of the tubular wall relative to the dial plate. The
dial plate is provided with rib receiving holes to which the ribs
are inserted.
Inventors: |
KONDOH; Wataru;
(Saitama-shi, JP) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CALSONIC KANSEI CORPORATION |
Saitama-shi, Saitama |
|
JP |
|
|
Assignee: |
Calsonic Kansei Corporation
Saitama-shi, Saitama
JP
|
Family ID: |
1000005508730 |
Appl. No.: |
15/777459 |
Filed: |
January 31, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
January 31, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP2017/003285 |
371 Date: |
May 18, 2018 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60K 35/00 20130101;
B60K 2370/341 20190501; B60Q 3/14 20170201 |
International
Class: |
B60Q 3/14 20060101
B60Q003/14; B60K 35/00 20060101 B60K035/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 24, 2016 |
JP |
2016-033484 |
Claims
1. An instrument device for a vehicle comprising: a dial plate; and
an illumination casing on a back side of the dial plate, wherein at
least the dial plate comprises an indicator needle shaft hole,
wherein the illumination casing comprises a tubular wall that fits
the indicator needle shaft hole, and wherein the illumination
casing comprises a rib that is longer than a contact length of the
tubular wall relative to the dial plate, and the dial plate
comprises a rib receiving hole to which the rib is inserted.
2. The instrument device according to claim 1, wherein the rib
comprises at least a portion extending in a direction crossing a
mounting direction of the dial plate relative to the illumination
casing.
3. The instrument device according to claim 1, wherein the rib is
disposed at least in each side of the tubular wall in relation to a
mounting direction of the dial plate relative to the illumination
casing.
4. The instrument device according to claim 1, wherein the dial
plate comprises an instrument display area around the indicator
needle shaft hole; wherein the illumination casing comprises an
instrument illumination room around the tubular wall to face the
back side of the instrument display area; and wherein the rib is
disposed outside of the instrument illumination room of the
illumination casing; and the rib receiving hole is disposed outside
of the instrument display area of the dial plate.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2016-033484 filed to
the Japan Patent Office on Feb. 24, 2016, the entire disclosure of
which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an instrument device for a
vehicle.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] A vehicle such as an automobile includes an instrument panel
in a front portion of a vehicle cabin. The instrument panel
includes an instrument device for a vehicle (a vehicle instrument
device) in a position which faces a driver's seat or in a central
position of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction
(Patent Literature 1: JP 2006-112984A, for example).
[0004] The vehicle instrument device includes at least a dial plate
and an illumination casing which is installed on the back side of
the dial plate. Further, at least the dial plate includes an
indicator needle shaft hole, and the illumination casing includes a
tubular wall which fits the indicator needle shaft hole.
SUMMARY
[0005] However, the above vehicle instrument device has following
issues. Specifically, when the dial plate is mounted to the
illumination casing, the edge of the indicator needle shaft hole in
the dial plate may contact the tubular wall of the illumination
casing so that the tubular wall damages the edge of the dial plate
in the indicator needle shaft, which deteriorates an appearance of
the dial plate with a dent or the like.
[0006] Accordingly, a main object of the present disclosure is to
solve above issues.
[0007] To overcome the above problem, according to the present
disclosure provides an instrument device for a vehicle. The
instrument device includes a dial plate; and an illumination casing
on a back side of the dial plate. At least the dial plate includes
an indicator needle shaft hole, and the illumination casing
includes a tubular wall that fits the indicator needle shaft hole.
The illumination casing includes a rib that is longer than a
contact length of the tubular wall relative to the dial plate. The
dial plate includes a rib receiving hole to which the rib is
inserted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
vehicle instrument device according to an embodiment.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a dial
plate and illumination casing shown in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the dial plate
mounted to the illumination casing.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating
an indicator needle shaft hole and a tubular wall shown in FIG.
3.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating the dial plate mounted
to the illumination casing.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating
a rib and a rib receiving hole shown in FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be
described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1 to 6 are drawings for illustrating this embodiment.
