Display device for vehicle

• US 7,726,255 B2
• Filed: 12/27/2007
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nakamichi, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson; Amy Cohen
• Application Number:
  US12/005,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 116 621- 624, 116/284, 116/334, 116/298, 116/300, 116/301, 340/441, 340/459, 340/461, 731/143.8, 731/144.2, 731/144.8, 731/145.2, 731/145.3
• US Class Current: 116/62.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/215 characterised by the combination of multiple visual outputs, e.g. combined instruments with analogue meters and additional displays
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/02 Indicating value of two or more variables simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/08 Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers

Abstract

The present invention provides a display device for a vehicle that includes a speed display unit that displays a vehicle speed on a speed scale; and a supply-rate display unit that displays a supply rate that is a fuel supply amount per a give time on a supply-rate scale. In this display device for a vehicle, the speed scale and the supply-rate scale are arranged in parallel with a constant distance therebetween.

Claims

1. A display device for a vehicle, said display device comprising:

a speed display unit including a speed scale for displaying a vehicle speed, and a speed indicator for indicating a vehicle speed on the speed scale; and

a supply-rate display unit that displays a supply rate of a current fuel supply amount per a given time on a supply-rate scale,

wherein;

the speed scale and the supply-rate scale are arranged in parallel with a constant distance therebetween;

said speed scale and said supply-rate scale being corresponding with each other, and

said speed indicator is also operable to indicate a corresponding fuel injection rate at a given vehicle speed;

during operation of said vehicle, at a given vehicle speed, comparison of said current fuel supply amount per a given time with said corresponding fuel injection rate provides whether said vehicle being operated at a desirable fuel consumption level.

2. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

a position of the supply-rate scale of the supply-rate display unit is arranged relative to a position of the speed scale of the speed display unit that agrees with a speed of the vehicle calculated from the supply rate and a given fuel consumption.

3. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the speed scale is arranged in an arc, and is provided with said speed indicator that moves about an approximate center of the arc.

4. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said speed scale and said supply-rate scale correspond with each other based on a 10.15 mode fuel consumption.

5. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the speed-scale and the supply-rate scale are arranged such each of the speed-scale and the supply-rate scale increase in the same direction.

6. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the speed-scale and the supply-rate scale are arranged in straight lines.

7. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the speed-scale and the supply-rate scale are each arranged in a curved arc.

8. A display device for a vehicle, said display device comprising:

a rotation-rate display unit including a rotation-rate scale for displaying a rotation rate of an engine of the vehicle, and a rotation rate indicator for indicating a rotation rate of an engine on the rotation-rate scale; and

a supply-rate display unit that displays on a supply-rate scale a supply rate of a current fuel supply amount per a given time,

wherein the rotation-rate scale and the supply-rate scale are arranged in parallel with a constant distance therebetween;

said rotation-rate scale and said supply-rate scale being corresponding with each other, and

said rotation rate indicator is also operable to indicate a corresponding fuel injection rate at a given rotation rate of the engine;

during operation of said vehicle, at a given rotation rate of the engine, comparison of said current fuel supply amount per a given time with said corresponding fuel injection rate provides whether said vehicle being operated at a desirable fuel consumption level.

9. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

a position of the supply-rate scale of the supply-rate display unit is arranged relative to a position of the rotation-rate scale of the rotation-rate display unit that agrees with a rotation rate of the engine of the vehicle calculated from a given fuel consumption, a tire diameter and a reduction gear ratio of a reduction gear unit of the vehicle, and the supply rate.

10. A display device for a vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said rotation-rate scale and said supply-rate scale correspond with each other based on a 10.15 mode fuel consumption.