JP2013062124A - Push button and on-vehicle acoustic system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a push button which suppresses a cost burden, enables a good yield and prevents a parting line from damaging design performance.SOLUTION: A push button 6 is installed in an attachment hole 12 of an escutcheon 4 and is lit by irradiation of light from the back side of the escutcheon 4. The push button 6 includes: a plate shaped operation portion 30 exposed from the attachment hole 12 when attached to the attachment hole 12 and formed of a light guiding material irradiated with light from the back side; and a cylindrical body portion 31 extending from the operation portion 30 to the back side, inserted to the attachment hole 12 and formed of a light-blocking material. A tip 40 of the body portion 31 on the side of the operation portion 30 is connected to a back face 30B of the operation portion 30 at a section located at the inner side from an edge 30C of the operation portion 30, and a rib 41 entering the inner side of the operation portion 30 to narrow a light path from the center of the operation portion 30 to the edge 30C is arranged at the tip 40 of the body portion 31.

Description

  The present invention relates to a push-type push button and an on-vehicle acoustic device provided with the push button, and in particular, a light transmission type composed of characters or the like provided on the push button by irradiating light from the back side of the push button. The present invention relates to a technique for preventing light leakage when illuminating a display unit.

In general, an in-vehicle acoustic device that reproduces a CD-ROM or the like as a recording medium is known. This type includes a playback device main body and a panel (also referred to as “escussion”) provided on the front surface thereof, and a so-called front-insertion type push button is pushed into the assembly hole of the panel and returned. What is possible is widely known.
Furthermore, what irradiates light to the pushbutton from the back side and illuminated the light transmission type display part which consists of the character etc. which were provided in the surface of this pushbutton is known (for example, refer patent document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-35575

  By the way, as an illumination structure of the push button, for example, as shown in FIG. 5, the push button 70 is formed in a single color with a light guide material of transparent resin, and is inserted into the assembly hole 72 of the panel 71. 73 is exposed from the assembly hole 72, a light-shielding paint is applied to the surface of the operation portion 73 to form a light-shielding coating surface 74, and the coating of the light-shielding coating surface 74 is appropriately removed by laser processing or the like. A structure in which the transmissive display unit 75 is formed and the light transmissive display unit 75 of the operation unit 73 is illuminated from the back side by a light source 76 disposed on the back side of the panel 71 is conceivable.

However, when the entire push button 70 is formed of a light guide material, the light leaks from the back surface unless the coating applied to the surface of the operation unit 73 is applied to the back surface, and the leaked light is emitted from the panel 71 and the operation unit 73. There is a problem of leaking from between.
In order to solve this problem, coating may be performed so as to cover at least the front surface to the back surface of the operation portion 73 of the push button 70, but in this case, the cost increases and the yield is deteriorated.

Therefore, for example, as shown in FIG. 6, the push button 80 is formed in two colors so that the body portion 81 made of a light-shielding material extends on the back side flush with the edge of the operation portion 73 made of a light guide material. The back surface of the edge of the portion 73 is blocked by the body portion 81, and leakage of light from the back surface can be prevented.
However, in this push button 80, a parting line 83 is generated at the connecting portion 82 between the operation portion 73 and the trunk portion 81. Therefore, in the assembly structure of the push button 80 in which the connecting portion 82 is located above the assembly hole 72 of the panel 71, there is a problem that the parting line 83 is exposed and the design is impaired.

  The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a push button and an in-vehicle acoustic device that can reduce the cost load, improve the yield, and do not impair the design by the parting line. And

  To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a push button that is provided in an assembly hole of a panel and is illuminated with light from the back side of the panel, and is assembled into the assembly hole. Formed from a plate-like operation part formed from a light guide material exposed from the assembly hole and irradiated with light from the back side, and a light shielding material extending from the operation part to the back side and inserted into the assembly hole A cylindrical body portion, and the distal end of the body portion on the operation portion side is connected to the back surface of the operation portion at a position inside the edge of the operation portion, and The tip is provided with a rib that enters the inside of the operation unit and narrows the light path from the center to the edge of the operation unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, the second invention is a push button provided in an assembly hole of a panel and illuminated by light from the back side of the panel, and is assembled into the assembly hole. A plate-like operation part that is exposed from the assembly hole and irradiated with light from the back side, and a cylindrical body part that extends from the edge of the operation part to the back side and is inserted into the assembly hole, The operation portion and the body portion are integrally formed of a light guide material by monochromatic molding, and an end portion of the body portion has a diaphragm shape that reduces an area of an end surface of the body portion.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, the end portion of the body portion may be provided with an inclined surface that is inclined so that the thickness of the body portion becomes thinner from the operation unit side to the end surface side and connected to the aperture shape. It is provided.

