JP2008034121A - Switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a switch device guiding light emitted from a light source to an illumination object part without loss, in a switch device having an illumination function using a light guide. <P>SOLUTION: A light guide housing part 9 is formed in a rubber contact sheet 5 of this switch device 1; the light guide 10 is housed in the light guide housing part 9; and a light reflecting film 12 is formed on the inside surface of the light guide housing part 9 facing to the circumferential surface of the light guide 10. Thereby, even if special processing is not applied to the light guide 10 itself, light leaking from the side surface of the light guide 10 out of light entered in the light guide 10 can be returned to the inside of the light guide 10. As a result, the light entered in the light guide 10 from the light source 4 is emitted from an emission part 14 without leaking to the outside of the light reflecting film 12, and each illumination object part 20 can be illuminated from the lower side. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a switch device having an illumination function.

  Conventionally, for example, a switch device for a vehicle such as a handle switch or a power window regulator switch has been provided with an illumination function. By providing the switch device with a lighting function, the switch operation unit can be easily specified at night.

  An illumination structure of a switch device having an illumination function includes, for example, a light source such as a light-emitting diode, a light guide formed of a light-transmitting material, and an illuminated part where illumination is performed (see Patent Document 1, for example) (Translucent indicator part). In this configuration, the light emitted from the light source passes through the rubber contact sheet (the raised portion of the cover) and enters a light guide provided above the light source, and from a predetermined emission portion (projecting portion) of the light guide. Eject. As a result, the emitted light illuminates each illuminated part from below, and the switch device is illuminated.

  In such an illumination structure using a light guide, in order to guide the light emitted from the light source to the illuminated part with as little loss as possible, prism processing is applied to the outer peripheral surface of the light guide excluding the light incident part and the emission part. There is a case. Since the prism can reflect light only with the refractive index of air, the light that reaches the prism-treated surface of the light guide is reflected in the light guide and light leaks from the outer peripheral surface of the light guide. Can be reduced.

Moreover, there exists a thing shown to patent document 2 as a prior art. This document describes an illumination structure used for illumination of a liquid crystal display. The illumination structure of the liquid crystal display of Patent Document 2 includes a light source, a light guide (light guide plate), a reflecting member, and an illuminated part (transmission type liquid crystal panel unit). The bottom surface of the light guide is subjected to prism processing, thereby widening the irradiation range of light emitted from the light source and preventing the occurrence of light and darkness in the light guide. On the other hand, the reflecting member is disposed outside the outer peripheral surface of the light guide, returns the light leaked from the outer peripheral surface of the light guide into the light guide, and guides the light emitted from the light source to the illuminated part as much as possible without loss.
JP 2003-242863 A JP 2004-193051 A

  In order to guide the light emitted from the light source to the illuminated part with as little loss as possible, the outer peripheral surface of the light guide is subjected to prism processing, or a member having a reflection function is provided outside the outer peripheral surface of the light guide. . However, if the prism processing is performed on the outer peripheral surface of the light guide, the design becomes complicated. Further, when the reflecting member is provided outside the outer peripheral surface of the light guide, the reflecting member is separately required, and the number of parts is increased accordingly.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a switch device that can suppress cost increase as much as possible and can guide light emitted from a light source to an illuminated part as much as possible without loss. It is to be.

  In order to achieve the above object, a switch device according to the present invention is formed of a substrate having a fixed contact on one surface, a light source provided on the one surface of the substrate, and a material having elasticity and translucency. A contact installation portion that is provided so as to cover one surface of the substrate and can be elastically deformed at a portion corresponding to the fixed contact, and contacts and separates from the fixed contact on a surface of the contact installation portion on the fixed contact side. A rubber contact sheet having a movable contact, and an illuminated portion, which is disposed on the opposite side of the contact installation portion from the movable contact, and is moved through the contact installation portion in accordance with a pressing operation. A switch operating portion that is brought into contact with the fixed contact, a concave light guide accommodating portion provided in the rubber contact sheet, and a state in which an outer peripheral surface is substantially in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the light guide accommodating portion. A light guide that guides the light from the light source to the illuminated part, and a light guide for entering the light emitted from the light source on the inner peripheral surface of the light guide storage part into the light guide. A light reflecting film is provided in a portion excluding the path, and is used to return the light emitted from the side surface of the light guide out of the light incident into the light guide into the light guide.

  In this case, the light reflecting film is preferably formed of the same metal material as the movable contact (invention of claim 2).

