Combination instrument for displaying measured values and/or other information, in particular for use in a motor vehicle

• US 6,600,427 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Mannesmann VDO AG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Kronenberg, Hartmut, Zech, Stephan, Simon, Ernst-Ulrich, Kolibius, Hans
• Primary Examiner(s): Crosland, Donnie L.
• Application Number:
  US09/877,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20020024799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 340/815.4, 340/815.41, 340/815.47, 340/815.49, 340/815.73, 340/815.78, 340/525, 362/23, 362/28, 362/580, 362/547, 362/800, 361/749, 361/752, 361/750, 361/751, 361/759, 257/713, 116/47-49
• US Class Current: 340/815.49
• 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: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A combination instrument (1) for displaying measured values and/or other information, having a flexible printed circuit (2) on which electrical and/or electronic components (9, 10, 13) are arranged, and with parts of the flexible printed circuit (2) being clamped in between a rear face cover (4) and a front face cover (3), with the rear face cover (4) to be made of metallic material.

Claims

1. A combination instrument (1) for displaying measured values and/or other information, having a flexible printed circuit (2), on which electrical and/or electronic components (9, 10, 13) are arranged, with parts of the flexible printed circuit (2) being clamped in between a rear-face cover (4) and a front-face cover (3), wherein the rear-face cover (4) is made of metallic material.

2. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein additional rearward covers (4a) are provided, and wherein the parts of the flexible printed circuit (2) are clamped in between the additional rear-face cover (4a) and the front cover (3).

3. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein lighting means are arranged on the flexible printed circuit (2).

4. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lighting means are in a form of light-emitting diodes (9).

5. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the front-face cover (3) has openings for accommodating the electrical and/or the electronic components (9, 10, 13).

6. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 5, wherein the openings are surroundable by wall sections (17), and wherein the wall sections (17) are covered by a part of an instrument dial (8) on a side opposite the openings.

7. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein measuring elements (10) are attached to the rear-face cover (4) such that a part of the flexible printed circuit (2) is arranged between one of the measuring elements (10) and the rear-face cover (4).

8. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring element (10) is attached to the rear-face cover (4) by expanding dowels (18).

9. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring element (10) has electrical connections (23) via which the measuring element (10) is drivable, and wherein the electrical connections are electrically connected to contact surfaces on the flexible printed circuit (2).

10. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein the electrical connections (23) of the measuring element (10) are pressed onto the electrical contact surfaces (24) on the flexible printed circuit (2), and an electrical contact is produced in this way.

11. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 9, wherein the connections (23) of the measuring element (10) are soldered to the electrical contact surfaces (24) on the printed circuit (2).

12. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 7, wherein the measuring element (10) has a pointer shaft (11) composed of optically conductive material, wherein a housing of the measuring element (10) is provided such that it has an indentation underneath the pointer shaft, and wherein a lighting device is arranged within the indentation on the printed circuit (2).

13. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible printed circuit (2) is electrically conductively connected to a rigid printed circuit board (14), wherein further electronic components (21) are arranged on the rigid printed circuit board (14), and wherein the further electronic components (21) on the rigid printed circuit board (14) drive the electrical and/or electronic components (9, 10, 13) which are arranged on the flexible printed circuit (2).

14. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 13, wherein the rigid printed circuit board (14) is arranged behind the rear cover (4).

15. The combination instrument as claimed in claim 14, wherein the front cover is part of a system base, and wherein the rigid printed circuit board is clippable into the system base (5) behind the rear cover (4).