Abstract:
An instrument panel of a motorcycle includes several dials, one of which is a speedometer, and also includes a liquid crystal panel which displays characters and other graphical information. Either the dials or the liquid crystal panel includes a step. The surface of the liquid crystal panel is located in a lower position closer to the driver compared with the dials. Visors are used which project toward the driver for interrupting the incidence of external light onto the instrument panel in order to ensure easy viewing of the instruments. A first visor is provided for shading the dials, and a separate second visor is mounted between the dials and the liquid crystal panel. Because the liquid crystal panel is shaded by the second visor, the first visor for shading the dials can be decreased in the amount of projection toward the driver.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a display device for vehicles and, more particularly, to a display device for vehicles which has a visor for prevention the incidence of external light.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Background Art  
           [0004]    In a vehicle such as a motorcycle or a convertible in which display devices on an instrument panel are likely to be exposed to external light, or in a sports car in which a front window is mounted at an acute angle of inclination, a visor is mounted to prevent the incidence of the external light to the display surface, or to prevent the reflected rays of sunlight from a cover lens of the display devices from entering the range of sight of the rider (or driver).  
           [0005]    [0005]FIG. 6 is a side view of a dashboard including a visor. In this drawing, the instrument panel P located in the upper part of the dashboard M is extended to form the visor V, thereby preventing incidence of the external light S to the dashboard M.  
           [0006]    The use of the visor V of the length L 1  can protect the first display device D 1  located on the dashboard M from the external light S falling from above. Recently it has been proposed to set a second display device D 2  obliquely below the first display device D 1 . To protect the eyes of the rider R from the light falling onto the position of the second display device D 2  and from the reflected light from the cover lens, the visor V is required to be extended to the length L 2 .  
           [0007]    However, if the visor V is increased in length, the rider&#39;s vision to the dashboard M will be limited. Also if the visor V is extended with the distance between the rider and the vehicle body left unchanged, the distance between the rider and the display surface will increase, resulting in a hard-to-view display. Also, a large visor will spoil the appearance and design of the vehicle.  
           [0008]    In Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H1-275286 and Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. H2-39986, the vertical arrangement of two displays in a motorcycle has been disclosed, in which the upper display is placed toward the rear of the vehicle, that is, toward the rider. In the motorcycle, the light falling from above onto the lower display can be prevented by the upper display.  
           [0009]    According to the motorcycle disclosed in the patent and utility model stated above, it is not necessary to take into account the lower display when determining the length of the visor. However, there exist such problems that the lower display is located far from the rider and that the light shielding range and sight of the lower display are unequivocally determined. Therefore, it is difficult to set the shielding range and sight with the lower display taken into consideration.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a display device for vehicles that can solve the above problems by preventing the incidence of external light onto a plurality of display surfaces, thereby providing an easy-to-view display surface for the rider.  
           [0011]    To attain the above-described object, the display device for vehicles of this invention is provided with an instrument panel including a plurality of display sections. The first feature of this display device is to comprise a first visor mounted above the instrument panel, and a second visor mounted in the boundary position of the display section to divide the instrument panel surface into upper and lower zones as viewed from the rider.  
           [0012]    According to the first feature, the lower display section is divided into the upper and lower zones, and is shaded by the second visor. Therefore, the size of the first visor may be determined taking into account the interruption of light falling onto the upper display section. It is therefore possible to decrease the projection amount of the first visor toward the rider. Furthermore, because a plurality of display sections are divided by the second visor, the rider can easily recognize information displayed on the plurality of display sections.  
           [0013]    The second feature of this invention lies in that, of the plurality of display sections divided by the second visor, the display surface of the lower display section is located closer to the rider than the display surface of the upper display section.  
           [0014]    According to the second feature, the lower display section can be extended toward the rider, making it possible to furnish a wide display surface area. The incidence of the external light can thus be prevented by the second visor by increasing the display surface area.  
           [0015]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a meter unit;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a front view of the meter unit according to one embodiment of this invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a panel cover;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a major portion of a light control device;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a side view of a motorcycle mounted with a display device according to the one embodiment of this invention; and  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a major portion of the vehicle showing a relationship in position between the length of the visor and the display section. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0023]    A preferred embodiment of a display device for vehicles according to this invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 5 is a side view showing the external appearance of a motorcycle mounted with a display device according to the one preferred embodiment of this invention. In the drawing, the motorcycle  1  (hereinafter referred to as the vehicle) is mounted with a horizontal opposed six-cylinder engine  2 .  
