JPH0228566Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an illuminated push button device used in audio equipment and the like.

[Background of the idea]

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a conventional illuminated pushbutton device, in which 1 is a cover, 2 is a pushbutton, 2a,
2b are a pressing body and an operating rod of the push button 2, respectively;
3 is a holding plate, 3a is a hole in the holding plate 3, 4 is a spring, 5 is a switch, and 6 is a lamp.

In the figure, a cover 1 made of an opaque material
The tip of the pusher 2a of the pushbutton 2 is exposed to the outside, and inside the cover 1 covers the pusher 2a is integrated with the operating rod 2b. Here, the pressing body 2a and the operating rod 2b are both made of a material having light transmittance. The back surface of the cover 1 faces a transparent presser plate 3, and the presser plate 3 is provided with a hole 3a through which the operating rod 2b of the push button 2 is inserted. A spring 4 interposed between this presser plate 3 and the push button 2
is for returning the push button 2, which is pressed in the right-hand direction in the drawing, to its original position. The rear end of the operating rod 2b of the push button 2 faces the switch 5 so that it can come into contact with the switch 5, and when the push button 2 is pressed, the desired contact is obtained and the switch 5 is turned on and off. . A lamp 6 is located near this switch 5.
The lamp 6 is turned on and off according to the on/off operation of the switch 5.

Now, from the state shown in FIG. 2, when the surface of the pressing body 2a of the push button 2 is pressed with a finger or the like toward the right in the drawing, the spring 4 is compressed and the rear end of the operating rod 2b protrudes in the pressing direction. comes into contact with the switch 5, and the switch 5 is turned on or off. When the switch 5 is turned on, the lamp 6, which had been off until then, is turned on, and the light from the lamp 6 passes through the transparent presser plate 3 and further passes through the light-transmitting push button 2. , the pressing body 2a exposed to the outside of the cover 1 shines,
The on state of the switch 5 can be visually confirmed. Furthermore, when the switch 5 is turned off, the lamp 6 that has been lit up until then is turned off, so the shine of the pressing body 2a disappears, and the off state of the switch 5 can be visually recognized from the outside of the cover 1. When the pressing force on the push button 2 by a finger or the like is released, the push button 2 is pushed back by the elastic force of the spring 4 and returns to the original position shown in FIG.

However, such conventional illuminated pushbutton devices are configured to require the same number of springs 4 as pushbuttons 2, so when arranging a large number of pushbuttons 2, it is necessary to incorporate springs 4 one by one. The drawback was that the assembly work became complicated. In addition, the shadow of the spring 4 caused by the light from the lamp 6 is reflected on the pressing body 2a of the push button 2 and is visible from the outside, which poses a problem in terms of design.

[Purpose of invention]

It is an object of the present invention to provide an illuminated pushbutton device that eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art described above, does not complicate assembly work even when a large number of pushbuttons are arranged, and has an excellent design.

[Summary of the idea]

To achieve this objective, the present invention is arranged between an opaque cover and a light-transparent holding plate,
A push button that is partially exposed through a through hole formed in the cover, a return means for returning the push button to a non-pressed position, and a button that is turned on by pressing the push button against the return means. An illuminated pushbutton device comprising a switch for switching off and a light source for illuminating the pushbutton, wherein the pushbutton is comprised of a transparent or translucent push body and a light-transparent opalescent operating rod. The pressing body and the operating rod are integrated by fitting a flange with a recess larger than the through hole on the back side of the cover, and the return means has a planar shape having elastic force and light transparency. It is characterized by consisting of a body.

[Example of idea]

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the illuminated push button device according to the present invention, and the cover 1, push button 2, press plate 3, switch 5, and lamp 6 are similar to the conventional technology shown in FIG. Correspondingly, 7 is a planar body having elastic force and optical transparency, and 8 is a connecting screw.

