Claims
- 1. An indicating instrument for a vehicle comprising:
- a dial plate;
- a longitudinally extending discharge lamp;
- a light conducting plate disposed at the back of said dial plate;
- a circuit board connected to a light source;
- a reflector for reflecting light of said discharge lamp toward said light conducting plate, said reflector holding said circuit board and said discharge lamp to extend along said light conducting plate;
- a casing disposed behind said light conducting plate;
- a driving unit disposed inside said casing, said driving unit having a shaft extending outward from said dial plate through said light conducting plate; and
- one of said reflector and said circuit board being detachably connected to one of said dial plate, light conducting plate and casing.
- 2. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 1, wherein said reflector, said circuit board and said discharge lamp forms a detachable unit.
- 3. An indicating instrument for a vehicle comprising:
- a dial plate;
- a longitudinally extending discharge lamp having a heater for heating said discharge lamp;
- a light conducting plate disposed at the back of said dial plate;
- a reflector for reflecting light of said discharge lamp toward said light conducting plate, said reflector holding said discharge lamp to extend along said light conducting plate; and
- a temperature sensing switch for supplying current to said heater when a temperature of said discharge lamp is in a predetermined range and interrupting current otherwise.
- 4. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein said switch is fixed to said reflector.
- 5. An indicating instrument for a vehicle comprising:
- a dial plate;
- a longitudinally extending discharge lamp having a heater for heating said discharge lamp;
- a light conducting plate disposed at the back of said dial plate;
- a reflector for reflecting light of said discharge lamp toward said light conducting plate, said reflector holding said discharge lamp to extend along said light conducting plate;
- a casing disposed behind said light conducting plate;
- a driving unit disposed inside said casing, driving unit having a driving shaft extending outward from said dial plate through said light conducting plate;
- a heater for heating said discharge lamp;
- a temperature sensing switch for supplying current to said heater when a temperature of said charge lamp is in a predetermined range and interrupting current otherwise.
- 6. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a first circuit board, fixed to said reflector, for supplying said temperature sensing switch with electric power.
- 7. The indicting instrument as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a high voltage generator, a second circuit board connected to said high voltage generator, a connector for connecting said first circuit board and said second circuit board, and a plurality of lead wires connecting said connector, said discharge lamp, and said switch.
- 8. An indicating instrument for a vehicle comprising:
- a dial plate;
- a longitudinally extending discharge lamp having a heater for heating said discharge lamp;
- a light conducting plate disposed at the back of said dial plate;
- a reflector for reflecting light of said discharge lamp toward said light conducting plate, said reflector holding said discharge lamp to extend along said light conducting plate;
- a casing disposed behind said light conducting plate;
- a driving unit disposed inside said casing, said driving unit having a driving shaft extending outward from said dial plate through said light conducting plate;
- a temperature sensing element for sensing temperature of said discharge lamp; and
- a switch, connected to said temperature sensing element, for turning off said heater when a temperature of said discharge lamp is out of a predetermined range.
- 9. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 8, wherein said temperature sensing element is fixed to said reflector.
- 10. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a first circuit board connected to said temperature sensing element and fixed to said reflector.
- 11. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a second circuit board fixed to said casing and having a high voltage generator and a connector.
- 12. The indicating instrument as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:
- a circuit board having a high voltage generator and a connector; and
- a plurality of lead wires connecting said connector, said discharge lamp, and said temperature sensing element.
Priority Claims (3)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
8-126048 |
May 1996 |
JPX |
|
8-133881 |
May 1996 |
JPX |
|
9-89717 |
Apr 1997 |
JPX |
|
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/859,099, filed May 20, 1997 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,515.
US Referenced Citations (15)
Foreign Referenced Citations (5)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2-150515 |
Dec 1990 |
JPX |
7-16116 |
Mar 1995 |
JPX |
7-107490 |
Nov 1995 |
JPX |
8-17224 |
Jan 1996 |
JPX |
8-189844 |
Jul 1996 |
JPX |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
859099 |
May 1997 |
|