Display unit having a center display

A dial 21a is positioned in front of an LCD 21c, and has an inner periphery surrounding the LCD 21c. A pointer 21b is rotatable by a drive 21d positioned at a backside of the LCD 21c. The pointer 21b is extended from a rotation center in a direction Y1 against the rotation center along a back surface of the LCD 21c, then bent and extended along an outer periphery of the LCD 21c, and bent and extended in the direction Y2 toward the rotation center via a gap formed between a front surface of the display 21c and a back surface of the dial 21a. Then, the pointer 21b is extended along an inner periphery of the dial 21a, and bent and extended in the direction Y1 along a front surface of the dial 21a.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The priority application Number Japanese Patent Application 2003-393819 upon which this patent application is based is hereby incorporated by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a display unit having a display such as an LCD at the center of a dial of a revolution indicator such as a tachometer or a speedometer.

2. Description of the Related Art

As a display unit described above, for example, it is known that a display is arranged in front of a dial of a normal revolution indicator. This arrangement prevents a pointer from obstructing a view of the display, so that the display may be arranged in the center of the dial.

However, in cases where the dial indicates important information such as vehicle speed and the display displays relatively unimportant information such as the present time, there is a demand to improve visibility of the dial by arranging the dial in front of the display.

For meeting this demand, a conventional display unit as shown inFIGS. 5A and 5Bis disclosed in German Patent Publication Document DE4321146A1.FIG. 5Ais a front view of the conventional display unit.FIG. 5Bis a cross-sectional view taken on line III–III′ of the conventional display unit inFIG. 5A. As shown inFIGS. 5A and 5B, this display unit includes a display11and a dial12arranged in front of the display11. In this dial12, a substantially arc-shaped slot12bis provided along graduations12a.

Further, a drive14is provided at a backside of the display11. This drive14rotates a pointer15. This pointer15includes a first pointer part15apositioned at a backside of the dial12, and a second pointer part15bpositioned in front of the dial12. The first and second pointer parts15a,15bcommunicate with each other via the slot12bprovided in the dial12.

According to the above, when the first pointer part15ais rotated at the backside of the display11, the second pointer part15bis rotated along the slot12bin front of the dial12. Therefore, the pointer15can indicate the graduations12aon the dial12without obstructing a view of the display11.

However, in the conventional display unit described above, there is a problem in that the slot12bshould be provided on the dial12, and reduces an appearance and design quality of the display unit.

Therefore, for solving the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a display unit with high design quality by eliminating the slot provided in the dial, and positioning the dial in front of the display.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to attain the object, according to this invention, there is provided a display unit including:

a display;

a dial positioned in front of the display, and having an inner periphery surrounding the display in front view; and

a pointer driven by a drive provided at a backside of the dial, a front part of the pointer being rotatable in front of the dial;

whereby the pointer is extended from an outer periphery of the display in a first direction toward the rotation center of the pointer via a gap formed between a front surface of the display and a back surface of the dial; then bent and extended along the inner periphery of the dial, and then bent and extended in a second direction against the rotation center of the pointer, along a front surface of the dial.

According to the above, a front end of the pointer can indicate graduations on the dial positioned in front of the display without a slot provided on the dial. Therefore, the display attains high design quality.

According to this invention, preferably, there is provided the display unit,

wherein the drive is further positioned at the backside of the display,

wherein the pointer is extended from the rotation center of the pointer in the second direction against the rotation center of the pointer along a back surface of the display, then bent and extended along the outer periphery of the display, and then bent and extended in the first direction toward the rotation center of the pointer along the gap formed between the front surface of the display and the back surface of the dial.

According to the above, even when the drive is positioned at the backside of the display, the front end of the pointer can indicate the graduations on the dial positioned in front of the display without a slot provided on the dial. Therefore, the display attains high design quality.

According to this invention, preferably, there is provided the display unit, wherein color of an overlapping part of the pointer, overlapping with the display in front view, is seen as being identical with, or similar to color of the display.

