JPH0623133U - Panel switch device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] Prevents interference fringes between the panel switch that performs key input by touch operation and the display glass below the panel switch, and enables touch operation in a state that is easy to see. [Structure] An optical display device 7 such as a liquid crystal display having a key input display area that serves as a guide for key input is provided in the wristwatch case 1, and a display glass (watch glass) 3 is provided on the optical display device 7. , Panel switch 10 on display glass 3
To provide. By touching a portion of the panel switch 10 corresponding to the key input display area of the optical display device 7, the panel switch 10 enters the input state, and the signal is output to the circuit board via the interconnector 6. A thin print layer 9 is formed on the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the display glass 3 to form a minute gap with the panel switch 10. Since the panel switch 10 and the display glass 3 are prevented from adhering to each other and the occurrence of interference fringes due to the adhering is eliminated, the touch operation can be performed in an easy-to-see state.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a panel switch device in which key input is performed by touch operation.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Panel switch devices are often used as key input devices for electronic devices. The conventional structure of this panel switch device is configured such that a display glass is provided above an optical display device such as a liquid crystal display, and a panel switch for touch operation is provided above the display glass. The optical display device has a key input display area for optical display in order to guide the key input by touch operation.

On the other hand, the panel switch has a switch electrode formed at a portion facing the key input display area. Each panel switch is composed of two transparent upper and lower film substrates, and the switch electrodes are formed on the opposing surfaces of the film substrates.

[0006] The upper and lower film substrates are arranged with a certain interval, and when the panel switch is touched, the switch electrodes facing each other are brought into contact with each other to establish conduction, whereby the panel switch and the electronic device are electrically connected. The circuit board is electrically connected to output a signal of data corresponding to the key input display area.

Therefore, it is necessary for the switch of the panel switch to correspond exactly to the key input display area of the optical display device. Therefore, in the panel switch, the film substrate under the panel switch is a display glass on the optical display device. It is attached so as to be in close contact with.

[0006]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, in the structure in which the panel switch and the display glass are in close contact with each other, interference fringes are likely to occur at these contact portions, and the interference fringes make it difficult to see the key input display area of the optical display device, which may interfere with the key input operation. However, there was a problem that the appearance deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and provides a panel switch device that does not cause interference fringes, can smoothly perform key input operation, and has no deterioration in appearance. With the goal.

[0008]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an optical display device having a display area for key input, a display glass provided on an upper portion of the optical display device, and a key input display of the optical display device. The gist of the present invention is that a switch electrode is formed at a portion facing the area, and a transparent panel switch provided on the display glass with a minute gap is provided.

[0009]

【Example】

 An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electronic wristwatch will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the electronic wristwatch, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a main part taken along the line II-II. In these figures, reference numeral 1 denotes a wristwatch case which is a device case, and a bezel 2 is attached to the outer peripheral side of the upper part thereof by ultrasonic welding or the like, and a display glass is provided so as to be positioned inside the bezel 2. The transparent watch glass 3 is provided.

The watch glass 3 is attached via an adhesive, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape 4, on a mounting piece 1 a extending in a brim shape inside the wristwatch case 1. The outer portion of the wearing piece 1a of the watch glass 3 is a stepwise raised panel switch support portion 1b, and the periphery of the panel switch 10 is provided on the panel switch support portion 1b via a buffer body 5. The department is supported.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the panel switch 10, which is provided with two transparent upper and lower film substrates 11 and 12 formed in a short shape.

On the lower surface of the upper film substrate 11 and the upper surface of the lower film substrate 12, a plurality of conductive transparent electrodes 11a, 12a are arranged so as to intersect with each other. The lead wires 11b and 12b are drawn from the transparent electrodes 11a and 12a of the film substrates 11 and 12, respectively, and the lead wires 11b and 12b are formed on the front side of the film substrates 11 and 12, respectively. Connected to the connecting portions 11c and 12c.

The connecting portions 11c and 12c of the film substrates 11 and 12 are electrically connected via the anisotropic conductive rubber 13 interposed between the substrates 11 and 12. Further, connection electrodes 14 are formed on both sides of the connection portion 11c on the lower surface of the upper film substrate 11, and the connection electrodes 14 are connected to the circuit via the inter-connector 6 (see FIG. 2) as described later. It is electrically connected to a substrate (not shown). In the panel switch 10 having such a structure, the intersections of the transparent electrodes 11a and 12a of the upper and lower film substrates 11 and 12 are switch electrodes, and the switch electrodes are the key input display areas of the optical display device 7. It is provided so as to face 7a (see FIG. 4).

