JPH0566519U - Instrument lighting equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide an illumination device for an instrument that can prevent uneven lighting without difficult dimming work, improve visibility, and obtain a high-class design feeling. To do. A light transmission rod 4 is arranged on the rear surface side of a dial 1, and a light shielding layer 7 having a light reflection layer 6 on the back surface is provided on the peripheral surface of the light transmission rod except for the peripheral surface on the dial side. And the prism film 8 having the light transmission rod side as the light incident surface and the dial side as the light emitting surface is attached to the dial side peripheral surface portion.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a lighting system for measuring instruments, and more particularly to a lighting system for measuring instruments suitable for automobile meters and the like.

[0002]

[Prior Art]

 2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a lighting device for an automobile meter is known in which a light source is provided on the rear surface side of a display unit such as a speedometer and the light emitted from the light source transmits the display unit to illuminate the display unit. Has been.

FIG. 5 shows a conventional illuminating device for an automobile meter. A translucent dial plate 1 arranged on the front side of a meter case (not shown) has characters and scales 2 on its surface. Etc. are formed, and on the front side of the dial 1, a pointer (not shown) driven by a meter internal unit arranged on the rear side of the dial is provided. Further, lighting bulbs 3, 3 ... Are mounted on the rear surface side of the above-mentioned meter case, and by illuminating the bulb 3 at night or the like, the irradiation light is diffusely reflected on the inner surface of the meter case. The dial plate 1 is made to be transparent from the rear surface side, so that the above-mentioned characters, scales 2, etc. can be visually recognized.

In such an illuminating device, since various parts such as a meter internal unit are incorporated in the meter case, due to the arrangement of the parts, the characters of the dial 1 and the scale 2 are evenly distributed over the entire circumference. In some cases, it may not be possible to arrange multiple lighting bulbs 3 in the lamp, and in some cases the above-mentioned components may be shaded and the irradiation light of the lighting bulb 3 may not diffuse efficiently in the meter case. However, the characters on the dial 1 and the display parts such as the scale 2 cannot be uniformly illuminated, and the visibility is deteriorated, and it is not possible to provide illumination with a high-class design. ..

Therefore, conventionally, a predetermined light control printing such as a spot printing is performed on the back surface portion of the dial 1 corresponding to the location where the uneven illumination occurs, thereby preventing the uneven illumination of the display section. It was

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the above-described conventional lighting device for a meter, predetermined light control printing is performed on a predetermined portion of the back surface of the dial 1 to prevent uneven illumination. However, it is disadvantageous in that the dimming work is difficult and the time required for the work is long.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and it is possible to prevent uneven lighting without performing difficult light adjustment work, improve visibility, and obtain a high-class design feeling. It is an object of the present invention to provide a lighting device for such an instrument.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the illuminating device for an instrument according to the present invention is provided with a light source on the rear surface side of a translucent dial having a predetermined display portion, and the light emitted from the light source is the dial. In an illuminating device of an instrument configured to illuminate a display section by transmitting light, the above light source is a light transmission rod disposed at a position corresponding to the display section, and the light transmission rod. A light bulb for illumination arranged in a cutout part that is cut out in a part of the longitudinal direction of the light transmission rod, except for the peripheral surface of the light transmission rod except for the dial plate side peripheral surface. A reflective film and a light-shielding layer were formed in an overlapping manner, and a prism film with the light transmission rod side as the light entrance surface and the dial plate side as the light exit surface was provided on the dial plate side peripheral surface of the light transmission rod. It is characterized by that.

[0009]

[Action]

 According to the present invention, a rod for light transmission is arranged on the rear surface side of the dial, and a light reflection layer is provided on the back surface on the peripheral surface of the light transmission rod except for the peripheral surface of the dial. In addition to forming the layers, a prism film with the light transmission rod side as the light entrance surface and the letter plate side as the light exit surface was arranged on the dial plate side peripheral surface portion, so that it enters the light transmission rod. The irradiating light is guided to the prism film portion while repeating diffused reflection in the rod, and is refracted to the dial side by such prism film portion and has a directivity almost perpendicular to the film, and a uniform and luminous intensity. By emitting as strong irradiation light, it becomes possible to uniformly illuminate the letters, scales, etc. on the dial plate over the entire circumference.

