Description

TIRE DIRECTION INDICATOR

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a tire direction indicator, and in particular to a tire direction indicator which is able to indicate a direction of a tire based on a rotation of a handle. An indication needle is protruded from a front surface of an indication panel for thereby enhancing a visibility and a clear indication.

[2]

Background Art

[3] Generally, a vehicle is provided with a handle for steering a running direction.

[4] In such a vehicle, a steering operation is not performed a lot during a running operation, but a lot of steering operation is needed when parking the vehicle.

[5] In the operation of the handle, it is not impossible to visually confirm the operation of the handle. So, when a driver keeps rotating the handle in a certain direction, the rotation may exceed a limit rotation, thus causing a certain problem in a steering system.

[6] In recent years, a tire direction indicator, which is able to recognize a rotation of a handle driven by a driver, is disclosed.

[7] The conventional tire direction indicator includes an indicator body fixed at a center of a handle, a display plate which is engaged at a front surface of the indicator body and remains fixed irrespective of the rotation of the handle with the help of the weight, a transparent cover which is engaged at a front surface of the indication panel, while covering the indicator body, and an indication plate which is engaged in combination with a driving wheel provided at a center of the indicator body and an idle gear eccentrically provided at the indication panel, thus being exposed on a display unit formed on the upper side of the display plate.

[8] In the above conventional tire direction indicator, when a driver rotates the handle, the indicator body fixed at the center of the handle rotates as well.

[9] Here, the display plate does not rotate with the help of the weight provided at a lower side, and the idle gear provided at a back side of the indication plate rotates by the driving gear provided at the indicator body and drives the indication plate, so that the operation of the tire is indicated.

[10] However, in the conventional tire direction indicator, since a support plate is exposed through the display unit formed on the indication plate, the operation state is not seen well, and the indication state is not clear. The design is not good, so that the product quality may decrease.

[H]

Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[12] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tire direction indicator which overcomes the problems that a visibility decrease, and an indication state is not clear since an indication is not clear, and a design looks bad.

[13] In the construction of the tire direction indicator, there is provided an indication needle which is fixed at the indication plate and is exposed on the upper surface of the display plate.

[14] In the present invention, there is provided an indication needle exposed on the upper surface of the display plate, so that an indication state is well seen for thereby enhancing a visibility, and an indication state is clear, and a design looks good.

[15]

Technical Solution

[16] To achieve the above objects, in a tire direction indicator which includes an indicator body fixed at a center of a handle, a display plate which is engaged at a front surface of the indicator body and keeps a stop state irrespective of the rotation of the handle with the help of a weight of a lower side, a transparent cover which is engaged at a front surface of the display plate and the indicator body, a driving gear provided at a center of the indicator body, and an indication plate which is tooth-engaged with the idle gear, which is eccentric to the display plate, there is provided a tire direction indicator which comprises a needle fixture which is provided at a portion closer to an axis core of the indication plate and is protruded upward; a rotation hole which is formed in the display plate in a circular shape for preventing an interference from the rotation as the needle fixture passes through the display plate and is protruded; and an indication needle which is fixed at the needle fixture which is protruded on the upper surface of the display plate through the rotation hole.

[17]

Advantageous Effects

[18] In the present invention, since an indication needle is exposed on an upper surface of the display plate, the indication state is shown clearly for thereby enhancing visibility, and the indication state is clear. The appearance of the product looks good.

[19] Since there are a steering direction indication wing and a steering direction indication hole, a driver can easily check the steering direction during the steering operation.

[20] Since there are provided a power generation magnet and a power generation coil, a steering state can be seen clearly with the help of the light emitting indication during the steering operation.

[21] Since the indicator is formed of a fixing body and a rotation body, when the indication state of the indication needle is wrong, it is possible to easily correct the wrong indication.

[22]

Brief Description of the Drawings

[23] The present invention will become better understood with reference to the accompanying drawings which are given only by way of illustration and thus are not limitative of the present invention, wherein;

[24] Figure 1 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating a tire direction indicator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[25] Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a tire direction indicator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[26] Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating an operation state of a tire direction indicator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[27] Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view illustrating a needle process unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[28] Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a power generation magnet and a power generation coil according to another embodiment of the present invention; and

[29] Figure 6 is a view illustrating an indicator body according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[30]

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[31] In a tire direction indicator which includes an indicator body 110 fixed at a center of a handle, a display plate 120 which is engaged at a front surface of the indicator body 110 and keeps a stop state irrespective of the rotation of the handle with the help of a weight of a lower side, a transparent cover 150 which is engaged at a front surface of the display plate 120 and the indicator body 110, a driving gear 113 provided at a center of the indicator body 110, and an indication plate 130 which is tooth-engaged with the idle gear 140, which is eccentric to the display plate 120, there is provided a tire direction indicator which comprises a needle fixture 131 which is provided at a portion closer to an axis core of the indication plate 130 and is protruded upward; a rotation hole 121 which is formed in the display plate 120 in a circular shape for preventing an interference from the rotation as the needle fixture 131 passes through the display plate 120 and is protruded; and an indication needle 133 which is fixed at the needle fixture 131 which is protruded on the upper surface of the display plate 120 through the rotation hole 121.

