JP2013037980A - Light guide sheet and movable contact body provided with light guide sheet using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a light guide sheet used for an input operation part of various electronic apparatuses, which can brightly illuminate the upper part by further effectively using light propagated in a film base material of the light guide sheet with a simple structure, and to provide a movable contact body provided with the light guide sheet using the same.SOLUTION: A light guide sheet 31 guides incident light in a film base material 15, illuminates the upper position by the propagated light scattered and reflected upward in an uneven region part 18, and has a structure in which a slit 33 with no width is formed in the film base material 15 and the reflected light from the position of the slit 33 returns to the uneven region part 18 side in the film base material 15. The light guide sheet 31 is used for providing a movable contact body 9 provided with the guide sheet 31.

Description

  The present invention relates to a light guide sheet used for an input operation unit of various electronic devices and a movable contact body with a light guide sheet using the same.

  In recent years, an increasing number of electronic devices such as mobile phones have a function of illuminating an operation unit so that a predetermined operation can be satisfactorily performed at night. As the illuminating means, the light incident on the film base material is guided in the film base material, and the propagating light is scattered and reflected upward in the uneven region portion. In many cases, a configuration using a light guide sheet that illuminates the position of is used.

  Below, the input operation part with an illumination function comprised using the conventional light guide sheet is demonstrated using FIGS. 4-5.

  FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of an input operation unit with an illumination function configured using a conventional light guide sheet, and FIG. 5 is a top view of a movable contact body with the light guide sheet.

  In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a base sheet made of an insulating film having flexibility, and a movable contact 4 made of an elastic thin plate metal formed in an upwardly convex dome shape by an adhesive layer 2 formed on the lower surface thereof. It is held in place. Further, a spacer sheet 6 made of an insulating film such as PET provided with a through-hole portion is overlapped and bonded to the lower surface of the base sheet 1 with an adhesive layer 2, and the movable contact 4 corresponds to the corresponding through-hole. Located in the hole. An adhesive layer 7 for mounting is formed on the lower surface of the spacer sheet 6. Thus, the movable contact body 9 is configured.

  A light guide sheet 10 is disposed on the movable contact body 9, and its peripheral position is fixed to the upper surface of the base sheet 1 via an adhesive layer 12.

  The light guide sheet 10 is composed of a flexible film base material 15 made of an insulating film such as a light-transmitting TPU resin, and an uneven region portion 18 formed at a predetermined position on the lower surface thereof. The uneven area 18 is provided in accordance with the arrangement position of the movable contact 4. And the uneven | corrugated | grooved area | region part 18 is printed and formed in the assembly state to which the small protrusion 17 was scattered. In addition, a dark-colored light-shielding portion 15A formed by infiltrating the dye into the film base material 15 at the outer edge portion of the film base material 15 excluding the position of the side end surface that becomes the light incident position on the film base material 15 has the entire thickness. The light leakage from the outer edge portion is prevented. Note that black ink may be applied to the side end face of the film base material 15 or covered with black tape instead of the light shielding portion 15A.

  The movable contact body 9 with the light guide sheet 10 is mounted on the corresponding wiring board 20 by being attached with the adhesive layer 7 on the lower surface of the spacer sheet 6.

  The wiring board 20 has a fixed contact composed of an outer contact 22 and a center contact 23 at an upper surface portion corresponding to the position of the movable contact 4, and the movable contact body 9 with the light guide sheet 10 includes the movable contact 4. The lower end of the outer periphery is affixed on the wiring board 20 so as to be placed on the corresponding outer contact 22.

  Moreover, LED25 is mounted in the wiring board 20, and the film base material 15 is the opposing state with which the side end surface position in which the light-shielding part 15A is not provided has approached with respect to the light emission surface of the LED25. In other words, the position of the side end face of the facing film base 15 is the location where light enters the light guide sheet 10.

  On the light guide sheet 10, a key mat 27 having elasticity such as rubber is arranged. Then, the position of the key mat 27 on the movable contact 4 is an operation unit 27A including a translucent part (not shown) that transmits light in the vertical direction. As described above, the input operation unit with an illumination function is configured using the conventional light guide sheet 10.

  In the operation of the input operation unit with the illumination function, when the position of the operation unit 27A is pushed down, the pressing force is transmitted to the movable contact 4 through the light guide sheet 10 and the base sheet 1, and when the force exceeds a predetermined magnitude, The movable contact 4 reverses with moderation and the lower surface of the central portion contacts the central contact 23. As a result, a switch-on state is established in which the outer contact 22 and the center contact 23 are conducted. When the pressing force is removed, the movable contact 4 self-restores to the original upward convex shape, the lower surface of the central portion of the movable contact 4 is separated from the central contact 23, and the original switch-off state shown in FIG. 4 is restored.

