KR101086108B1 - Input device and Cooker comprising the input device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an input device. The input device according to the present invention includes a printed circuit board having a touch sensor for detecting a user's touch; A plurality of light emitting units providing light; And a plurality of light guide plates that shield the touch sensor, overlap each other in a direction different from a direction in which light is emitted from the light emitting unit, and receive light from the light emitting units different from each other and diffuse the light.

Therefore, according to the present invention, a large area is not required to implement a plurality of input buttons, and screen switching is efficiently performed.

Input device, LED, LGP, printed circuit board, touch

Description

Input device and cooker comprising the same

The present invention relates to an input device and a cooking appliance including the same.

Recently, an input device using touch sensing technology has been in the spotlight in the keypad portion. The input device is a device that can input contents only by touching a finger, and can reduce the thickness of the product and can be input by only a light touch. It is applied to various devices such as devices.

However, in the related art, in implementing the input device to which the touch sensing technology is applied, the size of the printed circuit board (PCB) required due to the use of a single light guide plate is increased, and the screen switching is impossible.

An object of the present invention relates to an input device that implements a backlighting function for displaying text or graphics on a portion touched by an input device using a multilayer LGP structure.

An input device according to an embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object, a printed circuit board having a touch sensor for detecting a user's touch; A plurality of light emitting units providing light; And a plurality of light guide plates that shield the touch sensor and overlap each other in a direction different from a direction in which light is emitted from the light emitting unit, and receive light from the light emitting units that are different from each other.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an input apparatus including: a printed circuit board having a touch sensor configured to sense a user's touch for inputting a signal; A first light guide plate that shields the touch sensor and diffuses light; A second light guide plate stacked on the first light guide plate and configured to diffuse light; A first light emitting unit generating light irradiated to the first light guide plate; And a second light emitting part which is operated alternately with the first light emitting part and generates light irradiated to the second light guide plate.

According to the present invention, there is an advantage that the size of the input device is reduced and the screen switching is efficiently performed.

Hereinafter, with reference to the accompanying drawings an embodiment of the input device according to the present invention will be described in detail.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an input device according to a first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line AA, and FIG. 3 is a view of an edge of a light guide plate in a first light emitting part, and FIG. 4. FIG. 2 is a view of the edge of the light guide plate from the second light emitting part.

1 to 4, the input device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a printed circuit board 30, first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22, and a light guide plate 10.

The printed circuit board 30 is provided with at least one touch sensor 40 that can detect whether a user touches. The touch sensor 40 includes first to fourth touch sensors 41 to 44. The touch sensor 40 may be formed by a pattern mounted on the printed circuit board 30 or provided on the printed circuit board 30. In addition, the touch sensor 40 may be a sensor of a variety of methods, such as a resistive film method, optical method, capacitive method, ultrasonic method, pressure method. In this embodiment, the touch sensors 40 are positioned so as to be symmetrical to each other in a square virtual area divided into nine areas on the printed circuit board 30 and not adjacent to each other.

The first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 shield the touch sensor 40. The first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 serve to diffuse the light transmitted from the first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22. The first and second LGPs 11 and 12 may include a first LGP 11 which shields the touch sensor 40, and a second positioned between the touch sensor 40 and the first LGP 11. A light guide plate 12 is included.

The first and second LGPs 11 and 12 may be formed in a plate shape having polygonal planes having the same size and shape and may be completely overlapped with each other. In the present embodiment, the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 are formed in a square plate shape. As the material of the first and second LGPs 11 and 12, acrylic, PCsheet (Polycaronate: polycarbonate), or PMMA (Polymethymethacrylate: polymethyl methacrylate) may be used.

The edges of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 are provided with light transmitting parts 112 and 122 through which light can pass, and light blocking parts 111 and 121 to block light. In more detail, light transmitting parts 112 and 122 through which light is allowed to pass through are formed on two parallel surfaces of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12, and the difference between the other two edge surfaces. Mining portions 111 and 121 are formed.

Substantially, the light shielding member C is coupled to some edge surfaces of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12, whereby the difference is formed on some edge surfaces of the first and second light guide parts 11 and 12. Mining portions 111 and 121 are formed. The edge surfaces of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12, on which the light blocking member C is not provided, are the light transmitting parts 112 and 122. The light blocking member C may be any material capable of covering light such as black tape or film.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the light blocking portion 111 of the first light guide plate 11 and the light blocking portion 121 of the second light guide plate 12 are disposed in a direction in which the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 are stacked. They are arranged so as not to overlap each other, ie alternately. Accordingly, the light transmitting portion 112 of the first light guide plate 11 and the light transmitting portion 122 of the second light guide plate 12 may also be alternately disposed.

