CN102194594B - Thin plate with contact spring and switchgear - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention discloses a thin plate with a contact spring and a switch device, which can effectively inhibit light leakage among irradiation regions and cannot result in deteriorative operation tactility in the event of separately irradiating a plurality of irradiation regions through different light emitting colours. The thin plate includes a retaining thin plate (3) for retaining a plurality of contact springs (12) in a plurality of storage parts (31) and a light guide thin plate (4) overlapped on the retaining thin plate (3) and for guiding light emitted by a light source unit (7). The device is also provided with a groove (S) for dividing the light guide thin plate (4) into a plurality of irradiation regions (A) and a shading part (33) that the groove (S) reflects or absorbs light emitted by the light source unit (7). A connection path (32) which is overlapped with the groove (S) outside of the irradiation region of the light source unit (7) in the event of looking downwardly is formed on the retaining part (3). The connection path (32) is connected with inner parts of a plurality of storage parts (31) and arranged among irradiation regions (A) adjacently connected with the groove (S) and the shading part (33).

Description

Thin plate with contact spring and switchgear

technical field

The present invention relates to a thin plate with a contact spring and a switch device, and more particularly to a thin plate with a contact spring and a switch device to be incorporated into an operation panel of an electronic device.

Background technique

Generally, as a sheet with a contact spring to be incorporated into an operation panel for various electronic devices, a sheet provided with a light guide sheet for illuminating the operation keys of the operation panel is known. The light guide thin plate is formed of light-transmitting material and installed on the circuit board of the portable terminal. Furthermore, a light source is arranged near the end of the light guide thin plate, and the light emitted by the light source is incident into the thin plate from the end surface of the light guide thin plate. The light incident into the thin plate is diffused in an illumination pattern formed at a position corresponding to an operation key of the mobile terminal, and the operation key is illuminated from the inside.

In recent years, in order to enhance the decorative effect of electronic equipment, operation panels in which operation keys are illuminated in different colors have been developed. Conventionally, a light guide sheet divided into a plurality of light-emitting regions is known as a sheet with a contact spring used in the above-mentioned operation panel (for example, refer to Patent Document 1). In the sheet with contact springs described in Patent Document 1, grooves for the light guide sheet and light-shielding portions coated on the grooves are divided into a plurality of illuminated areas, and a light source is arranged in each area to enable divided illumination.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2009-140871

However, the thin plate with contact springs is formed by adhering and holding a plurality of contact springs on the lower surface of the light guide sheet through an adhesive portion. A plurality of storage portions for holding the respective contact springs are formed on the holding thin plate, and the plurality of storage portions communicate with each other through a communication path. The thin plate with the contact spring enables the air to move between the inside of the storage part through the communication path, and reduces the reaction force of the compressed air during the pressing operation, so as to obtain a good operating tactility.

However, in the thin plate with contact springs described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, when grooves are formed on the thin plate with contact springs from the side of the light guide thin plate, at the portion where the grooves overlap with the communicating passages holding the thin plate, the processing precision varies. It is possible for the groove to run through the communication path. In this case, when the light-shielding portion is formed by printing, the inside of the communication path may be clogged by the printing liquid flowing from the groove, thereby deteriorating the handling feeling. Therefore, in the conventional thin plate with contact springs, no groove is provided on the communication path, and light leakage between the light-emitting areas cannot be prevented.

Contents of the invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a thin plate with a contact spring and a switch device that can effectively suppress light leakage between illuminated areas during divided illumination without deteriorating the operating feeling.

The sheet with contact springs of the present invention is characterized in that it includes a holding sheet for holding a plurality of contact springs in a plurality of storage parts, and a light guide sheet stacked on the holding sheet to guide light emitted by a light source. The optical thin plate is divided into a plurality of grooves for illuminating areas and a light-shielding portion that reflects or absorbs the light emitted by the light source on the groove, and a communication path that overlaps with the groove outside the irradiation range of the light source is formed on the above-mentioned holding thin plate. The communication path communicates between the interiors of the plurality of storage parts and is provided between adjacent illuminated areas via the groove and the light shielding part.

