JP2001118463A - Switch illumination device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch illumination device for facilitating its attachment. SOLUTION: A ring-shaped switching illumination device 30 includes a ring- shaped diffusion member 41, light transmission plate 31, and case 35 for casing the light transmission plate 31. The case 35 is provided with an LED holder 38 for holding a plurality of LEDs horizontally arranged, and a ring-shaped bus bar 45 for connecting the LEDs to the circuit board. The bus bar 45 includes an annular connector 46, LED connection part 47 extended from the connector in the peripheral direction to be soldered with the leads of the LED, and connector 48 to be soldered with the certain circuit on the circuit board.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lighting structure of a switch used for an air conditioning switch of a vehicle such as an automobile, and more particularly, to a lighting structure of a switch for facilitating mounting of a light source such as a dial switch on a substrate. About.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a dial switch used in an air conditioner switch of an automobile, the temperature after setting is changed to a higher temperature or a lower temperature in response to an operator's switch operation. The illumination color of the ring illumination was changed so that it could be easily visually determined.

[0003] As shown in FIG.
Is fixed to the tip of the rotary shaft 4 of the rotary switch 7 on the wiring board 6 on the receiving surface 3 of the synthetic resin bezel 2, and is arranged rotatably along the display scale 5. The rotary switch 7 is connected to the wiring board 6 by soldering at lead terminals 8.

The receiving surface 3 of the bezel 2 is positioned one step lower than the bezel surface, and an annular gap 9 is formed between the receiving surface 3 and the bezel surface. A diffusion member 10 having an inner annular surface 11 that is in contact with the outer diameter portion of the dial switch 1 and that is inclined in a tapered shape is arranged in the gap 9. The diffusion member 10 is a transparent resin material or a semi-transmissive colored resin material, and the front and back surfaces are subjected to uniform reflection (light control) or diffusion processing.

[0005] A substantially hexagonal light guide 14 is arranged below the diffusion member 10. The light guide 14 is a transparent resin material or a semi-transparent colored resin material similarly to the diffusion member, and is uniformly reflected or diffused on the front and rear surfaces, and the rotary switch 7 is disposed in the central hole 15. Is done. A plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 16 are horizontally arranged on the outer periphery of the light guide 14 as light sources. This LED 16
Means that the lead wire 17 is soldered to the wiring board 6 and the LED
Reference numeral 16 is held in a synthetic resin holder 18 having an insertion hole 18a. The holder 18 is fixed to an opening 20 on the outer periphery of the light guide 14 by a locking claw 19.

[0009] As shown in FIG. 9, the light guide 14 has a pentagonal vertical cross section, and has an inclined reflecting surface 22 for reflecting downward light 21 upward. The diffusion member 10 is disposed above the reflection surface 22. Therefore, LED 16
The light 21 passes through the outer peripheral wall 25 of the light guide 14, strikes the reflecting surface 22 and is reflected upward, passes through the upper wall 24, is absorbed by the diffusion member 10, and emits light on the inner annular surface 11. The upward light is directly received by the diffusion member 10. Therefore, the outer periphery of the dial switch 1 is clearly illuminated and can be visually recognized with certainty.

[0007]

However, in the above-described conventional switch lighting structure, the main purpose is to visually transmit the operation status and the set value of the switch to the operator, so that the number of steps is increased. There is a problem that it is unavoidable and lowers productivity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a switch lighting structure that facilitates assembly and improves productivity.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a light guide plate having a light-reflecting portion for a light source connected to a substrate, and a ring-shaped light-reflecting plate disposed on the outer periphery of a switch for the light-reflecting portion. In the illumination structure of the switch including the diffusion member and the light guide plate case that houses and holds the light guide plate, the light guide circuit case may include a circuit body for the light source having a connection portion with the substrate. The feature can be solved by a featured switch lighting structure.

Further, in the illumination structure of the switch,
Preferably, the circuit is a bus bar or a flexible printed circuit.

Further, in the illumination structure of the switch,
Preferably, the connection part is a connector part formed on the light guide plate case.

In the lighting structure of the switch having the above-described structure, the light guide plate case is provided with a light source circuit having a connection portion to the substrate, so that it is not necessary to solder the light source to the substrate for each light source, so that the light source plate is assembled. The productivity can be improved by reducing the number of steps. When the circuit is a bus bar or a flexible printed circuit (FPC), the circuit can be easily assembled to the light guide plate case by insert molding or adhesion.

