Needle type gauge

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9719814-B2
Application number	US-201414511883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 15, 2013
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A needle type gauge includes: a needle that includes a main rotating portion that rotates around a rotation shaft, and an indicator which points out an index part; and an actuator. The main rotating portion includes a light emitting portion that emits strip-shaped light. The light emitting portion is located at the actuator side relative to the indicator, and emits the strip-shaped light to a nearby area to the indicator and located, relative the indicator, at one side in a rotation direction of the indicator. The needle includes a shield which extends in a direction of the actuator from the indicator, extends along the indicator, and blocks, among the strip-shaped light, light directed from the one side in the rotation direction of the indicator to the other side therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A needle type gauge comprising:
a needle comprising a main rotating portion that rotates around a rotation axis, and an indicator which rotates together with the main rotating portion and which points out an index part;
an actuator located rearward of the needle that causes the main rotating portion to rotate;
a gauge plate comprising the index part, and located forward of the needle; and
a casing that includes a first portion located in a position rearward of the indicator,
wherein:
the main rotating portion comprises a light transmitting portion that transmits light from a light source, the light transmitting portion located rearward of the indicator;
the casing comprising a reflector (i) formed as a part of a conical surface, (ii) located rearward of the indicator, and (iii) disposed so as to face the light transmitting portion;
the index part is at least partially light transmissive;
the light transmitted by the light transmitting portion advances along a rear side of the indicator without passing through the indicator, and reaches a nearby area of the reflector disposed adjacent to the indicator, the nearby area of the reflector being located on one side of the indicator in a rotation direction of the indicator;
the reflector reflects the light reaching the nearby area of the reflector toward the index part to illuminate the index part with the light reflected by the reflector;
the needle comprises a shield that (i) covers one side surface of the indicator, (ii) includes a second portion extending further rearward from a rear end of the indicator toward the first portion, and (iii) extends along the indicator; and
the second portion of the shield has a back end provided along the first portion, and blocks light directed from the one side of the indicator to another side therein among the light that is transmitted by the light transmitting portion and advances along the rear side of the indicator.

2. The needle type gauge according to claim 1 , wherein:
the reflector comprises a reflector face formed as a mirror face; and
the light transmitted by the light transmitting portion is reflected by the reflector face and is directed toward the index part.

3. The needle type gauge according to claim 1 , wherein:
the reflector comprises a reflector face that reflects light as diffused light; and
the light transmitted by the light transmitting portion is reflected by the reflector face and is directed toward the index part in a diffused manner.

4. The needle type gauge according to claim 1 , wherein:
the light source emits light to the light transmitting portion from a rearward position of the light transmitting portion;
the light transmitting portion comprises a light receiving face which faces the light source and which receives light therefrom, and an inclined face that reflects the incident light from the light source through the light receiving face toward the tip of the indicator; and
the light from the light source reflected by the inclined face is emitted from the light transmitting portion.

5. The needle type gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmitted by the light transmitting portion includes light spatially spreading in a circumferential direction around the rotation shaft of the needle.

6. The needle type gauge according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmitting portion comprises a reflector that reflects the light from the light source, the reflected light having a predetermined width.

Assignees

• Nippon Seiki Co Ltd
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sato Takumi
• Hori Takashi
• Togawa Tetsuro
• Kobe Ryo
• Yasuda Munehiro
• Kamon Shinji

Classifications

• G01D13/22

  Pointers, e.g. settable pointer · CPC title

• B60K2350/408

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• G01D11/28 Primary

  Structurally-combined illuminating devices · CPC title

• G01D13/265

  Pointers which conduct light · CPC title

• B60K2360/698

  Pointers of combined instruments · CPC title