  In the second aspect of the present invention, a cylindrical light-shielding rib extending substantially vertically from the back surface of the operation portion to the back side is integrally provided by the monochromatic molding, and the connection portion between the operation portion and the light-shielding rib is provided. A concave portion for narrowing a light path from the inside to the outside of the light shielding rib in the operation portion is provided.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a vehicle-mounted acoustic device including a vehicle-mounted acoustic device main body mounted on a vehicle and a panel provided on a surface exposed to the vehicle interior of the vehicle-mounted acoustic device main body. In the apparatus, an assembly hole is provided in the panel, a light source for irradiating light toward the opening of the assembly hole is disposed on the back side of the panel, and the push button according to any of the above inventions is installed in the assembly It was provided in the hole.

According to the first invention, the front end of the body part on the operation part side is connected to the back surface of the operation part at a position entering inside from the edge of the operation part, so that the connection part between the body part and the operation part is the back surface of the operation part. The design is not impaired by this connecting portion. In addition to this, a rib is provided at the tip of the body part to enter the inside of the operation part and narrow the light path from the center of the operation part to the edge. Thus, the amount of light traveling toward the outer edge can be reduced, and the light leaking from the edge of the operation unit can be suppressed.
According to the second aspect of the invention, since the operation part and the body part are integrally formed of a light guide material by monochromatic molding, no parting line is generated at these connection points. In addition to this, the end portion of the body portion has a diaphragm shape that reduces the area of the end surface of the body portion, so that light leaking from the end surface can be suppressed.

It is a principal part enlarged view of the vehicle-mounted audio apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the cross section of the pushbutton part of an escutcheon. It is sectional drawing of the pushbutton part of an escutcheon. It is sectional drawing of the pushbutton which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a reference block diagram for facilitating the understanding of the present invention. It is another reference block diagram.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
<First Embodiment>
FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a main part of an in-vehicle acoustic device 1 according to this embodiment.
The in-vehicle acoustic device 1 is a kind of in-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, and reproduces multimedia such as music, video, and sound in the vehicle interior. As shown in the figure, an in-vehicle audio device 1 includes an audio device main body 2 as an in-vehicle audio device main body that reproduces multimedia, and an escutcheon as a panel that covers the front surface of the reproduction device main body 2 exposed in the vehicle interior. 4 is provided.
On the surface of the escutcheon 4, a plurality of push buttons 6 and a display 8 are provided as operation buttons, which function as an operation panel. In addition, a disk insertion slot for inserting an optical disk such as a CD or a DVD is arranged. It is installed.

The in-vehicle acoustic device 1 is attached by inserting the playback device main body 2 into the instrument panel of the vehicle and exposing the escutcheon 4 in the vehicle interior. Therefore, the escutcheon 4 has various creations for improving the design. It has been subjected. As one of the ideas for improving the design, in this embodiment, a character 10 that clearly indicates an operation target is engraved on the surface of each push button 6, and the character 10 is inserted from the back side of the push button 6 (inside the escutcheon 4). The character 10 is made to emit light by illuminating and transmitting light from the portion of the character 10. With this configuration, even when the interior of the vehicle is dark, the characters 10 of the push button 6 can be clearly highlighted and improved in operability and design.
In addition, the character 10 provided on the surface of the push button 6 is a sign or symbol (kana, kanji, alphabet, number, punctuation mark, etc.) representing the meaning in connection with the language as long as it suggests the operation target and the operation content to the user. In addition, figures and the like can also be used.

Next, the configuration of the push button 6 will be described in detail.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cross section of the push button 6 portion of the escutcheon 4, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the push button 6 portion of the escutcheon 4.
As shown in these drawings, the push button 6 has a generally rectangular shape in a plan view with an open bottom on the back side as a whole, and is pushed into an assembly hole 12 provided on the surface of the escutcheon 4 and returned. It is configured as a so-called front-insertion button that is fitted in.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the push button 6 includes a substantially plate-like operation unit 30 as a key top that receives a push operation, and a cylindrical shape that extends vertically from the back surface of the operation unit 30 toward the back side. And a hooking claw 33 is formed at the tip 32 of the body 31.
On the other hand, the escutcheon 4 is provided with a housing wall 14 having a rectangular shape in a plan view extending substantially vertically from the assembly hole 12 toward the back side. Convex portions 16 projecting from each other are integrally provided.

