JP5120548B2 - Ring-shaped light guide and electronic device equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ring-shaped light guide that is used in a display device or the like that shows an operating state of an electronic device and shines in a ring shape, and an electronic device including the same.

  Electronic devices such as a recording device, a personal computer, and a mobile phone are provided with various display devices in order to display an operation state of the electronic device. As one of the display devices, for example, there is one that shines in a ring shape so as to surround a push button. In this display device, a light guide having a ring shape is used to guide light from the light emitter.

  As a conventional light guide, as shown in Patent Document 1, a ring-shaped light guide is provided with two light incident portions extending in the tangential direction, and a light source is disposed in these light incident portions. Are known. The light incident from each light incident portion travels almost the entire circumference in the opposite direction while reflecting in the light guide, and in the meantime, the light is emitted from the ring-shaped exit end, which is the upper surface of the light guide, to generate an optical ring.

Further, Patent Document 2 describes a light guide having a plate shape as a whole by connecting a light guide portion extending substantially linearly to a ring-shaped main body. Since the center of the inner periphery and the center of the outer periphery are shifted, the main body has an eccentric ring shape. One light source is disposed on the end face of the light guide.
Japanese Patent No. 3770154 JP 2006-179379 A

  In order to reduce the cost, one or two light sources are used. Even in this case, it is necessary to keep each part of the light ring at a uniform brightness. In the light guide of Patent Document 1 described above, in order to form a light ring with uniform brightness, a diffused reflection material is mixed in the light guide, or oblique slits that are longer and away from the light source are formed at a predetermined pitch. The light traveling in the circumferential direction is reflected by each slit toward the exit end. However, since the intensity of light attenuates in inverse proportion to the square of the distance, it is difficult to perform uniform illumination only by mixing irregular reflection substances. In the case of slits, since a large number of slits are arranged, if the light passes through several slits and is reflected, the intensity of the light passing through the slits sharply decreases. For this reason, it is difficult to obtain uniform illumination.

  In Patent Document 2, an eccentric plate-shaped ring is used, and the width of the ring is narrowed to increase the light density as the distance from the light source increases. However, in Patent Document 2, since it is necessary to considerably widen the width in the vicinity of the light guide section, a large installation space is required and the arrangement is restricted.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides a ring-shaped light guide that does not require a large installation space and an electronic apparatus including the ring-shaped light guide.

To achieve the above object, the ring-shaped light guide of the present invention guides light from a light emitter to a display window formed on an exterior panel, and includes an incident portion facing the light emitter, A ring-shaped light guide part that guides light incident from the incident part; an exit end that emits light passing through the light guide part from the display window; and the entire circumference of the light guide part, A light-reflecting surface that reflects light guided inside the light guide unit toward the exit end and has a width that is increased according to the distance from the incident unit; Light from the light emitter that is provided outside the window and emits light in a direction substantially parallel to an emission direction from the display window is incident, and the light that is incident on the incident portion is input to the light guide unit. It is characterized in that the light reflecting surface for reflecting the exit reflecting surface is formed . Examples of the material constituting the ring-shaped light guide include acrylic and AS (acrylonitrile / styrene).

  Further, it is preferable that the emission reflecting surface is widened by increasing the inclination angle.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the light guide part is formed with a button opening for storing the push button.

  Furthermore, an electronic device of the present invention includes an exterior panel having an opening, the ring-shaped light guide that fits in the opening, and a push button that is housed in the ring-shaped light guide so as to be able to be pushed. It is characterized by that. Examples of the electronic device include a recorder, a personal computer, a CD player, a DVD player, and the like.

  According to the ring-shaped light guide of the present invention, the width of the reflecting surface formed on the light guide portion and reflected toward the exit end is increased according to the distance from the entrance portion. The amount can be made uniform over the entire circumference. It can also be installed in a narrow installation space.

  In addition, since the emission reflecting surface is widened by increasing the inclination angle, the radial thickness of the light guide portion does not change.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the portable recorder 2 includes a main body case 3 and a microphone 4. Two microphones 4 are provided. In the microphone 4, a transducer 5 that converts collected sound into an electrical signal is housed in a microphone case 6.

  A substrate 7 is provided inside the main body case 3, and a CPU 8 that controls the driving of the portable recorder 2 is mounted on the substrate 7.

  An SD card 9 is detachably housed inside the main body case 3, and an electrical signal from the microphone 4 is recorded on the SD card 9 as audio data.

  The main body case 3 includes an LCD 11, a recording / recording pause button (hereinafter referred to as a recording button) 12, a playback / playback pause button (hereinafter referred to as a playback button) 13, a stop button 14, a menu button 15, and a jog dial 16. , An output terminal 17 is provided. Each of the buttons 12 to 15 is a push-type button.

