JP5150821B2 - Lighting control type segment EL electric appliance - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an electric device comprising a plurality of segments, and an electroluminescence element formed by integrating a new drive circuit that emits light independently for each segment unit with a plurality of segment light emitting elements. Regarding equipment. Electroluminescence is hereinafter simply referred to as “EL”.

  Specifically, the electrical equipment of the present invention is information home appliances, audio-visual equipment, electronic rice cookers, and automobiles.

EL is effective as a light source of a thin type, and various products can be made thin. That is, it is possible to reduce the thickness of existing products by using surface light emission. A typical example of reducing the thickness of existing products is a mobile phone. In mobile phones, EL is used as a switch light source.
EL is also used in products that do not have a conventional light source, and is used in automobile license plates and traffic signs. This allows the EL to be lighter than conventional light sources.
Other features of the EL can be freely designed, the color can be freely selected, and it can be designed to meet the needs of the product to be employed. Moreover, EL does not generate heat and cannot be bent, but it does not crack if used in a normal manner.

  An EL having such characteristics is surface emission, so that uniform light can be obtained from the entire light emission surface, and since it is thin and lightweight, it is optimal as a light source for portable products. In addition, it has been widely used as a backlight for design lighting and electrical equipment because it consumes less power, is a uniform and thin surface light source, and does not generate heat. Recently, the demand for flexible EL as a key switch lighting for mobile phones has been steadily increasing because of its excellent luster and design, high durability, and low cost production.

  Such a thin EL manufacturing method can be manufactured by printing. For example, Non-Patent Document 1 describes an outline of the manufacturing method.

If EL is classified according to use and characteristics, it is used for illumination of monochrome liquid crystal backlights, ship meters, outdoor signage, road signs, etc. Aluminum is used for the back electrode, and it is laminated with moisture-proof film and has high moisture resistance and long life. Based on ITO film, used for monolithic liquid crystal backlights of thin devices such as EL (0.7mm ~), IC card reader (simple installation type), license plate, automobile side step, electronic dictionary, etc. Thin type flexible type EL (0.3mm ~) manufactured by the printing method of the above, using organic materials used for key switch illumination of mobile phones, mobile terminals, remote control, etc., ultra thin and mechanical stress Excellent EL type, uniform and easy-to-see illumination for switches, click feeling and keystroke durability EL (0.1 mm or more).
And the general layer structure of EL used for the key switch for cellular phones is composed of a protective film, a light emitting layer, an insulating layer, a back electrode, a resist layer, and an electrode in this order, and the total thickness is 100 μm or less at present. It is.

  As an example of the application years of EL products used in many applications, 1981 camera flash, 1985 copier, 1986 exposure meter, 1987 automotive emblem, 1988 handy terminal, 1989 Year Instrument, 1990 Clock, 1992 Traffic sign, 1994 Pager, 1996 Car step guide, 1998 PDA, 2000 Mobile phone LCD backlight, 2001 Car license plate, 2002 Endoscope controller, 2003 Year RFID scanner, 2006 Cell phone key switch.

  On the other hand, an operation panel of an electric device such as an electric rice cooker is disclosed in, for example, Patent Document 1, “a resin operation panel that causes the main body to perform operations related to rice cooking and heat retention, and a flexible coating that is attached to the surface of the operation panel. In a rice cooker equipped with a transparent panel sheet, the operation panel is made of transparent or translucent resin, and the switch button part for operation related to rice cooking and heat insulation is integrally formed to be movable up and down, and the light emitting diode is provided below the switch button part. The switch button part is also used as a lamp cover by diffusing light to the switch button part, and the button surface of the panel sheet corresponding to the switch button part is transparent or semi-transparent and is non-transparent to the operation panel. “Adhesive layer” is disclosed.

