Abstract:
An indicating instrument such as a gauge may employ a light source, a face plate located in front of the light source, and a pointer that is rotatably mounted adjacent the face plate to indicate face plate positions. The pointer may be configured to emit at least two colors of light from a single color light source. The pointer may have a bottom surface, and a top surface that defines a channel to create lands on two levels. The top lands and bottom pointer surface may be equipped with hot-stamp foils of chosen colors to reflect or emit different colors of light from the pointer. A bottom foil may reflect light through the pointer while a top foil may emit light of a chosen color. The pointer shaft may be molded from a light-transmitting plastic material such as acrylic or polycarbonate.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to an illuminated pointer for an indicating instrument, such as a gauge; more specifically, the disclosure relates to a pointer that emits multiple colors. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. Gauges are utilized within industries to display a value of a parameter being monitored by the gauge. In the automotive industry, gauges may be displayed as part of the instrument panel or dashboard for indicating information pertaining to the operating conditions of a vehicle. These gauges include, but are not limited to, speedometers, tachometers, engine coolant temperature, engine oil temperature, fuel level, oil pressure, battery voltage and the like. The gauges may include an analog face for displaying a valve of a monitored parameter. More specifically, an analog gauge may include a face plate having indicia thereon such as numbers, letters or indicators and an illuminated pointer that rotates to the indicia to indicate the level of the parameter. While current analog indicating instruments with illuminated pointers have generally proven satisfactory for their intended purposes, each has been associated with its share of limitations. 
         [0003]    One such limitation of current illuminated pointers is that they are currently capable of being illuminated in only one color at a time. In a world of driving where increasing road speeds require gauges to be read with increased eye speed, a multiple color pointer may permit such gauge to be focused upon and read more quickly. Another limitation of current illuminated pointers is that utilizing a single color light source to concurrently achieve multiple colors of emitted light from the pointer is unachievable. Related to the single color light source problem is how to leave current gauge structure and methods largely unaltered while achieving a pointer that emits multiple colors. 
         [0004]    What is needed then is a device that does not suffer from the above limitations. This, in turn, will provide a gauge pointer that is capable of being illuminated simultaneously in multiple colors while largely maintaining current gauge structure and a single color light source. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A viewed component of a vehicle instrument cluster may include a gauge defining a dial and an indicator, such as a pointer, rotatably mounted through a face plate to indicate face plate positions on the dial. In one configuration, the pointer may have a top surface defining a channel, which essentially defines a first land and a second land. A bottom surface of the pointer may have a foil layer applied to it to reflect light through the pointer. Additionally, the first land and the second land may have a foil material applied to them to reflect light and/or emit a colored light from the pointer. 
         [0006]    In another configuration, the indicating instrument may have a reflective material applied to its bottom surface, a first zone of a first color plastic, and a second zone of a second color plastic. The application of light through the pointer may cause the first color plastic to emit a first color light from the first zone and the second color plastic to emit a second color light from the second zone. 
         [0007]    In yet another configuration, the indicating instrument may have a bottom surface defining a channel, which essentially defines a first land and a second land on the bottom surface of the pointer, and a reflective material, such as a hot-stamped foil, applied to a bottom surface of at least two of a first, second and third zones. The application or direction of light through the pointer may cause the first color plastic to emit a first color light from the first zone and the second color plastic to emit a second color light from the second zone. 
         [0008]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary interior vehicle cabin having an instrument cluster including a vehicle gauge; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a front view of a vehicle gauge in accordance with teachings of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a vehicle gauge in accordance with the teachings of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 4   a  is a cross-sectional view of the pointer of  FIG. 2  taken along line  4 - 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4   b  is a perspective view of the pointer of  FIG. 4   a;    
           [0015]      FIG. 5   a  is a cross-sectional view of a pointer in accordance with a second embodiment of the teachings of the present invention taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5   b  is a perspective view of the pointer of  FIG. 5   a;    
           [0017]      FIG. 6   a  is a cross-sectional view of a pointer in accordance with a third embodiment of the teachings of the present invention taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 ; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 6   b  is a perspective view of the pointer of  FIG. 6   a.    
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  depicts a typical interior  10  of an automotive vehicle. The interior  10  includes a driver&#39;s seat  12 , a dashboard  14 , a steering wheel  16 , and an instrument cluster  18 . While  FIG. 1  depicts such components resident in a left-hand drive vehicle, the present teachings may also be applied to right-hand drive vehicles. 
         [0021]    The instrument cluster  18  typically includes numerous indicating instruments, such as gauges, an example of which is a speedometer. Hereinafter, a speedometer will be used as the representative gauge employing an illuminated pointer; however, it is to be understood that any other gauge including, but not limited to, a tachometer, an engine coolant temperature gauge, an engine oil temperature gauge, a fuel gauge, an oil pressure gauge, and the like may also be equipped with the teachings of the present invention. 
