System and method for analog vehicle gauge with embedded driver information

• US 7,571,696 B1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yazaki North America Incorporated (Yazaki Corporation)
• Inventors: Pasek, Joseph, Dehmlow, Brian Paul, Fong, Ching, Kelman, Zinoviy
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson; Amy Cohen
• Application Number:
  US11/765,249
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 116/284, 116286-288, 116/305, 116327-329, 116/332, 116/334, 116/335, 116 46- 49, 116 621- 624, 116/DIG.5, 116/DIG.6, 116/DIG.35, 116/DIG.36, 362/23, 362 26- 30, 362/459, 362/489, 738/663, 340/688
• US Class Current: 116/286
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/6985 with only part of pointer being visible
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/6992 Light conducting pointers
• 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: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/28 Structurally-combined illuminating devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/265 Pointers which conduct light
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/04 using a separate indicating element for each variable
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 7/08 using a common indicating element for two or more variables
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/06 Pointer structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/36 Illuminated dial and pointer

Abstract

A gauge is provided. The gauge includes a housing and a bearing plate that can be coupled to the housing. The bearing plate defines a first aperture. The gauge includes a pointer coupled to the bearing plate that has a proximal and a distal end. The pointer end can be mounted to the bearing plate such that the distal end extends into the first aperture. The gauge includes a light guide that defines a second aperture, and can be coupled to the bearing plate such that the second aperture is aligned with the first aperture and the distal end of the pointer extends into the second aperture. The gauge includes an appliqué fitted over the light guide, and one or more light sources in communication with the light guide to provide light to the light guide for transmission to the pointer and the appliqué.

Claims

1. A gauge assembly comprising:

a housing;

a bearing plate coupled to the housing and defining a first aperture;

a pointer moveably coupled to the bearing plate, the pointer having a proximal end that moveably couples the pointer to the bearing plate, a projection that couples the proximal end to a distal end, and the distal end defines a pointing apparatus, the proximal end of the pointer mounted to the bearing plate and the projection sized to enable the distal end to extend into the first aperture;

an annular light guide defining a second aperture, the annular light guide coupled to the bearing plate such that the second aperture is aligned with the first aperture and the distal end of the pointer extends above a surface of the projection into the second aperture and the distal end of the pointer extends beyond a surface of the annular light guide;

an appliqué

fitted over the annular light guide; and

one or more first light sources disposed in the housing and in communication with the annular light guide to provide light to the annular light guide for transmission to the distal end of the pointer and at least a portion of the appliqué

.

2. The gauge assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a gear set coupled to the bearing plate, the pointer being coupled to the gear set; and

a motor assembly coupled to the housing such that the motor assembly drives the gear set to move the pointer.

3. The gauge assembly of claim 2, wherein the bearing plate further comprises a post and a rim formed about the first aperture, and the gear set is coupled to the post and the rim such that the gear set rotates about the post and the rim of the bearing plate.

4. The gauge assembly of claim 3, wherein the gear set further comprises:

a drive gear coupled to the motor assembly, the drive gear including a plurality of teeth;

an intermediate gear rotatably coupled to the post of the bearing plate and including a plurality of teeth that meshingly engage the plurality of teeth of the drive gear such that the intermediate gear is driven by the drive gear;

an annular gear defining a third aperture sized such that the annular gear fits around the rim of the bearing plate to rotatably couple the annular gear to the bearing plate, the annular gear including a plurality of teeth that meshingly engage the plurality of teeth of the intermediate gear such that the annular gear is driven by the intermediate gear; and

wherein the proximal end of the pointer is coupled to the annular gear.

5. The gauge assembly of claim 4, wherein the appliqué

further comprises a fourth aperture that is aligned with the second aperture and dial indicia, the dial indicia disposed about the fourth aperture and backlit by the transmission of light from the one or more first light sources to the annular light guide.

6. The gauge assembly of claim 1, wherein the annular light guide has an outer periphery and an inner periphery, and the one or more first light sources are positioned at the outer periphery to direct light towards the inner periphery of the annular light guide.

7. The gauge assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a display coupled to the housing, the display having a display surface that is visible through the first aperture and second aperture; and

one or more second light sources disposed in the housing and in communication with the display to backlight the display.

8. The gauge assembly of claim 7, further comprising at least one secondary gauge that is backlit by the second light sources.

