JP3857861B2 - Switch device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a switch device that allows a display image emitted and displayed on a display surface of an EL display using an EL (electroluminescence) element to be seen through a translucent operation button, and in particular, displays on the display surface. The present invention relates to a switch device that allows a setting operation corresponding to an image to be performed by pressing an operation button.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, an EL display using a thin film EL element typified by an organic EL has been expected as a thin display capable of being driven by a self-luminous low voltage without requiring a backlight like a liquid crystal display.
[0003]
In particular, in the automobile industry, the number of operation buttons such as the center console is increasing year by year as the number of installed electrical components and functions increase, so that the center console and the like are not filled with a large number of operation buttons. The operation button is composed of a translucent member, a display is arranged behind the operation button, and the display image of the display seen through the operation button represents the current function of the operation button. The introduction of a multifunctional switch device in which operation buttons are also used for the operation and function setting of a plurality of electrical components is being studied.
[0004]
For this reason, there is a great expectation for the EL display in realizing the introduction of the switching device described above.
[0005]
In the case of organic EL, this EL display is configured by forming at least a fluorescent light-emitting material and a metal thin film electrode on an ITO transparent electrode on a glass substrate, but since there is reflection of external light by the metal thin film electrode, On the glass substrate on the display surface side, a circularly polarizing plate is attached to improve the contrast ratio of the display image so that the reflected light is not emitted to the display surface.
[0006]
In the case of the above-described multifunction switch device, the translucent operation button arranged in front of the EL display functions as a protective member for protecting the circularly polarizing plate and the EL display itself.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, according to the configuration of the above-described multi-function switch device, if the operation buttons are made completely transparent so as not to reduce the brightness of the display image, not only the substance of the EL display can be seen through, but also the display can be displayed. The circularly polarizing plate on the glass substrate on the surface side looks like a cloudy color due to the reflection of the light that passes through the operation button and irradiates, and the appearance is impaired.
[0008]
On the other hand, if the operation button is colored in a semi-transparent color such as smoke in order to prevent this, the brightness of the display image is reduced accordingly.
[0009]
Therefore, in the configuration of the above-described multifunction switch device, it is difficult to achieve both good appearance and high brightness of the display image, regardless of whether the operation button is transparent or translucent. Even if a multifunction switch device is introduced in the field of car audio equipment and the like where elements are regarded as important, some measures must be taken to use the EL display as a display panel.
[0010]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a good appearance and high brightness of a display image even when used as a display panel of a car audio device in which design elements are important. An object of the present invention is to provide a switch device using an EL display that can be compatible with the realization of the display.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the switch device according to the first aspect of the present invention provides a display image displayed on a display surface of an EL display, wherein the display image is emitted from the display surface and transmitted through a circularly polarizing plate. Setting according to the display image through an operation button that covers the display surface with image light and is pressed in a direction approaching and separating from the display surface to displace the relative position with the EL display. In the switch device to be operated, the circularly polarizing plate is disposed at least on the back surface portion of the back surface of the operation button facing the display surface of the EL display, which is located on the optical path of the image light of the display image. It is characterized by.
[0012]
The switch device of the present invention described in claim 2 is the switch device of the present invention described in claim 1, wherein the circularly polarizing plate is disposed over the entire back surface of the operation button. did.
[0013]
According to the switch device of the present invention described in claim 1, the circularly polarizing plate is disposed on at least the back surface portion of the operation button facing the display surface of the EL display, which is located on the optical path of the image light of the display image. Therefore, even if the operation buttons are made of highly transparent PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) or PC (polycarbonate), the reflection of external light by the metal thin film electrode of the EL display is suppressed, and the circularly polarizing plate appears cloudy. The field of view of the back EL display is obstructed.
[0014]
Further, according to the switch device of the present invention described in claim 2, in the switch device of the present invention described in claim 1, the circularly polarizing plate extends over the entire back surface of the operation button facing the display surface of the EL display. Therefore, the field of view of the EL display is blocked by the circularly polarizing plate over the entire back surface of the operation button.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of a switch device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
First, prior to describing a switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention, an example to which the switch device of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part around a dashboard of an automobile including a center console to which the switch device of the present invention can be applied. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a dashboard, and 3 denotes an instrument panel. A center console 5 is disposed at a substantially central portion of the ment panel 3 in the vehicle width direction.
