JPH03239286A - Switch operation display device of apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the design of an apparatus and to facilitate the cleaning by providing a sensor for detecting an operation of a display pattern part of a user, and a light source operated by a detection of the sensor so as to be opposed to each other on the display pattern part of an opaque part. CONSTITUTION:On the reverse side of a switch operation display surface part 4 being a cover part 2, a printing part 11 consisting of a translucent member, and an opaque part 13 in which only a display pattern part 12 is transparent are provided integrally or as separate bodies. Also, on the display pattern part 12, plural sensors 14 for detecting an operation of the display pattern part 12 of a user, and plural light sources 15 operated by a detection of each sensor 14 are provided so as to be opposed to each other. Accordingly, usually there is no switch operating part at all on the surface of an apparatus unless the user turns on a power source of the apparatus, a design of the whole apparatus becomes smart, and also, since the switch operating part is not exposed on the surface, cleaning can be executed easily. In such a way, the design of the whole apparatus can be improved and cleaning can be facilitated.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is applicable to industrial fields such as housework/cooking equipment, video equipment, or OA equipment.
This invention relates to a switch operation display device for equipment, etc.

Conventional technology Conventionally, the switch operation display device in this type of equipment is
A switch operating section 7 is always exposed on the display surface section for operating the device, and the user selects this as appropriate to operate the device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention -1- In the conventional configuration, the switch operation part is always exposed on the display surface, so the surface of the device does not look neat and there is a problem in terms of design. In addition, when cleaning the equipment, the switch operation part was exposed, so it was not possible to keep every nook and cranny clean, even though cleaning required time and effort.

The present invention solves these conventional problems,
Usually, the switch operation part is removed from the surface of the device, improving the design of the device and making it easier to clean.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above objects, the switch operation display device for equipment of the present invention comprises a switch operation display surface portion of the equipment made of a transparent member, and only the display pattern portion is transparent on the back side of the device. A display pattern portion of the opaque portion is provided with a sensor for detecting a user's operation of the display pattern portion, and a light source that is activated by detection by the sensor, facing each other.

When the device is turned on, a display pattern is provided by the light source on the switch operation display surface.

When the user operates a predetermined display pattern, a sensor detects this and displays the selected display pattern, causing the device to operate. Therefore, unless the user turns on the device, there are usually no switch operation parts on the surface of the device, resulting in a clean design of the device as a whole, and no switch operation parts are exposed on the surface. Easy to clean.

EXAMPLE Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described using a rice cooker as an example of equipment. In FIG. 1, the rice cooker is comprised of a main body 1 and a lid 2 that can be opened and closed. In this embodiment, a button 3 for opening and closing the lid 2 is provided on the front surface of the main body 1 of the device. The lid part 2 is normally just a lid, but when the power is turned on, the display pattern of the switch is projected and becomes the switch operation display surface part 4, and is molded from a transparent resin member. Furthermore, the lid part 2 is provided with an operation button 5 for operating a power switch and a steam vent hole 6. As shown in FIG. 2, inside the space formed by the device body 1 and the lid 2, there is a rice cooker #! 7, an inner lid 8, a temperature detection element 9, a heating coil 10 for induction heating, a control circuit, etc. are built-in.

The details of the switch operation display surface portion are shown in FIG. 3, as shown in FIG.
A printed portion 11 made of a semi-transparent material and an opaque portion 13 in which only the display pattern portion 12 is transparent are provided integrally or separately. Further, in the display pattern portion 12,
A plurality of sensors 14 that detect the user's operation of the display pattern portion 12 and a plurality of light sources 15 that are activated by the detection of each sensor 14 are provided facing each other. Each light source 15 is attached to a printed circuit board 16 and a sensor 14
It is covered together with a switch case 17. In this embodiment, an electrostatic switch is used as the sensor 14, and an LED is used as the light source 15.

Fig. 4 shows the overall configuration including the control circuit, and the switch operation display section 4 includes a "menu display section", "time display section", "reservation", "cooking", 1 keep warm - 1 operation. There are display pattern sections such as a display section, a "time adjustment display section," a "reservation"/"am"/"afternoon" display section, an "hour"/1 minute" display section, and a 1-menu-1-operation display section. . Moreover, as the sensor 14, 1.4. There are seven sensors a to 14g, each consisting of a pair of sensor terminals. These sensors 1.4a to 14g are the "time adjustment display section", "hour"/1 minute display section, "menu operation display section-1," and "reservation"/"-cooked rice"/1-maintenance item- 1
They are provided opposite to the operation display section.