  When the playback button 13 is pressed, playback control of the audio data recorded on the SD card 9 is performed, and when the playback button 13 is pressed during playback control, playback pause control is performed. The reproduced audio data is sent to the output terminal 17. When a speaker is attached to the output terminal 17, the reproduced sound can be heard.

  When the menu button 15 is pressed, a setting screen for performing various settings is displayed on the LCD 11. In addition to the setting screen, the LCD 11 displays a selection screen for selecting audio data to be reproduced. The jog dial 16 is operated for setting and selection. The main body case 3 is provided with various push buttons such as a fast forward button and a rewind button.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the left LED chip 21 and the right LED chip 22 are mounted on the substrate 7. Each LED chip 21, 22 is provided outside the display window 3 a and emits light in a direction substantially parallel to the emission direction from the display window 3 a.

  Each LED chip 21, 22 can be changed to a lighting state, a blinking state, and a light-off state, and is individually controlled by the CPU 8. As these LED chips 21 and 22, one that emits white light or one that emits one of the three primary colors is used.

  A recording switch 23 is mounted on the substrate 7. When the recording button 12 is pressed, the recording switch 23 is turned on and an on signal is input to the CPU 8. The CPU 8 performs control to start recording with the microphone 4 when an ON signal is input from the recording switch 23, and performs recording pause control when an ON signal is input during recording control.

  The CPU 8 lights the LED chips 21 and 22 during the recording control, and blinks the LED chips 21 and 22 during the recording pause control.

  A display window 3a is formed in the main body case 3, and a ring-shaped light guide 25 is inserted into the display window 3a. Two mounting bosses 3 b for mounting the ring-shaped light guide 25 are provided on the inner surface of the main body case 3.

  The ring-shaped light guide 25 includes a left incident portion 25a, a right incident portion 25b, and a light guide portion 25c, and is formed of a transparent resin (for example, acrylic) that transmits light. The left incident part 25 a faces the left LED chip 21, and the right incident part 25 b faces the right LED chip 22. An exit end 25 d is provided on the upper surface of the light guide portion 25 c, and the exit end 25 d is fitted into the display window 3 a of the main body case 3.

  The light guide portion 25c is formed in a ring shape, and guides the light incident on the incident portions 25a and 25b in the circumferential direction along the ring shape while reflecting the light. On the inner peripheral surface of the light guide portion 25c, an emission reflecting surface 25e that reflects light guided in the circumferential direction inside the light guide portion 25c toward the emission end 25d is formed. The light incident on the emission end 25d is emitted from the display window 3a.

  A light guide reflection surface 25f is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the light guide portion 25c. The light guide reflecting surface 25f is formed above the incident portions 25a and 25b and reflects light incident on the incident portions 25a and 25b. Since the width of the reflecting surface 25e for emission at the part where the incident portions 25a and 25b are formed is narrower than the width of the reflecting surface 25f for light guide, one of the light reflected by the reflecting surface 25f for light guide Only part of the light is incident on the exit reflecting surface 25e where the incident parts 25a and 25b are formed. Of the light reflected by the light guide reflecting surface 25f, the light that does not enter the exit reflecting surface 25e of the portion where the incident portions 25a and 25b are formed is guided in the circumferential direction inside the light guide portion 25c. The

  The light guide portion 25c is provided with an attachment boss 25h having an attachment recess 25g and a positioning boss 25i. Two mounting bosses 25h are provided, and the mounting boss 3b of the main body case 3 is inserted into each mounting recess 25g.

  An opening 25j is formed in the light guide portion 25c. When the recording button 12 is inserted into the opening 25j, the recording button 12 is housed in the ring-shaped light guide 25 so as to be pushed.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the reflecting surface 25e for emission is inclined when the distance from each of the incident portions 25a and 25b becomes longer (FIG. 4 (A) → FIG. 4 (B) → FIG. 4 (C)). The angle is increased and the width is increased. More specifically, the exit reflecting surface 25e is formed such that the inclination angle becomes steeper and the area of the exit reflecting surface 25e increases as the distance from the incident portions 25a and 25b increases. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 1. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB, FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC, and FIG. It is sectional drawing. In FIG. 3B and FIGS. 4A to 4C, the ring-shaped light guide 25 is not hatched.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the ring-shaped light guide 25 is attached to the main body case 3, the attachment boss 3b is inserted into the attachment recess 25g. When the mounting boss 3b is inserted into the mounting recess 25g, the ring-shaped light guide 25 is positioned in the vertical direction (E direction) and the horizontal direction (F direction), and the injection end 25d is fitted into the display window 3a of the main body case 3. To do. Then, the recording button 12 is inserted into the opening 25j.

  As shown in FIG. 4A, when the substrate 7 is attached to the main body case 3, the mounting boss 25h and the positioning boss 25i abut against the substrate 7, and the ring-shaped light guide 25 is moved in the front-rear direction (the vertical direction in FIG. 4). ) Is positioned.

