Display device

• US 5,452,208 A
• Filed: 06/14/1993
• Issued: 09/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Van Doorne's Transmissie B.V.
• Original Assignee: Van Doorne's Transmissie B.V.
• Inventors: Choi, Chi C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Teska, Kevin J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/076,607
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.1, 364/565, 364/424.05, 364/556, 364/571.02, 364/507, 364/508, 364/505, 250/551, 250/208, 73/862.08, 73/862.33, 73/862.44, 73/510, 73/462, 192/0.092, 192/3.58, 330/268, 330/298, 330/59, 477/37, 477/11, 477/18, 477/901, 477/97, 477/12, 477/28, 477/45, 477/48
• US Class Current: 701/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/16 giving a value which is a function of two or more values, e.g. product or ratio
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/58 by measuring or comparing amplitudes of generated currents or voltage amplitude comparators H03K5/24
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 19/10 Measuring sum, difference or ratio

Abstract

A device for optically providing information pertaining to the value of the quotient of the rates of revolution of two axles contains converters connected to the axles, which converters generate electrical signals which are a measure for the rate of revolution of the respective axles. At least one of the signals is fed to a ladder network of resistances which contains tap-off points which are connected to similar inputs of comparator circuits. The other inputs of the various amplifiers receive as input the signal which is a measure for the rate of revolution of the other axle. The comparator circuits are each coupled to light-emitting elements of which a few, depending upon the quotient of the revolution rates, illuminate. When applied in a vehicle which is provided with a continuously variable transmission, optical information pertaining to the current value of the transmission ratio is thus provided.

Claims

1. Device for optically supplying information pertaining to a value of a quotient of a rate of revolution of two axles (1, 3),

each axle (1, 3) being coupled to a converter (7, 8) for generating respective electric signals at input contacts (Vp, Vs, GVs), each of which electric signals is a measure of a rate of revolution of the related axle (1, 3),

at least one of the input contacts (Vp, Vs, GVs) is connected to a resistor network (10) connected as a tappable voltage divider, which resistor network'"'"'s various tapping-points (A1 . . . An) are coupled to similar inputs of comparator circuits (C1 . . . Cn) separately contained in the device (6), the other similar inputs of the comparator circuits (C1 . . . Cn) each being coupled to the other input contacts (Vp, Vs, GVs), and

each comparator circuit (C1 . . . Cn) is provided with an output coupled to a connection point (Vc) on the supply voltage via light-emitting elements (L1 . . . Ln) for optically displaying the information, the optical display being such that the number of illuminated elements is a measure of the value of the quotient.

2. Device according to claim 1, which device possesses a scale-factor circuit (11) connected between the pertinent converters (7, 8) and the corresponding input contact (V_p, GV_s), which scale-factor circuit is implemented as an amplifier or attenuator.

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the values of resistors (R1 . . . Rn) in the resistor network have a fixed mutual ratio, whereby the fixed mutual ratio is a measure for those values of the quotient as displayed by the respective illuminated light-emitting elements (L1 . . . Ln).

4. Device according to claim 1, whereby the values of the resistances (R₁ . . . R_n) are equal.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein light-emitting elements (L1 . . . Ln) connecting to neighbouring tap-off points (A1 . . . An) of the resistor network (10) are placed side-by-side.

6. Device according to claim 5, wherein the light-emitting elements (L1 . . . Ln) are placed side-by-side in a straight line.

7. Device according to claims 5 or 6, wherein the light-emitting elements (L1 . . . Ln) are defined by LED'"'"'s.

8. Vehicle provided with a device (6) according claim 1, and with a continuously variable transmission having a current transmission ratio value and comprising a primary pulley (2) forming a first axle (1) of said axles and a secondary pulley (4) forming a second axle (3), with the quotient of the rates of revolution of the two axles (1, 3) being a measure for the current transmission ratio value.