JPH0650190U - Push button lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a push button lighting device which does not impair the operability of the push button even if the light emitting portion is enlarged. [Structure] The surface of the push button 7 is formed of a non-translucent material, and a translucent transmissive character portion 7a is provided in the central portion. The back of the push button 7 is covered with a transparent base 7b. A translucent shaft 7c is provided at the center behind the base 7b. Light-transmitting stoppers 7d are provided above and below the base 7b. Board 2
A hole 5b for inserting the shaft 7c into the light guide 5 provided in
To provide. The push button 7 is fitted into the hole 1a of the display panel 1, the shaft 7c is inserted into the hole 5b, and the tip is brought into contact with the switch 3. When the lamp 4 is caused to emit light, the light is transmitted through the light guide body 5, the shaft 7c, and the base portion 7b to the transparent character portion 7a.
And the transparent character portion 7a shines.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a push button illumination device that illuminates a push button provided for pressing a switch of an electronic device or the like so that the position of the push button can be easily confirmed.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 Many electronic devices have several switches for opening and closing circuits, but with the recent miniaturization of electronic devices, these switches are also becoming smaller. Therefore, when operating electronic devices, it is inconvenient to directly touch a small switch with a finger to switch the switch. Also, exposing the switch to the outside of the electronic device is easily affected by dust and the like, and it does not look good. Therefore, many electronic devices have conventionally housed the switch inside the case of the electronic device, and have a push button device for pressing the switch on the surface of the case.

When such a push button device is installed in a vehicle-mounted electronic device or the like, it often has to be operated in a dark place, so that it is difficult to visually confirm and the operability is poor. Therefore, many push button devices are equipped with a device that illuminates the push button portion, and this illuminating device illuminates the push button to improve operability.

Various push button illuminators have been proposed in the past, and an example thereof will be described below with reference to the drawings. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, there is a display panel 1 on the front surface of a case of an electronic device, and a substrate 2 connected to a circuit of the electronic device is provided behind the display panel 1. The display panel 1 is provided with an operating knob for an electronic device and a display section. A square hole 1a is provided in a part of the display panel 1. A switch 3 for opening / closing a circuit is provided on the substrate 2 at a position corresponding to the hole 1a of the display panel 1. A lamp 4 such as an issuing diode is attached to the substrate 2 below the switch 3, and a light guide 5 for guiding the light of the lamp 4 to the hole 1a of the display panel 1 is provided on the surface of the lamp 4. There is. The light guide 5 is an L-shaped member made of a light-transmitting material and bent toward the hole 1a. A reflecting surface 5a is provided at a bent portion of the light guide body 5, and the light of the lamp 4 is reflected by the reflecting surface 5a and reaches the tip of the light guide body 5. Further, the side surface of the light guide body 5 is provided with a protruding portion so that the light of the lamp 4 can be guided to a place other than the hole 1a.

Further, a push button 6 is inserted in the hole 1 a of the display panel 1. As shown in FIG. 5, the push button 6 is a dish-shaped member, behind which is provided a shaft 6a for pushing the switch 3, and the tip of the shaft 6a is in contact with the switch 3. Further, stoppers 6b for preventing the disengagement are provided on the upper and lower sides behind the push button 6, and the tips of the stoppers 6b are engaged with the inside of the hole 1a. The tip of the light guide body 5 is located between the shaft 3a and the lower stopper 6b. Further, on the surface of the push button 6, as shown in FIG. 6, a transmissive character portion 6c in the shape of a symbol made of a translucent material is fitted at a position corresponding to the front end of the light guide 5. .

The operation of the conventional example having the above configuration is as follows. That is, when the push button 6 is pushed with a finger in order to switch the switch 3, the push button 6 moves backward and the shaft 6a also moves backward. Since the tip of the shaft 6a presses the switch 3, the switch 3 opens and closes the circuit. Further, when the lamp 4 is turned on, the light is reflected by the reflecting surface 5a of the light guide 5 and propagates from the tip of the light guide 5 to the back surface of the push button 6. Since the position of the transparent character portion 6c of the push button 6 corresponds to the tip of the light guide 5, the light of the lamp 4 is transmitted to the transparent character portion 6c and the surface of the push button 6 shines.

[0007]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, the above-mentioned conventional push button lighting device has the following drawbacks.

That is, in order to make it easier to visually confirm the push button 6, the transparent character portion 6c needs to have a certain size or more, and accordingly, the light guide 5 must also be enlarged. On the other hand, in order to improve the operability of the push button 6, it is necessary to have a structure in which the pressure of the finger is transmitted to the switch 3 without waste. Therefore, the position of the shaft 6a that presses the switch 3 is the push button. It is desirable to be near the center of 6. However, since the space behind the push button 6 is limited, the position of the shaft 6a must be biased when the light guide is enlarged as described above. Therefore, if the transparent character portion 6c is enlarged to make it easier to visually confirm, on the other hand, the pressing feeling is sacrificed.