According to the above structure, since the communicating path between adjacent illuminating regions is formed to overlap the groove outside the irradiation range of the light source in plan view, light leakage between the illuminating regions can be reduced above the communicating path (on the side of the light guide sheet). Furthermore, since light leakage between the illuminated regions is reduced, light leakage can be sufficiently suppressed even with shallow grooves on the communication path, and penetration between the groove and the communication path can be prevented by forming the shallow groove. Therefore, it is possible to effectively prevent light leakage between the light-emitting regions without the groove penetrating into the communicating passage and deteriorating the touch feeling during operation.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the thin plate with contact spring is characterized in that the groove is formed so that a portion overlapping the communication path formed on the holding thin plate is shallower than a portion not overlapping the communication path.

According to the above structure, even if the groove is formed in the portion overlapping the communication path, the groove does not penetrate into the communication path. Furthermore, since the portion overlapping the communication path is outside the irradiation range of the light source in plan view, light leakage can be sufficiently suppressed even with shallow grooves.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the thin plate with a contact spring is characterized in that the insides of the storage parts communicate with each other through the single communication path between the light-emitting regions adjacent to each other via the groove and the light-shielding part. .

According to the above configuration, compared with the configuration in which a plurality of communication passages are provided on the holding sheet, the irradiation range can be freely set, so the degree of freedom in arranging the light source can be improved.

Furthermore, in the present invention, the thin plate with contact springs is characterized in that the light shielding portion is formed by applying a light shielding liquid, and a part of the light shielding liquid penetrates into the light guide thin plate.

According to the above configuration, by allowing the permeable light-shielding liquid to permeate into the light guide sheet, it is possible to effectively suppress light leakage between the illuminated regions even if the grooves are not penetrated.

Furthermore, the switch device of the present invention is characterized in that it includes the thin plate with contact springs and a substrate provided with a plurality of fixed contacts, and the plurality of contact springs are separated from or in contact with the plurality of fixed contacts.

According to the above configuration, it is possible to easily manufacture a switch device capable of effectively suppressing light leakage between the illuminated areas when dividing and illuminating a plurality of illuminated areas with different luminescent colors without deteriorating the operating tactility.

Invention effect:

According to the present invention, light leakage between the illuminated areas can be effectively suppressed without deteriorating the operational tactile feeling when dividing and irradiating a plurality of illuminated areas.

Description of drawings

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a thin plate with a contact spring according to the present invention, and is a schematic plan view of a switch device.

Fig. 2 is a view showing an embodiment of the thin plate with contact spring according to the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view of the switch device along the line A-A.

Fig. 3 is a view showing an embodiment of the thin plate with contact spring according to the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view of the switch device along line B-B.

Fig. 4 is a view showing an embodiment of the thin plate with contact springs according to the present invention, and is an explanatory diagram of grooves formed in the thin plate with contact springs.

5 is a view showing an embodiment of the thin plate with contact springs according to the present invention, and is a view showing the relationship between the irradiation range of the light source unit and the arrangement position of the grooves.

Fig. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the groove depth and the communicating portion of the thin plate with contact springs according to the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a view showing an embodiment of a thin plate with contact springs according to the present invention, and is an explanatory view for forming a light-shielding portion by penetrating printing.

mark in the figure

1 Switching device, S1, S2 slots, A1, A2 Red light area, A 3 White light area, 2 Sheet with contact spring, 3 Holding sheet, 4 Light guide sheet, 5 Adhesive part, 6 Keyboard pad part, 7R , 7W light source unit (light source), 8 circuit boards, 11 fixed contacts, 14 operation keys, 21 peripheral fixed contacts, 22 central fixed contacts, 24 surface sheets, 25 partitions, 31 storage parts, 32 communication channels, 33 shading parts

Detailed ways

The sheet with contact springs to which the present invention is applied is mounted on operation panels for various electronic devices and used. The sheet with contact springs includes a light guide sheet that illuminates the operation keys from the inside, and a holding sheet that is stacked on the light guide sheet through an adhesive portion and holds a plurality of contact springs. The light guide sheet is divided into a plurality of illumination areas by the grooves and the light-shielding portion, and each illumination area is dividedly irradiated. The holding thin plate holds a plurality of contact springs in the plurality of storage parts, and communicates between the interiors of the plurality of storage parts through the communication path.