First Embodiment
[0015] (Configuration) Hereinafter, the configuration of this
embodiment will be described.
[0016] A vehicle such as an automobile includes an instrument panel
provided in a front portion of a vehicle cabin. The instrument
panel includes an instrument device for a vehicle (referred to as a
vehicle instrument device, hereinafter) in a position which faces a
driver's seat, or a central position of the instrument panel in the
vehicle width direction.
[0017] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a
vehicle instrument device 1. In the order from the back side to the
front side of the vehicle instrument device 1, the vehicle
instrument device 1 includes a lower casing 2, a circuit board 3,
an illumination casing 4, a dial plate 5, a scale ring 6, an upper
casing 7, a decorative ring 8, a transparent cover 9 and the like.
In addition, an indicator needle 10 is rotatably disposed on the
front side of the dial plate. Note that the configuration of the
vehicle instrument device 1 may not be limited to the above.
[0018] As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle instrument device 1 includes
at least the dial plate 5 and the illumination casing 4 attached to
the back side of the dial plate 5.
[0019] As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, at least the dial plate 5 includes
an indicator needle shaft hole 11, and the illumination casing 4
includes a tubular wall 12 which fits or inserted into the
indicator needle shaft hole 11.
[0020] For example, the dial plate 5 is configured such that a
non-translucent print layer is formed on a transparent film to
leave a display portion which is translucent or semi-translucent.
The illumination casing 4 defines an illumination room where a
light source is disposed to illuminate the display portion of the
dial plate 5. For example, the illumination casing 4 is made of a
white resin or the like which has high reflectivity. The light
source is mounted on the circuit board 3 and disposed within the
illumination room.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 4, the diameter of the indicator needle
shaft hole 11 has substantially the same size as that of the
tubular wall 12. The indicator needle shaft hole 11 is an elongate
hole which extends in a mounting direction 15 of the dial plate 5
relative to the illumination casing 4 (from bottom to top in the
case shown in the figure). The indicator needle shaft hole 11
extends at least by the amount necessary to mount the dial plate 5
to the illumination casing 4. The tubular wall 12 includes
protrusions 13 which engage with an edge of the indicator needle
shaft hole 11 to prevent the dial plate 5 from being away from the
illumination casing 4. The indicator needle shaft hole 11 includes
an escape portion or releasing portion 14 through which the
protrusions 13 is inserted or extends when the tubular wall is set
to fit the indicator needle shaft hole.
[0022] In this embodiment, a pair of protrusions 13 is provided in
portions of the tip of the tubular wall 12 which extends to the
front side of the dial plate 5 through the indicator needle shaft
hole 11. The protrusions 13 extend in a direction 16 (a left and
right direction in the case shown in the figure) perpendicular to
the mounting direction 15 of the dial plate 5 to the illumination
casing 4.
[0023] The releasing portion 14 is provided around a portion of the
indicator needle shaft hole 11 which would interfere with the
protrusions 13 in an initial stage of the insertion into the
indicator needle shaft hole. The diameter of the indicator needle
shaft hole 11 has substantially the same size as that of the tip of
the tubular wall 12.
[0024] In this embodiment, the direction 16 perpendicular to the
mounting direction 15 substantially corresponds to the vehicle
width direction since the mounting direction 15 extends from bottom
to top based on a state in which the vehicle instrument device 1 is
mounted to the vehicle. The releasing portion 14 is in an upper
half of the indicator needle shaft hole 11 and may be an enlarged
diameter hole or the like. Note that the mounting direction 15 is
not limited to the above. For example, the mounting direction 15
may be a direction from top to bottom, from left to right, or from
right to left.
[0025] In this embodiment, the present disclosure further includes
following elements in addition to the above basic
configuration.
