Meter system with indicator for vehicle

A meter system for a vehicle comprising:

• an indicator including a pointer, a step motor, a stopper mechanism and a driving control unit;
• and
• a flasher function unit including a flasher semiconductor switch, a flasher, a flasher control unit, a buzzer semiconductor switch, a buzzer and a buzzer control unit,
• wherein the pointer indicates a vehicle condition value according to a rotation position of the pointer,
• wherein the pointer is rotatable along with a display surface of a scale plate for displaying the vehicle condition value,
• wherein the step motor rotates the pointer when a driving signal is applied to a field winding of the step motor,
• wherein the driving signal is alternately oscillated according to an electric angle,
• wherein the stopper mechanism stops rotating the pointer at a stopper position, which is disposed within a predetermined range from a zero point position toward a zero point returning direction, when the pointer rotates toward the zero point returning direction,
• wherein the zero point position shows a zero point of the vehicle condition value,
• wherein the driving control unit has a stopper position detection operation executing element, a zero point setting element and an applying element,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element executes a pointer moving away operation for controlling the driving signal to rotate the pointer toward a moving away direction opposite to the zero point returning direction when a predetermined stopper position detection operation executing condition is satisfied,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element executes further executes a voltage detection type zero point stopper position detection operation after the stopper position detection operation executing element executes the pointer moving away operation,
• wherein the voltage detection type zero point stopper position detection operation provides to control the driving signal for rotating the pointer toward the zero point returning direction, and provides to detect an inductive voltage generated in the field winding,
• wherein the voltage detection type zero point stopper position detection operation provides to determine based on the induction voltage whether the pointer stops at the stopper position,
• wherein the zero point setting element sets the zero point to be an electric angle corresponding to the stopper position, which is detected in the voltage detection type zero point stopper position detection operation,
• wherein the applying element applies the driving signal to the field winding, the driving signal having the zero point set by the zero point setting element as a standard,
• wherein the flasher blinks when the flasher semiconductor switch turns on and off,
• wherein the flasher control unit determines based on a manual operation of an user whether a predetermined flasher driving condition is satisfied,
• wherein the flasher control unit controls the flasher semiconductor switch to turn on and off so that the flasher blinks according to the flasher driving condition when the flasher control unit determines that the predetermined flasher driving condition is satisfied,
• wherein the buzzer outputs sound when the buzzer semiconductor switch turns on and off,
• wherein the buzzer control unit controls the buzzer semiconductor switch to turn on and off in association with the flasher semiconductor switch,
• wherein at least one of the flasher semiconductor switch and the buzzer semiconductor switch is disposed adjacent to the field winding,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element further executes a zero point return enforcement type zero point stopper position detection operation, which provides to control the driving signal for rotating the pointer by a predetermined zero point returning angle toward the zero point returning direction so that it is determined that the pointer stops rotating at the stopper position,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element executes the zero point return enforcement type zero point stopper position detection operation when the stopper position detection operation executing condition is satisfied, and the at least one of the flasher semiconductor switch and the buzzer semiconductor switch turns on and off to blink the flasher or to output the sound from the buzzer, and
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element executes the voltage detection type zero point stopper position detection operation when the stopper position detection operation executing condition is satisfied, and the at least one of the flasher semiconductor switch and the buzzer semiconductor switch does not turn on and off to blink the flasher or to output the sound from the buzzer.

A meter system for a vehicle comprising:

• an indicator including a pointer, a step motor, a stopper mechanism and a driving control unit;
• and
• a flasher function unit including a flasher semiconductor switch, a flasher and a flasher control unit,
• wherein the pointer indicates a vehicle condition value according to a rotation position of the pointer,
• wherein the pointer is rotatable along with a display surface of a scale plate for displaying the vehicle condition value,
• wherein the step motor rotates the pointer when a driving signal is applied to a field winding of the step motor,
• wherein the driving signal is alternately oscillated according to an electric angle,
• wherein the stopper mechanism stops rotating the pointer at a stopper position, which is disposed within a predetermined range from a zero point position toward a zero point returning direction, when the pointer rotates toward the zero point returning direction,
• wherein the zero point position shows a zero point of the vehicle condition value,
• wherein the driving control unit has a stopper position detection operation executing element, a zero point setting element and an applying element,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element executes a stopper position detection operation when a predetermined stopper position detection operation executing condition is satisfied,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation includes a step of controlling the driving signal to rotate the pointer toward the zero point returning direction, a step of detecting an inductive voltage generated in the field winding of the step motor, and a step of determining based on the inductive voltage whether the pointer stops at the stopper position,
• wherein the zero point setting element sets the zero point to be an electric angle corresponding to the stopper position, which is detected in the stopper position detection operation,
• wherein the applying element applies the driving signal to the field winding, the driving signal having the zero point set by the zero point setting element as a standard,
• wherein the flasher blinks when the flasher semiconductor switch turns on and off,
• wherein the flasher control unit determines based on a manual operation of an user whether a predetermined flasher driving condition is satisfied,
• wherein the flasher control unit controls the flasher semiconductor switch to turn on and off so that the flasher blinks according to the flasher driving condition when the flasher control unit determines that the predetermined flasher driving condition is satisfied,
• wherein the flasher semiconductor switch is disposed adjacent to the field winding, and
• wherein the stopper position detection operation is not executed when the flasher semiconductor switch turns on and off.

