JP2007066714A - Light-emitting switch - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a light-emitting part emit light with a uniform luminance, in a light-emitting switch in which the proximity of the outer periphery of a switch knob emits light accompanying switching operation. <P>SOLUTION: A light guiding part 26 of the switch knob 22 is formed of a light guide member so that light from a LED 21 is guided to the light guide part 26. A seat 24 having an insertion space part 41 into which the light guide part 26 is inserted is provided, the light, emitted from the light guide part 26 is reflected at an inner wall part 42 of the insertion space part 41, and a light-shielding member 31 facing the LED 21 is provided on the upper end of the light guide part 26. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a light emitting switch, and more particularly to a light emitting switch that emits light near the outer periphery of a switch knob when a switch is operated.

  For example, in an electronic device, various switches for operating the electronic device are provided on the front panel. Specifically, there are a push switch that performs a switch operation by pressing and a rotary switch that performs operations such as tuning by rotating.

  In addition, in order to confirm the operation state and to improve the design, the push switch is provided so that the switch knob itself or the vicinity of the switch knob (for example, the outer peripheral position) emits light. In the following description, a switch having such a function of emitting light is referred to as a light emission switch.

  A light emitting diode (LED) with low power consumption is frequently used as a light source for the light emitting switch. Conventionally, when the switch knob emits light directly, the LED is disposed at a position directly below the switch knob, or the LED is arranged near the switch knob and the light is guided to the switch knob using a light guide member. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

Further, as means for emitting light at the outer peripheral position of the switch knob, the switch knob 61 has a light-shielding structure as shown in the light emitting switch 60 shown in FIG. The thing of the structure which arrange | positions LED63 in the position is known. With this configuration, the outer peripheral position of the switch knob 61 can emit light according to the switch operation of the switch knob 61.
JP 09-282972 A

  The conventional light emitting switch described above has a configuration in which the switch knob and the light emitting unit 62 are caused to emit light by directly irradiating the light of the LED, which is a light source, onto the switch knob, and directly irradiating the light of the LED onto the light emitting unit 62. It had been.

  However, in the configuration in which the light of the LED (63) is directly irradiated to the switch knob and the light emitting unit 62 as described above, the portion opposed to the LED emits light with high luminance, but the luminance decreases as the distance from this LED increases. . That is, the conventional light emitting switch has a problem that the switch knob and the light emitting unit 62 cannot emit light with uniform brightness.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a light emitting switch capable of emitting light with uniform luminance in a light emitting portion.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention is characterized by the following measures.

The invention described in claim 1
A switch body, a switch knob for operating the switch body, a light emitting element that is lit in response to the operation of the switch body by the switch knob, and a light emitting member that has a light emitting portion that emits light by the light of the lit light emitting element A light emitting switch comprising:
The switch knob is formed of a light guide member, and the light from the light emitting element can be guided to the switch knob.
While providing a pedestal having an insertion space into which the switch knob is inserted, the light emitted from the switch knob is reflected on the inner wall of the insertion space,
In addition, a light shielding portion is provided at a position facing the light emitting element of the switch knob.

  According to the above invention, the light from the light emitting element is shielded by the light shielding member, and thus does not directly enter the light emitting member, but is diffused by being repeatedly reflected from the pedestal in the switch knob made of the light guide member. Since the light enters the light emitting member later, the light emitting member can emit light with uniform brightness without being biased.

The invention according to claim 2
The light emitting switch according to claim 1.
The switch knob is formed of a transparent resin having a cylindrical shape.

  According to the above invention, since the switch knob is formed of the transparent resin having a cylindrical shape, the switch knob itself can be used as the light guide member, and the number of parts can be reduced and the space can be saved.

The invention according to claim 3
The light emitting switch according to claim 1 or 2,
The pedestal is characterized in that at least the inner wall of the insertion space is white.

  According to the said invention, the light radiate | emitted from the switch knob can be reflected by the simple structure which only whitens the inner wall of the insertion space of a base.