  Patent Document 2 states that “an operation switch having an operation unit for performing an operation related to the rice cooking operation on the upper surface of the printed circuit board disposed on the back side of the operation panel, and a process of rice cooking and heat retention in the rice cooking operation. A light emitting body and a digital timer are arranged as display units, and a name plate made of an elastic sheet is provided on the surface of the operation panel to form the operation panel surface in a substantially flat shape. It is disclosed that it is provided so as to face upward in a state of being connected to the upper surface of the main body.

  Furthermore, Patent Document 3 states that “a rice cooking menu group in which various rice cooking menus are arranged and displayed on a virtual circle at equal intervals on the operation panel portion of the electric rice cooker is connected to the microcomputer board side and the rice cooking menu. And a dial portion that has a contact portion having a number of fixed contacts corresponding to the number, and a movable contact that selectively contacts the fixed contact in the contact portion, and that protrudes rotatably at the center of the rice cooking menu group M An electric rice cooker characterized in that a rotary switch consisting of

  Further, as an application of photo triac, Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-284767) is known regarding an AC load phase control device such as a motor used in a combustion device or the like, and a photo triac coupler photodiode. Patent Document 5 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-253820) is known for extending the lifetime of a photodiode by intermittently passing a current flowing through the photodiode.

Each document is as follows.
"Inorganic EL that can be manufactured by printing Challenge organic EL with life and color" Developed by a venture company from MIT (Nikkei Electronics 2007.3.26) Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-108098 Japanese Patent Publication No. 9-433 Japanese Patent Publication No. 8-154824 JP-A-5-284767 JP-A-7-253820

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an electroluminescent element, which has a plurality of segments and is formed by integrating a new drive circuit that independently emits light for each segment unit with a plurality of segment light emitting elements. It is to provide an electric device which is configured by pasting.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, in addition to the low-cost main productivity and durability of the flexible EL, a segment EL and a key that can be blinked independently of EL instead of a pilot lamp because of the use of EL as a simple key illumination Focusing on the fact that it can be widely used as a display and operation panel for home appliances and automobile equipment by combining switches and touch switches together, it has started research, development and application development. In many current information devices and home appliances, the display and operation panels are becoming more complex and sophisticated, and the demand for simple and easy-to-understand operation panels that are user-friendly and do not require a manual is becoming alive.

  As an example, an operation panel of an electric rice cooker has an operation panel composed of a switch part of an LED light source and a liquid crystal display, and the timer setting is usually configured to be set while using the liquid crystal display together. And since a switch board is required at the lower part of the operation panel (nameplate), the operation part often has a raised shape.

  Therefore, since the board part and the operation panel are separate parts, the design, parts, and assembly costs increase, and when using an inorganic EL, a power source that converts direct current into alternating current is required for light emission, and the inorganic EL is turned on. Switching off requires a separate switching circuit, and inevitably, the operation panel (nameplate) will rise, hindering compactness, and the degree of freedom in design will be low.

  In addition, because it is configured to check the timer setting with LED display by operating the switch part, the operation such as setting change is complicated and cannot be operated intuitively. It is necessary to fully understand the reading.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical apparatus including a light emitting element that emits light in a plurality of segment units, and one light emitting element such as a photo triac at each intersection of a keyboard matrix circuit of a keyboard having a plurality of key configurations. A lighting circuit is provided, and the light emitting elements are connected to the light emitting element lighting circuits at the respective intersections in segment units, and input / output of the keyboard matrix circuit is monitored when a specific key on the keyboard is pressed. A line having a circuit configuration to be detected by a microcomputer and a line having a circuit configuration for performing blinking control of a specific light-emitting element segment among the plurality of light-emitting elements are achieved by the same line, and the light-emitting element including the plurality of segments And its drive control circuit integrated with the switching circuit. The is characterized in that affixed to the housing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical apparatus including a light emitting element that emits light in a plurality of segment units, and one light emitting element such as a photo triac at each intersection of a keyboard matrix circuit of a keyboard having a plurality of key configurations. A microcomputer that monitors the input / output of the keyboard matrix circuit by providing a lighting circuit, connecting a light emitting element to a light emitting element lighting circuit at each intersection, in a segment unit, and pressing a specific key on the keyboard When detected, it is configured to control blinking of a specific light-emitting element segment among the plurality of light-emitting elements, and confirm that each keyboard is pressed during scanning of the keyboard matrix circuit. The scanning period to be controlled and the lighting control period of the light emitting element for each segment unit are controlled serially in different periods Te, together configured to perform off control of the light emitting element segment unit, paste the electroluminescent element of the light emitting device and a driving control circuit is constructed by integrating a switching circuit composed of a plurality of segments to the housing It is characterized by that.

