Indicating device with see-through configuration and pointer for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077993-B2
Application number	US-201615005326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 25, 2016
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A pointer for an indicating device includes a conductor. The conductor includes a front portion, a rear portion, and a receiving portion. The rear portion extends from the front portion. The receiving portion extends from the rear portion. The receiving portion is configured to receive light and to conduct the light through the rear portion toward the front portion. The receiving portion has a cutout dented into the receiving portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An indicating device comprising:
a dial plate;
a pointer rotational relative to the dial plate; and
a trim ring located above the dial plate, wherein
the pointer includes a shaft, a body, and a needle,
the body is connected with the shaft,
the needle includes a root, a see-through portion, and a tip, which are extended from the body in this order,
when viewed along an axial direction of the shaft:
the see-through portion has a conductivity of light greater than a conductivity of light of both the tip and the root; and
the see-through portion is configured to conduct a symbol, which is on the dial plate, therethrough when the see-through portion is located above the symbol, wherein the tip is located between the dial plate and the trim ring,
the trim ring has a plurality of tick marks located along a circumferential direction at an angular interval, the trim ring further has a plurality of shades,
the shades and the tick marks are alternately located along the circumferential direction,
when viewed along the axial direction:
the shades are opaque; and
one of the shades conceals at least partially the tip when being above the tip, when viewed along the axial direction:
the tick marks are non-opaque; and
the tip is viewable through one of the tick marks when being below the one of the tick marks,
the trim ring further has an outer ring located outside the tick marks and the shades,
when viewed along the axial direction:
the outer ring is non-opaque; and
the tip is viewable through the outer ring.

2. The indicating device of claim 1 , wherein
the symbol is one of a plurality of symbols located on the dial plate along a circumferential direction of the dial plate,
the pointer is rotational above the symbols, and
when viewed along the axial direction, both the tip and the root are normally away from the symbols in a radial direction.

3. The indicating device of claim 1 , wherein
when viewed along the axial direction, the tip is below the trim ring normally and movable below the trim ring.

4. The indicating device of claim 3 , wherein
as the pointer rotates relative to the dial plate and the trim ring, the tip is at least partially viewable through the tick marks and is at least partially concealed by the shades alternately.

5. The indicating device of claim 3 , wherein
the trim ring is formed of a light-conductive material, and
the shades are formed on a surface of the trim ring.

6. The indicating device of claim 1 , wherein
the body is configured to conduct light therethrough,
the body has a reflective surface to reflect light and to direct the light toward the needle,
the tip and the root are illuminative on receiving light, and
when viewed along the axial direction, the see-through portion is translucent.

7. A pointer for an indicating device having a dial plate and a trim ring, the pointer comprising:
a shaft;
a body connected with the shaft; and

a needle extended from the body and configured to conduct light therethrough, wherein
the needle includes a root, a see-through portion, and a tip,
the root extends from the body,
the see-through portion extends from the root,
the tip extends from the see-through portion,

when viewed along an axial direction of the shaft, the see-through portion has a conductivity of light greater than a conductivity of light of both the tip and the root wherein the tip is located between the dial plate and the trim ring,
the trim ring has a plurality of tick marks located along a circumferential direction at an angular interval, the trim ring further has a plurality of shades,
the shades and the tick marks are alternately located along the circumferential direction,
when viewed along the axial direction:
the shades are opaque; and
one of the shades conceals at least partially the tip when being above the tip,
when viewed along the axial direction:
the tick marks are non-opaque; and
the tip is viewable through one of the tick marks when being below the one of the tick marks,
the trim ring further has an outer ring located outside the tick marks and the shades,
when viewed along the axial direction:
the outer ring is non-opaque; and
the tip is viewable through the outer ring.

8. The pointer of claim 7 , wherein
the body is configured to conduct light therethrough,
the body has a reflective surface to reflect light and to direct the light toward the needle,
when viewed along the axial direction:
the tip and the root are illuminative on receiving the light; and
the see-through portion is translucent on receiving the light.

9. The pointer of claim 8 , wherein
the needle has a top surface and a bottom surface in the axial direction,
the tip has an illuminative layer on at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface,
the root has an illuminative layer on at least one of the top surface and the bottom surface, and
the see-through portion does not have an illuminative layer on both the top surface and the bottom surface.

10. The pointer of claim 7 , wherein
the tip, the see-through portion, and the root are integrally formed of a light conductive material.

11. The pointer of claim 7 , wherein
when the pointer is equipped to the dial plate:
the see-through portion has a length greater than a symbol range in which the symbol resides on the dial plate; and
the see-through portion is configured to conduct the symbol therethrough from the bottom surface to the top surface and to show a symbol on the top surface.

12. The pointer of claim 7 , wherein
the needle has side surfaces, which does not have an illuminative layer, and
the needle is entirely seethrough when viewed from one of the side surfaces to the other of the side surfaces.

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc
• Denso Corp

Inventors

• Arceo Marc
• Webb Gareth
• Horvath Cary
• Krishnamurthy Jagadeesh
• Simpson Austin

Classifications

• G01D13/265 Primary

  Pointers which conduct light · CPC title

• G01D13/04

  Construction · CPC title

• G01D11/28

  Structurally-combined illuminating devices · CPC title