JP2000268656A - Illuminated switch - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an illuminated switch having a long service life. SOLUTION: In this illuminated switch, a switch sheet 1 made up by forming a dome-shaped switch operation part 1b in a part of a transparent film 1a by embossing the part of the transparent film 1a into a dome shape is joined to a surface of an EL sheet 2. A movable contact 3 is provided on an inner surface of the switch operation part 1b while fixed contacts 4, 4 making contact with the movable contact 3 by the pressing operation of the switch operation part 1b are provided on a surface of the EL sheet 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an illuminated switch used for an input operation unit in a mobile communication device such as a mobile phone and an electronic device such as a video / audio device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Mobile communication devices such as mobile phones,
2. Description of the Related Art Some electronic devices such as audio devices use an illuminated switch for an input operation unit. In this type of illuminated switch, there is an illuminated switch in which a part of an illuminating EL sheet also functions as a switch operation unit. For example, in an illuminated switch disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-231857, a part of an illuminating EL sheet is embossed into a dome shape, and a movable contact is provided on the inner surface of the EL sheet.
A part of the sheet also functions as a switch operation unit having a click feeling.

[0003]

In the above-mentioned conventional structure, a part of the EL sheet is elastically deformed in accordance with the operation of the switch, and by repeating this deformation, one of the transparent electrode layer, the light emitting layer and the like constituting the EL sheet is formed. In some cases, the part is broken and the EL sheet does not function for illumination, and there is a problem that the switch for illumination is short-lived.

[0004]

In order to extend the life of the illuminated switch according to the present invention, the EL sheet is not elastically deformed with the operation of the switch.

[0005]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In an illuminated switch according to the present invention, a switch in which a part of an elastically deformable transparent film is protruded into a dome shape and a dome-shaped switch operation portion is formed in a part of the transparent film. The sheet is joined to the surface of the EL sheet, and a movable contact is provided on the inner surface of the switch operating section, and a fixed contact is provided on the surface of the EL sheet to be in contact with the movable contact by a pressing operation of the switch operating section. It is desirable that the movable contact and the fixed contact are formed of a transparent conductive material, and that a transparent switch operation sheet is provided on the surface of the switch sheet, and that the switch operation section is pressed through the switch operation sheet. .

[0006]

FIG. 1 shows an illuminated switch to which the present invention is applied. This illuminated switch has a structure in which a switch sheet 1 is bonded and fixed to a surface of an EL sheet 2.

The switch sheet 1 is formed by embossing a part of an elastically deformable transparent film 1a into a dome shape and forming a dome-shaped switch operation part 1b on a part of the transparent film 1a.
And the movable contact 3 is provided on the top of the inner surface thereof.
Is bonded and fixed to the surface with an adhesive (not shown). When the top of the switch operation unit 1b is pressed, the switch operation unit 1b is inverted with a suitable click feeling by its elastic force, and the movable contact 3 approaches the surface of the EL sheet 2 by this inversion operation. ing. When the switch operating unit 1b is released from the pressed state of the switch operating unit 1b, the switch operating unit 1b is inverted and restored to its shape with a suitable click feeling by its elastic force. Are separated from the surface of the EL sheet 2. As the transparent film 1a, a colorless and transparent film made of polyethylene terephthalate (hereinafter, referred to as “PET”) is applied. The movable contact 3 is formed by applying a conductive paste of carbon, silver, or a mixture thereof to a predetermined portion on the back surface of the transparent film 1a.

[0008] As shown in FIG.
A transparent electrode layer 2b on which indium-tin oxide (hereinafter, referred to as "ITO") is deposited is provided on a lower surface of a transparent film 2a made of ET, and a light emitting layer 2c, an insulating layer 2d, and a back surface are provided on a lower surface of the transparent electrode layer 2b. It has a configuration in which the electrode layers 2e are sequentially laminated. The switch sheet 1 can be illuminated as needed. That is, the transparent electrode layer 2b and the back electrode layer 2e are operated by operating an EL switch (not shown).
When an AC voltage is applied during the period, the light emitting layer 2c emits light and illuminates the switch sheet 1. The light-emitting layer 2c is formed by printing, heating, and drying a material obtained by mixing and dispersing a phosphor made of Cu-doped zinc sulfide in a fluororesin binder as a printing ink. The insulating layer 2d is formed by printing barium titanate mixed and dispersed in a fluororesin binder as a printing ink.
It is formed by heating and drying. The back electrode layer 2e is formed by printing, heating and drying carbon powder mixed and dispersed in a polyester resin binder as a printing ink.

On the surface of the EL sheet 2, a pair of fixed contacts 4, 4 functioning as switch contacts of a switch circuit of an electronic device such as a mobile communication device (not shown) of a portable telephone are provided. The fixed contacts 4, 4 are located apart from each other on the surface of the EL sheet 2, and do not conduct when the switch operating unit 1 b is not pressed, but contact and conduct with the movable contact 3 when the switch operating unit 1 b is pressed, It is used for turning on and off a switch circuit of an electronic device (not shown). The fixed contacts 4 and 4 are made of a conductive film of carbon, silver, or a mixture thereof, made of a transparent film 1a.
Is formed by applying to a predetermined portion on the back surface of the substrate.