The invention according to claim 4
The light emitting switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The light emitting part formed on the light emitting member is configured to surround the light shielding part and to face the upper end part of the switch knob.

  According to the above-described invention, the light guided through the switch knob enters the light-emitting portion disposed so as to surround the light-shielding portion, so that the outer peripheral position of the light-shielding portion can be emitted.

  According to the present invention, the light emitting member can emit light with uniform brightness without being biased.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows the front of an electronic device 10 to which a light emitting switch according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. The electronic device 10 is a tuner device, for example, and has a configuration in which a door panel 12, a display unit 14, switches 15 and 16, a light emission switch 17, and the like are provided on a front panel 13 of the device body 11.

  The door panel 12 is provided so as to cover an opening (not shown) formed in the front panel 13. A normally unused switch, a slot portion into which a recording medium is inserted and removed, and the like are arranged in an opening formed in the front panel 13. The door panel 12 is attached to the opening, and when the switch or the slot is not used, the door panel 12 covers the opening so that the inside of the opening cannot be seen from the outside.

  The display unit 14 is a liquid crystal display device on which various information necessary for operating the electronic device 10 is displayed. The switch 15 is a channel selection switch and is attached to the front panel 13 by applying the switch mounting structure according to the present invention. The switch 16 is a mode selection switch, and can be selectively switched by pressing.

  The light emission switch 17 is a push switch, for example, used as a power switch. The light emitting switch 17 is configured such that the outer peripheral portion of the switch knob that is pressed and operated emits light in response to the switch operation. Hereinafter, the configuration of the light emission switch 17 will be described.

  2 and 3 are an exploded perspective view and a cross-sectional view of the light emitting switch 17. The light emitting switch 17 is roughly composed of a switch body 20, an LED 21, a switch knob 22, a light emitting plate 23, a base 24, a light shielding member 31, and the like.

  The switch body 20 is a tact switch, and performs a switch operation by pressing an operation knob 39 protruding upward. The switch body 20 is disposed on the circuit board 25. Further, the position of the switch body 20 is set to a position where the switch body 20 is pressed by the lower end of the switch knob 22 in an insertion space 41 of the pedestal body 40 described later.

  The LED 21 (light emitting element) is disposed on the circuit board 25 in the same manner as the switch body 20, and the position of the LED 21 (light emitting element) is set to be approximately the center position of the insertion space 41 of the pedestal body 40 described later. The LED 21 is configured to be lit and stopped when the switch body 20 is operated.

  As shown in FIG. 4 in addition to FIGS. 2 and 3, the switch knob 22 includes a light guide portion 26, a fixing portion 27, a spring portion 28, a guide rib 29, and the like. The light guide portion 26 has a substantially cylindrical shape in which the space portion 30 is formed. However, the light guide 26 is not a perfect cylindrical shape, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4C, the inner wall and the outer wall have a tapered surface (for example, an angle of about 3 °). It is configured to have an inclined surface. The light guide portion 26 is made of a transparent resin, and is thus configured to guide light inside.

  The fixing portion 27 is a portion that is fixed to the back surface of the front panel 13. A spring portion 28 is formed between the fixed portion 27 and the light guide portion 26 so as to be elastically deformable. When the spring portion 28 is elastically deformed, the switch knob 22 can be displaced in the vertical direction in FIG. The elastic force generated by the spring portion 28 functions as a force for restoring the switch knob 22 (light shielding member 31) to the original position after the switch 15 is pressed.

  Further, when the switch knob 22 is fixed to the front panel 13 via the fixing portion 27, the lower end of the light guide portion 26 is configured to face the operation knob 39 of the switch body 20 described above. Further, guide ribs 29 that protrude outward and extend in the vertical direction are formed at both side positions of the guide rib 29. The guide rib 29 has a function of guiding the displacement direction when the switch knob 22 is displaced with respect to the pedestal 24 as will be described later.

  The light emitting plate 23 (corresponding to the light emitting member described in the claims) is formed of a white resin. As shown in FIG. 6 in addition to FIGS. 2 and 3, the light emitting plate 23 has a configuration in which a flange portion 35 and a protruding portion 36 are integrally formed.

