Abstract: An indicator panel is shaped by thermoforming an indicator panel. The indicator panel includes a resin substrate and an inkjet design film on the substrate. The design film is formed by printing a UV hardening ink in an inkjet printing, and hardening. A crack and a removal of the design film can be decreased such that the formed indicator panel can have a high-quality design.

Abstract: An indicator panel for an instrument includes a translucent resin substrate having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, and a design film on the first face of the substrate. The design film includes a translucent portion through which a light from the second surface of the substrate is transmitted, and an opaque portion which does not transmit the light from the second face of the substrate. The design film is produced by jetting droplets of a UV hardening type colored ink to the first face of the substrate in an inkjet printing, and radiating ultraviolet rays for a time within one second from the jetting so as to harden a mass of the droplets, in which a volume of the droplets is equal to or less than 30 pl.

Abstract: An illuminating instrument panel gauge has a movable indicator, a front side for positioning toward a viewer and a back side for positioning away from the viewer. The gauge includes a light source, a subdial surface in front of the light source, a transparent gauge cover in front of and spaced apart from the subdial surface, and graphics corresponding to the movable indicator. The gauge cover has a first surface at the front side of the gauge cover and a second surface at the back side of the gauge cover. Either or both of the first and second surfaces of the gauge cover may be randomly textured. The movable indicator is positioned between the subdial surface and the gauge cover and is preferably closer to the gauge cover than it is to the subdial surface. The graphics are on either the first or second surface of the gauge cover.

Abstract: An improved heater and control apparatus (10) suitable for maintaining a proper temperature in a liquid environment such as an aquarium (12) is provided. The apparatus (10) includes a heater element (26) housed within a protective casing (28) to reduce the likelihood of heater element (26) breakage. A number of openings (30) are provided in casing (28) to permit direct contact between the heater element (26) and water in the aquarium (12). The control assembly (16) includes a novel active light display (99). Additional novel features and corresponding advantages of the apparatus (10) are disclosed.