JP2002040969A - Light emitting display - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Problem] To improve the visibility from a distance by displaying two light emitting display surfaces on a light emitting display surface with a common light emitting element, with each light emitting display surface having uniform luminance. SOLUTION: A housing 2 having a light emitting display port 6 formed over a front surface portion 3a and an upper surface portion 3b, and a light emitting element 11 disposed inside the housing 2 at a position corresponding to the light emitting display port 6; And a light guide member 7 formed of a light guide member forming a light receiving portion 19 with one end side fitted into the light emitting display port 6 and the other end side facing the light emitting element 11. A notch 20 is formed in the light receiving portion 19 of the light guide member 7, and a total reflection portion 21 is formed on the front surface of the light guide member 7 so that light incident from the notch 20 is totally reflected and guided to the upper surface 3 b. It becomes.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a light-emitting display device provided in an electronic device or the like, which displays an operation state by emitting light from a light-emitting element such as an LED.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electronic apparatus is provided with a light-emitting display device for displaying a power-on state, a setting state of various functions, and the like. For example, a mouse input device (mouse) used as a position information input device such as a computer
A trackball is rotatably mounted on a bottom surface of a housing by exposing a part of an outer peripheral surface thereof to the outside, and a click button is provided on an upper surface portion. The mouse detects the rotation of the trackball by an encoder or the like by gripping and moving the housing, and outputs a drive signal for moving a mouse pointer or the like according to the rotation direction and the amount of rotation.

[0003] By the way, a personal computer (personal computer) is difficult to use because many codes are confused on a small desk because a computer is connected to peripheral devices such as a mouse, a keyboard and a monitor. There was such a problem. For this reason, there is also provided a system in which a personal computer and peripheral devices are wirelessly connected to each other by using a weak radio wave of, for example, a 27 MHz band. Such a personal computer system is provided with a light emitting display device for displaying a connection state and a signal transmission / reception state on a computer main body and peripheral devices.

A wireless mouse has a built-in transmitter and transmits input information to a receiver 50 connected to a connection port of a computer main body. The receiver 50 has a transmission / reception function of, for example, two channels, and has a thin box-shaped housing 51. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the receiver 50 has an upper case 5 having a box-like shape and an open bottom surface.
2 and a base plate 53 that is assembled with its bottom portion closed. The receiver 50 has a wiring board 54 on which a wireless transmission / reception circuit unit 55 and the like are mounted on a base plate 53. The receiver 50 is provided on the front side of the upper case 52 with a light-emitting display section 56 for displaying the state of transmission and reception of information signals with the wireless mouse. The light-emitting display unit 56 includes a pair of a transmission display unit and a reception display unit corresponding to each channel, and includes four rectangular portions that straddle the front surface 52a and the upper surface 52b of the upper case 52. Specifically, the light emitting display section 56 has a rectangular opening formed across the front surface 52a and the upper surface 52b of the upper case 52, and a light guide member 57 molded of, for example, a polycarbonate resin or the like is fitted into the opening. .

[0005] The receiver 50 is provided with an element substrate 58 having four light-emitting elements 59 mounted on a wiring substrate 54 corresponding to the light-emitting display section 56. Each light emitting element 59 is disposed to face the inner surface of each light guide member 57, and the emitted light is guided by each light guide member 57 and exposed from the outer peripheral surface as shown by the arrow in FIG. The display unit 56 emits light.

[0006]

As described above, in the receiver 50, as shown in FIG. 6, the light emitting element 59 is placed in the housing 51 with its main axis facing the front surface 52a of the upper case 52. It is arranged. Therefore, in the receiver 50, the light emitted from the emission surface 59 a of the light emitting element 59 is mainly exposed from the front surface 52 a side of the upper case 52, so that the light emitting display unit 56
A non-uniform light emission display was obtained in which the a side was bright and the upper surface 52b was slightly dark.

Since the receiver 50 is placed on a desk or the like, the operator of the personal computer checks the light emitting display section 56 from diagonally above the front surface 52a. Therefore, the receiver 50 does not perform effective light-emitting display because the light-emitting display unit 56 on the upper surface 52b is slightly dark from the above-described configuration, and sufficiently checks whether or not signal transmission and reception are performed accurately. There was a problem that it could not be obtained.

In general, a light-emitting display device has one predetermined surface as a light-emitting display surface, and a light-emitting element is provided inside the light-emitting display device in correspondence with the light-emitting surface. When the light emitting device has a light emitting display surface extending over two surfaces of the orthogonal front surface 52a and the upper surface 52b as in the receiver 50 described above, the light of the light emitting element is more exposed from either one of the display surfaces. However, there is a problem that light emission display with uniform luminance or visibility from a distance cannot be maintained. When the light emitting display device adopts a configuration in which a light emitting element is provided for each light emitting display surface as a countermeasure, for example, the structure becomes complicated and large, and the internal heat generation increases. It cannot be used for devices that require miniaturization as described above.

