JP2000113760A - Switch illuminating light leakage preventing structure - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enhance the cost of a switch by simplifying a leakage preventing structure for illuminating light and to effectively prevent the leakage of light from peripheral parts of an operating switch, in the case of a switch provided with a luminous display part illuminated. SOLUTION: An annular light shading foamed elastic body 32 is provided for preventing the light from light sources 26 from leaking to the outside of a case through gaps (a) produced between outer circumferential surfaces of a switch-operating knob 27 and inner circumferential surfaces of a light guide provided in the case 22, and further, this shading foamed elastic body 32 is brought into elastic contact with the peripheral of the switch-operating knob 27 by elastically restituting force possessed by the shading elastic foam body 32.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illumination light leakage prevention structure for a switch provided with a light emitting display portion for emitting and displaying a peripheral portion of an operation switch provided in, for example, an automobile. The present invention relates to a switch leakage light leakage prevention structure having a structure capable of simplifying a prevention structure to increase economic efficiency and effectively preventing light leakage from a peripheral portion of the operation switch.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 shows a multi-display device (vehicle information display) provided in front of a driver's seat of an automobile. A display 2 is provided at the center of an upright surface of a housing 1 of the multi-display device. A joystick-type switch structure 3 is provided on the right side thereof, and operation knobs 4 of respective operation switches are arranged on a horizontal plane of the housing 1.

The above joystick type switch structure 3
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the internal structure of the printer has a printed circuit board 6 attached to the housing 1 from the rear side by mounting screws 5, and the printed circuit board 6 has a vertical and horizontal direction and a front and rear direction. Joystick-type switch body 8 having operation axis 7 that can be operated in three-dimensional directions
And a plurality of light sources 9 for transmitting and illuminating an illumination unit described later.
Are provided and supported. Since the internal configuration of the joystick-type switch body 8 has a well-known structure, a description of the internal configuration of the switch body 8 will be omitted.

[0004] Reference numeral 10 denotes a switch operation knob having a skirt portion 11 having a substantially hemispherical cross section and attached to the operation shaft 7. Light from the light source 9 is provided around the switch operation knob 10 and the joystick switch body 8. An annular light guide 12 having a light receiving surface 12A that receives light is located. The end face of this light guide 12 (light emitting surface 12
B) shows an annular illumination lens 1 having a light emitting illumination unit 13.
The illumination lens 14 is fitted into an illumination lens fitting portion 16 formed around a switch operation hole 15 provided in the housing 1.
Each of the above-mentioned light-emitting illumination portions 13 is provided with a corresponding one of the display holes 1 formed in the illumination lens fitting portion 16 provided in the housing 1.
7 is seen through. Further, an annular light-blocking member 18 is fitted on the inner peripheral surface of the light guide 12 and inside the lamp 9 so that light leakage from the switch operation hole 15 is prevented.

In the conventional joystick type switch structure 3 having such a configuration, a display hole 17 for displaying the operation direction of the switch operation knob 10 is provided around the switch operation hole 15 and the lamp 9 is provided. When illuminated, light emitted from the light source 9 can be displayed by the light-emitting illumination unit 13 through the light guide 12 and the illumination lens 14. In addition, the light source 9 and the light shielding member 18 located inside the light guide 12 prevent the light of the lamp and the light guide 12 from leaking from the switch operation hole 15, thereby improving the display quality. I have.

[0006]

However, in such a conventional joystick type switch structure,
As a means for preventing the lamp light from leaking from the switch operation hole 15 when the light source 9 is turned on, an expensive light-shielding member 18 formed of an annular resin by injection molding is provided with the switch operation section knob 10, the light source 9 and the light source 9. The joystick-type switch having the light-emitting illuminating unit must be disposed between the light guide 12 and the joystick-type switch. Further, in the conventional joystick type switch 3, since the respective members of the light guide 12, the illumination lens 14 and the light shielding member 18 which are formed as separate members are used in combination, the number of parts used is increased, There is also a problem that the assembly workability and productivity are deteriorated due to the cause.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of such a conventional problem. The light shielding member used to prevent light leakage from the switch operation hole can be made inexpensive, and the switch structure can be easily assembled. It is a first object of the present invention to improve the economical efficiency of a light leakage structure in a switch device having lighting means by using an excellent elastic foam.