In the above thin plate 41 with contact spring, as shown in FIG. Light leakage between adjacent illuminated areas. However, as shown in FIG. 6( b ), there is a part where the groove S and the communication path 45 overlap due to processing errors and the like, the groove S penetrates into the communication path 45 , and the printing liquid flows into the connection when the light shielding portion 46 is formed. There is a possibility that the communication passage 45 is blocked due to the inside of the passage 45. In order to avoid the above situation, it is conceivable to form a shallow groove S on the overlapping portion of the groove S and the communicating path 45 as shown in FIG. The bonding portion 43 propagates, so the problem of light leakage between adjacent illuminated areas cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

The main content of the present invention is that when dividing and irradiating a plurality of irradiated areas, by providing the communicating path 45 outside the irradiated range of the light source and forming the groove S overlapping with the communicating path 45 shallower, the gap between the irradiated areas can be effectively suppressed. The light leakage between the grooves does not cause the groove S to penetrate into the communication path 45 . In addition, the "irradiation range of the light source" refers to the effective range for irradiating the illumination pattern in the illumination area, that is, the range in which a sufficient amount of light propagates.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, the switch device of the present invention is mainly mounted on various electronic devices such as mobile phones, remote controllers, audio equipment, and digital cameras, and functions as an input operation unit. The overall structure of the switchgear will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a switch device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line A-A of the switchgear shown in Fig. 1 . Fig. 3 is a sectional view along line B-B of the switchgear shown in Fig. 1 . In addition, for convenience of explanation, the keyboard pad member is omitted in FIG. 1 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the switch device 1 involved in this embodiment is assembled in a mobile phone case not shown in the figures and has a circuit board 8 on which a plurality of light source units 7R, 7W and multiple fixed contacts 11. On the upper surface of the circuit board 8, the sheet 2 with contact springs is pasted. The thin plate 2 with contact springs is composed of a holding thin plate 3 and a light guide thin plate 4. The holding thin plate 3 holds a plurality of contact springs 12 arranged on each fixed contact point 11. The light guide thin plate 4 is pasted on the The upper surface of the sheet 3 is held.

Furthermore, an operation panel not shown in the figure is provided on the casing of the mobile phone opposite to the circuit board 8, and a keyboard pad member 6 on which the operation keys 14 are arranged opposite to the fixed contacts 11 is provided on the operation panel. . The operation key 14 has a character portion indicating the type of the key on the upper surface. The character portion has light transmittance, and the light incident into the light guide sheet 4 illuminates the character portion from the inside of the housing.

The circuit board 8 is formed of an insulating material into a substantially rectangular plate shape in plan view, and a plurality of fixed contacts 11 and conductor patterns not shown in the drawings are formed on the upper surface. A plurality of fixed contacts 11 are respectively composed of ring-shaped peripheral fixed contacts 21 and a circular central fixed contact 22 located in the center of the peripheral fixed contacts 21. The peripheral fixed contacts 21 and the central fixed contact 22 are connected in the drawings through conductor patterns. Controls not shown.

The plurality of light source units 7R and 7W are configured to have light emitting diodes (LEDs), and are arranged with a slight gap with respect to one side surface of the light guide sheet 4 . In this case, the light source unit 7R has red LEDs that cause the operation keys 14 to emit red light, and the light source unit 7W has white LEDs that cause the operation keys 14 to emit white light. The light emitted by the light source units 7R, 7W propagates in the light guide sheet 4 in the radiation direction and illuminates a specified range.

Each contact spring 12 is formed in a dome shape by, for example, a conductive metal plate or the like. Each contact spring 12 is mounted on the peripheral fixed contact 21 so as to protrude upward, and is configured to be able to contact the central fixed contact 22 when reversed by a pressing operation. Therefore, when the contact spring 12 is reversed by the pressing operation, the central fixed contact 22 and the peripheral fixed contacts 21 are conducted through the contact spring 12 .