[0026] (1) As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, the illumination casing 4
includes ribs 22 each of which is longer (or larger) than a contact
length 21 (see FIG. 4) of the tubular wall 12 relative to the dial
plate 5. The dial plate 5 includes rib receiving holes 23 to which
the ribs 22 are inserted, respectively (the contact length 21 of
the tubular wall 12 relative to the dial plate 5<the size or the
length of the ribs 22).
[0027] Here, the contact length 21 relative to the dial plate 5 is
literally the length of a portion (an arc or the like) of the
tubular wall 12 which abuts to (or contacts) the dial plate 5. For
example, in the case where the tubular wall 12 abuts to the dial
plate 5 along the entire circumference, the contact length 21 is
the length of the entire circumference (arc length) of the tubular
wall 12. Alternatively, in the case where the tubular wall 12 abuts
to the dial plate 5 along a half of the circumference, the contact
length 21 is the length of the half-circumference (half-arc length)
of the tubular wall 12.
[0028] Each of the ribs 22 is longer than the contact length 21 and
has a length or size easier to be recognized when the dial plate 5
is mounted to the illumination casing 4. As shown in FIG. 6, each
of the rib receiving holes 23 has a width broader than that of the
rib 22 at least by an amount required when the dial plate 5 is
mounted to the illumination casing 4. Preferably, each rib 22 has a
height substantially the same as that of the tubular wall 12.
[0029] (2) It is preferable that each rib 22 includes at least a
portion 32 extending in a direction 31 crossing the mounting
direction 15 of the dial plate 5 relative to the illumination
casing 4.
[0030] The portion 32 extending in the direction 31 crossing the
mounting direction 15 may partially extend along the rib 22 or
entirely extend along the rib 22. In this embodiment, the portion
32 extending in the direction 31 crossing the mounting direction 15
extends along the substantially entire length of the rib 22. The
rib 22 may be straight or curved.
[0031] Most preferably, the portion 32 extending in the direction
31 crossing the mounting direction 15 of the dial plate 5 relative
to the illumination casing 4 extends in the direction 16
perpendicular to the mounting direction 15 or a direction close to
perpendicular to the mounting direction 15.
[0032] Preferably, the portion 32 is provided on each side of the
tubular wall 12 (the left and right of the tubular wall 12 in the
case shown in FIG. 5) in relation to the direction 31 crossing the
mounting direction 15. The portion 32 provided on each side of the
tubular wall 12 may be a continuous portion or a plurality of
separated portions. In this embodiment, the portion 32 on each side
of the tubular wall 12 is separated into a plurality of
portions.
[0033] (3) It is preferable that the rib 22 is provided at least on
each side of the tubular wall 12 in relation to the mounting
direction 15 of the dial plate 5 relative to the illumination
casing 4.
[0034] In the case shown in FIG. 5, each side of the tubular wall
12 corresponds to the upper side and the bottom side of the tubular
wall 12.
[0035] (4) Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the dial plate 5
includes an instrument display area 41 around the indicator needle
shaft hole 11. The illumination casing 4 includes an instrument
illumination room 42 around the tubular wall 12 to face the back
side of the instrument display area 41. The ribs 22 are disposed
outside of the instrument illumination room 42 of the illumination
casing 4. The rib receiving holes 23 are disposed outside of the
instrument display area 41 of the dial plate 5.
[0036] The instrument display area 41 is a display area of a
speedometer and/or a tachometer and the like, for example. The
instrument illumination room 42 is configured to illuminate the
display area of the speedometer and/or the tachometer and the like.
The instrument illumination room 42 is configured as a circular
recess or an arcuate recess. Note that the inside of the tubular
wall 12 is configured as an indicator needle illumination room. The
speedometer and/or the tachometer and the like include scale marks
to which the indicator needle 10 points so that numerical values
can be read, and the scale marks are disposed in outermost
positions of an area where the indicator needle 10 rotates.
Accordingly, the position outside of the instrument illumination
room 42 and the position outside of the instrument display area 41
are located outside of the scale marks.