There are 144 L light sources 15, numbered 153 to 15n. "・1-Rice cooking j-1-Keep warm-1 operation display section, 1-menu display section"
, and the "Reservation", "Morning", and "Afternoon" display sections, respectively. Note that the "time display section" constitutes a digital clock using 7-segment LEDs. In Fig. 4, 18 to 24 are each sensor 1.
．． 4a to 1.4g, 25 is a pulse voltage generation circuit connected to sensor 14a, and 26 is each electrostatic induction voltage level detection circuit 18 to 2.
4. LED of "time display section" and each light source 15a to 15
A control circuit connected to the temperature sensing element 9 receives a signal from the temperature sensing element 9. 27 is an inverter for the heating coil 10.

The pulse voltage generating circuit 25 described above outputs a square wave voltage of about 5 KH2, and when not operated,
Due to the capacitive coupling between the electrodes of each sensor, a relatively high level voltage is input to each electrostatic induction voltage level detection circuit 18-24. However, when operated by a human, the output from the pulse voltage generating circuit 25 is bypassed due to the capacitance between the electrode of the sensor and the human finger.
Electrostatic induction voltage level detection circuit 18 connected to the output of part 8
The voltage at 24.\ is smaller than when it is not operated. Therefore, when the electrostatic dielectric voltage level detection circuits 18 to 24 have an input terminal level smaller than a predetermined threshold value, the electrostatic dielectric voltage level detection circuits 18 to 24 detect the sensor connected to the input terminal r.
．． , g has been operated, and outputs a signal to that effect to the control circuit 26.

The operation of the switch operation display screen section 4 of the rice cooker having the configuration shown in L will be explained. Before the power is turned on, the state is shown in FIG. 1A, and no display pattern is displayed. When the power is turned on by operating the operation button 5, each light source projects a display pattern in the state shown in FIG. 1B, that is, the state shown in FIG. 5A, on the lid portion 2 made of a translucent member. Therefore, for example, when pre-cooking white rice, when the user touches the "reservation" operation display section with his or her finger, the sensor 14 detects this.
The preset reservation time (10:35) detected by e will be displayed (if you want to change the reservation time, adjust it by operating the hours - 1 and minutes display).Next, operate the "cook" button. When you touch the display with your finger, the "hour"/"minute" display, "me: - u display", etc. disappear (the corresponding light source turns off), and the fifth
The display pattern shown in Figure B will be displayed and the white rice will be cooked at the scheduled time.
L-garu. These operations are similar to those of commercially available rice cookers, and menu selection, time setting, etc. can be freely set. When the rice cooking is finished and the power is turned off, the display returns to its original state with no display.

The above embodiment has been explained using a rice cooker as an example, but it is obvious that the idea of this switch operation display device can also be used for switch operation display devices in other housework/cooking equipment, video equipment, OA equipment, etc. It is. Furthermore, if the operation button 5 is completely separated from the switch operation display surface section 4, the structure of the lid section 2 can be further streamlined. In addition, an example is given in which the sensors L4a to 14g are capacitance type and are configured by combining two electrodes, but it is not necessarily necessary to use a sensor with such a configuration. For example, it is also possible to realize a capacitance type sensor in which a part of the sensor is composed of only one electrode, a switch in which a transparent electrode is provided on the surface of the switch operation display surface section 4, or the like.

Effects of the Invention As shown in L, the switch operation display device of the present invention normally does not have any switch operation parts on the surface of the device unless the user turns on the device, and the overall design of the device is The system is clean and innovative, and the switch operation part is not exposed on the surface, making it easy to empty the tank. In addition, the switch can be easily operated by simply touching the switch operation display surface of the device, providing excellent operability. This device can be used not only in the rice cooker of the embodiment but also in various types of equipment, and its practical effects are very large.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1A and 1B are perspective views showing a display pattern in a non-display state and a display state, taking a rice cooker as an example of the device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same rice cooker, and FIG. 3 is a main part of the same. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the overall circuit configuration of the rice cooker, and FIGS. 5A and 5B are plan views showing examples of display patterns. 1...Device body, 4...Switch operation display section, 1
2... Display pattern part, 13... Opaque part, 14
...Sensor, 15...Light source.

Claims (1)

[Claims] The switch operation display surface of the device is made of a translucent material,
An opaque part with only the display pattern part translucent is provided on the back side, and the display pattern part of this opaque part is equipped with a sensor that detects the user's operation of the display pattern part and a light source that operates based on the detection of the sensor. Switch operation display devices for equipment installed facing each other.