JP2002367464A - Operation device for electronic apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To resolve the problem of the luminance of an illuminating display part in a conventional illuminating operation device is degraded, when the illuminating display part of the operation part is formed of a milk-white resin color material or the like. SOLUTION: An interior body 12 is formed integrally with an exterior body 13 by two-color molding, and the illuminating display part 14 for exposing the interior body 12 is formed in the molding. The interior body 12 is formed of a pure white light non-transmissive resin and the exterior body 13 is formed of a milk-white color light transmissive resin. Light having entered into the operation member 11 directly enters into the part of the display part 14, and part of the light is reflected by the white inside surface of the exterior body 13 in the contact interfacial surface between the interior body 12 and the exterior body 13 so as to enter the part of the display part 14. Thereby, the illuminating luminance of the display part 14 can be increased.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for an electronic device such as a vehicle, and more particularly to an operating device for an electronic device in which an operating member such as a push button system can be illuminated from inside a case.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing operation members provided in a conventional operation device for electronic equipment.

An operation member 31 shown in FIG. 4 and an operation member 41 shown in FIG. 5 are push buttons, and are mounted on a front surface of a case such as a nose portion of a vehicle-mounted electronic device so as to be able to be pressed. Further, in an electronic device or the like mounted on a vehicle, an illuminating unit having a lamp or the like is provided inside the case, and light L from the illuminating unit is given to the operation member 31 or the operation member 41 at night or the like. Thus, the operation members 31 and 41 are illuminated.

[0004] The operating member 31 shown in FIG. 4 has an outer body 33 formed of a milky white light-transmissive resin, and the outer side thereof is covered with an outer body 33 formed of a black light-impermeable resin. The body 33 and the interior body 32 are formed by a so-called two-color molding method. An illumination display unit 34 is provided on the surface of the operation member 31. In the illuminated display part 34, the exterior part 33 has a penetrated part 33
a is formed, and a display projection 32a is formed in the interior body 32 so as to enter the through portion 33a.

When the light L is irradiated from behind the operating member 31, the light L travels inside the interior body 32 made of a light-transmitting resin, and the illuminated display section 34 displays the display projection 32a. Is displayed brightly.

The operating member 41 of the operating device shown in FIG. 5 is formed of a milky white light transmitting resin. The operation member 4
1 is coated or plated with black or the like, and the painted layer or plated layer
In the form of letters and symbols.

Light L from behind the operating member 41 enters the operating member 41 from the inner surface which is not coated or plated, and diffusely reflects inside the operating member 41. Is displayed brightly.

[0008]

However, the operation member 31 shown in FIG.
The milky white light-transmitting resin material forming the interior body 32 appears, and the thickness of the milky white resin material is increased, so that the milky white resin material is directly formed on the inner surface of the portion where the display projection 32a is formed. It is difficult to increase the brightness of the display projection 32a only by the irradiation light La.

In addition, at the contact boundary between the inner body 32 and the outer body 33, since the inner surface of the outer body 33 is black, for example, the light Lb applied to the inner side surface 32b of the inner body 32
Cannot efficiently reflect irregularly at the contact boundary surface with the exterior body 33 inside the interior body 32, and the light intensity is easily attenuated inside the milky white interior body 32. Therefore, the amount of light guided to the display protrusion 32a of the interior body 32 decreases, and the display protrusion 32a
Cannot be illuminated with sufficient luminance.

When the inner body 32 is made of a substantially transparent material with little attenuation of light intensity, the operating member 3
When the illuminated display section 34 is viewed from the outside of FIG. 1, a phenomenon occurs in which the brightness of the display increases only when the line of sight is directed to the light source via the display projection 32a. Luminance unevenness occurs, making it difficult to perform uniform illumination.

The operating member 41 shown in FIG. 5 includes not only the inner surface 43a of the portion where the illuminated display portion 44 is formed but also
Much light also enters the inner side surface 43b. The inner surface 43b
Is diffusely reflected and absorbed by the entire operation member 41 formed of a milky white light-transmitting resin material, and the amount of light guided to the illumination display unit 44 decreases. It is also conceivable to apply metal plating to the inner side surface 43b and reflect light on this surface to give light to the inner surface 43a where the illuminated display section 44 is formed. However, this structure requires a costly manufacturing method in which only the inner surface of the operation member 41 is plated.

When the entire operation member 41 is formed of a substantially transparent material with little attenuation of light intensity, FIG.
In the same manner as described in the related art, a phenomenon occurs in which the brightness of the display is increased only with a line of sight from any direction.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems. An operation device of an electronic device which can effectively guide light to an illuminated display section and enables illuminated display with sufficient luminance is provided. The purpose is to provide.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an operating device for an electronic device which can illuminate the illuminated display section with sufficient luminance even when the illuminated display section is formed of a resin material such as milky white or the like which is unlikely to cause uneven luminance. .