  The protrusion 36 has a smaller diameter than the flange 35, and an opening 38 is formed at the center of the protrusion 36. By forming the opening 38, the light emitting surface 37, which is the upper surface of the projecting portion 36, has an annular shape. However, the light emitting switch 17 according to the present embodiment has a light emitting surface 37 from the LED 21 as described later. Light is emitted by light.

  Further, since the protrusion 36 has a small diameter with respect to the flange 35, a step is formed between the protrusion 36 and the flange 35. The light emitting plate 23 is attached to the front panel 13 using this step. Specifically, the front panel 13 is formed with an insertion hole 46 (see FIG. 1) through which only the protrusion 36 can be inserted. The light emitting plate 23 is attached to the front panel 13 by inserting the protruding portion 36 through the insertion hole 46 from the back side of the front panel 13.

  In the mounted state, the light emitting surface 37 that emits light is exposed on the surface of the front panel 13, and the flange portion 35 is in contact with the back surface of the front panel 13. Furthermore, the opening 38 formed in the center of the light emitting plate 23 is configured to be able to mount a light shielding member 31 described later.

  The base 24 is fixed to the circuit board 25. As shown in FIG. 7 in addition to FIGS. 2 and 3, the base body 40 is provided with an insertion space 41, an inner wall 42, and a guide groove 43. It is said that. The pedestal 24 in this embodiment is configured to be used as a pedestal of the switch 16 together with the light emitting switch 17. Therefore, a switch mounting portion 44 for mounting the switch 16 is integrally formed on the base 24 as shown in FIG.

  The pedestal 24 is formed with an inner wall portion 42 having a tapered surface (inclined surface), whereby an insertion space portion 41 is formed in the pedestal 24. The insertion space 41 is configured such that the light guide 26 described above is inserted so as to be movable in the vertical direction (the vertical direction in FIGS. 2 and 3).

  A step 45 is formed at the lower end of the inner wall 42 as shown in FIG. In a state where the pedestal 24 is mounted on the circuit board 25, the height of the stepped portion 45 from the circuit board 25 is set to be higher than the LED 21 and lower than the tip of the operation knob 39 of the switch body 20.

  With this configuration, when the switch knob 22 is moved by being pressed, the switch knob 22 is brought into contact with the step 45 to stop its downward movement. In this state, the lower end of the switch knob 22 is The operation knob 39 is pressed and is separated from the LED 21. Therefore, the switch body 20 can be reliably operated, and the switch knob 22 can be prevented from coming into contact with the LED 21.

  In addition, a pair of guide grooves 43 are formed on the inner wall portion 42 so as to face each other. The guide groove 43 is formed so as to correspond to the guide rib 29 formed in the switch knob 22 described above. The guide rib 29 is configured to engage with the guide groove 43 in a state where the switch knob 22 is mounted on the base 24. Therefore, the positional relationship between the switch knob 22 and the inner wall portion 42 is such that the guide rib 29 is positioned with high accuracy by being guided by the guide groove 43.

  Furthermore, the inner wall portion 42 formed on the pedestal 24 is configured to reflect light. In the present embodiment, the pedestal 24 is made of white resin so that the surface of the inner wall portion 42 is also white, so that the inner wall portion 42 can reflect light. The surface of the inner wall portion 42 is a smooth surface in order to increase the light reflectance.

  In this embodiment, the light can be reflected by the inner wall portion 42 with such a simple structure. The configuration of the pedestal 24 may be other configurations as long as the inner wall portion 42 can reflect light. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which light can be reflected by the inner wall portion 42 by coating a metal film only on the surface of the inner wall portion 42.

  As shown in FIG. 5 in addition to FIGS. 2 and 3, the light shielding member 31 has a cap (lid) shape. The light shielding member 31 is made of a resin mixed with metal or a light shielding material as a filler, and thus has a light shielding property that does not allow light to pass through.