  In the switch device of the present invention, the rubber contact sheet is provided with a light guide accommodating portion, the light guide is accommodated in the light guide accommodating portion, and light is reflected on the inner peripheral surface of the light guide accommodating portion facing the outer peripheral surface of the light guide. A membrane was provided. Thereby, the light which leaks from the outer peripheral surface of a light guide among the light which injected in the light guide can be returned in a light guide, and the light emitted from a light source can be guide | induced to a to-be-illuminated part without loss. Further, since the light guide itself does not require special processing and the reflecting member is not provided as a separate part, the number of parts is not increased and the cost increase can be suppressed as much as possible.

  By using the same metal material as the movable contact for the light reflecting film, it is possible to provide the light reflecting film on the rubber contact sheet at the time of providing the movable contact on the rubber contact sheet. Therefore, a special process for providing a light reflecting film is not required, and the cost increase can be further suppressed.

  A first embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a switch device used in an automobile will be described below with reference to FIGS. In the case where it is necessary to indicate the direction, the side where the fixed contact is provided on one surface of the substrate will be described as the upward direction with respect to the substrate described later.

  The substrate 2 of the switch device 1 has a rectangular plate shape, and a plurality of fixed contacts 3 are provided on an upper surface which is one surface of the substrate 2, and in this embodiment, five locations (see FIG. 2). In addition, electrical components such as the light source 4 are provided. In addition, as shown in FIG. 1, the two fixed contacts 3 form a pair and are separated from each other. As shown in FIG. 2, the five fixed contacts 3 are arranged at approximately the center of the substrate 2 and in the vicinity of the four corners of the substrate 2.

For the light source 4, for example, a light emitting diode is used. The light source 4 of the first embodiment is disposed so as to emit light in a direction parallel to one surface of the substrate 2 (see arrow A in FIG. 1).
A rubber contact sheet 5 is provided so as to cover one surface of the substrate 2 on which the fixed contact 3 and the light source 4 are provided. The rubber contact sheet 5 is made of an elastic and translucent material, for example, silicon rubber.

  At five locations corresponding to the fixed contacts 3 of the rubber contact sheet 5, contact setting portions 6 are provided. Each contact installation part 6 has a cylindrical shape higher than the other upper surface of the rubber contact sheet 5, and the height of the upper end surface of each contact installation part 6 is provided to be equal. In addition, since the contact installation part 6 located in the approximate center of the rubber contact sheet 5 (board | substrate 2) is arrange | positioned at the approximate center where the concave shape mentioned later is depressed, it is deeper than the other contact installation part 6. It has a vertically long shape. Moreover, each contact installation part 6 is connected with the other part of the rubber contact sheet 5 by the thin part 7 around each contact installation part 6, and can be elastically deformed to the up-down direction in FIG.

  A movable contact 8 that contacts and separates from the fixed contact 3 is provided on the surface of each contact placement portion 6 of the rubber contact sheet 5 on the fixed contact 3 side (only one movable contact 8 is shown in FIG. 1). When no force is applied to the contact installation portion 6 from the outside, the movable contact 8 is held away from the fixed contact 3 by a distance necessary for insulation. The movable contact 8 is formed of a metal material excellent in conductivity, for example, a gold thin film.

  In the vicinity of the center of the rubber contact sheet 5, a light guide accommodating portion 9 having an open upper surface is formed. The light guide accommodating portion 9 has a rectangular concave shape lower than the other upper surface of the rubber contact sheet 5. In addition, one side surface of the light guide accommodating portion 9 is arranged to be orthogonal to the light emitted from the light source 4.

  A portion of the peripheral wall of the light guide housing portion 9 corresponding to the light source 4 is a rectangular light introduction portion 11. The light introducing portion 11 constitutes a part of a light path for allowing light emitted from the light source 4 to enter the light guide housing portion 9 (light guide 10 described later). As a result, the light emitted from the light source 4 passes through the light introducing portion 11 and enters the light guide 10 from the side surface of the light guide 10.

  A light reflecting film 12 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the light guide accommodating portion 9 except for the light introducing portion 11. The light reflecting film 12 is formed of the same material as the movable contact 8, for example, a gold thin film, and is provided in the same process as the movable contact 8 when the movable contact 8 is provided on the rubber contact sheet 5. By forming the light reflecting film 12 with a metal material, the light hitting the light reflecting film 12 is not transmitted but reflected entirely. With this configuration, for example, when light in the direction of arrow A hits the light reflecting film 12, it can be reflected in the direction in the light guide 10 (see arrow B in FIG. 1).

  In the light guide accommodating portion 9, a rectangular light guide 10 smaller than the substrate 2 is accommodated. In the storage state of the light guide 10, the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 is substantially in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the light guide storage portion 9. The light guide 10 is made of a light-transmitting material, for example, an acrylic resin.

