U.S. patent number 3,639,747 [Application Number 04/832,342] was granted by the patent office on 1972-02-01 for dial display device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Warwick Electronics Inc.. Invention is credited to Hans Schmidt.
United States Patent |
3,639,747 |
Schmidt |
February 1, 1972 |
DIAL DISPLAY DEVICE
Abstract
A dial display for providing an indication corresponding to an
input signal such as corresponding to the tuning of a radio device.
The dial display utilizes a series of light transmitting elements
for piping light from a light transfer member to a front display
position. The light transmitting elements are grouped to have a
front portion thereof effectively define a visually observable dial
indicator. The light transfer member is selectively positionable by
means of a suitable indicating mechanism such as a meter movement.
The transfer member receives light from a light source to produce a
localized high level of light emission from the dial display
corresponding to the position of the indicating mechanism. The
light source is further utilized to provide a background low level
illumination emission from the dial display which may be of a color
differing from that of the localized high level emission. The
transfer member may comprise a piped light member, an apertured
member, a filter member, etc., to provide the localized indication
in the dial display. The transfer member may also take the form of
an opaque element and in effect cast a shadow on the light
transmitting elements as an indication of its position. The light
transmitting elements may be formed in groups for facilitated
assembly.
Inventors: |
Schmidt; Hans (Riverwoods,
IL) |
Assignee: |
Warwick Electronics Inc.
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25261378 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/832,342 |
Filed: |
June 11, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/23.15;
455/159.2; 455/195.1; 116/247; 362/23.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H03J
1/042 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H03J
1/00 (20060101); H03J 1/04 (20060101); G01d
011/28 (); H03j 001/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;240/2.1 ;340/380,202
;325/4.55,178,DIG.2 ;116/124.4,129M,129P |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Prince; Louis R.
Assistant Examiner: Yasich; Daniel M.
Claims
I claim:
1. A dial display device comprising: a plurality of fixed light
transmitting elements each having a light emitting front portion
and a light receiving portion spaced from said front portion; means
supporting said elements to dispose said front portions in a
preselected juxtaposed series; a light source; a light transmitting
transfer member having a light emitting portion and a light
receiving portion spaced from said light emitting portion; means
for supporting said transfer member to receive light from said
light source and move said light emitting portion thereof
selectively in registry with different ones of said light receiving
portions of said elements, whereby light is emitted from different
ones of said light transmitting element front portions as a
function of the movement of said transfer member; and means for
providing a relatively low level light emission from a substantial
number of said light emitting portions of said light transmitting
elements concurrently with a relatively high level light emission
from the light transmitting element receiving light from said
transfer member.
2. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said low level light
emission comprises light of a color differing from that of said
high level light emission.
3. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said means for
providing said low level light emission comprises color filter
means for transmitting colored light from said light source to said
light receiving portions of said light transmitting elements.
4. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said means for
supporting said transfer member comprises a selectively rotatable
device.
5. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said light emitting
portions of said light transmitting elements comprise light
diffusing surfaces thereof.
6. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said transfer member
comprises a filter element having a small transverse size movable
adjacent said light receiving portions of said light transmitting
elements for causing only the light transmitting elements in
registry with said filter element to show a color corresponding
thereto.
7. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said transfer member
comprises a light control element having a small transverse size
movably adjacent said light receiving portions of said light
transmitting elements for causing the light transmitting elements
in registry with said transfer member to produce a different visual
effect from the other light transmitting elements.
8. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said transfer member
comprises an opaque member provided with an aperture causing only
the light transmitting elements in registry with said aperture to
have light emitted from the light emitting portions thereof.
9. The dial display device of claim 8 wherein said aperture has a
transverse size no greater than two of said light receiving
portions of said light transmitting elements.
10. The dial display device of claim 1 further including a second
light source, a second light transmitting transfer member, and
means for supporting said second transfer member to receive light
from said second light source and move the light emitting portion
of said second transfer member selectively in registry with
different ones of said light receiving portions of said elements
and means for selectively energizing said first and second light
sources.
11. A dial display device comprising:
a plurality of fixed light transmitting elements each having a
light emitting front portion and a light receiving portion spaced
from said front portion;
means supporting said elements to dispose said front portions in a
preselected juxtaposed series;
a single light source; and
means for providing from said single light source a general low
level light emission from substantially all of said light emitting
front portions and a localized high level light emission from
selected one of said light emitting portions.