         [0022]    Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the speedometer  20  will be described in greater detail. The speedometer  20  may have a face plate  30  and a pointer assembly  32 . The face plate  30  may be in the form of a circular disk and include numerous indicators or indicia  34  located along an outer circumferential area. The indicia  34  may be arranged in ascending order to indicate speeds of a vehicle in miles per hour, kilometers per hour or both. 
         [0023]    With further reference to  FIG. 3 , the pointer assembly  32  may define a generally longitudinal pointer  36  extending from a hub  38 . The hub  38  may have a shaft  40  attached to it or integrally molded to the hub as a single piece. The shaft  40  may extend through a hole  44  in the face plate  30  and may be coupled to a motor  46  in order to rotate the pointer assembly  32  and pointer  36  to various indicia  34  about the dial face  30 . In one example, the pointer assembly  32  may be a light transmitting plastic material such as polycarbonate or acrylic. However, regardless of the material used, the pointer assembly  32 , may be clear or colored, and translucent. It is within the scope of the present invention to have the generally longitudinal portion  36  of the pointer assembly  32  be any shape which can indicate the speed of the vehicle yet transmit and emit light. 
         [0024]    Continuing with  FIG. 3 , a light source  48 , such as a light emitting diode (“LED”), may mount to and extend from a printed circuit board  50  (“PCB”) to supply light to the pointer assembly  32 . More specifically, light from the LEDs may be directed into the pointer shaft  40 , also known as a “light pick-up” or “pick-up.” Alternatively, light from the LEDs may be directed directly into the hub  38  and then into the pointer  36 . The LEDs that illuminate the pointer  36  may be dedicated to lighting the pointer  36  and pointer assembly  32  or they may play a dual role of also lighting the indicia  34  on the face plate  30 . As a representative example, light  45  from an LED  47  or light  49  from an LED  51  may be emitted toward and then into the shaft  40 . As the representative example, the light  45  passes into and through the shaft  40  and into the hub  38 . From the hub  38 , light is reflected into the pointer  36  where it may pass out the top surface of the pointer  36 , as indicated by light  53 . 
         [0025]    In an alternate arrangement, using LEDs  51  as an example, light  55 ,  59  may be directed directly into the hub  38  and subsequently into the pointer  36  and therefore, light  55 ,  59  may bypass shaft  40 . In such an arrangement, the LEDs  51  may be kept separate from other LEDs of the PCB  50 , such as LEDs  48 , by using a wall  61 . When the wall  61  is not present, the light  55 ,  59  serves a dual purpose by illuminating the pointer, and indicia and graduations in the face plate  30 . Further details of embodiments of pointers in accordance with the present teachings will now be presented. 
         [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 4   a , a cross sectional view;  FIG. 4   b , a perspective view; and with continued reference to  FIG. 3 , a first embodiment of the pointer assembly  32  will be presented. The pointer assembly  32  may have a top surface  52  defining a channel  54 , such that the top surface  52  defines a first land  56  and a second land  58 , which may be coplanar or non-coplanar. The pointer assembly  32  may also have a bottom surface  60  to which an aluminum foil layer may be applied in a hot-stamping process. The layer upon the bottom surface  60  may be in a specific first color layer  62  material to reflect light through the pointer assembly  32 . The color layer  62  not only retains light within the pointer by preventing its escape from the bottom of the pointer, but causes any light that is emitted from the top of the pointer to be more intense, as opposed to a top portion of the pointer that has a non-reflective surface below it. Specifically, in one example, the first color layer  62  may be white, and when coupled with the light  45  of an LED  47  that emits white light through a clear polycarbonate pointer  36 , the light in the length of the pointer  36  remains purely white, whether it is reflected through the length of the pointer  36 , or is refracted upward toward the lands  56 ,  58  as controlled by the configuration of the bottom surface of the shaft. As depicted in  FIG. 4   b , light  45  that is transmitted through the pointer  36  from the shaft  40 , may reflect from various surfaces within the pointer  36  before escaping through the shaft or pointer top surface  64 . Light may reflect from the bottom surface  62  and then escape from the top surface at lands  56 ,  58  where it may be seen as colored light by a viewer. 
         [0027]    Continuing with reference to  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b , the light  45  may pass out of the channel  54  where a viewer will see it as white light, a first color being emitted from the pointer assembly  32 . As previously stated, the surface  64 , and more specifically the lands  56 ,  58  may be applied with a colored layer, such as red, in a hot stamping process. Such hot stamping methods as applied to plastics such as polycarbonate and acrylic are generally known. Continuing, light  45  may scatter and continue to be reflected upward from within the pointer  36  and pass through the hot-stamped lands  56 ,  58  as light  53 ,  55 . Because the light passes through the red colored lands  56 ,  58  they are seen as the second color, red. Therefore, a view of the top surface of the pointer  36  of  FIG. 4   a  would show two stripes of red light  53 ,  55  flanking a single stripe of white light  45 . The foil, or other colored, light passing layer on the lands may be controlled in density, thickness or other light passing property, to control the intensity or amount of light emitted from the lands  56 ,  58 . 
