JP4455942B2 - Push button device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a push button device used for selecting a product in, for example, a vending machine.

  For example, a product sample is displayed on the front panel of the vending machine, and a push button device is provided at a position corresponding to the product sample. The push button device is provided in a number corresponding to each product sample. In this push button device, an operation unit is provided on a cover exposed on the front panel. A circuit board on which a switch, a light emitting diode, and the like are mounted is provided inside the cover. Then, the push button device clearly indicates the push button unit corresponding to the product sample that can be purchased by turning on the light-emitting diode when an amount equal to or greater than the product amount of the product sample is put into the vending machine. Further, in the push button device, a switch on the circuit board is operated by pressing a specified push button portion. Thereby, in the vending machine, the product corresponding to the product sample is selected and the product is sold.

  Conventionally, the pushbutton device as described above has a configuration in which the pushbutton portion is made of a light-transmitting material and transmits light from a chip-type light emitting diode. A reflecting mirror body corresponding to the light emitting diode is provided inside the push button portion (inside the cover). The reflecting mirror body is provided around the light emitting diode (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

No. 7-18112

  In the conventional push button device, it is considered that the light of the chip-type light emitting diode is reflected by the reflecting mirror and transmitted to the push button portion. However, the light emitted from the chip-type light-emitting diode has strong straightness, so that most of the light reaches the push button part without being reflected by the reflecting mirror. For this reason, since light is transmitted through only a part of the push button portion, the push button portion cannot be clearly indicated by light.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a push button device that can transmit light over a wide range of the push button portion and clearly indicate the push button portion with light.

In order to achieve the above object, a push button device according to claim 1 of the present invention includes a first light source and a second light source mounted on the same substrate, and a mode that covers the first light source and the second light source. A light reflecting member that is provided on the light emission side of the light source, has a passage hole at a position corresponding to each light source, and has a concave portion that constitutes a light reflection surface in a portion that is on the light emission side of each passage hole; A light guide member disposed in a passage hole of the light reflecting member in a manner facing the first light source, and scattering light emitted from the first light source toward the concave portion of the light reflecting member; and a light transmitting material And a push button portion disposed so as to be capable of being pushed with respect to the substrate in a manner covering the light reflecting member, and after the light emitted from the first light source is scattered by the light guide member And reflecting the light reflecting surface of the light reflecting member to transmit the push button portion. Write, characterized in that to transmit the said push button portion is reflected by the light reflecting surface of the second light source the light reflecting member emitted from the light.

Push button device according to claim 2 of the present invention, in the above invention, the light guide member is a convex light of the first light source toward the first light source in a manner to be scattered toward the light reflection member It has a light scattering surface.

Push button device according to claim 3 of the present invention, in the above invention, the light guide member is toward the top in the first light source in a manner to be scattered toward the light to the light reflecting member of the first light source distribution It has the provided cone-shaped light-scattering surface.

The push button device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the above invention, the light scattering surface is formed by being recessed in a light guide member formed of a light transmitting material .

The push button device according to a fifth aspect of the present invention is the push button device according to the above invention, wherein the light guide member is formed of a light transmissive material, and the light of the first light source diverges toward the light scattering surface . A concave light divergence surface is provided facing the light source .

  The push button device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the push button device according to the fifth aspect, wherein the light guide member is formed by integrating the light scattering surface and the light diverging surface into a light transmitting material. The push button device according to claim 5.

  The push button device according to the present invention scatters the light of the light source toward the light reflecting member by the light guide member, reflects the scattered light toward the light emitting side by the light reflecting member, and reflects the reflected light to the push button portion. Make it transparent. For this reason, since light is transmitted through a wide range of the push button portion, the push button portion can be clearly indicated by light.

  The light guide member has a convex light scattering surface facing the light source. Alternatively, the light guide member has a cone-shaped light scattering surface disposed with its top facing the light source. With this configuration, the above effects can be achieved.

  Moreover, if the light scattering surface is formed in the light transmitting material so as to be recessed, it is possible to obtain diverging light that reaches the light reflecting member side by the light diverging surface and light that is transmitted from the light scattering surface to the light emitting side. It will be. For this reason, the light guide member itself does not block light, and the light transmitted to the light exit side of the light guide member is transmitted to the push button portion. As a result, the push button portion can be clearly shown with light.

  In addition, the light guide member has a concave light divergence surface provided in the light transmitting material so as to face the light source. For this reason, since the light divergence surface diverges the light of the light source toward the light scattering surface, it is possible to assist the light scattering on the light scattering surface.