         [0024]    The frame structure of the vehicle is comprised of a twin-frame type main frame  4  which is bifurcated to right and left frames extending rearwardly from a steering head  3 , and a rear frame  5  connected to the rear end of the main frame  4 . A front fork  6  is composed of two pipes arranged on the right and left sides in the direction of travel, and is installed to the steering head  3 . The front fork  6  is thus rotatable in the steering direction.  
         [0025]    A handlebar  7  is secured on the upper part of the steering head  3 , on the top bridge. A front wheel axle  8  is mounted at the lower end of the front fork  6 . A front wheel  9  is rotatably supported on the front wheel axle  8 .  
         [0026]    The display device is mounted forwardly of the handlebar  7 . The display device includes a meter unit  10 , including a display panel and a control unit. A visor  50  is provided for the meter unit  10  for protecting the meter unit  10  from the external light. The visor  50  is for shading the upper part of the display surface of the meter unit  10 . To shade the lower display surface, a non-illustrated second visor is further provided. A display surface illuminating system is installed on the meter unit  10 , and a light control device is installed for adjusting the luminance of the illuminating system. The visor and light control device will be described in detail later.  
         [0027]    A lens surface (clear lens)  12  for the lighting device is attached at the front of a front fairing (cowling)  11  which covers the front part of the vehicle  1 . A ballast  13  is housed inside of the front cowling  11  for a discharge lamp used as the lighting device. A windshield  14  is installed above the front cowling  11 , and an air inlet  15  is formed near the mounting portion of the windshield  14 .  
         [0028]    A fuel tank  16  is mounted on the main frame  4 . A rider&#39;s seat  17  and a pillion seat  18  are arranged to the rear of the fuel tank  16 . The rider&#39;s seat  17  and the pillion seat  18  are mounted on the rear frame  5 . The pillion seat  18  is formed unitarily with the rider&#39;s seat  17 , and has a backrest  19 . A rear trunk  20  is provided behind the backrest  19 . A rear stop light  21  and a blinker light  22  are also mounted behind the rear trunk  20 . Side trunks  23  are mounted beneath the rear trunk  20  on the right and left of the rear wheel  26 . A set of rear stop lights  24  and blinker lights  25  are mounted at the rear of the side trunks  23 .  
         [0029]    An air cleaner  27  is mounted forwardly of the lower part of the fuel tank  16 . An intake manifold  29  extends from a throttle body  28  mounted in front of the air cleaner  27 . The intake manifold  29  is connected to each of three cylinders oppositely arranged on both the right and left sides of the vehicle. A fuel injection system (not shown) is located upstream of each of these cylinders. An exhaust manifold  30  is installed from the engine  2  toward the rear. The exhaust manifold  30  is connected to a muffler  31 .  
         [0030]    Both sides under the rider&#39;s seat  17  are covered with side covers  32 , and a front lower cowling  33  is located at the front of the engine  2 . A rear cushion  34  is disposed under the rider&#39;s seat  17 . The rear cushion  34  is connected to a hydraulic unit (not shown) which is capable of electrically adjusting the spring force to provide the initial weight application to the suspension according to the rider&#39;s weight. The vehicle  1  can be supported up on a stand  35 .  
         [0031]    Next, the panel face of the meter unit  10  will be explained. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the meter unit as viewed from the rider&#39;s seat side of the motorcycle. In FIG. 2, the speedometer  110  is located at the central part of the instrument panel  100  mounted above the meter unit  10 . Mounted on the left is a tachometer  120 , and mounted on the right are a fuel gauge  130  and a water temperature gauge  140 . An information display panel  150  is provided beneath the instrument panel  100  which displays information, characters, and other graphic symbols displaying information on the selection of radio and wireless communication stations and sound volume, and its control switch  160 .  
         [0032]    A gearshift REVERSE display lamp  111 , a NEUTRAL display lamp  112 , an oil indicator  114 , and a fuel injection (FI) warning light  115  are disposed in the speedometer  110 . A light sensor  113  for light control is installed between the NEUTRAL display lamp  112  and the oil indicator  114 . Between the fuel gauge  130  and the water temperature gauge  140  are installed vertically in one row an AUTO CRUISE indicating lamp  131 , an AUTO CRUISE SET indicating lamp  132 , a HIGH-BEAM indicating lamp  141 , a SIDE STAND UP warning light  142 , and an ABS (anti-lock brake system) warning light  143 .  
         [0033]    A light on-off indicator  144  is mounted on the left side of the ABS warning light  143 , and a fuel empty indicator  145  is mounted on the right side of the ABS warning light  143 . A clock  121  is mounted below the tachometer  120 . Blinker indicators  170  and  171  are provided in the upper right and left of the speedometer  110 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of the meter unit  10 . In the drawing, the case of the meter unit  10  includes a lower case  101 , an upper case  103 , a bottom plate  104 , and a lens  106 . On the lower case  101  is installed a bolt  102 , by which the meter unit  10  is secured to the front cowling  11 . The upper case  103  is mounted at the front of the lower case  101 , and the lower case  101  is fitted with the case bottom plate  104 .  
