Vehicle instrument

• US 8,830,043 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sato, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wu, Zhen Y
• Application Number:
  US13/477,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20120306635A1
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426.15, 353/13, 353/14
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/20 Optical features of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/31 Virtual images
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/334 Projection means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/347 Optical elements for superposition of display information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• 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: B60Q 3/12 lighting onto the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

A vehicle instrument includes a mechanical meter which is attached to an instrument panel of a vehicle, and a projector which projects an image to be superimposed on an indication area of the mechanical meter. The projector projects a graphic image according to the type of display content. In the case where the display content is a warning, a warning image is superimposed on an indicator and the area surrounding the indicator of the mechanical meter. The projector can also superimpose an area image on the display area of the mechanical meter, the area image indicating a cost effective driving range according to a driving state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle instrument, comprising:

a mechanical meter which is disposed so as to be visually recognized by a driver seated on a driver'"'"'s seat of a vehicle, the mechanical meter including an indication area having a front surface and an indicator for indicating part of the indication area;

a projector configured to project an image to be superimposed on the indication area; and

a housing attached to an instrument panel of the vehicle,

wherein the housing includes the mechanical meter inside thereof, an opening facing the driver'"'"'s seat of the vehicle, and a cover covering the opening, and

wherein the projector is disposed between the mechanical meter and the cover to directly project the image on the front surface of the indication area.

2. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1,

wherein the image is a graphic corresponding to a type of display content, and

wherein, when the display content is a warning, the projector projects the image so as to be superimposed on at least one of the indicator and the indication area around the indicator.

3. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1,

wherein the indication area includes a scale display area having a scale to be indicated by the indicator, and

wherein when the vehicle is in an eco-driving state, the projector projects an image indicating the eco-driving range so as to be superimposed on the scale display area.

4. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1,

wherein the indication area is a dial of the mechanical meter,

wherein, in cross section in a direction of a line of sight from the driver, the dial is contoured to include projections and depressions, and

wherein the projector projects the image in a background color so as to be superimposed on the dial.

5. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1,

wherein the projector is capable of projecting the image on a region other than the indication area of the mechanical meter,

wherein different types of display content are projected from the projector in the indication area and the region other than the indication area, and

wherein a display surface of the image in the indication area and a display surface of the image in the region other than the indication area are formed of different materials.

6. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1,

wherein the indication area includes a dial having a front surface, and

wherein the projector directly projects the image on the front surface of the dial.

7. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1,

wherein the projector is disposed at a bottom of the housing.