JPS6260008B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a parent-child type fuel gauge installed in automobiles, etc., and more specifically, the present invention relates to a parent-child type fuel gauge installed in automobiles, etc. 1/4 from F, which represents the remaining fuel level of
This is related to a parent-child type fuel gauge in which the meter pointer indicates the two scales that are divided into two parts, from 1/4 or less to E, so that it is possible to know in detail how little fuel is left. .

An example of a first conventional parent-child type fuel gauge is shown in FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a battery power supply, the positive side of which is connected to one terminal of a master meter 2 and a slave meter 3, respectively. Further, the other terminal of the main meter 2 is grounded via the main variable resistor 4, and the other terminal of the sub meter 3 is grounded via the sub variable resistor 5.

The parent variable resistor 4 consists of a contact arm 4a and a sliding resistor 4b, and the contact arm 4a is a rotatable arm 7 to which the parent float 6 is attached.
As the arm 7 rotates, its contact portion slides on the sliding resistance 4b. Also,
The child variable resistor 5 also consists of a contact arm 5a and a sliding resistor 5b, and the contact arm 5a is fixed to an arm 9 to which a child float 8 is attached, and as the arm 7 rotates, its contact portion changes. It slides on the sliding resistance 5b. The arm 7 to which the parent float 6 is attached is disposed higher inside the fuel tank (not shown) than the arm 7 to which the child float 8 is attached.

When, for example, the parent float 6 moves up and down in response to fluctuations in the fuel liquid level, the arm 7 rotates in response to the displacement of the parent float 6, and the resistance value of the parent variable resistor 4 is varied. Due to this change in resistance value, the meter drive current flowing through the main meter 2 is controlled, and the pointer 2b of the main meter 2 swings in accordance with the level of the fuel liquid level, thereby measuring the remaining amount of fuel. Since the dial 2a of the main meter 2 is provided with a scale that displays the full range from E to F representing the remaining amount of fuel, it is possible to know the remaining amount of fuel in the fuel tank.

When the fuel level in the fuel tank is low and the fuel level fluctuates, the child float 8 moves up and down to vary the resistance value of the child variable resistor 5 in the same way as the parent float 6, and the child meter 3 also changes the fuel level. The pointer 3b swings according to the level of the surface, and the amount of remaining fuel is measured. That is, on the dial 3a of the sub meter 3, from E to 1/
Since there is a scale that displays up to 4, it is possible to know in detail how little fuel is remaining in the fuel tank.

However, in the parent-child type fuel gauge of the first conventional example, the remaining fuel amount from E to F and 1/4 from E are determined using the parent meter 2, the child meter 3, the parent float 6, and the child float 8. However, since it is possible to know the amount of fuel remaining up to the point in time, there is a problem in that the number of parts increases, resulting in high costs.

Therefore, as a solution to the problems of the first conventional example, a parent-child type fuel gauge as shown in FIG. 2 was developed.

In this parent-child type fuel gauge, the positive side of a battery power source 10 is connected to one terminal of a meter 11. The other terminal of meter 11 is connected to variable resistor 12 . The variable resistor 12 includes a contact arm 12a, a large sliding resistance 12b, and a small sliding resistance 1.
2c, large sliding resistance 12b and small sliding resistance 1
2c is connected. Contact arm 12
A is fixed to a rotatable arm 14 to which a float 13 is attached, and as the arm 14 rotates, its contact portion slides on a large sliding resistance 12b and a small sliding resistance 12c. This contact arm 12a is grounded.

In addition, large sliding resistance 12b and small sliding resistance 12c
An arc-shaped large contact piece 15a and a small arc-shaped contact piece 15b on which a contact portion provided at the tip of the contact arm 12a slides are arranged in parallel above the contact arm 12a. The large contact piece 15a connects to the battery power supply 10 via the light bulb 16.
The small contact piece 15b is also connected to the positive side of the bulb 1.
7 to the positive side of the battery power supply 10.

The dial 11a of the meter 11 is provided with a large scale at the top that displays the range from F to 1/4 representing the remaining amount of fuel, and a small scale at the bottom that displays the range from 1/4 to E. It is being
Further, on the dial 11a of the meter 11, a light bulb 16 is disposed on the left side of the large scale to illuminate the large scale, and a light bulb 17 is disposed on the left side of the large scale to illuminate the small scale.
is placed on the left side of the small scale. 18 is a stop pin for stopping the pointer 11b of the meter 11 at the 1/4 point on the large scale or the E point on the small scale.