  In addition, the light guide member has a light scattering surface and a light diverging surface integrated with the light transmitting material. For this reason, positioning to the light source and light reflection member in a light divergence surface and a light-scattering surface can be performed easily.

  The light reflecting member has a passage hole that faces the light source from the light emitting side with respect to the bottom of the concave portion having a light reflecting surface that gradually expands toward the light emitting side of the light source, and the light guide member has a position of the passage hole. In the recess. For this reason, the light guide member can uniformly scatter light from the light source with respect to the light reflection surface, and the light reflection member can reflect the scattered light without unevenness.

  Exemplary embodiments of a push button device according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing a vending machine adopting the push button device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of the push button device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an implementation of the push button device according to the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows this form.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the push button device of the present embodiment is adopted in a vending machine 1. The vending machine 1 is mainly composed of a main body cabinet 2 and an outer door 3. The main body cabinet 2 is formed as a heat insulating housing whose front surface is open. Although not shown in the figure, the open part of the main body cabinet 2 can be opened and closed by a heat-insulating inner door. Although not shown in the figure, the interior of the main body cabinet 2 is divided into a plurality of product storage rooms on the left and right by a heat insulating partition wall. Each product storage room is provided with a product rack that stores products such as cans, bottles, and plastic bottles. In addition, a cooling / heating unit that cools or heats each of the product storage chambers to store the product stored in the product rack in a refrigerated / warmed state is provided at the bottom of each product storage chamber.

  The outer door 3 is attached to the front surface of the main body cabinet 2 so that it can be opened and closed. A display chamber 5 whose front surface is covered with a transparent plate 4 is formed in the upper area of the outer door 3. Further, a display stand 6 is attached to a portion that is inside the display chamber 5. The display stand 6 has a plurality of product samples 7 corresponding to the products stored in the cabinet of the main body cabinet 2 arranged in a row on the left and right (12 in this embodiment). The display stand 6 displays the storage state (cooling or heating) of the product stored in the cabinet. The display on the display base 6 can be seen through the transparent plate 4 together with the product sample 7 from the front of the vending machine 1 when the outer door 3 is closed with respect to the main body cabinet 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the display stand 6 in the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of stages in the vertical direction (three stages in the present embodiment). In addition, on the front surface of the outer door 3, there are a coin insertion slot 8a, a bill insertion slot 8b, a change return slot 8c, a money return lever 8d, a display 8e, a lock handle 8f, and a product outlet 8g. A known configuration is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the transparent plate 4 covering the display chamber 5 is provided with a push button device 10 according to the present invention at a position in front of each display stand 6. The push button device 10 exposes the push button portion 17 from the cover 12. The push button portion 17 is provided corresponding to each product sample 7 placed on the display base 6. The push button device 10 in the present embodiment forms a push button unit in which six push button portions 17 are arranged side by side in the left and right rows. The parts 17 are arranged correspondingly. The push button unit is not limited to the configuration in which the six push button portions 17 are arranged in parallel, and may be formed by arranging four push button portions 17 in parallel, for example.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the push button device 10 stores a substrate 13, a housing 14, a packing 15, a film 16, and a push button portion 17 between a base 11 and a cover 12. In FIG. 2, for the sake of convenience, the configuration related to the two push button portions 17 arranged side by side is shown, and in FIG. 3, the configuration related to the single push button portion 17 is shown for convenience.

  The base 11 constitutes a casing on the rear side of the push button device 10. The base 11 is a rectangular plate and is provided with a storage recess 11A for fitting the substrate 13 on the front side. The base 11 is provided with an endless groove portion 11B along the outer periphery thereof. The base 11 is fixed to the transparent plate 4 covering the display chamber 5 by screwing screws or the like from the rear side.

  The cover 12 constitutes a casing on the front side of the push button device 10. The cover 12 includes a front plate 12A that is formed to bulge in an arc shape toward the front side, and a side plate 12B that closes the left and right side portions, and a storage space 12C between the base 11 and the cover 12. . In the storage space 12C, the substrate 13, the housing 14, the packing 15, the film 16, and the push button portion 17 are stored. Further, the cover 12 is provided with a push button hole 12D for exposing the push button portion 17 on the front plate 12A. The cover 12 is fixed to the base 11 by attachment or the like, and forms a casing together with the base 11.