When the push button 6 is inserted into the assembly hole 12, the hooking claw 33 of the body portion 31 is hooked on the convex portion 16, and the removal is restricted, so that the hooked position is restored when the push button 6 is returned from being pushed. Defined as the limit position.
In addition, the body 31 of the push button 6 is formed with a shoulder 35 that restricts the fall by being caught by the convex 16 at a position away from the tip 32 toward the operation unit 30. The position where the part 16 is caught is defined as the pushing limit position when the push button 6 is pushed.
The push button 6 is always urged from the back side of the escutcheon 4 to the front side by an urging means such as a spring (not shown), and is disposed at the return limit position when not operated, and the surface of the operation unit 30 30A is arranged to protrude from the surface of the escutcheon 4. In the push operation, the push button 6 is pushed to the push limit position, and a switch (not shown) provided on the back side of the escutcheon 4 is pushed by the push button 6 to be turned on.

  On the back side of the escutcheon 4, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, an LED 20 and an LED substrate 22 on which the LED 20 is mounted are disposed at a position facing the assembly hole 12. The LED 20 is a light source that emits illumination light toward the opening of the assembly hole 12, and the back surface 30 </ b> B (FIG. 3) of the operation unit 30 of the push button 6 is illuminated by the illumination light. Further, the LED 20 is surrounded and operated from the LED board 22 in order to limit the portion irradiated with the illumination light of the LED 20 to the back surface 30B of the operation unit 30 and prevent light leakage from the gap between the push button 6 and the assembly hole 12. A cylindrical light shielding frame 24 that extends to the vicinity of the back surface 30 </ b> B of the portion 30 is provided on the LED substrate 22.

The operation part 30 of the push button 6 is formed of a light guide material such as a transparent resin, and the surface 30A exposed from the assembly hole 12 is a light shielding coating surface 37 coated with a light shielding paint. A range corresponding to the upper end opening of the light shielding frame 24 in the light shielding coating surface 37 is defined as an illumination range W illuminated by the LED 20. In this illumination range W, the above-mentioned character 10 is engraved by scraping off the light-shielding paint surface 37 along the shape of the character 10 by laser processing or the like to expose the surface 30A. Thus, a light transmissive display unit for displaying the character 10 is formed.
The body portion 31 extending substantially perpendicularly from the back surface 30B of the operation unit 30 to the back side (inside) of the escutcheon 4 is formed of a light-shielding material such as a colored resin, and light emission due to light guide to the body portion 31 is suppressed. ing.

The manufacturing procedure of the push button 6 will be outlined. First, the body 31 is formed from a light-shielding material, and the operation section 30 made of a light guide material is formed using the body 31 as a core. Form. Next, the surface 30A of the operation unit 30 is coated with a light-shielding paint to provide a light-shielding paint surface 37, and within the illumination range W of the light-shielding paint surface 37, it is scraped off along the shape of the character 10 to transmit light. The push button 6 is manufactured by engraving the character 10.
The push button 6 manufactured as described above is assembled by being inserted and fitted into the assembly hole 12 of the escutcheon 4.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, there is a step at the opening edge of the assembly hole 12, and a recess 18 is formed that falls to a level lower than the connecting portion 39 that connects the operation portion 30 of the push button 6 and the body portion 31. The edge portion 30 </ b> C of the operation unit 30 of the push button 6 extends so as to cover the upper side of the recess 18.
At this time, if the body part 31 is flush with the operation part 30 of the push button 6 at the edge part 30C, the parting line at the time of two-color molding is formed on the connection part 39 between the operation part 30 and the body part 31. And the parting line can be visually recognized from the recess 18 of the assembly hole 12, and the design is impaired.

  Therefore, in the push button 6 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, in the edge portion 30 </ b> C facing the recess 18 of the assembly hole 12, the operation portion 30 side is located at a position where it enters inside from the edge of the operation portion 30. The front end 40 of the body portion 31 is connected to the back surface 30 </ b> B of the operation unit 30. Thereby, since the connection part 39 of the operation part 30 and the trunk | drum 31 will be located in the back surface 30B of the operation part 30, even if a parting line generate | occur | produces in the connection part 39, it will not be exposed from the recessed part 18, The design is not impaired.

