Assembly

Abstract

To provide an assembly capable of stabilizing a position of a second component relative to a first component even if a temperature environment is changed.SOLUTION: An assembly includes a first component 10, and a second component 20 formed from a material different from that of the first component 10. The first component 10 includes a projection section 131a, and an opposing section 132a that opposes the projection section 131a with a gap in a predetermined direction. The second component 20 includes an inserted section 21a into which the projection section 131a is inserted. The inserted section 21a includes an interposition section 22a positioned between the projection section 131a and the opposing section 132a. The interposition section 22a can abut on one of the projection section 131a and the opposing section 132a in a predetermined direction according to a temperature environment.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to assemblies, and more particularly to assemblies that include a first part and a second part formed of a material different from the first part. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, Patent Document 1 describes an assembly including a first part (case 101) and a second part (diffusion plate 103) that is positioned relative to the first part and is made of a material different from that of the first part. This assembly is used in an instrument. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2018-49752 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In this type of assembly, the first and second components are formed with members that fit together, and the second component is positioned relative to the first component by using the members. However, since the thermal expansion coefficient depends on the material, there is a risk that the position of the second component relative to the first component may deviate from the desired position depending on the temperature environment.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide an assembly that can stabilize the position of a second component relative to a first component even when the temperature environment changes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the assembly according to the present disclosure comprises: 1. An assembly comprising a first part and a second part formed of a material different from the first part, The first component includes a protrusion and an opposing portion that faces the protrusion in a predetermined direction with a gap therebetween, the second component includes an insertion portion into which the protrusion is inserted, the inserted portion has an intermediate portion located between the protruding portion and the facing portion, The intermediate portion is capable of contacting either the protruding portion or the opposing portion in the predetermined direction depending on the temperature environment. Effect of the Invention

[0007] According to the present disclosure, the position of the second component relative to the first component can be stabilized even if the temperature environment changes. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a top view of an assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion A of the assembly according to the embodiment shown in FIG. [Figure 3A] FIG. 2 is a view showing a first state of the first component and the second component according to the embodiment. [Figure 3B] FIG. 13 is a view showing a second state of the first component and the second component according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] An embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] 1 includes a first part 10 and a second part 20 formed of a material different from that of the first part 10. The assembly 1 of this embodiment constitutes a part of an instrument mounted on a vehicle. In other words, the assembly 1 is used in the instrument.

[0011] In the following, the mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes may be used as appropriate to explain the various components of the assembly 1 and the instrument. The direction of the arrows indicating the X, Y, and Z axes is the + (plus) direction of each axis, and the opposite direction is the - (minus) direction. The +Z direction is the front direction of the paper in Figure 1, and corresponds to the front direction of the instrument. The -Z direction is the back direction of the paper in Figure 1, and corresponds to the back direction of the instrument.

[0012] The first part 10 is a case made of a predetermined resin, specifically, a so-called middle case located inside the exterior of the instrument. The second part 20 is a light-transmitting optical member housed in the first part 10 as a case. Specifically, the second part 20 is a plate-shaped diffusion plate having an opening 20a and being substantially annular in plan view. This diffusion plate is provided to diffuse light from a light source provided in the first part 10 as a case, and to uniformly illuminate a dial, which will be described later. The second part 20 is formed into a plate shape from, for example, PC (Poly Carbonate). The second part 20 may be printed to impart a light diffusion function to the resin material.

[0013] The first part 10 includes a mounting portion 11 on which a dial (not shown) of an instrument is placed, an accommodation portion 12 in which the second part 20 is accommodated, and an inner portion 13 located inside the opening 20a of the second part 20. The accommodation portion 12 is a portion formed to be recessed in the -Z direction from the mounting portion 11 in accordance with the shape of the second part 20.

[0014] The inner part 13 is formed with an insertion hole 13a through which a rotating shaft that rotates by the power of a motor located on the back side of the first component 10 passes. A pointer located on the front side of the dial is provided at the tip of this rotating shaft. In other words, the instrument in which the assembly 1 is used is a pointer-type instrument that notifies the user of vehicle speed and the like by comparing the pointer with an index (number, scale, etc.) marked on the dial.