An electric apparatus according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that the electroluminescent element constructed integrally according to claim 1 is attached to a casing as an operation / display panel .

An audio-visual device according to claim 4 of the present invention is characterized in that the electroluminescent element constructed integrally according to claim 1 is attached to a casing as an operation / display panel .

Electronic cooker according to claim 5 of the present invention, an electronic cooker, characterized in that affixed to housing electroluminescence element constructed by integration of claim 1, wherein the operation and display panel.

The automobile according to claim 6 of the present invention is characterized in that the electroluminescent element constructed integrally according to claim 3 is attached to a vehicle body as a meter display panel for an automobile.

  Unlike the conventional combination of a pilot lamp and a switch, the present invention can greatly simplify the mold processing of the housing and can integrate individual parts such as an electronic board, LED, switch, etc. It is possible to reduce the number of parts and machining processes.

  Further, in the present invention, since the display and the switch can be linked and controlled by a control device such as a microcomputer, a user-friendly and manual-less display / operation panel can be realized at low cost.

  Further, in the present invention, uniform illumination can be obtained by EL illumination integrated with a key switch as compared with indirect LED illumination. Furthermore, conventionally, it consists of four points of LED, key switch, board, and lighting power supply, but in the present invention, it is a multi-functional two component consisting of (key switch + EL + illumination wiring) and (board + control SW + lighting power supply). With this configuration, the number of parts is halved, the structure is simplified, and a small size and a thin shape can be realized.

  In addition, in the present invention, by configuring an electric device in which the electroluminescence element is attached to the casing, the display and the switch can be interlocked and controlled by a control device such as a microcomputer. An electric device equipped with a display / operation panel can be realized at low cost.

  Further, according to the present invention, the EL panel is segmented to have both necessary key switch illumination, a function of turning on the guide indicator lamp, and a function of detecting ON / OFF of the switch, and the EL illumination driving circuit. The circuit having the switching function, the power supply, and the line thereof are integrated, and the lighting of the EL key switch can be controlled by the product switch control microcomputer. As a result, the number of parts can be greatly reduced.

  Since EL emits light when an AC power supply is applied, it cannot normally emit EL directly from the CPU. However, in the circuit configuration of the present invention, it is indirectly controlled by controlling the photo triac from the CPU. In addition, since the EL emission can be controlled, it is possible to configure a circuit for controlling the EL emission with direct current, and to provide a device having high affinity with the CPU control.

  Since the segment EL switch element of the present invention is integrated with a nameplate, switch, EL power source and flashing control microcomputer, it is attached as it is to the casing of an electric device such as an electronic information device or a home appliance, It is only necessary to connect the product control CPU with a flat cable or the like.

  The segment EL switch element of the present invention provides a scan signal for identifying ON / OFF of a key to a product CPU, and a means for controlling the switch and its illumination only by receiving a DC signal for turning on / off the EL. Can provide.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Before describing the embodiments of the present invention, it is necessary to describe the configuration of the segment EL and the configuration of the electroluminescence element. These are filed on the same day as the present invention. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an outline of the configuration of an EL used in the electroluminescence element of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram drawn by extracting only one EL segment in order to explain its operation. is there.

