METER UNIT

• US 20120318081A1
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Published: 12/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: FUKUDA, Taisei
• Granted Patent: US 9,431,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/89
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/10 Elements for damping the movement of parts
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/16 Means for supporting bearings, e.g. insulating supports or means for fitting bearings in the bearing-shields magnetic bearings H02K7/09
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/102 with friction brakes
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18568 Reciprocating or oscillating to or from alternating rotary

Abstract

A meter unit includes a step motor, a gear, a braking spring and a case. The gear has a gear body a rotation shaft. The braking spring urges the gear in a direction of an axis of rotation of the gear. The case accommodates the step motor, the gear body, a part of the rotation shaft, and the braking spring therein. The braking spring has a shape through which the first part of the rotation shaft passes. A first face of the gear body is formed with a recessed portion which accommodates the braking spring. A first part of the case supports a second face of the gear body. A second part of the case is configured to press the braking spring so that entire part of the braking spring is accommodated in the recessed portion.

Claims

1. A meter unit, comprising:

a step motor;

a gear having;

a gear body, configured to be rotated by a torque transmitted from the step motor, and having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face; and

a rotation shaft including a first part extended from the first face and a second part extended from the second face;

a braking spring configured to urge the gear in a direction of an axis of rotation of the gear; and

a case accommodating the step motor, the gear body, a part of the rotation shaft, and the braking spring therein, wherein

the braking spring has a shape through which the first part of the rotation shaft passes,

the first face is formed with a recessed portion which accommodates the braking spring,

a first part of the case supports the second face of the gear body, and

a second part of the case is configured to press the braking spring so that entire part of the braking spring is accommodated in the recessed portion.

2. The meter unit according to claim 1, wherein

the braking spring has an annular shape having a hole through which the rotation shaft passes, and

the second part of the case is protruded from an inner face of the case to the braking spring and comes in contact with the braking spring at an end part thereof.

3. The meter unit according to claim 2, wherein

the braking spring is a leaf spring,

a periphery of the leaf spring has a circular shape or an elliptical shape, and

the recessed portion surrounds the rotation shaft and is recessed corresponding to the periphery of the leaf spring.

4. The meter unit according to claim 2, further comprising:

a stopper, protruded from the inner face of the case toward the first face of the gear body, wherein

an end face of the stopper is configured to come in contact with the first face of the gear body so as to prevent the rotation shaft from being pulled out when a pointer attached to an end part of the first part of the rotation shaft is pulled out,

the end face of the stopper is provided at a distance from the end part of the second part of the case in a direction separating from the gear body, and

a distance between the end face of the stopper and the end part of the second part of the case is smaller than a depth of the recessed portion.

5. The meter unit according to claim 1, wherein

the first part of the case is a bearing which supports the second part of the rotation shaft, and

the second part of the case is a shaft hole which supports the first part of the rotation shaft.