JP4670387B2 - Operation key illumination device and telephone using the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an illumination device for an operation key used for a mobile phone, PHS (Personal Handyphone System), PDA (Personal Digital Assistance), and the like, and a telephone using the same.

  There is an illumination structure of operation keys that can be used even in a dark place by brightly illuminating operation keys such as a mobile phone, PHS, and PDA from the inside.

  The illumination structure of a conventional operation key will be described with reference to FIG. The key tops 21 are disposed so as to be exposed from the respective openings 24 provided in the lid 20. And the light of the light emitting element 23 provided in the board | substrate 22 is irradiated to the keytop 21 in both sides, and the keytop 21 is illuminated brightly from the inside.

  In addition to the illumination structure of the conventional operation key that directly irradiates the key top 21 with light from the light emitting element 23 shown in FIG. 6, those using a light guide are described in (Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  The key backlight illumination effect device described in (Patent Document 1) is provided with a key sheet having a key top, a printed board provided with a switch contact, and a through hole provided therebetween to expose the switch contact. A light guide and a light emitting element for irradiating light to the light guide are provided, and the surface of the printed board is printed in white.

The operation key illumination structure of the portable terminal device described in (Patent Document 2) includes an operation unit having a plurality of operation keys, a rectangular and plate-shaped light guide member disposed opposite to the operation unit, and a guide. A light-emitting element disposed on the side of the optical member, and the light guide member reflects light from the light-emitting element to the operation unit side on at least one of the surface facing the operation unit and the back surface thereof. V-shaped grooves are provided.
JP-A-9-55143 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-300258

  However, in the illumination structure of the conventional operation key shown in FIG. 6, in order to reduce luminance unevenness, the light directly above the highest luminance of the light emitting element 23 is blocked by the lid 20, and obliquely upward from the light emitting element 23. Since each keytop 21 is illuminated from the inside by the light emitted from the light source, even if the light emitting element 23 having high luminance is used, the luminance cannot be increased efficiently.

  In the key backlight illumination effect device described in (Patent Document 1), since the through hole that exposes the switch contact of the printed board is formed in the light guide plate, the entire key sheet cannot be illuminated on average. .

  Moreover, since the light is mainly reflected from the V-shaped groove formed in the light guide member, the operation key illumination structure of the portable terminal device described in (Patent Document 2) also uniformly illuminates the entire key sheet. I can't.

  Furthermore, since these operation keys expose their respective tops from the individual openings formed in the lid, the area of the key top is limited within the area of the operation keys allocated to the limited lid. There is a limit to securing it widely. In mobile phones, PHS and PDAs, while miniaturization has progressed, operability has been improved. In order to enlarge the key top, a plurality of key tops connected from the opening of the lid are partitioned by the lid. It is desirable to expose all the numbers and other characters so that the numbers and other characters can be displayed in a large and easily recognizable manner and the aesthetic appearance can be improved.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an illumination device for an operation key and a telephone using the same, which can illuminate the key top brightly and uniformly while ensuring a large key top.

The operation key illuminating device of the present invention is an operation key illuminating device including a keypad having a plurality of key tops that are light-transmissive and connected to each other, and an illuminating unit that illuminates the keypad. Is arranged between the light source that outputs light, the reflection part that reflects light, the keypad and the reflection part, and suppresses the emission of light incident from the light source and is incident from the light source The keypad is movable with respect to the sheet switch so as to depress the sheet switch, the light guide is fixed to the sheet switch, the said keypad light guide, a predetermined gap is provided so as not to contact with each other, the exit surface of the fixed light path to said sheet switch, especially that they are inclined toward the reflective portion To.

According to the present invention, as the illuminating means, a light source that outputs light, a reflection part that reflects light, a suppression surface that is disposed between the keypad and the reflection part, and suppresses emission of light incident from the light source. And a light guide having an exit surface that emits light incident from the light source, and the exit surface of the light guide is inclined toward the reflecting portion . Indirect light reflected on the surface can be obtained, and a plurality of key tops can be connected and secured to be large, and the key tops can be illuminated brightly and uniformly.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation key illuminating device including a keypad having a light transmission property and having a plurality of key tops connected to each other, and an illuminating means for illuminating the keypad. A light source that outputs light, a reflection part that reflects light, a keypad and a reflection part that are disposed between the light-reflecting part, a suppression surface that suppresses the emission of light incident from the light source, and the light incident from the light source are emitted. The keypad is movable with respect to the sheet switch so as to depress the sheet switch, the light guide is fixed to the sheet switch, and the keypad and the light guide are not in contact with each other. The light guide path fixed to the sheet switch is inclined toward the reflecting portion.