A meter system for a vehicle comprising:

• an indicator including a pointer, a step motor, a stopper mechanism and a driving control unit;
• and
• a flasher function unit including a flasher semiconductor switch, a flasher and a flasher control unit, a buzzer semiconductor switch, a buzzer and a buzzer control unit,
• wherein the pointer indicates a vehicle condition value according to a rotation position of the pointer,
• wherein the pointer is rotatable along with a display surface of a scale plate for displaying the vehicle condition value,
• wherein the step motor rotates the pointer when a driving signal is applied to a field winding of the step motor,
• wherein the driving signal is alternately oscillated according to an electric angle,
• wherein the stopper mechanism stops rotating the pointer at a stopper position, which is disposed within a predetermined range from a zero point position toward a zero point returning direction, when the pointer rotates toward the zero point returning direction,
• wherein the zero point position shows a zero point of the vehicle condition value,
• wherein the driving control unit has a stopper position detection operation executing element, a zero point setting element and an applying element,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation executing element executes a stopper position detection operation when a predetermined stopper position detection operation executing condition is satisfied,
• wherein the stopper position detection operation includes a step of controlling the driving signal to rotate the pointer toward the zero point returning direction, a step of detecting an inductive voltage generated in the field winding of the step motor, and a step of determining based on the inductive voltage whether the pointer stops at the stopper position,
• wherein the zero point setting element sets the zero point to be an electric angle corresponding to the stopper position, which is detected in the stopper position detection operation,
• wherein the applying element applies the, driving signal to the field winding, the driving signal having the zero point set by the zero point setting element as a standard,
• wherein the flasher blinks when the flasher semiconductor switch turns on and off,
• wherein the flasher control unit determines based on a manual operation of an user whether a predetermined flasher driving condition is satisfied,
• wherein the flasher control unit controls the flasher semiconductor switch to turn on and off so that the flasher blinks according to the flasher driving condition when the flasher control unit determines that the predetermined flasher driving condition is satisfied,
• wherein the buzzer outputs sound when the buzzer semiconductor switch turns on and off,
• wherein the buzzer control unit controls the buzzer semiconductor switch to turn on and off in association with the flasher semiconductor switch,
• wherein at least one of the flasher semiconductor switch and the buzzer semiconductor switch is disposed adjacent to the field winding, and
• wherein the stopper position detection operation is not executed when the at least one of the flasher semiconductor switch and the buzzer semiconductor switch turns on and off.

A meter system for a vehicle comprising:

• a pointer for indicating a vehicle condition value according to a rotation position of the pointer, wherein the pointer is rotatable along with a display surface of a scale plate for displaying the vehicle condition value;
• a step motor for rotating the pointer, wherein the step motor includes a stator and a magnet rotor, the stator has a field winding for generating a first magnetic field when a driving signal is applied to the field winding in accordance with the vehicle condition value, and the magnet rotor is supported coaxially with the stator and is rotatable according to the first magnetic field;
• a stopper mechanism for stopping rotating the pointer at a stopper position, which is disposed within a predetermined range from a zero point position toward a zero point returning direction, when the pointer rotates toward the zero point returning direction, wherein the zero point position shows a zero point of the vehicle condition value;
• a detection element for detecting an inductive voltage at predetermined detection intervals, wherein the inductive voltage is generated in the field winding;
• a driving control unit for controlling the driving signal with using the zero point as a standard, wherein the driving control unit executes a zero point stopper position detection operation for detecting an electric angle of the pointer based on the inductive voltage when the pointer stops at the stopper position, and the driving control unit sets the zero point to be equal to the electric angle;
• and
• a noise generating element for generating a second magnetic field during a generation period when a noise generating signal is input into the noise generating element, wherein the generation period has a starting time, at which the noise generating signal is input into the noise generating element;
• wherein the detection time interval is longer than the generation period, and
• wherein the driving control unit controls the noise generating signal to input into the noise generating element in such a manner that the generation period is disposed in the detection time interval.