Further, when the connection portion is a connector portion formed on the light guide plate case, the work of soldering the connection portion of the circuit body to the substrate is eliminated, and the productivity can be further improved. Further, since the light guide plate case in which the light guide plate and the diffusion member are integrally assembled can be separated from the substrate and designed as a separate component, the design flexibility can be improved.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a switch lighting structure according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment of a switch lighting structure of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part after assembly in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the switch illumination structure of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the main part after assembly in FIG. 4, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, a ring illuminating section 30, which is an illuminating structure of a switch according to a first embodiment of the present invention, includes a rotary switch on a substrate (not shown) and a dial fixed to a tip of a rotary shaft of the switch. The switch is disposed between the switch and the switch (see FIG. 8). This ring lighting unit 30
A substantially ring-shaped light guide plate 31 which is a transparent resin material or a semi-transparent colored resin material, and whose front and rear surfaces are uniformly reflected or diffused; A ring-shaped diffusion member 41 which is a transparent colored resin material, is uniformly reflected (dimmed) or diffused on the front and rear surfaces, and is in contact with an outer diameter portion of a dial switch (not shown).
And

The illumination structure of the switch according to the present embodiment is characterized in that the ring illumination section 30 includes a light guide plate case 35 for accommodating the ring-shaped diffusion member 41 and the light guide plate 31. The light guide plate case 35 has a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) for a light source mounted horizontally.
A substantially ring-shaped bus bar 4 which is a light source circuit body having an ED mounting portion 38 and connecting a plurality of LEDs and connecting them on a substrate.
5 is insert-molded on the back side. Note that the bus bar 45 can be welded to the back surface of the light guide plate case 35.

The light guide plate case 35 is formed by a central hole 39 in which a rotary switch (not shown) is arranged, and a side wall 37 at an outer peripheral portion of the central hole.
And a storage section 36 for storing the storage unit 1. Further, the bus bar 45 includes an annular connecting portion 46, an LED connecting portion 47 extending in a peripheral direction from a predetermined position of the connecting portion, and being soldered to a lead wire of the LED, and a predetermined circuit on a substrate (not shown). Connection part 48 for connection to the substrate by soldering or the like
Is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the LED mounting portion 38 of the light guide plate case 35 has side walls 37, 37 of a housing portion 36 extending on both sides, and an LED connecting portion 4 of a bus bar 45.
7 is insert-molded, and a connection hole 38a is formed such that a portion of the LED 33 to which the lead wire 34 is connected is exposed.

The procedure for assembling the ring illumination section 30 is as follows. The light guide plate 31 is fitted into the housing section 36 of the light guide plate case 35, and the ring-shaped diffusion member 41 is mounted on the light guide plate 31.
The LED 33 is soldered by inserting an end of the lead wire 34 into a mounting hole formed in the exposed LED connecting portion 47.
Therefore, the LED 33 is connected to the light guide plate 31 in the LED mounting portion 38.
The ring illuminator 30 attached at a predetermined position facing the side wall can be handled as one component independent of the substrate 6.

Next, a rotary switch (not shown) on the board 6 is mounted so as to be disposed in the central hole 39 of the light guide plate case 35, and a board connecting portion 48 penetrating through the mounting hole of the board 6 is soldered. I do. Thereby, a plurality of L
The power supply to the ED 33 can be performed collectively on the substrate 6, and the circuit configuration on the substrate 6 can be simplified.
And finally, after screwing the light guide plate case 35,
By fitting a dial switch (not shown) on the rotary shaft of the rotary switch, the assembly of the entire switch is completed.

As described above, in the lighting structure of the switch according to the present embodiment, since the LED bus bar 45 having the board connecting portion 48 is formed in the light guide plate case 35,
It is not necessary to solder to the substrate 6 for every 33, and the power supply to the plurality of LEDs 33 can be performed collectively only by soldering the substrate connection portion 48 to the substrate 6. Therefore, the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and productivity can be improved. Further, if the substantially ring-shaped bus bar 45 is insert-molded in the light guide plate case 35, the process of assembling the bus bar 45 to the light guide plate case 35 can be reduced. In addition, since the light guide plate case 35 in which the light guide plate 31 and the diffusion member 41 are integrally assembled can be separated from the substrate 6 and designed as a separate component, the degree of freedom in design can be improved.

Next, an illumination structure of a switch according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The ring illumination unit of the present embodiment has a light guide plate case having substantially the same configuration as the light guide plate case of the first embodiment, and uses a flexible printed circuit (F) instead of a bus bar as a light source circuit.
PC) is used. Therefore, the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the ring illuminator 50 of the present embodiment uses a substantially ring-shaped FPC 51 as a light source circuit. Generally, the FPC is lighter in weight than the bus bar, and can be easily attached to the light guide plate case. As shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 51 denotes an annular connecting portion 52, an LED connecting portion 53 extending from a predetermined position of the connecting portion in the outer peripheral direction and soldering to an LED lead wire, and a predetermined circuit on a substrate (not shown). A board connecting portion 54 for connection by the like is provided.

