JP2005222824A - Optical sensor switch - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical sensor switch, on which, a light-emitting display part and an optical sensor part are separately arranged, capable of switching operation by stretching a finger toward a light-emitting area. <P>SOLUTION: Light transmitting parts 20, 21 are arranged on a mirror body M, and the optical sensor switch 10 is mounted on a back face of the mirror body through a spacer 19, and a light emission and detection direction Q of a light-emitting element 13 and a light-receiving element 12 of an optical sensor part X is arranged so as to slant against a frontal direction P of the optical sensor part X by a prescribed angle θ. By the above, since the finger of a user getting near to a light emission area T can be detected, the operation of a designated device can be controlled by bringing the finger not toward the frontal side of the optical sensor part X but toward a frontal area of a display part Y whose position is easy to visually grasp. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention, for example, is attached to the back side of a mirror or the like of a bathroom vanity, and detects the hand approaching the surface side of the mirror to control ON / OFF of electric appliances such as an anti-fogging heater and a lighting fixture. It is related with the optical sensor type switch made as described above.

  In indoor environments where a lot of water is used, such as bathrooms and bathrooms, the switch that controls the ON / OFF of electrical appliances such as anti-fogging heaters and lighting devices for the mirrors is a light sensor switch, which makes it difficult to get water. It has been proposed to be arranged on the back side. For example, in the vanity table K shown in FIG. 8, a light transmission part is formed on the mirror body M to form an object detection region S, and when a hand is brought close to the front side, this is disposed on the back side of the object detection region S. The detected light sensor detects and outputs a detection signal. Based on the detection signal, the anti-fogging heater, the lighting fixture, and the like are set to be turned on and off.

Patent Document 1 describes an example of an optical sensor switch that makes it easy to check the operation status of an electric appliance by causing the object detection region S provided in the mirror body M to emit light in accordance with the ON / OFF of the electric appliance. ing. As shown in FIG. 9, the structure is such that a light transmitting portion 30 of only the glass plate 1 on which the silver film 2 is not formed is provided in a part of the mirror body M to form the object detection region S, and on the back side, An infrared light receiving / emitting element 31 which is a type sensor and an electroluminescence light emitting element (EL light emitting element) 32 as an operation confirmation display lamp are arranged. Since the object detection area S can transmit light, when the fingertip 40 or the like is brought close to the object detection area S, the infrared light receiving / emitting element 31 detects this and outputs a detection signal, and the antifogging heater or the like is turned on. . At the same time, the EL light emitting element 32 is turned on to cause the object detection area S to emit light so that it can be visually confirmed that the anti-fogging heater or the like is operating. If the fingertip 40 or the like again approaches the object detection region S during the ON operation, the infrared light receiving and emitting element 31 detects this and stops the operation of the antifogging heater and the like, and at the same time, the EL light emitting element 32. Turn off the light. As a result, it is visibly displayed that the operation of the anti-fogging heater or the like is stopped. As described above, the optical sensor type switch described in Patent Document 1 can operate the switch in a non-contact manner, and has the effect of visually confirming the ON / OFF state of the anti-fogging heater. Yes.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-29463

  In principle, the optical sensor type switch disclosed in Patent Document 1 detects only the hand 40 or the like that has reached the object detection region S. When the EL light emitting element 32 is turned on, Is reflected by a hand or a human body located outside the object detection area S, and this may be detected by the infrared light receiving and emitting element 31 to cause a malfunction.

  Accordingly, it is conceivable to arrange the infrared light emitting / receiving element 31 and the EL light emitting element 32 separately to separate the light emitting area and the object detection area S from each other. However, in this case, it is considered that the user often extends his / her finger toward the light-emitting area where the position is easily grasped rather than the object detection area S because of the switch operation. There was a risk that the switch would not operate.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-described conventional problems in the optical sensor type switch in which the light emitting display unit and the optical sensor unit are separately provided. An optical sensor unit including an element and a light receiving element, and a display unit including a light emitting element are provided, and controls the operation of a predetermined device based on an object detection signal output from the optical sensor unit, and the display unit In the light sensor type switch set to perform the light emitting operation, the light projection direction of the light projecting element and the light detection direction of the light receiving element in the light sensor unit are inclined with respect to the front direction of the light sensor unit. It is set.

  It is desirable that the object detection area of the optical sensor unit is set to include at least a part of the front area of the display unit.

  Examples of the mounting object of the optical sensor type switch of the present invention include a mirror body in a vanity table and a mirror cabinet, a glass plate, a plastic plate, a ceramic plate, a metal plate, and the like.

  The optical sensor type switch according to the present invention is provided with a display unit composed of a light emitting element that emits light based on an object detection signal output from the optical sensor unit together with the optical sensor unit. It is easy to visually grasp the operation status of Then, as set forth in claim 1, by setting the light projection direction of the light projecting element and the light detection direction of the light receiving element in the light sensor unit to be inclined with respect to the front direction of the light sensor unit, the light sensor The human body can be detected in an area different from the front area of the part. Accordingly, by appropriately setting the light projection direction of the light projecting element and the light detection direction of the light receiving element, the switch operation can be performed in an arbitrary region where the user can easily extend the finger.

