JP2000039858A - Illumination display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve visibility of a design display layer by enhancing contrast between a design part and a background part in the illumination display in any case of displaying operation during daytime and nighttime. SOLUTION: In the illumination display device which is comprised of a display body 10 and an operation display light source 13 illuminating the display body 10 from behind, and the display body 10 forms a design display layer 15 consisting of a dark color translucent design part 16 as a whole and a background part 17 of a light color on a front face of a transparent material 11, and operation is displayed by transmitting the light from an operation display light source 13 through a part of the transparent material 11 and the translucent design part 16 and also letting at least the background part 17 of the design display layer 15 emit light during night, the translucent design part 16 is formed of a set of dark color minute dots 16a. Since the operation display light source 13 is made to exit from the gaps 16b between the minute dots 16a at the time of displaying operation, the translucent design part 16 looks bright.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illumination display device in which a design display layer is illuminated from behind. Switch operation
The present invention relates to an illumination display device in which a display state of a design portion changes according to non-operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, an illumination display device having a night display which can be visually recognized at night and an operation display which indicates a use state of the device has been used as a switch operation knob mounted on a dashboard of an automobile, for example. I have. In recent years, a switch operation knob in which the design display layer 5 shines at night and the design part 6 shines at the time of operation display has been preferred in terms of fashionability in recent years. As shown in FIG. 1, such a switch operation knob includes a transparent member 1 having a design display layer 5 formed on the front surface, a night display light source 4 provided on a side surface of the transparent member 1, and a transparent member 1. And a light source 3 for operation display provided behind. The design display layer 5 includes a design portion 6 for displaying characters, designs, and the like, and a background portion 7. The transparent member 1 includes a diffusion plate 9 for diffusing light from the operation display light source 3 and a dark light shielding layer 8 on the back surface.

In order to obtain a high-contrast design display layer 5 during daytime, nighttime, and operation display, it is necessary to make the design part 6 dark and the background part 7 light. However,
When the design portion 6 is dark, the light of the operation display light source 3 does not pass through the design portion 6. Therefore, in the conventional illumination display device, the design part 6 is made dim so that the light of the light source passes through the design part 6.

According to the above configuration, at the time of operation display,
Light (for example, red) of the operation display light source 3 is diffused by the diffusion plate 9, passes through the transparent member 1, and hits the design portion 6. As a result, the design portion 6 exhibits a dark red color. When used at night, the transparent member 1 functions as a light guide. The light (for example, white) of the night display light source 4 provided on the side surface of the transparent member 1 propagates through the transparent member 1 and then reflects on the interface between the design portion 6 and the background portion 7 to be dim and dark, respectively. It looks as if it glows white.

However, when the design portion 6 is made to be dark, the visibility of the design display layer 5 is poor in any of daytime, nighttime, and operation display because the contrast between the light dark color and white is low.

[0006]

Therefore, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that the contrast between the design portion and the background portion is high in any of daytime, nighttime, and operation display, and the design display layer It is an object of the present invention to obtain an illumination display device with good visibility.

[0007]

In order to solve the above technical problems, according to the present invention, the following illumination display device is provided.

That is, the illumination display device of the present invention comprises a display and an operation display light source for illuminating the display from behind, and the display is provided on the front surface of the transparent member as a whole. A design display layer consisting of a dark-colored translucent design portion and a light-colored background portion is formed, and light from the operation display light source is transmitted through a part of the transparent member and the design portion to perform operation display. In a lighting display device in which at least the background portion of the design display layer emits light at night, the translucent design portion is formed of an aggregate of dark microdots.

According to the above-described illumination display device, when the viewer sees the translucent design portion formed of the aggregate of dark fine dots from a certain distance, the viewer cannot identify each fine dot. It looks like a solid design as a whole. When light impinges on the design display layer, the translucent design portion has a dark color as a whole, and the background portion has a light color. Therefore, in the design display layer, since the contrast between the translucent design portion and the background portion is high, the visibility of the design display layer is good.

The light of the operation display light source is diffused by the diffusion plate, and illuminates the transparent member from behind. After passing through the transparent member, the light exits from the gap between the minute dots.
Therefore, the translucent design portion at the time of operation display looks bright as a whole.

