JPH1186698A - Optical touch panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the effects of a disturbance light by providing a light- shielding member on the inside upper surface of a translucent protecting cover for covering a light-emitting element line and a light-receiving element line. SOLUTION: The adhesion of dust to a light-emitting element line 2 and a light-receiving element line 3 and the touch thereto by the finger of a user are prevented by a protecting cover 4. A light-shielding member 5 is stuck to the ceiling inside part of the protecting cover 4, and the sidewall inside upper part thereof with not shield the optical axis between the light-emitting element line 2 and the light-receiving element line 3. As the light-shielding member 5, any material which does not transmit light may be used, and for example, a thin iron plate or synthetic resin plate may be adapted. A prescribed content such as an account button group for designating a ticket is displayed on a display screen 1, and when a user designates it by the finger, the light beams of the x-axial and y-axial optical axes corresponding to the finger are shielded, and a prescribed information corresponding to the designation by the finger can be inputted, without being affected by a disturbance light. It is also capable of coping with existing optical touch panels.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical touch panel used for an ATM or an automatic ticket vending machine, and more particularly to an optical touch panel capable of effectively preventing disturbance light.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this type of optical touch panel has
As shown in FIG. 4, a horizontal direction (hereinafter, also referred to as an “x-axis direction”) and a vertical direction around a protective plate 1 a made of a transparent material provided on the upper surface of a display screen 1 displaying a group of account buttons and the like. In the following (hereinafter also referred to as “y-axis direction”), a light emitting element row 2 and a light receiving element row 3 are provided to face each other. Although FIG. 4 shows only the light emitting element row 2, the light receiving element row 3 is provided at a position facing the light emitting element row 2. When the light emitting element array 2 is provided at the position of the light receiving element array 3, the light receiving element array 3 is provided at the position of the light emitting element array 2.

The light emitting element array 2 and the light receiving element array 3
A large number of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements, such as infrared light-emitting diodes, are arranged at predetermined intervals, and the light-emitting elements 2 and the light-receiving elements 3
Is covered with a protective cover 4 made of a translucent material made of a synthetic resin or the like. Therefore, the optical touch panel can input predetermined information depending on which light beam of the light emitting element in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction is blocked by the user's finger.

[0004]

However, when the above-mentioned conventional optical touch panel is used in an installation location where disturbance light such as sunlight or a lamp is radiated, the input of the light receiving element becomes excessive and the touch detection is performed. There was a drawback that became impossible.

[0005] In particular, when the vehicle cannot be installed in a complete room, such as an automatic ticket vending machine, the influence of disturbance light is large, so that a desired ticket may not be purchased.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide an optical touch panel capable of preventing the influence of disturbance light.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, an optical touch panel according to the present invention is arranged such that a light emitting element array and a light receiving element array are opposed to each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a display screen. In the optical touch panel provided above, a light-shielding member is provided on an upper inner surface of a light-transmitting protective cover that covers the light-emitting element row and the light-receiving element row.

In order to achieve the above object, an optical touch panel according to the present invention is an optical touch panel in which a light emitting element array and a light receiving element array are provided so as to face each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a display screen. The touch panel is characterized in that a light-shielding member is provided on an outer upper surface of a light-transmitting protective cover that covers the light-emitting element row and the light-receiving element row.

In order to achieve the above object, an optical touch panel according to the present invention is an optical touch panel in which a light emitting element array and a light receiving element array are provided so as to face each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a display screen. The touch panel is characterized in that the upper surface of the light-transmitting protective cover that covers the light emitting element row and the light receiving element row is formed of a light shielding member.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a part of an optical touch panel according to one embodiment. Note that FIG.
The same components as those of the prior art will be described with the same reference numerals.

A light emitting element array 2 and a light receiving element array 3 face in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction around a protective plate 1a made of transparent glass or the like provided so as to cover the display surface of the display screen 1. Each is provided. In FIG. 1,
Although only the light emitting element row 2 is shown, the light receiving element row 3
The light emitting element array 2 is provided at a position facing the light emitting element array 2. Further, when the light emitting element array 2 is provided at the position of the light receiving element array 3, the light receiving element array 3 is provided at the position of the light emitting element array 2.

