JP2001184993A - Switch knob structure of switch panel for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce manufacturing cost and sizes. SOLUTION: A switch knob structure of a switch panel for vehicle is disclosed, in which an entire surface of a knob body 25 emits light by a light source 15 disposed at a back face-side of a transparent knob body 25. At the back face-side of the knob body 25, there is integrally formed a light guide section 26 serving to guide a light from the light source 15.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switch knob structure of a switch panel for a vehicle, which is provided, for example, in a console section of a vehicle such as an automobile, and emits light all over at night.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 3, an operation panel 1 such as an air conditioner and a car audio is provided on a console portion of a vehicle such as an automobile, and the operation panel 1 has various switch buttons and switches. The knob is located. Among them, a switch knob 2 for performing level adjustment such as a temperature adjustment switch of an air conditioner or a volume switch of a car audio is provided.
In the case of FIG. 3, it can be tilted back and forth about the center so that both the upper and lower parts can be pressed, and the entire surface emits light at night or the like.

A conventional switch knob 2 of this type is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 6, a knob body 5 made of a transparent resin that easily transmits light or a transparent resin containing a diffusing agent, and the knob body 5
Colored layer 6 made of paint or color material formed on the surface side of
And In addition, both ends of the switch knob 2 are operating portions 7, 7, and a recess 8 is formed at the center so that the operating portion 7 can be easily pressed. Further, necessary indications such as characters and symbols are drawn on the coloring layer 6.

The switch knob 2 is connected to the operation panel 1
The knob body 5 is disposed in the operation panel 1 with the colored layer 6 protruding from the opening 10 formed in the panel surface 9 of the knob body 5.
The tilting center shaft 11 protruding sideways from the center side surface of
Bearing portion 12 formed at a corresponding position on the periphery of opening 10
It is pivotally supported by tilting.

[0005] Further, on the back side of the operation panel 1, circuit boards 14 are arranged in parallel at a required interval. Further, as shown in FIG.
A light source 15 is attached to the side of the light source. A light guide plate 16 is provided under the knob body 5 to guide light from the light source 15 to the knob body 5 to cause the colored layer 6 to emit light.
Is installed. The light guide plate 16 has a reflection surface 17 that is inclined to change the direction of the light that has entered substantially horizontally in FIG. 4 upward. The reflection surface 17 is subjected to reflection enhancement processing such as satin pattern or white paint as needed.

As shown in FIG. 6, switches 19 are mounted on the circuit board 14 in the vicinity of the operation section 7 at both ends of the knob main body 5, and the corresponding switches 19 are pressed from both ends of the knob main body 5. A pressing pin 20 is protruded.

[0007]

However, in such a conventional switch knob structure for a vehicle switch panel, since the knob body 5 and the light guide plate 16 are separate bodies, the number of parts is increased, and the number of assembly steps is increased. However, there is a problem that the cost increases because of the increase in the cost.

In addition, since the knob body 5 and the light guide plate 16 are separate bodies, the distance between the panel surface 9 and the circuit board 14 becomes large, and there is a problem that miniaturization is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a switch knob structure of a vehicle switch panel which can solve the above-mentioned problems and can reduce the cost and size.

[0010]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the entire surface of the knob body is illuminated by a light source installed on the back side of the transparent knob body. The switch knob structure of the switch panel for a vehicle is characterized in that a light guide for guiding light from a light source is integrally formed on the back surface of the knob body.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the knob main body and the light guide are integrated, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. It becomes possible.

Further, since the light guide portion is integrally formed on the back side of the knob body, it is possible to save space and reduce the size of the device.

[0013]

First Embodiment A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the present invention. The same or equivalent parts as those of the conventional example will be described with the same reference numerals.

First, the configuration will be described. An operation panel 1 such as an air conditioner and a car audio provided on a console section of a vehicle such as an automobile is provided with a temperature adjustment switch of the air conditioner and a volume switch of a car audio. The switch knob 2 for performing the level adjustment is provided.

The switch knob 2 has a knob body 25 made of a transparent resin that easily transmits light or a transparent resin containing a diffusing agent.
And a colored layer 6 made of a paint or a color material formed on the surface side of the knob body 25. In addition, both ends of the switch knob 2 are operating portions 7, 7, and a recess 8 is formed at the center so that the operating portion 7 can be easily pressed. Further, necessary indications such as characters and symbols are drawn on the coloring layer 6.

The switch knob 2 is connected to the operation panel 1
The knob body 2 is disposed in the operation panel 1 with the colored layer 6 protruding from an opening 10 formed in the panel surface 9 of the knob body 2.
5 is a tilting center shaft 11 protruding laterally from the center side surface.
Is pivotally supported by a bearing portion 12 formed at a position corresponding to the periphery of the opening 10.

Further, on the back side of the operation panel 1, circuit boards 14 are arranged in parallel at a required interval. The light source 15 is attached to the circuit board 14 on the side of the knob body 25.

Further, switches (not shown) are mounted on the circuit board 14 in the vicinity of the operation unit 7 at both ends of the knob main body 25, and pressing pins 20 for pressing the corresponding switches protrude from both ends of the knob main body 25. ing.

In the first embodiment, a light guide section 26 for guiding light from the light source 15 to the knob body 25 to emit the entire surface of the colored layer 6 is integrally formed on the back side of the knob body 25. . The light guide section 26 has a reflecting surface 1 that is inclined to change the direction of the light that has entered substantially horizontally in FIG.
7 are formed. The reflection surface 17 is subjected to reflection enhancement processing such as satin pattern or white paint as needed.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

When one operating portion 7 of the switch knob 2 is pressed, the switch knob 2 is tilted to one side around the tilt center axis 11, and the corresponding switch is pressed via one pressing pin 20. Conversely, when the other operation section 7 of the switch knob 2 is pressed, the switch knob 2 is tilted in the opposite direction about the tilt center axis 11, and the corresponding switch is pressed via the other pressing pin 20. As described above, the level adjustment of the temperature adjustment switch of the air conditioner and the volume switch of the car audio is performed.

When the light source 15 is turned on at the time of night illumination or the like, the light from the light source 15 enters the light guide portion 26, is reflected by the reflection surface 17, and the entire surface of the coloring layer 6 emits light.

In the first embodiment, since the knob body 25 and the light guide 26 are integrated, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced.

A light guide 26 is provided on the back side of the knob body 25.
Is formed integrally, the space between the panel surface 9 and the circuit board 14 can be reduced to save space and reduce the size of the device.

[0026]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the knob body and the light guide are integrated, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the cost can be reduced. Becomes possible.

Further, since the light guide portion is integrally formed on the back surface side of the knob main body, a practically useful effect that space saving and miniaturization of the device can be achieved can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the switch knob of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of a switch panel illustrating a conventional example.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the switch knob of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 3;

[Explanation of symbols]

 15 Light source 25 Knob body 26 Light guide

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Osamu Yokoseki 2-1910 Nisshincho, Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture Inside Kansei Corporation (72) Inventor Kunihiko Noguchi 2-1910 Nisshincho, Omiya City, Saitama Prefecture Kansai Corporation F Terms (reference) 5G019 CP04 JJ02 JJ07 JJ09 SK20 SY01 SY05 SY10 5G052 AA22 AA40 BB01 JA02 JA09 JB03 JC05

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A switch knob structure of a switch panel for a vehicle in which a light source installed on the back side of a transparent knob body causes the entire surface of the knob body to emit light, wherein the light from the light source is guided to the back side of the knob body. A switch knob structure of a switch panel for a vehicle, wherein a light guide portion is integrally formed.