Abstract: A pair of resilient clamps hold L-shaped terminals which extend from a self-luminescent indicator. An insulator disk holds a flexible conductive coil member and has slots which accommodate an end of the coil member and the resilient clamps in compressive state so that resilient force of the resilient clamps provide stable electric connection between the L-shaped terminals and the end of the coil member automatically when the clamp members are inserted into the slots. A pair of stationary catch members hold the other end of the coil member and connect it to an electric source. The connection between the other end of the coil member and the catch members is carried by hot punching to form thermo-compression bonding layer. The connecting portions of the catch members and the coil member are plated with tin or solder beforehand for this purpose.

Abstract: An instrument panel having analog gauges with pointers illuminated independently of the light source illuminating the scale indicia. Light is transmitted into the pointer via a facet having an inclined reflective surface through which a gauge motor output shaft passes. The facet may be integrally formed in the light distribution layer which illuminates the scale indicia or a separate discreet component. A novel telltale used in conjunction with an instrument panel having a light distribution layer is also provided which illuminates the telltale indicia by passing light through the light distribution layer without affecting the illumination of other indicia in the graphic layer. Method of manufacturing analog gauges as well as method for using an analog gauge to transmit information to a viewer.

Abstract: An illumination for a display and/or a part of a display in an illumination color with a display and/or a part of a display which can be transilluminated by a source of light of a different color than the illumination color. The source of light is arranged on the side of the display and/or the part of the display facing away from an observer and a color filter 5 is arranged between source of light and the display and/or a part of the display. The color filter 5 is a split filter through which a part of the light from the source of light can pass unfiltered and a further part of the light from the source of light can pass filtered.

Abstract: A direction gauge enables easy recognition of an indicated direction by constructing an arrow-shaped indication segment made up of an unshared segment and a pair of adjacent shared segments. The combination of shared and unshared segments forms an indication segment having a sharp outward-directed tip and a blunt base. The sharp outward directed tip is the outer end of the unshared segment. The blunt base is a combination of the inner end of the unshared segment together with the two adjacent shared segments. The indication segment provides a good indication of direction even if the indicia on the remainder of the display cannot be seen because of darkness.

Abstract: A meter assembly for motor vehicle comprises a meter case including rear and front housings which are coupled. The front housing has an opening formed therethrough. A meter unit is installed in the meter case. The meter unit includes a dial board facing toward the opening of the front housing, a transparent pointer movable over the dial board and a light emitting unit located in front of the pointer to emit light to illuminate the transparent pointer from within. A semitransparent dark cover covers the opening of the front housing.

Abstract: An instrument panel has a front side for facing toward a driver and a back side for facing away from the driver, a light source, a subdial surface in front of the light source, and a transparent cover in front of and spaced away from the subdial surface. The transparent cover is substantially (preferably, at least 50%) rounded outwardly toward the driver. The instrument panel may include graphics on or in the cover. Due to the curvature of the cover, the graphics may have an outermost portion which is closest to the driver and an innermost portion which is further from the driver. Preferably, the outermost portion of the graphics is narrower relative to the innermost portion so that the graphics appear to be in a plane parallel with the driver.

Abstract: An instrument panel includes analog gauges with pointers illuminated independently of the light source illuminating the scale indicia. Light is transmitted into the pointer via a facet having an inclined reflective surface through which a gauge motor output shaft passes. The facet may be integrally formed in the light distribution layer which illuminates the scale indicia or a separate discreet component. A novel telltale used in conjunction with an instrument panel having a light distribution layer is also provided which illuminates the telltale indicia by passing light through the light distribution layer without affecting the illumination of other indicia in the graphic layer. Method of manufacturing analog gauges as well as method for using an analog gauge to transmit information to a viewer is also molded.

Abstract: An analog display includes a dial and a movable EL pointer positioned adjacent the dial for indicating a measured value. The pointer is an elongated EL lamp having a conductive pin extending through one end of the lamp and about which the lamp pivots. The pin is mechanically secured to the lamp and is electrically connected to the front electrode of the lamp. A hole larger than cross-sectional diameter of the pin is formed in the rear electrode and in the phosphor layer to prevent the pin from shorting the front electrode to the rear electrode. A conductive spring rests on the pin to provide electrical power to the front electrode. Power is supplied to the rear electrode either through a conductive ferrule attached to the rear electrode or through a resilient wiper. The wiper can be attached to the pointer or to the face of the dial. For plural pointers, concentric conductive pins are used with a sliding contact for the rear electrodes.

Abstract: A gauge assembly for a vehicle instrument cluster is provided. The gauge assembly includes a plate member and a pointer assembly that is rotatable relative to the plate member about a first axis. The pointer assembly includes a pointer cap having an internal surface and a pointer arm fixed relative to the cap. A driven surface is provided on at least a portion of the internal surface of the cap. The gauge assembly further includes a motor having a drive shaft. A driver is coupled to the drive shaft for drivingly engaging the driven surface of the pointer cap and rotating the pointer assembly.