  In FIG. 1, 10, 11, 12, and 13 are EL light emitting element groups (EL segments), 20, 21, 22, and 23 are AC power supply control element groups, 30, 31, 32, and 33 are switch element groups, and 40 is The CPU interface 60 is an AC inverter power supply. In the EL drive circuit shown in FIG. 1, the light emitting element group is composed of a plurality of light emitting elements (EL segments) 10, 11, 12, 13..., And an AC power supply control element group and a switch are provided for each EL segment. The element group includes a plurality of photo triacs 20, 21, 22, 23... And a plurality of key switches 30, 31, 32, 33. Each of the EL segments 10, 11, 12, 13... Blinks by controlling the power supply from the inverter power supply 60 by the control from the CPU interface 40.

  The CPU interface 40 includes a known key matrix scan circuit, and has a pull-up resistor configuration on the input / output port side. The inverter power supply 60 is provided in common for all the EL segments 10, 11, 12, 13. The AC power supplied from the inverter power supply 60 is 100 V and 400 Hz.

  The EL blinking control and key switch scan circuit of FIG. 1 is a photo triac for key switches on a keyboard circuit connected in a grid (this is a well-known configuration and will not be described in detail). The light emitting element side of 20, 21, 22, 23... Is connected in parallel, and the light receiving element side is connected to the AC inverter power supply 60. Are connected in series to the EL segments 10, 11, 12, 13... By a microcomputer that monitors input / output of the keyboard matrix circuit when a specific key on the keyboard is pressed. The line of the circuit configuration to be detected and the line of the circuit configuration for performing blinking control of a specific EL segment among the plurality of EL segments are the same line. Ri so as to achieve, has a structure of repeated flashing circuit of EL on the keyboard circuit.

  The operation of the circuit of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described with reference to a circuit diagram drawn by extracting only one EL segment of FIG. Now, assuming that a program is set in the microcomputer to turn on the EL segment 10 when the key switch 30 is pressed, the operation at that time will be described.

  First, the outline of the operation of the drive circuit of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The EL flashing control uses the zero cross point of the AC power generated by the inverter power supply as a CPU interrupt, and outputs a Hi signal from the CPU output port (O1 to O4) to the anode side of the photo-triac light receiving unit at this timing. To do. Similarly, a low signal is output from the input / output ports (I1 to I4) of the CPU to the cathode side of the light receiving unit of the photo triac to turn on the photo traac. Using the phototriac turn-on hold characteristic, it is possible to control lighting / flashing / extinguishing of EL only by controlling the phototriac only at the timing of this interruption. As described above, since the flashing control of the EL hardly takes time, the key switch scan is executed in this idle time. In the key switch scan, Low signals are sequentially output from the CPU output ports (O1 to O4), and Low is detected when the switch is pressed at the input / output ports (I1 to I4), and Hi is detected when the switch is not pressed. can do. As described above, although the EL and the key switch exist on the same wiring, but the control is independent of each other, it is possible to perform control such as detecting a certain switch input and lighting a specific EL.

  That is, in FIG. 2, when the key switch 30 is pressed, the contact of the key switch 30 is closed. Here, when a positive signal is output from the first terminal O1 of the output port (OUT), a current flows from the first terminal O1 of the output port (OUT) through the key switch 30, and the rise is caused by the input port (IN). If the user is looking at a predetermined scanning time, it can be detected that the key switch 30 has been pressed.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 2, the operation of turning on the EL segment 10 by extracting a circuit in which the photo triac 20, the AC inverter power supply 60, and the EL segment 10 are connected in series will be described.

  The photo triac is an element for turning on / off an AC signal. In the present invention, the photo triac is used, but the photo triac is not particularly limited to the photo triac. As shown in FIG. 3A, in the present invention, an AC power supply of, for example, 100 V, 400 Hz (one cycle 2.5 msec) is supplied from the inverter power supply 60, and at the zero cross point (a) of the AC power supply. If a pulse is output to the LED on the input side of the photo triac 20, the triac on the light receiving side is turned on during a half cycle (1.25 msec), and the EL segment 10 connected thereto is lit. However, the EL cannot be lit continuously unless the current continues to be supplied. Therefore, if the next pulse is output at the next zero cross point (b) of the alternating current from the inverter power supply 60, the triac on the light receiving side of the photo triac 21 is turned on for the next half cycle (1.25 msec). It becomes possible.