The holding sheet 3 is formed into a rectangular shape in plan view, and is configured by laminating the surface sheet 24 and the spacer 25 . The surface sheet 24 is formed of an insulating film such as polyester and has a rectangular shape in plan view. Then, an adhesive is applied to the entire lower surface of the surface sheet 24, and the contact spring 12 is held by the adhesive, and the spacer 25 is integrated.

The spacer 25 is made of an insulating film such as polyester and has a rectangular shape in plan view, and a plurality of storage portions 31 for the plurality of contact springs 12 are formed at positions corresponding to the plurality of fixed contacts 11 . Adhesive is applied to the entire lower surface of the spacer 25 , and the contact springs 12 are held by the holding sheet 3 and stuck to the upper surface of the circuit board 8 with the adhesive. Furthermore, the insides of the plurality of storage parts 31 are communicated with each other by the communication passage 32 , and air can move between the insides of the storage parts 31 through the communication passage 32 . The communication path 32 reduces the reaction force of the compressed air generated when the switch device 1 is pressed and operated, so that the user can obtain a good operating tactile feeling.

The light guide sheet 4 is formed of a light-transmitting transparent film such as propane resin, has a rectangular shape in plan view, and is attached to the upper surface of the holding sheet 3 by an adhesive portion 5 . Adhesive portion 5 is formed by applying an adhesive to the lower surface of light guide sheet 4 . A light-conducting material is also used for the adhesive constituting the bonding portion 5 . Furthermore, the light guide sheet 4 is divided into three light-emitting areas A1 to A3 by two types of grooves S1 and S2 having different depths. In this case, the portion overlapping the communication path 32 of the light guide sheet 4 is divided by the shallow groove S1, and the other portion is divided by the deep groove S2.

The "three light-emitting areas A1 to A3" refer to the red light-emitting areas A1 and A2 irradiated with red light and the white light-emitting area A3 irradiated with white light. The light source unit 7R having red LEDs illuminates the red illumination areas A1 , A2 . The light source unit 7R that injects light into the red illumination areas A1 , A2 is configured such that illumination patterns not shown in the drawings are included in the illumination range. The light source unit 7W having white LEDs illuminates the white illumination area A3. The light source unit 7W that makes light incident on the white lighting area A3 is configured to include lighting patterns not shown in the drawings within the lighting range. In addition, the light source units 7R and 7W are arranged so that the slit S1 is not within the irradiation range, and the details will be described later.

Then, the light emitted from the light source units 7R and 7W enters the light guide sheet 4 , and propagates while being repeatedly reflected on the upper and lower surfaces of the light guide sheet 4 . The light propagating in the light guide sheet 4 is reflected and diffused in the light pattern formed at the positions corresponding to the operation keys 14 of the light guide sheet 4 , and emitted toward the operation keys 14 . With the above configuration, the character portion of the operation key 14 can be uniformly illuminated from the inside of the operation key 14 . Moreover, the thickness of the light guide sheet 4 does not affect the tactile feeling when the operation key 14 is pressed.

For the switch device 1 with the above structure, when the operation key 14 is pressed, the contact spring 12 is reversed, so that the central fixed contact 22 and the peripheral fixed contacts 21 conduct through the contact spring 12 . In addition, as long as the illumination pattern has a structure that can emit light propagating in the light guide sheet 4 to the operation keys 14, it can also be composed of an illumination groove formed on the upper surface or the lower surface of the light guide sheet 4. It is also possible to form by printing.

Here, the groove formed in the thin plate with the contact spring will be described with reference to FIG. 4 . Fig. 4 is an explanatory diagram of grooves formed in the thin plate with contact springs according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4( a ), the groove S1 is a substantially V-shaped groove processed on the light guide sheet 4 by laser processing or the like, and is formed leaving a slight thickness of the light guide sheet 4 . The light-shielding portion 33 is formed on the groove S1 by the light-shielding printing liquid (shielding liquid) adhering to the surface of the groove S1, and the light-shielding portion 33 prevents the light incident in the illuminated area A from leaking to other illuminated areas. The light shielding portion 33 is formed to cover the groove S1 by, for example, inkjet printing using a black UV curable ink or the like. As mentioned above, although the groove S1 can reduce the light leakage in the illuminated area A through the light-shielding portion 33 formed on the surface, it cannot prevent light leakage through a little thickness of the light guide sheet 4 and the light transmittance bonded below the light guide sheet 4. The adhesive part 5 leaks light.