However, in this push button 6, since the light-shielding coating surface 37 is not provided on the back surface 30 </ b> B of the operation unit 30, light leaks from a position located outside the body portion 31, and light from the gap of the recess 18 is emitted. Leakage occurs.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the distal end 40 of the body portion 31 on the operation unit 30 side enters the inside from the back surface 30 </ b> B of the operation unit 30 to the edge 30 </ b> C from the center of the operation unit 30. The rib 41 is provided integrally to narrow the light passage leading to.
As a result, in the operation unit 30, light reaching the outside of the body unit 31 is reduced, so that light emission on the back surface 30 </ b> B of the operation unit 30 becomes very weak, and light leakage from the recess 18 is suppressed.
Moreover, in the structure, since the rib 41 enters the operation unit 30 to form the fitting structure, an effect that the bonding strength between the body unit 31 and the operation unit 30 is increased can be obtained.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the distal end 40 of the body 31 on the operation unit 30 side is connected to the back surface 30B of the operation unit 30 at a position inside the edge 30C of the operation unit 30. 31 and the connection part 39 of the operation part 30 will be located in the back surface 30B of the operation part 30, and design property will not be impaired by this connection part 39. FIG.
In addition, a rib 41 is provided at the tip of the body portion 31 to enter the inside of the operation unit 30 and narrow the light path from the center of the operation unit 30 to the edge 30C. Thus, the amount of light that travels from the rib 41 of the body portion 31 to the outer edge portion 30 </ b> C can be reduced, and light leaking from the edge portion 30 </ b> C of the operation unit 30 can be suppressed.

Second Embodiment
In the embodiment described above, the push button 6 in which the operation part 30 and the body part 31 are formed in two colors has been described. In the present embodiment, a push button formed in a single color with a light guide material will be described.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the push button 106 according to this embodiment. In addition, in the same figure, about the member demonstrated in 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.
As shown in FIG. 4, the push button 106 of the present embodiment includes an operation unit 130 and a body unit 131 as in the first embodiment.
The operation unit 130 has a substantially plate shape that constitutes a key top, and a body portion 131 is provided so that the edge portion 130C of the operation unit 130 is bent substantially vertically and extends to the back side. The operation unit 130 and the body unit 131 are formed in a single color from a light guide material such as a transparent resin. Further, similarly to the first embodiment, a light shielding coating surface 37 having a light shielding property is provided on the surface 130A of the operation unit 130 and the surface 131A of the body 131.

A cylindrical light shielding rib 190 extends from the back surface 130B of the operation unit 130 toward the back side, and the LED 20 serving as a light source is disposed in the light shielding rib 190, and the back surface 130B of the operation unit 130 is irradiated by the LED 20.
The light shielding rib 190 suppresses the occurrence of light leakage by limiting the irradiation range by the LED 20 to the back surface 130B of the operation unit 130, as in the light shielding frame 24 (FIG. 3) of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the light shielding rib 190 is formed integrally with the operation unit 130 with a light guide material, and the light that has entered (penetrated) the light shielding rib 190 is guided by the light shielding rib 190, thereby The leakage of light to the outside is suppressed.
On the light shielding coating surface 37 of the operation unit 130, a range corresponding to the upper end opening of the light shielding rib 190 is defined as an illumination range W illuminated by the LED 20.

In the push button 106 formed of a single color with a light guide material, light penetrates and diffuses throughout the push button 106. Therefore, if the light-shielding coating surface 37 is applied only to the surface, the light is transmitted from the end 131B of the body 131. Leaks out.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the end 131B of the body 131 has a diaphragm shape 191 that reduces the thickness T from the inner peripheral surface 131D side to reduce the area of the end surface 131C. Further, the inner peripheral surface 131D of the end 131B of the body 131 is provided with an inclined surface 192 that is inclined so that the thickness T gradually decreases from the operation unit 130 side to the end surface 131C side and reaches the diaphragm 191. Yes.

  As a result, the amount of light leaking from the end surface 131C by the diaphragm 191 is suppressed at the end 131B of the body 131. Further, in the push button 106, a stop 193 formed by forming a recess along the inner peripheral edge 190A of the light shielding rib 190 is provided at a connection position with the light shielding rib 190 in the back surface 130B of the operation unit 130. . As a result, in the operation unit 130, the light path from the central portion, which is the inner side of the light shielding rib 190, to the outer edge portion 130C is narrowed, so that the light is guided to the end portion 131B of the trunk portion 131 through the edge portion 130C. Since the light that permeates decreases, the leakage of light from the end 131B can be further suppressed.