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operating device in which a case is provided with an operating member, and an illuminating means positioned inside the operating member and providing light to the operating member. The operation member includes an exterior body having a penetrating portion at a display location, and a light-transmissive interior body having a display portion mounted inside the exterior body and exposed to the outside through the penetrating portion. A light reflection surface is formed on a contact boundary surface between the exterior body and the interior body.

For example, the exterior body is formed of a whitened resin material, and the white inner surface of the exterior body is the light reflection surface.

Alternatively, the inner surface of the exterior body or the outer surface of the interior body is painted or plated in white or metallic color, and the white or metallic painted layer or plated layer is the light reflecting surface. It is.

In the present invention, the exterior body has a recess formed on the light incident side, and the interior body also has a recess formed on the light incidence side. The contact boundary between the exterior body and the interior body may be configured as a light reflection surface.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the light applied to the interior body is efficiently diffusely reflected at the contact boundary surface between the interior body and the exterior body, the illumination of the interior body made of milky resin or the like is achieved. Light is effectively guided to the display,
The brightness of the illuminated display section can be increased.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, an operation member,
In an operating device provided with an illuminating unit which is located inside the operating member and gives light to the operating member, the operating member includes a light-transmitting exterior body having a concave portion formed on a light incident side, An inner body attached to a portion other than the illumination area of the outer body inside the outer body, wherein the inner body is formed of a whitened resin material. It is.

For example, a coating layer or a plating layer that blocks light is formed on the outer surface of the exterior body, and the coating layer or the plating layer is removed in at least a part of the illuminated area, and the removed portion is removed. Are illuminable.

However, the display may be such that almost the entire illuminated area of the exterior body is illuminated.

In the second aspect of the present invention, since the inner body is formed of a whitened resin material, the light applied to the inner surface of the inner body is reflected and applied to the illuminated area of the outer body. As a result, the brightness of the illuminated area of the exterior body formed of milky white resin or the like can be increased.

Further, when the whitened resin material contains a white inorganic filler, the whitened exterior body or interior body can be manufactured at low cost.

[0025]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an operating member used in an operating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an operating device provided with the operating member.

The operating member 11 used in the operating device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an inner body 1 made of a light-transmitting resin inside.
2, an exterior body 13 formed of a light-impermeable resin is formed on the outside of the interior body 12 so as to overlap. Operation member 11
Is formed by so-called two-color molding. After the interior body 12 is injection-molded using a predetermined mold, the exterior body 13 is injection-molded on the interior body 12 using another mold. Things.

An illuminated display section 14 for displaying characters, symbols and the like is provided on the outer surface of the operation member 11. In the illuminated display section 14, a penetrating portion 13 c having a shape such as a character or a symbol is formed on the exterior body 13, and the penetrating portion 1 c is formed on the interior body 12.
A display projection 12a is formed to enter the inside 3c.

The inner body 12 has a concave shape in which the back side of the operation member 11 is opened using a light transmitting resin. As this light-transmitting resin, a resin having high light-transmitting properties such as polycarbonate can be used, and by selecting polycarbonate, a resin excellent in heat resistance and impact resistance can be obtained. However, the polycarbonate used here has a milky white color in the color of the resin itself.

The interior body 12 is formed by the two-color molding.
The portion of the display projection 12a is approximately twice as thick as the other portions,
It is formed in a shape protruding from the front surface of the interior body 12.
The display projection 12a has a shape such as alphabetic characters, numbers, and symbols that follow the shape of the penetrating portion 13c.

The exterior body 13 is formed so as to cover the entire surface of the interior body 12 except for the display projection 12a. A peripheral wall 13a extending rearward from the front surface is formed on the exterior body 13 and has a concave shape, and the interior body 12 is stacked on the inner surface side of the peripheral wall 13a. The peripheral wall 13a
A space 16 is formed between the outer surface of the housing 13 and the rib 13b formed on the exterior body 13. The space 1 of the exterior body 13
A step 17 is formed on the outer surface on the side opposite to 6, and a pressing projection 18 for pressing a switch (not shown), which is an operation electronic component, is integrally formed.

The exterior body 13 is made of a white light-impermeable resin. This white light-impermeable resin is made of, for example, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer) resin, titanium oxide (TiO ₂ ), Zn
A mixture of inorganic fillers or inorganic pigments such as O (zinc white) and 2PbCO ₃ .Pb (OH) ₂ (lead white) can be used. In particular, it is preferable to use titanium oxide. A pure white resin can be obtained by using titanium oxide. When an ABS resin is used as such a light-impermeable resin, a resin excellent in impact resistance, heat resistance, chemical resistance, and the like can be obtained.

