JP2010114010A - Lighting structure of mobile apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an lighting structure of a mobile apparatus, capable of improving ease of operation and aesthetic appreciation by lighting a gap between a hollow key and an engagement key and using the light. <P>SOLUTION: In this lighting structure of the mobile apparatus, a navigation key 6 is provided in an operation layer 5 of the mobile phone 1, a select key 7 facing a pressure sensitive switch 10 so that it can be brought into contact with and separated from the pressure sensitive switch is fitted in the inside of the navigation key 6 through a slight gap 8 so as to make pushing operation possible, and the gap 8 between the navigation key 6 and the select switch 7 is illuminated. The structure includes an LED 20 built in the casing 2 of the mobile phone 1, and a translucent guide layer 30 to guide light from the LED 20 to the gap 8. The tip 31 of the light guide layer 30 is inserted in the gap 8 between the navigation key 6 and the select switch 7, the tip 31 is made to come close to the peripheral surface of the select switch 7, and thereby, the gap 8 can be made to properly emit light without interposing the light guide layer 30 in a narrow gap between the select switch 7 and the pressure sensitive switch 10. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an illumination structure of a mobile device used for a mobile phone or the like.

  Although not shown, a conventional mobile phone is provided with an operation layer having a plurality of operation keys arranged in a part of a housing, for example, and a hollow navigation key is provided on the upper portion of the operation layer so as to be swingable. In the navigation key, a select key facing the pressure sensitive switch on the circuit board of the housing so as to be able to contact and separate is inserted so as to be able to be pressed (see Patent Document 1).

  The casing is configured to be foldable or slidable, and a screen for displaying a plurality of icons and a predetermined image is formed in the remaining part. Further, the plurality of operation keys have predetermined characters printed on the surface of each operation key, are provided with light transparency, and are illuminated by a light guide layer that guides the light beam of the LED from the back side of the operation layer. (See Patent Document 2).

In such a mobile phone, when a predetermined icon is selected from a plurality of icons displayed on the screen of the housing, the navigation key is swung back and forth and left and right, and the select key is pressed, When a predetermined function is to be used among the plurality of functions of the selected icon, the navigation key is swung and then the select key is pressed.
JP 2008-187469 A JP 2004-200093 A

By the way, in recent mobile phones, in addition to a plurality of operation keys, a slight gap between adjacent navigation keys and select keys is illuminated to produce effects, thereby further improving the operability and aesthetics of mobile phones. There is a request.
However, since the select key and the hard pressure sensitive switch on the circuit board face each other close to each other, the light guide layer of the sheet cannot be interposed in the narrow gap between the select key and the pressure sensitive switch. There is a problem that the operability and aesthetics of the LED beam cannot be improved.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an illumination structure for a portable device that can illuminate a gap between a hollow key and a fitting key to improve operability and aesthetics by light rays. .

In the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problems, a hollow key is provided in the operation layer of the portable device, and a fitting key that contacts and separates the electronic component is fitted into the hollow key so that it can be pressed through a gap. Illuminates the gap between the key and the mating key,
It is characterized by comprising a light emitting element built in the portable device and a light transmissive light guide layer for guiding the light from the light emitting element to the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key.

The portable device can be a mobile phone, the hollow key can be a navigation key that can be pressed, and the fitting key can be a select key.
Further, a light guide layer is disposed below the operation layer, and a facing portion facing the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key is inserted into the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key. Is close to the peripheral surface of the fitting key so that the end of the light guide layer and the light emitting element face each other.

  Here, the portable devices in the claims include at least a multifunctional mobile phone, a portable audio device, and an audio player. The hollow key may have a ring shape or a frame shape in plan view. The electronic component includes at least a pressure sensitive switch, a sensor, a tact switch, and a predetermined circuit element. Further, the fitting key may be circular, elliptical, polygonal, rectangular, or the like in plan view.

  The light emitting element includes at least a plurality of LEDs and EL (surface light emitter). In addition, the light guide layer is formed using various kinds of elastomers having optical transparency, but may be a sheet, an elongated linear shape, a string shape, or the like. When the light guide layer is formed on the sheet and the through hole to be fitted to the fitting key is provided in the light guide layer, the peripheral surface of the through hole is a hollow key. Opposite the gap with the fitting key.