  When the LED 25 emits light, the light enters the film base 15 from the position of the side end surface of the film base 15 facing the light emitting surface of the LED 25 and is guided in the film base 15. Then, the propagating light is scattered and reflected upward by the concave / convex region 18, and the translucent portion of the operation unit 27 </ b> A disposed at the upper position is illuminated.

  As prior art document information related to the invention of this application, for example, Patent Document 1 is known.

JP 2011-29156 A

  In the input operation unit with an illumination function configured by using the conventional light guide sheet 10, it is often required that the translucent part of the operation unit 27A shines brightly. In order to realize this, as a component manufacturer that produces the movable contact body 9 with the light guide sheet 10, the small protrusions 17 of the light guide sheet 10 are used in the arrangement positions and the number of LEDs 25 determined on the device side. Although the arrangement state was adjusted so as to increase the amount of light directed upward in the uneven region portion 18, the configuration of the conventional light guide sheet 10 has a limit.

  The present invention solves such problems, and a light guide sheet having a configuration in which light propagating in the film base material of the light guide sheet can be more effectively utilized with a simple configuration and brightly illuminated upward, and the light guide sheet An object of the present invention is to provide a movable contact body with a light guide sheet using the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, a light guide sheet that guides light incident on a film base within the film base, scatters and reflects the propagating light at an uneven region portion, and illuminates an upper position. And the propagation state of the light guided into the film base material is controlled by a slit having no width cut into the film base material, and the light reaching the uneven region portion in the film base material is controlled. It is the light guide sheet characterized by being comprised so that it may increase.

  If it is the said structure, the amount of the light which reaches the uneven | corrugated area | region part in the said film base material can be increased using the reflected light of the light which arises in the slit position without the width | variety provided in the film base material, Therefore, it is possible to realize a bright illumination state upward. That is, it is configured to further effectively utilize the light propagated in the film base material by simply forming a slit having no width at the position where the reflected light returns to the uneven region. Can do. In addition, if this slit is not wide, there is no need for punching scrap processing, no defective chipping occurs at the time of manufacture, and there are few manufacturing man-hours and management man-hours with simple equipment, making it easy to produce high-quality ones. It also has the effect that it can be provided.

  The invention according to claim 2 uses the light guide sheet according to claim 1, and is a light guide configured by arranging an upward convex dome-shaped movable contact at a lower position corresponding to the uneven region portion. It is a movable contact body with a sheet, and has an effect that a movable contact body with a light guide sheet having a configuration in which the position on the movable contact is brightly illuminated can be provided at low cost.

  As described above, according to the present invention, a light guide sheet having a configuration in which light propagating in the film base material of the light guide sheet can be more effectively utilized with a simple configuration to brightly illuminate the upper side, and a guide using the same. The advantageous effect that a movable contact body with a light sheet can be provided is obtained.

The fragmentary sectional view of the input operation part with an illumination function comprised using the light guide sheet by one embodiment of the present invention Top view of movable contact body with light guide sheet Partial sectional view including slit position on the light guide sheet Partial sectional view of an input operation unit with an illumination function configured using a conventional light guide sheet Top view of movable contact body with light guide sheet

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to the part of the structure same as the structure demonstrated in the term of the prior art, and detailed description is simplified.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional view of an input operation unit with an illumination function configured using a light guide sheet according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a top view of a movable contact body with the light guide sheet, and FIG. It is a fragmentary sectional view containing the slit position in a light guide sheet.

  As can be seen from the figure, the input operation unit with illumination function according to the present embodiment is different from the conventional input operation unit with illumination function in that the movable contact body 9, the wiring board 20, and the operation unit 27A of the key mat 27 are provided. Although it is the same structure, the light guide sheet 31 distribute | arranged on the movable contact body 9 differs.

  First, the light guide sheet 31 will be described. The light guide sheet 31 is made of an insulating film such as a light-transmitting TPU resin and has a flexible film base 15 and a predetermined portion on the lower surface thereof. And is provided with a dark shading portion 15A in the thickness direction of the base material for preventing light leakage at a predetermined outer edge portion of the film base material 15, The concavo-convex region portion 18 is the same as the conventional one in that it is formed by printing in a collective state in which small protrusions 17 are scattered.