12. The dial display device of claim 11 wherein said providing
means includes means for causing said low level light emission to
be different in color from the high level light emission.
13. The dial display device of claim 11 wherein said providing
means includes means for conducting light directly from said light
source to said light transmitting elements and means for filtering
the light from the light source and transmitting the filtered light
to said light transmitting elements.
14. A display device for presenting a visual output indicative of
the value of a given variable comprising: a plurality of fixed
light transmitting elements, each having a light emitting surface
and a light receiving surface spaced from said emitting surface;
means supporting said elements to dispose said light emitting and
receiving surfaces in separate preselected juxtaposed series; means
for establishing a first general state of illumination on said
juxtaposed series of light receiving surfaces; means for
establishing a second different state of illumination of limited
width on said juxtaposed series of light receiving surfaces; and
means for positioning said second state of illumination on said
juxtaposed series of light receiving surfaces in accordance with
the value of said variable, said means for establishing a first
state of illumination comprising a source of illumination
consisting of a plurality of wavelengths for illuminating said
light receiving surfaces of said elements and said means for
establishing said second state of illumination comprising a
plurality of filter means selectably movable adjacent to and in
registry with the light receiving surfaces of said elements in
accordance with said variable, said filter means being opaque to at
least one of said plurality of wavelengths whereby said element in
registry with said filter is illuminated with a different color
light than the other of said elements.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for establishing a
second state of illumination comprises means opaque to the
illumination of said first state.
16. The dial display device of claim 1 wherein said low level
illumination means comprises means for providing said low level
light emission from substantially all of said light emitting
portions.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to indicators in particular to means for
indicating the value of a variable input signal which may, for
example, correspond to the tuning of a radio apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In one form of conventional dial display for use in indicating the
station to which a radio apparatus is tuned for example, a movable
pointer element is moved across a suitable dial provided with a
corresponding scale. Mechanical drives are drives conventionally
employed for moving the pointer. One known form of such drive means
comprises a string driven by a suitable wheel associated with the
tuning capacitor and connected to the movable pointer, with the
pointer being guided on suitable track means for movement of the
string. In another conventional form of tuning indicator, a wheel
is driven directly with the tuning capacitor.
Such known dial display devices have serious disadvantages such as
a relatively high maintenance and difficulty of visual observation
under adverse view conditions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprehends an improved dial display device
useable, for example, as a tuning indicator in a radio apparatus
which eliminates the disadvantages of the above described known
dial display devices in a novel and simple manner. In general, the
invention comprehends the provision of a dial display device
including a plurality of fixed light transmitting or light piping
elements each having a light emitting front portion and a light
receiving rear portion spaced from the front portion, means
supporting the elements to dispose the front and rear portions in
separate preselected juxtaposed series, means to establish a first
or background state of illumination on the rear portions of said
light transmitting elements and means for establishing a second
different state of illumination of a restricted width, generally
corresponding to the width of said light transmitting elements. The
apparatus for establishing said second state illumination is
movable in accordance with an input variable indicative, for
example, of the frequency to which a radio is tuned. Movement of
the means for establishing the second state of illumination
effectively causes this narrow state of illumination to scan across
the end surfaces of the light transmitting elements. This, in turn,
presents a movable dial type indication on the front surfaces of
the light transmitting elements in the form of narrow contrasting
state of illumination. For the purpose of definition, complete
absence of light is considered to be a "state of illumination" and
states of illumination may be different in intensity, color,
presence and absence, etc.
More specifically, the present invention comprehends an indicating
device of the type described having a light source, a light
transmitting transfer member having a light emitting portion and a
light receiving portion spaced from the light emitting portion, and
means for supporting the transfer member to receive light from the
light source and move the light emitting portion thereof
selectively in registry with different ones of the light receiving
portions of the elements, whereby light is emitted from different
ones of the light transmitting element front portions as a function
of the movement of the transfer member. The light transmitting
elements may comprise piped light elements wherein the light is
internally conducted with minimum transmission loss. The transfer
member may similarly comprise a piped light element. Alternatively,
the transfer member may comprise an apertured member, a filter
member, or an opaque member providing a visual indication in the
dial display relative to the background appearance thereof. The
light transmitting elements may be formed as individual strips. In
one improved form, the light transmitting elements are molded as
two separate sheets of strips integrally connected to interfit and
define the full series.