  The light shielding member 31 is configured such that a main body portion 32 and a fixing portion 34 are provided below the main body portion 32. The light shielding member 31 is fixed to the switch knob 22 by press-fitting the fixing portion 34 into the upper end portion of the light guide portion 26. Therefore, the upper portion of the space 30 formed in the light guide portion 26 is closed by the light shielding member 31 with the light shielding member 31 mounted on the switch knob 22. Further, as described above, the light shielding member 31 is inserted into the opening 38 of the light emitting plate 23. Further, the side surface of the main body 32 is a tapered portion 33 having an inclination angle of about 5 °, for example.

  In order to attach the light emitting switch 17 having the above configuration to the front panel 13, first, the protruding portion 36 of the light emitting plate 23 is inserted into the insertion hole 46, and the opening 38 is exposed to the surface of the front panel 13. Next, after the light shielding member 31 is disposed at the distal end portion of the light guide portion 26 constituting the switch knob 22, the light shielding member 31 is positioned so as to be positioned in the opening 38, and the fixing portion 27 is then moved to the front panel. 13 is fixed.

  In this state, the switch knob 22 can be moved in the front-rear direction with respect to the front panel 13 by pressing the light shielding member 31. That is, the light shielding member 31 is configured to be movable in the front-rear direction within the opening 38 of the light emitting plate 23.

  The switch body 20 and the LED 21 are mounted on the circuit board 25 in advance, and the pedestal 24 is fixed to the circuit board 25. The circuit board 25 provided with the switch main body 20, the LED 21, and the pedestal 24 is fixed to the front panel 13 in a state where the switch knob 22 is positioned so as to be positioned in the insertion space portion 41.

  8 and 9 show the light emitting switch 17 in a state assembled as described above. FIG. 8 is a plan view of the light emitting switch 17, and FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the light emitting switch 17. 8 and 9, the illustration of the front panel 13 is omitted.

  As shown in each drawing, in a state where the light emitting switch 17 is assembled, the LED 21 is configured not to face the light emitting plate 23 that emits light but to face the light shielding member 31 having a light shielding function. Further, since the light shielding member 31 is opaque, the LED 21 is not viewed from the front panel 13 through the light shielding member 31. Similarly, since the light emitting surface 37 located on the outer periphery of the light shielding member 31 is not transparent and is formed of white resin, the LED 21 can be viewed from the front panel 13 side through the light emitting surface 37. Absent.

  Next, with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the operation of the light emitting switch 17 having the above-described configuration when the LED 21 is turned on will be described. When the operator presses the light shielding member 31 constituting the light emission switch 17, the light guide portion 26 to which the light shielding member 31 is fixed moves with the elastic deformation of the spring portion 28, and the lower end thereof is disposed on the circuit board 25. The operation knob 39 of the switch body 20 is pressed. Thereby, the power supply of the electronic device 10 is turned ON. Accordingly, a drive current is supplied to the LED 21 from an electronic circuit (not shown) formed on the circuit board 25, and the LED 21 is lit.

  When the LED 21 is turned on, light is emitted radially. In FIG. 9, the light irradiation direction irradiated from this LED21 is classified into typical irradiation directions P1-P4, and the effect | action of the light which has each irradiation direction is demonstrated.

  In FIG. 9, the light indicated by P <b> 1 is light emitted from the LED 21 toward the light shielding member 31 vertically. Since the light P1 is shielded by the light shielding member 31, it does not function as light that causes the light emitting surface 37 to emit light. The inner surface of the light shielding member 31 may be configured to reflect light.

  In FIG. 9, light indicated by P <b> 2 is light that is incident from the LED 21 at an angle that satisfies the total reflection condition with respect to the inner surface of the light guide portion 26. In this case, the light P <b> 2 does not travel into the switch knob 22 and is reflected on the inner surface of the light guide unit 26. Since most of the reflected light P2 is also applied to the light shielding member 31, this light P2 also does not function as light that causes the light emitting surface 37 to emit light.

