Vehicle Instruments

Abstract

To provide a vehicle instrument with good assembling workability.SOLUTION: The vehicle instrument is provided with a liquid crystal display panel 1, a housing 4 for accommodating the liquid crystal display panel 1, and a lid 5 for covering an opening 421 provided in the housing 4. The housing 4 is provided with a cover 41 having a transparent portion through which a display output of the liquid crystal display panel 1 can be seen, and a case 42 fitted with the cover 41 so as to form a storage space 4a for the liquid crystal display panel 1. The lid 5 is provided with a base portion 51 closing an opening 421, a stopper portion 52 held by a holding portion 42b formed outside the storage space 4a in the case 42 to prevent it from coming off, and a connecting portion 53 connecting the base portion 51 and the stopper portion 52.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle instrument, and is suitable, for example, as an instrument that can be connected to an external device by wiring. [Background technology]

[0002] Vehicle instruments are generally housed in a housing, and instruments that are exposed to the external atmosphere, such as wind and rain, are constructed with consideration given to waterproofing and dustproofing, as described in Patent Document 1, for example.

[0003] On the other hand, the housing of a vehicle instrument may be provided with an opening for electrically connecting to an internal circuit board for adjustment work or connection to external devices while each component is held inside, and a detachable cover for covering this opening. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-232251 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Furthermore, if a function is required to prevent the lid from falling off the housing due to attachment / detachment operations or vehicle vibrations, not only would the lid and the holding structure for holding the lid become complicated, but the operation of assembling the lid to the housing would also become cumbersome.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a vehicle instrument with improved workability in assembling the cover. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The vehicle instrument of the present invention comprises: A display; a circuit board on which electronic components for driving and controlling the display and a connector for external connection are mounted; The aforementioned Display and the circuit board A housing for storing the This housing is The connector can be seen A lid that covers and closes the opening; Equipped with the housing includes a cover having a transparent portion through which the display output by the display device can be seen; a case that is fitted with the cover to form a storage space for the display; The lid is a base portion that is detachably provided with respect to the opening and that can close the opening; The case is provided with a stopper portion that is held and prevented from coming off by a holding portion formed outside the storage space, and a connecting portion that connects the base portion and the stopper portion.

[0008] The holding portion faces the cover and is formed in a mounting portion for mounting the housing to a vehicle body.

[0009] The mounting portion has a cylindrical holding portion having a hole at one end thereof that is larger in diameter than the stopper portion, The holding portion has a slit formed therein that is narrower than the outer diameter of the stopper portion and through which the connecting portion passes.

[0010] The cover also has a restricting portion that restricts movement of the stopper portion so that the stopper portion does not come off the holding portion by closing at least a part of the hole in the holding portion.

[0011] The opening is formed in the side surface of the case at a position opposite the connector. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The vehicle instrument of the present invention can improve the workability of assembling the cover. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle instrument mounted on a vehicle according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the vicinity of the mounting portion on the side of the vehicle instrument. [Figure 5] 5 is a diagram showing the vehicle instrument of FIG. 4 with the cover removed. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the lid is held by the holding portion of the case. [Figure 7] FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] An embodiment to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings, taking as an example a vehicle meter A mounted on a motorcycle.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, vehicle instrument A is mounted on the front side of the handlebar B of the vehicle body so as to face the driver while riding. In this case, most of vehicle instrument A, except for the display area, is covered and hidden within instrument panel C.

[0016] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the vehicle instrument A includes a liquid crystal display panel (display unit) 1, an indicator (display device) 2, a circuit board 3, a housing 4, and a cover 5.

[0017] The liquid crystal display panel 1 generates display images using liquid crystal display elements and can display and output vehicle information as numerical values, bar displays, symbol marks, etc. The liquid crystal display panel 1 can also display multiple vehicle information by switching between screens, and it is conceivable to display not only vehicle speed, but also various other information such as cumulative mileage and fuel consumption rate. The liquid crystal display panel 1 is also provided so that it can be viewed by being illuminated by a backlight.