Input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 are formed on surfaces 113 and 123 of the first and second LGPs 11 and 12. The input buttons 61, 62, 63, 64 are portions touched by a user for inputting a command to the input device 1. When the user touches the input buttons 61, 62, 63, 64, the touch result should be transmitted to the touch sensor 40, so that the input buttons 61, 62, 63, 64 are the touch sensors 40. ) Will be positioned correspondingly. That is, a first input button 61 is connected to the first touch sensor 41, a second input button 62 is connected to the second touch sensor 42, and a third input button 63 is connected to the third touch. In the sensor (not shown), the fourth input button 64 is positioned to correspond to the fourth touch sensor 44.

The input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 may be displayed as at least one of a symbol, a letter, and a number for indicating a type of a signal received by the touch sensor 40. In addition, the input buttons 61, 62, 63, 64 of the first LGP 11 and the input buttons 61, 62, 63, 64 of the second LGP 12 are the first and second LGPs. 11 and 12 may overlap each other in the overlapping direction.

When light is transmitted and diffused to the first and second LGPs 11 and 12, symbols, letters, and numbers may be displayed on the surfaces 113 and 123 of the first and second LGPs 11 and 12. The input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 may be formed by corrosion or deposition on the surfaces 113 and 123 of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12. The portion that is corroded or deposited by the corrosion or deposition of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 is different from the other portions of the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 to thereby transmit the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12. When light is transmitted to the second LGPs 11 and 12, symbols, letters, and numbers having a corroded or deposited shape appear on upper surfaces of the first and second LGPs 11 and 12. As a method of corroding the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12, a method of corroding using a laser may be used.

For example, the surface 113 of the first light guide plate 11 is corroded in the shape of numerals 5, 6, 7, and 8 (see FIG. 5). In a similar manner, the surface 123 of the second light guide plate 12 is corroded in the shapes of numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4 (see FIG. 6).

The first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22 generate light. The first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22 generate a first light emitting part 21 for generating light transmitted to the first light guide plate 11 and light transmitted to the second light guide plate 12. The second light emitting unit 22 is included.

The first light emitting part 21 is positioned adjacent to the light transmitting part 112 of the first light guide plate 11. However, since the light blocking parts 112 and 122 and the light transmitting parts 111 and 121 are alternately arranged in the first light guide plate 11 and the second light guide plate 12, the first light emitting part 21 may include the It may be said to be adjacent to the light blocking part 121 of the second light guide plate 12. In the same manner, the second light emitting part 22 may be adjacent to the light transmitting part 122 of the second light guide plate 12 and the light blocking part 111 of the first light guide plate 11. Therefore, the first light emitting part 21 and the second light emitting part 22 are alternately arranged adjacent to the circumference of the light guide plate 10.

Light emitted diode (hereinafter, referred to as LED) illumination may be used as the first and second light emitting units 21 and 22. Although LED lighting is used in the present embodiment, the first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22 are not limited thereto, and other lighting devices such as fluorescent lamps may be used.

The first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22 may be operated alternately, that is, alternately. That is, when the first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22 are alternately turned on, the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 are also alternately turned on to light up the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12. Symbols, letters and numbers formed on the surfaces 113 and 123 are also alternately displayed on the input device.

The cover member 50 is positioned outside the first and second LGPs 11 and 12 with respect to the printed circuit board 30. The cover member 50 shields the first light guide plate 11 to protect it. The cover member 50 may be formed of a transparent film or glass material so that light emitted from the first and second light guide plates 11 and 12 may pass therethrough.

Hereinafter, the operation of the input apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail.

5 is a plan view showing an input button displayed through the first LGP in the input device according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an input button displayed through the second LGP.

Referring to FIG. 5, when the first light emitting part 21 is turned on and the second light emitting part 22 is turned off, light is transmitted only to the first light guide plate 11, and the first light guide plate 11 is turned on. Light is not transmitted to the second light guide plate 12 (see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4) stacked on the rear surface of the light guide plate 12. Accordingly, the numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8 are displayed by the input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 by the light diffused from the first LGP 11. In addition, the user may input a signal by selecting and touching a desired one of the input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 indicated by the numbers 5, 6, 7, and 8 on the input device 1.

As described above, whether the first light guide plate 11 diffuses light may be expressed as depending on whether the first light emitting unit 21 is turned on. For convenience of explanation, the mode displayed on the input device 1 when the first light guide 21 is turned on and the light is diffused in the first LGP 11 is called a first input mode.

On the other hand, when the first light emitting unit 21 is turned off and the second light emitting unit 22 is turned on, light is transmitted only to the second light guide plate 12 (see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4), and the first light guide plate No light is transmitted to (11). Accordingly, the numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4 are displayed on the input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 by the light diffused from the second LGP 12 (see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4). In addition, the user may input a signal by selecting and touching desired input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64 indicated by numerals 1, 2, 3, and 4.