  In FIG. 9, the light indicated by P <b> 3 travels into the light guide unit 26, but is emitted from the light emitting plate 23 to the outside without repeating reflection (that is, without diffusing) in the light guide unit 26. . The light P3 rarely reaches the light emitting surface 37, and therefore the light P3 does not function effectively as light that causes the light emitting surface 37 to emit light.

  On the other hand, the light indicated by P4 in FIG. 9 travels into the light guide part 26 and then exits the light guide part 26, and then reflects off the inner wall part 42 of the base 24 and enters the switch knob 22 again. The light that penetrated. Thereafter, the light P4 is repeatedly reflected in the light guide 26 and becomes light that forms an optical path to the light emitting surface 37 while diffusing. The light P4 functions as light that causes the light emitting surface 37 to emit light, and is the light having the largest amount of light among the above-described lights P1 to P3.

  Therefore, according to the light emitting switch 17 according to the present embodiment, the direct light from the LED 21 is blocked by the light blocking member 31, and the light P4 that emits light from the light emitting surface 37 is repeatedly reflected between the light guide portion 26 and the inner wall portion 42. Therefore, the light emitting surface 37 can emit light with uniform brightness without being biased.

  In this embodiment, since the light guide portion 26 constituting the switch knob 22 is formed of a transparent resin having a cylindrical shape, the switch knob 22 (light guide portion 26) itself is led from the LED 21 to the light emitting surface 37. Since it can be used as an optical member, and the light guide 26 also functions as a knob for operating the switch body 20, the number of parts can be reduced and the space can be saved.

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an electronic apparatus to which a light emitting switch according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of a light emitting switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of a light emitting switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. 4A and 4B are diagrams for explaining the switch knob. FIG. 4A is a plan view, FIG. 4B is a right side view, and FIG. 4C is a line AA in FIG. FIG. 5A and 5B are diagrams for explaining the light shielding member. FIG. 5A is a front view, FIG. 5B is a right side view, and FIG. 5C is a CC line in FIG. FIG. 6A and 6B are diagrams for explaining the light-emitting plate. FIG. 6A is a plan view, FIG. 6B is a front view, and FIG. 6C is a DD line in FIG. It is sectional drawing which follows. 7A and 7B are views for explaining the pedestal, in which FIG. 6A is a front view, FIG. 6B is a plan view, and FIG. 6C is a cross-sectional view. FIG. 8 is a plan view of an essential part of the assembled light emitting switch. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the assembled light emitting switch. FIG. 10 is a plan view of a light emitting switch which is a conventional example.

Explanation of symbols

10 Electronic Device 11 Device Body 13 Front Panel 17 Light-Emitting Switch 20 Switch Body 21 LED
22 switch knob 23 light emitting plate 24 base 25 circuit board 26 light guide part 27 fixing part 28 spring part 29 guide rib 30 space part 31 light shielding member 32 body part 33 taper part 34 fixing part 35 flange part 36 protrusion part 37 top plate surface 38 opening Part 39 operation knob 40 base body 41 insertion space part 42 inner wall part 43 guide groove 44 switch mounting part

Claims (4)

A switch body, a switch knob for operating the switch body, a light emitting element that is lit in response to the operation of the switch body by the switch knob, and a light emitting member that has a light emitting portion that emits light by the light of the lit light emitting element A light emitting switch comprising:
The switch knob is formed of a light guide member, and the light from the light emitting element can be guided to the switch knob.
While providing a pedestal having an insertion space into which the switch knob is inserted, the light emitted from the switch knob is reflected on the inner wall of the insertion space,
And the light emission switch characterized by having comprised the light-shielding part in the position facing the said light emitting element of the said switch knob.   The light emitting switch according to claim 1, wherein the switch knob is made of a transparent resin having a cylindrical shape.   The light emitting switch according to claim 1, wherein at least the inner wall of the insertion space of the pedestal is white.   4. The light-emitting part formed on the light-emitting member is configured to surround the light-shielding part and to be opposed to an upper end part of the switch knob. 5. Light emitting switch.

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