JPH0249622Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Purpose of the Invention] (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a switch device using a light projecting element and a light receiving element.

(Prior Art) As one means for making a switch device contactless, it has been conventionally practiced to utilize a light emitting element such as a light emitting diode and a light receiving element such as a phototransistor. As an example of this type of switch device, conventionally, a light guide member made of plastic or an optical fiber is used to form an optical path between a light emitting element and a light receiving element, and a light path that appears in and out of this optical path according to manual operation is used. A structure equipped with a shielding plate is provided.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) The conventional switch device described above not only requires a relatively expensive light guide member or optical fiber, which increases the cost, but also requires the structure of the movable parts including the shielding plate, etc. There is also the problem that it becomes complicated. In addition, a shielding plate that requires a predetermined operation stroke is required separately from the light guide member or optical fiber, which makes it difficult to reduce the overall size and thickness, and there are problems in that productivity is also poor. .

The present invention was developed in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to reduce costs and simplify the structure while being a non-contact type that uses a light emitting element and a light receiving element. It is an object of the present invention to provide a switch device that can be made smaller and thinner, and can also significantly improve productivity.

"Structure of the invention" (Means for solving the problems) The switch device according to the invention includes a first plate-like member having a light-guiding property, and a first plate-like member having a light-guiding property and made of a flexible material. Two plate-like members are provided, and these are arranged in an overlapping manner with a predetermined gap between them, and light is projected into the first plate-like member or the second plate-like member. and a light-receiving element arranged to receive light from within the second plate-like member or the first plate-like member and generating a switching signal in a light-receiving state, and further , by forming a slit in the second plate-like member, the distal end surface can reciprocate between a first position facing the end face of the first plate-like member and a second position not facing the end face. In addition to providing a movable tongue piece configured to be movable, elasticity imparting means for urging the movable tongue piece to the second position is provided.

(Function) When the movable tongue piece is in the second position, that is, the tip end face of the movable tongue piece is not opposed to the end face of the second plate-like member, the inside of the first plate-like member and the second plate-like member are No light is transmitted between the plate-like members, so the light-receiving element exhibits a non-light-receiving state and no switching signal is output. Furthermore, when the movable tongue piece is pressed by a finger or the like and moved to the first position, the tip end face of the tongue piece comes to face the end face of the second plate-like member, so that the first plate shaped member and second
Light is transmitted between the plate-like member and the second plate-like member through the tip surface of the tongue piece and the end face of the second plate-like member, so that the light-receiving element receives light from the light-emitting element. When this occurs, a switching signal is output.

(Example) In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a first light guide plate which is a first plate-like member, which is made of, for example, a transparent plastic material and has a light guide property,
Moreover, in this embodiment, it is formed into a rectangular frame shape.
Further, on the right edge of the upper surface of the first light guide plate 1 in the figure, a light diffusing section 2 is provided by, for example, printing fluorescent paint in a band shape. 3 is the first
This is a light-shielding spacer formed in the same shape as the first light guide plate 1, and is attached to the upper surface of the first light guide plate 1. A second light guide plate 4 is a second plate-like member, and is made of a material having light guide properties and flexibility, such as transparent plastic or silicone rubber. The second light guide plate 4 is formed in a rectangular shape wider than the spacer 3, and is attached to the upper surface of the spacer 3 with its left edge in the figure protruding. As a result of the provision of the first light guide plate 1, the spacer 3, and the second light guide plate 4, both the light guide plates 1 and 4 are arranged in an overlapping manner with a predetermined gap between them. become. Reference numeral 5 denotes a rectangular movable tongue piece provided by forming, for example, a U-shaped slit 6 in the second light guide plate 4, which corresponds to the opening portion 3a of the spacer 3. It is constructed in a small shape. The movable tongue piece 5 configured in this way
is a first position where the end surface 5a on the tip side faces the inner peripheral end surface 1a of the first light guide plate 1 (see FIG. 3).
Then, the end surface 5a can reciprocate between the end surface 1a of the first light guide plate 1 and a second position (see FIG. 1) in which it is not facing the end surface 1a. Further, a light diffusing portion 7 is provided on the upper surface of the second light guide plate 4 at the left edge in the figure (the portion protruding from the spacer 3), for example, by printing fluorescent paint in a band shape.
Reference numeral 8 denotes a light-shielding film made of, for example, plastic and having light-shielding properties and flexibility, and is attached to the upper surface of the second light guide plate 4 so as to cover the entire surface thereof. 9
is a spring plate serving as an elasticity imparting means, which is configured in a rectangular shape narrower than the first light guide plate 1, and has a spring plate on the lower surface of the first light guide plate 1, avoiding a portion facing the light diffusing portion 2. It is attached in the same condition. A circular arc portion 9a that bulges upward and comes into contact with the lower surface of the movable tongue piece 5 is provided at a portion of the spring plate 9 that faces the movable tongue piece 5. is always urged to the second position. Therefore, when the center portion (corresponding to the movable tongue piece 5) of the light-shielding film 8 is pressed with a finger or the like, the movable tongue piece 5 resists the elastic force of the spring plate 9 and moves along with the light-shielding film 8 as shown in FIG. Transformed as shown,
As a result, a sense of moderation can be obtained during the operation, and the movable tongue piece 5 can be moved to the first position. When the pressing operation is released from this state, the light-shielding film 8 and the movable tongue 5 are returned to deformation by the elastic force of the spring plate 9, and the movable tongue 5 is returned to the second position. A rectangular reinforcing plate 10 is made of a light-shielding material and has the same size as the spring plate 9, and is attached to the lower surface of the spring plate 9.