Next, in the procedure for assembling the ring illumination section 50, the FPC 51 is integrally assembled on the back surface side of the light guide plate case 55 by bonding or the like. At this time, the board connecting portion 54
Is in a state of hanging down. Then, the light guide plate is fitted into the housing portion 36 in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above, and the ring-shaped diffusion member is placed on the light guide plate, and the LED 3
3 is soldered by inserting the end of the lead wire 34 into a mounting hole formed in the LED mounting portion 38 and the LED connecting portion 53. Therefore, the ring illumination unit 50 in which the LED 33 is mounted at a predetermined position facing the side wall of the light guide plate 31 in the LED mounting unit 38 can be handled as one component independent of the substrate 6.

Next, a rotary switch (not shown) on the board 6 is mounted so as to be disposed in the central hole 39 of the light guide plate case 55, and the board connecting portion 54 is inserted through the mounting hole of the board 6 to allow the board to be mounted. It is connected to a predetermined position on the back surface by soldering or the like. Thus, the power supply to the plurality of LEDs 33 can be performed collectively on the substrate 6, and the circuit configuration on the substrate 6 can be simplified.

As described above, the illumination structure of the switch according to the present embodiment is an LED FPC 5 having a board connecting portion 54.
1 is formed on the light guide plate case 55 by bonding or the like, so that it is not necessary to solder the LED 33 to the substrate 6 for each LED 33.
By simply soldering the board connecting portion 54 to the board 6, a plurality of L
Power supply to the ED 33 can be performed collectively. Therefore, the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and productivity can be improved. Further, the light guide plate case 55 in which the light guide plate 31 and the diffusion member 41 are integrally assembled can be separated from the substrate 6 and designed as a separate component.

Next, an illumination structure of a switch according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In the ring illumination unit of the present embodiment, the light guide plate case has the first and second light guide plates.
Unlike the light guide plate case of the embodiment, a connector portion is provided. The same components as those in the first and second embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the detailed description is omitted.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ring illumination section 60 of this embodiment has a connector section 66 formed on the back surface of a light guide plate case 65. That is, the light guide plate case 6
At the time of forming the connector housing 67, the connector housing 67 is integrally formed, and the bus bar 68 is insert-molded so that the board connecting portion 69 of the bus bar 68 (see FIG. 1) projects into the housing 67.

By attaching the light guide plate case 65 to the board 6, the connector portion 66 protrudes from the insertion hole of the board 6, and a mating connector for power supply can be fitted from the back side of the board 6. By this connector fitting, power supply to a plurality of LEDs can be performed collectively. Therefore, the work of soldering the board connecting portion 69 to the board 6 is eliminated, and the assembling property and the productivity can be further improved. Further, since the light guide plate case 65 in which the light guide plate and the diffusion member are integrally assembled can be separated from the substrate 6 and designed as a separate component, the design flexibility can be further improved.

[0030]

As described above, according to the illumination structure of the switch of the present invention, since the light source circuit having the connection portion with the substrate is formed in the light guide plate case, the light source is soldered to the substrate for each light source. Since there is no need to attach, it is possible to improve productivity by reducing the number of assembly steps. When the circuit body is a bus bar or an FPC, the circuit body can be easily assembled to the light guide plate case by insert molding or bonding. Further, when the connection portion is a connector portion formed on the light guide plate case, the work of soldering the connection portion of the circuit body to the substrate is eliminated, and the productivity can be further improved. Further, since the light guide plate case in which the light guide plate and the diffusion member are integrally assembled can be separated from the substrate and designed as a separate component, the design flexibility can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a first embodiment of a switch lighting structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part after assembly in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a second embodiment of the illumination structure of the switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a main part after assembly in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a third embodiment of the illumination structure of the switch according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a main part in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a lighting structure of a conventional switch.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 30 ring illumination part (first embodiment) 31 light guide plate 33 LED 35 light guide plate case 36 housing part 37 side wall 38 LED attachment part 39 central hole 41 ring-shaped diffusion member 45 bus bar (circuit for light source) 46 connection part 47 LED connection Part 48 Board connection part 50 Ring illumination part (2nd Embodiment) 51 FPC 52 Connection part 53 LED connection part 54 Board connection part 55 Light guide plate case 60 Ring illumination part (Third embodiment) 65 Light guide plate case 66 Connector part 67 Connector housing 68 Bus bar 69 Board connection

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Shuji Takiguchi 1500 Onjuku, Susono-shi, Shizuoka Yazaki Sogyo Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5G019 JJ02 JJ08 JJ09 JJ14 SK02 SY01 SY10 SY10

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A light guide plate having a reflection part for a light source connected to a substrate, a ring-shaped diffusion member disposed on an outer periphery of a switch with respect to the reflection part, and accommodating and holding the light guide plate. A lighting structure for a switch including a light guide plate case, wherein a circuit body for the light source having a connection portion with the substrate is formed in the light guide plate case. 2. The switch lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein said circuit is a bus bar. 3. The lighting structure for a switch according to claim 1, wherein said circuit is a flexible printed circuit. 4. The switch lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein said connection portion is a connector portion formed on said light guide plate case.