Lighted instrument dial face display

• US 4,217,625 A
• Filed: 10/27/1978
• Issued: 08/12/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Klein, Herman C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lechert, Jr., Stephen J.
• Application Number:
  US05/955,471
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 362/29, 362/30, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A front lighted display for an instrument dial face and pointer, including in combination with such dial face and pointer and according to one embodiment, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LED) positioned around the inner periphery of an LED mounting and directing light rays onto the dial face, a conically shaped reflector positioned to reflect light from the LEDs onto the dial face, a center disc reflector having an LED mounted thereon to enhance illumination of the pointer hub and center area of the dial face presentation, and an LED baffle ring preventing direct viewing of the diodes, and which can have a light reflecting inner surface to redirect light from the LEDs onto the surface of the dial face. According to another embodiment incorporating a digital readout presentation on the dial face, the LEDs are positioned and oriented around the outer periphery of a lighting head to make the light rays of each diode overlap and provide a uniformly lighted dial face presentation, without utilizing the conically shaped reflector of the first embodiment. In addition, LEDs are mounted behind a digital counter mask for illumination of the digital readout presentation.

Claims

1. A front lighted display system for an instrument dial face and pointer, which comprises in combination with said dial face and pointer, a lighting head, a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head and disposed to emit light rays directly onto said face, a reflector mounted centrally of said dial face, light emitting diode means positioned adjacent said reflector, said diode means emitting direct light rays onto the central portion of said dial face and said pointer, and said reflector redirecting reflected light rays from said diode means onto said central portion of said dial face and said pointer, and a baffle ring positioned in front of said peripherally mounted diodes to prevent direct viewing thereof.

2. The system as defined in claim 1, the inner surface of said baffle ring being light reflecting to redirect reflected rays from said diodes mounted on the periphery of said lighting head, to said dial face.

3. The system as defined in claim 1, said light emitting diode means positioned adjacent said reflector, comprising at least one light emitting diode.

4. The system as defined in claim 1, including a conically shaped reflector positioned around and in front of said peripherally positioned light emitting diodes, to redirect reflected light rays from said light emitting diodes to said dial face.

5. The system as defined in claim 4, the inner surface of said baffle ring being light reflecting to redirect reflected rays from said diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head, to said dial face.

6. The system as defined in claim 1, the light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head being tilted inwardly toward the axis of the dial face and pointer assembly.

7. The system as defined in claim 5, the light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head being tilted inwardly toward the axis of the dial face and pointer assembly.

8. The system as defined in claim 1, including a digital counter and a digital readout assembly for said counter positioned on said dial face, and additional diode means mounted on said lighting head for emitting light rays onto said digital readout assembly.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, said baffle ring being arranged also to prevent direct viewing of said additional diode means.

10. A front lighted system for uniformly illuminating an instrument including a dial face and pointer, which comprises in combination with said dial face and pointer, a lighting head mounted in front of said dial face, a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head and disposed to emit light rays directly onto said dial face, a reflector mounted centrally in front of said dial face, means mounting said reflector on said lighting head, light emitting diode means mounted on said reflector, said diode means emitting direct light rays onto the central portion of said dial face and said pointer and said reflector redirecting reflected light rays from said diode means onto said central portion of said dial face and said pointer, a conically shaped reflector positioned around and in front of said peripherally positioned light emitting diodes to redirect reflected light rays from said light emitting diodes onto said dial face, and a baffle ring positioned in front of said peripherally mounted diodes to prevent direct viewing thereof.

11. The system as defined in claim 10, including a cover glass mounted in front of said baffle ring and said conically shaped reflector.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, said means mounting said first mentioned reflector centrally on said lighting head comprising an arm connected at one end to said last mentioned reflector and connected at its opposite end to said lighting head.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, said centrally mounted reflector being positioned in front of said light emitting diode means, said light emitting diode means comprising at least one light emitting diode.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, said light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head being tilted inwardly toward the axis of the dial face and pointer assembly.

20. The system as defined in claim 13, said baffle ring having a light reflecting coating on the inner surface thereof to redirect reflected rays from said diodes mounted on the periphery of said lighting head, to said dial face.

15. A front lighted system for uniformly illuminating an instrument including a dial face and pointer, and a digital readout presentation of a digital counter, positioned across the upper portion of said dial face, which comprises in combination, a circular lighting head in front of said dial face, a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head and arranged so that the light rays of each diode overlaps the light rays of adjacent diodes to provide a uniformly lighted dial face presentation, a reflector positioned in front of said dial face and centrally thereof, means mounting said reflector on said lighting head, light emitting diode means mounted on said reflector, a plurality of light emitting diodes mounted along a chord across said circular lighting head and positioned to emit light onto said digital readout presentation, a baffle ring positioned in front of said peripherally mounted diodes to prevent direct viewing thereof, and a mask positioned in front of said plurality of light emitting diodes and mounted along a chord of said lighting head, to prevent direct viewing of said last mentioned diodes.

16. The system as defined in claim 15, including a structural member connected to the upper portion of said circular lighting head, said plurality of light emitting diodes mounted along a chord of said circular lighting head, being connected to said structural member, said means mounting said reflector in front of said dial face comprising an arm, said arm connected at one end to said last mentioned reflector and connected at its opposite end to said structural member, and said mask being mounted on said baffle ring.

17. The system as defined in claim 15, including a cover glass mounted in front of said baffle ring and said conically shaped reflector.

18. The system as defined in claim 16, said centrally mounted reflector being positioned in front of said light emitting diode means, said light emitting diode means comprising at least one light emitting diode.

19. The system as defined in claim 18, the light emitting diodes positioned around the periphery of said lighting head being tilted inwardly toward the axis of the dial face and pointer assembly.

21. The system as defined in claim 18, said baffle ring having a light reflecting coating on the inner surface thereof to redirect reflected rays from said diodes mounted on the periphery of said lighting head to said dial face.