JP2010097801A - Input device having illumination function - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an input device having an illumination function which reflects efficiently light propagating in a light guide sheet and can illuminate a display part of an operating part without variation. <P>SOLUTION: Laser beams are irradiated on the rear face 22d of a light guide sheet 22 formed of a polycarbonate or the like and a plurality of recessed parts 30 are formed by degrading a part of the polycarbonate. The recessed parts 30 have a concave face in the inner face and the inner face is a mirror face, thereby, the light propagated in the light guide sheet 22 is reflected upward in the inner face of the recessed parts 30, as a result, light can be given in concentration on the illumination display part 15c of a keytop 15 to illuminate each of the plurality of keytops 15 without variation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an input device in which a plurality of operation units are arranged, and more particularly to an input device having a function of illuminating the operation unit in a dark place.

  Personal computers and various information retrieval devices are equipped with an input device called a keyboard in which a plurality of operation units are arranged.

  A recent keyboard is required to have a function of illuminating so that individual operation units can be identified in a dark place. In particular, it is desired that a book-type or laptop-type personal computer is equipped with a keyboard having an illumination function so that individual operation units can be visually distinguished in a dark place.

Patent Document 1 below discloses a keyboard in which an electroluminescence element is installed on the back side of an operation unit having individual key tops, and the operation unit is illuminated from the back side. Patent Document 2 discloses a keyboard in which a sheet-like light emitting element having a large area is provided on the back side of an operation unit having a plurality of key tops, and the plurality of operation units are illuminated together by the light emitting elements. Yes.
JP 2002-251937 A Utility Model Registration No. 3082585

  Since the keyboard described in Patent Document 1 is provided with electroluminescent elements individually corresponding to a large number of operation units, the cost for the illumination function is high. Similarly, the keyboard described in Patent Document 2 Since a sheet-like light emitting element facing the plurality of operation units is provided, the cost increases.

  In addition, since the keyboards described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 are each provided with illumination means for emitting light on the back side of the operation unit, light is also given to the gap between adjacent operation units. In addition, the amount of light leaked not only from the operation unit but also from its surroundings increases, and the illumination quality of the operation unit tends to deteriorate.

  Furthermore, since the key tops of the individual operation units are frequently pressed with a finger with a strong force, the electroluminescent element and the sheet-like light emitting element arranged on the back side of the operation unit are always susceptible to pressure, and light emission It is easy to cause device failure.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and can illuminate the operation unit without disposing a light emitting element on the back side of each operation unit, and can be illuminated with a thin resin sheet. It aims at providing the input device which has.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide an input device having an illumination function capable of concentrating light on a necessary portion of an operation unit and easily reducing leakage light from a gap between adjacent operation units. Yes.

An input device according to the present invention includes a plurality of operation units arranged, an input function unit that is input and operated by the operation unit, a light guide sheet that faces the plurality of operation units from the back side, and light inside the light guide sheet And a light source that gives
A plurality of recesses recessed in the light guide sheet are formed on the back surface of the light guide sheet opposite to the surface facing the operation portion, and each of the recesses has a circular opening and a smooth inner surface. A concave curved surface, and light propagating in the light guide sheet is reflected by the inner surface toward the inside of the light guide sheet, and the light is given from the surface of the light guide sheet to the operation unit. It is a feature.

  Since the input device of the present invention guides light from the light source with a light guide sheet disposed on the back side of the operation unit and illuminates each of the plurality of operation units, the number of light sources can be reduced and can be manufactured at low cost. It is. Even if the operation unit is frequently operated with a strong force, there is no light emitting element on the back side, so that the lifetime of the light emitting function is not reduced.