Then, the float 13
When the float 13 moves up and down, the arm 14 rotates in response to the displacement of the float 13, and the resistance value of the variable resistor 12 is varied. Due to this change in resistance value, the meter drive current flowing through the meter 11 is controlled, the pointer 11b swings in accordance with the level of the fuel liquid level, and the remaining amount of fuel is measured. In this case, contact arm 1
Each contact part 2a has a large sliding resistance 12b and a large contact piece 1.
5a, the pointer 1 of the meter 11
1b indicates the large scale and the light bulb 16 is turned on so that the remaining fuel amount can be known in the range from F to 1/4. Also, contact arm 1
Each contact part of 2a has a small sliding resistance 12c and a small contact piece 1.
5b, the pointer 11b of the meter 11 indicates the small scale, and the light bulb 17 is turned on, allowing the user to know the remaining fuel level in the range from 1/4 to E. In addition, each contact part of the contact arm 12a is connected to a large sliding resistance 12b, a small sliding resistance 12c, and a small contact piece 15b from above the large sliding resistance 12b and the large contact piece 15a.
When switching upward, the pointer 11b of the meter 11, which indicates the 1/4 point on the large scale, swings significantly to the right to indicate the 1/4 point on the small scale, that is, point F on the large scale. At this time, the light bulb 16 that has been lit up until now goes out, and the light bulb 17 is now lit.

However, in the parent-child type fuel gauge of the second conventional example, when the remaining fuel level further decreases from 1/4, the pointer 11b of the fuel gauge 11 changes to a large scale.
1/4 point to 1/4 point of small scale, that is F of large scale
Since the pointer 11b can swing widely from left to right to return to the point, if the fuel level fluctuates around 1/4 of the remaining fuel level, the pointer 11b will move on the dial 11a.
The light bulbs 16 and 17 flashed as the light swung wildly.
There was a problem that the instructions on the pointer 11b were difficult to read.

This invention was made by focusing on these conventional problems, and includes a float that moves up and down depending on the fuel level, and a current controller that changes the meter drive current as the float moves up and down. , a pointer on the fuel meter that is driven by a meter drive current that is varied by a current controller, and a pointer on the dial of the fuel meter that indicates the remaining fuel amount from F to E.
In parent-child type fuel gauges, the pointer is made up of two scales that are divided into two parts, and the pointer indicates the scale according to the level of the fuel liquid level, allowing you to know the remaining amount of fuel. has a pointer section on each end side, a scale is placed on the bottom surface of each pointer section, and the current controller increases or decreases the meter drive current until the fuel level reaches a certain predetermined level. After reaching that level, the scale is formed to decrease or increase accordingly, and a lighting means is provided for illuminating the scale when the pointer section of the pointer indicates the scale. By doing so,
The purpose is to solve the above problems.

The present invention will be explained below based on the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

First, the configuration will be described. In the figure, reference numeral 20 is a battery power supply, and the positive side of the battery power supply 20 is connected to one terminal of a meter 21. meter 2
The other terminal of 1 is a variable resistor 2 which is a current controller.
Connected to 2. The variable resistor 22 includes a contact arm 22a, a large sliding resistance 22b, and a small sliding resistance 22c, and the large sliding resistance 22b and the small sliding resistance 22c are provided on the substrate 23. The contact arm 22a is fixed to a rotatable arm 25 to which a float 24 is attached, and as the arm 25 rotates, the contact arm 22a
The contact part provided in the middle of 2a is a large sliding resistance 22
b and slides on the small sliding resistance 22c. The large sliding resistance 22b and the small sliding resistance 22c are constructed by winding the coils in opposite directions to each other, so that the float 24 moves downward and the arm 25 rotates counterclockwise, and the contact arm 22a moves from the right side to the left side in the figure. The resistance value of the large sliding resistor 22b gradually increases as it moves, and the resistance value of the small sliding resistor 22c gradually decreases as it moves. Therefore, the meter drive current flowing through the meter 21 gradually decreases in current value at the large sliding resistor 22b, and gradually increases in current value at the small sliding resistor 22c. Then, the resistance value of the large sliding resistance 22b and the small sliding resistance 2 when the contact portion of the contact arm 22a is switched from the large sliding resistance 22b to the small sliding resistance 22c.
The resistance value of 2c is set to the same value. Further, the contact arm 22a is grounded.

