JPH0862347A - Display device with luminous needle - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To improve the visibility and decoration of the display device. [Structure] A phosphorescent paint 2a having a short light emission life is applied to a portion other than an index 3 on the front face of a dial 2 of a timepiece, and an optical sensor 7 for turning on / off a light emitting means 6 is provided by sensing external brightness. Luminescent paints 3a, 4a, 5a having a long emission life are applied to the front surfaces of the index 3, the minute hand 4 and the hour hand 5. A light emitting means 6 is provided on the back surface of the minute hand 4. In the dark, index 3, minute hand 4
And while the hour hand 5 continues to emit light, the light emitting means 6 emits light by the detection of the optical sensor 7, and this light emission supplies light to the phosphorescent paint 2a having a short emission life on the front face of the dial 2 which is the lower part of the minute hand 4. , That part emits light and the minute hand 4
It looks like an afterimage.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention is applicable at night or in the dark.
The present invention relates to a display device with a light emitting hand that makes it easy to see the display of a display device such as a clock.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a self-luminous luminescent paint or a number of symbols, marks or scales formed on a display panel of a display device, and a self-luminous luminescent coating on a display needle so that the display can be recognized at night or in a dark place, It is known to apply a phosphorescent paint that emits light by the energy stored in a bright state.

For example, as a timepiece, there is known a timepiece formed on the front face of a dial, indexes such as time numerals, and hands coated with phosphorescent paint. In addition, among tachometers and speedometers, it is known that the indicator or the indicator needle is coated with a luminescent paint or a phosphorescent paint, but in this tachometer or speedometer, etc. There is known a so-called peak-hold meter that displays the maximum value by stopping the display hand for a certain period of time when it moves to the maximum value.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional display device, in the timepiece in which the indicator and the pointer of the dial are coated with the phosphorescent paint, only the indicator and the pointer shine, so that the visibility is further improved. Improvement has been demanded, and improvement in decorativeness has also been demanded. Also, tachometer and speed
Even in display devices such as domed devices, it is required to improve visibility and decorativeness in a dark place. Especially, in a peak hold meter, a simpler mechanism allows visual recognition in a dark place. There has been a demand for an easy peak hold meter.

Therefore, a first object of the present invention is to improve the visibility and decoration of the display device. A second object of the present invention is to provide a simpler peak-hold meter.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, in a display device with a light emitting needle according to the present invention, a light emitting needle is provided so as to face a dial, and a luminous paint is provided on the front surface of the dial. Is applied. The luminous needle has a phosphorescent paint applied to its front surface and a light emitting means provided to its rear surface. An optical sensor for turning on / off the light emitting means by sensing external brightness is provided near the dial.

Further, as the above-mentioned phosphorescent paint, a phosphorescent paint having a short light emission life is used for the entire dial plate, and as an index provided on the front face of the light emitting needle and the dial, a phosphorescent paint having a long light emission life is used. Is preferably used.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 show an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a timepiece. In the timepiece shown in FIG. 1, a dial 2 is provided inside a clock frame 1, and an index 3 which is a numeral indicating the time is formed on the dial 2.
An optical sensor 7 is provided inside the dial 2. A minute hand 4 and an hour hand 5 are provided so as to face the dial plate 2.

The front surface of the dial 2 is coated with a phosphorescent paint 2a having a short emission life, and the index 3 is formed of a phosphorescent paint 3a having a long emission life. The front surface of each of the minute hand 4 and the hour hand 5 is coated with phosphorescent paint 4a, 5a having a long light emission life. As shown in FIG. 2, a light emitting means 6 is provided on the back surface of the minute hand 4. The light emitting means 6 can use an EL element or a light emitting body such as a light emitting diode, but it is preferable to use an EL element.

The operation of the timepiece having the above structure will be described below.

When the place where this watch is installed is darkened after absorbing enough light to excite each phosphorescent coating applied to the dial 2, the indicator 3, the minute hand 4 and the hour hand 5, the light sensor 7
Detects the amount of light, and turns on the light emitting means 6 on the back surface of the minute hand 4 through a control means (not shown) to emit light. At this time, each of the phosphorescent paints 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a is emitting light. Then, after a lapse of a predetermined time, the index 3, the minute hand 4
And phosphorescent paint 3 applied to the hour hand 5 and having a long emission life
Although a, 4a, and 5a continue to emit light as they are, the light emission of the portion of the phosphorescent paint 2a applied to the front surface of the dial 2 and having a short emission life disappears. At this time, since the light emitting means 6 provided on the minute hand 4 is emitting light as described above, the minute hand 4 is caused by this light emission.
Light is supplied to a part of the front surface of the dial 2 that hits the lower part of the
That portion emits light and looks like an afterimage of the minute hand 4.

