The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 18, 2003
Filed:
Jun. 21, 2001
Applicant:
Inventors:
Takashi Komura, Toyota, JP;
Hideki Asano, Nisshin, JP;
Assignee:
Denso Corporation, Kariya, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 1/700 ; G01R 1/714 ; G01P 2/100 ; G01P 2/102 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G01R 1/700 ; G01R 1/714 ; G01P 2/100 ; G01P 2/102 ;
Abstract
A meter such as a speedometer for use in an automobile instrument panel includes a pointer driven by a stepping motor. A pulse voltage having a wider pulse width is supplied to the stepping motor to obtain a higher induced voltage to be compared with a threshold voltage for detecting the pointer-zero-position. After the pointer-zero-position is detected, the stepping motor is driven by a pulse voltage having a narrower pulse width to obtain a quicker response of the pointer. In this manner, the pointer-zero-position is accurately adjusted without sacrificing the quick response of the meter pointer.