[0010]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 show an embodiment of an illuminating device for an instrument according to the present invention, in which a transparent dial plate 1 arranged on the front side of a meter case (not shown) has a text on the surface thereof. Characters, scales 2 and the like are formed, and on the front side of the dial 1, there is provided a pointer (not shown) driven by a meter internal unit provided on the rear side of the dial.

Further, in the present embodiment, in the meter case on the rear surface side of the dial plate 1, at a position corresponding to the characters of the dial plate 1, the scale 2, etc., an annular shape and a part of the arc portion thereof. A hollow light-transmitting rod 4 made of a transparent material such as an acrylic resin, which is cut out, is provided. The light-transmitting rod 4 has a notch 5 formed by cutting out a part of the light-transmitting rod 4 in the longitudinal direction. Lighting bulbs 3, 3 are mounted from the rear surface side of the meter case so as to face the cutout end surfaces 5a, 5b.

As shown in FIG. 2, the light transmitting rod 4 is provided with a light reflecting layer 6 formed by white coating or the like on the surface of the peripheral surface portion 4b other than the peripheral surface portion 4a on the dial 1 side. Further, a light-shielding layer 7 made of black paint or the like is formed on the surface of the light-reflecting layer 6 in an overlapping manner. Then, as will be described later, the irradiation light incident on the light transmission rod 4 is diffusely reflected by the above-mentioned light reflection layer 6, and the light shielding layer 7 causes the light to pass from the outer peripheral surface portion 4b of the light transmission rod 4. It is designed to prevent light leakage.

Further, on the surface of the peripheral surface portion 4a of the light transmission rod 4 on the dial plate 1 side, for example, a prism film 8 made of polycarbonate as a product name “Solf” manufactured by Sumitomo 3M Co., Ltd. is attached. There is. As shown in FIG. 3, the prism film 8 is an extremely thin film having a thickness substantially the same as the thickness t of the light reflecting layer 6 and the light shielding layer 7 formed on the light transmitting rod 4 described above. The film surface 8a on the side attached to the working rod 4 is a light-incident surface on which minute prisms are continuously formed, and the film surface 8b on the opposite side is a smooth light-exit surface. ..

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the illumination light bulbs 3, 3 are turned on so that the illumination light enters the rod from the notched end surfaces 5a, 5b of the light transmitting rod 4, and the illumination light is The light is diffusely reflected by the light reflection layer 6 of the transmission rod 4 and is reflected by the inner peripheral side boundary surface 4c of the light transmission rod 4, and the light travels in the rod while repeating such reflection.

Further, since the light shielding layer 7 is formed on the outer peripheral surface portion 4b of the light transmitting rod 4, the light reflecting layer 6 and the inner peripheral side boundary surface 4c of the light transmitting rod 4 are formed as described above. The irradiation light that repeats the reflection is now guided to the prism film 8 portion adhered to the dial plate 1 side peripheral surface portion 4a of the light transmission rod 4, and as shown in FIG. Irradiation light L incident on the light surface 8a at a shallow angle θ (for example, 20 ° or less) passes through the prism film 8 and is emitted with a certain directivity as emission light L ′ that is substantially perpendicular to the light emission surface 8b. It has become. Then, the emitted light L ′ illuminates the characters, the scale 2 and the like on the dial 1 positioned directly above the light transmission rod 4 from the rear surface side, and the irradiation light causes the characters, the scale 2 and the like to be emitted. By being transmitted, they are visible.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the light transmission rod 4 is disposed on the rear surface side of the dial 1, and the outer peripheral surface 4b of the light transmission rod 4 except the peripheral surface 4a on the dial 1 side. Since the light-shielding layer 7 having the light-reflecting layer 6 is formed on the back surface and the predetermined prism film 8 is attached to the peripheral surface portion 4a on the dial 1 side, the irradiation incident on the light transmission rod 4 is performed. Light is guided to the prism film 8 portion while repeating diffused reflection in the rod, is refracted to the dial 1 side by the prism film 8 portion, and is emitted as irradiation light having directivity substantially perpendicular to the film. By doing so, it is possible to make the irradiation light uniform and to have a high luminous intensity, so that the characters on the dial 1, scales 2 etc. can be illuminated uniformly and with high brightness over the entire circumference thereof. become. For this reason, it is possible to obtain illumination with high visibility and a high-class design without performing a light control operation such as a light control printing on the back surface of the dial 1 which is difficult to perform as in the conventional case. ..