Further more specifically, the invention comprehends the use of
filters for providing the background illumination from the same
light source as utilized by the transfer member to provide the
indication illumination. The transfer member is preferably
relatively lightweight for facilitated selective positioning
therein by low torque devices such as meter movements and similar
indicating mechanisms. Thus, the dial display is advantageously
adapted for us in indicating the tuning of a radio apparatus. The
present invention is particularly useful for indicating the tuning
point of varactor, or electronically tuned radios wherein a
variable voltage or current is used to vary the tuning point of the
radio. When used with such a wave signal receiving apparatus, the
present invention comprehends the use of a known meter movement,
coupled to said variable voltage or current to control the movement
of the light transmitting transfer member.
The invention further comprehends the provision of a plurality of
light sources and corresponding light transfer members for
providing selectively different indications. Thus, illustratively,
the dual arrangement may be utilized to provide a dial display in a
radio apparatus having both frequency modulated and amplitude
modulated signal receiving capability. Different filters may be
provided for each light source such that the dial background
changes color depending on which receiving mode this radio is in.
Suitable means are provided to turn on one light source or the
other, depending on the signal mode selected. Still further, the
dial display is adapted for indicating a stereo operation of such a
radio apparatus as by the joint operation of the dual elements.
In the stereo mode the two light sources are both on whereby a
third color background is obtained to indicate stereo.
As the dial display device utilizes a localized light indication,
the display provides facilitated visual observation under adverse
environmental conditions. The dial display device is extremely
simple and economical of construction while yet providing the
desirable features discussed above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent
from the following description taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a radio apparatus provided with a
dial display device embodying the invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section taken
substantially along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line
3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the dial display device with portions
broken away to facilitate illustration thereof;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of light
transfer members as used therein;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a light transmitting element
thereof;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another form of light transmitting
element thereof;
FIG. 8 is a fragmentary exploded view of an improved light
transmitting construction;
FIG. 9 is a vertical section similar to that of FIG. 2 but
illustrating a modified form of dial display device embodying the
invention;
FIG. 10 is a fragmentary horizontal section of another form of dial
display device embodying the invention; and
FIG. 11 is a fragmentary horizontal section of still another form
of dial display device embodying the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in FIGS.
1 through 7 of the drawings, a dial display device generally
designated 10 is shown for use in an electrical apparatus such as a
radio 11. Illustratively, radio 11 may comprise an AM-stereo FM
radio. The radio 11 may include an outer cabinet 12 having a front
wall 13 through which the dial display device 10 is observable for
indicating the frequency to which the radio is tuned by a suitable
manual tuning knob 14 for example. The radio 11 may include a
conventional On-Off control 15 and an AM-FM selector control 16. As
indicated above, the radio 11 may be arranged for reproducing
stereo sound as from a conventional stereo FM station and for this
purpose may be provided with a pair of loudspeakers 17. The radio
chassis 18 may be mounted within the cabinet 12 and may be of
conventional construction as well known to those skilled in the
art.
The dial display device 10 is arranged to provide to the observer
an indication of the frequency to which the wave signal receiver is
tuned by means of an electrical meter movement 19. The meter
movement 19 may be of conventional construction and includes a
stationary portion 20 and a rotatable portion 21 defining a pair of
spaced supports 22 and 23 selectively positionable about a vertical
axis as a function of the voltage on input leads 56 which, as
previously explained, is proportional to frequency to which the
device is tuned.
The leads 53' and 54' (FIG. 4) are coupled to the tuner section of
the wave signal receiver via mode switch 16a. Mode switch 16a is
operatively coupled to knob 16 by means not shown and may include
for example, a double pole, double throw switch for selectively
coupling the FM or AM tuning voltage output from the tuner to the
meter and a source of power (not shown) to either the light sources
28 and 32 or 28' and 33 whereby the operator is presented a visual
indication of the mode selected. Suitable scaling means may be
provided in the tuner output in order that the meter movement may
accurately track both AM and FM tuning voltages. The signal input
to the meter is not restricted to the tuner control voltage but can
also be derived from a potentiometer for example, which is driven
by the tuning knob of a conventional mechanically variable ganged
capacitor.