  In addition, a concave portion having a concave curved inner surface is formed on the back surface of the light guide sheet, and light propagating in the light guide sheet is reflected by the curved inner surface to the inside of the light guide sheet, and further the surface of the light guide sheet. Since the light is applied to the operation unit, the light can be concentrated on the place where the operation unit is desired to be illuminated. Moreover, since the inner surface of the recess is a smooth surface, the light propagated in the light guide sheet is not diffusely reflected by the inner surface, and it is easy to prevent the light from being attenuated. Therefore, it is possible to illuminate with high illuminance even on the operation unit located away from the light source.

  The present invention can prevent variations in the amount of illumination light according to the distance from the light source by arbitrarily changing the size and shape of the recess.

  For example, the depth dimension of the recess and the rising angle of the inner surface with respect to the back surface are made different depending on the location of the light guide sheet. In this case, it is preferable that the depth dimension increases and the angle increases as the distance from the light source increases.

  Moreover, the recessed part from which the said depth dimension and the said angle differ can be mixed in the area | region which gives light to the said same operation part.

  By mixing concave portions having different shapes, it is possible to perform optimal illumination according to the location, shape, and size of the portion to be illuminated of the operation unit.

  Moreover, it is possible to make the diameter of the said opening part of the said recessed part differ by the place of the said light guide sheet.

  Furthermore, the arrangement density of the plurality of recesses is made different depending on the location of the light guide sheet. In this case, it is preferable that the arrangement density of the recesses facing the operation unit away from the light source is higher than the arrangement density of the depressions facing the operation unit close to the light source.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the operation portions are arranged with a gap therebetween, and the concave portions are formed in regions overlapping with the operation portions.

  Adjusting the size, shape, number, etc. of the recesses so that a large amount of light is not given to the gap when the operation parts are lined up via a gap, such as a keyboard for a computer Thus, light leakage from the periphery of the operation unit can be reduced.

  In the present invention, the concave portion formed in the light guide sheet is formed by disassembling a part of the synthetic resin material forming the light guide sheet by the energy of laser light.

  In the case of the keyboard of the following embodiment, the operation unit in this specification refers to a key top, a movable support member that supports the key top so that the key top can be freely operated, and a direction opposite to the pressing direction of the key top. It is a concept including an elastic member that gives a biasing force in a direction. In addition, in the case of an operation unit having a structure other than the following embodiments, it is a concept including a pressing operation unit and a mechanism for supporting the pressing operation unit.

  The present invention can constitute a thin input device having an illumination function by disposing a thin light guide sheet on the back side of a plurality of input portions. Further, since a light emitting element facing each operation unit is unnecessary, the cost can be reduced, and even if the operation unit is operated frequently, the lifetime of the illumination function is not reduced.

  Further, it is possible to concentrate the light on the portion to be illuminated of the operation unit, and it is difficult to be affected by the change in the distance from the light source, and the variation in the brightness of the illumination of each operation unit can be reduced. Furthermore, since the light propagating in the light guide sheet is less likely to be attenuated due to irregular reflection, each operation unit can be illuminated with high illuminance from the light source.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view partially showing an embodiment of an input device of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the input device of FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing the structure of the illumination function unit. 4A, 4B, and 4C are output diagrams in which the shape of the concave portion formed on the back surface of the light guide sheet is measured with a laser microscope.

  An input device 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used as a keyboard of a book-type, laptop-type, or desktop-type personal computer.

  The input device 1 includes a metal chassis 2, and a plurality of operation units 10 a, 10 b, 10 c, 10 d, and 10 e are arranged on the chassis 2 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction. The operation unit 10a, the operation unit 10b, the operation unit 10c, the operation unit 10d, and the operation unit 10e are only distinguished by the size of the key top 15 provided in each operation unit, and the structure of each operation unit is as follows. It is substantially the same. FIG. 2 shows two operation units 10a and 10a having the smallest key top 15 dimensions.

