Pointer instrument

#The invention relates to a pointer instrument, especially one for a motor vehicle, having two pointers which can each be deflected by a pointer drive and each have a pointer flag, it being possible for the pointers to pivot independently of each other about a common axis of rotation.

#In modern motor vehicles, a large number of items of information are signaled to the driver by pointer instruments. Whereas earlier one was satisfied with just a speed indicator, pointer instruments are also increasingly provided nowadays for the engine speed, the fuel level or the temperature. For traffic safety reasons, these instruments must be arranged in the continuous field of view of the driver as a result of which the installation space which is available is often severely restricted.

#It has therefore already been proposed to integrate two independent, coaxial pointers into one pointer instrument, similar to a clock, in order in this way to make optimum use of the available space. However, the disadvantage here is that, depending on the position of the pointer flags, the lower pointer flag is hidden by the upper pointer flag and therefore cannot be read directly by the driver. As a result, in the event of a fleeting glance at the pointer instrument, confusion in the allocation of the pointer flag may occur. Furthermore, the above-described design requires multiple scaling, so that increased attention is required of the driver for the purpose of reading. The inherent advantage of pointer instruments over digital indicators, that changes in the indicated value can be registered without the indicator having to be read exactly for this, is therefore no longer provided in the case of two coaxial pointer flags. Furthermore, the relatively great distance of the upper pointer from the dial has a detrimental effect so that reading inaccuracies occur, depending on the viewing angle, and the pointer instrument has a large overall height. In practice, the abovementioned disadvantages have led to pointer instruments with a plurality of pointer flags not being able to become widespread, with the exception of pointer instruments for the time of day.

#The invention permits various embodiments. In order to illustrate its basic principle further, three of these embodiments are illustrated in the drawing and will be described below. In the drawings

#FIG. 1 shows a side, partly sectioned illustration of a pointer instrument according to the invention,

#FIG. 2 shows a side, partly sectioned illustration of the pointer instrument illustrated in FIG. 1 in a modified embodiment,

#FIG. 1 shows a partly sectioned side view of a pointer instrument 1 having two pointer flags 3, 4 which can pivot about a common axis 2 and belong to pointers 33, 34. The two pointer flags 3, 4 can in each case be deflected, independently of each other, by means of a mechanism 5, 5′ designed as a gear mechanism. For this purpose, the pointer instrument 1 has one each of a pointer drive 6, 6′, which is arranged on the rear side of a circuit board 7 and in each case drives a gearwheel 9, 9′ by means of a drive shaft 8, 8′. The gearwheel 9 or 9′ engages in each case in a toothed disk 10, 10′, which is in the form of a sector of a circle and which is connected in each case to a vertical support arm 11, 11′ for the pointer flags 3, 4. The support arm 11, 11′ of the pointer 33 or 34 has in each case an upper bearing point 12, 12′ and a lower bearing point 13, 13′ , which engage around the common axis 2 and permit the pointer flags 3, 4 to be deflected. The support arm 11, 11′ is also connected to a light-injection element 14, 14′ which is designed for the purpose of introducing light radiated by a light source 15, 15′ into the support arm 11, 11′, which is designed as a light conductor, and into the pointer flags 3, 4, which conduct light and couple light out. A light path 29 from the light source 15 into the pointer flag 3, via deflection surfaces 30, 31, 32 in the light-injection element 14 and in the support arm 11, is illustrated by way of example. The light-injection element 14, 14′ has a cross section in the form of a segment of a circle, so that when the support arm 11, 11′ pivots about the axis 2, the light-injection element 14, 14′ is positioned directly above the light source 15, 15′ in every angular position.

#The two pointer flags 3, 4 are located in a common plane parallel to a dial 16; the pivoting regions of the pointer flags 3, 4 do not intersect one another. At its upper end, the common axis 2 bears a covering cap 17 which hides the central bearing components, as well as a recess in the dial 16 through which the support arm 11, 11′ passes, from a possible observer, and is fastened rigidly to the circuit board 7.

#FIG. 2 shows a side view of a pointer instrument 18 which is only slightly modified by comparison with the pointer instrument 1 shown in FIG. 1. In this case, pointer flags 3, 4 which are designed to be essentially transparent, conduct light and couple light out, each carry at their end facing away from a common axis 2 a light source 19, 19′ which is formed by an LED and by means of which the pointer flags 3, 4 can be illuminated directly and independently of each other. For this purpose, the respective light source 19, 19′ is provided in each case with two electrical contact-making means 20, 21, 20′, 21′, which, in each case in the region of an upper bearing point 12, 12′ and a lower bearing point 13, 13′, are connected by means of a wiping contact (not illustrated) with an electrical contact means which is fitted to the common axis 2. In line with the pointer instrument 1 illustrated in FIG. 1, the pointer instrument 18 has one each of a pointer drive 6, 6′ which is connected to a circuit board 7 and which, by means of a mechanism 5, 5′, deflects a support arm 11, 11′ respectively accommodating one of the pointer flags 3, 4.