Motor vehicle display instrument having an embracing indicator

• US 8,166,907 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 05/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Automotive Limited (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Engel, Kristian, Süss, Manfred, Mayer, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Amy Cohen
• Application Number:
  US12/525,759
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 116/284, 116/285, 116/288, 116/297, 116/303, 116/327, 116/328, 116330-333, 116/DIG.6, 116/62.1, 116/62.3, 116/62.4, 734/96
• US Class Current: 116/297
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/33 Illumination features
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/6985 with only part of pointer being visible
• 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: 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: G01D 13/04 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 13/22 Pointers, e.g. settable pointer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 116/06 Pointer structure

Abstract

The invention provides a display instrument, particularly for a motor vehicle, having an indicator that is rotatable about a rotational axis, wherein the indicator has an inner first region that is radial with regard to the rotational axis and that is not visible to a user, and an outer second region that is radial with regard to the rotational axis and that is visible to a user, wherein at a radial distance from the rotational axis an additional mounting of the indicator and/or a stop for receiving tilting moments positioned substantially perpendicular on the rotational axis are provided.

Claims

1. A display instrument, useful in a motor vehicle, having a pointer which can rotate about a rotational axle, wherein the pointer has a first region which cannot be seen by a user, and a second region which can be seen by a user, characterized in that, at a radial distance from the rotational axle, the pointer further comprises one or more guide sections which are located adjacent to one or more stops wherein the one or more guide sections comprise a ball or a rolling body.

2. A display instrument according to claim 1 wherein the ball or rolling body of the guide sections bear on one or more stops.

3. A display instrument according to claim 1 wherein the one or more guide sections are disposed between two of the stops.

4. A display instrument according to claim 3 wherein the guide sections comprise a ball or a rolling body.

5. A display instrument according to claim 1 wherein the pointer contains two of the one or more guide sections and one of the stops is located between the guide sections.

6. A display instrument useful in a motor vehicle, having a pointer which can rotate about a rotational axle, wherein the pointer has a first region which cannot be seen by a user, and a second region which can be seen by a user, characterized in that at a radial distance from the rotational axle, one or more of an additional mount of the pointer or a stop are provided for taking up tilting moments which are essentially perpendicular to the rotational axle and that the pointer is a hook-type pointer;

wherein and the pointer bears continuously on the one or more stops by means of a rolling body.

7. The display instrument as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the pointer bears in a continuous sliding fashion on the additional mount and/or on the stop.

8. The display instrument as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the pointer is mounted in an easily moving fashion or bears in an easily moving fashion on the additional mount and/or on the stop by means of a lubricant or a friction-reducing coating.

9. The display instrument as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the lubricant or the friction-reducing coating is a PTFE layer.

10. The display instrument as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that a washer and a counterpart are provided as the additional mount.

11. The display instrument as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that first limiting stops and/or second limiting stops are provided as the stop.

12. The display instrument as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that the pointer bears in a continuous sliding fashion on the one or more stops.

13. The display instrument as claimed in claim 6, characterized the one or more stops comprise one or more first limiting stops and one or more second limiting stops.