The position of the rotatable portion 21 of the meter movement 19
is translated into a light signal to be read out through the dial
display device and more specifically to be read out on a front
surface 24 thereof extending across a dial plate 25 carrying
suitable AM frequency scale 26 and FM frequency scale 27 on the
upper and lower portions thereof respectively. A pair of
illuminating lamps 28 and 28' may be provided behind the dial plate
25 for selectively illuminating the appropriate AM scale 26 or FM
scale 27 as selected by the control 16a. The indication observable
on the dial display device surface 24 illustratively comprises a
localized, relatively high level light emission from the surface
24.
More specifically, the device 10 includes a housing 29 defining a
first lamp chamber 30 at an upper rear portion thereof and a second
lamp chamber 31 at a lower rear portion thereof. A first lamp 32 is
disposed within chamber 30 and a second lamp 33 is disposed within
chamber 31. Chamber 30 is defined forwardly by a light transmitting
wall 34 which may comprise a red filter, and chamber 31 is defined
forwardly by a light transmitting wall 35 which may comprise a
green filter. As shown in FIG. 2, the lamps 28, 32 and 33 are
selectively energized individually or jointly by the control switch
16a. Thus, when the lamp 32 is illuminated as by selection of the
AM mode of operation, the interior of the housing 29 is illuminated
by the filtered red light emanating forwardly through the filter 34
and when the lamp 33 is illuminated as by selection of the FM mode
of operation, the interior of the housing 29 is illuminated by
green light emanating through the green filter 35.
The dial display device 10 further includes a plurality of fixed
light transmitting elements generally designated 36 each having a
light emitting front portion 37 and a light receiving rear portion
38. The housing 29 supports the elements 36 to dispose the front
portions 37 in a juxtaposed side-by-side series to define the
composite front surface 24. As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the
light transmitting elements 36 may vary in longitudinal
configuration from a substantially rectilinear configuration 36a to
a maximum turned configuration 36b whereby the rear portions 38
effectively define an arcuate rear surface 39 which is centered on
the vertical axis 40 of the meter movement 19. The front surface
24, however, is substantially planar parallel to the plane of the
front wall 13 of the radio cabinet 12. Each of the light
transmitting elements 36 comprises a light conductor wherein the
light is internally reflected to conduct it substantially without
loss from end to end of the element. Illustratively, the elements
may be formed of a plastic material having suitable light
conducting characteristics for this purpose and herein are formed
of acrylic resin plastic. As is well known to those skilled in the
fiber optics art, the efficient conduction of light through such
elements may be effected by highly polishing the elements and
designing the curvature of the turned portion, such as portion 36c
of configuration 36b (FIG. 7) to be sufficiently great to avoid
loss therein. In conventional fiber optics applications, such light
conductors are of cylindrical cross section. However, it has been
found that, by arranging the light transmitting elements 36 as
shown, substantially complete transmission of light from the
receiving portions 38 to the emitting portions 37 may be obtained
with the illustrated flat strip configuration. The flat
configuration provides a fine screen effect in the surface 24
whereby each end portion 37 has an effectively thin line
appearance.
Light is transmitted to the light receiving portions 38 of the
respective light transmitting elements 36 selectively from lamp 32
or lamp 33 by means of a pair of light transmitting transfer
members 41 and 42. As shown in FIG. 5, light transfer member 41
includes a light emitting front portion 43 and a light receiving
rear portion 44. Similarly, transfer member 42 includes a light
emitting front portion 45 and a rear light receiving portion 46.
The transfer members are carried by the rotatable portion 21 of the
meter movement 19 to dispose the light receiving portions 44 and 46
in registration with vertically aligned openings 47 and 48 in the
housing wall defining chambers 30 and 31 respectively. As best seen
in FIG. 2, the transfer members 41 and 42 may be turned whereby end
surfaces 44 and 46 extend horizontally whereas the end surfaces 43
and 45 extend vertically. Thus, light may be conducted from lamp 32
through opening 47 and through the transfer member 41 to the light
receiving portion 38 of the light transfer element 36 with which
the light emitting portion 43 of member 41 is aligned. Similarly,
light is conducted from lamp 33 through opening 48 and transfer
member 42 to the light receiving portion 38 of the light transfer
element 36 with which the light emitting portion 45 of member 42 is
aligned. The light transmitted through the transfer members may be
unfiltered and, thus, is transmitted through the light transmitting
element to be seen on the surface 24 as a white light. As the light
is conducted through the transfer member directly from the lamp and
the selected transmitting element, the thusly conducted light is of
relatively high intensity as compared to the low level of
illumination of the surface 24 produced by the light passing from
the lamp through the selected filter 34 or 35. Resultingly, the
dial display device 10 shows the position of the meter movement
portion 21 as a thin bright line against a colored lower level
illumination background.
