Instrument assembly with illuminated meter mounting panel

Claim 1

An instrument assembly, comprising: a casing having a generally open front side; at least one meter movement disposed in said casing; a spindle extending from said movement toward the front side of said casing and being rotatable about the axis thereof; a dial board disposed in said casing in front of said meter movement and having a front face facing the front side of said casing, said front face having indicia thereon and an opening therein through which said spindle passes; a pointer having a hub portion fixed to said spindle so as to move over the front face of said dial board in response to rotation of said spindle; a meter mounting panel having a rear edge and a front portion, said front portion positioned in said casing in front of said dial board and having an opening through which the front face of said dial board is exposed, said panel being constructed of a transparent material; an opaque layer covering at least a portion of the face of said panel which faces away from the front side of said casing; at least one light source located in said casing at a position to the rear of said dial board for producing light; a light guiding member which is constructed of a transparent material and is located with respect to said light source and said rear edge of said panel so as to transmit the light from said light source to the edge of said panel; and means formed on said panel for reflecting the light which has entered the edge of said panel in a direction parallel to the front face of said panel, whereby the reflected light travels in said panel to illuminate the entire of said panel from within.