[0018] In this case, the liquid crystal display panel 1 can be made up of a liquid crystal display element 11 having two transparent glass substrates (transparent plates) on which transparent electrodes are printed, liquid crystal sealed between these transparent glass substrates, and polarizing plates placed on the outside of each transparent glass substrate, and a backlight unit 12 for transmitting illumination to this liquid crystal display element 11.

[0019] The liquid crystal display element 11 can produce a desired display image by applying electricity to the transparent electrodes via an FPC (flexible printed circuit board), not shown. The liquid crystal display element 11 has continuous transparent wiring extending from the transparent electrodes between the transparent glass substrates to the outside, and the FPC and a driver (driving element), not shown, are mounted on this wiring via an anisotropic conductive film.

[0020] Although not shown in detail, the backlight unit 12 uses LEDs (light-emitting diodes) as light sources to transmit light onto the liquid crystal display element 11, and in addition to the LEDs, a light diffusion sheet, a prism sheet, etc. are used to provide a structure that uniformly illuminates the display area of the liquid crystal display panel 1. Note that instead of the liquid crystal display panel 1 provided with the backlight unit 12, a self-luminous organic EL panel can also be used.

[0021] The indicators 2 are provided in multiple numbers next to the liquid crystal display panel and are indicator lights for indicating cautions, warnings, and the operating status of vehicle equipment. They are provided with a transparent printed portion 21 printed on the housing 4, a light source 22 mounted on the circuit board 3, and a partition wall 23 that blocks light from leaking from the light source 22 to the liquid crystal display panel 1 or other indicators 2.

[0022] The transparent printed section 21 has predetermined symbol marks printed on the inner surface of the transparent section of the housing 4 described later, indicating warnings and cautions. For example, marks indicating the exhaust gas warning status, the operating status of the headlight high beams and turn signals are formed so that they can be illuminated through the transparent printed section 21.

[0023] The light source 22 is a light emitting diode mounted on the circuit board 3 at a location facing the transparent printed portion 21. Depending on whether the light source 22 is turned on or off, the indicator 2 can be switched between being displayed and not displayed.

[0024] The circuit board 3 is a rigid printed wiring board provided with, for example, conductive patterns made of copper foil formed on the front and back surfaces of an electrically insulating substrate made of glass epoxy resin, and an insulating coating that protects surfaces other than the mounting surface of electronic components. The circuit board 3 is provided with wiring made of copper foil patterns and electronic components (arithmetic circuit elements 31 such as a microcomputer) that generate and output drive signals for driving not only the light source 22 but also the liquid crystal display panel 1 based on power and various signals supplied by connection to the electronic control unit on the vehicle side. In addition, a connector 32 that can be selectively connected to a signal line for inputting a video signal from, for example, a navigation system device is mounted on the back side of the circuit board 3 (the side opposite to the display output side).

[0025] The housing 4 includes a cover 41 having a transparent portion 41a through which the display output from the liquid crystal display panel 1 can be seen, and a case 42 which is fitted with the cover 41 to form a storage space 4a for accommodating the liquid crystal display panel 1, the circuit board 3, etc.

[0026] The transparent portion 41a of the cover 41 can be made of a transparent plate material such as inorganic glass or acrylic resin, and protects the inside of the housing 4 while allowing the image displayed on the liquid crystal display panel 1 to be seen through. In this case, the transparent portion 41a made of inorganic glass is provided with a frame portion 41b made of a light-blocking synthetic resin material that is shaped to fit with the case 42 by insert molding. However, the transparent portion and the frame may be molded integrally using a transparent acrylic resin material, or a transparent plate-shaped transparent portion may be insert molded with a transparent frame made of a different material.

[0027] The cover 41 is disposed to cover the liquid crystal display panel 1, and a black light-shielding layer (light-shielding portion) 41c is formed in a frame shape by painting so as to hide the portion of the liquid crystal display panel 1 other than the display area. A gradation of dot shapes or color tones can be formed at the boundary between the light-shielding layer 41c and the display area inside it to make the boundary less noticeable. The transparent printed portion 21 of the indicator 2 can also be provided using the same material and process as the light-shielding layer 41c.