Mode for the Invention

[33] The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[34] In the present invention, as an indication state is well seen in an indication of a direction of a tire, so that a visibility is enhanced, and an indication state is clear, and a design looks so good.

[35] As shown in Figure 1, in a tire direction indicator which includes an indicator body

110 fixed at a center of a handle, a display plate 120 which is engaged at a front surface of the indicator body 110 and keeps a stop state irrespective of the rotation of the handle with the help of a weight of a lower side, a transparent cover 150 which is engaged at a front surface of the display plate 120 and the indicator body 110, a driving gear 113 provided at a center of the indicator body 110, and an indication plate

130 which is tooth-engaged with the idle gear 140, which is eccentric to the display plate 120, there is provided a tire direction indicator which comprises a needle fixture

131 which is provided at a portion closer to an axis core of the indication plate 130 and is protruded upward; a rotation hole 121 which is formed in the display plate 120 in a circular shape for preventing an interference from the rotation as the needle fixture 131 passes through the display plate 120 and is protruded; and an indication needle 133 which is fixed at the needle fixture 131 which is protruded on the upper surface of the display plate 120 through the rotation hole 121.

[36] As shown in Figure 4, the needle fixture 131 includes a dash (-) shaped engaging unit

131a for inserting the indication needle 133 in an axis core direction.

[37] The indication needle 133 is made of a metallic material for enhancing strength.

[38] In the embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figures 1 and 3, a steering direction indication wing 132 is provided at both sides of the indication plate 130. A steering direction indication hole 122 may be provided at both sides of the display plate 120 so that the steering direction indication wing 132 of the indication plate 130 is exposed as the tire rotates.

[39] As shown in Figure 5, a power generation magnet 161 is provided in the idle gear

140 on the side of the display plate 120, and the power generation coil 162 is provide at the display plate 120 corresponding thereto. So, as the power is generated with the help of the power generation coil 162, a light emitting lamp 163 provided on a front surface of the display plate emits light when the handle rotates.

[40] As shown in Figure 6, there are provided a fixing body 111 for fixing the indicator body 110 at the handle so that the indication of the indication needle 133 can be changed when the tire runs in a straight direction, and a rotation body 112 which is rotatably surface-contacted with the fixing body 111 so that its rotation does not work

unless the user operates.

[41] In the tire direction indicator according to the present invention, a needle fixture 131 is protruded on an upper surface at a portion closer to an axial core of the indication plate 130. The needle fixture 131 passes through the display plate 120 and is protruded. A rotation hole 121 is formed on the display plate 120 in a circular shape with no rotation interference from other elements. The indication needle 133 is fixed at the needle fixture 131 protruded on the upper surface of the display plate 120 through the rotation hole 121. When the tire direction indicator is engaged at the handle, since the indication needle 133 is provided on the upper surface of the display plate 120, the driver is able to know the rotation angle of the tire with a clear visibility.

[42] It is not needed to form a large hole at the display plate 120 for exposing the indication plate 130, so that the system has a reliable strength, and the appearance looks good.

[43] In the present invention, since the steering direction indication wing 132 and the steering direction indication hole 122 are formed, it is possible to accurately check the steering direction during the steering operation when the vehicle runs.

[44] According to another embodiment of the present invention, since there are provided a power generation magnet 161 and a power generation coil 162, as the handle is rotated during the steering operation, the idle gear rotates for thereby generating an electric power, so that the steering operation can be indicated along with lights.

[45] In another embodiment of the present invention, since the indicator body 110 comprises the fixing body 111 and the rotation member 112, when the indication of the indication needle 133 is wrong, it is possible to correct the wrong indication.

[46]

Industrial Applicability

[47] In the present invention, since an indication needle is exposed on an upper surface of the display plate, the indication state is shown clearly for thereby enhancing visibility, and the indication state is clear. The appearance of the product looks good.

[48] Since there are a steering direction indication wing and a steering direction indication hole, a driver can easily check the steering direction during the steering operation.

[49] Since there are provided a power generation magnet and a power generation coil, a steering state can be seen clearly with the help of the light emitting indication during the steering operation.

[50] Since the indicator is formed of a fixing body and a rotation body, when the indication state of the indication needle is wrong, it is possible to easily correct the wrong indication.

[51] As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from

the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described examples are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalences of such meets and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.

[52]

Sequence Listing

[53] tire, direction, indicator, driving gear, magnet, coil