Combination instrument

Abstract

A combination instrument ( 1 ) has an instrument carrier which is designed as a tubular, transparent hollow body ( 2 ) which is closed off at its ends by means of two side parts ( 3, 4 ). A plurality of display instruments ( 6, 7, 8, 9 ) arranged on a common circuit board ( 5 ) can in this way be inserted without difficulty into the hollow body ( 2 ). The combination instrument ( 1 ) is in this way optimally protected against environmental influences while at the same time allowing simple adaptation to different applications by cutting the hollow body ( 2 ) to length.

1 . A combination instrument, in particular for a watercraft, having an instrument carrier for holding a plurality of display instruments, wherein the instrument carrier has a hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) which is transparent at least in sections and in its interior accommodates the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ) in such a way that the displays of the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ) are visible to an observer through the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ).  
     
     
         2 . The combination instrument as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the hollow body is tubular, and wherein the ends of the hollow body ( 2 ) are each closed off by means of a side part ( 3 ,  4 ).  
     
     
         3 . The combination instrument as claimed in  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) has a transparent section which is directed toward the front side of the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ) and an opaque section which is directed toward the rear side of the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ).  
     
     
         4 . The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) is produced using the two-component injection-molding process and has a first, transparent area and a second, nontransparent area.  
     
     
         5 . The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the side parts ( 3 ,  4 ) have a fixing means for the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ).  
     
     
         6 . The combination instrument as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the fixing means is designed to plug in a circuit board ( 5 ,  18 ) which is common to the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ).  
     
     
         7 . The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) is fixed between the side parts ( 3 ,  4 ), which are stressed toward one another.  
     
     
         8 . The combination instrument as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ) are fixed in the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) with play with respect to the side parts ( 3 ,  4 ).  
     
     
         9 . The combination instrument as claimed in  claim 7  or  8 , wherein the side parts ( 3 ,  4 ) are sealed with respect to the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) by means of a seal.  
     
     
         10 . The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one side part ( 3 ,  4 ) has a cutout for making electrical contact ( 15 ).  
     
     
         11 . The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding claims, wherein the hollow body ( 2 ,  25 ) is arranged in a dashboard ( 11 ,  22 ) in such a manner that it can pivot from an operating position, in which the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ) are visible to an observer, into an at-rest position, in which the display instruments ( 6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 ) are covered by the dashboard ( 11 ,  22 ).  
     
     
         12 . The combination instrument as claimed in one of the preceding claims, which has a cover ( 21 ) which can move relative to the hollow body ( 2 ), in order to protect against the incidence of extraneous light and damage.  
     
     
         13 . The combination instrument as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the cover ( 21 ) is displaceable in a guide ( 20 ) of the respective side part ( 3 ,  4 ).