[0028] The inner surface of the cover 41 is provided with a transparent adhesive member 6 for holding the liquid crystal display panel 1, and a light-shielding sponge-like buffer member 7 for preventing exposure to light through the gap between the indicator 2 and the cover 41. The adhesive member 6 can be, for example, a moisture-curing or ultraviolet-curing adhesive, or an adhesive sheet with adhesive layers on both sides, and is preferably made of a material with a refractive index similar to that of the surface materials of the cover 41 and the liquid crystal display element 11, which can reduce boundary surface reflection and improve visibility.

[0029] Case 42 can be made of a light-blocking synthetic resin material, and circuit board 3 and partition wall 23 are fixed and supported by screws (not shown). As shown in Figures 3 and 4, case 42 has an opening 421 on its side at a position opposite connector 32, and is covered and sealed with lid 5.

[0030] The case 42 also has a flange-shaped mounting portion 422 that extends outward from near the abutment point (engagement point) with the cover 41 and has fixing holes 42a for fixing the vehicle instrument A to a vehicle body bracket (not shown). The mounting portion 422 of the case 42 is further provided with a cylindrical holding portion 42b that opens to the cover 41 side and holds one end of the lid 5. The cover 41 is also formed to extend from near the abutment point with the case 42 so as to cover the mounting portion 422. The vehicle instrument A is fixed to the vehicle body bracket at the mounting portion 422 with screws or bolts that pass through the fixing holes 42a.

[0031] The lid 5 is formed from elastically deformable synthetic rubber and has a base 51 that covers and seals the opening 421 of the case 42, a stopper portion 52 that is held in place by a retaining portion 42b formed outside the storage space 4a in the case 42, and a connecting portion 53 that connects the base 51 and the stopper portion 52.

[0032] 2 to 6, the base 51 is provided detachably with respect to the opening 421, and is prevented from easily coming off the opening 421 due to vehicle vibrations or the like by grooves 51a that hold wall portions 421a provided around the opening 421 and protrusions 51b that plug the opening 421 when inserted into the opening 421. When the base 51 is removed from the opening 421 (the state shown in FIG. 5), the connector 32 of the circuit board 3 can be seen from the opening 421, and wiring can be connected via the opening 421. Note that when connecting wiring, a separate waterproof structure is required.

[0033] As shown in Fig. 6, stopper portion 52 has an outer diameter on one end side of string-like connecting portion 53 that is larger than the thickness of connecting portion 53. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, holding portion 42b that holds stopper portion 52 is formed in a cylindrical (concave) shape having opening portion (hole) 42c on the cover 41 side (surface side) that is large enough to allow stopper portion 52 to pass through, and slit 42d is formed continuously from opening portion 42c as a gap that is larger than the outer diameter of connecting portion 53 and smaller than the outer diameter of stopper portion 52.

[0034] As a result, the lid 5 is held in place and prevented from coming off from any location other than the opening 42c by passing the stopper portion 52 through the opening 42c and the connecting portion 53 through the slit 42d. Furthermore, when the cover 41 is assembled in this state, the restricting portion 41d covers and blocks the opening 42c, preventing the stopper portion 52 from coming off the holding portion 42b. This prevents the lid 5 from falling off the vehicle instrument A regardless of whether the base 51 is attached or detached. If the restricting portion 41d is transparent, the assembled state of the stopper portion 52 can be confirmed through the restricting portion 41d. Furthermore, the connecting portion 53 is connected to the side surface of the base 51 (the outer surface perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction). This prevents the base 51 from coming off even when elastic deformation (recovery stress) of the connecting portion 53 is applied when the base 51 is attached to the opening 421.

[0035] Such a vehicle instrument A includes a liquid crystal display panel 1, a housing 4 that houses the liquid crystal display panel 1, and a lid 5 that covers and closes an opening 421 provided in the housing 4. The housing 4 includes a cover 41 having a transparent portion that allows the display output by the liquid crystal display panel 1 to be seen through, and a case 42 that fits together with the cover 41 to form a storage space 4a for the liquid crystal display panel 1. The lid 5 includes a base 51 that closes the opening 421, a stopper portion 52 that is held in place by a holding portion 42b formed on the case 42 outside the storage space 4a, and a connecting portion 53 that connects the base 51 and the stopper portion 52. The holding portion 42b faces the cover 41 and is formed in an attachment portion 422 that attaches the housing 4 to the vehicle body.