The keypad has a plurality of key tops connected to each other, and the light exiting surface of the light guide is inclined with respect to the reflecting portion. Therefore, the light that illuminates the key top from the inside is indirectly reflected on the surface of the reflecting plate. The keypad can be illuminated uniformly with no luminance unevenness. Therefore, since a plurality of key tops can be connected and secured large, it is possible to uniformly illuminate the entire keypad while improving the visibility of the display of each key top.

The invention of claim 2 of the present invention is characterized in that the suppression surface of the light guide is formed in a mirror surface, and the exit surface of the light guide is formed in a rough surface .

Since the suppression surface of the light guide path is formed on a mirror surface, the amount of light emitted from the suppression surface side of the light guide path is suppressed by efficiently reflecting light on the suppression surface of the light guide path and advancing the inside. Can do. Since the light traveling while being reflected can be emitted as diffused light from the exit surface of the light guide formed on the rough surface, most of the light that illuminates the keypad is light from the exit surface of the light guide. It can be. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the light from the suppression surface of the light guide path from becoming uneven in brightness and being seen through the keypad.

The invention of claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that the light guide path is formed in a trapezoidal shape with the key top side as a long side and the reflector side as a short side.

  Since the light guide is formed in a trapezoidal cross section with the key top side as the long side and the reflector side as the short side, the light that illuminates the key top from the inside is the indirect light reflected on the surface of the reflector Therefore, it is possible to uniformly illuminate the keypad without uneven brightness.

  In the invention of claim 4 of the present invention, the light guide path is provided with a spectroscopic path, and the connection portion between the light guide path and the spectroscopic path is formed so that the side surface of the spectroscopic path has an acute angle with respect to the side surface of the light guide path. It is characterized by being.

  When the spectral path is provided in the light guide according to the arrangement of the key tops, it is desirable that the connection portion be formed so that the side of the spectral path has an acute angle with respect to the side of the light guide. For example, when connected so as to have a right angle or an obtuse angle, the amount of light leaking from the connection portion increases when light travels from the light guide path to the spectroscopic path. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the amount of leakage light by connecting so that the side surface of the spectral path has an acute angle with respect to the side surface of the light guide path.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the surface of the reflection portion is a sheet switch surface that is processed to be reflected in white.

  By reflecting the surface of the reflecting portion to white, it becomes indirect illumination, and even the back side surface of the key top can be illuminated in a wide range.

The invention of claim 6 of the present invention is characterized in that the keypad is provided with a guide groove on the back surface between the key tops, and the light guide is arranged along the guide groove.

By arranging the light guide path along the guide groove, the key top can be illuminated from the inside by entering from the wall surface of the guide groove, and the entire keypad can be illuminated more uniformly.

The invention according to claim 7 of the present invention is characterized in that all light exit surfaces of the light guide path are inclined toward the reflecting portion.

Since all the exit surfaces of the light guide are inclined toward the reflecting portion, the light that illuminates the key top from the inside can be indirect light reflected on the surface of the reflecting plate, resulting in uneven brightness on the keypad. There is no light and it can illuminate uniformly.

(Embodiment)
The configuration of the illumination structure of the operation key according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 by taking the operation key of a telephone, for example, a cellular phone as an example. FIG. 1 is a plan view of a cellular phone using an operation key illumination structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the mobile phone using the operation key illumination structure according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view for explaining the illumination structure of the operation key according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view for explaining the light guide plate of the illumination structure of the operation key according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile phone 1 includes an operation key 3 on a lid 2 formed in a rectangular shape in plan view. The operator operates the operation key 3 to make a call from the mobile phone 1, to receive a call, and to create / browse an e-mail.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the operation key 3 includes a keypad 4, a light guide 5, a sheet switch 6 having a key switch, and a circuit board 7.

  The keypad 4 includes numeric keys and function keys. The numeric keys are formed in a lid 2 by connecting four vertical columns and three horizontal rows of key tops 4 a formed in a rectangular shape. The opening 2a is exposed without being partitioned by the lid 2.