According to the present invention, when the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key of the portable device is illuminated, the light emitting element is caused to emit light.
Then, the light beam of the light emitting element is guided from the end of the light guide layer toward the facing portion, irradiates the fitting key, and reflects between the facing surfaces of the hollow key and the fitting key while reflecting the surface of the operation layer. The light is emitted in the direction to illuminate the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key.

  According to the present invention, since the light emitting element built in the portable device and the light transmissive light guide layer for guiding the light beam from the light emitting element to the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key, the hollow key is included. Illuminating the gap between the key and the fitting key, it is possible to improve the operability and aesthetics of the light emitting element with light rays.

  If the mobile device is a mobile phone and the hollow key is a navigation key that can be pressed, and the fitting key is a select key, the gap between the navigation key and the select key is illuminated and produced. Operability and aesthetics can be improved.

  Further, a light guide layer is disposed below the operation layer, and a facing portion facing the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key is inserted into the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key. When the end of the light guide layer and the light emitting element face each other, the light beam of the light emitting element reflects between the hollow key and the fitting key to face the surface of the operation layer. The gap between the hollow key and the fitting key can be illuminated.

  Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of a lighting structure of a portable device according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The lighting structure of a portable device in this embodiment is a portable device as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. The phone 1, the LED 20 built in the housing 2 of the mobile phone 1, and a light transmissive light guide layer 30 that guides light from the LED 20 to the slight gap 8 between the navigation key 6 and the select key 7. And so on.

  The casing 2 of the mobile phone 1 is configured using a predetermined resin, metal, or the like, and has a plurality of icons (for example, a phone icon, a mail icon, a camera icon, or a data folder icon) or a predetermined image on the upper surface. Is integrally formed, and an operation layer 5 is provided integrally with a plurality of operation keys 4 arranged below the surface.

  The plurality of operation keys 4 are formed so that each operation key 4 can be pressed, and predetermined characters, numbers, designs, etc. are printed on the surface of the operation key 4 and light transparency is given. Illuminated by a light-transmissive light-guiding layer that guides the light beam of the LED in the housing 2 from the back side of the layer 5. In addition, the operation layer 5 is provided with a hollow frame-shaped navigation key 6 at the center of the upper portion so that it can be swung. Inside the navigation key 6, a plane rectangular select key (also referred to as a decision key) 7 is slightly provided. It is inserted through the gap 8 so that it can be pressed.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the navigation key 6 is bent and formed into a substantially L-shaped cross section using, for example, a predetermined resin or the like, surrounds the select key 7 and has a plane frame-shaped gap 8 on its peripheral surface. Opposite through. The select key 7 is formed in a substantially convex shape with a flange using a predetermined resin, for example, and can be contacted and separated from above the hard pressure-sensitive switch 10 of the circuit board 9 built in the housing 2. Close proximity.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the LED 20 is built in the upper portion of the housing 2 and is positioned below the peripheral edge of the casing 2 or the peripheral edge of the operation layer 5, and emits chromatic light (for example, red or It works to emit blue light).

  The light guide layer 30 is formed into a flexible substantially plate shape that can be bent by using a predetermined molding material in which a silicone resin for reinforcement or a reinforcing silica is added to a colorless and transparent silicone polymer. Between the circuit board 9 and the circuit board 9, and is pressed and positioned and fixed to the positioning protrusions of the housing 2 and the operation layer 5.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the light guide layer 30 has an adhesive or the like in a slight gap 8 between the lower end portion of the navigation key 6 facing the tip portion 31 and the flange protruding outward of the select key 7. The tip portion 31 comes close to the peripheral surface of the select key 7 facing through the slight gap 8 and the light beam of the LED 20 is irradiated from the tip portion 31 to the peripheral surface of the select key 7. It works as follows.

  The end surface of the front end portion 31 of the light guide layer 30 may be formed with irregularities or may be coated with light diffusing ink in order to adjust the irradiation amount of light rays. Moreover, the end surface of the front end portion 31 may be perpendicular to the thickness direction of the light guide layer 30, or the lower side may be cut. The end portion 32 of the light guide layer 30 bends in the direction of the circuit board 9 and opposes the LED 20 through a slight gap.