  In this way, as shown in FIG. 3A, the light receiving side triac is turned on by outputting a pulse signal to the photo triac input side LED at a point where the load voltage of the inverter power supply is equal to or lower than the zero cross voltage. be able to. By controlling this operation every segment at the zero cross point of the inverter power supply, it is possible to control the lighting, blinking, and extinguishing of each segment EL.

  Next, the relationship between the scanning of the key switch 40 and the blinking control of the photo triac 20 needs to be described. For that purpose, since these two operations are constituted by the same scanning matrix circuit, the scanning period and each segment for confirming that each keyboard is pressed during the scanning of the keyboard matrix circuit. It is necessary to configure to control the blinking of the light emitting elements in the segment unit by serially controlling the lighting control period of the light emitting elements in the unit in another period. This is illustrated in FIG. 3B. In this embodiment, since the AC power supply from the inverter power supply 60 is 100 V, 400 Hz (one cycle 2.5 msec), a sufficiently short time of the half cycle is set as the EL segment blinking control period, and the remaining time is set for each keyboard. This is the scanning period.

  In other words, the EL blinking control uses the zero cross point of the AC power generated by the inverter power as an interrupt of the CPU, and at this timing, the Hi signal is output from the CPU output port (O1 to O4) to the anode side of the photo triac light receiving unit. Is output. Similarly, a low signal is output from the input / output ports (I1 to I4) of the CPU to the cathode side of the light receiving unit of the photo triac to turn on the photo traac. As described above, lighting / flashing / extinguishing of EL can be controlled only by controlling the photo triac only at the timing of this interruption using the turn-on holding characteristic of the photo triac. As described above, since the flashing control of the EL hardly takes time, it is possible to execute the key switch scan in this idle time. In the key switch scan, Low signals are sequentially output from the CPU output ports (O1 to O4), and Low is detected when the switch is pressed at the input / output ports (I1 to I4), and Hi is detected when the switch is not pressed. can do. As described above, although the EL and the key switch exist on the same wiring, but the control is independent of each other, it is possible to perform control such as detecting a certain switch input and lighting a specific EL.

  Thus, in order to control the lighting of EL, as shown in FIG. 3B, the lighting of EL is controlled by outputting a Low signal from Port B at the timing when a Hi signal is output from Port A. be able to. Further, by setting Port B as an input port at the timing when a Low signal is output from Port A, Low can be detected by Port B when the switch is ON, and Hi when Port is OFF.

  In the circuit diagrams of FIGS. 1 and 2, a circuit configuration line and a plurality of EL segments are detected by a microcomputer monitoring input / output of a keyboard matrix circuit that a specific key on the keyboard is pressed. Since the line of the circuit configuration for controlling the blinking of a specific EL segment is achieved by the same line, two operations achieved by the circuit configuration, that is, scanning for confirming that each keyboard is pressed It is apt to be understood that the lighting control of the light emitting element of each segment unit must be related (for example, the EL segment 10 is turned on when the key switch 30 is pressed). The operation can be operated without any relation.

  In FIG. 4, the operation when the EL segment 10 is turned on will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, a Hi signal is output from Port A in the matrix configuration of the EL segment 10 to be lit, and a Low signal is output from Port B. As a result, a circuit is formed in which a current flows through the input side LED of the photo triac 20. In this way, unless the Hi signal is output from Port A and the Low signal is output from Port B, it is not possible to supply power to the input side LED of the photo triac 20. The circuit configuration is not possible. Further, by arranging a large value resistor Rsw in series with the switch, even if the switch 30 is pressed during the lighting control of the EL segment 10, the current flowing to the switch 30 side is suppressed and the input side LED of the photo triac 20 is stable. Thus, it is possible to control the lighting of the EL segment 10 without being affected by ON / OFF of the switch 30.