The transfer member 41 and 42 are effectively cantilevered from the
meter movement portion 21 and as shown in FIG. 5, improved rigidity
thereof may be effected by means of interconnecting lugs 49 on
member 41 and holes 50 in member 42 snugly receiving the lugs.
The meter movement 19 may be accurately supported in the housing 29
by means of suitable shoulders 51 and 52. Further, the housing may
be provided with a pair of terminals 53 and 54 and a channel 55 for
conducting the wires 56 from the terminals 53 and 54 to the meter
movement 19. The housing 29 is preferably formed in two parts
including an upper portion 29a and a lower portion 29b which may be
substantially identical. The housing portions may be fixedly
secured together by suitable connectors 57 inserted through
suitable openings 58 in the respective housing portions. As best
seen in FIG. 2, the housing 29 includes a flat front portion 59
provided with a suitable groove 60 for receiving lugs 61 on each of
the light transmitting elements 36 to secure the light transmitting
elements in juxtaposed association.
The functioning of dial display device 10 is extremely simple. When
the radio 11 is caused to operate illustratively in the AM mode of
operation, the lamps 32 and 28 are illuminated thereby providing a
low level red appearance to the dial surface 24 and an illumination
of the associated AM frequency scale 26. Depending on the tuning of
the radio, the meter movement 19 rotatably positions the transfer
member 41 to dispose the transmitting surface 43 in alignment with
the light receiving portion 38 of the light transfer element 36
corresponding to the selected frequency. Light is transmitted
directly from the lamp 32 through the transfer member 41 and the
corresponding light transmitting element 36 to provide a relatively
high level while light emission from the front portion 37 of that
light transmitting element to provide a relatively bright light
line on the lower level red background to indicate to the user the
selected AM frequency. As the light transfer member 41 swings about
the axis 40, the light emitting portion 43 thereof is disposed in
close juxtaposition to the light receiving portions 38 of the
different light transmitting elements 36. As the light transmitting
elements are highly efficient in the conduction of the light,
substantially no difference in the amount of light transmitted from
the front portions 37 thereof occurs notwithstanding a difference
in the length of the different elements as illustrated in FIGS. 6
and 7.
Where the radio is set for an FM mode of operation by the control
16, the lamp 33 and lower lamp 28' will be illuminated.
Illumination from lamp 33 is transmitted through transfer member 42
to the corresponding light transmitting element 36 in the same
manner as discussed relative to the transfer from lamp 32. However,
as the background illumination is provided by the green filter 35,
the dial surface 24 will present a green low level lighted
background thereby indicating to the user automatically that the
radio is operating in the FM mode of operation in contradistinction
to the AM mode of operation indicated by the red background.
Further, where the radio is operating in the stereo mode, the lamps
32 and 33 may be concurrently energized so as to provide an orange
background illumination comprising a combination of each of the red
and green illuminations provided by the filters 34 and 35. At the
same time, each of the light transfer members 41 and 42 conducts
light from the respective lamps to provide a double line appearance
on the dial surface 24 thereby further indicating to the user the
stereo operation of the radio apparatus. This simultaneous
operation of the light source may be achieved by employing suitable
switching means (not shown) responsive to the stereo indication
signal in conventional radios to couple the source of power to lamp
32 which is normally on only for AM mode operation.
As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, the high level
illumination piped to the surface 24 through the light transfer
members 41 and 42 may be colored as by disposition of a suitable
filter (not shown) across the openings 47 and 48. Still further if
desired, the surface 24 may be defined by an upper or lower surface
of the light transmitting elements 36 rather than the end surface
portion 37 thereof. Further as will be obvious to those skilled in
the art, while the invention has been described in connection with
a meter movement 19, any suitable rotary translation device may be
employed for effecting the desired selective disposition of the
light transfer means. Still further as will be obvious to those
skilled in the art, while the illustrative embodiment comprises a
display apparatus, the dial display device 10 may be utilized in
connection with other suitable apparatus where a visual indication
of a selective disposition of a movable element of the apparatus is
desired.