  In the above, when a predetermined icon (for example, a mail icon) is selected from a plurality of icons arranged and displayed on the screen 3 of the housing 2, the navigation key 6 is swung back and forth and left and right, and the select key 7 is pressed. What is necessary is just to press. When a predetermined icon is selected in this way and a predetermined function (for example, a new mail creation function for a mail icon) is to be used among a plurality of functions of this icon, the navigation key 6 is swung again. The select key 7 may be pressed.

  Further, when it is desired to illuminate a slight gap 8 between the navigation key 6 and the select key 7 and to improve the operability and aesthetics of the navigation key 6 and the select key 7, the predetermined operation key 4 of the mobile phone 1 is used. To turn on the power source, and the LED 20 may be caused to emit light in conjunction with the pressing operation of the operation key 4.

  Then, the light beam of the LED 20 is directed to the peripheral surface of the select key 7 while being guided from the end portion 32 of the light guide layer 30 toward the front end portion 31, and repeatedly between the opposing surfaces of the navigation key 6 and the select key 7. The light is emitted from the back surface direction of the operation layer 5 to the front surface direction while being reflected. Due to this emission, the light beam of the LED 20 efficiently illuminates the slight gap 8 between the adjacent navigation key 6 and the select key 7, and brings out a good production feeling, decorative beauty, and functional beauty (see arrows in FIG. 2). .

  Note that the opposing surface of the navigation key 6 and the select key 7 may be formed on a reflective layer that facilitates the reflection of the light beam of the LED 20, or a separate reflective layer may be laminated. In addition, the select key 7 can be provided with optical transparency as required.

  According to the above configuration, the tip 31 of the light guide layer 30 is inserted into the gap 8 between the navigation key 6 and the select key 7, and the tip 31 of the light guide layer 30 is brought close to the peripheral surface of the select key 7. Therefore, the gap 8 can be appropriately illuminated without interposing the light guide layer 30 in the narrow gap between the select key 7 and the pressure sensitive switch 10. Therefore, the operativity and aesthetics by the light beam of LED20 can be improved. Further, since it is not necessary to enlarge the narrow gap between the select key 7 and the pressure sensitive switch 10 and allow the light guide layer 30 to be inserted, the configuration and complexity of the mobile phone 1 can be prevented.

  In addition, the housing | casing 2 of the said embodiment may be a foldable type, and may be a slide type. Further, the LED for the operation key 4 and the LED 20 for the light guide layer 30 may be separate or not. The LED 20 for the light guide layer 30 may be singular or plural. Further, another layer such as an adhesive layer may be interposed between the operation layer 5 and the light guide layer 30. Further, a through hole that fits into the select key 7 is drilled in the light guide layer 30, and the peripheral surface of this through hole is inserted into the gap 8 between the lower end portion of the navigation key 6 and the flange of the select key 7 with an adhesive or the like. It can also be inserted.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically embodiment of the illumination structure of the portable device which concerns on this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view showing typically an embodiment of a lighting structure of a portable device according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Mobile phone (mobile device)
2 Housing 5 Operation layer 6 Navigation key (hollow key)
7 Select key (Mating key)
8 Clearance 9 Circuit board 10 Pressure-sensitive switch (electronic component)
20 LED (light emitting device)
30 Light guide layer 31 Tip (opposite part)
32 Terminal part (end part)

Claims (3)

A hollow key is provided in the operation layer of the portable device, and a fitting key that comes in contact with and separates from an electronic component is fitted into the hollow key so that it can be pressed through a gap. The gap between the hollow key and the fitting key is illuminated. A lighting structure of a portable device,
A portable device comprising: a light-emitting element incorporated in a portable device; and a light-transmissive light guide layer that guides light from the light-emitting device to a gap between the hollow key and the fitting key. Lighting structure.   2. The illumination structure for a mobile device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile device is a mobile phone, the navigation key is a navigation key that can be pressed, and the fitting key is a select key.   A light guide layer is disposed below the operation layer, and a facing portion facing the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key is inserted into the gap between the hollow key and the fitting key, and the facing portion of the light guide layer is fitted. The illumination structure for a portable device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the light guide layer is opposed to the end portion of the light guide layer so as to approach the peripheral surface of the key.

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