According to above, the color of the overlapping part of the pointer, overlapping with the display in front view, is seen as being identical with, or similar to the color of the display. Therefore, in front view, since this overlapping part of the pointer, overlapping with the display is seen as a part of the display and not as a part of the pointer, the pointer is seen as being rotatable only in front of the display.

According to above, in front view, since this overlapping part of the pointer, overlapping with the display is seen as a part of the display and not as a part of the pointer, the pointer is seen as being rotatable only in front of the display. Therefore, the display attains higher design quality.

According to this invention, preferably, there is provided the display unit, wherein color of an overlapping part of the display, overlapping with the pointer in front view, is seen as being identical with, or similar to color of the pointer.

According to above, the color of the overlapping part of the display, overlapping with the dial in front view, is seen as being identical with, or similar to the color of the dial. Therefore, in front view, since this overlapping part of the display, overlapping with the dial is seen as a part of the dial and not as a part of the display, the pointer is seen as being rotatable only in front of the display.

According to above, in front view, since this overlapping part of the display, overlapping with the dial is seen as a part of the dial and not as a part of the display, the pointer is seen as being rotatable only in front of the display. Therefore, the display attains higher design quality.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this invention will be better understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

First Embodiment

A first embodiment of display units of this invention will be explained with reference toFIGS. 1 to 2.FIG. 1is a front view showing an embodiment of a combination meter20equipped with display units of this invention.FIG. 2shows a cross-sectional view taken on line I–I′ of the combination meter20inFIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 1, the display units of this invention is, for example, mounted on the combination meter20of a vehicle. The combination meter20includes a speedometer21and a tachometer22, as the display units.

As shown inFIG. 1, the speedometer21is configured with a dial21a, a pointer21b, and a liquid crystal display (LCD)21c. The dial21ais formed in a doughnut-like shape in front view, having a substantially circular hole in a middle thereof. Graduations21a1are formed along an outer periphery of the dial21a. The LCD21cis positioned at a backside of the dial21a, and can be seen in front view via the hole surrounded by the dial21a. Namely, an inner periphery of the dial21asurrounds the LCD21c.

Warnings such as “oil level low” are displayed on the LCD21c. In front view, no gap is seen in between the inner periphery of the dial21aand an outer periphery of the LCD21c, so that the hole surrounded by the dial21ais seen as overlapping with the LCD21c.

Similarly, the tachometer22is also configured with a dial22a, a pointer22b, an LCD22c. The dial22ais formed in a doughnut-like shape, having a substantially circular hole in a middle thereof. Graduations22a1are formed along an outer periphery of the dial22a. The LCD22cis positioned at a backside of the dial22a, and can be seen in front view via the hole surrounded by the dial22a. Namely, an inner periphery of the dial22asurrounds the LCD22c.

Information, such as current time or room temperature, is displayed on the LCD22c. In front view, no gap is seen in between the inner periphery of the dial22aand an outer periphery of the LCD22c, so that the hole surrounded by the dial22ais seen as overlapping with the LCD22c.

Next, a configuration of the speedometer21will be explained in detail with reference to a cross-sectional view ofFIG. 2. As shown inFIG. 2, the speedometer21further includes a drive21dpositioned at a backside of the LCD21c, and a rotation axis21ebeing rotatable by the drive21d.

The pointer21bis configured with first to fifth pointer parts (21b1to21b5). The first pointer part21b1is extended from the rotation axis21e, along a back surface of the LCD21c, in a direction Y1against a rotation center of the axis21e. The second pointer part21b2is extended from an end of the first pointer part21b1, along a side surface of the outer periphery of the LCD21c, toward a front side of the LCD21c.

The third pointer part21b3is extended from an end of the second pointer part21b2, via a gap between a front surface of the LCD21cand a rear surface of the dial21a, in a direction Y2toward the rotation center. The fourth pointer part21b4is extended from an end of the third pointer part21b3, along a side surface of the inner periphery of the dial21a, toward a front surface of the dial21a. The fifth pointer part21b5is extended from an end of the fourth pointer part21b4, along a front surface of the dial21a, toward the graduations21a1(FIG. 1). Namely, the pointer21bhas a substantially S-shape, bent in the direction Y2at a gap between the dial21aand the LCD21c, and bent back in the direction Y1along a front surface of the dial21a.