  As shown in FIG. 2, in the input device 1, an illumination function unit 20 is installed on the chassis 2, and a support plate 11 made of a metal plate such as aluminum is installed on the illumination function unit 20. The membrane laminate 12 is installed on the support plate 11. In the portions where the respective operation portions 10a are provided, the first support piece 11a and the second support piece 11b are bent upward on the support plate 11. A pair of the first support pieces 11a are provided apart from each other in the direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 2 in the portions where the respective operation units 10a are provided, and the second support pieces 11b are also separated in the direction orthogonal to the paper surface. A pair is provided. A hole 12 a is opened in the membrane laminate 12, and the first support piece 11 a and the second support piece 11 b pass through the hole 12 a and protrude above the membrane laminate 12.

  Each operation unit 10 a is provided with a key top 15, and a first movable support member 16 and a second movable support member 17 are provided between the key top 15 and the support plate 11. One end 16a of the first movable support member 16 is rotatably supported by the first support piece 11a, and the other end 16b is rotatably supported by the lower portion of the key top 15 and slidable in the lateral direction. ing. The second movable support member 17 has one end 17a rotatably supported on the lower part of the key top 15, and the other end 17b supported rotatably on the second support piece 11b and slidable in the lateral direction. Yes. The central portions of the first movable support member 16 and the second movable support member 17 are rotatably connected to each other. The first movable support member 16 and the second movable support member 17 are X-shaped. The support link is configured.

  An elastic member 18 is provided between the membrane laminate 12 and the key top 15. The elastic member 18 is made of synthetic rubber, and an upward urging force that is a direction away from the membrane laminate 12 is applied to the key top 15. The inside of the lower side of the elastic member 18 is a cavity, and a downward pressing protrusion 18a is integrally formed in the cavity.

  The membrane laminate 12 includes a lower flexible sheet 12b, an upper flexible sheet 12c, and a spacer sheet 12d sandwiched between the flexible sheets 12b and 12c. A hole is formed in the spacer sheet 12d at a portion where the pressing convex portion 18a of the elastic member 18 faces, and an input function portion 19 is formed at this portion. In the input function unit 19, contact electrodes facing each other are provided on the upper surface of the lower flexible sheet 12b and the lower surface of the upper flexible sheet 12c. In addition, on the upper surface of the lower flexible sheet 12b and the lower surface of the upper flexible sheet 12c, lead patterns of conductive layers that are connected to the contact electrodes provided in the respective input function units 19 are formed.

  When the key top 15 is pressed in each operation portion 10a, the one end 16a of the first movable support member 16 rotates with the engagement portion with the first support piece 11a as a fulcrum, and the second movable support member 17 One end 17a of the key top 15 rotates under the key top 15, and the key top 15 is lowered. At this time, the elastic member 18 is crushed by the key top 15 and the input function part 19 is pushed by the pressing convex part 18a, and the contact electrodes of the input function part 19 come into contact with each other to obtain a key input signal.

  The illumination function unit 20 includes a reflection sheet 21 installed on the chassis 2, a light guide sheet 22 installed on the reflection sheet 21, and a mask sheet 23 superimposed thereon. As shown in FIG. 3, a hole 21 a is opened at the end of the reflection sheet 21, and a hole 22 a is opened at the end of the light guide sheet 22. A flexible wiring board is affixed on the chassis 3, and the light emitting diode device 24 mounted on the flexible wiring board is inserted into the holes 21 a and 22 a so that the light guide sheet 22 can receive light. Functions as a light source.

  The light emitting diode device 24 is a device in which a bare chip of a light emitting diode is housed in a transparent package. The light emitting diode device 24 faces the end surface 22b of the light guide sheet 22 in the hole 22a, and light emitted from the light emitting diode device 24 is guided into the light guide sheet 22 from the end surface 22b.

  In FIG. 3, the light guide sheet 22 is illustrated with a relatively thick dimension, but the actual light guide sheet 22 has a thickness dimension of less than 1 mm, and preferably less than 500 μm. The light guide sheet 22 of this embodiment has a thickness of 300 μm.