Furthermore, since the groove S1 is formed only on the light guide sheet 4 above the communication path 32 holding the sheet 3 , it does not penetrate into the communication path 32 . Therefore, the groove S1 does not cause the printing liquid to flow into the communication path 32 when the light shielding portion 33 is formed by printing, and the communication path 32 is not blocked. Therefore, air can be ensured to move between the interiors of the storage portion 31 so that the operation tactile feeling is not deteriorated when the operation switch device 1 is pressed.

As shown in Figure 4(b), the groove S2 is a groove that is processed into a roughly V shape across the light guide sheet 4, the bonding portion 5, and the holding sheet 3 by means of laser processing, etc. formed from the upper part. Also on the groove S2, the printing liquid adhering to the surface of the groove S2 forms a light-shielding portion 33 that prevents light incident in the illuminated area A from leaking to other illuminated areas. The light-shielding part 33 covers the groove S2 by inkjet printing etc. similarly to the case where it is formed in the groove S1. At this time, the light shielding portion 33 is formed across the light guide sheet 4, the adhesive portion 5, and the holding sheet 3, so it can reliably prevent the light incident into the light guide sheet 4 from passing through the light guide sheet 4, the adhesive portion 5, and the light shielding portion 33. And keep the thin plate 3 gap leak.

As described above, since the groove S2 is formed over the portion of the holding thin plate 3 where the communication path 32 is not formed, it can be formed deeper than the groove S1. In addition, the cross-sectional shape of the grooves S1 and S2 is not limited to the above-mentioned substantially V-shape, and any shape may be used as long as it can divide the light guide sheet 4 . In particular, the cross-sectional shape of S2 may be inclined along the outer edge of the light guide sheet 4 . In addition, the printing liquid is not limited to the above-mentioned black ink, and any ink that absorbs or reflects light may be used. For example, when a reflective film is formed on the grooves S1 and S2 as the light shielding portion 33 , more light can enter the light guide sheet 4 .

The relationship between the irradiation range of the light source unit and the arrangement positions of the grooves will be described with reference to FIG. 5 . 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the irradiation range of the light source unit and the arrangement position of the grooves according to the embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the light guide sheet 4 is divided into three light-emitting areas A1 to A3 by the grooves S1 and S2 . Moreover, a plurality of storage portions 31 for the contact springs 12 are formed on the holding thin plate 3 stacked on the lower surface of the light guide thin plate 4, and storage portions 31a are formed on the illuminated area A1, storage portions 31b are formed on the illuminated area A2, Storage parts 31c and 31d are formed in the light-emitting area A3. Furthermore, the storage parts 31a and 31c are communicated by the communication passage 32a, the storage parts 31b and 31d are connected by the communication passage 32b, and the storage parts 31c and 31d are connected by the communication passage 32c.

The communication passages 32a, 32b are located below the groove S1. Therefore, the shallow groove S1 is formed so that the groove S1 does not penetrate to the communicating passages 32a, 32b. The light source unit 7R is configured such that an illumination pattern located above the contact spring 12 is included in the illumination range. In this case, the portion where the groove S1 overlaps with the communication paths 32a, 32b is formed at a position away from the irradiation range of the light source unit 7R (for example, ± about 50 degrees).

The light source unit 7W is configured to include an illumination pattern located above the contact spring 12 within an illumination range. In this case, the portion where the groove S1 overlaps with the communication paths 32a, 32b is also formed at a position away from the irradiation range of the light source unit 7W (for example, ± about 50 degrees). That is, the communicating passages 32a, 32b are formed so as to overlap the groove S1 outside the irradiation range of the light source units 7R, 7W.