On the board 23, two contact parts are arranged vertically at the tip of the contact arm 22a above the large sliding resistance 22b and the small sliding resistance 22c, and the arc-shaped large contact piece 26a and the small contact piece 26b slide thereon. are arranged side by side, one above the other. In addition, the large contact piece 26
The left end of a and the right end of the small contact piece 26b are partially overlapped vertically. The large contact piece 26a is the light bulb 2
7 to the positive side of the battery power source 20, and the small contact piece 26b is also connected to the positive side of the battery power source 20 through the light bulb 28.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the large contact piece 26a and the small contact piece 26b. Large contact piece 2 of this modification
6a' and the small contact piece 26b' are arranged so as to be located on the same trajectory as in the second conventional example. The left end of the large contact piece 26a and the right end of the small contact piece 26b are separated from each other by a certain distance on the same trajectory. Further, two contact portions are provided at the tip of the contact arm 22a on the left and right, and the contact portion provided in the middle of the contact arm 22a is connected from the large sliding resistance 22b to the small sliding resistance 22c.
The contact arm 22a is configured so that either one of the two contact portions provided at the tip of the contact arm 22a comes into contact with the large contact piece 26a or the small contact piece 26b.

On the other hand, on the dial 30 of the meter 21, there is a large scale 31 at the top in the figure that displays the range from F to 1/4 representing the remaining fuel amount, and a small scale 32 that displays the range from 1/4 to E. It is located at the bottom. Further, the rotational center point of the pointer 33 of the meter 21 is placed midway between the large scale 31 and the small scale 32. Further, another small-scale pointer section 33b is provided at the base end of the pointer 33, which is similar to the conventional one, and extends in the opposite direction to the large-scale pointer section 33a. That is, there are two pointer parts 33 on both end sides of the pointer 33.
a, 33b are formed.

Further, a light bulb 27 is attached to the large scale 31 on the dial 30 of the meter 21 so as to illuminate the large scale 31.
A light bulb 28 is disposed on the left side of the small scale 32 so as to illuminate the small scale 32. 29 is a stopper pin for stopping the pointer 33 of the meter 21 at a 1/4 point on the large scale 31.

Next, the action will be explained.

When the float 24 moves up and down in response to fluctuations in the fuel level, the arm 25 rotates in response to the displacement of the float 24, and the resistance value of the variable resistor 22 is varied. Due to this change in resistance value, the meter drive current flowing through the meter 21 is controlled, the pointer 33 swings in accordance with the level of the fuel liquid level, and the remaining amount of fuel is measured. In this case, when each contact part of the contact arm 22a is on the large sliding resistor 22b and the large contact piece 26a, the large scale pointer part 33a of the pointer 33 of the meter 21 indicates the large scale 31, and the light bulb 27 is lit and 1/4 from F
You can check the remaining fuel level in the range up to . Further, when the contact portions of the contact arm 22a are respectively on the small sliding resistance 22b and the small contact piece 26b, the small scale pointer portion 33b of the pointer 33 of the meter 21 indicates the small scale 32 and the small scale The light bulb 28 illuminating the fuel cell 32 is turned on and the remaining fuel level can be determined in the range from 1/4 to E. Furthermore, when each contact portion of the contact arm 22a switches from the large sliding resistance 22b and the large contact piece 26a to the small sliding resistance 22c and the small contact piece 26b, point 1/4 of the large scale 31. For the pointer 33 of the meter 21, the resistance value of the large sliding resistor 22b and the resistance value of the small sliding resistor 22c at that time do not change, and the meter drive current also does not change.
I can't shake it. Also, at this time, both the light bulb 27 that has been lit up until now and the light bulb 28 that illuminates the small scale 32 are lit. Therefore,
Even if the fuel level fluctuates around the 1/4 point, the pointer 33 will not swing significantly. and,
Each contact part of the contact arm 22a has a large sliding resistance 22b and a small sliding resistance 22c from above the large contact piece 26a.
When the switch is completely placed on the small contact piece 26b, the small scale pointer 33b of the pointer 33 of the meter 21 points to the small scale 32, and the light bulb 28 lights up, starting from 1/4. You can check the remaining fuel level in the range up to E. Then, as the remaining fuel amount decreases, the small scale pointer portion 33b of the pointer 33 swings to the right in the figure.

5 and 6 show a second embodiment of the invention.

This embodiment is configured to make it easier to distinguish between a large scale 31 and a small scale 32 provided on a dial 30 of a meter 21.

In the figure, 40 is a housing for a combination meter, and a meter 2 is placed in the center of the housing 40.
1, a speedometer 41 is provided on the left side of the housing 40, and a tachometer 42 is provided on the right side.
The dial 30 of the meter 21 is located at the top of the housing 40.
An opening 40a is provided above the opening 40a. The opening 40a is closed by two circularly polarizing plates 43, 43 and one light shielding plate 44. The two circularly polarizing plates 43 and 43 respectively cover the large scale 31 and small scale 32 provided on the dial 30, and the light shielding plate 54 covers the base end of the pointer 33 of the meter 21.