On the bottom surface of the light guide 10, a plurality of minute recesses 13 provided at predetermined positions to be described later are formed.
The upper surface of the light guide 10 functions as a light emitting portion 14, and light incident on the light guide 10 is emitted from here. The injection portion 14 has a smooth flat surface.
Near the center of the light guide 10, a hole 15 that penetrates in the thickness direction of the light guide 10 is provided. The hole 15 is slightly larger than the contact installation part 6, and the contact installation part 6 located at the approximate center of the rubber contact sheet 5 is inserted into the hole 15.

  A switch cover 16 is provided above the light guide 10 on the surface opposite to the movable contact 8 of the contact installation portion 6 so as to cover them. The switch cover 16 has a substantially box shape with an open bottom, and is molded from a resin material that does not have translucency. Openings 17 are formed on the upper surface of the switch cover 16 in correspondence with the five contact placement portions 6, and switch operation portions 18 are provided in the respective openings 17.

  Each switch operating portion 18 has a substantially box shape with the bottom open. The switch operating portion 18 is made by two-color molding, and the inner peripheral side is made of a resin material having translucency, and the outer peripheral side surface is made of a resin material having no translucency. The switch operation unit 18 includes a press transmission unit 19 and an illuminated unit 20.

  The pressure transmission part 19 is a part located directly above the contact installation part 6. The lower end surface of the press transmission unit 19 is in contact with the upper end surface of the contact installation unit 6. Therefore, when the upper surface of the switch operation unit 18 is pressed, the lower end surface of the pressure transmission unit 19 presses the movable contact 8 via the contact installation unit 6, and the movable contact 8 contacts the fixed contact 3 by this pressing. It has become.

The upper surface of the switch operation part 18 has the to-be-illuminated part 20 which consists of the resin material which has the above-mentioned translucency, and this to-be-illuminated part 20 has the function to permeate | transmit light.
The concave portion 13 provided on the bottom surface of the light guide 10 described above is provided in a portion corresponding to the illuminated portion 20. With this configuration, the light entering the light guide 10 hits the recess 13, thereby increasing the upward component. Then, the light that has entered the light guide 10 is finally emitted upward (see arrow C in FIG. 1) from the emission unit 14. And it becomes the structure which illuminates each to-be-illuminated part 20 located above the injection | emission part 14 from the downward direction.

Next, the operation and effect of the above configuration will be described.
When the night illumination of the automobile is turned on, the light source 4 of the switch device 1 having an illumination function is energized and the light source 4 emits light. The light emitted from the light source 4 passes through the rubber contact sheet 5 and enters the light guide 10 from the side surface of the light guide 10.

  Of the light incident on the light guide 10, the light leaking from the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 hits the light reflecting film 12 provided outside the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 and returns to the light guide 10. Further, the light that hits the recess 13 in the light guide 10 is reflected upward. In this way, the light in the light guide 10 is finally emitted upward from the emission part 14 of the light guide 10 and illuminates each illuminated part 20 from below.

  In the switch device 1 according to the present invention, the light guide housing portion 9 is provided in the rubber contact sheet 5, the light guide 10 is housed in the light guide housing portion 9, and the light guide housing portion is opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10. A light reflecting film 12 was provided on the inner peripheral surface of 9. Thereby, of the light incident on the light guide 10, the light leaking from the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 can be returned to the light guide 10, and the light emitted from the light source 4 is guided to the illuminated part 20 without loss. be able to. Further, it is possible to suppress the cost increase as much as possible without subjecting the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 to prism processing or requiring another part such as a reflecting member.

  In addition, when prism processing is performed on the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10, a part of the light reaching the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 is transmitted without being reflected by the prism processing portion. There was a case of leaking. However, in this embodiment, since the light reflecting film 12 is formed of a metal material, all the light leaking from the light guide 10 can be returned to the light guide 10. Therefore, when the light reflecting film 12 is provided outside the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 rather than performing prism processing on the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10, the probability that the light is reflected in the light guide 10 and the light hits the recess 13 is higher. Get higher. As a result, the light emitted from the light source 4 can be guided to the illuminated part 20 without loss.

  Furthermore, even when the light guide 10 includes a portion that blocks light, such as the contact installation portion 6, the light reflected by the light reflection film 12 is different from the direction of the light emitted from the light source 4. Since the light enters the light guide 10, the shadowed portion can be eliminated as much as possible, and the unevenness of the light in the light guide 10 can be reduced.

  Since the light reflecting film 12 is made of the same metal material as the movable contact 8 and the movable contact 8 is provided on the rubber contact sheet 5, the light reflecting film 12 is also provided on the rubber contact sheet 5. Unlike the case where the light reflecting film 12 is provided, an increase in cost can be suppressed.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, and different points from the first embodiment will be described. The same parts as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.
In the second embodiment, instead of the light source 4 that emits light in a direction parallel to one surface of the substrate 2, a light source that emits light in an upward direction (see arrow D in FIG. 3) orthogonal to the one surface of the substrate 2. 21 is provided. Further, when the light source 21 is used, a light reflecting portion 24 including a slope portion 22 and a light reflecting film 23 is provided at a portion corresponding to the light source 21 of the rubber contact sheet 5.