As shown in FIG. 1, the opaque cover 1 has a plurality of through holes 1a, and these through holes 1a
The tips of the pressing bodies 2a are exposed to the outside. A recess 2c larger than the through hole 1a is formed on the back surface of each pressing body 2a, and a flange 2d is formed at one end of each operating rod 2b, and by fitting the flange 2d into these recesses 2c, Inside the cover 1, the pusher 2a and the operating rod 2b are integrated to form the pushbutton 2. The pressing body 2
A is made of a transparent or semi-transparent material, while the operating rod 2b is made of a milky white material that allows light to pass through but hides the internal structure. The planar body 7 placed opposite to the back surface of the cover 1 is formed into a planar shape with elasticity and optical transparency, and is used to operate the operation rods 2b of the plurality of push buttons 2.
The elastic force of the planar body 7 returns the push button 2 to its original position after being pressed. As this planar body 7, for example, a porous and elastic white material can be used, and in this embodiment, Moltoprene (trade name), an ether foaming agent, is used. Further, the presser plate 3 is transparent and has a hole 3a through which the operating rod 2b of the push button 2 is inserted, and is fixed to the cover 1 with a connecting screw 8. The rear end of the operating rod 2b of the push button 2 faces the switch 5 so that it can come into contact with it, and when the push button 2 is pressed, the desired contact is obtained and the switch 5 is turned on/off.
An off operation is performed. A lamp 6 is provided near the switch 5, and the lamp 6 blinks in accordance with the on/off operation of the switch 5.

The illuminated pushbutton device having the above structure can be constructed by simply providing a hole for inserting the operation rod 2b at a predetermined position of the sheet body 7, and a plurality of pushbuttons 2 can share one sheet body 7. The elastic force of the planar body 7 gives each push button 2 a return force after being pressed. Therefore, when arranging a large number of pushbuttons 2, the assembly work is significantly reduced compared to conventional illuminated pushbutton devices in which the same number of springs must be incorporated. Moreover, since the planar body 7 is light-transmissive, the light from the lamp 6 does not cast a shadow, and the conventional problem of the shadow of the spring being visible from the outside is also solved. . Furthermore, the flange 2d of the operation rod 2b made of opalescent material can hide internal parts such as the switch 5 and printed circuit board, and the light diffusion function of the operation rod 2b allows the pressing body 2a to be hidden. The surface can be evenly illuminated.

In addition, as in the above embodiment, when Moltoprene (trade name), an ether foaming agent, is used as the planar body 7, by appropriately changing the thickness and mesh (hardness, foaming ratio) of Moltoprene,
Pressing body 2 of push button 2 that shines when receiving light from lamp 6
It becomes possible to change the brightness of a to some extent freely.

The operation of the above embodiment is almost the same as that of the prior art described above, except that a planar body is used instead of a spring as the return means, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, the illuminated push button device of the present invention uses a planar body having elasticity and light transparency in place of the conventional spring as a means for returning the push button to its original position after being pressed. By using this method, even when a large number of push buttons are arranged, the number of sheet bodies does not particularly increase, so the assembly work is not complicated. The pushbutton is constructed by forming a large recess and fitting the flange of the operation rod made of opalescent material into this recess, which not only eliminates uneven illumination of the pushbutton, but also prevents the shadows of internal parts from coming in from the outside. The conventional problem of being visible is solved. Therefore, assembly workability is simplified, especially when arranging a large number of pushbuttons, and an illuminated pushbutton device with excellent design can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of an illuminated push button device according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a conventional illuminated push button device. 1...Cover, 1a...Through hole, 2...Push button, 2a...Press body, 2b...Operation rod, 2c...
Recess, 2d...flange, 3...pressing plate, 3a...
Hole, 5... Switch, 6... Lamp (light source), 7
... Planar body, 8... Connection screw.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A push button disposed between an opaque cover and a light-transmissive holding plate, a part of which is exposed through a through hole formed in the cover, and a return means for returning the push button to a non-pressed position. , an illuminated pushbutton device comprising a switch that is turned on and off by pressing the pushbutton against the return means, and a light source that illuminates the pushbutton, wherein the pushbutton is transparent. Alternatively, it consists of a translucent pressing body and a light-transparent milky-white operating rod, and the pressing body and the operating rod are integrated by fitting the flange into a recess larger than the through hole on the back side of the cover. An illuminated push button device characterized in that the return means is made of a planar body having elasticity and light transmittance.