US 5,211,128 A · Automotive meter device having self-acting light-emitting pointer · patentgrep

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Abstract

An automobile meter device of the type having a self-acting light-emitting needle or pointer is disclosed in which first and second current supply terminals connected with first and second electrodes of a light-emitting element are disposed on opposite side of a pointer boss. The current supply terminals include plug-in sockets extending parallel to a longitudinal axis of the pointer shaft. When the pointer boss is fitted over a meter shaft to assemble the pointer with a pointer drive unit, the sockets are automatically fitted over connector pins of fourth current supply terminals which are connected with a power source. With this construction, the meter can be assembled efficiently with utmost ease. The pointer boss may be electrically conductive and connected with one of the electrodes of the light-emitting element in which instance one of the current supply terminals may be omitted.

Claims33

Dependent claims

A meter device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

(a) a pointer drive unit for rotating a meter shaft in response to an input signal;
(b) a self-acting light-emitting pointer fixedly mounted on said meter shaft for co-rotation therewith, said pointer including a light-emitting element having first and second electrodes, and first and second current supply members connected, at one and thereof, to said first and second electrodes, respectively, and having, at the opposite end thereof, first and second connecting portions, respectively, said first and second connecting portions extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said meter shaft;
(c) third and fourth current supply members having, at one end thereof, third and fourth connecting portions, respectively, and connected, at the opposite end, to one end of first and second metallic spiral springs, respectively, said third and fourth connecting portions extending in said direction and being releasably engaged with said first and second connecting portions, respectively, so that said first and second current supply members are electrically connected with said third and fourth current supply members, respectively, at the same time when said self-acting light-emitting pointer is mounted on said meter shaft;
and
(d) fifth and sixth current supply members connected to the opposite end of said first and second spiral springs for supplying an electric current to said first and second spiral springs.

2 more elements

A meter device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

(a) a pointer drive unit for rotating a meter shaft in response to an input signal;
(b) a self-acting light-emitting pointer fixedly mounted on said meter shaft for co-rotation therewith, said pointer including a light-emitting element having first and second electrodes, and first and second current supply members connected at one end thereof, to said first and second electrodes, respectively, and having at the opposite end, first and second connecting portions, respectively, said first and second connecting portions extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said meter shaft;
(c) third and fourth current supply members having at one end thereof, third and fourth connecting portions, respectively, extending in said direction, said third and fourth connecting portions being releasably engaged with said first and second connecting portions, respectively to electrically connect said first and second current supply members and said third and fourth current supply members simultaneously when said self-acting light-emitting pointer is mounted on said meter shaft;
and
(d) fifth and sixth current supply members connected, at one end thereof, to a power source and at the opposite end thereof, to the opposite end of said third and fourth current supply members, respectively,
said self-acting light-emitting pointer including an elongate conductive lead frame, and a row of light-emitting diode tips disposed on said lead frame and molded with synthetic resin together with said lead frame, said light-emitting diode tips constituting said light-emitting element, said lead frame having first and second connector terminals connected with said first and second electrodes of said light-emitting element, respectively, and disposed on the outside of said pointer, each of said first and second current supply members having at said one end thereof a plug-in-socket resiliently holding therein corresponding one of said first and second connector terminals.

3 more elements

A meter device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

(a) a pointer drive unit for rotating a meter shaft in response to an input signal;
(b) a self-acting light-emitting pointer fixedly mounted on said meter shaft for co-rotation therewith, said pointer including a light-emitting element having first and second electrodes and first and second current supply members connected at one end thereof, to said first and second electrodes, respectively, and having at the opposite end, first and second connecting portions, respectively said first and second connecting portions extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said meter shaft, each of said first and second connecting portions having a pair of opposed resilient grip arms;
(c) third and fourth current supply members having, at one end thereof, third and fourth connecting portions, respectively, and connected, at the opposite end, to one end of first and second metallic spiral springs, respectively, said third and fourth connecting portions extending in said direction, each of said third and fourth current supply members being a terminal pin resiliently held by and between said resilient grip arms of a corresponding connection of portion to electrically connect said first and second current supply members and said third and fourth current supply members simultaneously when said self-acting light-emitting pointer is mounted on said meter shaft;
and
(d) fifth and sixth current supply members connected, at one end of said first and second spiral springs for supplying an electric current to said first and second spiral springs.