[0018]
The center console 5 incorporates a combination panel 13 constituting a switch system according to an embodiment of the present invention, sandwiched between a car navigation screen 7, an air conditioner outlet 9 and an ash tray 11. .
[0019]
The combination panel 13 includes a multi-switch unit 15 having a total of eight operation buttons 15a to 15h in 4 × 2 rows and a CD slot 17 of a CD player (not shown) as shown in a front view of the main part in FIG. And an eject button 19, an MD slot 21 and eject button 23 of an MD (mini disc) player (not shown), an audio volume knob 25, and a temperature setting knob 27 for an air conditioner (not shown). The switch device of the present invention is applied to the operation buttons 15a to 15h of the multi-switch unit 15.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the overall configuration of the switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The switch device of the present embodiment indicated by reference numeral 31 in FIG. 3 is mounted on a printed wiring board 33. The EL display 35 is supported by a transparent resin (PMMA or the like) that is pivotally supported by an opening 13a of the combination panel 13 positioned in front of the display surface 35a via a hinge 37 and can be tilted with respect to the combination panel 13 by a pressing operation. The EL display 35 is covered with the operation buttons 15a to 15h made of PC or the like.
[0021]
In the display device 31 of the present embodiment, the microswitches 16a to 16h mounted on the printed wiring board 3 together with the EL display 35 are provided with the corresponding operation buttons 15a respectively disposed in front of the microswitches 16a to 16h. The back surface 15j of the operation buttons 15a to 15h is separated from the display surface 35a of the EL display 35 by the stroke required to be turned on by the pressing operation of ~ 15h, and the circularly polarizing plate 43 is adhered to the back surface 15j. become.
[0022]
When the EL display 35 is an organic EL, a light emitting layer and a thin film electrode layer sealing glass serving as a cathode are sequentially laminated on an ITO transparent electrode layer glass (not shown) serving as an anode. However, the layer structure and material of the device are not limited to this.
[0023]
4, the surface 43a of the circularly polarizing plate 43 is formed by the transparent adhesive 41 on the back surface 15j of the operation buttons 15a to 15h facing the display surface 35a of the EL display 35. The back surface 15j is attached over the entire surface.
[0024]
In the switch device 31 of the present embodiment configured as described above, when any of the operation buttons 15a to 15h is pressed and the operation buttons 15a to 15h are swung from the state shown in FIG. The corresponding micro switches 16a to 16h arranged behind the operation buttons 15a to 15h are turned on, and in response to this, the display image displayed on the display surface 35a of the EL display 35 is pressed. The contents are changed to correspond to the operated operation unit buttons 15a to 15h.
[0025]
Next, the operation of the switch device 31 of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.
[0026]
In the switch device 31 of the present embodiment, when an organic EL display is used as the EL display 35, when a voltage is applied between the thin film electrode layer serving as the cathode and the anode and the transparent electrode layer, the light emitting substance in the light emitting layer Is excited to emit image light of a desired display image, and the image light is emitted from the display surface 35a of the EL display 35 and is attached to the back surface 15j of the operation buttons 15a to 15h. It reaches the back surface 43b, passes through the circularly polarizing plate 43, and reaches the front surface 43a.
[0027]
Then, the image light of the display image that has reached the surface 43a of the circularly polarizing plate 43 passes through the adhesive 41 and the operation buttons 15a to 15h, and is emitted forward from the surfaces of the operation buttons 15a to 15h. The real image of the display image is visually recognized on the display surface 35a of the EL display 35 from the surface side of the operation buttons 15a to 15h.
[0028]
Since the external light reflected by the metal thin film electrode layer of the EL display 35 is transmitted through the circularly polarizing plate 43 and is not emitted to the front operation buttons 15a to 15h, the contrast ratio of the display image is improved. It is done.
[0029]
In this case, since the circularly polarizing plate 43 is adhered to the back surfaces 15j of the operation buttons 15a to 15h made of transparent resin by the transparent adhesive 41, the circle that appears cloudy when viewed from the front side of the operation buttons 15a to 15h. Due to the polarizing plate 43, the originally transparent operation buttons 15a to 15h located in front of the polarizing plate 43 appear cloudy and smoked, and the EL display 35 located behind the operation buttons 15a to 15h to the circular polarizing plate 43 Except for the real image portion of the display image that appears to be brilliant due to the image light emitted from the display surface 35a, the field of view is blocked and cannot be viewed.