  The keypad 4 is made of translucent silicon rubber. As shown in FIG. 3, the keypad 4 has grooves 4b formed on the front and back surfaces so as to divide each key top 4a. A guide groove 4c that accommodates the light guide 5 is formed on the back surface so as to widen the opening of the groove 4b.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the light guide 5 includes two light guides 5 a through which light emitted from the light emitting element 8 enters from one end, and 3 connected to the two light guides 5 a. The two spectral paths 5b and the reinforcing parts 5c that improve the strength by connecting the three spectral paths 5b at the ends are formed in a substantially lattice shape.

  The light guide 5 is formed of a transparent acrylic resin or polycarbonate resin in a substantially trapezoidal cross section, and is arranged such that the long side is on the key top 4a side and the short side is on the sheet switch 6 side. The front surface of the light guide 5 on the key top 4a side and the back surface on the opposite side are formed in a mirror surface. Further, since the side surface of the light guide 5 is formed into a rough surface, the side surface can be a main light emitting surface from which light is mainly emitted. The processing of the front surface, the back surface, and the side surface of the light guide 5 is performed by mirror-finishing the surface corresponding to the front surface and the back surface or the surface corresponding to the side surface with respect to the mold used when forming the light guide 5. It can be easily formed by using a rough surface finish. It is desirable that the front surface and the back surface of the light guide 5 be mirror surfaces because light can be reflected by the front surface and the back surface.

  The connecting portion 5d between the light guide path 5a and the spectral path 5b is formed such that the side surface of the spectral path 5b has an acute angle with respect to the side surface of the light guide path 5a.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet switch 6 is formed of PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) whose surface is reflected in white, and a dome switch 6a corresponding to the key top 4a is disposed therein. The contact terminal of the dome switch 6a is exposed on the back surface of the sheet switch 6. Since the surface of the sheet switch 6 is preferably made to reflect light emitted from the side surface of the light guide 5, the surface of the sheet switch 6 is glossy in addition to being white as in the present embodiment. For example, a film may be attached, a glossy material may be used, or a metallic luster such as aluminum or other metal may be used. Thus, the function as a reflecting plate can be given by making the surface of the sheet switch 6 white. Since the light emitted from the side surface of the light guide 5 only needs to be reflected, the sheet switch 6 is formed of a light-transmitting material, and a new reflector is provided on the lower surface of the sheet switch 6. May be.

  The circuit board 7 is formed with electrodes corresponding to the contact terminals of the dome switch 6 a of the sheet switch 6. Further, four light emitting elements 8 as light sources are arranged on the circuit board 7 so as to be positioned at both end portions of the light guide path 5a through the notches 6b of the sheet switch 6.

  The usage state of the illumination structure of the operation key according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a usage state of the illumination structure of the operation key according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 5, the light emitted from the light emitting elements 8 disposed at the respective ends of the light guide 5a of the light guide 5 travels while reflecting in the light guide 5a. To do. Since the light emitting elements 8 are disposed at both ends of the light guide path 5a, the luminance of the light emitting elements 8 only needs to be able to illuminate half of the light guide path 5a.

  Since the back surface opposite to the keypad 4 side of the light guide 5a is formed in a mirror surface, it is easy to reflect and the amount of light emitted from the surface can be suppressed. Hard to leak outside. Therefore, the light that illuminates the keypad 4 does not have uneven brightness. That is, unlike the illumination structure of the conventional operation key 3 shown in FIG. 6, it is not necessary to directly block the light from the light emitting element 8 and prevent uneven brightness by partitioning the key tops 4a with the lids 2, respectively. Not only can each key top 4a have a large area, but also the aesthetics can be improved.

  Since the side surface of the light guide path 5a is formed into a rough surface, it is divided into light to be reflected and light to be emitted outward. The light emitted to the outside becomes scattered light and enters from the wall surface of the guide groove 4c provided in the keypad 4 to illuminate the key top 4a from the inside.

  A part of the light traveling while reflecting in the light guide path 5a travels to the spectral path 5b. The connection portion 5d between the light guide path 5a and the spectral path 5b is formed so that the side surface of the spectral path 5b has an acute angle with respect to the side surface of the light guide path 5a. Leakage light from 5d can be reduced. Similarly, the spectroscopic path 5b is easily reflected because the front surface and the back surface are formed as mirror surfaces, and hardly leaks outside the spectroscopic path 5b. Further, since the side surface is formed as a rough surface, the light emitted from the side surface becomes scattered light and enters from the wall surface of the guide groove 4c provided in the keypad 4 to illuminate the key top 4a from the inside.