[0011] Further, a night light source may be further provided, the transparent member may constitute a light guide for guiding the night light source, and the background portion may have a translucent property.

According to the above configuration, the light of the night light source is guided to the design display layer via the transparent member, and is reflected from behind to strike the interface between the design portion and the background portion. The design portion and the background portion look as if they emit dark and white light, respectively. Therefore, the viewer can see the bright and high-contrast design display layer even at night.

[0013] A night light source and a light guide cover are further provided, and the light guide cover is configured to be in close contact with the front surface of the display body and to guide light of the night light source to emit light at the interface of the design display layer. Can be.

According to the above construction, the light of the night light source is guided to the design display layer via the transparent member and the light guide cover, and is reflected on the front and rear interfaces. The design portion and the background portion look as if they emit dark and white light, respectively. Therefore, the viewer can see the brighter and higher-contrast design display layer even at night.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. As an example of the illumination display device according to the present invention, a switch operation knob attached to a dashboard of an automobile will be described.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an illumination display device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3A is a plan view of a main part showing a display layer of the illumination display device of FIG. B) is (A)
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the design display layer of FIG. In FIG. 1, a switch operation knob for a vehicle as an illumination display device includes a display body 10, a light source 13 for operation display, and a light source 14 at night. The display 10 is a plate-shaped transparent resin transparent member 1.
The design display layer 15 is formed on the front surface of the substrate 1 (for example, a polycarbonate resin). The design display layers 15 each include:
It is composed of a dark-colored translucent design portion 16 composed of characters, designs, and the like, and a light-colored background portion 17 formed in layers.

This design display layer 16 is made up of minute dots 16a.
And a gap 16b, which is a gap between them. For example, the minute dots 16a have a diameter of several
It has a cylindrical shape of 00 μm, and they are regularly or irregularly assembled. The minute dots 16a are preferably dark dark colors that do not transmit light. For example, inks having low light reflectance (for example, black ink) are used. On the other hand, it is preferable that the light-colored background portion 17 is formed to have a thickness through which light is transmitted using ink having a high light reflectance (for example, white ink). These can be formed by various methods such as a thick film forming technique such as screen printing and transfer, or a thin film forming technique.

When the viewer sees the translucent design portion 16 formed of an aggregate of black fine dots 16a from a certain distance (for example, a position approximately 30 cm away from the display body 10), each fine dot Because 16a cannot be identified,
The small dots 16a are connected to each other and look like a solid black design as a whole. The ratio of the fine dots 16a in the translucent design portion 16 is determined by the ratio of the translucent design portion 1
Although it is determined by the required brightness and contrast in 6, approximately 50% of the translucent design portion 16 is preferable. Also, the minute dots 16a formed on the design display layer 16
May have an independent configuration as shown in the drawing, or may have a configuration in which minute dots 16a are connected.

On the other hand, a diffusion plate 19 attached via a spacer 20 is provided on the back surface of the transparent member 11, and a light-shielding layer 18 is formed on other portions. The diffusion plate 19 is for converting the light of the operation display point light source 13 into planar light of uniform brightness.

The light (for example, red) of the point light source 13 for operation display is diffused by the diffusion plate 19, passes through the transparent member 11, and uniformly illuminates only the translucent design portion 16. In the background portion 17, the light is shielded by the light shielding layer 18. The light transmitted through the transparent member 11 is transmitted to the design section 16.
The light-transmitting design portion 16 looks bright overall.

At this time, in the translucent design portion 16, the light emitted from the gap 16b is red,
The light emitted from 6b strikes the side wall of the minute dot 16a and exhibits a black color. However, since the black color of the minute dots 16a functions as a black matrix, the gap 16b
Is hardly affected by the minute dots 16a. That is, the light transmitted through the translucent design portion 16 exhibits red with almost no color mixture as a whole. Therefore, the translucent design portion 16 looks black when not operating and displays red when operating. Since the contrast between the translucent design portion 16 and the background portion 17 is large, the visibility of the design display layer 15 is good. In addition to the above configuration, a surface light source (not shown) can be attached to the back surface of the transparent member 11 via the spacer 20 to uniformly illuminate only the design portion.