  With the above circuit configuration, by dividing the control period of the two operations, scanning to confirm that the keyboard has been pressed and lighting control of the light emitting element of each segment unit are controlled separately by one circuit configuration It is possible to do. In other words, it is possible to control blinking of an EL segment arranged on the same line as the pressed key switch, or to control blinking of another EL segment not arranged on the same line as the pressed key switch. It is also possible to do. Of course, any EL segment can be controlled to blink by programming with a microcomputer, regardless of whether the key switch is ON / OFF.

  In other words, if one EL segment is arranged under each of the plurality of key switches in correspondence with a plurality of key switches, if a specific key switch is pressed, it is arranged below that. It is also possible to light up an EL segment so that the user knows what key switch was pressed, and when a specific key switch is pressed, it is placed under the key switch to be operated next. The EL segment may be blinked and used for guidance of the next operation by the user, or should be alerted to the user by time or operation mode, for example, regardless of the key switch operation. The EL segment arranged under the key switch may be blinked. Thus, a free control operation can be achieved by one circuit configuration.

  As described above, in order to separately control the scanning for confirming that the keyboard is pressed and the lighting control of the light emitting elements of each segment unit in a time-sharing manner, the optimum embodiment of the present invention includes two embodiments. Although the description has been given of the configuration in which the control operation can be achieved on the same line, as a second best measure, as shown in FIG. 5, a circuit configuration that achieves each of the two control operations is formed separately. May be.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, phototriac groups 20, 21, and 22 are separately connected to Port A, and switch groups 30, 31, and 32 are separately connected to Port B, and each EL segment 10, 11, 12 is connected. When turning on / off the LED, the Hi signal is output from the Port A to the input LEDs of the photo triacs 20, 21, 22 corresponding to the EL segments 10, 11, 12, and the Low signal is output. Can be turned off. Further, each of the switches 30, 31, and 32 connected to Port B can detect Hi when the switch is OFF and can detect Low when the switch is ON. By performing the control of Port A and Port B in a time-sharing manner, a function equivalent to a circuit in which a switch and a photo triac are connected on the same wiring can be obtained.

  With such a configuration, the EL blink control and the key switch scan control are used by sharing the time with the same wiring. Further, the key switch is not a switch dedicated for EL blinking, but can be configured as a switch for performing some control other than EL blinking. Of course, it goes without saying that it can also be used as an EL blinking switch.

  As described above, the drive circuit is configured by integrating the segment EL and the switching circuit, so that the drive circuit can be attached to a housing of an electronic information device, a home appliance, or the like. A specific external configuration of a unit incorporating the above circuit configuration will be described with reference to FIG. The layer structure of this unit structure is as shown in FIG. By configuring in this way, the present inventors can finally supply the drive circuit of the present invention together with the EL as a custom IC.

  In such an embodiment, in addition to the design / manufacturing technology of the flexible EL that has been accumulated so far, the present inventors have a high affinity with the microcomputer for characters, designs, and icons divided into segments on the EL. The latest display and operation panel that enables a low-cost man-machine interface by controlling with a control circuit, supplying key wiring and EL wiring together with a low-cost and highly reliable control IC. It has become possible to provide.

  The typical basic layer structure of the segment EL used in the segment EL switch unit of the present embodiment is desirably a structure in which the metal dome SW is integrated on the back side of the EL, which is excellent in click feeling. As shown in FIG. 6, the integrated segment EL100 incorporates an EL driving IC 101 and a switch control IC 102 in the integrated segment EL100, and a CPU 103 for controlling these ICs is provided outside. Therefore, a display / operation panel can be provided for any electrical device by attaching the integrated segment EL100 to the housing.