As described above, whether or not the second light guide plate 12 (see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4) diffuses light may be determined depending on whether the second light emitting unit 22 is turned on. For convenience of description, when the second light emitting part 22 is turned on and the light is diffused in the second light guide plate 12 (see FIG. 3 or FIG. 4), the input mode displayed on the input device 1 is changed. This is called the second input mode.

Substantially, the first light emitting part 21 is turned on and the second light emitting part 22 is turned off to display the first light emitting part 22 while the first input mode is displayed on the input device 1. When the light is turned off and the first light emitter 21 is turned on, the input device 1 is switched to display the second input mode. In addition, the color of the light emitted from the first light emitter 21 forming the first input mode and the color of light emitted from the second light emitter 22 forming the second input mode are different from each other. The input mode and the second input mode can be visually different.

In the present embodiment, for convenience of description, the first and second LGPs 11 and 12 are described as being displayed with numbers as the input buttons 61, 62, 63, and 64, but the first and second LGPs are described. Subsequently, it is obvious that other characters or / and numbers or / and symbols may be displayed in (11, 12) in order to indicate the type of the signal that the input button receives.

In addition, the number of input modes is not limited to two as in the present embodiment, and a plurality of input modes may be formed according to the number of light guide plates stacked.

Hereinafter, a configuration of a second embodiment of an input device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the input device according to the second embodiment, FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along the line BB, and FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a number displayed through the first light guide plate according to the present embodiment. 10 is a plan view showing a number displayed through the second light guide plate according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a number displayed through the third light guide plate according to the present embodiment.

The present embodiment differs only in the shape and number of the light guide plate from the first embodiment, and in the arrangement relationship of the light emitting parts, and in other parts is the same as that of the first embodiment, the first part is the same as the first embodiment. The description of the embodiments will be used.

7 to 11, the input device 2 according to the present embodiment includes a printed circuit board 300, first to third light guide plates 100 formed in a triangular shape, and the first to third devices. The first to third light emitting parts 210, 220, and 230 positioned adjacent to the three edge surfaces of the light guide plate 100 are included.

The first to third light guide plates 100 may be formed in a plate shape having triangular planes completely overlapping each other. The first LGP 110 has a light transmitting portion formed on one of three edge surfaces, and a light blocking portion is formed on the other edge surface. The second light guide plate 120 has a light transmitting portion formed on one of the edge surfaces corresponding to the light blocking portion of the first light guide plate 110, and a light blocking portion is formed on the other edge surface. The third light guide plate 130 has light shielding portions formed on two edge surfaces corresponding to the light transmitting portions of the first and second light guide plates 110 and 120, and light transmitting portions are formed on the remaining edge surfaces.

The first light emitting part 210 is positioned adjacent to the light transmitting part of the first light guide plate 110. That is, the first light emitting part 21 may be adjacent to the light blocking parts of the second and third light guide plates 120 and 130. In the same manner, the second light emitting part 220 is positioned adjacent to the light transmitting part of the second light guide plate 120 and the light blocking parts of the first and third light guide plates 110 and 130. Similarly, the third light emitting part 230 is positioned adjacent to the light transmitting part of the third light guide plate 130 and the light blocking parts of the first and second light guide plates 110 and 120.

Therefore, light generated in the first light emitting unit 210 is transmitted only to the first light guide plate 110, and light generated in the second light emitting unit 220 is transmitted only to the second light guide plate 120. Light generated by the third light emitter 230 is transmitted only to the third light guide plate 130.

When light is transmitted only to the first LGP 110 by the first light emitting unit 210, the letters A1, A2, and the like are input to the input buttons 610, 620, and 630 by the light diffused from the first LGP 110. A3 is displayed. When light is transmitted only to the second light guide plate 120 by the second light emitting unit 220, the letters B1, the input buttons 610, 620, and 630 are formed by the light diffused from the second light guide plate 120. B2 and B3 are displayed. When light is transmitted only to the third light guide plate 130 by the third light emitting unit 230, the letters C1, C2, and the input buttons 610, 620, and 630 are formed by the light diffused from the third light guide plate 130. C3 is displayed.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a cooking appliance according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance including an input device.

Referring to FIG. 12, the cooking apparatus 3 includes a cooking chamber 3100 in which food is cooked, a heating source (not shown) that provides heat for cooking food into the cooking chamber 3100, and the cooking. An input device 1 for receiving a signal for cooking water is included.

In Fig. 12, the input device 1 is shown to be the same as the input device shown in Figs. However, it goes without saying that the input device shown in Figs. 7 to 11 can be applied to this embodiment.