The light emitting element row 2 and the light receiving element row 3
A large number of light-emitting elements and light-receiving elements, such as infrared light-emitting diodes, are arranged at predetermined intervals, and the light-emitting elements 2 and the light-receiving elements 3
Is covered with a protective cover 4 made of a translucent material made of a synthetic resin or the like.

Therefore, in the optical touch panel, dust can be prevented from adhering to the light emitting element array 2 and the light receiving element array 3 by the protective cover 4, and the light emitting element or the light receiving element can be touched by the user's finger. Can be prevented.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 5 denotes a light-shielding member.
1 is attached to the upper portion on the inner side of the side wall that does not shield the optical axis (see the dashed line in FIG. 1). The light-blocking member 5 may be made of any material that does not allow light to pass therethrough. For example, a thin iron plate or a synthetic resin plate may be used.

In the optical touch panel having the above structure,
Predetermined contents such as a group of account buttons for specifying a ticket are displayed on the display screen 1. When the user specifies a predetermined position of the display with a finger, the position corresponding to the finger position in the x-axis direction and the y-axis direction is displayed. The light beam of the optical axis is shielded, and predetermined information corresponding to the designation of the finger is input.

Further, since the light-shielding member 5 is provided on the inner side of the ceiling and the inner side of the side wall of the protective cover 4 of the optical touch panel having the above-mentioned structure, it is possible to effectively shield the disturbance light, and the error caused by the disturbance light can be prevented. Input can be effectively prevented. According to experiments performed by the present inventors, it has been confirmed that the provision of the protective cover 4 improves the intensity of external disturbance light.

FIG. 2 shows an optical touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Are provided on the outside of the ceiling and the outside of the side wall of the protective cover 4, that is, on the upper surface of the outside of the protective cover.

As described above, when the light-shielding member 5 'is externally attached, it can be easily attached to an existing optical touch panel.

FIG. 3 shows an optical touch panel according to still another embodiment of the present invention, in which a ceiling portion (upper surface) of a protective cover 4 'is formed of a light-shielding member. Further, the side wall portion through which the optical axis passes is constituted by a side wall 4a of a light-transmitting member similar to the conventional one, and a filler 4b made of a light-transmitting material for filling the depression so that dust does not accumulate.

As described above, when a part of the protective cover is made of a light-shielding material, the effect of not having to separately prepare a light-shielding member can be obtained as described above.

[0021]

According to the optical touch panel of the present invention, since a light-shielding member is provided on the inner upper surface of a light-transmitting protective cover that covers a light-emitting element array and a light-receiving element array, disturbance light can be shielded. External disturbance light intensity can be improved.

In the optical touch panel according to the present invention, the light-shielding member is provided on the outer upper surface of the light-transmitting protective cover that covers the light-emitting element array and the light-receiving element array, so that disturbance light can be shielded. Light intensity can be improved. Further, it is possible to easily cope with an existing optical touch panel.

In the optical touch panel according to the present invention, the upper surface of the light-transmitting protective cover that covers the light-emitting element array and the light-receiving element array is formed of a light-shielding member, so that a light-shielding member is not separately prepared. The disturbance light can be shielded, and the intensity of the disturbance light can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a part of an optical touch panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of an optical touch panel according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of an optical touch panel according to still another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of a conventional optical touch panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Display screen 1a Protective plate 2 Issuing element line 3 Light receiving element line 4, 4 'Protective cover 5, 5' Light shielding member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An optical touch panel provided with a light emitting element row and a light receiving element row facing each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a display screen, wherein the optical touch panel covers the light emitting element row and the light receiving element row. An optical touch panel, wherein a light-shielding member is provided on an upper inner surface of a light-transmitting protective cover. 2. An optical touch panel provided with a light emitting element row and a light receiving element row facing each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a display screen, wherein the light emitting element row and the light receiving element row are covered. An optical touch panel, wherein a light-shielding member is provided on an outer upper surface of a light-transmitting protective cover. 3. An optical touch panel provided with a light emitting element row and a light receiving element row facing each other in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction around a display screen, wherein the light emitting element row and the light receiving element row are covered. An optical touch panel, wherein an upper surface of the light-transmitting protective cover is formed of a light-shielding member.