2 more elements

A meter device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

(a) a pointer drive unit for rotating a meter shaft in response to an input signal;
(b) a self-acting light-emitting pointer fixedly mounted on said meter shaft for co-rotation therewith, said pointer including a light-emitting element having first and second electrodes and first and second current supply members connected at one end thereof, to said first and second electrodes, respectively, and having at the opposite end thereof, first and second connecting portions, respectively, said first and second connecting portions extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said meter shaft;
(c) third and fourth current supply members having, at one end thereof, third and fourth connecting portions, respectively, and connected at the opposite end, to one end of first and second metallic spiral springs, respectively, said third and fourth connecting portions extending in said direction and being releasably engaged with said first and second connecting portions, respectively, to electrically connect said first and second current supply members and said third and fourth current supply members simultaneously when said self-acting light-emitting pointer is mounted on said meter shaft;
and
(d) fifth and sixth current supply members connected to the opposite end of said first and second spiral springs for supplying an electric current to said first and second spiral springs,
said self-acting light-emitting pointer including an elongate conductive lead frame, and a row of light-emitting diode tips disposed on said lead frame and molded with synthetic resin together with said lead frame, said light-emitting diode tips constituting said light-emitting element, said lead frame having first and second connector terminals connected with said first and second electrodes of said light-emitting element, respectively, and disposed on the outside of said pointer, each of said first and second current supply members having at said one end thereof a plug-in socket resiliently holding therein corresponding one of said first and second connector terminals.

3 more elements

A meter device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

(a) a pointer drive unit for rotating a meter shaft in response to an input signal, said meter shaft being made of an electrically conductive material;
(b) a self-acting light-emitting pointer having a tubular pointer shaft firmly fitted with said meter shaft for co-rotation therewith, said pointer including a light-emitting elements having first and second electrodes, a first current supply member connected at one end thereof, with said first electrode and having at the opposite end thereof, a first connecting portion extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said pointer shaft, and a second current supply member connected at one end thereof, with said second electrode and having a second connecting portion constituting said pointer shaft;
(c) a third current supply member having at one end thereof, a third connecting portion extending in a direction substantially parallel to said meter shaft and connected at the opposite end thereof, with one end of a first metallic spiral spring, said third connecting portion being releasably engaged with said first connecting portion to electrically connect said first and third current supply members simultaneously when said pointer shaft is fitted over said meter shaft to electrically connect said second current supply member and said meter shaft, said meter shaft constituting a fourth current supply member;
(d) a second metallic spiral spring connected at one end with said meter shaft;
(e) fifth and sixth current supply members connected to the opposite ends of said first and second spiral springs, respectively, for supply an electrical current to said first and second spiral springs;
and
(f) an insulating member firmly fitted over said conductive meter shaft;
said fourth current supply member further including a first boss of electrically conductive material firmly fitted over said conductive meter shaft at one side of said insulating member and joined with an inner end of said second spiral spring, said third current supply member including a second boss of electrically conductive material firmly fitted over said insulating member at the opposite side of the latter and joined with an inner end of said first spiral spring, and a connector joined with said second boss and having said third connecting portion.

5 more elements

A meter device for a motor vehicle, comprising:

(a) a pointer drive unit for rotating a meter shaft in response to an input signal, said meter shaft being made of an electrically conductive material;
(b) a self-acting light-emitting pointer having a tubular pointer shaft firmly fitted with said meter shaft for co-rotation therewith, said pointer including a light-emitting element having first and second electrodes, a first current supply member connected at one end thereof, with said first electrode and having at the opposite end thereof, a first connecting portion extending in a direction substantial parallel to a longitudinal axis of said pointer shaft, and a second current supply member connected at one end thereof, with said second electrode and having a second connecting portion constituting said pointer shaft;
(c) a third current supply member having, at one end thereof, a third connecting portion extending in a direction substantially parallel to said meter shaft and connected, at the opposite end thereof, with one end of a first metallic spiral spring, said third connecting portion being releasably engaged with said first connecting portion to electrically connect said first and third current supply members simultaneously when said pointer shaft is fitted over said meter shaft to electrically connect said second current supply member and said meter shaft, said meter shaft constituting a fourth current supply member;
(d) a second metallic spiral spring connected at one end with said meter shaft;
(e) fifth and sixth current supply members connected to the opposite ends of said first and second spiral springs, respectively, for supply an electric current to said first and second spiral springs;
and
(f) an insulating member firmly fitted over said conductive pointer shaft;
said fourth current supply member further including a first boss of electrically conductive material firmly fitted over said conductive meter shaft and joined with an inner end of said second spiral spring, said third current supply member including a second boss of electrically conductive material firmly fitted over said insulating member and joined with an inner end of said first spiral spring, and a connector joined with said second boss and having said third connecting portion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/677,395Filed 29 Mar 1991
Priority: JP 2-8219429 Mar 1990
Granted: 18 May 1993
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G01D 13/26
Pointers, e.g. settable pointer: adapted to perform a further operation, e.g. making electrical contact
B60K 35/10
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle,…
B60K 35/60
Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles: instruments characterised by their location or relative…
B60K 2360/33
Optical features of instruments: illumination features

Family

No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.

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