  The substrate 13 is a rectangular plate that fits into the housing recess 11 </ b> A of the base 11. On the front side of the substrate 13, a switch unit 13A, a first light source 13B, a second light source 13C, and an integrated circuit 13D are arranged. The switch portion 13A is constituted by a tact switch that generates an operational feeling when activated. Two switch portions 13A are provided corresponding to one push button portion 17 in the push button unit. The first light source 13B is a light source according to the present invention, and is constituted by a chip-type light emitting diode. The chip-type light emitting diode contributes to downsizing of the pushbutton device 10 because of its small size. The first light source 13B has two light emitting diodes having different colors. In the present embodiment, there are two light emitting diodes of blue and orange arranged side by side in the vertical direction. The second light source 13C is composed of a chip-type light emitting diode. The second light source 13C has two light emitting diodes having different colors. In this embodiment, the light emitting diodes of two colors of red and orange are arranged in the vertical direction. The integrated circuit 13D is connected to the switch unit 13A, the first light source 13B, and the second light source 13C, and is connected to the main controller (not shown) of the vending machine 1. The integrated circuit 13D causes the light emitting diodes of the first light source 13B and the second light source 13C to emit light in response to a command from the main controller, and transmits an operation signal for the switch unit 13A to the main controller.

  The housing 14 is disposed on the light emission side (front side) of the first light source 13B and the second light source 13C, and partitions the light emitted by the first light source 13B and the second light source 13C. The housing 14 has an elliptical outer diameter. The housing 14 includes a first partition portion 14A that partitions the two light emitting diodes of the first light source 13B together, and second partition portions 14B and 14B that partition the two light emitting diodes of the second light source 13C, respectively. Have. The first partition portion 14A has a circular passage hole 14Aa that faces the two light emitting diodes of the first light source 13B from the front side. The passage hole 14Aa is provided at the bottom of the recess 14Ab that forms a light reflecting surface that gradually expands in an elliptical shape toward the front side, and is provided at the center of the elliptical shape. The second partition 14B is provided on the side of the first partition 14A and has a rectangular passage hole 14Ba that faces one light emitting diode of the second light source 13C from the front side. The passage hole 14Ba is provided at the bottom of the concave portion 14Bb that forms a light reflecting surface that gradually expands in a rectangular shape toward the front side, and is provided at the center of the rectangular shape. In addition, on the front surface side of the housing 14, and particularly on the light reflection surfaces of the recesses 14Ab and the recesses 14Bb, aluminum deposition having high light reflectivity is performed. The housing 14 constitutes a light reflecting member according to the present invention.

  By the way, the light guide member 18 is provided in the passage hole 14Aa of the first partition 14A and inside the recess 14Ab. The light guide member 18 is made of a light transmitting material and has a cylindrical shape that fits into the passage hole 14Aa. The light guide member 18 is arranged with a circular end surface in a columnar shape facing the front-rear direction. A light scattering portion 18A forming a conical light scattering surface 18Aa disposed with the top facing the first light source 13B (rear side) is recessed in the front end face of the light guide member 18. . Further, a light divergence portion 18B that forms a concave light divergence surface 18Ba toward the first light source 13B side (rear side) is provided in the rear end face of the light guide member 18.

  The packing 15 is made of an elastic member (for example, silicone rubber) made of a light transmitting material, and is formed in a rectangular shape. An endless projection 15 </ b> A that can be inserted into the groove 11 </ b> B of the base 11 is provided on the outer periphery of the packing 15. Further, the packing 15 is provided with an oval storage portion 15B into which the housing 14 is inserted and protruding on the front side. Further, the packing 15 is provided with an operating portion 15C having flexibility and elasticity around the storage portion 15B. Further, the packing 15 is provided with operation protrusions 15 </ b> D extending to the rear side and facing the switch portions 13 </ b> A of the substrate 13. When the cover 12 is fitted and fixed to the base 11, the packing 15 stores the substrate 13 and the housing 14 in a watertight manner between the base 11 and the protrusions 15 </ b> A by being pressed into the grooves 11 </ b> B. .

  The film 16 is a plate made of a light transmissive material, and has an elliptical shape so as to cover the front side surface of the storage portion 15B of the packing 15. The film 16 is provided with a letter having a high light transmittance at a portion facing the front side of each of the second partition portions 14B and 14B of the housing 14. In the present embodiment, for example, the characters include “sold out” characters corresponding to one second partition 14B and “preparing” characters corresponding to the other second partition 14B.