[0030]
However, since the operation buttons 15a to 15h are made of a transparent resin to the last, the image light of the display image is not attenuated by transmission of the operation buttons 15a to 15h, and the brightness of the display image is not reduced.
[0031]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, the display image displayed on the display surface 35a of the EL display 35 is converted into the EL display by the image light emitted from the display surface 35a and transmitted through the circular polarizing plate 43 in front of the display image. In the switch device 31 seen through the operation buttons 15a to 15h arranged in front of 35, a circularly polarizing plate is formed by a transparent adhesive 41 on the back surface 15j of the operation buttons 15a to 15h facing the display surface 35a of the EL display 35. The surface 43a of 43 is adhered.
[0032]
Therefore, the operation buttons 15a to 15h themselves are maintained while keeping the appearance as the switch device 31 by preventing the EL display 35 from being seen through the operation buttons 15a to 15h due to the presence of the circularly polarizing plate 43 that appears cloudy. Is made of a transparent resin, and it is possible to realize a configuration in which the image light of the display image does not attenuate when passing through the operation buttons 15a to 15h, and the display image can be kept at high luminance.
[0033]
In the switch device 31 of the present embodiment, the circularly polarizing plate 43 attached by the transparent adhesive 41 over the entire back surface 15j of the operation buttons 15a to 15h is the display surface 35a of the EL display 35 among the back surface 15j. It may be attached only to a portion that is displayed on the optical path of the image light of the display image emitted from the display surface 35a.
[0034]
However, if the circularly polarizing plate 43 is attached over the entire back surface 15j as in the switch device 31 of the present embodiment, it is positioned on the optical path of the image light of the display image emitted from the display surface 35a of the EL display 35. This is advantageous because the EL display 35 can be prevented from being seen through from the back surface 15j portion that is not necessary for polarization correction of the display image, and the appearance of the switch device 31 can be kept higher. is there.
[0035]
Further, it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to a display device using any of so-called organic EL and inorganic EL displays.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the switch device of the present invention described in claim 1, the display image displayed on the display surface of the EL display is emitted from the display surface and transmitted through the circularly polarizing plate. With the image light, the display surface is covered through the operation button which is pressed in a direction approaching and separating from the display surface and the relative position with respect to the EL display is displaced, and according to the display image In the switch device for performing the setting operation, the circularly polarizing plate is disposed on at least a back surface portion of the back surface of the operation button facing the display surface of the EL display, which is located on the optical path of the image light of the display image. The configuration.
[0037]
Therefore, the operation button itself is made of highly transparent PMMA or PC while maintaining the good appearance as a switch device so that the EL display can not be seen through the operation button due to the presence of the circularly polarizing plate that appears cloudy. Thus, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the image light of the display image does not attenuate when passing through the operation button, and the display image can be kept at high luminance.
[0038]
According to the switch device of the present invention described in claim 2, in the switch device of the present invention described in claim 1, the circularly polarizing plate is disposed over the entire back surface of the operation button. The configuration.
[0039]
For this reason, the EL display is blocked by the circularly polarizing plate over the entire back surface of the operation button so that the EL display can be seen no matter where the operation button is viewed from anywhere. You can hide it through the operation buttons.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main part around a dashboard of an automobile including a center console to which the switch device of the present invention can be applied.
2 is a front view of an essential part of the combination panel of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an overall configuration of a switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a main part of the switch device of FIG. 3;
[Explanation of symbols]
15a to 15h Operation button 15j Operation button back surface 31 Switch device 35 EL display 35a EL display display surface 43 Circularly polarizing plate

Claims (2)

The display image displayed on the display surface of the EL display covers the display surface with the image light of the display image that has been emitted from the display surface and transmitted through the circularly polarizing plate. In a switch device that allows a setting operation in accordance with the display image to be seen through an operation button that is pressed and is displaced relative to the EL display.
The circularly polarizing plate is disposed at least on the back surface portion of the operation button facing the display surface of the EL display, which is located on the optical path of the image light of the display image,
A switch device characterized by that. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the circularly polarizing plate is disposed over the entire back surface of the operation button.

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