Meter unit having magnetic pointer position detector

• US 6,940,269 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Komura, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Whittington, Kenneth J
• Application Number:
  US10/636,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 324/207.17, 324/207.25, 324/207.26, 324/207.11, 324/207.13, 324/207.15, 324/207.16, 324/202, 324/146, 324/154.R, 324/151.R, 340/686.1, 340/688, 340/441, 340/870.04, 340/815.78, 73/18.8, 116/62.1, 116/62.3, 116/291, 116/303, 116/284, 116/297, 116/32.R, 318/685, 318/463, 335/205, 335/236, 335/206, 335/237, 235/104
• US Class Current: 324/146
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/16 Elements for restraining, or preventing the movement of, parts, e.g. for zeroising caging of moving parts when not in use G01D11/20
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/26 adapted to perform a further operation, e.g. making electrical contact
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers

Abstract

A speed meter unit has a magnetic pointer position detector, including an output coil, a detection coil and a magnetic piece. The output coil generates magnetic flux. The detection coil is for detecting the magnetic flux from the output coil. When a pointer has returned to an initial position, the magnetic flux generated in the output coil can reach the detection coil through the magnetic piece, so that a microcomputer can detect the initial position of the pointer. Such the magnetic pointer position detector is resistive to the soil or the oxidization, so that the speed meter unit can detect the initial position of the pointer accurately and securely.

Claims

1. A meter unit comprising:

a scale;

a pointer that rotates over the scale;

a pointer control means;

a rotation member controlled by the pointer control means integrally with the pointer; and

a pointer position detector for detecting that the pointer is positioned in a predetermined position over the scale,

wherein the pointer position detector includes;

a magnetic material installed in a part of the rotation member; and

an output coil for generating magnetic flux toward the rotation member and a detection coil for detecting the magnetic flux thereby to magnetically detect that the pointer is positioned at the predetermined position over the scale.

2. The meter unit according to claim 1, wherein the pointer position detector includes a magnetic shield for shielding the detection coil against magnetic flux from an outside of the meter unit.

3. The meter unit according to claim 2, wherein the pointer position detector includes an output magnetic pole, which projects toward the rotation member and is wound with the output coil, and a detection magnetic pole, which projects toward the rotation member and is wound with the detection coil.

4. The meter unit according to claim 3, wherein the output magnetic pole and the detection magnetic pole are integrally formed in the magnetic shield and project therefrom toward the rotation member.

5. The meter unit according to claim 1, further comprising a rotation stopping means that stops a rotation of the rotation member, so that the magnetic flux from the output coil passes through the magnetic material and reaches the detection coil, when the pointer is positioned at the predetermined position.

6. The meter unit according to claim 5, wherein:

the predetermined position is provided at a plurality of locations on the scale; and

the rotation stopping means stops the rotation of the rotation member so that the magnetic material forms the magnetic route when the pointer is positioned at the predetermined position at any one of the plurality of locations.

7. The meter unit according to claim 1, further comprising:

a determination means for determining whether the pointer is positioned at the predetermined position over the scale; and

a control means for controlling the pointer control means,

wherein the detection coil outputs an output signal, which means whether the pointer is positioned at the predetermined position over the scale,

the determination means determines whether the pointer is positioned at the predetermined position over the scale in response to the output signal and outputs a determination signal indicative of a determination thereof, and

the control means controls the pointer control means so as to drive the pointer in a position corresponding to the determination signal.

8. The meter unit according to claim 7, wherein:

the control means is a drive circuit; and

the pointer control means is a stepping motor including a drive coil for outputting magnetic flux in response to the determination signal from the drive circuit and a magnet rotor for rotating the rotation member in response to the magnetic flux from the drive coil.

9. The meter unit according to claim 8, wherein a terminal of the output coil is connected to a terminal of the drive coil.

10. The meter unit according to claim 1, wherein one terminal of the output coil is connected to one terminal of the detection coil.

11. A combination meter unit comprising a plurality of meter subunits, each of which includes the meter unit according to claim 1.

12. The combination meter unit according to claim 11, further comprising a plurality of time-sharing control means each of which drives a corresponding pointer control means with time-sharing, so that each pointer of the meter subunits can be controlled with time-sharing.

13. The combination meter unit according to claim 11, further comprising a time-sharing determination means for determining whether each pointer is positioned in a corresponding predetermined position over the scale with time sharing in response to a corresponding output signal from a corresponding pointer position detector.