# US 5,706,757 A · Indicating instrument > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,706,757 A - Document ID: US5706757A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/392,853 - Filed: 1995-03-02 - Granted: 1998-01-13 - Earliest claimed: 1993-08-06 - Assignees: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Hiroshi Hashimoto; Masami Kataoka - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5706757A ## CPC - G01D 11/28: Structurally-combined illuminating devices - G01D 13/28: with luminescent markings - G01P 1/08: Arrangements of scales, pointers, lamps or acoustic indicators, e.g. in automobile speedometers - Y10S 116/06: Pointer structure - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract The present invention is to provide an indicating instrument useful to a speedometer for a vehicle. An internal driving unit (2) is secured to a printed circuit board (1), and a cylindrical rotating shaft (6) is carried by bearings (4, 5) of the internal driving unit (2). A pointer (9) is secured to the rotating shaft (6) and rotated via the rotating shaft (6) by the internal driving unit (2). A light emitting diode (12) is disposed inside the rotating shaft (6) and secured to the printed circuit board (1). Light emitted by the light emitting diode is collected by a light collecting portion (9a) of the pointer (9), reflected by a reflecting portion (9b) and illuminates the pointer (9). ## Claims ### Claim 1 An indicating instrument comprising: an internal driving unit including a stationary base member and a bearing, said bearing being secured to said base member; a rotating shaft having one end carried by said bearing and rotated by said internal driving unit; a pointer having a high conductivity of light and being connected to the other end of said rotating shaft; and a light source for illuminating said pointer, wherein said bearing has an accommodation space formed at the center thereof and extending from said base member to at least said one end of said rotating shaft so that said light source is disposed in said accommodation space and secured to said base member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) An indicating instrument according to claim 1, wherein said pointer has a light collecting portion having a light collecting surface which faces said light source and a reflecting surface coupled to said light collecting surface, said light collecting portion being formed at a foot portion thereof approximately perpendicular to said foot portion, said light collecting surface being formed in a curved shape to condense the light onto said reflecting surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) An indicating instrument according to claim 1, wherein said rotating shaft comprises a cylindrical member, said pointer has a light collecting portion having a light collecting surface which faces said light source and a reflecting surface coupled to said light collecting surface, said light collecting portion being formed at a foot portion thereof approximately perpendicular to said foot portion, and the outside diameter of said light collecting portion being approximately equal to the inside diameter of said cylindrical member so as to be press-fitted into said cylindrical member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) An indicating instrument according to claim 3, wherein said light collecting portion of said pointer has a step portion in abutment with said other end of said rotating shaft. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An indicating instrument according to claim 1, wherein said light source has a part whose outside diameter is approximately equal to inside diameter of said bearing such that said light source is positioned by said bearing. ### Claim 6 An indicating instrument comprising: a stationary base member; a stepping motor having a hollow bearing secured to base member; a cylindrical rotating shaft carried on said bearing to be rotated by said stepping motor; a light conductive pointer disposed to rotate along with said rotating shaft at one end of said rotating shaft; and a light source disposed inside rotating shaft at the other end thereof and secured to said base member.