  Next, the operation of the portable recorder 2 will be described. When the recording button 12 is pressed, an ON signal is input from the recording switch 23 to the CPU 8. In response to the input of the ON signal, the CPU 8 starts recording with the microphone 4 and lights the left LED chip 21 and the right LED chip 22.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the light incident on the incident portions 25a and 25b from the LED chips 21 and 22 is reflected by the light guide reflecting surface 25f.

  Of the light reflected by the light guide reflecting surface 25f, only part of the light is incident on the exit reflecting surface 25e where the incident portions 25a and 25b are formed. For this reason, the amount of light emitted from the exit end 25d of the portion where the incident portions 25a and 25b are formed is smaller than the amount of light from the LED chips 21 and 22. Of the light reflected by the light guide reflecting surface 25f, the light that does not enter the exit reflecting surface 25e of the portion where the incident portions 25a and 25b are formed is guided in the circumferential direction inside the light guide portion 25c. The

  As shown in FIGS. 4A to 4C, the light guided in the circumferential direction inside the light guide portion 25 is reflected toward the exit end 25d by the exit reflecting surface 25e. The light emitted from the exit end 25d is emitted from the display window 3a.

  The width of the exit reflecting surface 25e becomes wider as the distance from each of the incident portions 25a and 25b becomes longer (FIG. 4 (A) → FIG. 4 (B) → FIG. 4 (C)). In the present embodiment, the outgoing reflection surface 25e in the portion of FIG. 4C that is farthest from each of the incident portions 25a and 25b, that is, the portion of the DD cross section in FIG. It is the widest.

  When the width of the emission reflecting surface 25e is increased, the amount of light incident on the emission reflecting surface 25e increases, and thus the amount of reflection at the emission reflecting surface 25e increases. As a result, a decrease in the amount of light emitted from the exit end 25d is suppressed even in a portion where the distance from each of the incident portions 25a and 25b is long and the intensity of light guided in the circumferential direction inside the light guide portion 25c is attenuated. can do. By making the shape of the reflection surface 25e for emission appropriate, the amount of light emitted from the emission end 25d can be made uniform over the entire circumference.

  Further, when the amount of light emitted from the exit end 25d is made uniform, it is matched with the amount of light at the exit end 25d of the portion where the incident portions 25a and 25b are formed. In the present embodiment, the light quantity emitted from the emission end 25d is made incident from the LED chips 21 and 22 by making the inclination angle of the emission reflecting surface 25e in this part the smallest and making the width the smallest. Since the amount of light is reduced compared to the amount of light, uniformization can be easily performed.

  In the above embodiment, the width of the exit reflecting surface 25e is increased by increasing the inclination angle, but the width is increased by increasing the radial thickness of the light guide portion 25c without changing the inclination angle. May be widened.

  The present invention can also be implemented when light from the LED chip is incident on the ring-shaped light guide 25 in a direction parallel to the substrate 7. In this case, the light guide reflecting surface 25f may not be provided.

  Furthermore, the number of LED chips may be one or three or more. The shape of the emission reflecting surface 25e is also changed according to the number.

It is a top view which shows the portable recording device which implemented this invention. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a recording / recording pause button, a left LED chip, a right LED chip, and a ring-shaped light guide. (A) is an AA exploded sectional view in Drawing 1, and (B) is an AA sectional view of an assembly state. (A) is BB sectional drawing in FIG. 1, (B) is CC sectional drawing, (C) is DD sectional drawing.

Explanation of symbols

2 Portable recorder (electronic equipment)
3 Body case (exterior panel)
3a Display window (opening)
12 Recording / Recording pause button (push button)
21 Left LED chip (light emitter)
22 Right LED chip (light emitter)
25 ring-shaped light guide 25a left incident part 25b right incident part 25c light guide part 25d exit end 25e exit reflecting surface 25f light guide reflecting surface 25j opening (button opening)

Claims (4)

In the ring-shaped light guide that guides the light from the illuminant to the display window formed on the exterior panel,
An incident portion facing the light emitter;
A ring-shaped light guide part for guiding light incident from the incident part;
An exit end for injecting light that has passed through the light guide portion from the display window;
A reflection surface for emission which is formed on the entire circumference of the light guide portion and reflects light guided inside the light guide portion toward the emission end and is widened according to the distance from the incidence portion. It equipped with a door,
The incident portion is provided with light from the light emitter that is provided outside the display window and emits light in a direction substantially parallel to an emission direction from the display window.
A ring-shaped light guide, wherein the light guide part is formed with a light guide reflection surface that reflects light incident on the incident part toward the reflection surface for emission .   The ring-shaped light guide according to claim 1, wherein the emission reflecting surface is widened by increasing an inclination angle. The ring-shaped light guide according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light guide part is formed with a button opening for storing a push button. An exterior panel having an opening;
The ring-shaped light guide according to claim 3 , which fits in the opening;
A push button stored in the ring-shaped light guide so as to be able to be pushed in;
An electronic device characterized by comprising:

Images