  However, in the light guide sheet 31, it is assumed that the slit 33 having no width in the film base material 15 is cut into a linear shape in a top view. The width of the slit 33 having no width is the side corresponding to the thickness of the cutting blade, and the slit 33 having no width is inserted in the direction perpendicular to the substrate thickness from the surface of the film substrate 15 by the cutting blade. In other words, the cut surfaces facing each other at the position of the slit 33 are substantially in contact with each other.

  And the slit 33 without this width | variety is provided with two or more in the location which becomes inner side than 15 A of light shielding parts in the film base material 15. FIG.

  If the slit 33 is provided in the film base 15 with a slit having no width, it is not necessary to perform a punching waste process and the like, and there is no defective chipping during the manufacturing process. High-quality products can be easily produced with fewer management man-hours.

  Next, an input operation unit with an illumination function according to the present embodiment configured using the light guide sheet 31 will be briefly described.

  The movable contact body 9 has the adhesive sheet 2 on the lower surface of the base sheet 1 and the spacer sheet 6 overlapped from the lower surface side, and the movable contact 4 held on the base sheet 1 by the adhesive layer 2 is connected to the spacer sheet 6. It is the structure located in the corresponding through-hole part. And the said light guide sheet 31 is distribute | arranged on the base sheet 1, and the light guide sheet 31 is being fixed to the upper surface of the base sheet 1 through the adhesion layer 12 in the peripheral position.

  The movable contact body 9 with the light guide sheet 31 is attached and mounted on the corresponding wiring board 20 with the adhesive layer 7 on the lower surface of the spacer sheet 6, and the lower end of the outer periphery of the movable contact 4 is the corresponding outer contact. 22 is placed on. Further, the light emitting surface of the LED 25 mounted on the wiring board 20 is in an opposed state close to the side end surface position of the film base material 15 where the light shielding portion 15A is not provided, with respect to the light guide sheet 31. It is the same as in the conventional case that the side end face position becomes a light incident position on the light guide sheet 31.

  Further, an elastic key mat 27 made of rubber or the like is disposed on the light guide sheet 31, and the position of the key mat 27 on the movable contact 4 transmits light in the vertical direction (not shown). The operation unit 27A is provided. Thus, the input operation unit with an illumination function according to the present embodiment is configured.

  Here, the formation position of the slit 33 having no width in the light guide sheet 31 will be described with reference to FIG. 2. In the light guide sheet 31, three slits 33 (33A to 33C) having no width are viewed from above. It is assumed that the film substrate 15 is provided in a straight line shape.

  Then, the slit 33 having no width is seen in a top view at a position between the light shielding portion 15A and the concavo-convex region portion 18 so as to be a position opposite to the light incident portion of the film substrate 15. The three slits 33 </ b> A to 33 </ b> C are arranged so that the incident part side of the light to the light guide sheet 31 spreads. That is, the slit 33A is provided in a straight line shape substantially parallel to the light incident position at a position beyond the concave / convex region 18 of the film substrate 15 from the light incident position as viewed from above. The slits 33 </ b> B and 33 </ b> C are provided in an inclined straight line so that the light incident location side spreads with the 33 </ b> A as the bottom.

  As described above, a slit 33 having no width is formed in the light guide sheet 31. Subsequently, the operation of the input operation unit with an illumination function according to the present embodiment configured using the slit 33 is used. explain.

  When the position of the operation unit 27A is pushed down, the pressing force is transmitted to the movable contact 4 through the light guide sheet 31 and the base sheet 1 as in the conventional case. When the force exceeds a predetermined magnitude, the movable contact 4 reverses with moderation and the lower surface of the central portion contacts the central contact 23. As a result, a switch-on state is established in which the outer contact 22 and the center contact 23 are conducted. When the pressing force is removed, the movable contact 4 is self-restored to the original upward convex shape, the lower surface of the central portion of the movable contact 4 is separated from the central contact 23, and the original switch-off state shown in FIG.

  When the LED 25 emits light, the light enters the film base 15 from the side end surface position of the film base 15 facing the light emitting surface of the LED 25 and is guided in the film base 15. Then, the propagating light is scattered and reflected upward in each of the concave and convex area portions 18 to illuminate the light transmitting portion of the operation portion 27A disposed at the upper position.

  Here, in the light guided in the film base 15, when the light toward the outer edge of the film base 15 reaches the position of the slit 33 having no width, as shown in FIG. Propagation of light within the film substrate 15 is hindered, and more reflected light is generated at the slit 33 position.