Therefore, as described above, in the present embodiment, the input device 1 can display two different input modes depending on whether the first and second light emitting parts 21 and 22 are turned on / off. For example, in the cooking mode, the input device 1 displays the first input mode by the lighting of the first light emitting part 21, and in the case of the thawing or warming mode, the input device 1 May display a second input mode by turning on the second light emitting unit 22. In addition, in the first input mode, that is, the cooking mode, the first light emitter 21 generates red light to give the user a visual effect of cooking food. In this case, the second light emitting part 22 may generate light having a different color from that of the first light emitting part 21 to distinguish it from the first input mode.

According to the present invention, when X light guide plates are stacked and N input parts are formed on each light guide plate, N * X input buttons can be implemented on a limited area printed circuit board, thereby providing an input device having the same or limited area. There is an advantage in that a large number of input buttons can be implemented.

In addition, there is an advantage that the screen can be switched by adjusting the lighting / off of the light emitting unit in the touch pad to give a multi-dimensional feeling.

1 is a plan view of an input device according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along line A-A. FIG.

3 is a view of the edge surface of the light guide plate in the first light emitting part;

4 is a view of an edge of the light guide plate from the second light emitting part;

5 is a plan view illustrating an input button displayed through the first LGP in the input device according to the present embodiment.

6 is a plan view illustrating an input button displayed through the second LGP;

7 is a plan view of an input device according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 taken along line B-B. FIG.

9 is a plan view showing a number displayed through the first light guide plate according to the present embodiment;

10 is a plan view showing a number displayed through the second light guide plate according to the present embodiment;

11 is a plan view showing a number displayed through the third light guide plate according to the present embodiment;

12 is a perspective view of a cooking appliance including an input device;

Claims (14)

A printed circuit board having a touch sensor detecting a user's touch; A plurality of light emitting units providing light; And And a plurality of light guide plates that shield the touch sensor and overlap each other in a direction different from a direction in which light is emitted from the light emitting unit, and receive light from the light emitting units different from each other and diffuse the light. The method of claim 1, The light emitters are alternately operated according to the light guide plate to which light is to be transmitted. The method of claim 1, In the light guide plate, A light transmitting part receiving light from some of the light emitting parts; And An input device is provided with a light shield to block the transmission of light from the rest of the light emitting portion. The method of claim 3, wherein The light guide plate may be stacked in such a way that the light guide plate receives light from the light emitting unit such that only one of the light guide plates is positioned, and the other of the light guide plates is positioned such that the light blocking unit is positioned. The method of claim 1, And at least one of a sign, a letter, and a number are formed in the light guide plate at the same position in the overlapping direction. A printed circuit board having a touch sensor detecting a user's touch for input of a signal; A first light guide plate that shields the touch sensor and diffuses light; A second light guide plate stacked on the first light guide plate and configured to diffuse light; A first light emitting part generating light transmitted to the first light guide plate; And And a second light emitting part which is operated alternately with the first light emitting part and generates light transmitted to the second light guide plate. The method of claim 6, The first and second light guide plates are formed in a plate shape having polygonal planes of the same size and shape, and are completely overlapped with each other. And the first and second light emitting parts are positioned adjacent to different edge surfaces of the first and second light guide plates. The method of claim 7, wherein A light blocking portion for blocking light of the first light emitting part or light of the second light emitting part is formed on an edge surface of the second light guide plate adjacent to the first light emitting part and the edge surface of the first light guide plate adjacent to the second light emitting part. Input device provided. The method of claim 6, The first and second light guide plates are formed in the shape of square plates of the same size and positioned to completely overlap each other. The first light emitting part is composed of two LEDs positioned adjacent to two edge surfaces parallel to each other of the first and second light guide plates. And the second light emitting part includes two LEDs positioned adjacent to the other edges of the first and second light guide plates adjacent to the first light emitting plate. The method of claim 9, A light blocking portion for blocking light of the first light emitting part or light of the second light emitting part is formed on an edge surface of the second light guide plate adjacent to the first light emitting part and the edge surface of the first light guide plate adjacent to the second light emitting part. Input device provided. The method of claim 6, And at least one of a symbol, a letter, and a number for displaying a type of a signal received by the touch sensor is superimposed on the first and second LGPs. The method of claim 6, The first and second light emitting units, the input device for generating light in different colors. A cooking chamber in which food is cooked; A heating source providing heat for cooking of food into the cooking chamber; And 13. A cooking apparatus comprising the input device of any one of claims 6 to 12 that receives a signal for cooking the food. The method of claim 13, And the first and second light emitting units are alternately operated according to a cooking mode performed by the heating source.

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