  As shown in detail in FIG. 8, the integrated segment EL100 has a base film 105 in which a predetermined number of key convex portions 104, 104, 104... It consists of a decorative print layer 106 consisting of a nameplate or key display part, a transparent electrode layer 107 having a circuit configuration for supplying power to each EL segment unit in common, and a predetermined number of segments in a predetermined arrangement for each EL segment unit. EL phosphor layer 108, dielectric layer 109 for improving insulation and withstand voltage formed in a predetermined number corresponding to EL phosphor layer 108, and a back surface that supplies power independently to each EL segment unit An electrode layer 110, an insulating layer 111 for achieving insulation between a circuit configuration above this and a circuit configuration below this, an adhesive layer (adhesive layer) 112 for attaching a substrate, Type metal dome (the metal dome) placed in a predetermined arrangement at a predetermined number that is 113,113,113 ..., consists predetermined printed circuit board circuitry is printed corresponding to the key (PCB) 114. The integrated segment EL100 is provided with an EL drive IC 101 and a switch control IC 102 that constitute an EL drive circuit in the circuit configuration of the back electrode layer 110. A predetermined number of photo triacs are incorporated in the switch control IC 102. From this integrated segment EL100, a rubber connector (ACF) 115 is provided on the printed circuit board 114 in order to connect to the CPU 103 for light emission control.

  In the manufacturing process of this integrated segment EL100, dome-shaped metal domes 113, 113, 113,... Are arranged at positions corresponding to the keys of the printed circuit board 114 on which a circuit configuration corresponding to a predetermined key is printed. After forming the adhesive layer 112, each layer is printed and formed in sequence, and finally, the base film 105 on which the key convex portions 104, 104, 104. As described above, the segment EL can be directly printed or pasted on the nameplate in the same manner as decorative printing. Although not described in detail, an inexpensive illuminated touch panel switch can be provided with a structure in which a touch panel switch is bonded to the EL light emitting surface side.

  As a result, the formed integrated segment EL is integrated by bonding to the dome switch on the substrate, has sufficient key-keying durability, and the key portion can be directly illuminated independently, and the thickness is about 3 mm. It is possible to realize illuminated switch buttons for various electric devices.

  Furthermore, the segment EL element can be configured by integrating the segment EL and the switching circuit with the drive circuit as described above, so that it can be used by being attached to the housing of an electric device such as an electronic information device or a home appliance. It is what.

  Next, the final product image as the electrical apparatus of the present invention will be described in detail. In the following examples, an electronic rice cooker will be described as an example of an electric device. The display / operation panel of the conventional electronic rice cooker is configured to monitor the switch with a microcomputer mounted on the product. As shown in FIG. 9, the upper surface is a layer decorated with nameplates 120 and 121. Below that, there is a switch part 122 (key switch cover / switch spacer part / key switch part), which makes the unit as thick as 10 mm. In addition, since parts having different heights are mounted, the spacer 123 is required for each part and the switch part 122 and the light emitting part (LED) 124 are separated, so that the number of parts is increased and the number of mounting steps is increased. Becomes higher.

  On the other hand, when the display / operation panel part of the electronic rice cooker is configured with a segment EL switch, it has a small number of molds, low cost, and a small number of parts, and has many illumination / flashing / switch functions. Electric equipment can be provided. In this case, the segment EL switch element can be made as thin as 3 mm, and the mounting space for the switch and EL is small, so that the degree of freedom in designing the electronic device is increased.

  Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to a touch panel type audio device having no click feeling. Usually, the touch panel does not have a click feeling, so it cannot feel the switching feeling alone. Therefore, it is possible to function as a switch for the first time by combining with CRT or liquid crystal and combining with a change in screen display. However, although a CRT or a liquid crystal is excellent as a display element, the cost becomes very high, and if it is simply considered as a device that satisfies the illumination function of the switch, it becomes an excessive quality.