[0036] Therefore, since the structure for assembling and holding the lid 5 is provided outside the storage space 4a, assembly can be performed while visually inspecting the lid 5, resulting in a vehicle instrument with improved workability.

[0037] In addition, the mounting portion 422 has a cylindrical holding portion 42b with an opening 42c at one end that is larger than the outer diameter of the stopper portion 52, and this holding portion 42b has a slit 42d formed in it that is narrower than the outer diameter of the stopper portion 52 and through which the connecting portion 53 passes.This means that there is no need to assemble the lid 5 while causing excessive elastic deformation, making the assembly work easy.

[0038] Furthermore, the cover 41 is effective because it has a restricting portion 41d that restricts the movement of the stopper portion 52 so that it does not come off the holding portion 42b by blocking at least a portion of the opening portion 42c of the holding portion 42b, thereby eliminating the need for parts or processes to prevent the stopper portion 52 from coming off (to prevent the lid 5 from falling off).

[0039] The vehicle instrument A also includes a circuit board 3 housed in the housing 4 and mounting electronic components for driving and controlling the liquid crystal display panel 1 and a connector 32 for external connection, and the opening 421 allows the connector 32 to be seen from outside the vehicle instrument A when the cover 5 is removed. This makes it easy to connect the connectors (wire the wiring) even when the vehicle instrument A is mounted on the vehicle.

[0040] Although the vehicle instrument of the present invention has been described using the configuration of the above-described embodiment as an example, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that various improvements and design changes are possible in other configurations as long as they do not deviate from the gist of the present invention.

[0041] The present invention can be applied to, for example, a vehicle instrument mounted on a moving body such as an automobile or motorcycle, or an agricultural machine or construction machine. [Explanation of symbols]

[0042] 1 LCD display panel (display) 11 Liquid crystal display element 12 Backlight section 2 Indicators 21 Transparent printing section 22 Light source 23 Compartment Wall 3 Circuit Board 31 Arithmetic circuit element 32 connectors 4. Cabinet 41 Cover 41a Transparent part 41b Frame 41c Light blocking layer 41d Regulatory Department 42 cases 421 Aperture 421a Wall 422 Mounting part 42a Fixing hole 42b Holding part 42c Opening part (hole) 42d slit 4a Storage space 5 Lid 51 Base 51a Groove 51b Protrusion 52 Stopper part 53 Connecting part 6 Adhesive material 7. Cushioning material A Vehicle Instruments B. Handlebar C. Instrument panel

Claims

1. A display; a circuit board on which electronic components for driving and controlling the display and a connector for external connection are mounted; a housing for storing the display and the circuit board; a cover provided on the housing to cover an opening through which the connector can be seen; Equipped with the housing includes a cover having a transparent portion through which the display output by the display device can be seen; a case that is fitted with the cover to form a storage space for the display; The lid is detachably attached to the opening and includes a base that can close the opening, a stopper that is held in place by a retaining portion formed in the case outside the storage space, and a connecting portion that connects the base and the stopper.

2. The vehicle instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the holding portion is formed on a mounting portion that faces the cover and that is used to mount the housing to a vehicle body.

3. the mounting portion has a cylindrical holding portion having a hole at one end thereof that is larger in diameter than the stopper portion, 3. The vehicle instrument according to claim 2, wherein the holding portion has a slit formed therein, the slit being narrower than an outer diameter of the stopper portion and through which the connecting portion passes.

4. The vehicle instrument according to claim 3, wherein the cover includes a restricting portion that restricts movement of the stopper portion so as not to come off the holding portion by closing at least a part of the hole of the holding portion.

5. A vehicle instrument as described in claim 1, wherein the opening is located on the side of the case at a position opposite the connector.

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