Display apparatus

To provide a display apparatus which is intended to improve the miniaturization and illumination efficiency, an indicator 8 is disposed on the rear surface side of a transparent display panel 3. A printed board 5 mounts a movement 7 on the front surface thereof so as not to overlap the movement 7 and the transparent display panel 3 and mounts the indicator 8 on the rear surface thereof. LEDs 6 for the transparent display panel are mounted on the front surface of the printed board 5 so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel 3.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a display apparatus and, in particular, relates to a display apparatus including a transparent display panel on which indexes are formed and an indicator which is disposed on the rear surface side of the transparent display panel and indicates the indexes.

2. Description of the Related Art

A display apparatus shown inFIG. 4, for example, is proposed as the aforesaid display apparatus (a patent document 1). As shown in the figure, a display apparatus100includes a transparent display panel3, an indicator8, a printed board5, a movement7and an LED6for the transparent display panel serving as a light source.

The transparent display panel3is configured by a light guide member formed by translucent resin. The transparent display panel includes a display panel main body32, which is arranged in a manner that indexes such as characters and graduations31are printed by white on the rear surface side thereof, and a guide portion33which is provided beneath the display panel main body32and protrudes toward the rear surface side.

The indicator8is disposed on the rear surface side of the display panel main body32and indicates the index. The printed board5is disposed on the rear surface side of the indicator8. The movement7for rotating the indicator8is mounted on the rear surface of the printed board5and the LED6for the transparent display panel for illuminating the transparent display panel3is mounted on the front surface of the printed board. The LED6for the transparent display panel is provided on the printed board5in an opposite manner to the guide portion33.

However, in the aforesaid configuration, it is required to provide the guide portion33at the transparent display panel3in order to illuminated the transparent display panel3. To this end, since such a space shown by A is required, there arises a problem that the size of the display apparatus becomes large. Further, since light is guided to the display panel main body32via the guide portion33, there arises a problem that the illumination efficiency is degraded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, in view of the aforesaid problems, an object of the invention is to provide a display apparatus which can be miniaturized and improve the illumination efficiency.

The invention claimed in claim1made in order to solve the aforesaid problems is arranged in a manner that a display apparatus including:

a transparent display panel on which indexes are formed;

an indicator which is disposed on a rear surface side of the transparent display panel and indicates the index;

a movement which rotates the indicator;

a light source which illuminates the transparent display panel; and

a board on which the movement and the light source are mounted, wherein

the movement is mounted on a front surface side of the board,

the indicator is mounted on a rear surface side of the board, and

the light source is mounted on the front surface of the board so as to oppose to an outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel.

According to the invention claimed in claim1, the movement is mounted on the front surface side of the board and the indicator is mounted on the rear surface side of the board. Thus, the transparent display panel and the board can be provided to be close to each other and the light source can be mounted on the rear surface of the board so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel. As a result, a light ray from the light source can be entered from the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel and conducted to the transparent display panel without providing a guide portion protruding to the rear surface side at the transparent display panel.

The invention claimed in claim2resides in the display apparatus claimed in claim1in a manner that the light source is mounted on the board in a manner that an optical axis of the light source is in parallel to the transparent display panel.

According to the invention claimed in claim2, since the light source is mounted on the board in a manner that the optical axis of the light source is in parallel to the transparent display panel, the illumination efficiency can be further improved.

The invention claimed in claim3resides in the display apparatus claimed in claim1or2in a manner that the light source is disposed on the board so as to oppose to an outer peripheral surface on the movement side of the transparent display panel.

According to the invention claimed in claim3, since the light source is disposed on the board so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface on the movement side of the transparent display panel, the display apparatus can be further miniaturized.

The invention claimed in claim4resides in the display apparatus claimed in one of claim1to3in a manner that the indicator has a rear end portion to which the rotation shaft of the movement is attached, a tip end portion which is provided on the front surface side than the rear end portion and indicates the index, and a coupling portion for coupling the rear end portion and the tip end portion

According to the invention claimed in claim4, since the tip end portion of the indicator is disposed on the front surface side than the rear end portion thereof, the tip end portion of the indicator can be disposed so as to be close to the transparent display panel.

As explained above, according to the invention claimed in claim1, since a light ray from the light source can be entered from the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel and conducted to the transparent display panel without providing a guide portion protruding to the rear surface side at the transparent display panel, the apparatus can be miniaturized and the illumination efficiency can be improved.

According to the invention claimed in claim2, the illumination efficiency can be further improved.

According to the invention claimed in claim3, the display apparatus can be further miniaturized.

According to the invention claimed in claim4, since the tip end portion of the indicator can be disposed so as to be close to the transparent display panel, the visibility of the indicator can be enhanced.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, an embodiment according to the invention will be explained below. The display apparatus according to the embodiment of the invention is used for a speed meter shown inFIG. 1.

The display apparatus1is an apparatus that is mounted on a movable body such as an automobile and displays a status of the movable body with respect to an occupant of the movable body. As shown in the figure, the display apparatus1includes a rear cover2, a transparent display panel3, a case4, a printed board5serving as a board, LEDs6for the transparent display panel serving as light sources, a movement7, an indicator8and a display panel9.

The rear cover2is formed in a saucer shape which is opened on the case4side. The rear cover2is provided with bosses21etc. for screwing the panel3, the case4and the printed board5described later by screws10. As shown inFIG. 2, the panel3is disposed above the rear cover2. The panel3is configured almost in a rectangular shape and formed by light guide material etc. having translucency such as acrylic resin. The transparent display panel is provided with characters and graduations31corresponding to a vehicle speed. The characters and graduations31are printed by a color of white group on the rear surface of the transparent display panel3, for example.

