Display device

Abstract

A display device includes a translucent member having a scale part, a light source disposed at a rear side of the translucent member and a dial plate. The dial plate has a shield part that is located to shield a first portion of the scale part from a visual side so as to be invisible from the visual side when the light source is off. The scale part has a second portion that is a residual portion of the first portion, and the second portion is visible from the visual side when the light source is off. The shield part has a translucency so that the first portion of the scale part is visible through the shield part when the light source is on.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments when taken together with the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of a combination meter which is a display device according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the display device taken along line II-II in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing an electric circuit of the combination meter according to the embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the combination meter in FIG. 1 when light emitting diodes do not emit light;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to a first modification of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to a second modification of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to a third modification of FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a display device according to a fourth modification of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 9 is a front view of the combination meter of the fourth modification when the light emitting diodes do not emit light.

Claims

1. A display device comprising: a translucent member having a scale part;a light source disposed at a rear side of the translucent member; anda dial plate, that has a shield part located to shield a first portion of the scale part from a visual side so as to be invisible from the visual side when the light source is off,wherein the scale part has a second portion that is a residual portion of the first portion, and the second portion is visible from the visual side when the light source is off, andwherein the shield part has a translucency so that the first portion of the scale part is visible through the shield part when the light source is on.

2. The display device according to claim 1, wherein each of scales of the scale part continuously extends from the first portion of the scale part to the second portion of the scale part.

3. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the scale part is inclined relative to the shield part.

4. The display device according to claim 3, wherein the second portion of the scale part is arranged on the visual side than the first portion of the scale part.

5. The display device according to claim 4, wherein the shield part includes a gradation part having a translucency gradually increases from a side of the first portion of the scale part to a side of the second portion of the scale part.

6. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the shield part is made of a material having a property of a smoky glass or a half mirror.

7. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the dial plate includes an aperture part or a transparent part to allow the second portion of the scale part to be visible from the visual side when the light source is off.

8. The display device according to claim 1, further comprising an indicator rotating along a front face of the dial meter on the visual side, wherein the translucent member, the shield part and the scale part are provided along a rotation direction of an end of the indicator.

9. The display device according to claim 8, wherein the first portion of the scale part is arranged at an inner peripheral side of the second portion of the scale part.

10. The display device according to claim 8, wherein the first portion of the scale part is arranged at an outer peripheral side of the second portion of the scale part.

11. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the dial plate and the scale part are located to have a space therebetween.

12. The display device according to claim 11, wherein the scale part is located parallel to the dial plate.