JP2562240Y2 - Illuminated knob - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knob for an electronic device, and more particularly to an illuminated knob with reduced illuminance.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an illuminated knob shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 has been provided.

In the drawing, reference numeral 3 denotes a cap of an illuminated knob, which is formed by two-color molding with a light guide using a synthetic resin smoke material (opaque material) for attenuating light to prevent light leakage. I have. Reference numeral 3a denotes a flange provided on the cap portion to abut against the back surface of the front panel to prevent light leakage, 3b denotes a top portion of the cap portion 3 at a knob top portion, and 3c denotes a character cutout portion provided at the knob top portion 3b. Reference numeral 11 denotes an illuminated knob, which comprises a cap portion 3 and a first light guide portion, and is integrally formed by two-color molding using a synthetic resin material.
Reference numeral 12 denotes a first light guide portion of the illuminated knob 11, which is formed by a two-color molding together with the cap portion 3 using a synthetic resin milk material having a light guiding property and a light diffusing action. ing. 12a is the bottom of the knob which is the bottom of the light guide 12, 12b is the display character provided on the top of the light guide 12, 13 is the front panel of the electronic device, 13a is the hole for the knob, 13b is the back of the front panel 13. , 14 is a printed circuit board, 15 is a lamp which is a light emitting member mounted on the printed circuit board 14, 16 is a push switch mounted on the printed circuit board with a slight gap from the bottom 12a of the knob, 17 is light guide and light Illuminated knobs formed by ordinary molding using a synthetic resin milk material having a diffusion action, 17a is a cap portion, 17b is a character-less coating for preventing light leakage, and 17c is provided on the cap portion 17a. The painted flange, 17d is the first light guide, and 17e is the display character.

In the first example shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the conventional illuminated knob configured as described above uses light from a lamp 15 provided in the vicinity of the bottom 12a of the knob and the upper part 12b of the knob. An illuminated knob 11 is formed by two-color molding together with the cap portion 3 using a synthetic resin opalescent material so as to guide the light while diffusing the light.

The illuminated knob 11 is inserted into the knob hole 13a of the front panel 13 from the back surface 13b side, and is urged toward the front panel 13 by a spring member (not shown) to be supported so as to be able to be pushed back. doing.

Thus, the light from the lamp 15 is transmitted to the light guide section 12.
The display character portion 12b of the knob top 3b is illuminated via the.

In the second example shown in FIG. 4, the cap portion 17a and the first portion are formed by a normal molding process other than two-color molding using a synthetic resin milk material having a light guiding property and a light diffusing action. An illuminated knob 17 having a light guide 17d is formed, and then a light guide
The whole of the cap portion 17a except for 17d is provided with a character-free paint 17b.

Then, in exactly the same manner as in the second example,
The display character 17e is illuminated.

[0009]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional illuminated knob, if the opacity of the opaque material used for the light guide portion is increased (darkened) with emphasis on daytime visibility, the diffusion efficiency is reduced. Although it becomes higher and light unevenness is reduced, there is a drawback that the illuminance at night becomes too high and dazzles.

[0010] In addition, there is a drawback that when the opacity is reduced (thinned) to make the illuminance at night faint, the diffusion effect is weakened and light unevenness is likely to occur. In many cases, the knob and the lamp approach each other due to design and structural restrictions, and in this case, light unevenness is more likely to occur.

Further, since the shape is changed for adjusting the unevenness of the light and the illuminance, the cost of the mold is increased.

[0012] Further, when the character-less coating is applied, the coating may come off.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and has as its object to solve the drawbacks of the prior art, to reduce the illuminance, and to provide an illuminated knob without uneven light. .

[0014]

The illuminated knob of the present invention guides light from a light-emitting member disposed near the bottom of the knob to a cap portion for preventing light leakage to the top of the knob.
In a synthetic resin illuminated knob constituted by a rod-shaped light guide portion, the light guide portion is a mixture of a smoke material and a milky material.
It is formed integrally with the cap .

[0015]

According to this invention, a synthetic resin material is used in which a smoke material for attenuating light and a milky material for guiding and diffusing light are used in the rod-shaped light guide, so that the diffusing action is not impaired. It becomes an illuminated knob with attenuated light, and the same visibility can be secured day and night.

[0016]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an illuminated knob according to the present invention.
And FIG. The same parts as those in the conventional example are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an illuminated knob, which comprises a cap portion 3 and a light guide portion, and is integrally formed by two-color molding using a synthetic resin material. Reference numeral 2 denotes a rod-shaped light guide portion of the illuminated knob 1, which is made of a synthetic resin material in which an opalescent material having a light guide property and a light diffusing action and a smoke material for attenuating light are mixed at an appropriate ratio, and a cap is formed. It is formed by two-color molding together with the portion 3.

2a is the bottom of the knob, which is the bottom of the light guide 2,
2b is a display character portion provided on the top of the light guide portion 2.

The illuminated knob 1 of the present invention constructed as described above uses a synthetic resin material in which an opalescent material having a light guiding property and a light diffusing action and a smoke material for attenuating light are mixed at an appropriate ratio. The light guide portion 2 and the cap portion 3 are integrally formed by two-color molding.

The illuminated knob 1 is incorporated in a knob hole 13a of the front panel 13, just like the conventional example shown in FIG.

Thus, the light emitted from the lamp 15 is
The light enters from the bottom 2a and the side of the knob, is diffused and attenuated in the light guide 2, and has a proper illuminance with no illumination unevenness.
To illuminate.

[0022]

[Effect of the invention] According to the illuminated knob according to the invention,
With the configuration as described above, the illuminance is suppressed, light unevenness does not occur, and the visibility at night and during the day is greatly improved.

In addition, light unevenness and illuminance can be adjusted by changing the mixture ratio of the opalescent material and the smoke material, and the need for mold modification is eliminated, so that mold modification costs can be reduced.

Furthermore, since the illuminance can be adjusted very finely, the degree of freedom of design increases.

Further, there is an effect that the paint does not come off as in the case of the character-less painting.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an illuminated knob of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the illuminated knob.

FIG. 3A is a side sectional view showing a first example of a conventional Shoko type knob. (B) It is a perspective view showing the same example.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second example of the illuminated knob.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Illuminated knob 2 Light guide 2a Bottom of knob 2b Display part 3 Cap part 3a Flange 3b Top of knob 3c Character removal part

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An illuminating type made of synthetic resin , comprising : a cap for preventing light leakage; and a rod-shaped light guide for guiding light from a light emitting member disposed near the bottom of the knob to the top of the knob. In the knob, the light guide portion is made of a mixture of a smoke material and a milky material.
An illuminated knob that is formed integrally with the cap .