As the optical display device 7, a liquid crystal display or the like for displaying data by optical means is used, and is arranged in the wristwatch case 1 so as to be located below the watch glass 3 as shown in FIG. .

FIG. 4 shows the relative positional relationship between the optical display device 7 and the panel switch 10. As shown in FIG. 4, a plurality of spacers 15 are provided between the upper film substrate 11 and the lower film substrate 12, and the spacers 15 keep a constant gap between the film substrate 11 and the film substrate 12. It is placed open. Further, a transparent hard coating layer 16 for preventing scratches is formed on the upper surface of the upper film substrate 11 and the lower surface of the lower film substrate 12.

The optical display device 7 arranged below the panel switch 10 through the watch glass 3 (not shown in FIG. 4) is provided with a key input display area 7a for key input. . The key input display area 7a is for optically displaying characters, numbers, etc., and the intersections (switch electrodes) of the transparent electrodes 11a, 12a on the upper and lower film substrates 11, 12 are individually displayed on the key input display area 7a. The panel switch 10 is arranged correspondingly.

Further, in the key input display area 7a, the key display can be seen through the intersection of the transparent electrodes 11a and 12a of the panel switch 10. For example, "5" is displayed. A numerical value "5" can be input by operating the panel switch 10 of the part. In addition to the key input display area 7a, the optical display device 7 is appropriately provided with another display area (not shown) for displaying time and the like.

As shown in FIG. 2, the panel switch 10 is fixed at its peripheral portion supported by the buffer body 5 and by providing an adhesive, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape 8 between the bezel 2 and the peripheral portion. To be done. In this fixed state, the interconnector 6 is in contact with the lower surface of the switch substrate 11 above the panel switch 10.

The interconnector 6 is formed of a conductive elastic body in which conductors and insulators are alternately laminated, penetrates the inside of the wristwatch case 1 in the vertical direction, and the upper end portion of the interconnector 6 is the upper switch substrate 11. On the other hand, the lower end portion thereof contacts the connection electrode (not shown) of the circuit board provided in the wristwatch case 1. As a result, the panel switch 10 and the circuit board are electrically connected.

In the above structure, the panel switch 10 is provided on the upper portion of the watch glass 3 so that the switch electrode thereof corresponds to the key input display area 7a of the optical display device 7 (see FIG. 4). A printed layer 9 that has been printed is formed on the peripheral portion of the upper surface of the watch glass 3, and the panel switch 10 is arranged above the watch glass 3 with the printed layer 9 interposed therebetween. The print layer 9 is a thin layer that does not impair the operability of the touch operation of the panel switch 10 and does not deteriorate the waterproof property. The panel switch 10 has a minute gap corresponding to the thickness of the print layer 9. It is located on the watch glass 3.

Therefore, the panel switch 10 and the watch glass 3 do not come into close contact with each other, and the interference fringes due to the close contact do not occur. As a result, it is possible to prevent the key input display area of the optical display device 7 from being difficult to see and prevent deterioration of the appearance. In addition, the panel switch 10 is held by the reaction force of the interconnector 6 and the buffer body 5 and the reaction force of the double-sided adhesive tape 8, and by performing the touch operation on the panel switch 10, the watch glass 3 Even if it partially contacts the watch glass 3, the minute force can be maintained away from the watch glass 3 by the reaction force, and the close contact with the watch glass 3 due to repeated operations can be prevented.

Although the panel switch device is attached to the electronic wrist watch in the above embodiment, the present invention is not limited to the electronic wrist watch, and may be attached to other small electronic devices such as a calculator and a handy terminal.

[0024]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, in the present invention, since a minute gap is provided between the panel switch located above the optical display device and the display glass, interference fringes due to the close contact between them do not occur, and operability and It is possible to prevent deterioration of appearance.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electronic wrist watch.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a panel switch.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a panel switch and an optical display device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Watch case 3 Watch glass 7 Optical display device 8 Printing layer 10 Panel switch

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An optical display device having a display area for key input, a display glass provided on an upper portion of the optical display device, and a portion facing the key input display area of the optical display device. And a transparent panel switch provided on the display glass with a minute gap formed therein and a switch electrode formed in the panel switch device.