  The push button portion 17 is made of a light transmissive material. The push button portion 17 is provided with an oval-shaped housing portion 17 </ b> A projecting on the front side, into which the film 16 and the housing portion 15 </ b> B of the packing 15 are inserted. The accommodating portion 17A passes through the push button hole 12D of the cover 12 and is exposed to the front side of the front plate 12A. In addition, the push button portion 17 is provided with a collar portion 17B that prevents the push button portion 17 from coming out of the push button hole 12D on the outer peripheral portion of the accommodating portion 17A. The rear side of the flange portion 17B faces each switch portion 13A of the substrate 13 through the operation protrusion 15D of the packing 15. The push button portion 17 is provided on the rear side so that it can be pushed by the bending and elasticity of the operating portion 15C of the packing 15.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the push button device described above will be described including the sales operation of the vending machine. The vending machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 determines whether the coin is inserted through the insertion slot 8a of the coin insertion unit, through the coin insertion unit. Do. Further, when a bill is inserted from the insertion slot 8b of the bill insertion portion, the vending machine 1 determines whether the bill is correct or not through the bill insertion portion, and further recognizes the insertion amount when the bill is a correct bill. The amount of coins or banknotes is displayed on the display unit 8e.

  In the push button device 10, the pushing operation of the push button unit 17 is validated when the input amount is the amount necessary for selling the product in the vending machine 1. In other words, the input from the switch unit 13 </ b> A that the push button unit 17 is opposed to is valid for the push button unit 17 corresponding to the product sample 7 of the product that can be sold. At the same time, the push button device 10 is related to the push button unit 17 corresponding to the product sample 7 of the product that can be sold, and the first light source 13B of the push button unit 17 is driven. At this time, in the first light source 13B, for example, when the product corresponding to the push button portion 17 is in the cooled storage state, the blue light emitting diode emits light, while the product corresponding to the push button portion 17 is in the warm storage state. In this case, an orange light emitting diode emits light.

  The light emitted from the chip-type light emitting diode of the first light source 13B has rectilinearity as shown by a one-dot chain line in FIG. This light is scattered by the light diffusing surface 18Ba of the light guide member 18 and passes through the inside of the light transmissive material forming the light guide member 18, and is scattered by the light scattering surface 18Aa and is emitted from the recess 14Ab in the first partition 14A. It reaches the reflective surface. The light reaching the recess 14Ab is reflected to the front side by the light reflecting surface, passes through the packing 15, the film 16, and the push button portion 17, and illuminates the front surface of the push button portion 17. As described above, the light guide member 18 scatters the straight traveling light emitted from the light emitting diode of the first light source 13B and guides it to almost the entire light reflection surface of the recess 14Ab.

  Further, the switch portion 13A is actuated by pushing the push button portion 17 clearly indicated by light. Then, in the vending machine 1, by inputting this operation signal, the push button unit 17 that has been pushed and operated carries out the corresponding product sample product to the product take-out port 8g. At the same time, in the pushbutton device 10, the light emission of the light emitting diode of the first light source 13B is stopped by the operation signal of the switch unit 13A. In this embodiment, two switch parts 13A are provided for one push button part 17. That is, even if the oval center and both sides of the push button portion 17 are pushed, any one of the switch portions 13A can be operated.

  By the way, in the vending machine 1, when the stock of the stored product is exhausted, the push button device 10 is related to the push button unit 17 corresponding to the product sample 7 of the product out of stock, and the second light source 13C of the push button unit 17 is concerned. Is driven. At this time, in the second light source 13C, for example, a red light emitting diode emits light. As a result, the characters “sold out” applied to the film 16 are clearly displayed in red on the push button portion 17.

  Further, when the vending machine 1 replenishes a product that is out of stock, the push button device 10 is engaged with the push button portion 17 corresponding to the product sample 7 of the replenished product, and the second light source 13C of the push button portion 17 is driven. Is done. At this time, in the second light source 13C, for example, an orange light emitting diode emits light. As a result, the characters “in preparation” applied to the film 16 are clearly displayed in orange on the push button portion 17. “Preparing” means that the product stored in the vending machine 1 is being cooled or heated. When the product supplemented to the vending machine 1 is sufficiently cooled or heated, the push button device 10 stops driving the second light source 13C of the push button portion 17 corresponding to the product sample 7 of the supplemented product.

  Further, when the characters “sold out” or “in preparation” are clearly indicated, the push button device 10 clearly indicates the character even if the amount of money to be inserted in the vending machine 1 is an amount required for the sale of the product. The push operation of the push button unit 17 is invalidated. That is, since the push button unit 17 corresponds to the product sample 7 of the product that cannot be sold, the input from the switch unit 13A that the push button unit 17 is opposed to is invalidated. At the same time, the push button device 10 is associated with the push button portion 17 corresponding to the product sample 7 of the product that cannot be sold, and does not drive the first light source 13B of the push button portion 17.