The case4is disposed beneath the rear cover2on the front surface side thereof. The case4houses therein the movement7, warning display LEDs11for respectively illuminating warning designs91, a liquid crystal display12and a trip knob13etc. as described later. The rear cover is provided with an movement opening portion41in which the movement7is disposed, illumination opening portions42in which the warning display LEDs11are respectively disposed, a liquid crystal opening portion43in which the liquid crystal display12is disposed and a knob opening potion44in which the trip knob18is disposed.

The case4further houses therein the printed board5of an almost rectangular shape serving as the board which is electrically connected to the movement7, the warning display LEDs11, the liquid crystal display12, the trip knob13and the transparent display panel LEDs6serving as the light sources for illuminating the transparent display panel3etc. The printed board5is provided between the case4and the rear cover2. Electronic parts etc. such as a microcomputer for controlling the operations of the movement7etc. are mounted on the printed board.

As shown inFIG. 2, the printed board5is disposed on the rear surface side than the transparent display panel3in a manner that the upper end of the printed board slightly overlaps with the lower end of the transparent display panel3. The printed board5mounts the movement7, the warning display LEDs11and the transparent display panel LEDs6etc. on the front surface side thereof and also mounts the indicator8on the rear surface side thereof.

The movement7is mounted on a portion of the printed board5not covered by the transparent display panel3so as not to be overlapped with the transparent display panel3. The movement7is coupled to a not-shown vehicle speed measuring means mounted on a vehicle. The movement7has a rotary shaft which rotates in accordance with a measurement value measured by the vehicle speed measuring means. The movement7is provided in a manner that the rotary shaft protrudes from the rear surface side of the printed board5.

The three transparent display panel LEDs6are disposed at the upper end portion of the printed board5along the longitudinal direction thereof so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface on the movement7side of the transparent display panel3. As shown inFIG. 2, the transparent display panel LEDs6are provided on the printed board5in a manner that the optical axes LL thereof are directed upward, that is, in parallel to the transparent display panel3. The movement7is disposed just beneath the center one of the three transparent display panel LEDs6.

The indicator8is formed by the light guide material etc. having translucency such as acrylic resin. The indicator8has a rear end portion81serving as a center shaft, a tip end portion82which is provided on the front surface side than the rear end portion81and indicates the character and graduation31, and a coupling portion83for coupling the rear end portion81and the tip end portion82. The indicator8is attached to the rotation shaft of the movement7at the shaft81. The indicator8rotates integrally with the rotation shaft of the movement7. The indicator8is rotated by the movement7in accordance with the measurement value measured by the vehicle speed measuring means to indicate the measurement value together with the characters and graduations31.

The display panel9is provided on the front surface side of the case4so that the movement7etc. are not exposed on the front surface. The display panel9is provided with a plurality of the warning designs91, a liquid crystal opening portion92in which the liquid crystal display12is disposed and a knob opening portion93in which the trip knob13is disposed. The warning designs91are provided in front of the warning display LEDs11and are illuminated when the LEDs are lightened, respectively.

According to the aforesaid display apparatus1, when the transparent display panel LEDs6are lightened, the light rays from the transparent display panel LEDs6are entered from the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel3to illuminate the transparent display panel3.

According to the aforesaid display apparatus1, the movement7is mounted on the front surface side of the printed board5and the indicator8is mounted on the rear surface side of the printed board5. Thus, since the transparent display panel3and the printed board5can be provided so as to be close to each other, the transparent display panel LEDs6can be disposed on the printed board5so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel3. As a result, since the light rays from the transparent display panel LEDs6can be entered from the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel3and conducted to the transparent display panel3without providing a guide portion protruding to the rear surface side at the transparent display panel3, the display apparatus can be miniaturized. Further, since the transparent display panel3can be illuminated without passing through the guide portion, the illumination efficiency can be improved.

Further, according to the aforesaid display apparatus1, since the transparent display panel LEDs6are provided on the printed board5in a manner that the optical axes LL thereof are in parallel to the transparent display panel3, the illumination efficiency can be further improved.

Further, according to the aforesaid display apparatus1, since the transparent display panel LEDs6are disposed on the board so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface on the movement7side of the transparent display panel3, the display apparatus can be further miniaturized.

Furthermore, according to the aforesaid display apparatus1, since the indicator8has the rear end portion81to which the rotation shaft of the movement7is attached, the tip end portion82which is provided on the front surface side than the rear end portion81and indicates the index, and the coupling portion83for coupling the rear end portion81and the tip end portion82, and further since the tip end portion82of the indicator8is provided on the front surface side than the rear end portion81, the tip end portion82of the indicator8can be disposed so as to be close to the transparent display panel3, whereby the visibility of the indicator8can be improved.

In the aforesaid embodiment, although the transparent display panel LEDs6are provided on the printed board5in a manner that the optical axes LL of the transparent display panel LEDs6are in parallel to the transparent display panel3, the invention is not limited thereto. Although the aforesaid embodiment is optimum, the axes LL may not be in parallel to the transparent display panel3.

Further, in the aforesaid embodiment, although the transparent display panel LEDs6are provided so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface on the movement7side of the transparent display panel3, the invention is not limited thereto. Although the aforesaid embodiment is optimum for the miniaturization, the display apparatus can be miniaturized in the front and rear directions even if the transparent display panel LEDs6are not provided on the movement7side so long as the these LEDs are provided so as to oppose to the outer peripheral surface of the transparent display panel3.

Furthermore, in the aforesaid embodiment, although the indicator8is configured by the rear end portion81, the tip end portion82and the coupling portion83, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, the indicator may be configured so as not to be provided with a step portion between the rear end portion81and the coupling portion83.

The aforesaid embodiment merely shows a typical example of the invention and the invention is not limited to the embodiment. That is, the invention can be implemented in various manners without departing from the gist of the invention.