When the light bulb 27 that illuminates the large scale 31 is lit, it can be clearly seen that the large scale pointer 33a of the pointer 33 is displaying the large scale 31, but the small scale 32 is illuminated by the light bulb 28. Since the light beam is blocked by the circularly polarizing plate 43 covering the small scale 32, it is hardly visible. vice versa,
When the light bulb 28 that illuminates the small scale 32 is on, the small scale 32 is visible, but the large scale 31 is not visible. In this embodiment, the circularly polarizing plate 43
However, it goes without saying that a semi-transparent plate that has been smoked may also be used.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the invention.

This embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the second embodiment, but the pointer 53 of the meter 21 is made to emit light. In the drawings, parts or members that are the same or equivalent to those in the second embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and redundant explanation will be omitted.

In this embodiment, each pointer portion 53a of the pointer 53 is formed transparent, and a light receiving portion 54 is formed on the lower surface of each pointer portion 53a.
A light transmitting member, for example, an optical fiber 55 is interposed between each light receiving portion and each light bulb 27, 28. Therefore, for example, when the light bulb 28 that illuminates the small scale 32 is lit, the light from the light bulb 28 is guided by the optical fiber 55 and reaches the light receiving part 54 of the small scale pointer part 53b of the pointer 53, and the light from the light bulb 28 is guided by the optical fiber 55 and reaches the light receiving part 54 of the small scale pointer part 53b of the pointer 53.
emits light. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pointer portion 53b of the pointer 53 stands out clearly, and the display on the small scale 32 can be clearly seen.

As explained above, according to this invention,
Its configuration includes a float that moves up and down depending on the fuel level, a current controller that changes the meter drive current as the float moves up and down, and a meter drive that is varied by the current controller. The pointer of the fuel meter driven by electric current and the dial of the fuel meter are provided to indicate the remaining fuel amount from F to E.
In a parent-child type fuel meter, the parent-child type fuel gauge is composed of two scales that are divided into two scales, and the pointer indicates the scale corresponding to the level of the fuel liquid level so that the remaining amount of fuel can be known, The pointer has pointer sections at both ends, and the scale is disposed on the lower surface of each pointer section, and the current controller is operated to control the meter drive current until the fuel level reaches a predetermined level. either increases or decreases, and after reaching the level, it decreases or increases accordingly,
Since a lighting means is provided to illuminate the scale when the pointer section of the pointer indicates the scale, it can be manufactured at a lower cost with fewer parts than before, and each pointer section of the pointer corresponds to it. When the scale is indicated, the lighting means for illuminating the scale is lit, so you can clearly know the remaining fuel level. reaches a certain level, for example, 1/4 point on the scale, and if the fuel level drops further, the pointer section of the pointer changes and the scale is also switched, but the pointer does not reach 1/4 point. As the remaining fuel level decreases from
As it swings toward the point, the fuel level increases.
Even if the pointer fluctuates around the 1/4 point, the pointer does not fluctuate as much as in the past, making it easier to read.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is an actual wiring diagram of a first conventional parent-child fuel gauge, Fig. 2 is an actual wiring diagram of a second conventional parent-child fuel gauge, and Figure 3 is a first diagram of a parent-child fuel gauge of the present invention. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the variable resistor; FIG. 5 is a front view of a combination meter showing a second embodiment of the parent-child type fuel meter of the present invention; FIG. This figure is a sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 5, and FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 6, showing a third embodiment of the parent-child type fuel gauge of the present invention. 21...Meter, 22...Variable resistor (current controller), 24...Float, 27, 28...Light bulb (lighting means), 31...Large scale, 32...Small scale, 33...Pointer, 33a, 33b...pointer part, 53...pointer, 53a, 53b...pointer part.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A float that moves up and down in accordance with the level of the fuel liquid level, a current controller that varies a meter drive current as the float moves up and down, and a meter drive current that is varied by the current controller. It consists of a meter pointer that is driven by a meter drive current, and two scales that are provided on the dial of the meter and display the remaining fuel amount in two parts between F and E. In a parent-child type fuel gauge in which a scale indicating the level of the fuel liquid level indicates the remaining amount of fuel, the pointer has pointer portions on both end sides, and the lower surface of each pointer portion. and the current controller is configured to either increase or decrease the meter drive current until the fuel level reaches a certain predetermined level, and after that level is reached. A parent-child type fuel gauge, characterized in that a lighting means is formed to decrease or increase correspondingly, and illuminates the scale when the pointer section of the pointer indicates the scale.