Indicator

• US 20030226494A1
• Filed: 03/24/2003
• Published: 12/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nakazawa, Takeshi, Sunaga, Sumiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,871,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 116/28R
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• 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: B60Y 2200/124 Buggies, Quads

Abstract

An indicator including a transmittable indicator panel attached to a shielding holder (a housing), and a character or a graphic form indicated inside the indicator panel. The character or the graphic form is irradiated by a light emitting diode located inside the housing. The indicator panel is formed by a character indicating part that indicates a character or a graphic form and transmits light, a masking part that intercepts light by surrounding the character indicating part, and a transmittable margin that surrounds the masking part and transmits light. With this configuration, a character or a graphic form becomes conspicuous during the daytime, and at night is never more conspicuous than is required. Thus, the visibility of the indicator can be improved. Moreover, the configuration of the transmitting light from the light source of the indicator allows it to be accommodated in the limited space available on the indicator panel.

Claims

1. An indicator for indicating a character or a graphic form, comprising:

a light source provided in a housing for irradiating the character or the graphic form; and

a transmittable indicator panel attached to the housing, the transmittable indicator panel including;

a character indicating part that indicates a character or a graphic form and transmits light;

a masking part that intercepts light by surrounding the character indicating part; and

a transmittable margin that surrounds the masking part and transmits light.

2. The indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a mat face that softens light transmitted to the back of the character indicating part; and

a diamond-cut face or a crystal face for increasing brightness by irregularly reflecting light transmitted to the back of the transmittable margin.

3. The indicator according to claim 1, wherein the housing is arranged under the transmittable indicator panel.

4. The indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a light transmitting plate attached to an opening on the upper surface of the housing; and

a board supporting the light source arranged in an opening of the lower surface of the housing.

5. The indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a peripheral area of the transmittable indicator panel, the peripheral area being a part that intercepts light by printing, the part being solid black or another solid color; and

a light transmitting part that transmits light formed inside the peripheral area, said character indicating part not transmitting light and being formed in the light transmitting part.

6. The indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a peripheral area of the transmittable indicator panel, the peripheral area being a part that partially intercepts light by printing, the part being black or another color.

7. The indicator according to claim 1, wherein the transmittable margin rises higher above a light transmittable plate than does the masking part.

8. The indicator according to claim 1, wherein the character or the graphic form is a letter, a numeral, a symbol, or a combination thereof.

9. A meter for a vehicle, comprising:

a meter housing with a cover; and

a plurality of indicators for indicating a character or a graphic form, each of the plurality of indicators comprising;

a light source provided in a housing for irradiating the character or the graphic form;

a transmittable indicator panel attached to the housing, the transmittable indicator panel including;

a character indicating part that indicates a character or a graphic form and transmits light;

a masking part that intercepts light by surrounding the character indicating part; and

a transmittable margin that surrounds the masking part and transmits light.

10. The meter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a mat face that softens light transmitted to the back of the character indicating part; and

a diamond-cut face or a crystal face for increasing brightness by irregularly reflecting light transmitted to the back of the transmittable margin.

11. The meter according to claim 9, wherein the housing is arranged under the transmittable indicator panel.

12. The meter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a light transmitting plate attached to an opening on the upper surface of the housing; and

a board supporting the light source arranged in an opening of the lower surface of the housing.

13. The meter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a peripheral area of the transmittable indicator panel, the peripheral area being a part that intercepts light by printing, the part being solid black or another solid color; and

a light transmitting part that transmits light formed inside the peripheral area, said character indicating part not transmitting light and being formed in the light transmitting part.

14. The meter according to claim 9, further comprising:

a peripheral area of the transmittable indicator panel, the peripheral area being a part that partially intercepts light by printing, the part being black or another color.

15. The meter according to claim 9, wherein the transmittable margin rises higher above a light transmittable plate than does the masking part.

16. The meter according to claim 9, wherein the character or the graphic form is a letter, a numeral, a symbol, or a combination thereof.