[0015] First engagement portions E1, E2, and E3 are provided on the inner portion 13, and second engagement portions G1, G2, and G3 are provided on the opening 20a of the second component 20. The first engagement portion E1 engages with the second engagement portion G1, the first engagement portion E2 engages with the second engagement portion G2, and the first engagement portion E3 engages with the second engagement portion G3. The second component 20 is locked to the first component 10 at these engagement points. These engagement means are, for example, a hook mechanism, but may be other means such as fitting or press-fitting.

[0016] Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part A in Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 2, the inner part 13 of the first component 10 includes protrusions 131a, 131b, and 131c. The protrusions 131a, 131b, and 131c are portions that protrude from the bottom surface 13b of the inner part 13 in the +Z direction. The protrusions 131a, 131b, and 131c are formed, for example, in a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view. The protrusion 131a is located in the 12 o'clock direction in Fig. 2, the protrusion 131b is located in the 3 o'clock direction in Fig. 2, and the protrusion 131c is located in the 9 o'clock direction in Fig. 2.

[0017] The second component 20 includes an inserted portion 21a into which the protrusion 131a is inserted, an inserted portion 21b into which the protrusion 131b is inserted, and an inserted portion 21c into which the protrusion 131c is inserted, at an end of the opening 20a. The inserted portions 21a, 21b, and 21c have U-shaped grooves extending in the direction in which the opening 20a expands in a plan view, and the protrusions 131a, 131b, and 131c are inserted into the respective grooves. The inserted portion 21a is shaped to sandwich the protrusion 131a in the X direction. The inserted portions 21b and 21c are shaped to sandwich the corresponding protrusions 131b and 131c in the Y direction.

[0018] The first component 10 includes a facing portion 132a that faces the protrusion 131a with a gap in the X direction (one example of the predetermined direction). The first component 10 also includes a facing portion 132b that faces the protrusion 131b with a gap in the Y direction (another example of the predetermined direction), and a facing portion 132c that faces the protrusion 131c with a gap in the Y direction (another example of the predetermined direction). The facing portions 132a, 132b, and 132c are portions that protrude from the bottom surface 13b of the inner portion 13 in the +Z direction. The facing portions 132a, 132b, and 132c are formed, for example, in a substantially rectangular or elliptical shape in a plan view.

[0019] The inserted portions 21a, 21b, and 21c of the second component 20 have intervening portions 22a, 22b, and 22c located between the corresponding protruding portions 131a, 131b, and 131c and the opposing portions 132a, 132b, and 132c, respectively.

[0020] In particular, there are a pair of opposing portions 132a corresponding to the protruding portion 131a, sandwiching the protruding portion 131a therebetween, so that the interposed portion 22a of the inserted portion 21a is positioned between each of the pair of opposing portions 132a and the protruding portion 131a.

[0021] Here, Fig. 3A shows a first state of the first part 10 and the second part 20, and Fig. 3B shows a second state of the first part 10 and the second part 20. The first state and the second state are states brought about by changes in the temperature environment of the assembly 1. In the first state, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first part 10 relative to the second part 20 is greater than in the second state. In other words, in the second state, the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second part 20 relative to the first part 10 is greater than in the first state.

[0022] As can be seen by referring to FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, the distance in the X direction between the protrusion 131a and the facing portion 132 and the width in the X direction of the intervening portion 22a are set so that the intervening portion 22a can contact either the protrusion 131a or the facing portion 132a in the X direction (one example of a predetermined direction) depending on the temperature environment. Specifically, in the first state shown in FIG. 3A, the intervening portion 22a contacts the protrusion 131a in the X direction, while a gap is generated between the intervening portion 22a and the facing portion 132a. In addition, in the second state shown in FIG. 3B, the intervening portion 22a contacts the facing portion 132a in the X direction, while a gap is generated between the intervening portion 22a and the protrusion 131a. In this way, since the intervening portion 22a can contact either the protrusion 131a or the facing portion 132a depending on the temperature environment, the position of the second component 20 with respect to the first component 10 can be stabilized even if the temperature environment changes. The temperature range assumed as the temperature environment may be determined in advance taking into consideration the environment in which the assembly 1 and the instrument are used.