[0037] In this embodiment, four ribs 22 are disposed around the
instrument illumination room 42, and four rib receiving holes 23
are disposed around the instrument display area 41 which is
substantially circular. Each of the rib 22 and the rib receiving
hole 23 has an arcuate shape with the tubular wall 12 as its
center. The ribs 22 and the rib receiving holes 23 are disposed in
positions displaced approximately 45 degrees in the circumferential
direction from the mounting direction 15 and the direction 16
perpendicular to the mounting direction 15. The positions displaced
approximately 45 degrees in the circumferential direction may be
coincident with positions where warning lights and/or guide lights
(turn signals 43 shown in FIG. 2, for example) may be disposed
outside of the instrument display area 41. Therefore, the positions
displaced approximately 45 degrees are especially beneficial in
terms of ensuring a light shielding effect between the instrument
display area 41 and the warning lights and/or the guide lights.
[0038] The four ribs 22 and the four rib receiving holes 23 shown
in the figures have same length. Also, the ribs 22 and the rib
receiving holes 23 shown in the figures are disposed to be
rotationally symmetric with the tubular wall 12 as their center, to
be axisymmetric in relation to a line extending in the mounting
direction 15 through the tubular wall 12, and to be axisymmetric in
relation to a line extending in the direction 16 perpendicular to
the mounting direction 15 through the tubular wall 12. However, the
ribs 22 and the rib receiving holes 23 are not limited to the above
relations. For example, the four ribs 22 and the four rib receiving
holes 23 may have one of the above symmetric relations or may not
have any of the above symmetric relations. Further, the four ribs
22 and the four rib receiving holes 23 may have different length in
accordance with the conditions of the instrument display area 41
and/or the instrument illumination room 42. In addition, the number
of the ribs 22 and the rib receiving holes 23 are not limited to
four but may be one or more than one. In a case where one rib 22
and one rib receiving hole 23 are provided, the rib 22 and the rib
receiving hole 23 may extend as a closed loop along the
circumferences of the instrument display area 41 or the instrument
illumination room 42, or may extend as a open loop with one
opening. Further, in a case a plurality of ribs 22 and a plurality
of rib receiving holes 23 are provided, the ribs 22 and the rib
receiving holes 23 may be disposed at equal intervals or at unequal
intervals along the circumferences of the instrument display area
41 and the instrument illumination room 42. Moreover, the ribs 22
and the rib receiving holes 23 are arcuate with the tubular wall 12
as their center. However, the ribs 22 and the rib receiving holes
23 may be arcuate without the tubular wall 12 as their center,
straight, broken curve (broken or fold linear) or a combination
thereof.
[0039] The ribs 22 and the rib receiving holes 23 may be covered by
the scale ring 6 (see FIG. 1) or the like which has scale marks in
the inner side thereof.
[0040] (Operation and Effect) According to the embodiment,
following operations and effects can be obtained.
[0041] (Operation and Effect I) When the dial plate 5 is mounted to
the illumination casing 4, the dial plate 5 is moved toward the
illumination casing 4 in a direction perpendicular to the
illumination casing 4 while the dial plate 5 is kept parallel to
the illumination casing 4, and then the dial plate 5 is slightly
moved from bottom to top so that the indicator needle shaft hole 11
receives the tubular wall 12, for example. At this time, the
protrusions 13 of the tubular wall 12 extend through the releasing
portion 14 (enlarged diameter hole) of the indicator needle shaft
hole 11. The dial plate 5 is manually mounted to the illumination
casing 4.
[0042] In mounting, if the edge of the indicator needle shaft hole
11 of the dial plate 5 contacts or abuts to the tubular wall 12,
the tubular wall 12 may damage the edge of the indicator needle
shaft hole 11 of the dial plate 5, which deteriorates an appearance
of the dial plate 5 with a dent or the like.