To provide an improved readout on the dial display surface 24, the
end portions 37 may be roughened as by etching or sandblasting.
Further modifications of the structure of the dial display device
which may be employed within the scope of the invention are shown
in FIGS. 8-11. Illustratively, in FIG. 8, a modified light transfer
element structure generally designated 36' having improved economy
and simplicity of manufacture may be provided for use in the device
10. As shown, alternating light transmitting elements 36 thereof
may be formed as an integrally associated assembly 62 with a
connector portion, or tie bar, 63 which maintains the elements 36
in spaced juxtaposed association permitting interfitting, or
interleaving, or a generally similar integral assembly 64 of light
transmitting elements 36 and tie bar 65 therewith to provide the
desired complete series. The assembly portions 62 and 64 may be
identical; however, the assembly 64 is turned upside down relative
to the assembly 62 to permit the interleaved association.
Assemblies 62 and 64 may be economically formed by molding as an
unitary structure for effectively maximum economy.
In FIG. 9, a modified form of dial display device generally
designated 110 is shown to comprise a dial display device generally
similar to device 10 but effectively comprising an upper portion
166 and a lower portion 167 for transmitting different light
signals to alternating ones of the series of light transmitting
elements 136a and 136b. Thus, alternate elements 136a extend from a
lower chamber 168a at the rear of the housing portion 129a and
alternate elements 136b extend from an upper chamber 168b at the
rear of housing portion 129b. The red filter 134 extends across the
chamber 168a except for a central opening 147 through which the
light transfer member 141 extends and the green filter 135 extends
across the chamber 168b except for an opening 148 through which the
lower light transfer member 142 extends. Suitable lamp means 132
and 133 are provided in lamp chambers 130 and 131 respectively, for
conducting light through the filters and transfer members
respectively. The transfer members are mounted on the rotatable
portion 121 of a meter movement 119 as shown.
Thus, in dial display device 110, every other light transmitting
element 136b provides a low level red background illumination at
the front surface 124 when the lamp 132 is illuminated.
Similarly, alternate every other light transmitting elements 136a
present a low level green background at the surface 124 when lamp
133 is illuminated. The higher level illumination conducted through
the light transmitting elements 136b from light transfer member 141
emanates only from every other light transmitting element defining
surface 124 as it is conducted only through the upper elements
136b. The high level illumination transmitted from transfer member
142 emanates only from the alternate every other element 136a. The
transfer members 141 and 142 may be relatively thick so as to
assure conduction of light through at least one of the associated
light transfer elements which, as indicated above, are spaced apart
by the thickness of a light transmitting element.
A further modified dial display device structure is shown in FIG.
10 to comprise a dial display device 210 wherein the background
illumination produced through the light transmitting elements 236
is selectively blocked by an opaque element 269 thereby providing a
dark line against a generally illuminated background appearing at
surface 224. Alternatively, the member 269 may comprise a filter
element providing a colored relatively low level emanation from the
surface 224 through the registering light transfer element 236
appearing against the higher level general illumination background.
As shown in FIG. 11, a further modification of the dial display
device may comprise a device 310 wherein illumination of the light
transmitting elements 336 is provided through a slit 370 in a light
control wall member, such as cylinder 371, rotatably positionable
by the meter movement 319 to register the slit 370 with selected
ones of the light transmitting elements 336. As will be obvious to
those skilled in the art, the light control cylinder 371 may
comprise a filter member permitting colored lower level
illumination to be directed to the remaining light transmitting
elements 336a to provide a corresponding lower level background
illumination. Thus, each of dial display devices 110, 210 and 310
comprise a device generally similar to dial display device 10
except as otherwise noted. Corresponding elements of devices 110,
210 and 310 are identified by reference numeral similar to those
identifying the elements of device 10 except respectively 100
higher.
Further, a color effect may be obtained by coloring the end
portions 37, or light receiving end portions 38, as desired.
Alternatively, color may be provided by suitably coloring the end
portions 43, 44, 45, or 46 of the light transfer members as
desired.
While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my
invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many
modifications. Changes, therefore, in the arrangement and
constructions may be made within the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined in the appended claims.
* * * * *