This is because, as described above, the groove S1 is formed so that a slight thickness is left on the light guide sheet 4 so that the groove S1 does not penetrate to the communication paths 32a, 32b, so the slight thickness and adhesion of the light guide sheet 4 cannot pass through. The connecting portion 5 prevents light leakage. According to the above structure, the overlapping portion of the groove S1 and the communicating passages 32a, 32b avoids the irradiation range of the light source units 7R, 7W, thereby reducing the light leakage between the irradiation areas A1-A3 as much as possible.

Furthermore, as described above, the portion where the groove S2 is formed straddles the light guide sheet 4 , the bonding portion 5 and the holding sheet 3 to form the light shielding portion 33 , so that light leakage between the illuminated areas A1 to A3 can be reliably prevented. Therefore, leakage of red light from the red lighting areas A1 and A2 to the white lighting area A3 can be greatly reduced, and mixing of red light and white light in the white lighting area A3 can be suppressed. Furthermore, in the overlapping portion between the groove S1 and the communication paths 32a, 32b, the groove S1 does not penetrate into the communication paths 32a, 32b, and does not interfere with the functions of the communication paths 32a, 32b.

Furthermore, between the red illumination area A1 and the white illumination area A3, the insides of the storage parts 31a and 31c are communicated through a single communication path 32a. Similarly, between the red illumination area A2 and the white illumination area A3, the insides of the storage parts 31b and 31d are communicated through the single communication passage 32b. Therefore, the overlapping portion of the communication passage 32 and the groove S1 can be minimized and the The irradiation range of the light source units 7R, 7W is widened, so that the degree of freedom in the position of the light source units 7R, 7W can be increased.

As described above, according to the switch device 1 according to the present embodiment, the communication paths 32a, 32b between the adjacent red lighting areas A1, A2 and the white lighting area A3 are formed so that the light source units 7R, 7W are separated from each other in plan view. The outside of the illuminated area overlaps with the groove, so that the light leakage between the illuminated areas A can be reduced. Moreover, since the light leakage between the light-emitting regions A1 to A3 is reduced, light leakage can be sufficiently suppressed even if the shallow groove S1 is on the communication paths 32a, 32b, so that the light leakage between the grooves and the communication path 32a can be prevented by the shallow groove S1. , 32b through. Therefore, the tactile feel of the switch device 1 is not deteriorated due to the penetration of the groove S1 into the communicating passages 32a, 32b, and light leakage between the light-emitting areas A can be effectively suppressed.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which shallow grooves are formed by leaving a slight thickness on the light guide sheet is adopted, but the structure is not limited to this. The shallow groove may be formed so as not to penetrate the communicating path, for example, across the light guide sheet and the bonding portion.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the light-shielding portion is formed by the light-shielding printing liquid adhering to the surface of the groove, but the invention is not limited to this structure. As long as the groove can be shielded from light, any structure may be adopted for the light shielding portion. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a part of the printing liquid may permeate into the light guide sheet. In this case, the printing liquid is permeated into the light guide sheet by applying the sublimable printing liquid on the surface of the groove and then heating the printing liquid. In the above manner, compared with the structure in which the printing liquid is applied to the surface of the groove, the light-shielding performance can be effectively obtained. In particular, light leakage between light-emitting regions can be effectively suppressed also in the portion where the shallow groove is formed.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the inside of the storage part between the irradiation areas communicates with each other through a single communication path is adopted, but it is not limited to this structure. As long as the overlapping portion between the groove and the communicating passage avoids the irradiation range of the light source unit, a plurality of communicating passages may be used to communicate between the inside of the storing portion between the irradiation regions.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the light guide sheet is formed with propane resin is adopted, but the structure is not limited to this. The light guide sheet may be any sheet as long as it can transmit light, for example, the light guide sheet may be formed of polycarbonate resin.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the light source of the light source unit has been described as a light emitting diode, but it is not limited to this configuration. Any light source may be used as long as it has an amount of light capable of uniformly emitting light from each of the light-guiding sheet areas.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the light guide sheet is divided into the red light-emitting area and the white light-emitting area is employed, but the present invention is not limited to this structure. Adjacent irradiated areas may be irradiated with light of different colors, or may be irradiated with light of the same color. Furthermore, when the adjacent illuminated areas are irradiated with light of the same color, each illuminated area may be irradiated simultaneously or individually. In the manner described above, the operation keys corresponding to the illuminated areas can also be individually illuminated, for example, they can be illuminated only when the call key or the call end key is pressed. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which adjacent light-receiving regions are irradiated with different colored lights such as red light and green light. In addition, the illuminated area may be a multi-color illuminated area irradiated with light of different colors by a plurality of light source units.