         [0035]    A translucent dial  117  is installed between the case bottom plate  104  and the upper case  103  which serves as the display surface of the instrument panel  100 . A liquid crystal panel  151  is located obliquely below the dial  117  as the body of the information display panel  150  which is supported by the stem  101   a  raised from the lower case  101 . As illustrated, between the dial  117  and the liquid crystal panel  151  there is a difference in level. The surface of the liquid crystal panel  151  is set in a position closer to the rider&#39;s eyes.  
         [0036]    The shaft of the pointer  118  is installed through the dial  117 , and the light sensor  113  is installed with its forward end exposed on the dial  117 . Also installed are a driving unit  119  of the pointer  118 , a lead (leg portion  113   a  of the light sensor  113 ), and a lamp  105  applying the light translucently from behind the dial  117  to illuminate characters or graphic symbols. Also provided are a lead  113   a,  and a plate  152  for covering the lower part of the head of the light sensor  113  to thereby prevent the direct incidence of light from the lamp  105  to the light sensor  113 . Because of the use of this plate  152 , the sensor  113  can accurately adjust the external light without an influence of the light of the lamp  105 .  
         [0037]    A photoelectric transducer element such as a phototransistor is used as the light sensor  113 , which outputs the luminance to the later-described light control device, that is, a signal corresponding to the light intensity over the dial  117 . The light control device functions to determine the luminance on the basis of the characteristic and output of the light sensor, then controlling the luminance of the lamp  105  to a predetermined value. An acrylic resin lens  106  is used at the front of the meter unit  10  to protect each component. The lens  106  is so formed as to cover both the instrument panel  100  and the information display panel all together. The use of this lens  106  can simplify the lens molding and assembling processes more efficiently than separate lenses covering the instrument panel  100  and the information display panel  150 .  
         [0038]    A panel cover  122  is mounted at the front of the meter unit  10 . For the panel cover  122 , refer to the perspective view of FIG. 3. The panel cover  122  is formed to cover both the meter unit  10  and the right and left speaker panels (not shown) as one body. Holes  120   a  and  110   a  formed in the panel cover  122  align with the display position of the tachometer  120  and the speedometer  110  respectively. The hole  130   a  is formed to correspond to the display position of the fuel gauge  130  and the water temperature gauge  140 . Furthermore, the hole  150   a  is so formed as to correspond to the display position of the information display panel  150 .  
         [0039]    The upper overhang section  122   a  of the panel cover  122  forms a part of the visor  50  for the instrument panel  100 , while the lower overhang section  122   b  forms a visor for the information display panel  150 . The top end of the overhang section  122   a  is covered with the body  50   a  of the visor  50  extending upwardly toward the rider. The lower part of the visor body  50   a  is secured, together with the meter unit  10 , to a non-illustrated stay covered with the front cowling  11 .  
         [0040]    The instrument panel  100  and the information display panel  150  have a mutual step as described above. However, because the lower overhang section  122   b  is provided as the second visor between the instrument panel  100  and the information display panel  150 , the mutual step and a step formed on the lens  106  corresponding to this step are hard to recognize.  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the structure of a major portion of the light adjusting device. In the drawing, the light sensor  113  produces a light current corresponding to the intensity of the incident light. The light current is converted into a digital signal by an A/D converter  51 . At the comparison section  52 , the digital signal is compared with the reference illumination value Lref. The comparison section  52  outputs, to the light control device  53 , an Up signal when the value of the digital signal thus compared is less than the reference illumination value Lref, and a Dn signal when the value of the digital signal is greater than the reference illumination value Lref. The reference illumination value Lref has a dead zone for stabilization of operation. The light control device  53  responds to a signal outputted from the comparison section  52 . In the case of the Up signal, the current to be supplied from the power source  54  to the lamp  105  is increased. Conversely, in the case of the Dn signal, the current to be supplied from the power source  54  to the lamp  105  is decreased.  
         [0042]    In the present embodiment, the illumination on the display surface of the instrument panel  100  where information are practically displayed is detected, to thereby enable controlling the luminance of the light source to a reference value.  
         [0043]    With the present invention, it is possible to prevent external light from falling onto the display surface without increasing the amount of projection of the visor toward the rider, while providing a wide display surface. The rider can easily recognize information displayed on the divided display sections, and a wide display surface area is obtained. If the display surface is mounted close to the rider, the incidence of the external light can be prevented by the second visor, so that the dashboard will become easy to observe.  
         [0044]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.