By making the exterior body 13 white, preferably pure white, the contact boundary between the inner surface of the exterior body 13 and the outer surface of the interior body 12 is formed by the white surface of the exterior body. It can be a light reflecting surface.

The penetrating portion 13c of the exterior body 13
A colored surface layer 15 can be formed by electroless plating or painting, if necessary, on the surface excluding. For example, in electroless plating, surface treatment can be performed by immersion in a plating solution.

Further, the exterior body 13 is formed of a resin such as black, and the inner surface of the exterior body 13 is painted white, or painted in a metal color such as silver, or a metal plating layer is formed. Alternatively, a light reflecting surface may be formed at a contact boundary between the inner surface of the exterior body 13 and the outer surface of the interior body 12. Alternatively, the exterior body 13 may be formed of a silver resin material containing a silver pigment, and a light reflection surface may be formed on the contact boundary surface.

The operating device 2 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG.
In the operation member 21 of No. 0, the exterior body 23 is formed of a light transmitting resin, and is formed of, for example, milky white polycarbonate. The exterior body 23 is the exterior body 13 shown in FIG.
Peripheral wall 23a projecting to the back side
And has a concave shape. The peripheral wall 23a and the rib 2
3d, a space 26 is formed, and a step 27 and a pressing projection 28 are formed on the other side of the peripheral wall 23a.

The interior 22 is mounted inside the exterior 23. The inner body 22 is made up of an outer body 23
Are not provided on the inner surface of the illumination region 23c, but are formed so as to overlap the inner surface 23b of the peripheral wall 23a.

The interior body 22 is formed of a light-impermeable resin, but is formed of a white resin material so that the inner surface 22a becomes a reflection surface. That is, the interior 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes an ABS resin to which an inorganic filler such as titanium oxide or an inorganic pigment is added, and the same as the exterior body 13 shown in FIG. 1 can be used.

In the operation member 21, a surface layer 25 of a color through which light does not pass is formed on the outer surface of the exterior body 23 made of a light-transmitting resin by painting or electroless plating. Then, the surface layer 25 is removed in the form of characters, symbols, or the like by a laser beam or the like, thereby forming an illuminated display portion 24 in which the light transmitting resin of the exterior body 23 is partially exposed.

However, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
Surface region 2 of exterior body 23 corresponding to illumination region 23c
The surface layer 25 may not be formed on the entire area of 5a, and the entire area of the surface area 25a may be brightly illuminated.

The operating member 11 shown in FIG. 1 or FIG.
Reference numeral 21 can be used as an operation button of an electronic device such as an in-vehicle audio device and a navigation device.
FIG. 3 shows the operation member 11 or 21 attached to an on-vehicle electronic device.
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which is mounted.

FIG. 3 shows a nose 1 of a vehicle-mounted electronic device. This nose 1 is a main body of an electronic device (not shown).
Is fixed to the front surface of the camera or is mounted so as to be able to rotate.

A circuit board 3 and a light source 4 such as a light-emitting diode (LED) mounted on the circuit board 3 are provided in a synthetic resin case 2 forming the nose 1. A light guide 5 made of a transparent resin material is provided in front of the light guide 4. In this embodiment, the light source 4 and the light guide 5 constitute illumination means.

A mounting hole 2a is opened in the case 2, and the operating member 11 or 21 is mounted in the mounting hole 2a. The operation member 11 or 21 is mounted on the inner wall surfaces 2b and 2c of the mounting hole 2a so as to be able to advance and retreat, and the space 16 or 26 of the operation member 11 or 21 is provided.
Is externally inserted into the inner wall 2b of the case 2, and the operating member 11
Or the outer surface on the other side of 21 is the inner surface 2c of the mounting hole 2a.
Slidably mounted on Also, the operation member 11 or 2
One step 17 or 27 is locked by a protrusion 2 d extending inward of the case 2 and is prevented from falling off.

Then, the pressing projection 18 or 28 provided on the operation member 11 or 21 faces the switch which is the operation type electronic component located in the case 2. When the operating member 11 or 21 is pressed, the switch is turned to O
N operations are performed. When the pressing operation force on the operating member 11 or 21 is released, the operating member 11 or 21 projects and returns to the state before the pressing by the restoring spring force of the switch.

When the light source 4 is turned on at night or the like, the light L emitted from the light source 4 is incident on the light guide 5 and passes through the inside of the light guide 5 to illuminate the inner surfaces of a plurality of operating members. You will be led to a position where you can. At a position facing the operation member 11 or 21, the protrusion 5a of the light guide 5 is provided.
Penetrates into the concave portion on the back side of the operation member 11 or 21.