Abstract: An automotive instrument cluster has closely spaced face plate and circuit board and a compact gauge including a housing mounted on the side of the circuit board facing the face plate. A light conducting pointer has a two-part snap-together hub extending into the gauge housing and an end face adjacent surface mount LEDs on the circuit board for direct pointer illumination. A gear on the hub is driven by another gear on a stepper motor which is offset from the pointer hub. The stepper motor has a permanent magnet armature supported by the housing and the circuit board, and surface mount electromagnets on the circuit board to provide a motor field.

Abstract: It is object of the present invention to provide a car-carried indicating device which provides a clear indication by the needle and a good readability are secured, and which looks larger than the actual one, leading to improvement of the valid of commodity. In a car-carried indicating device, a character plate 1 includes a substantially circular transparent portion 2 at the indicating position, transparent numerals 3a and a scale 3b being circularly arrayed around the transparent portion 2. A disk-like needle plate 8, which is driven to turn in accordance with given measuring quantities, is made of light diffusion base material. The needle plate 8 is disposed on the front side of the character plate 1. A transparent slit 9 as a needle shining when it receives back-light, which is formed on the needle plate, is extended up to the circumferential outer end of the needle plate 8.

Abstract: An instrument display method and system for use in a passenger vehicle has a number of advantageous features including particularly novel, compact, inexpensive and inherently stable electric motors. A first motor includes a rotor assembly having a shaft and a cylindrical magnet which is positioned about a stator assembly to rotate thereabout. The shaft extends through a stator of the stator assembly, a vacuum fluorescent display (VFD), and an indicia bearing layer. A mask such as a needle pointer is secured to the shaft of the rotor assembly at the indicia bearing layer to convey the value of instrument data to the passenger. A light emitting panel receives light from the VFD and transmits the light to other positions along the display system where other substantially identical electric motors move their needle pointers to likewise convey additional data to the passenger. The first motor is surface mounted directly on the back of the VFD which has electrical conductors formed therein.

Abstract: This invention is to provide a display device for a vehicle with the pointer portion of light transmission type placed over characters etc, the value indicated by the pointer portion can be accurately read with high visibility. A display device for a vehicle comprises a dial and an indicating board laid on the dial. The dial includes a disk-shaped light transmitting portion, light transmitting characters and graduations outside the light transmitting portion, and an annular light transmitting portion outside the characters and the graduations The indicating board includes a light transmitting pointer's inner end portion and a light transmitting pointer's outer end portion which overlap the light transmitting portions of the dial, respectively, and an annular light transmitting portion which is laid over the characters and the graduations.

Abstract: A prism-type pointer is provided adjacent to a front face of a prism-type dial plate in such a manner that their prism apex angles are directed in opposite directions, respectively. Those portions of the dial plate having characters/scale markings or the like are recessed, and a light source is provided at a back side of the dial plate. A pointer drive portion is provided on a bottom surface of the dial plate so as to effect a parallel movement of the pointer. Light of the light source, passed through both of the dial plate and the pointer can reach a driver's eye point, and light, passed only through the dial plate, can not reach the driver's eye point, except for those portions thereof having the characters/scale markings or the like.

Abstract: Described herein is an illuminant pointer needle assembly for a vehicular instrument, which is adapted to display the index portion of a pointer needle in the color of a coloring layer applied on the surface of the index portion in the day time, in a color of illumination of a light-emitting element in the nighttime when the pointer needle is lighted up, and in a mixture color in the dusk by superposing the color of illumination of the color of coloring layer reflecting incident external light. The pointer assembly essentially includes: a pointer needle having a base end portion fixedly mounted on a pointer needle shaft of a movement unit of a meter or the like and provided with a transparent index portion; a coloring layer formed on the bottom surface of the transparent index portion to reflect incident external light; a light-emitting element fixedly mounted on the base end portion of the pointer needle to light up the index portion in a color different from that of the coloring layer.

Abstract: A gauge for a vehicle has a spontaneous light-emission type pointer with a built-in light-emitting device. The pointer is fixed to a pointer shaft rotatably driven in accordance with a measured value. A solid circuit member for supporting a light-emitting device and for coupling the light-emitting device to the pointer shaft is fixed to the pointer. The solid circuit member has a first plated conductive layer for electrically connecting one of the terminals of the light-emitting device to the pointer shaft, and a second plated conductive layer for electrically connecting the other of the terminals to a spring abutment fixed to the pointer shaft in an insulating fashion. The solid circuit member is connected to a power source for lighting the light-emitting device. Consequently, a number of parts required for supplying power to the light-emitting diode can be reduced.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is an automotive meter which comprises an opaque base plate constructed of one of natural wood and natural stone; graduations provided on a front face of the base plate, the graduations containing a fluorescent material; and an ultraviolet lamp located in front of the base plate.