It is a second object of the present invention to reduce the number of components constituting a light emitting display mechanism for light emitting display around a switch and to enhance the workability of assembling a switch structure having a light leakage prevention structure. I do.

[0009]

In order to achieve the first object, according to the present invention, a switch operation knob is mounted on an operation shaft of a switch body mounted in a case of a switch device structure, and the switch is operated by a switch. An operation knob protrudes outward from the switch operation hole provided in the case, and further receives light from a light source provided in the case, and emits light around the switch operation hole. In a switch structure provided with an annular light guide having a display surface, a light-shielding elastic foam for shielding a gap generated between a peripheral surface of the light guide and an outer peripheral surface of the switch operation knob is provided. It is characterized in that it is a light leakage prevention structure of switch illumination light that is elastically pressed and held against the switch operation knob and the light guide by the elastic restoring force of the foam.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the light guide has a light receiving surface for receiving light from a light source and a light emitting surface for emitting light by receiving light from the light receiving surface. The switch illumination light is a light leakage prevention structure which is a combination of a main body and an illumination lens which receives light emitted from a light emitting surface of the light guide main body and performs light emission display around a switch operation hole.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on a first embodiment shown in FIG.

A joystick-type switch structure 21 shown in FIG. 1 is provided in, for example, a vehicle information display shown in a conventional example. A printed circuit board 23 attached to the housing case 22 from the back side. The printed circuit board 23 has an operation shaft 24 that can be operated in three-dimensional directions such as up, down, left, right, and front and rear, as described in the conventional example. And a plurality of light sources 26 disposed around the joystick-type switch main body 25.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a switch operation knob having a skirt portion 28 having a substantially hemispherical cross section, which is attached to the operation shaft 24. The switch operation knob 27 is provided at the outer periphery of the switch operation knob 27, that is, at a position facing the outer surface of the skirt portion 28. An annular light guide 31 made of a transparent or translucent acrylic resin
Is arranged. The light guide 31 is fitted into a light receiving surface 31A for receiving light from the light source 26 and a light emitting display hole 30 formed at four places around a switch operation hole 29 formed in the housing case 22. Light emitting surface 31B.

Reference numeral 32 denotes an annular (donut-shaped) light-shielding elastic foam interposed between the printed circuit board 23 and the periphery of the skirt 28 of the switch operation knob 27.
The joystick-type switch body 25 is disposed inside the light-shielding elastic foam 32, and the light source 26 is disposed outside the light-shielding elastic foam 32. Further, the light-shielding elastic foam 32 is provided with the switch operation knob 27.
(A) generated between the outer peripheral surface of the skirt portion 28 and the inner peripheral surface of the switch operation hole 29 and the light guide 31
Is also elastically pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the light guide 31.

The material of the light-shielding elastic foam 32 is a sponge-like material of ethylene-propylene excellent in heat resistance, weather resistance and the like, and is, for example, a dark color or black type material manufactured by Nitto Denko Corporation. No. of ept sealer (product name)
Although the use of 685 is desirable, the material is not limited to this material, and a resin foam having a flexible elasticity (a sponge-like material) can be appropriately selected and used. The size of the light-shielding elastic foam 32 can be determined according to the shape and size of the joystick-type switch structure 21, and its material can be selected and used according to the use environment and the like.

In order to assemble the light-shielding elastic foam 32 inside the joystick type switch structure 21, the joining surface between the light-shielding elastic foam 32 and the printed circuit board 23 is bonded using, for example, an adhesive tape or an adhesive. When the joystick-type switch structure 21 has been assembled, the light-shielding elastic foam 32 is moved between the edge of the skirt 28 of the switch operation knob and the printed circuit board 23. The gap (a) is completely shielded by the light-shielding elastic foam 32 in a close contact state (close contact), which is compressed and deformed to about 20% of the maximum amount of elastic deformation held, whereby light from the light source 26 is blocked. It is set so as not to leak out of the case 22 through the gap (a).

The above is the first embodiment. Next, the operation will be described. When the light source 26 is turned on, the light emitted from the light source 26 is received by the light receiving surface 31A of the light guide 31. Light is displayed on four light emitting surfaces 31B of the light guide 31. At this time, the light emitted from the light source 26 does not leak out of the case 22 through the gap (a) due to the shielding effect of the light-blocking elastic foam 32, neither the direct light nor the light reflected by the housing case 22 and the printed board. Therefore, a joystick-type switch structure having good light-shielding properties is provided.