That is, when the timepiece of the present embodiment is used at night, the indicator 3, the minute hand 4 and the hour hand 5 coated with the phosphorescent paint having a long light emission life are raised in the dark to emit light, and the minute hand 4 is also present. The afterimage emerges in the darkness and emits light in accordance with the movement of. Therefore, the afterimage effect facilitates visual recognition and provides a unique visual and decorative effect.

As will be described below, there are some phosphorescent paints having different luminescent lifetimes and different luminescent colors depending on the pigment components. So, in the above phosphorescent paint,
An appropriate one is selected from among the phosphorescent paints of various pigment components according to the length of the light emission life. In addition, since the phosphorescent paints of different emission colors can be combined with each other in the afterimage portion and the portion such as the index, a decorative effect can be obtained by the combination of the colors.

The pigment component, luminescent color and afterglow of the phosphorescent coating are as follows.

Emission color Chemical composition Afterglow Orange Zinc cadmium sulfide (copper) Short ZnCdS-Cu CdS = 20 to 30% 30 minutes Yellow cadmium zinc sulfide (copper) Relatively long ZnCdS-Cu CdS = 5 to 10% 1-2 Time Yellow-green Zinc sulfide (copper) Long ZnS-Cu 4-6 hours Blue Calcium strontium sulfide (bismuth) Potassium CaSrS-Bi SrS = 30% 20 hours Calcium sulfide (bismuth) Potassium CaS-Bi 20 hours The above The light emitting means 6 may be provided on either one or both of the minute hand 4 and the hour hand 5, but if provided on the minute hand 4, a remarkable afterimage effect can be obtained with the movement thereof. The optical sensor 7 does not necessarily have to be provided in the dial 2, but may be provided in the front surface of the timepiece frame 1 or the like.

The above embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a timepiece, but the present invention is not limited to this.
It can also be applied to display devices other than watches. For example, if the present invention is applied to a tachometer, a speedometer, etc., an afterimage effect can be provided according to the movement of the display needle. Further, in the display device such as the tachometer,
Although there is a device having a peak hold function for stopping the display hand for a certain period of time when the display hand displays the maximum value, according to the present invention, a simple peak hold meter can be realized by the afterimage effect. That is, in this peak hold meter, phosphorescent paint is applied to the front surface of the dial and an optical sensor is provided. Then, the phosphorescent paint may be applied to the front surface of the display needle, and the light emitting means may be provided on the back surface thereof. In this peak hold meter, when the display needle reaches the maximum value, the maximum value is shown for a certain period of time due to the afterimage effect described above. Therefore, unlike the prior art, a mechanism for stopping the display hand for a certain period of time is unnecessary, and the visibility and decoration in a dark place are improved.

[0018]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the luminous needle is applied on the front surface of the luminous needle and the luminous means is turned on and off by an optical sensor on the rear surface thereof, the luminous needle is provided so as to face the dial plate coated with the luminous paint on the front surface. The afterglow effect can be obtained by causing the phosphorescent paint applied to the front surface to emit light, which can improve the visibility and decorativeness of the display in a dark place or at night. Further, a simple peak-hold meter can be used.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a timepiece showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of the minute hand of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Dial 2a Luminescent paint with short luminescence life 3 Index 3a Luminous paint with long luminescence life 4,5 Luminescent hands (minute hand, hour hand) 4a, 5a Luminous paint with long luminescence life 6 Light emitting means 7 Optical sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A luminous needle is provided facing the dial, and a luminous paint is applied to the front surface of the dial, and the luminous needle is applied to the front surface with the luminous paint. In addition, a light emitting means is provided on the back surface thereof, and an optical sensor for sensing the external brightness to turn on / off the light emitting means is provided near the dial plate. Display device. 2. The phosphorescent paint according to claim 1, wherein the whole of the dial is a phosphorescent paint having a short light emission life, and the indicators provided on the front surface of the light emitting needle and the dial are: A display device with a light emitting needle, characterized in that a phosphorescent paint having a long light emission life is used.