  The light guide 5 is formed in a substantially trapezoidal cross section, and is disposed so that the long side is on the keypad 4 side and the short side is on the sheet switch 6 side, so that the scattering emitted from the side surface of the light guide 5 The light can be widely illuminated on the surface of the sheet switch 6. Further, since the sheet switch 6 is subjected to a white reflective process, the sheet switch 6 is indirectly illuminated and can illuminate a wide range up to the back side surface of the key top 4a.

  Since the light guide path 5a and the spectral path 5b are formed in a substantially lattice shape, it is possible to illuminate from between each of the key tops 4a arranged in three rows and four columns.

  As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments. For example, if there is a margin for mounting a light emitting element in the lateral width of a mobile phone, the end of the spectral path It is also possible to arrange a light emitting element in the light guide path.

  Since the present invention is capable of brightly and uniformly illuminating the keytop while ensuring a large keytop, an illumination device for an operation key used in a mobile phone, PHS, PDA, etc., and a telephone using the same It is suitable for.

The top view of the mobile telephone using the illumination structure of the operation key which concerns on embodiment of this invention 1 is an exploded perspective view of a mobile phone using an operation key illumination structure according to an embodiment of the present invention. Vertical sectional view explaining the illumination structure of the operation key according to the embodiment of the present invention The perspective view explaining the light-guide plate of the illumination structure of the operation key which concerns on embodiment of this invention The figure explaining the use condition of the illumination structure of the operation key which concerns on embodiment of this invention The figure explaining the illumination structure of the conventional operation key

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Cellular phone 2 Lid 2a Opening 3 Operation key 4 Keypad 4a Key top 4b Groove 4c Guide groove 5 Light guide 5a Light guide 5b Spectroscopic path 5c Reinforcement part 5d Connection part 6 Sheet switch 6a Dome switch 6b Notch part 7 Circuit Substrate 8 Light emitting element

Claims (8)

A keypad having optical transparency and having a plurality of key tops connected to each other;
In an illumination device for an operation key having illumination means for illuminating the keypad,
The illumination means is disposed between a light source that outputs light, a reflective portion that reflects light, the keypad and the reflective portion, and a suppression surface that suppresses emission of light incident from the light source, and A light guide having an exit surface that emits light incident from a light source,
The keypad is movable relative to the sheet switch to depress the sheet switch;
The light guide is fixed to the sheet switch,
The keypad and the light guide are provided with a predetermined interval so as not to contact each other,
An illumination device for an operation key, wherein an exit surface of a light guide fixed to the sheet switch is inclined toward the reflecting portion. 2. The operation key illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide path has a suppression surface formed as a mirror surface, and the light guide path has an exit surface formed as a rough surface. 3. The operation key illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide path is formed in a trapezoidal cross section in which the key top side is a long side and the reflection part side is a short side. The light guide path is provided with a spectral path,
The connecting portion between the light guide path and the spectral path is formed so that the side surface of the spectral path has an acute angle with respect to the side surface of the light guide path. An illumination device for the operation key according to item. 5. The operation key illumination device according to claim 1, wherein the reflection unit includes the sheet switch whose surface is processed to be reflected in white. 6. 6. The operation key illumination according to claim 1, wherein the keypad is provided with a guide groove on a back surface between the key tops, and the light guide is disposed along the guide groove. 7. apparatus. 7. The operation key illumination device according to claim 1, wherein all light exit surfaces of the light guide path are inclined toward the reflection portion. 8. A lid,
A keypad having light transparency and a plurality of connected key tops exposed from the opening of the lid;
Illuminating means for illuminating the keypad from the inside of the lid,
The illumination means is disposed between a light source that outputs light, a reflective portion that reflects light, the keypad and the reflective portion, and a suppression surface that suppresses emission of light incident from the light source, and A light guide having an exit surface that emits light incident from a light source,
The keypad is movable relative to the sheet switch to depress the sheet switch;
The light guide is fixed to the sheet switch,
The keypad and the light guide path are provided with a predetermined interval so as not to contact each other,
The telephone set, wherein an exit surface of a light guide fixed to the sheet switch is inclined toward the reflecting portion.

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