The present invention has been proposed in order to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a push button which does not impair the operability of the push button even if the light emitting portion is enlarged. To provide a tan lighting device.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a push button provided on an electronic device so as to be movable back and forth by pressing, a shaft provided behind the push button for pressing a switch of the electronic device, and A push button device comprising a light emitting member for illuminating a member of an electronic device and a light guide means for guiding the light of the light emitting member to the push button, wherein a part or all of the push button and the shaft are made of a translucent material. The shaft is formed in the central portion of the push button, and the shaft is inserted into a groove or a hole provided in the light guide means.

[0011]

[Action]

 The operation of the present invention having the above structure is as follows. That is, when the push button is pressed, the shaft inserted into the light guide member presses the switch, and the switch is switched. Since the shaft is made of a translucent material, the light of the light emitting member is transmitted to the push button via the light guide means and the shaft, and the translucent portion of the push button shines.

[0012]

【Example】

 An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The light emitting member according to claim 1 is a lamp, and the light guide means is a light guide. Further, the same members as those of the prior art shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

(1) Configuration of the Embodiment The configuration of an embodiment according to the present invention is shown below. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the surface of the push button 7 is made of a non-translucent material, and a transparent character portion 7a made of a translucent material is provided at the center thereof. There is. The back of the push button 7 is covered with a base portion 7b made of a translucent material, and a shaft 7c and a stopper 7d project behind the base portion 7a. The shaft 7c and the stopper 7d are made of a translucent material and are integrated with the base portion 7b. Since the shaft 7c is provided at a position corresponding to the transparent character portion 7a on the surface of the push button, it is at the center of the base portion 7b. The stoppers 7d are provided above and below the base portion 7b, and a notch portion that engages with the inside of the display panel 1 is provided at the tip thereof.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the light guide 5 provided on the substrate 2 is provided with a hole 5b for inserting the shaft 7c. Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the push button 7 is fitted into the hole 1 a of the display panel 1, the shaft 7 c is inserted into the hole 5 b of the light guide 5, and the tip thereof is in contact with the switch 3. The notch of the stopper 7d engages with the inside of the hole 1a.

(2) Operation and Effect of the Embodiment The operation and effect of the present embodiment having the above-mentioned configuration are as follows.

That is, when the push button 7 is pressed, the switch 3 is pressed by the shaft 7c behind it. When the lamp 4 is caused to emit light, the light passes through the light guide 5 and is transmitted to the shaft 7c. Since the shaft 7c is transparent, the light from the light guide 5 passes through the shaft 7c and reaches the transparent character portion 7a via the base portion 7b. Further, the light from the tip of the light guide 5 also reaches the transparent character portion 7a via the base portion 7b. Therefore, the transparent character portion 7a shines.

According to the present embodiment as described above, since the light guide 5 is provided with the hole 5b, the shaft 6a for pressing the switch 3 can be provided at the center of the push button 6. Is transmitted to the switch 3 without waste, and the operability is improved as compared with the case where the shaft 7c is provided in a biased position. Moreover, since the size of the transparent character portion 7a is not impaired, the legibility can be maintained.

(3) Other Embodiments The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and specific materials and shapes of each member can be appropriately changed. For example, the entire push button 7 may be made of a translucent material so that the entire push button 7 can be illuminated. Further, instead of providing the hole 5b in the light guide body 5 and providing a groove, and inserting the shaft 7c at the center of the push button into the groove, the same effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained. The transparent character portion 7a may be formed by printing laser processing or the like.

[0019]

[Effect of device]

 According to the push-button lighting device of the present invention, a push-button lighting device that does not impair the operability of the push button even if the light-emitting portion is enlarged has a simple structure in which the shaft for pushing the switch is inserted into the light guide member. Can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a push button of a push button lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a push button lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing a push button lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing a conventional push button lighting device.

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view showing a conventional push button lighting device.

FIG. 6 is a front view (A) and a side sectional view (B) showing a push button of a conventional push button lighting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 ... Display panel 1a ... Hole 2 ... Substrate 3 ... Switch 4 ... Lamp 5 ... Light guide 5a ... Reflective surface 5b ... Hole 6,7 ... Push button 6a, 7c ... Shaft 6b, 7d ... Stopper 6c, 7a ... Transmissive character Part 7b ... Base

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A push button provided on an electronic device so as to be movable back and forth by pressing, a shaft provided behind the push button for pressing a switch of the electronic device, and a light emission for illuminating a member of the electronic device. In a push button lighting device comprising a member and a light guide means for guiding the light of the light emitting member to the push button, part or all of the push button and the shaft are formed of a translucent material, and the shaft is A push button lighting device, wherein the shaft is inserted into a groove or a hole provided in the light guide means provided in a central portion of the push button.