  As described above, according to the push button device 10 described above, the light having a straight traveling property is scattered by the light scattering surface 18Aa while being diffused by the light diverging surface 18Ba of the light guide member 18, and the concave portion 14Ab in the first partition portion 14A. Reflected to the front side by the light reflecting surface. For this reason, light is reflected almost over the entire light reflecting surface of the recess 14Ab, and light is transmitted through a wide range of the push button portion 17, so that the push button portion 17 can be clearly indicated by light. Since the light divergence surface 18Ba diverges light with respect to the light scattering surface 18Aa, the light diffusing surface 18Ba assists the light scattering on the light scattering surface 18Aa.

  Further, since the light guide member 18 is made of a light transmissive material, light diffused by the light diffusing surface 18Ba and light transmitted from the light scattering surface 18Aa to the front side can be obtained. For this reason, the light guide member 18 itself does not block the light, and the light transmitted to the light exit side of the light guide member 18 is transmitted to the push button portion 17. As a result, the push button portion 17 can be clearly shown with light.

  Further, since the light guide member 18 has the light scattering surface 18Aa and the light divergence surface 18Ba formed integrally with the light transmitting material, the light diffusing surface 18Ba and the light scattering surface 18Aa are connected to the first light source 13B and the recess 14Ab. Easy positioning.

  Further, the housing 14 has a passage hole 14Aa that faces the first light source 13B from the light emission side to the bottom of the recess 14Ab having a light reflection surface that gradually expands toward the light emission side of the first light source 13B. The member 18 is disposed in the recess 14Ab at the position of the passage hole 14Aa. For this reason, the light guide member 18 can uniformly scatter the light of the first light source 13B with respect to the light reflecting surface of the recess 14Ab, and can reflect the scattered light without any spots on the light reflecting surface of the recess 14Ab. become.

  In the above-described embodiment, the light guide member 18 has a configuration in which the light scattering surface 18Aa is made of a light transmissive material, but may not be a light transmissive material. Further, the light scattering surface 18Aa is not limited to the cone shape, but may be another cone shape. Further, the light scattering surface 18Aa is not limited to the cone shape, and may be a convex shape facing the first light source 13B.

It is a front view which shows the vending machine which employ | adopted the pushbutton apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view which shows embodiment of the pushbutton apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows embodiment of the pushbutton apparatus which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Pushbutton apparatus 11 Base 11A Storage recessed part 11B Groove part 12 Cover 12A Front plate 12B Side plate 12C Storage space 12D Pushbutton hole 13 Substrate 13A Switch part 13B First light source 13C Second light source 13D Integrated circuit 14 Housing 14A First partition part 14Aa Passing hole 14Ab Concave part 14B Second partition part 14Ba Passing hole 14Bb Concave part 15 Packing 15A Protrusion part 15B Storage part 15C Actuation part 15D Operation protrusion 16 Film 17 Push button part 17A Containment part 17B Gutter part 18 Light guide member 18A Light scattering part 18Aa Light scattering surface 18B Light Divergence part 18Ba Light divergence surface

Claims (6)

A first light source and a second light source mounted on the same substrate;
The light source is provided on the light emission side of each light source so as to cover the first light source and the second light source, and has a through hole at a position corresponding to each light source, and light is emitted to a portion on the light emission side of each through hole. A light reflecting member having a recess that constitutes a reflecting surface;
A light guide member that is disposed in the passage hole of the light reflecting member in a manner facing the first light source, and scatters the light emitted from the first light source toward the concave portion of the light reflecting member;
A push button portion made of a light transmissive material and disposed so as to be capable of being pushed with respect to the substrate in a manner covering the light reflecting member;
The light emitted from the first light source is scattered by the light guide member, then reflected by the light reflecting surface of the light reflecting member and transmitted through the push button portion, while being emitted from the second light source. The push button device is characterized in that the reflected light is reflected by the light reflecting surface of the light reflecting member and transmitted through the push button portion . The said light guide member has a convex light-scattering surface toward the said 1st light source in the aspect which scatters the light of said 1st light source toward the said light reflection member. The pushbutton device described in 1. Said light guide member, which has a light scattering surface of the cone shape is disposed towards the top on the first light source in a manner that the first light source of the light scattered toward the light reflection member The push button device according to claim 1, wherein 4. The push button device according to claim 2, wherein the light scattering surface is formed by being recessed in a light guide member formed of a light transmitting material . The light guide member is formed of a light transmissive material, and has a concave light diverging surface facing the first light source in a mode of diverging light from the first light source toward the light scattering surface. The push button device according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the push button device is provided.   6. The push button device according to claim 5, wherein the light guide member has the light scattering surface and the light diverging surface integrated with a light transmitting material.

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