According to the above, the pointer21bis extended from the drive21d, along the back surface of the LCD21c, in the direction Y1against the rotation center. When crossing the outer periphery of the LCD21c, the pointer21bis extended via the gap between the front surface of the LCD21cand the back surface of the dial21ain the direction Y2toward the rotation center. When crossing the inner periphery of the dial21a, the pointer21bis extended in the direction Y1. Thereby, when the drive21dis positioned at the backside of the LCD21c, a front end of the pointer21bindicates the graduations21a1(shown inFIG. 1) provided on the front surface of the dial21a, without a slot provided on the dial21a. Therefore, the design quality of the display unit is improved.

Since a configuration of the tachometer22is similar to that of the speedometer21, a detailed explanation of the configuration will be omitted. In addition, in this embodiment, the dials21a,22asurround the whole LCDs21c,22crespectively. However, the dials21a,22amay respectively surround a part (not the whole) of the LCDs21c,22c.

Further, in this embodiment, the pointer21bis extended from the rotation axis21ebeing rotatable by the drive21dprovided at the backside of the LCD21c. However, for example, the pointer21bmay be extended from a ring gear (not shown), which surrounds the LCD21cat the backside of the dial21a, and is rotatable by the drive21d.

In this case, the pointers21b,22bare extended from the ring gears (not shown) in the direction Y2toward the rotation centers via the gap between the front surfaces of the LCDs21c,22cand the dials21a,22a. When crossing the inner peripheries of the dials21a,22a, the pointers21b,22bare extended along front surfaces of the dials21a,22ain the direction Y1.

In the first embodiment, the pointer21bis extended via the gap between the front surface of the LCD21cand the backside of the dial21ain the direction Y2toward the rotation center. When crossing the inner periphery of the dial21a, the pointer is extended in the direction Y1against the rotation center. However, as shown inFIG. 1, the shape of the pointer21bas above described causes an overlapping part A1where the pointer21boverlaps with the LCD21c.

Resultingly, when applying the pointer21bhaving the above described shape to such a combination of the dial21aand the LCD21cthat colors of the dial21aand the LCD21care different from each other; a boundary between them is plainly visible; and colors between the pointer21band the LCD21care different from each other, a projecting end of the pointer21b, projecting in the direction Y2toward the rotation center, is plainly visible.

Second Embodiment

In order to improve an appearance of the display unit, as shown inFIG. 3, according to a second embodiment of this invention, color of the projecting end A1of the pointer21b, overlapping with the LCD21c, may be set to identical with, or similar to the color of the LCD21c. For example, when the colors of the dial21a, the LCD21c, and the pointer21bare respectively white, dark color, and blue, the color of A1of the pointer21bis set to the dark color (the same color as that of the LCD21c), and the color of an overlapping part A2, overlapping with the dial21a, is set to blue. Thereby, the projecting end A1of the pointer21bis not seen as a part of the pointer21bin front view, and is seen as a part of the LCD21c. Therefore, the pointer21bis seen as only being rotatable on a front surface of the dial21a, and the design quality of the display unit is improved.

Third Embodiment

Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 4, in front view, an overlapping part of the LCD21c, overlapping with the pointer21b, may be set to identical with, or similar to the color of the dial21a. Specifically, when the colors of the dial21a, the LCD21c, and the pointer21bare respectively white, dark color, and blue, the color of an overlapping part A3of the LCD21cis set to white (the same color as that of the dial21a). Thereby, the overlapping part A3of the LCD21cis not seen as a part of the LCD21cin front view, and is seen as a part of the dial21a. Therefore, the pointer21bis seen as only being rotatable on a front surface of the dial21a, and the design quality of the display unit is improved. Further, if the overlapping part A3of the LCD21cis made of the same material as that of the dial21a, the overlapping part will be seen as the part of the dial21amore naturally.

The same configuration in the dial21ais applied to the dial22aand therefore explanation concerning the dial22ahas been omitted for brevity.