[0043] Accordingly, the illumination casing 4 is provided with the
ribs 22 each of which is longer (or larger) than the contact length
21 of the tubular wall 12 relative to the dial plate 5, and the
dial plate 5 is provided with the rib receiving holes 23 to which
the ribs 22 are inserted, respectively. Generally, force is more
dispersed when hitting at a line than when hitting at a point.
Therefore, providing the elongate ribs 22 can prevent the
deterioration of the appearance of the dial plate 5 with a dent or
the like by the force dispersion effect. It is preferable to set at
least a clearance b between (the rib receiving holes 23 of) the
dial plate 5 and the ribs 22 (see FIG. 6) smaller than a clearance
a (see FIG. 4) between (the indicator needle shaft hole 11 of) the
dial plate 5 and the tubular wall (the clearance a>the clearance
b) so that the ribs 22 contact the dial plate 5 before the tubular
wall 12 does when the dial plate 5 is mounted to the illumination
casing 4.
[0044] In addition, the tubular wall 12 can be easily inserted into
the indicator needle shaft hole 11 by using the larger ribs 22 as
guides when the dial plate 5 is mounted to the illumination casing
4 since larger ribs can be better guides for installation than
smaller ribs.
[0045] Further, insetting the ribs 22 to the rib receiving holes 23
guides the tubular wall 12 when the tubular wall 12 is inserted to
the indicator needle shaft hole 11.
[0046] (Operation and Effect II) Each of the ribs 22 includes at
least the portion 32 extending in the direction 31 crossing the
mounting direction 15 of the dial plate 5 relative to the
illumination casing 4. Thereby, areas protected by the ribs 22 can
be extended in the direction 31 crossing the mounting direction 15
of the dial plate 5. Therefore, since the portion 32 contacts the
dial plate 5 before the tubular wall 12 does, damages to the edge
of the indicator needle shaft hole 11 of the dial plate 5 which
would be caused by the tubular wall 12 can be prevented even if the
dial plate 5 is displaced in the direction 31 crossing the mounting
direction 15 when the dial plate 5 is mounted to the illumination
casing 4, for example. Further, damages to the edge of the
indicator needle shaft hole 11 can also be prevented even with the
movement of the dial plate 5 in directions other than the mounting
direction 15.
[0047] (Operation and Effect III) The rib 22 is disposed in each
side of the tubular wall 12 in relation to the mounting direction
15 of the dial plate 5 relative to the illumination casing 4.
Thereby, the rib 22 in one side of the tubular wall 12 certainly
contacts the dial plate 5 before the tubular wall 12 does when the
dial plate 5 is mounted to the illumination casing 4 so that the
edge of the indicator needle shaft hole 11 of the dial plate 5
cannot be damaged by the tubular wall 12 and accordingly the
appearance of the dial plate 5 cannot be deteriorated with a dent
or the like.
[0048] (Operation and Effect IV) The ribs 22 are disposed outside
of the instrument illumination room 42 of the illumination casing
4, and the rib receiving holes 23 are disposed outside of the
instrument display area 41 of the dial plate 5. Thereby, the ribs
22 can prevent the leakage of light from the instrument
illumination room 42 and the instrument display area 41, and can
also ensure a light shielding effect relative to warning lights
and/or guide lights (the turn signals 43 shown in FIG. 2, for
example) and the like disposed outside of the instrument display
area 41.
[0049] Moreover, locating the ribs 22 and the rib receiving holes
23 outside of the instrument illumination room 42 and the
instrument display area 41 makes it possible to dispose the ribs 22
and the rib receiving holes 23 in a space efficient manner at
locations which are not too far away from the tubular wall 12 and
do not interfere with other elements.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0050] 1. Vehicle Instrument Device, 4. Illumination Casing, 5.
Dial Plate, 11. Indicator Needle Shaft Hole, 12. Tubular Wall, 15.
Mounting Direction, 21. Contact Length, 22. Ribs, 23. Rib Receiving
Holes, 31. Crossing Direction, 32. Portion Extending to Crossing
Direction, 41. Instrument Display Area, 42. Instrument Illumination
Room
* * * * *