9. The gauge assembly of claim 7, wherein the display is a liquid crystal display (LCD).

10. A gauge assembly comprising:

a housing;

a bearing plate coupled to the housing, the bearing plate defining a first aperture surrounded by a rim;

an annular gear defining a second aperture, the annular gear having an outer edge that includes a plurality of teeth and an inner edge that bounds the second aperture, the inner edge sized to fit around the rim of the bearing plate such that the gear rotates on the bearing plate;

a pointer having a proximal end mounted on the annular gear, and a projection that couples the proximal end to a distal end such that the distal end of the pointer extends past the inner edge of the annular gear into the second aperture defined by the annular gear;

an annular light guide having an outer periphery and an inner periphery that defines a third aperture, the annular light guide mounted on the bearing plate in a position suspended over the annular gear such that the third aperture is aligned with the first aperture of the bearing plate and the projection of the pointer extends between the annular light guide and the annular gear, the distal end of the pointer coupled to a surface of the projection so that the distal end extends beyond a surface of the annular light guide;

an appliqué

fitted over the annular light guide; and

means for providing light to the annular light guide for transmission to the pointer and appliqué

.

11. The gauge assembly of claim 10, wherein the means for providing light comprises a plurality of first light emitting diodes that are positioned at the outer periphery of the annular light guide to direct light toward the inner periphery of the annular light guide.

12. The gauge assembly of claim 10, further comprising a liquid crystal display (LCD) disposed within the housing such that the LCD displays information through the first aperture, second aperture and third aperture.

13. The gauge assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

one or more second light emitting diodes disposed in the housing and in communication with the display to backlight the display.

14. The gauge assembly of claim 13, further comprising at least one secondary gauge that is backlit by the second light sources.

15. The gauge assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a motor coupled to the housing, the motor having an output member;

a drive gear coupled to the output member, the drive gear including a plurality of teeth;

an intermediate gear rotatably coupled to the bearing plate and including a plurality of teeth that meshingly engage the plurality of teeth of the drive gear such that the intermediate gear is driven by the drive gear; and

wherein the plurality of teeth of the annular gear meshingly engage the plurality of teeth of the intermediate gear such that the annular gear is driven by the intermediate gear to move the pointer about the second aperture.

16. The gauge assembly of claim 10, wherein the appliqué

further comprises a fourth aperture that is aligned with the second aperture and dial indicia, the dial indicia disposed about the fourth aperture and backlit by the transmission of light from the first light sources to the annular light guide.

17. A gauge assembly for use with an instrument panel of a motor vehicle, the instrument panel comprising:

a housing;

one or more gauges coupled to the housing that display an operating condition associated with the motor vehicle;

a color graphical display coupled to the housing and disposed within an aperture defined by of one of the gauges, with the gauge surrounding the color graphical display including;

a pointer moveably coupled to the housing at a proximal end, the pointer mounted to the housing such that a distal end of the pointer extends into the aperture, the pointer including a projection that couples the proximal end to the distal end;

a bearing plate defining a second aperture and including a rim, the bearing plate coupled to the housing such that the second aperture is aligned with the aperture;

a gear set coupled to the bearing plate, the pointer being coupled to the gear set;

an annular light guide disposed around the aperture having an outer periphery and an inner periphery that abuts the aperture, the annular light guide suspended over the gear set to enable the projection of the pointer to pass between the gear set and the annular light guide, and the distal end of the pointer extends beyond a surface of the annular light guide;

an appliqué

fitted over the light guide; and

one or more first light sources disposed in the housing about the aperture such that the light produced by the one or more first light sources is directed from the outer periphery of the annular light guide to the inner periphery of the annular light guide for transmission to the pointer and at least a portion of the appliqué

.

18. The instrument panel of claim 17, wherein the gauge surrounding the color graphical display further comprises:

a motor assembly coupled to the housing such that the motor assembly drives the gear set to move the pointer.

19. The instrument panel of claim 18, wherein the gear set further comprises:

a motor coupled to the housing, the motor having an output member;

a drive gear coupled to the output member, the drive gear including a plurality of teeth;

an intermediate gear rotatably coupled to the bearing plate and including a plurality of teeth that meshingly engage the plurality of teeth of the drive gear such that the intermediate gear is driven by the drive gear; and

an annular gear defining an third aperture sized such that the annular gear fits around the rim of the bearing plate to rotatably couple the annular gear to the bearing plate, the annular gear including a plurality of teeth that meshingly engage the plurality of teeth of the intermediate gear such that the annular gear is driven by the intermediate gear, and the pointer is coupled to the annular gear.

20. The instrument panel of claim 17, further comprising:

one or more second light sources disposed in the housing and in communication with the color graphical display to backlight the display.

21. The instrument panel of claim 17, wherein the appliqué

further comprises dial indicia and the appliqué

is fitted over the annular light guide such that the dial indicia are disposed about the aperture to be backlit by the annular light guide.