The light guide 31 has an integral structure having a light receiving surface 31A of the light source 26 and a light emitting surface 31B for emitting and displaying light on the outer surface of the case 22, that is, the light guide and the illumination lens described in the prior art. The joystick-type switch structure can be reduced in the number of parts to be used because of the integrated structure in which the two members are also used.

Further, the joystick type switch body 2
The switch 5 is surrounded by the light-blocking elastic foam 32 and the switch operation knob 27, so that the operation sound or the like generated when the joystick switch body 25 is operated is hardly emitted to the outside of the housing case 22, and the switch 5 is excellent in quietness. Can be provided.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
In the second embodiment, the light guide 33 formed in an annular shape has a light guide body 31 having a light receiving surface 31A and a light emitting surface 31B, and a light receiving surface 34A contacting the light emitting surface 31B of the light guide. And a lighting lens 34 having a light emitting surface 34B fitted into a light emitting display hole 30 formed at four places around a switch operation hole 29 formed in the housing case 22.

The light-shielding elastic foam 32 is resiliently brought into contact with the light guide main body 31 and the skirt 28 of the switch operating knob 27 so as to close the gap formed between the light guide main body 31 and the peripheral edge of the skirt 28 as in the above embodiment. I have. Other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

By forming the light guide 33 with the light guide main body 31 and the illumination lens 34 in this manner, for example, the light guide main body 31 is formed of a transparent acrylic resin so that the light guide efficiency can be increased. ,
Further, by forming the illumination lens 34 with an acrylic resin colored in blue, green, orange, or the like, or smoked, it is possible to perform color display without significantly lowering the luminance.

[0023]

As described above, according to the joystick-type switch structure of the present invention, the switch is formed by the ring-shaped light-shielding elastic foam interposed between the printed board and the switch operation knob in close contact. Since the light leakage to the outside of the structure can be effectively prevented, the economical efficiency of the light shielding structure is greatly improved. Further, when the light guide is formed as an integral structure that also serves as an illumination lens, the number of parts used is reduced, which also improves the workability and economy of assembling the joystick-type switch structure.

Further, since the periphery of the skirt portion of the switch operation knob is always pressed against the light-shielding elastic foam, when the switch operation knob is flipped, for example, the impact force is absorbed by the light-shielding elastic foam, and the joystick is used. The joystick-type switch structure having excellent quietness can be obtained because the type switch body is surrounded by an annular light-shielding elastic foam.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a first embodiment of a switch illumination light leakage prevention structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment of a switch illumination light leakage prevention structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a vehicle information display provided with a joystick-type switch having a switch illumination mechanism.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a joystick switch including a conventional switch illumination mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a joystick switch provided with a conventional switch illumination mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... Joystick type switch structure 22 ... Housing case 23 ... Printed circuit board 24 ... Operation axis 25 ... Joystick type switch main body 26 ... Light source 27 ... Switch operation knob 28 ... Skirt part 29 ... Switch operation hole 30 ... Light emission display hole 31 ... Light Guide (light guide body) 32: Light-shielding elastic foam 33: Light guide 34: Lighting lens

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A switch operation knob is mounted on an operation shaft of a switch body mounted in a case of a switch device structure, and the switch operation knob is protruded outward from a switch operation hole provided in the case. In the switch structure, further comprising an annular light guide having a light emitting display surface which emits light around the switch operation hole, receiving light from a light source provided in the case,
The light-shielding elastic foam that blocks a gap formed between the peripheral surface of the light guide and the outer peripheral surface of the switch operation knob is moved to the switch operation knob and the light guide by the elastic restoring force of the light-shielding elastic foam. Light leakage prevention structure for switch illumination light, characterized by being resiliently pressed and held. 2. A light guide body having a light receiving surface for receiving light from a light source, a light emitting surface for emitting light by receiving light from the light receiving surface, and operating a switch in response to light emission from the light emitting surface of the light guide body. The light leakage prevention structure for switch illumination light according to claim 1, wherein the combination is a combination with an illumination lens that emits light and displays light around the hole.