  The light guide sheet 22 is a flat surface having a smooth mirror surface, the front surface 22c facing the operation unit 10a and the back surface 22d facing the chassis 2 being both smooth. In the light guide sheet 22, a reflective area 25 having a predetermined area is divided and set, and a plurality of concave portions 30 are formed in each reflective area 25.

Each recess 30 applies energy to a very small area of the back surface 22d of the light guide sheet 22 by irradiating it with a CO ₂ laser or the like, and decomposes and removes part of the material constituting the light guide sheet 22. It is formed by that. Therefore, the light guide sheet 22 is formed of a transparent material that can be decomposed by laser energy. Polycarbonate, urethane, silicon, etc. can be used as a transparent material that is thin and relatively high in strength and can be decomposed by the energy of laser.

  The concave portion 30 is formed by disassembling a part of the material constituting the light guide sheet 22 by applying laser energy of a minute spot to the back surface 22d of the light guide sheet 22, so that the concave portion 30 is viewed from the back surface 22 d. The shape of the opening of each recess 30 is circular. The opening diameter gradually decreases toward the bottom of the recess 30, the bottom has a concave spherical shape, and the entire inner surface of the recess 30 has a concave curved surface. Moreover, since the recessed part 30 is formed by decomposing | disassembling material, the inner surface of the recessed part 30 is a smooth surface, ie, a mirror surface, in the whole region. The smooth surface or mirror surface here means that the surface roughness is comparable to the front surface 22c and the back surface 22d. The smooth surface or mirror surface means that when light propagating inside the light guide sheet 22 hits the inner surface of the recess 30 from the inside of the sheet, the light is not irregularly reflected on the inner surface, depending on the angle of the inner surface. It means the property of being reflected within the sheet according to the principle of incident angle and reflection angle.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the light L emitted from the light emitting diode device 24 and incident into the light guide sheet 22 from the end face 22b is repeatedly reflected on the front surface 22c and reflected on the back surface 22d. Propagate inside. When light propagating inside the light guide sheet 22 hits the inner surface of the recess 30, the light is guided so that the incident angle and the reflection angle are substantially equal to the virtual plane contacting the inner surface of the recess 30 at the position where the light hits. The light is reflected toward the inside of the sheet 22 and directed to the surface 22c. And the operation part 10a is illuminated by the light emitted from the surface 22c of the light guide sheet 22.

As shown in FIG. 3, the main body 15a of the key top 15 is made of a transparent material such as polycarbonate or a translucent material that can transmit light, and the surface of the main body 15a is formed by painting or electroless plating. The coating layer 15b cannot transmit light. A part of the coating layer 15b is removed by a CO ₂ laser or the like to form an illumination display portion 15c. In the input device 1 shown in FIG. 1, characters, symbols, or numbers are displayed by an illumination display portion 15 c formed on the surface of each key top 15.

  In FIG. 1, the reflection region 25 (region where the recess 30 is formed) formed on the back surface 22 d of the light guide sheet 22 is surrounded by a broken line. The reflection region 25 is formed in a region overlapping with the key tops 15 provided in the respective operation units 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, and 10e in the vertical direction. The reflective region 25 does not exist under the 15 gap. Further, the reflection region 25 is formed in a slightly larger area than the illumination display portion 15c just below the illumination display portion 15c formed in each key top 15. As shown in FIG. 1, the illumination display portions 15 c provided on the respective key tops 15 do not protrude from the range of the reflection region 25 below.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the mask sheet 23 superimposed on the light guide sheet 22 has a light shielding part 23a and a light passage part 23b. The light shielding portion 23a is formed by painting the surface of a transparent sheet in black or the like, or is configured by a non-transparent sheet. The light passage part 23b is formed by an opening or a transparent part of the sheet. The light passage part 23 b is located immediately above the reflection region 25 and is formed with the same area as the reflection region 25 or a slightly larger area than the reflection region 25. The area other than the area above the reflection area 25 is covered with a light shielding part 23a, and the light shielding part 23a exists below the gap between adjacent key tops 15.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the reflection sheet 21 is laid under the light guide sheet 22. The surface of the reflection sheet 21 is a metal color reflection surface or a white reflection surface, and the light leaked downward from the back surface 22 d of the light guide sheet 22 can be reflected toward the inside of the light guide sheet 22. The inner surface of the recess 30 is a mirror surface, and the light that propagates through the light guide sheet 22 and hits the inner surface of the recess 30 has a large amount of light components due to the difference in refractive index between the light guide sheet 22 and air. Since the light is reflected inside the light guide sheet 22, the reflective sheet 21 may not be provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a metal support plate 11 exists on the illumination function unit 20, and an opening 11 c is formed on the support plate 11 at least on the reflection region 25. The support plate 11 has a structure that does not prevent light transmission.