Therefore, according to the present invention, in a light-emitting display device in which two orthogonal side surfaces are formed as light-emitting display surfaces, each light-emitting display surface is illuminated and displayed with uniform luminance by a common light-emitting element, and a sufficient light-emitting display is provided. The present invention has been proposed for the purpose of providing a light emitting display device in which visibility from a distance is improved by maintaining luminance.

[0010]

A light-emitting display device according to the present invention that achieves the above-mentioned object has a housing in which a light-emitting opening is formed over a top surface and a side surface, and a light-emitting device that is located at a position corresponding to the light-emitting opening. A light-emitting element disposed inside the housing, one end of which is fitted in the light-emitting opening to form a part of the top and side surfaces of the housing and constitutes a light-emitting portion, and the other end of the light-emitting portion And a light guide member formed of a light guide material that constitutes a light receiving portion of the light emitted facing the element.

In the light-emitting display device, a notch having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section is formed in the light receiving portion of the light guide member, and light incident from the notch on the side surface is totally reflected and guided to the upper surface. A total reflection part for emitting light is formed. Further, in the light emitting display device, the light guide member is mounted and supported on a mounting portion formed on the inner surface of the housing, and one end is fitted into the light emitting opening and the multi end faces the emitting element. The light-emitting display piece and the light-shielding portion protruding from the side surface of the light-emitting display piece are integrally formed.

According to the light emitting display device of the present invention configured as described above, light emitted from the light emitting element is formed on two orthogonal surfaces of the upper surface and the side surface of the housing via the light guide member. The light is guided to the light-emitting opening, so that the housing 2
Light emission is displayed on the surface.

Further, according to the light emitting display device, the light emitted from the light emitting element is incident on the light guide member from the notch formed in the light receiving portion, and is totally reflected by the side surface portion to be guided to the upper surface side. Since light is emitted, the light emitting opening on the upper surface side emits light more efficiently. Furthermore, according to the light-emitting display device, the light from the light-emitting element is effectively guided to the light-emitting opening by the light-shielding portion of the light-guiding member extending to the outer peripheral portion of the light-emitting element to shield the emitted light. Display with sufficient luminance.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The light-emitting display device according to the embodiment is applied to a receiver 1 that is connected to a connection port of a computer main body and receives input information transmitted from a wireless mouse. The receiver 1 has, for example, a transmission / reception function of two channels, receives input information transmitted from a wireless mouse using a weak radio wave in a 27 MHz band, inputs the information to a computer main body, and also determines a connection state and a signal with the wireless mouse. Displays the transmission / reception status of

Although not shown in the figure, the receiver 1 transmits and receives radio signals.
As shown in FIG. 1, a transmitter 2 is built in and includes a housing 2 formed in a thin box shape by an upper case 3 having a box shape as a whole and a base plate 4 assembled by closing a bottom portion thereof. The upper case 3 is provided with a light-emitting display section 5 that displays the transmission and reception state of information signals with the wireless mouse over a front section 3a and an upper section 3b that face the wireless mouse. The light emitting display unit 5
It comprises a pair of transmission display unit and reception display unit corresponding to each channel, and the front surface 2a and the upper surface 2b of the upper case 3
And four light-emitting display ports 6 having a rectangular shape, and a light guide member 7 whose details will be described later.

In the receiver 1, a plurality of pedestals 8 are integrally formed on the inner surface of the base plate 4 as shown in FIG.
A wiring board 9 on which a wireless transmission / reception circuit unit (not shown) and the like are mounted is mounted and supported on these pedestals 8. A predetermined pedestal portion 8 is formed as a stud having a mounting hole 8 a on the base plate 4, and abuts with a stud 10 integrally projecting from the inner surface of the upper case 3. A mounting screw is screwed into the mounting hole 8a of each stud base 8, and the upper case 3 and the base plate 4 are combined together.

On the wiring board 9, four light emitting elements 11 are mounted in parallel with each other at positions corresponding to the respective light emitting display ports 6 of the light emitting display section 5 near the end on the upper surface portion 2b side. Each light emitting element 11 is selectively turned on by an output from a driver circuit (not shown) mounted on the wiring board 9 when an information signal transmission / reception operation is performed between the receiver 1 and the wireless mouse.