  In addition, since the inclined surface 192 is provided until the body part 131 is guided (penetrated) to reach the end part 131B, diffusion of light to the outside of the body part 131 is suppressed due to light refraction, The leakage of light at the end 131B is more effectively suppressed.

Thus, according to this embodiment, since the operation part 130 and the trunk | drum 131 are integrally comprised by the monochromatic molding from the light guide material, a parting line does not generate | occur | produce in these connection locations. In addition to this, the end 131B of the body 131 is provided with a diaphragm shape 191 that reduces the area of the end surface 131C of the end 131B, so that light leaking from the end surface 131C can be suppressed.
Furthermore, since the operation part 130 and the body part 131 are molded in a single color, only one mold is required, so that the cost can be reduced.

  In addition, according to the present embodiment, the inclined surface 192 is provided between the portion 131B penetrating the body 131 and reaching the aperture shape 191 of the end 131B. And the leakage of light at the end 131B is more effectively suppressed.

  Further, according to the present embodiment, the cylindrical light shielding rib 190 extending substantially vertically from the back surface 130B of the operation unit 130 to the back side is integrally provided in the operation unit 130 by monochromatic molding, and the connection portion between the operation unit 130 and the light shielding rib 190 is provided. In addition, a diaphragm 193 is provided by a recess that narrows the light path from the inside to the outside of the light shielding rib 190 in the operation unit 130. With this configuration, light that is guided (penetrated) to the end portion 131B of the trunk portion 131 through the edge portion 130C of the operation portion 130 is reduced, so that leakage of light from the end portion 131B can be further suppressed. .

  The above-described embodiments are merely illustrative of one aspect of the present invention, and can be arbitrarily modified and applied without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle-mounted audio apparatus 2 Playback apparatus main body (vehicle-mounted audio apparatus main body)
4 Escussion (panel)
6, 70, 80, 106 Push button 10 characters 12, 72 Assembly hole 20 LED (light source)
24 Shading frame 30, 73, 130 Operation unit 30B Back surface of operation unit 30C Edge (edge) of operation unit
31, 81, 131 Body 32 Front end of operation part 37 Shading coating surface 39, 82 Connection part 40 Front end of body 41 Rib 83 Parting line 131B End part of body part 131C End face of body part 131D Inner peripheral surface of body part 190 light-shielding rib 190A inner peripheral edge 191 stop shape 192 inclined surface 193 stop W illumination range

Claims (5)

In the push button that is provided in the assembly hole of the panel and is illuminated with light from the back side of the panel,
A plate-like operation unit formed of a light-guiding material that is exposed from the assembly hole and irradiated with light from the back side when assembled in the assembly hole;
A cylindrical body portion formed from a light-shielding material that extends from the operation portion to the back side and is inserted into the assembly hole;
The front end of the body portion on the operation unit side is connected to the back surface of the operation portion at a position inside from the edge of the operation portion, and the front end of the body portion enters the inside of the operation portion. A push button characterized in that a rib for narrowing a light path from the center to the edge of the operation portion is provided. In the push button that is provided in the assembly hole of the panel and is illuminated with light from the back side of the panel,
A plate-like operation part that is exposed from the assembly hole and irradiated with light from the back side when assembled in the assembly hole;
A cylindrical body extending from the edge of the operation portion to the back side and inserted into the assembly hole;
The operation part and the body part are integrally formed from a light guide material by monochromatic molding,
The push button according to claim 1, wherein an end portion of the body portion has a diaphragm shape that reduces an area of an end surface of the end portion.   The end of the body is provided with an inclined surface that is inclined so that the thickness of the body decreases from the operation unit side to the end surface side and is connected to the aperture shape. The described push button.   A cylindrical light-shielding rib that extends substantially vertically from the back surface of the operation unit to the back side is integrally provided by the monochromatic molding. The push button according to claim 2 or 3, further comprising a concave portion that narrows a light passage leading to the light. In an in-vehicle audio device comprising an in-vehicle audio device body mounted on a vehicle, and a panel provided on a surface exposed to a vehicle interior of the in-vehicle audio device body,
An assembly hole is provided in the panel, a light source for irradiating light toward the opening of the assembly hole is disposed on the back side of the panel, and the push button according to claim 1 is installed in the assembly. Provided in the hole,
An on-vehicle acoustic device characterized by the above.

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