  If the object detection area of the optical sensor section is set to include at least a part of the front area of the display section, a display that allows the user to easily grasp the position visually By extending a finger to the front area of the unit, it is possible to execute the operation control of the target device.

  FIG. 1 shows various kinds of anti-fogging heaters H arranged on the back surface or inside of the mirror body M in the vanity table K, the illumination device L arranged above the mirror body M, and the like. An embodiment applied to means for starting or stopping an electric appliance is shown. The mirror body M to which the optical sensor type switch 10 is attached is provided with light transmitting portions 20 and 21 which are formed only by the glass plate 1 by forming portions where the silver film 2 is removed at appropriate locations. The substrate 11 of the photosensor switch 10 is attached with a double-sided tape 3 or the like with a light-shielding spacer 19 (see FIG. 3) interposed on the back surface thereof. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the same optical sensor type switch 10 includes an optical sensor unit X including a light receiving element 12 and a light projecting element 13 disposed on a substrate 11, and a display unit Y including a plurality of light emitting elements 14. The signal amplifier 15 that amplifies the light reception signal output from the light receiving element 12 to obtain an object detection signal, and also serves as a power supply terminal to the light receiving element 12, the light projecting element 13, the light emitting element 14 and the like and an output terminal for the object detection signal. It consists of a connector 16 and the like. A photoelectric sensor is used as the light receiving element 12, and an infrared LED is used as the light projecting element 13. It is also possible to use a light receiving and projecting element in which the light receiving element and the light projecting element are integrated. As the light emitting element 14, a visible LED or an ultraviolet LED is used.

  In this example, the optical sensor unit X including the light receiving element 12 and the light projecting element 13 is disposed below the display unit Y including the light emitting element 14, and the display unit Y corresponds to the upper light transmitting unit 21, The lower light transmission part 20 was set to correspond to the optical sensor part X. It is desirable to attach an infrared transmission filter 18 that transmits only infrared rays for object detection projected from the light projecting element 13 on the back side of the light transmission unit 20 on the optical sensor unit X side. Further, when the fluorescent plate 17 is attached to the rear surface side of the light transmitting portion 21 on the display unit Y side and the light emitting element 14 is turned on, it emits fluorescence or predetermined characters (for example, “anti-fogging”, “illumination”, etc.) The light emitting region T may be formed on the surface of the mirror body M by light-emitting and displaying symbols and the like.

  The light sensor type switch 10 of this example is configured so that the light projecting element 13 and the light receiving element 12 of the light sensor unit X have a certain light projection direction and light detection direction Q with respect to the front direction P of the light sensor unit X. A characteristic feature is that it is arranged so as to be inclined by θ (15 to 60 °). With this configuration, the space on the near side of the light emitting region T formed in front of the display unit Y is included in the object detection region S of the optical sensor unit X. That is, it is possible to detect the user's finger that is brought close to the light emitting region T. Accordingly, the operation position of the predetermined device can be controlled by bringing a finger closer to the front area of the display unit Y that is easier to visually grasp the position than the front side of the optical sensor unit X. An easily understandable optical sensor switch 10 can be provided.

  The optical sensor switch 10 detects when the user reaches the object detection region S by bringing his / her finger close to the light emitting region T, and detects the anti-fogging heater H disposed on the back surface or inside of the mirror body M. Various electric appliances such as the lighting device L arranged above the mirror body M are operated or stopped, and the light emitting region T is caused to emit light according to the operation status of these electric appliances. That is, when the user's finger reaches the object detection area S, the light projected from the light projecting element 13 is reflected, and this is detected by the light receiving element 12 and outputs an object detection signal to the control circuit C. Upon receiving the object detection signal, the control circuit C turns on the lighting device L or the anti-fogging heater H and simultaneously outputs an ON operation signal to the light emitting element 14. Thereby, light is projected from the light emitting element 14 and a predetermined character or symbol is drawn on the mirror body M. Subsequently, when a finger reaches the object detection area S, an object detection signal is output from the light receiving element 12 to the control circuit C, thereby stopping the illumination device L or the anti-fogging heater H and simultaneously causing the light emitting element 14 to emit light. Also outputs an OFF operation signal and turns it off.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, two optical sensor switches 10 and 10 are mounted side by side on the rear surface of the mirror body M. One optical sensor switch 10 is, for example, a switch for anti-fogging heater H, and the other optical sensor switch. For example, the switch 10 may be a switch for the lighting device L. Further, the control circuit C can be housed in the case of the lighting device L, the interior of the cabinet, or the like.