11 is a light emitting element, for example a light emitting diode;
This is installed so as to face the light diffusing portion 7 of the second light guide plate 4 from below. As a result, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 11 enters the second light guide plate 4 and is diffused by the light diffusion section 7, and a part of the diffused light (including the fluorescence emitted by the light diffusion section 7) is transmitted to the second light guide plate 4. As shown by the arrows in FIG. 1, the light beam is reflected by the upper and lower surfaces of the second light guide plate 4 and travels inside the second light guide plate 4 and further inside the movable tongue piece 5 in the longitudinal direction. 12
is a light receiving element, for example a phototransistor, which is installed so as to face the light diffusing section 2 of the first light guide plate 1 from below. As a result,
When light enters the first light guide plate 1, the light is diffused by the light diffusion section 2, and a part of the diffused light (including fluorescence emitted by the light diffusion section 2) is transferred to the phototransistor. The light will be received at 12. Although not shown, the phototransistor 12 is configured to generate a switching signal in its light receiving state. Note that the first light guide plate 1, the spacer 3, the second light guide plate 4, the light shielding film 8, the spring plate 9, and the reinforcing plate 10 are fixed by, for example, adhesive, or by sandwiching their peripheral edges. It can be fixed with a holder.

According to the above configuration, in the non-operating state, that is, in the state where the movable tongue piece 5 is in the first position as shown in FIG. Since they are in a non-opposed state, the light projected from the light emitting diode 11 into the second light guide plate 4 is not transmitted into the first light guide plate 1, and therefore the phototransistor 12 is in a non-light receiving state. A switching signal is never output. Also,
When the central part of the light-shielding film 8 is pressed, the third
As shown in the figure, the movable tongue piece 5 is moved to the first position so that its end surface 5a faces the end surface 1a of the first light guide plate 1. Then, as shown by the arrow in the figure, the light emitted from the light emitting diode 11 into the first light guide plate 4, diffused by the light diffusion section 7, and traveling in the longitudinal direction is transmitted to the movable tongue piece 5. and the first
The light is transmitted into the first light guide plate 1 through the opposing end surfaces 5 a and 1 a of the light guide plate 1 , and a part of the light is diffused by the light diffusion section 2 and received by the phototransistor 12 . Therefore, a switching signal is output from the phototransistor 12 in response to a pressing operation on the central portion of the light-shielding film 8, and such an output state returns to the state shown in FIG. 1 when the pressing operation is released. It will be stopped when the

According to the above embodiment, the first light guide plate 1, the spacer 3, the second light guide plate 4, the light shielding film 8, the spring plate 9, and the reinforcing plate 10 each have a simple shape and are relatively inexpensive. It is an extremely low-cost and simple structure that requires just overlapping, and of course, the structure of the movable parts is also extremely simple, which can promote miniaturization and thinning of the whole. Moreover, in this case, it is sufficient to simply overlap each of the above parts, and each part (including the light diffusion parts 2 and 7) can be manufactured using only press technology and printing technology, which dramatically increases productivity. It can be improved. Furthermore, by modifying the shapes of the second light guide plate 4, spring plate 9, etc., it can be easily configured as a multiple switch, which has the advantage of greatly widening the range of applications. In addition, since the spring means 9 provides a sense of moderation during operation, the operability is improved.

In the above embodiment, the spring plate 9 is provided as the elasticity imparting means, but the elasticity of the first light guide plate 4 itself may be used as the elasticity imparting means.
Further, although the light diffusing parts 2 and 7 are provided on the first light guide plate 1 and the second light guide plate 4, respectively, they may be provided at the same positions on the light shielding film 8 and the spacer 3, respectively. It is. Further, the light diffusion sections 2 and 7 are not necessarily necessary, and become unnecessary when, for example, the light emitting diode 11 and the phototransistor 12 are arranged as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.

In addition, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings; for example, the arrangement of the light emitting element and the light receiving element may be reversed, or the shape of the movable tongue may be other than rectangular. , it can be implemented with various modifications without departing from the gist thereof.

[Effects of the invention] As is clear from the above explanation, according to the invention, although it is a non-contact switch device that uses a light emitting element and a light receiving element, it achieves cost reduction and simplified structure. This has the advantageous effect of promoting miniaturization and thinning of the entire device, as well as achieving a dramatic improvement in productivity.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show one embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view in a different state from FIG. 1. In the figure, 1 is a first light guide plate (first plate-like member),
2 and 7 are light diffusion parts, 4 is a second light guide plate (second plate-like member), 5 is a movable tongue piece, 6 is a slit, 8 is a light shielding film, 9 is a spring plate (elasticity imparting means), 10
is a reinforcing plate, 11 is a light emitting diode (light emitting element),
12 indicates a phototransistor (light receiving element).

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. A first plate-like member having light-guiding properties;
a second plate-like member made of a light-guiding and flexible material and arranged overlappingly with the second plate-like member with a predetermined gap therebetween; a light emitting element arranged to project light into the member or the second plate-like member, and a light-receiving state arranged to receive light from within the second plate-like member or the first plate-like member. a light-receiving element that generates a switching signal at the second plate-like member; a movable tongue piece configured to be able to reciprocate between a certain second position;
A switch device comprising elasticity imparting means for urging the movable tongue piece to the second position. 2. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the elasticity imparting means is a spring plate. 3. The switch device according to claim 1, wherein the elasticity imparting means is the elasticity of the second plate member itself.