  Further, the membrane laminate 12, the first and second movable support members 16, 17 and the elastic member 18 are made of a transparent material or a material capable of transmitting light such as translucent. Therefore, the light reflected upward by the concave portion 30 of the reflection region 25 passes through the membrane laminate 12, the first and second movable support members 16, 17 and the elastic member 18, and is given to the key top 15. .

  Alternatively, the first and second movable support members 16, 17 and the elastic member 18 are formed of a white synthetic resin material or the like so that light can be reflected or diffused on the surface, and the membrane laminate. The light transmitted through 12 may be reflected or diffused and applied to the key top 15.

4A, 4B, and 4C show the result of measuring the shape of the surface of the recess 30 actually processed by irradiating the back surface 22d of the light guide sheet 22 made of polycarbonate with CO ₂ laser with a laser microscope. Is shown. FIG. 4 is an output diagram showing the shape of a cross section cut along a plane passing through the center of the recess 30 and perpendicular to the back surface 22d.

As shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C, the diameter φ of the opening 31 of the recess 30 and the back surface of the bottom 32 of the recess 30 are changed by changing the irradiation time and energy of the CO ₂ laser on the back surface 22d. The depth dimension D from 22d can be freely set. FIG. 4 (A) longest CO ₂ laser irradiation time, FIG. 4 (C) is the most short irradiation time of the CO ₂ laser, Fig. 4 (B) is between. Therefore, the diameter φ of the opening 31 is the largest in FIG. 4A and the smallest in FIG. The depth dimension D is deepest in FIG. 4A and shallowest in FIG. 4C.

  From the diagram shown in FIG. 4, it can be confirmed that the inner surface 33 of the recess 30 is a concave curved surface that smoothly continues from the back surface 22d and the opening 31 to the bottom 32, and the bottom 32 is a substantially concave spherical surface. The inclination angle θ of the inner surface 33 with respect to the back surface 22d is the largest in FIG. 4 (A) and the smallest in FIG. 4 (C).

  The recess 30 shown in FIG. 4A has an opening 31 with a diameter φ of 229.8 μm and a depth dimension D of 66.11 μm, and the recess 30 shown in FIG. The depth D is 65.81 μm, and the recess 30 shown in FIG. 4C has a diameter φ of 111.1 μm and a depth dimension D of 8.024 μm.

  Thus, in the recess 30, the diameter φ of the opening 31 is 500 μm or less, preferably 300 μm or less. The depth dimension D is 5 μm or more, and preferably 1/3 or less of the plate thickness of the light guide sheet 22.

  As shown in FIG. 3, when light propagating inside the light guide sheet 22 hits the inner surface 33 of the recess 30 inside the sheet, the light is mainly reflected toward the surface 22c. ), The greater the depth dimension D of the recess 30 and the greater the inclination angle θ of the inner surface 33, the higher the ability to direct light vertically upward. Further, as the depth dimension D of the recess 30 is larger and the inclination angle θ of the inner surface 33 is larger, the amount of light reflected by the inner surface 33 of the light propagating through the light guide sheet 22 increases.