In the case of the operating device 10 provided with the operating member 11 shown in FIG. 1, a part of the light L1 provided from the projection 5a of the light guide 5 The light is directly applied to the inner surface of the projection 12a. Light L2 directed to a region other than the display projection 12a is guided into the interior 12 formed of a light-transmissive resin material. In the operation member 11 shown in FIG. 1, the contact boundary surface between the inner body 12 and the outer body 13 is a light reflecting surface formed by the inner surface of the outer body 13 such as white. Therefore, the light L2 is reflected by the light reflection surface, once exits into the space inside the interior body 12, and then irradiates the interior body 12 again near the display projection 12a. Alternatively, the light reflected by the light reflection surface reflects the inside of the interior body 12 while displaying the display projection 12a.
Led to.

Therefore, the light L is applied to the display projection 12 of the interior body 12.
a, and the display projection 12a is illuminated with high luminance.

Next, in the case of the operating device 20 provided with the operating member 21 shown in FIG. 2, a part of the light L3 emitted from the projection 5a of the light guide 5 In the illuminated area 23c that is not located, the light is directly applied to the exterior body 23. Further, the light L4 directed to a direction other than the illumination region 23c is reflected by the light reflection surface of the inner surface 22a of the interior body 22 formed of a white resin material, and is reflected by the illumination region 23c.
Turn to.

Thus, the light is efficiently guided to the illuminated area 23c of the exterior body 23 and the illuminated display 24, and the illuminated display 24 is illuminated with high luminance.

In the operating member 11 shown in FIG. 1, the inner body 12 is formed of a milky white light transmitting resin, and in the operating member 21 shown in FIG. 2, the outer body 23 is formed of a milky white light transmitting resin. The milky white light-transmitting resin appears on the illuminated display section 14 or the illuminated display section 24. Therefore, the operating member 1
From the outside of 1 or 21 through the illumination display units 14 and 24,
Even when viewed from a line of sight that extends linearly to the light source 4, it is possible to prevent a phenomenon that the luminance becomes extremely high.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
When 3 is formed of a white resin, the inner surface of the exterior body 13 can be a light reflecting surface without plating or painting the interior surface of the exterior body 13. Similarly, in the embodiment shown in FIG.
2 is formed of a white resin, and its inner surface 22a is used as a light reflecting surface, so that it is not necessary to form a reflecting surface of plating or painting on the inner surface of the exterior body 23. Therefore, in both embodiments, light can be reflected by an inexpensive manufacturing process in which no surface treatment is performed on the inner surface of the operation member.

Although the operating members 11 and 21 of the above-described embodiment are push buttons, the operating members may be slide operating bodies or rotary operating bodies.

[0053]

According to the present invention described above, the light given from the illuminating means can be effectively guided to the illuminated display section.
Even if the illuminated display portion is formed of a resin material such as milky white,
Sufficient luminance can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an operation member of an operation device according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an operation member of an operation device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state in which the operation member is mounted on the in-vehicle electronic device;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an operation member of a conventional operation device.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing another operation member of the conventional operation device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Nose part 2 Case 4 Light source 5 Light guide 10, 20 Operating device 11, 21 Operating member 12, 22 Inner body 12a Display convex part 13, 23 Outer body 13c Penetration part 14, 24 Illumination display part 15, 25 Surface layer 18 , 28 Pressing projection

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. An operating device, wherein a case is provided with an operating member, and an illuminating means positioned inside the operating member and providing light to the operating member, wherein the operating member has a penetrating portion at a display location. An exterior body having
A light-transmissive interior body having a display portion that is mounted inside the exterior body and is exposed to the outside through the through portion; and a light-contacting interface between the exterior body and the interior body has light. An operation device for an electronic device, wherein a reflection surface is formed. 2. The operating device for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the exterior body is formed of a whitened resin material, and a white inner surface of the exterior body serves as the light reflecting surface. 3. An inner surface of said exterior body or an outer surface of said interior body is painted or plated in white or metallic color, and said white or metallic painted layer or plated layer is said light reflecting surface. Item 2. An operation device for an electronic device according to item 1. 4. The exterior body has a concave portion formed on a light incident side, and the interior body also has a concave portion formed on a light incident side. The operation device for an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein a contact boundary surface with the interior body is a light reflection surface. 5. An operating device in which a case is provided with an operating member and an illuminating means which is located inside the operating member and gives light to the operating member, wherein the operating member has a concave portion on a light incident side. Having a light-transmissive exterior body, and an interior body attached to a portion of the exterior body other than the illumination area inside the exterior body, wherein the interior body is a whitened resin. An operating device for an electronic device, which is formed of a material. 6. A coating layer or a plating layer for blocking light is formed on an outer surface of the exterior body, and the coating layer or the plating layer is removed in at least a part of the illuminated area, and the removed portion is provided. 6. The operating device for an electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the device is illuminated. 7. The operating device for an electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the whitened resin material is mixed with a white inorganic filler.