         [0028]    As presented above, the first and second lands  56 ,  58  may have a translucent foil layer of a second color  64  to emit a second light from the pointer assembly  32 . Additionally, the translucent foil layer  64  of the first and second lands  56 ,  58  may also have reflective properties. While the first and second lands  56 ,  58  are being described as having the same color foil to reflect or emit the same color light from the pointer assembly  32 , it is within the scope of the present invention to apply an alternate color foil to either the first or second land  56 ,  58  to reflect or emit a third color light through the pointer assembly  32 . As an example, white light, as a first color, may be emitted from the channel  54 , a second color may be emitted from the land  56  and a third color may be emitted from the land  58 . It is also within the scope of the invention to apply a second layer of foil to any of the surfaces to obtain additional color properties, such as those colors that may only be achievable when light, such as white light, is passed through two layers of hot-stamped foil of different colors. 
         [0029]    Turning now to the embodiment of  FIG. 5   a , a cross-sectional view, and  FIG. 5   b , a perspective view, a second embodiment of the pointer assembly  32  will be described. The pointer  36  of the pointer assembly  32  may have a first pointer zone  66  in a first color plastic and a second pointer zone  68  in a second color plastic. There may be a light-blocking material  70  between the first and second pointer zones  66 ,  68  to effectively block any interference of light between the zones thereby delivering crisp colors of light from the top surface of the pointer  36 . The pointer assembly  32  may have a bottom surface  72  having a hot-stamped aluminum foil layer of a first color  74  to reflect light through the pointer  36  of the pointer assembly  32 . The light source, such as LED  51 , may transmit white light  49  to cause a first color light  67  to be emitted from the first pointer zone  66  and a second color light  69  to be emitted from the second pointer zone  68 . It is also within the scope of the invention to separate the first pointer zone  66  into a third pointer zone in a third color plastic to cause the light source to emit a third color light from the third pointer zone. 
         [0030]    The embodiment depicted with  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b , presents a different method of achieving a multiple color pointer. The tri-part zones  66 ,  68  of the embodiment may by individually molded as strips of plastic material and joined together in a joining process, such as with heat, an adhesive or both. Before such joining of the different molded-color plastic pieces, the light blocking layer  70  may be added between the pieces or zones. 
         [0031]    Turning now to the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 6   a , a cross-sectional view, and  FIG. 6   b , a perspective view, a third embodiment of the pointer assembly  32  will be described. The third embodiment may be viewed as a variation of the first and second embodiments. The pointer assembly  32  may have a first pointer zone  76  in a first color plastic to emit a first color light  77  from the top of the pointer and a second pointer zone  78  in a second color plastic to emit a second color light  79  from the top surface of the pointer thereby resulting in a dual color pointer. There may be a light-blocking material  70  between the first and second pointer zones  76 ,  78 , to prevent light of one color from being directed into a second color. The pointer assembly  32  may have a bottom surface  82  defining a channel  84 , a first land  86  and a second land  88 . The first and second lands  86 ,  88  may have a hot-stamped aluminum foil layer of a first color  90  to reflect light through the pointer assembly  32 . As noted above, it is within the scope of the present invention to apply an alternate color foil to either the first or second land  86 ,  88  or to the channel  84  to reflect a third color light through the pointer assembly  32 ; to apply a second layer of foil to any of the surfaces to obtain additional color properties; or to divide the first pointer zone  76  into a third pointer zone in a third color plastic to cause the light source to emit a third color light from the third pointer zone. 
         [0032]    An advantage or characteristic of the embodiment depicted with  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  is that by not placing a light reflecting material, such as a hot-stamped foil in the center portion or second pointer zone  78 , the zone will pass less light than the adjacent zone  76  on either side of zone  78 . Such low and high intensity light zones may make the pointer more or less readily observed in a quick glance by a driver driving at a high rate of speed. The selection of construction of a pointer in accordance with the three embodiments described above may depend upon the vehicle in which the pointer is installed, be it a large passenger car, truck or sports car. Also drivers of cars may fall into particular age categories and prefer, generally as a group, a pointer of a particular intensity of multiple color, or some variation thereof. Generally, each of the embodiments of  FIGS. 4   a / 4   b ,  5   a / 5   b  and  6   a / 6   b  may provide different intensities of color zones in a dual, or triple, color pointer. 
         [0033]    Additionally, an advantage of the teachings of the present invention is that a single light source, such as an LED, that emits a single color light, such as white light for example, may be used with a pointer, that when configured as explained above and depicted, will emit more than one color of light. Finally, different intensities of light from different zones of the pointer are achievable. For instance, by using a reflective material such as a reflective foil on a bottom surface of the pointer, light may be retained within a specific zone of the pointer and then emitted from the pointer as more intense light, as opposed to a zone that does not use a reflective material. Zones that do not use a reflective material or technique on the bottom of the pointer may permit light to escape from the bottom of the pointer and thus result in a less intensely illuminated pointer when the pointer is viewed from the top. 
         [0034]    The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.