Engine speed indicator for a vehicle

• US 6,888,448 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2002
• Issued: 05/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Scania CV AB (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Sandberg, Tony, Hälleberg, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/477,934
• Publication Number:
  US 20040145461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 340439-441, 340/461, 340438-462, 340/815.43, 340/815.65, 340/815.78, 731/13, 731/14, 123/339.12, 123/669, 116/334, 116/303, 116/62.4, 324/160, 324/161, 324/169
• US Class Current: 340/441
• 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: B60R 16/0232 for measuring vehicle parameters and indicating critical, abnormal or dangerous conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers

Abstract

The present invention relates to an engine speed indicator for a vehicle, which is driven by a combustion engine. The engine speed indicator comprises a first indicator arranged to show the actual member of revolutions of the engine and second indicator arranged to show at which number of revolutions or within which range of number of revolutions a minimal emission of at least one emission gas is obtained from the vehicle during operation of the combustion engine. The engine speed indicator also comprises a third indicator which is arranged to show an emission level of the emission gas at the actual value of the number of revolutions. A driver can hereby drive the vehicle in such a manner that the emissions of emission gases are substantially minimal.

Claims

1. An engine speed indicator for a vehicle combustion engine, the indicator comprising:

a first indicator in communication with the engine and arranged to show an actual number of revolutions of the engine, and

a second indicator operative to show at which number of revolutions or within which range of number of revolutions a minimal emission of at least one emission gas is obtained from a vehicle during operation of the combustion engine thereof.

2. An engine speed indicator according to claim 1, further comprising a third indicator operative to show an emission level of the emission gas at the actual number of revolutions.

3. An engine speed indicator according to claim 1, wherein the first indicator comprises a first indicating member operative to show the value of the actual number of revolutions by movement of the first indicating member along a graduated path.

4. An engine speed indicator according to claim 3, wherein the second indicator comprises a second indicating member, which is permanently positioned along the graduated path, at a location which shows at which number of revolutions or within which range of number of revolutions a minimal emission of the emission gas is obtained.

5. An engine speed indicator according claim 4, further comprising a third indicator operative to show an emission level of the emission gas at the actual number of revolutions;

wherein the third indicator comprises at least one light generating member positioned and operative to indicate the emission level of the emission gas at the actual number of revolutions by means of different colors.

6. An engine speed indicator according to claim 5, wherein the light generating member comprises a light emitting diode.

7. An engine speed indicator according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit arranged and operative to receive information concerning the number of revolutions of the engine and the delivered engine power, and the control unit is operative to activate the second indicator to show at which number of revolutions or within which range of number of revolutions a minimal emission of the emission gas is obtained at the current engine power.

8. An engine speed indicator according to claim 7, further comprising a display having an image surface;

and

the first indicator is in the form of a pointer the position of which on the image surface indicates the actual number of revolutions of the engine and delivered engine power.

9. An engine speed indicator according to claim 8, wherein the display comprises the second indicator having the form of a graph which shows at which number of revolutions or within which range of number of revolutions as a function of the delivered engine power a minimal emission level of the emission gas is obtained.

10. An engine speed indicator according to claim 9, wherein the display comprises at least one contour line, which connects power ranges with a specific emission level of the emission gas.

11. An engine speed indicator according to claim 2, wherein the third indicator comprises at least one light generating member positioned and operative to indicate the emission level of the emission gas at the actual number of revolutions by means of different colors.

12. An engine speed indicator according to claim 11, wherein the light generating member is a light emitting diode.