  On the other hand, the segment EL switch unit of the present invention has a high affinity with an external CPU, and can control any pattern shape and free flashing. Therefore, it is possible to easily provide a guide illumination function that can cope with the above and a switching monitor illumination function. In other words, by using the segment EL switch unit of the present invention and the touch panel switch together, the touch panel switch can be easily used for an inexpensive audio device or remote control that does not match the mounting of CRT or liquid crystal in the operation / display part. Can offer possibilities.

  Further, an example in which the EL having the integrated unit configuration is used by being attached to a casing of an electronic information device, a home appliance, or the like will be specifically described. By using the key switch and the EL lighting drive circuit to turn on / off the switch, the scan key switch illumination is lit, blinks, and guided to the operation key switch, so that the operation can be performed without guidance.

  As described above, the present invention adopts a segmented EL panel that can be integrated with a switch and thinned in place of the LED light source, and the lighting control is controlled by the control CPU from the switching circuit using the triac element. In addition, the same circuit is used to scan the ON / OFF state of the switch. As a result, an interface for guiding the operation key switch can be provided.

It is a circuit diagram which shows the outline | summary of the drive circuit of EL of this invention. FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating only one segment EL extracted for explaining the operation of the EL drive circuit of the present invention. (A) (B) It is explanatory drawing of EL lighting control and switch detection control of this invention. It is detailed explanatory drawing of EL lighting control of this invention. (A) (B) It is a circuit diagram which shows another Example of this invention. It is an external appearance block diagram of the unit incorporating the circuit structure of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the layer structure of the segment EL unit of this invention. It is a detailed perspective view which shows the layer structure of the segment EL unit of this invention. It is a detailed perspective view which shows the display and operation panel part of the conventional electronic rice cooker.

Explanation of symbols

10, 11, 12, 13 ... EL light emitting element group (EL segment)
20, 21, 22, 23 ... AC power supply control element group (photo triac)
30, 31, 32, 33 ... switch element group (key switch)
40 ... CPU interface, 60 ... AC inverter power supply 100 ... Integrated segment EL, 101 ... EL driving IC
102: Switch control IC, 103: CPU

Claims (6)

A light emitting element that emits light in a plurality of segment units, and a light emitting element lighting circuit such as a photo triac is provided at each intersection of a keyboard matrix circuit of a keyboard having a plurality of key configurations, and the light emitting element at each intersection A line having a circuit configuration in which the light emitting element is connected to a lighting circuit in a segment unit, and a microcomputer monitoring the input / output of the keyboard matrix circuit detects that a specific key on the keyboard is pressed and the plurality of lines The light emitting element having a circuit configuration for performing blinking control of a specific light emitting element segment of the light emitting element is achieved by the same line, and the light emitting element composed of the plurality of segments and its drive control circuit are integrated with a switching circuit. It is characterized in that the electroluminescent element configured stuck to the housing Electrical equipment. A light emitting element lighting circuit such as a photo triac is provided at each intersection of a keyboard matrix circuit of a keyboard having a plurality of key configurations, and a light emitting element lighting circuit at each intersection. When a microcomputer monitoring the input / output of the keyboard matrix circuit detects that a specific key on the keyboard is pressed, the light emitting elements are connected in segment units. A light emitting element in each segment unit is configured to perform blinking control of a specific light emitting element segment, and in the scanning of the keyboard matrix circuit, confirms that each keyboard is pressed and a light emitting element in each segment unit The point of the light emitting element of the segment unit Electrical equipment as well as configured to perform control, characterized in that the electroluminescent element of the light emitting device and a driving control circuit is constructed by integrating a switching circuit composed of a plurality of segments adhered to the housing. An electric device comprising the electroluminescent element constituted integrally according to claim 1 attached to a casing as an operation / display panel . An audio-visual device, wherein the electroluminescent element constructed in an integrated manner according to claim 1 is attached to a casing as an operation / display panel . An electronic rice cooker , wherein the electroluminescent element constructed integrally according to claim 1 is attached to a casing as an operation / display panel. An automobile characterized in that the integrally constructed electroluminescence element according to claim 3 is attached to a vehicle body as an automobile meter display panel .

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