As shown in FIG. 1, a pair of mounting pins 12 are integrally formed on the inner surface of the upper case 3 at positions corresponding to the light-emitting display ports 6, and a light guide member is provided via these mounting pins 12. 7 is attached. The light guide member 7 is integrally formed of a synthetic resin material such as a transparent or translucent polycarbonate resin or acrylic resin. Light guide member 7
Has four light emitting display pieces 1 corresponding to the respective light emitting display ports 6.
3 (13a to 13d) are integrally formed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the light guide member 7 is integrally formed with a light-emitting display piece 13 together with a mounting portion 14, an inclined bent portion 15, and a light-shielding portion 16. It is shaped like a letter. The mounting portion 14 is a horizontal plate-like portion having a width slightly larger than the width of the light-emitting display portion 5 of the housing 2, and is separated from the mounting pins 1 of the upper case 3 in the width direction.
A pair of mounting holes 17 into which 2 fits are formed. The inclined bent portion 15 is formed continuously at the front end side of the mounting portion 14 by being gradually inclined downward.

In the light guide member 7, the light emitting display pieces 13 are formed integrally with each other at equal intervals so as to be orthogonal to the inclined bent portion 15. Each light shielding unit 16
It is located on both sides of the light emitting display piece 13 and is bent vertically from the tip of the inclined bent portion 15 to be continuously provided. In other words, each light-shielding part 16 is integrally formed on both side surfaces such that the lower end thereof protrudes from the light-emitting display piece part 13.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the light-emitting display pieces 13 is formed to have a substantially wedge-like shape as a whole, and has a thickness substantially equal to the groove width of the light-emitting display port 6 of the upper case 3. . In the state where the light guide member 7 is attached to the upper case 3, one end of each light emitting display piece 13 is fitted into each light emitting display port 6 to form a light emitting section 18, and the other end is each light emitting element 11. And constitute a light receiving section 19. Each light emitting display piece 13 has a notch 20
Is formed, and a side surface portion on the front side facing the notch 20 forms a total reflection portion 21.

Each of the light-emitting portions 18 is, more specifically, a front-side light-emitting portion 18 fitted into the front-side opening 6a of the corresponding light-emitting display port 6.
a and an upper surface light emitting portion 18b fitted to the upper surface side opening 6b. When the light guide member 7 is attached to the upper case 3, the light emitting section 18 is configured such that the front light emitting section 18 a
a, and the upper surface light emitting portion 18b forms substantially the same surface as the upper surface portion 2b of the housing 2.

Each light receiving section 19 is opposed to each light emitting element 11 when the light guide member 7 is attached to the upper case 3 and has a horizontal end surface. In the light receiving section 19,
The notch 20 described above is formed with the front side being a vertical plane and the back side being a slope. When the light emitting element 11 is turned on, the light receiving section 19 emits the emitted light to the light emitting display piece 1.
3 to the inside. The total reflection portion 21 is formed on a front side surface portion of the light emitting display piece 13 corresponding to a vertical surface of the notch 20. The total reflection unit 21 totally reflects the light incident through the vertical surface of the notch 20 as shown by the arrow a in FIG. 1 and guides the light to the upper surface light emitting unit 18b of the light emitting unit 18.

In the light guide member 7 configured as described above, the mounting pins 12 are fitted into the mounting holes 17 as shown in FIG. 1, and the mounting pins 12 are subjected to, for example, heat caulking. Thereby, it is supported on the inner surface of the upper case 3. The light guide member 7 is attached to the mounting portion 14 in the mounted state.
And the inclined bent portion 15 is opposed to the inner surface of the upper surface portion 3b of the upper case 3 at a predetermined interval, and
The tip of the inclined bent portion 15 and the light shielding portion 16 are opposed to the inner surface of the front surface 3a at a predetermined interval.

In the light guide member 7, each light emitting display piece 13 is fitted into the light emitting display port 6 facing each light emitting portion 18, and each light receiving portion 19 is opposed to the light emitting element 11 facing each other. To the housing 2. Light guide member 7
The front light-emitting portion 18a forms a part of the front surface of the housing 2 by fitting the light-emitting portions 18 into the light-emitting display ports 6, respectively. Make up the part.

In the light guide member 7, in this state, the light shielding portions 16 of the respective light emitting display pieces 13 abut against the upper surface of the wiring board 9. The light-shielding portion 16 presses the end of the wiring board 9 against the base plate 4 and holds it. In addition, the light shielding portion 16
Extends to the outer peripheral portion of the light emitting element 11, thereby suppressing leakage of light emitted from the light emitting element 11 and efficiently guiding the light into the light emitting display piece 13. Therefore, the light guide member 7 improves the light guide efficiency between the light emitting element 11 and the light emitting display unit 5.