Abstract: An indicator gauge is disclosed, which comprises a housing; a dial board installed in the housing; and a pointer arranged in such a manner that an elongate pointing portion moves over a front face of the dial board. A narrow band of fluorescent substance is centrally located longitudinally along the full length of the pointing portion. The narrow band is bordered on each side along the full length by remaining areas of the pointing portion free of any fluorescent substance to create a contrasting appearance for maintaining a distinction between the band and indicia on the dial board when subject to ultraviolet light. An ultraviolet lamp is arranged in front of the dial board and the pointer to excite and thus cause the fluorescent part of the pointer to emit visible light.

Abstract: Disclosed is an indicator which includes a scale plate having a ground color, a pointer rotatably mounted on the scale plate and indicia such as numerals and scales arranged on the scale plate for indicating a specific value in cooperation with the pointer. The pointer includes an upper surface on which a fluorescent part having fluorescent brightener therein is formed, and the area of the fluorescent part of the pointer is smaller than that of the upper surface of the pointer. Each of the indicia has a contour defined by a normal ink having a different color from the ground color of the scale plate and a fluorescent part having fluorescent brightener therein formed in the contour of each indicia. The area of the fluorescent part of the indicia is smaller than that of the indicia.

Abstract: An indicator gauge is disclosed, which comprises a meter panel. The meter panel includes a transparent base plate, a transparent colored layer applied to a rear surface of the transparent base platen and a fluorescent transparent substance layer applied to a front surface of the transparent base plate. A visual alarm indicator includes an opaque mark mounted to a given portion of the meter panel, a lamp housing having an open end which is connected to a rear surface of the meter panel in such a manner as to face toward the given portion and an electric lamp installed in the lamp housing. An ultraviolet lamp is arranged in front of the meter panel and generates ultraviolet rays upon electric energization thereof.

Abstract: To uniformly illuminate a needle and a dial plate coated with fluorescent substance by ultraviolet rays, the illuminate meter comprises an ultraviolet ray emitting lamp and a meter cover coated with a film for reflecting only ultraviolet rays emitted from the lamp but transmitting visible light emitted from the fluorescent substance on the needle and the dial plate, thus improving the illuminate intensity and uniformity for providing better indication recognizability and reading accuracy. Further, it is preferable to dispose one or plural reflector plates between the dial plate and the meter cover.

Abstract: A replacement cover is provided for a wall mounted, circular thermostat. The replacement cover engages the rotatable sub-assembly of a wall mounted, circular thermostat and provides a transparent convex lens for enlarging the appearance of temperature indications. In a preferred embodiment a lamp is mounted in the replacement cover to illuminate the temperature indications for easier reading. The lighting circuit includes a battery, a lamp bulb and a normally open switch which can be closed by the operator/viewer of the thermostat.

Abstract: To unvisualize the mechanical indicating instrument for an automotive vehicle when the ignition switch is turned off, the pointer is covered by a pointer cover below zero indication when the meter is deactivated, or a semitransparent front cover is disposed in front of the dial. In this case, the meter is offset by an offset magnet from a zero position to under the pointer cover when deactivated. On the other hand, to visualize the same instrument, when the ignition switch is turned on, lamps disposed in front and/or back of the dial are illuminated and a colored transparent pointer is illuminated by another or the same lamp in linkage with the ignition switch.

Abstract: A display device, particularly for automotive vehicles, having a transparent display panel on which opaque characters and symbols can be represented and over the front of which a pointer is movable. Ambient light can pass through the display panel from the side away from the observer to the side towards the observer. On this side of the display panel away from the observer there is arranged a background surface, the projection of the contour of the display panel from the observer onto the background surface being smaller than the background surface as seen from the perspective of the observer.

Abstract: A meter panel device for a vehicle having a light-transmissive base plate having a dial face and marking, and a light emitting unit, which comprises translucent colored layers differing in color from each other provided respectively on the front side and backside of the dial face, and translucent colored layers differing in color from each other provided respectively on the front side and backside of the marking, thus enabling changes in colors of the dial face and the marking between the daytime in which the vehicle interior is relatively lighter than the backside of the meter device and the night in which the light emitting unit disposed at the rear side of the meter device is lit and the vehicle interior is relatively darker than the backside of the meter device.

Abstract: A light guiding plate integral with a dial board proper of a transparent material is formed with a light reflecting surface which is such constructed that the light entering the light guiding plate from a top of the same is reflected by the light reflecting surface to be directed toward a portion, where the light guiding plate and the dial board proper are integrally connected, for focalization of the light in the vicinity of an opening of the dial board proper through which a spindle of a movement passes.

Abstract: Light rays for illuminating the indicating portion of the indicator pointer come from the hub portion of the same where the rotational axis of the pointer lies, so that constant illumination on the indicating portion is achieved irrespective of the angular position change of the indicating portion relative to the dial board.