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention, in which the number of the light bulbs 3 for illumination provided in the cutout portion 5 of the light transmission rod 4 is set to one, and the cutout is made. The lighting bulb 3 is arranged so as to face one notch end surface 5a of the portion 5, and the reflecting surface 9 is formed at the other notch end surface 5b. Other configurations are similar to those of the above-described embodiment, and therefore, the same reference numerals are given and the description thereof is omitted.

Also in this embodiment, as in the case of the above-mentioned embodiment, the irradiation light entering the light transmitting rod 4 is emitted to the dial 1 side through the prism film 8, and When the irradiation light entering the rod from one notched end surface 5a of the transmission rod 4 and traveling in the rod while repeating diffused reflection reaches the other notched end surface 5b, it is formed on the notched end surface 5b. The light is reflected by the reflecting surface 9 and travels in the rod again, whereby the irradiation light is emitted to the dial 1 side through the prism film 8.

Therefore, also in the present embodiment, it is possible to obtain uniform illumination without illumination unevenness without performing a predetermined dimming operation, which has a high visibility and a high-class design. can do.

[0020]

[Effect of the device]

 As described above, the illuminating device for an instrument according to the present invention is provided with the light transmitting rod on the rear surface side of the dial, and the peripheral surface portion of the light transmitting rod except for the dial plate side peripheral surface. In addition to forming a light-shielding layer having a light-reflecting layer on the dial plate, a prism film with the light transmission rod side as the light entrance surface and the dial plate side as the light exit surface was arranged on the dial side peripheral surface part. Irradiation light incident on the transmission rod is guided to the prism film portion while repeating irregular reflection in the rod, and is refracted toward the dial plate side in such prism film portion, and the directivity is almost perpendicular to the film. Since it is emitted as irradiation light that has a uniform and strong luminous intensity, it becomes possible to uniformly illuminate the letters, scales, etc. of the dial plate over its entire circumference, which makes the work difficult as in the past. Behind the dial Without dimming operations of the dimming printing of visibility is high and an effect such as can be obtained illumination with design on luxury.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an essential part showing an embodiment of an illuminating device for an instrument according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of a light transmission rod of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a prism film arranged on the light transmission rod.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part showing another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part of a conventional lighting device of a measuring instrument.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Dial 2 Characters, Scale 3 Lighting Bulb 4 Light Transmission Rod 5 Notch 6 Light Reflection Layer 7 Light Shielding Layer 8 Prism Film 9 Reflection Surface

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A light source is disposed on the rear surface side of a translucent dial having a predetermined display portion, and light emitted from the light source is transmitted through the dial to illuminate the display portion. In the illuminating device for a measuring instrument described above, the light source is arranged in a light transmission rod arranged at a position corresponding to the display portion and a notch formed by cutting out a part of the light transmission rod in the longitudinal direction. And a light-reflecting layer and a light-shielding layer are formed on the peripheral surface of the light-transmitting rod except the dial-side peripheral surface of the light-transmitting rod. An illuminating device for a measuring instrument, wherein a prism film having a light-transmitting rod side as a light-incident surface and a dial side as a light-exiting surface is arranged on a dial plate side peripheral surface portion of the rod.