[0023] In addition, as a configuration corresponding to the protrusion 131a, there are a pair of opposing parts 132a and a pair of intervening parts 22a. As a result, in the first state shown in FIG. 3A, the inserted part 21a sandwiches the protrusion 131a in the X direction between the pair of intervening parts 22a. On the other hand, in the second state shown in FIG. 3B, the pair of opposing parts 132a sandwiches the pair of intervening parts 22a in the X direction. Therefore, in the location corresponding to the protrusion 131a, the position of the second part 20 in the X direction relative to the first part 10 is restricted and determined in both the first and second states. As a result, even when the assembly 1 is in a vibration environment, it is possible to suppress the generation of abnormal noise caused by the second part 20 playing and hitting the first part 10 at the location corresponding to the protrusion 131a.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 2, the configurations corresponding to the protrusions 131b and 131c are not provided with a pair of facing portions 132b and 132c, but the concept and function are the same as the configuration corresponding to the protrusion 131a described above. That is, the intervening portion 22b can contact either the protrusion 131b or the facing portion 132b in the Y direction (another example of the predetermined direction) depending on the temperature environment. Also, the intervening portion 22c can contact either the protrusion 131c or the facing portion 132c in the Y direction (another example of the predetermined direction) depending on the temperature environment. This makes it possible to stabilize the position of the second component 20 relative to the first component 10 even if the temperature environment changes. Since there is no pair of opposing portions 132b, 132c, it is possible that the Y-direction position of the second part 20 relative to the first part 10 cannot be completely determined at the locations corresponding to the protrusions 131b, 131c due to changes in temperature. However, the Y-direction position of the second part 20 relative to the first part 10 is regulated by the first engagement portions E1, E2, E3 and the second engagement portions G1, G2, G3 as well.

[0025] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and drawings, and can be modified (including the deletion of components) as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0026] The shapes of the protrusions 131a, 131b, 131c and the opposing parts 132a, 132b, 132c are not limited to the above examples and can be changed as desired. The second part 20 may be another optical member having translucency, for example, a light guide. The assembly 1 is not limited to being used in an instrument, and may be used for any purpose as long as it includes the first part 10 and the second part 20 formed of a material different from that of the first part 10.

[0027] In the above description, descriptions of well-known technical matters have been omitted as appropriate in order to facilitate understanding of the present disclosure.

[0028] Various embodiments and modifications of the present invention are possible without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the present invention. The above-described embodiments are for the purpose of explaining the present invention and do not limit the scope of the present invention. That is, the scope of the present invention is indicated by the claims, not the embodiments. Various modifications made within the scope of the claims and the scope of the invention equivalent thereto are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0029] 1…Assembly 10…First part 11...Placement section 12…Storage section 13: inner portion, 13a: insertion hole, 13b: bottom surface 131a, 131b, 131c...Protrusion 132a, 132b, 132c...Opposing part 20... second part, 20a... opening 21a, 21b, 21c...Inserted part 22a, 22b, 22c...intervening part E1, E2, E3…first engagement part G1, G2, G3…Second engagement part

Claims

1. 1. An assembly comprising a first part and a second part formed of a material different from the first part, The first component includes a protruding portion and an opposing portion that faces the protruding portion with a gap therebetween in a predetermined direction, the second component includes an insertion portion into which the protrusion is inserted, the inserted portion has an intermediate portion located between the protruding portion and the facing portion, the intermediate portion is capable of contacting either the protruding portion or the opposing portion in the predetermined direction depending on a temperature environment; assembly.

2. The opposing portions are a pair with the protruding portion in between. The assembly of claim 1 .

3. 1. An assembly for use in a meter, comprising: the second component is a light-transmitting optical member, The first component is a case that houses the optical member. Assembly according to claim 1 or 2.

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