  A light emitting element 14 having a function capable of changing the color of the projected light, such as a combination of a plurality of three-color LEDs or a single-color LED, is used, and the user pushes his / her finger toward the object detection area S. If the color of the light emitting region T is changed at the same time as the operation of the electric appliance is switched due to the withdrawal, it becomes easier to grasp the operation state. For example, it is conceivable that when the electric appliance is in an OFF state, the light emitting region T emits red light, and when the electric appliance is in an ON operation, the light emitting region T emits green light. Further, according to the above aspect, since the light emitting element T is always turned on and the light emitting region T is maintained in the light emitting state, there is an advantage that the position of the optical sensor switch 10 can be easily visually recognized even in a dark room such as a night. can get.

  As means for inclining the light projection direction of the light projecting element 13 and the light detection direction of the light receiving element 12 of the light sensor unit X, light is projected onto the support base 22 having an inclined surface as illustrated in FIG. In addition to the structure in which the element 13 and the light receiving element 12 are attached, it is conceivable to form an inclined portion 11a on the substrate 11 itself as shown in FIG.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 5, the optical sensor type switch 10 can adopt a configuration in which the optical sensor unit X is arranged on the upper side and the display unit Y is arranged on the lower side. In this case, the light irradiation direction and the light detection direction Q of the light sensor unit X are set to be inclined downward with respect to the front direction P of the light sensor unit X. Thereby, the front area of the display unit Y can be set to be included in the object detection area S.

  Further, in an installation situation where it is difficult to reach the light emitting region T with the finger, the light irradiation direction and the light detection direction Q of the light sensor unit X are formed by the display unit Y as shown in FIG. It is also possible to incline in a direction away from the light emitting region T. For example, when the optical sensor type switch 10 is attached at a very high position, the light irradiation direction and the optical detection direction Q of the optical sensor unit X are inclined downward as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the optical sensor switch 10 is mounted at a very low position, it is tilted upward as shown in FIG. With this configuration, when the user extends his / her finger toward the light emitting area T, the human body is detected by passing the finger through the object detection area S before reaching the light emitting area T, and the operation control of the device is executed. Is possible.

  In addition, although illustration is abbreviate | omitted, it is also possible to employ | adopt the aspect which arrange | positions the optical sensor part X and the display part Y of the optical sensor type switch 10 in the left-right direction, or the diagonal direction. When the optical sensor unit X and the display unit Y are arranged in the left-right direction, the light irradiation direction and the optical detection direction Q of the optical sensor unit X are inclined in the horizontal plane, and the front part of the light emitting region T formed by the display unit Y Is set so as to be in a direction passing through (a front area of the display unit Y is included in the object detection area S) or away from the light emitting area T (a front area of the display unit Y is not included in the object detection area S). . The same applies to the case where the optical sensor unit X and the display unit Y are positioned obliquely.

  Furthermore, the optical sensor unit can be composed of a plurality of light receiving elements 12 and a plurality of light projecting elements 13.

  The optical sensor switch 10 according to the present invention may be mounted on the back side of a ceramic plate such as a glass plate, a plastic plate, a tile, or a ceramic plate in addition to a mirror body. In this case, about a tile and a ceramic board, an opening part may be formed and it may be made into a light transmissive part.

It is related with one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a front view of the vanity stand which provided the optical sensor type switch in the mirror body. It is related with one Embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is a front view of the optical sensor type switch provided in the mirror body. 1 is a side sectional view of an optical sensor switch provided on a mirror body, according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates an attachment mode of an optical sensor portion of an optical sensor switch according to the present invention, in which FIG. (A) is a side view of a state where the optical sensor is attached to a support base, and FIG. FIG. It is related with different embodiment of this invention, Comprising: It is side sectional drawing of the optical sensor type switch provided in the mirror body. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an optical sensor type switch provided in a mirror body, according to still another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an optical sensor type switch provided in a mirror body, according to still another embodiment of the present invention. It is related with a prior art example, Comprising: It is a perspective view which shows the vanity stand which provided the optical sensor type switch in the mirror body. It is side surface sectional drawing which shows the optical sensor type switch described in patent document 1.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Optical sensor type switch 11 ... Board | substrate 12 ... Light receiving element 13 ... Light emitting element 14 ... Light emitting element 20, 21 ... Light transmission part C ... Control circuit H ... Anti-fog heater K ... Washing vanity L ... Illuminating device M ... Mirror Body S ... Object detection area T ... Light emission area X ... Optical sensor part Y ... Display part

Claims (2)

  An optical sensor unit including a light projecting element and a light receiving element, and a display unit composed of a light emitting element are provided, and the operation of a predetermined device is controlled based on an object detection signal output from the optical sensor unit, and In the optical sensor switch set so that the display unit performs a light emitting operation, the light projection direction of the light projecting element and the light detection direction of the light receiving element in the optical sensor unit are inclined with respect to the front direction of the optical sensor unit. An optical sensor type switch characterized by setting as follows.   3. The optical sensor switch according to claim 1, wherein the object detection area of the optical sensor unit is set to include at least a part of a front area of the display unit.