Indicating instrument having light conducting plate

• US 6,065,846 A
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Takahira, Tamura, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanley, Bryan P.
• Application Number:
  US09/184,884
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• Field of Search: 362/26, 362/30, 362/23, 362/28, 362/29, 362/31, 362/85, 362/307, 362/327
• US Class Current: 362/30
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide

Abstract

An indicating instrument has a generally straight illumination lamp and a light conducting plate. The light conducting plate has V-shaped notches near the lamp at the back thereof and curved surfaces at the front thereof. The V-shaped notches have inclined surface for receiving light from the lamp and transmitting it to the curved surfaces. The light from the lamp is totally reflected by the curved surface to illuminate a dial plate effectively.

Claims

1. An indicating instrument including a dial plate, a light conducting plate disposed on the back of said dial plate and a generally straight illumination lamp disposed at the back of said light conducting plate, said light conducting plate comprising:

a generally flat circumferential light conducting section for illuminating said dial plate;

a light incidence section disposed integrally with said light conducting section having a light incidence back surface directly facing said lamp and a light reflecting front surface disposed to correspond to said light incidence back surface;

wherein

said light incidence back surface comprises a notched portion having an inclined surface facing said lamp at an angle with respect to said light reflecting front surface,

said light reflecting front surface comprises a curved surface for reflecting incident light of said inclined surface toward said circumferential light conducting section, and

said angle of said inclined surface with respect to said curved surface is in a range so that incidence light of said light incidence back surface is totally reflected on said curved surface.

2. An indicating instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said notched portion of said light incidence section has a V-shaped notch.

3. An indicating instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said notched portion comprises a plurality of notches each of which has an inclined surface generally facing said lamp at an angle in said range with respect to said curved surface.

4. An indicating instrument as claimed in claim 3 further comprising a reflection panel, longitudinally disposed at the back of said lamp, for reflecting light of said lamp toward said light incidence section, wherein

said dial plate has a plurality of trans-illuminous portions for indicators;

and

said light conducting plate further comprises a reflection layer disposed on the back of said circumferential light conducting section except said light incidence section.

5. An indicating instrument as claimed in claim 4, wherein

said reflection panel is made of grayish material to control reflection rate thereof.

6. An indicating instrument as claimed in claim 4 further comprising

a light diffusing member, disposed in front of said lamp between said light conducting plate and said dial plate, for diffusing light coming out of said reflection panel.

7. An indicating instrument comprising:

a dial plate;

a light conducting plate disposed on the back of said dial plate and a generally straight illumination lamp disposed at the back of said light conducting plate;

wherein

said light conducting plate comprises a generally flat light conducting section for illuminating said dial plate;

a light incidence section disposed integrally with said light conducting section having a light incidence back surface directly facing said lamp and a light reflecting front surface disposed to correspond to said light incidence back surface,

said light incidence back surface comprises a notched portion having an inclined surface facing said lamp at an angle with respect to said light reflecting front surface,

said light reflecting front surface comprises a curved surface for reflecting incident light of said inclined surface toward said light conducting section,

said angle of said inclined surface with respect to said curved surface is in a range so that incidence light of said light incidence back surface is totally reflected on said curved surface, and

said illumination lamp comprises a plurality of light emitting elements and a printed circuit board for supporting said plurality of light emitting elements and supplying electric power thereto.