Pointer instrument

• US 6,178,917 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Jansa, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): HIRSHFELD, ANDREW HOWARD
• Application Number:
  US09/336,303
• Time in Patent Office: 591 Days
• Field of Search: 116/286, 116/287, 116/288, 116/293, 116/297, 116/300, 116/301, 116/303, 116/305, 362/23, 362/30, 362/27, 362/26, 362/28, 362/29, 362/32
• US Class Current: 116/286
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/698 Pointers of combined instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/22 Pointers, e.g. settable pointer
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/02 Indicating value of two or more variables simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/04 using a separate indicating element for each variable

Abstract

A pointer instrument (1) has two pointer flags (3, 4) which can pivot in a common plane about a common axis (2). For this purpose, the pointer flags (3, 4) can each be deflected independently of each other in the region of a separate sector of a circle by a pointer drive (6, 6′), by of a mechanism (5, 5′). By this means, the pointer instrument (1) has a compact overall size and, at the same time, is easy to read.

Claims

1. A pointer instrument having two pointers which are pivotal by a pointer drive and each have a pointer flag in a common plane such that the pointers cannot pass over or under each other, the pointers being pivotal independently of each other about a common axis of rotation, the pointer flags each respectively being pivotal in a range formed by a separate sector of a circle (24, 23, 25) whose center is arranged on the axis of rotation (2).

2. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the common axis (2) is formed as the pointer shaft (27) of one of the pointer flags (4).

3. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointer flags (3, 4, 22) are deflected by means of a form-fitting mechanism (5, 5′

).

4. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mechanism (5, 5′

) is a gear mechanism.

5. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein the mechanism (5, 5′

) is equipped with a pair of gear mechanisms, each gear mechanism including a gearwheel prestressed towards a toothed disk.

6. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointer flags (3, 4, 22) are partially transparent.

7. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointer flags (3, 4) are each illuminated by a light light-injection element (14, 14′

).

8. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein each light-injection element (14, 14′

) has a cross section in the form of an annular segment, the center of each annular segment being arranged approximately on the axis of rotation (2).

9. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein a light source (15, 15′

) radiating light into each light-injection element (14, 14′

) is arranged opposite each light-injection element (14, 14′

) on a circuit board (7) belonging to the pointer instrument (1).

10. The pointer instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointer flags (3, 4) each have a light source (19, 19′

) radiating directly therein.

11. A pointer instrument comprising:

a first rotatable pointer having a pointer flag;

a second rotatable pointer having a pointer flag; and

a pointer drive configured to deflect the pointers independently of each other about a common axis of rotation, wherein a portion of the flag of the first pointer is spaced equidistantly from the common axis of rotation as a portion of the flag of the second pointer, said portions of the pointer flags being arranged in a common plane essentially perpendicular to the common axis of rotation such that each pointer is limited to pivotal movement in a region formed by a sector of a circle whose center is arranged on the axis of rotation.