JPH0414818Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to the structure of a button attached to the front panel of an audio device, and in particular, the invention has a display section on the button surface and is illuminated by illumination light from behind the button. The present invention relates to an improvement in a button structure configured such that its display section is brightly illuminated.

[Conventional technology]

For audio equipment, such as car cassette decks,
Various buttons are attached to the front plate.

Each button corresponds to a predetermined function, such as channel switching, and by pressing the button, a switch such as a micro switch provided within the device is turned on or off.

For the purpose of self-resetting the button and improving the operation feeling, the button is attached to the front plate through a sponge.

In addition, in order to indicate to the operator that the mode has changed by operating the button, and with the aim of reducing the display space, a transparent or semi-transparent display section with a predetermined shape is provided on the button surface, depending on the mode. The buttons are also illuminated from behind. In this case, in addition to the self-resetting function, the sponge also functions as a light shielding plate that allows the illumination light to illuminate only the display section and not illuminate other unnecessary areas.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a conventional light shielding plate, and the light shielding plate 10 is made of sponge. Further, a through hole 10a is provided at a position facing the display section of the button, and the display section of the button is illuminated by light passing through the hole 10a.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

By the way, when a sponge is compressed, it naturally deforms, and this deformation and restoring force to its original shape is used to make it possible to press the button and return to its original shape, but it can also be used as a light shielding plate. In some cases, deformation during compression caused a problem, causing a shadow to appear on the display. That is, when compressed, the through hole 10a portion of the light shielding plate 10 changes from the solid line to the dotted line in FIG. 9, and as a result, the through hole becomes smaller.
The deformed part appears as a shadow on the display.

In particular, deformation of the button-side surface of the light-shielding plate 10 has a large effect on the display section because this surface is close to the back surface of the button and may come into contact with it.

The present invention solves these conventional problems, and its purpose is to prevent the shape of the through hole, especially the shape of the button side of the through hole, from collapsing even when the sponge is compressed, so that the display area of the button can be The purpose is to prevent shadows from forming.

[Means for solving problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a button having a transparent or semi-transparent display part, and a button that is compressed and deformed by being pressed by the button when the button is pressed, and has a restoring force against the compressed deformation. and a through hole provided in the sponge so that light from a light source provided behind the sponge passes through and illuminates the display part of the button from behind, In the button structure configured such that a switch provided in the housing is activated by pressing against the elastic force of the button, the button side surface of the sponge has a hole opposite to the through-hole portion of the sponge. Adopts a structure in which thin, open plates are glued together.

[Effect]

Even when the button is pressed and the sponge is compressed, the through-hole part of the sponge on the side of the button does not deform due to the adhesive force with the thin plate, and in this way, the through-hole part of the sponge on the side of the button is prevented from deforming. As a result, deformation of the entire through hole can be minimized.

〔Example〕

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the light shielding plate used in the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view thereof.

The light shielding plate 1 is made by pasting together a sponge 2 and an art paper 3 with an adhesive, and both have the same planar shape. That is, on the inside there are through holes 2a, 3a with a substantially circular cross section, and through holes 2b, 2 with a substantially triangular cross section.
c, 3b, and 3c are opened, and cuts 2d to 2g and 3d to 3g are formed on the outer periphery. Instead of the art paper 3, it is also possible to use other types of thin paper or plates made of other materials, such as synthetic films.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an embodiment of the present invention, in which a button 5 is inserted into a button insertion hole 4a provided in a front decorative plate 4 through a light shielding plate 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Shown is the attached state. 4 is a plan view with the button 5 and light shielding plate 1 of FIG. 3 removed, and through holes 4b to 4h are formed in the button insertion hole 4a of the front decorative plate 4. .

5 is a right side view of the button 5, FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the button 5, and FIG. 7 is a back view of the button 5. The button 5 has an approximately triangular display portion 5 on the button surface.
a, 5b, a wall 5h and a pin 5g approximately in the center, and surrounding four legs 5c to 5f with slightly swollen tips. The button 5 is made by integrally molding transparent or translucent synthetic resin, etc., and then colored except for the display parts 5a and 5b.
As a result, the display portions 5a and 5b are made transparent or semitransparent.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line X--X in FIG. 3, where 6 is a switch and 7 and 8 are light sources.

Place the light shielding plate 1 with the art paper 3 side up in the button insertion hole 4a of the front decorative plate 4, insert the button 5 from above, and insert the four legs 5c to 5 of the button 5.
f and the pin 5g through the through hole 4b of the front decorative plate 4,
4e to 4h, the bulges at the tips of the legs 5c to 5f engage with the back side of the front decorative plate 4, and the button 5 becomes in the attached state. In this state, the light from the light source 7 disposed in the light guide section 4i of the front decorative plate 4 passes through the through hole 2c of the sponge 2 in the light shielding plate 1 and the through hole 3c of the art paper 3, and the light from the button 5 is displayed. The portion 5b is illuminated from its back side, and the light from the light source 7 does not enter the display portion 5a due to the sponge portion of the light shielding plate 1 and the wall portion 5h of the button 5. Similarly, the light from the light source 8 disposed in the light guide portion 4j of the front decorative plate 4 passes through the light beam 2b through the sponge 2 in the light shielding plate 1 and the through hole 3b in the art paper 3, and reaches the display portion 5a of the button 5. The light from the light source 8 is not incident on the display section 5b due to the sponge portion of the light shielding plate 1 and the wall 5h portion of the button 5.

In addition, a switch 6 is disposed on the device side near the tip of the pin 5g of the button 5, and when the button 5 is pushed while compressing the sponge 2, the switch 6 is operated by the tip of the pin 5g, and the switch 6 is released. The button 5 is returned to its original state by the restoring force of the sponge 2.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various additions and changes can be made such as the number and shape of the display sections can be made arbitrary.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, in the present invention, the through-hole portion of the sponge on the side of the button does not deform due to the adhesive force with the thin plate, and in this way, deformation of the through-hole portion of the sponge on the button side is prevented. This also minimizes deformation of the entire through hole. Therefore, shadows will not appear on the button display area.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of the light shielding plate used in the present invention, Figure 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the light shielding plate used in the present invention, and Figure 3 is a plan view of the embodiment of the present invention. 4 is a plan view of the button 5 and light shielding plate 1 in FIG. 3 removed, FIG. 5 is a right side view of the button 5, FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the button 5, and FIG. 7 is a plan view of the button 5. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line X--X in FIG. 3, and FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example. In the figure, 1... light shielding plate, 2... sponge,
2a-2c, 3a-3c, 10a, 4b-4h...
...Through hole, 2d~2g, 3d~3g...Notch, 3...Art paper, 4...Front plate, 4a...
...Button insertion hole, 4i, 4j...Light guiding part, 5...
Buttons, 5a, 5b... Display section, 5c to 5f...
Legs, 5g... pin, 5h... wall, 6... switch, 7, 8... light source, 10... sponge.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A button having a transparent or semi-transparent display part, and when the button is pressed, the button is compressed and deformed, and the button is returned to its original state by a restoring force against the compressed deformation. a sponge; and a through hole provided in the sponge so that light from a light source provided behind the sponge passes through and illuminates a display portion of the button from behind; In the button structure configured such that a switch provided in the housing is activated by pressing against the button, a hole is formed in a surface of the sponge on the button side opposite to a through-hole portion of the sponge. A button structure characterized by thin plates glued together.