  Therefore, the diameter φ of the recess 30 in the same light guide sheet 22 according to the distance from the light emitting diode device 24 as the light source to the reflection region 25, the width of the reflection region 25, the size of the illumination display portion 15c, and the like. Further, by varying the depth dimension D, it becomes easy to prevent variations in the amount of light due to a difference in distance from the light emitting diode device 24. In addition, since the directivity when the light is reflected by the concave portion 30 toward the illumination display portion 15c can be increased, for example, even if the mask sheet 23 is not present, the gap between the adjacent key tops 15 is upwardly moved. Easy to reduce light leakage.

  As for the arrangement of the recesses 30, it is preferable to increase the depth dimension D of the recesses 30 formed in the reflection region 25 farther than the reflection region 25 closer to the light emitting diode device 24, and consequently increase the angle θ. Even in the same reflection region 25, it is also preferable to gradually increase the depth dimension D and the angle θ as the distance from the light emitting diode device 24 increases.

  In addition, it is preferable to increase the arrangement density of the recesses 30 formed in the reflection region 25 far from the reflection region 25 near the light emitting diode device 24. Even in the same reflection region 25, it is preferable to increase the arrangement density as the distance from the light emitting diode device 24 increases.

  If concave portions having different depth dimension D and diameter φ are mixed in the same reflection area 25, the light is concentrated on the illumination display portion 15c, or the amount of light according to the size of the characters of the illumination display portion 15c. Can be illuminated.

  The recess 30 can be formed by irradiating the back surface 22d of the light guide sheet 22 with a laser, and a plurality of types of recesses 30 can be freely designed and arranged on the same light guide sheet 22 by changing the irradiation time and irradiation energy. be able to.

The top view which shows a part of keyboard as an example of the input device of this invention, The expanded sectional view which cut | disconnected the input device of FIG. 1 by the II-II line | wire, Explanatory drawing which expands and shows the structure of the illumination function part, (A) (B) (C) is a diagram showing the actual measurement of the shape of the recess formed in the polycarbonate light guide sheet,

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Input device 2 Chassis 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e Operation part 11 Support plate 11a 1st support piece 11b 2nd support piece 12 Membrane laminated body 15 Keytop 15a Body part 15b Covering layer 15c Illumination display part 16 1st 1 movable support member 17 second movable support member 18 elastic member 19 input function unit 20 illumination function unit 22 light guide sheet 22c front surface 22d back surface 24 light emitting diode device 30 recess 31 opening 32 bottom 33 inner surface

Claims (9)

A plurality of operation units arranged, an input function unit that is input and operated by the operation unit, a light guide sheet that faces the plurality of operation units from the back side, and a light source that gives light to the inside of the light guide sheet ,
A plurality of recesses recessed in the light guide sheet are formed on the back surface of the light guide sheet opposite to the surface facing the operation portion, and each of the recesses has a circular opening and a smooth inner surface. A concave curved surface, and light propagating in the light guide sheet is reflected by the inner surface toward the inside of the light guide sheet, and the light is given from the surface of the light guide sheet to the operation unit. Characteristic input device.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein a depth dimension of the concave portion and a rising angle of the inner surface with respect to the back surface are different depending on a location of the light guide sheet.   The input device according to claim 2, wherein the depth dimension increases and the angle increases as the distance from the light source increases.   The input device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein concave portions having different depth dimensions and different angles are mixed in a region that gives light to the same operation portion.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of the opening of the concave portion is different depending on a location of the light guide sheet.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein an arrangement density of the plurality of concave portions is different depending on a location of the light guide sheet.   The input device according to claim 6, wherein the array density of the recesses facing the operation unit far from the light source is higher than the array density of the recesses facing the operation unit close to the light source.   The input device according to claim 1, wherein the operation units are arranged with a gap therebetween, and the concave portions are formed in regions overlapping with the operation units.   9. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the recess formed in the light guide sheet is formed by disassembling a part of a material forming the light guide sheet by energy of laser light. .

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