In the receiver 1, the wireless mouse is operated to receive the transmitted input information,
A predetermined light emitting element 11 is turned on. In the receiver 1,
The light emitted from the light emitting element 11 is transmitted to the corresponding light guide member 7.
As a result, the reception state is illuminated and displayed by being guided to the luminous display section 5. The light guide member 7 guides the light incident from the light receiving portion 19 of the predetermined light emitting display piece portion 13 to the light emitting portion 18 as shown by the arrow in FIG. Shine.

The light-guiding member 7 has a light-emitting portion 18 of each light-emitting display piece portion 13 having a front light-emitting portion 18a and a top light-emitting portion 18b.
The light emission display is performed simultaneously on the two side surfaces. The light guide member 7 has the notch 20 formed in the light receiving portion 19 of the light emitting display piece portion 13 and the total reflection portion 21 as described above, so that the light emitting element 11 can be more efficiently formed with respect to the upper surface light emitting portion 18b. Guides light. Therefore, the receiver 1
The light-emitting display unit 5 is placed on a desk or the like and viewed from obliquely above the front side by the operator of the personal computer. From the above-described configuration, the upper surface light-emitting unit 18b shines with sufficient luminance to generate a signal. The transmission / reception state is surely visually recognized.

In the above-described embodiment, an example of application to the receiver 1 for receiving input information transmitted from the wireless mouse has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to such a receiver 1. Of course. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The present invention is applied to various light emitting display devices that display an operation state or the like by light emission of a light emitting element. Further, in the light guide member 7, each part including the light emitting display piece 13 is integrally formed of a transparent synthetic resin. For example, the light emitting display piece 13 is formed of an independent member, and a mounting bracket formed of a thin metal plate or the like. May be assembled.

The light-emitting display device includes a light-guiding member 7 in which a plurality of light-emitting display pieces 13 are formed corresponding to the number of light-emitting display ports 6 opened across two mutually orthogonal surfaces of the housing 2. Prepare. The light guide member 7 is interposed between the light emitting display port 6 and the light emitting element 11 arranged inside the housing 2 to perform a light guiding action.
Needless to say, it can be appropriately changed depending on the position of “1”.

[0031]

As described in detail above, according to the light-emitting display device of the present invention, light emitted from one light-emitting element is transmitted to the upper surface and the side surface of the housing via the light guide member. By efficiently guiding the light to the light emitting openings formed on the two orthogonal surfaces, the light emitting display such as the operation state of the main device is performed on the two surfaces of the housing. Therefore, according to the light-emitting display device, it is possible to reduce the heat generation amount with a small size and a simple structure. According to the light-emitting display device, more efficient light guide is performed on the upper surface portion, so that the light-emitting display device can be visually recognized from a distance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of a wireless mouse receiver shown as an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a light guide member provided in the receiver.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the light guide member.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a light-emitting display piece formed integrally with the light guide member.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wireless mouse receiver.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a main part of the receiver.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Receiver 2 Housing 3 Upper case 4 Base plate 5 Light emitting display part 6 Light emitting display port 7 Light guide member 9 Wiring board 11 Light emitting element 13 Light emitting display piece part 14 Mounting part 15 Inclined bent part 16 Light shielding part 18 Light emitting part 19 Light receiving Part 20 Notch 21 Total reflection part

Claims (3)

[Claims] A housing having a light emitting opening formed over an upper surface and a side surface; a light emitting element disposed inside the housing at a position corresponding to the light emitting opening; The light emitting unit is fitted to the light emitting opening to form a part of the upper surface part and the side surface part of the housing and constitutes a light emitting part, and the other end side constitutes a light receiving part of the light emitted facing the light emitting element. A light guide member formed by a light guide material, and the light guide member guides light emitted from the light emitting element to two orthogonal surfaces of an upper surface portion and a side surface portion of the housing to perform light emission display. A light emitting display device characterized by performing the following. 2. The light guide member, wherein a notch having a substantially wedge-shaped cross section is formed in the light receiving portion, and light incident from the notch on a side surface portion is totally reflected and guided to the upper surface portion. 2. A total reflection portion for emitting light is formed.
The light-emitting display device according to claim 1. 3. The light guide member has a mounting portion mounted and supported by a mounting portion formed on an inner surface of the housing, and one end portion fitted into the light emitting opening and a multi-end portion having the light emitting element. And a light-shielding portion protruding from the side surface of the light-emitting display piece is integrally formed, and the light-shielding portion extends to an outer peripheral portion of the light-emitting element to emit light. The light emitting display device according to claim 1, wherein light emitted from the element in a side direction is blocked.