According to the above configuration, when an AC voltage is applied between the transparent electrode layer 2b and the back electrode layer 2e by operating an EL switch (not shown), the light emitting layer 2c emits light to illuminate the switch sheet 1, Switch sheet 1 as required
When the top of the switch operation section 1b is pressed, the switch operation section 1b is inverted with a suitable click feeling by the elastic force, and the movable contact 3 is fixed on the surface of the EL sheet 2 by this inversion operation. The fixed contacts 4 and 4 are brought into conduction by contacting the contacts 4 and 4, thereby closing the switch circuit of the electronic device (not shown). When the pressing of the switch operating portion 1b is released, the switch operating portion 1b is inverted and restored to a shape with a suitable click feeling by the elastic force, and the movable contact 3 is separated from the fixed contacts 4 and 4 in the drawing. The switch circuit of the electronic device which is not used is opened, and the switch can be operated with a suitable click feeling.

Here, when the switch is operated, the EL sheet 2 is not deformed. That is, the transparent film 1a
A part of the transparent film 1 embossed into a dome shape
a, a switch sheet 1 having a dome-shaped switch operation portion 1b formed in a part thereof is joined to the surface of an EL sheet 2, and a movable contact 3 is provided on the inner surface of the switch operation portion 1b.
Since the fixed contacts 4 and 4 that are in contact with the movable contact 3 by the pressing operation of the switch operation unit 1b are provided on the surface of the L sheet 1, the EL sheet 2 is not deformed by the switch operation.

Therefore, the EL sheet 2 is not deformed by the operation of the switch.
The EL sheet 2 does not function for illumination because the transparent electrode layer 2b, the light emitting layer 2c, and the like are partially broken due to the repeated deformation of the L sheet 2, and the illuminated switch has a long life.

In the above embodiment, the movable contact 3 and the fixed contacts 4 and 4 are formed by applying a conductive paste of carbon, silver, or a mixture thereof. However, a transparent conductive paste such as an ITO paste is used. May be applied to form the movable contact 3 and the fixed contacts 4 and 4. In this case, the movable contact 3 and the fixed contacts 4 and 4 become transparent, and when the EL sheet 2 emits light, the movable contact 3 and the fixed contacts 4 and 4 become transparent. The switch sheet 1 can be illuminated without being blocked by the fixed contacts 3 and the fixed contacts 4 and 4, and the illuminating performance is improved.

In the above embodiment, the top of the switch operating portion 1b is directly pressed when the switch is operated. However, as shown in FIG. 3, a transparent switch having flexibility on the surface of the switch sheet 1 is provided. The operation sheet 5 may be provided, and the top of the switch operation section 1b may be pressed via the switch operation sheet 5. In this case, a large pressing force acts locally on the switch operation section 1b when the switch is operated. Therefore, the durability of the switch sheet 1 is improved, and the service life of the illuminated switch can be further extended.

In the above embodiment, the fixed contacts 4 and 4 function only as switch contacts dedicated to a switch circuit of an electronic device (not shown), but one of the fixed contacts 4 is used as the transparent electrode layer 2 b of the EL sheet 2. And the other fixed contact 4 may be connected to the back electrode layer 2 e of the EL sheet 2 so that the fixed contacts 4 and 4 also function as switch contacts of the EL sheet 2.

[0016]

In the illuminated switch according to the present invention as described above, a part of the elastically deformable transparent film is formed in a dome shape so as to protrude into a dome-shaped switch operation part. EL switch
It is joined to the surface of the sheet, and the movable contact is provided on the inner surface of the switch operation unit, and the fixed contact that is in contact with the movable contact by the pressing operation of the switch operation unit is provided on the surface of the EL sheet. Long life without deformation. In addition, when the movable contact and the fixed contact are formed of a transparent conductive material, the illumination performance is improved without being blocked by the movable contact and the fixed contact when the EL sheet emits light. Further, if a transparent switch operation sheet is provided on the surface of the switch sheet and the switch operation unit is pressed through the switch operation sheet, a large pressing force acts locally on the switch operation unit when the switch is operated. Therefore, the durability of the switch sheet is improved, and the life of the illuminated switch can be further extended.

[0017]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of an illuminated switch to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the EL sheet of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Switch sheet 1a Transparent film 1b Switch operation part 2 EL sheet 3 Movable contact 4, 4 Fixed contact

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Koji Yoneda 1-1-1 Akanehama, Narashino-shi, Chiba F-term (reference) in Seiko Precision Co., Ltd. 3K007 AB18 CA06 CB01 5G006 AA01 FB04 FB17 JA01 JB06 5G052 AA21 BB01 JB08 JC20

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A switch sheet in which a part of an elastically deformable transparent film is formed into a dome shape by protruding and forming a dome-shaped switch operation part on a part of the transparent film is EL.
An illuminating type wherein the movable contact is provided on an inner surface of the switch operating portion, and a fixed contact is provided on the surface of the EL sheet, the fixed contact being in contact with the movable contact by a pressing operation of the switch operating portion. switch. 2. The illuminated switch according to claim 1, wherein the movable contact and the fixed contact are formed of a transparent conductive material. 3. The switch operation sheet according to claim 1, wherein a transparent switch operation sheet is provided on a surface of the switch sheet, and the switch operation section is pressed through the switch operation sheet. Illuminated switch.