The inclined surface portion 22 is an inclined surface of a shape in which the portion of the rubber contact sheet 5 corresponding to the light source 21 protrudes upward. The cross section of the protruding shape is a substantially right triangle as shown in FIG. A light reflecting film 23 is provided on the inner surface of the inclined surface portion 22. The light reflecting film 23 is formed of the same material as the movable contact 8 and the light reflecting film 12, for example, a thin gold film. When the movable contact 8 or the light reflecting film 12 is provided on the rubber contact sheet 5, the movable contact 8 or It is provided in the same process as the light reflecting film 12. By forming the light reflecting film 23 with a metal material, the light hitting the light reflecting film 23 is not transmitted but reflected.
In addition, the vertical wall of the portion whose cross section forms a substantially right triangle is the light introducing portion 11.

The operation and effect of this embodiment will be described.
The upward light emitted from the light source 21 and perpendicular to the substrate 2 strikes the light reflecting film 23 of the light reflecting portion 24. The light hitting the light reflecting film 23 is reflected by a direction (see arrow E in FIG. 3) along one surface of the substrate 2 by changing the direction by approximately 90 degrees, and passes through the light introducing portion 11 of the rubber contact sheet 5. The light guide 10 enters the light guide 10 from the side surface.
Since the action of light after entering the light guide 10 is the same as that in the first embodiment, a description thereof will be omitted.

Thus, even when the light source 21 that emits light in the upward direction orthogonal to the substrate 2 is used, the light leaking from the outer peripheral surface of the light guide 10 can be returned into the light guide 10 and emitted from the light source 4. Light can be guided to the illuminated part 20 without loss.
The light reflective film 23 is made of the same metal material as the movable contact 8 and the light reflective film 12, and the light reflective film 23 is also provided on the rubber contact sheet 5 during the process of providing the movable contact 8 and the light reflective film 12 on the rubber contact sheet 5. By doing so, the cost increase can be further suppressed as compared with the case where the light reflection film 23 is provided exclusively. In this case, the light reflecting film 23 may be provided on the outer surface of the slope portion 22.

In addition, this invention is not limited only to the said embodiment, It can deform | transform or expand as follows.
Although the movable contact 8, the light reflecting film 12, and the light reflecting film 23 of the first and second embodiments are formed of the same metal material, different metal materials may be used.
It is also possible to illuminate the entire switch operation unit 18 by forming the entire switch operation unit 18 of the first and second embodiments from a resin material having translucency. It is also possible to form the entire switch operation unit 18 from a resin material that does not have translucency, extract a portion to be an illuminated portion with a laser, and illuminate the portion.
The switch devices of the first and second embodiments are not limited to automotive switch devices, and can be widely applied as general switch devices having the same configuration in terms of structure.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the switch apparatus which shows the 1st Embodiment of this invention Exploded perspective view of substrate, rubber contact sheet and light guide FIG. 1 equivalent diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

  In the drawings, 1 is a switch device, 2 is a substrate, 3 is a fixed contact, 4, 21 is a light source, 5 is a rubber contact sheet, 6 is a contact installation portion, 8 is a movable contact, 9 is a light guide housing portion, and 10 is a light. A guide, 12 is a light reflecting film, 18 is a switch operation part, and 20 is an illuminated part.

Claims (2)

A substrate having fixed contacts on one side;
A light source provided on the one surface of the substrate;
It is formed of an elastic and translucent material and is provided so as to cover one surface of the substrate, and has a contact installation portion that can be elastically deformed at a portion corresponding to the fixed contact, and the fixed contact of the contact installation portion A rubber contact sheet having a movable contact contacting and separating from the fixed contact on the side surface;
A switch operation unit that has an illuminated part and is disposed on the side opposite to the movable contact of the contact installation unit, and causes the movable contact to contact the fixed contact via the contact installation unit when being pressed. When,
A concave light guide housing provided on the rubber contact sheet;
A light guide that is housed in a state where an outer peripheral surface thereof is substantially in contact with an inner peripheral surface of the light guide housing portion, and guides light from the light source to the illuminated portion;
The light guide is provided on a portion of the inner peripheral surface of the light guide housing portion except for a light path for allowing light emitted from the light source to enter the light guide, and the light among the light incident on the light guide. A switch device comprising a light reflecting film for returning light emitted from a side surface of the guide into the light guide. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the light reflecting film is formed of the same metal material as the movable contact.

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