  And the reflected light returns to the uneven | corrugated area | region part 18 side in the film base material 15, and more light than a conventional product can reach the uneven | corrugated area | region part 18, and according to it, the upper part is higher than a conventional product. It can be brightly illuminated. That is, in the conventional product, the light that was not used in the uneven region portion 18 was only finally absorbed by the light shielding portion 15A. However, in this configuration, the light is transferred to the uneven region portion 18 with a simple configuration. It can be used effectively so that it can reach all the light, so that it can be realized with a configuration in which the upper part can be illuminated brightly.

  In addition, if the slit 33 has a predetermined width, a phenomenon in which a large amount of light leaks up and down from the width portion occurs. Therefore, it is preferable that the slit 33 has no width. Moreover, when arranging the plurality of slits 33 (33A to 33C), it is better to avoid the arrangement setting such that a part of the film base 15 is partially dropped for the same reason.

  Furthermore, when a slit 33 having no width is obliquely inserted in the thickness direction of the film base material 15, a large amount of light leakage may occur up and down, so that the slit 33 extends from the surface of the film base material 15 to the base material. It is preferable to form a cutting blade in a direction substantially perpendicular to the thickness.

  As described above, with the light guide sheet 31, it is possible to increase the amount of light reaching the concavo-convex region portion 18 in the film substrate 15 with a simple configuration, and thereby the upward illumination state. Can be realized brightly. Moreover, also in the movable contact body 9 with the light guide sheet 31 using this, what the position on the movable contact 4 is brightly illuminated can be provided at low cost.

  In addition, although the example which provided the linear slit 33 (33A-33C) in the inner position rather than the light-shielding part 15A of the film base material 15 was demonstrated above, the slit 33 shape in top view is as needed. It may be provided in a curved shape. Further, the formation position is not limited to the position described above, but if the slit 33 is provided, propagation of light from there to the film base 15 is greatly hindered. The formation position of the light guide sheet 31 does not interfere with the light guide path in the film base material 15 from the light incident position on the film base material 15 to the concave and convex region portion 18, and the reflected light from the slit 33 position. May be appropriately set at a position where the angle returns to the uneven region 18 side.

  Furthermore, the slit 33 having no width is preferably in a state in which all of the thickness direction of the film base material 15 is cut, but even in a partially cut state, so-called half-cut. Good. In the case of the half-cut state, in consideration of dust resistance and the like, a configuration in which the upper surface side of the film base material 15 is connected is not particularly limited. Moreover, what is necessary is just to set the cutting depth of the half cut suitably.

  In addition, although the uneven | corrugated | grooved area | region part 18 of the light guide sheet 31 demonstrated the thing of the structure which consists of the small protrusion 17 provided in the film base material 15 above, from the small protrusion 17 on the upper surface of the film base material 15, It may be a light guide sheet having an uneven region portion. Or you may apply the thought of this invention to the light guide sheet of the form with which the uneven | corrugated area | region part was provided by roughening the surface of a film base material with laser processing, a metal mold | die, etc. FIG.

  The light guide sheet 31 according to the present invention may be used alone, or may be used by being attached to other than the movable contact body 9 in addition to being attached to the movable contact body 9. Furthermore, the movable contact body 9 may have a plurality of movable contacts 4 or may be a movable contact body having a configuration other than the movable contact body 9 having the above-described configuration. Further, the operation unit 27A and the wiring board 20 are not limited to those described above.

  The light guide sheet according to the present invention and the movable contact body with the light guide sheet using the light guide sheet have a configuration in which light propagating in the film base material of the light guide sheet can be more effectively used with a simple configuration and brightly lit upward. This is advantageous in that it can be provided, and is useful when configuring input operation units of various electronic devices.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Base sheet 2, 7, 12 Adhesive layer 4 Movable contact 6 Spacer sheet 9 Movable contact body 15 Film base material 15A Light-shielding part 17 Small protrusion 18 Concavity and convexity part 20 Wiring board 22 Outer contact 23 Central contact 25 LED
27 Key mat 27A Operation unit 31 Light guide sheet 33, 33A to 33C Slit

Claims (2)

A light guide sheet that guides light incident on a film substrate within the film substrate, scatters and reflects the propagating light at an uneven region portion, and illuminates an upper position. It is configured to control the propagation state of light guided into the film base material by a slit having no cut width, and to increase the light reaching the uneven region portion in the film base material. A light guide sheet characterized. A movable contact body with a light guide sheet, wherein the light guide sheet according to claim 1 is used, and an upward convex and dome-shaped movable contact is arranged at a lower position corresponding to the uneven region portion.

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