The night light source 1 is provided on the side of the transparent member 11.
4 can be provided. The background portion 17 formed on the transparent member 11 has translucency so as to allow light from behind to pass. When the night light source 14 is turned on at night, the light of the night light source 14 travels through the transparent member 11 and passes through the design display layer 15.
Guided by In the background portion 17, the light hits the interface with the background portion 17 and transmits while reflecting therethrough, so that the background portion 17 looks as if it emits white light. In the translucent design portion 16, it appears as if the light hits the interface with the minute dots 16a and emits black light. At night, the background part 17 and the translucent design part 1
6 appear white and black, respectively. Since the contrast between the translucent design portion 16 and the background portion 17 is large, the visibility of the design display layer 15 is good.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an illumination display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the illumination display device can include a night light source 14 and a light guide cover 21. The light guide cover 21 is formed so as to closely cover the front and side surfaces of the display body 10. Further, it may be formed so as to cover the front surface of the display body 10 closely. The night light source 14 includes the light guide cover 2
The transparent member 11 is provided on the side surface or behind the side surface so as to guide the light to the transparent substrate 1 and the transparent substrate 11.

The light from the night light source 14 travels through the transparent member 11 to illuminate the interface on the back side of the design display layer 15, as in the illumination display device according to the first embodiment. At the same time, the light from the night light source 14 travels through the light guide cover 21 to illuminate the interface on the front side of the design display layer 15. As a result, the guide light of the night light source 14 reflects on the front and rear interfaces of the design display layer 15, and it looks as if they are emitting light.
At this time, when used at night, the background portion 17 looks brighter white as a whole and the translucent design portion 16 as compared with the illumination display device according to the first embodiment.
Appears black. Therefore, the viewer can see the design display layer 15 which is brighter and has higher contrast as a whole at night.

In the above embodiment, the night light source 14 is provided around the display body 10 and the light of the night light source 14 is
By guiding the light to 7, it is as if the background portion 17 is emitting light. On the other hand, the night light source 14 can be omitted, and for example, an organic dispersion type EL or the like can be used as the background portion 17. At this time, since the background portion 17 itself emits light in a planar shape, the same night visibility as in the case of using the night light source 14 can be obtained.

Although the switch operation knob for an automobile has been described as a preferred embodiment of the illumination display device as described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. The lighting display device according to the present invention can be applied to an illuminated switch of an electric product, a mobile phone, or the like. Further, the color of the translucent design portion (the degree of dark color), the shape of the minute dots of the design portion, the occupation ratio thereof, and the color of the background portion (for example, silver) can be appropriately selected.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional illumination display device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the illumination display device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

3A is a plan view showing a design display layer of the illumination display device of FIG. 2, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the design display layer of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a lighting display device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 10 display body 11 transparent member 13 operation display light source 14 night light source 15 design display layer 16 translucent design portion 16a dark color dot 16b gap 17 background portion 18 light shielding layer 19 diffusion plate 20 spacer 21 light guide cover

Claims (3)

[Claims] A display (10) and an operation display light source (13) for illuminating the display (10) from behind the display (10), wherein the display (10) is made of a transparent member (11). On the front surface, a design display layer (15) composed of a dark-colored translucent design portion (16) and a light-colored background portion (17) as a whole is formed. The light is transmitted through a part of the transparent member (11) and the design portion (16) to perform operation display, and at least the background portion (17) of the design display layer (15) is illuminated at night. The display device according to claim 1, wherein the translucent design portion (16) is formed of an aggregate of dark fine dots (16a). 2. A night light source (14), wherein the transparent member (11) constitutes a light guide for guiding the light of the night light source (14), and the background portion (17) is translucent. The lighting display device according to claim 1, comprising: 3. The light guide cover (2) further comprising a night light source (14) and a light guide cover (21).
1) is in close contact with the front surface of the display (10) and guides the light of the night light source (14) so as to guide the design display layer (1).
The lighting display device according to claim 1, wherein the interface of (5) emits light.