Also, in the above-described embodiment, the deep groove is formed across the light guide sheet, the holding sheet, and the bonding portion, but the configuration is not limited to this. The deep groove may be formed as long as it can sufficiently suppress light leakage between the illuminated regions, for example, across the light guide sheet and the bonding portion.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the structure in which the printing liquid is adhered to the grooves by inkjet printing or the like is employed to form the light-shielding portion, however, the present invention is not limited to this structure. The light-shielding portion may be formed by any device or method as long as it is formed by applying a light-shielding liquid to the slope portion.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the switch device in which the contact spring is held on the circuit board by the holding thin plate has been described as an example, but it is not limited to this configuration. Any structure may be adopted as long as it is a switch device using the light guide sheet according to the present invention.

In addition, the embodiment disclosed this time is an example in all points, and is not limited to this embodiment. The scope of application of the present invention is indicated not only by the description of the above-mentioned embodiments but by the claims, and it is intended that all changes within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims are included.

Possibility of industrial use

As explained above, the present invention has the effect of effectively suppressing light leakage between the illuminated areas without deteriorating the operating tactility when dividing and irradiating a plurality of illuminated areas with light of different colors, especially for an operation panel assembled into an electronic device It is useful for thin plate and switchgear with contact spring on the top.

Claims (10)

1. a thin plate for subsidiary contact spring, is characterized in that,

Possess: the maintenance thin plate that keeps a plurality of contact springs in a plurality of storage parts; And be layered on above-mentioned maintenance thin plate and guide the light guide plate of the light that light source sends,

Be provided with and above-mentioned light guide plate be divided into the groove in a plurality of irradiations region and in the reflection of above-mentioned groove or absorb the light shielding part of the light that above-mentioned light source sends,

On above-mentioned maintenance thin plate, be formed with while overlooking outside the range of exposures at above-mentioned light source and the equitant access of above-mentioned groove, this access is communicated with inside each other of above-mentioned a plurality of storage parts and is arranged between above-mentioned groove and the adjacent irradiation region of above-mentioned light shielding part.

2. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 1, is characterized in that,

Above-mentioned groove is formed, and the part overlapping with the above-mentioned access forming on above-mentioned maintenance thin plate is shallower than and the nonoverlapping part of above-mentioned access.

3. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 1, is characterized in that,

Between above-mentioned groove and the adjacent irradiation region of above-mentioned light shielding part, with single above-mentioned access, be communicated with above-mentioned storage part inside each other.

4. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 2, is characterized in that,

Between above-mentioned groove and the adjacent irradiation region of above-mentioned light shielding part, with single above-mentioned access, be communicated with above-mentioned storage part inside each other.

5. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 1, is characterized in that,

By coating shading liquid, form above-mentioned light shielding part, and a part for above-mentioned shading liquid is penetrated into the inside of above-mentioned light guide plate.

6. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 2, is characterized in that,

By coating shading liquid, form above-mentioned light shielding part, and a part for above-mentioned shading liquid is penetrated into the inside of above-mentioned light guide plate.

7. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 3, is characterized in that,

By coating shading liquid, form above-mentioned light shielding part, and a part for above-mentioned shading liquid is penetrated into the inside of above-mentioned light guide plate.

8. the thin plate of subsidiary contact spring according to claim 4, is characterized in that,

By coating shading liquid, form above-mentioned light shielding part, and a part for above-mentioned shading liquid is penetrated into the inside of above-mentioned light guide plate.

9. according to the thin plate of the subsidiary contact spring described in any one in claim 5 to 8, it is characterized in that,

Leave thickness and form above-mentioned groove, so that above-mentioned groove does not run through above-mentioned light guide plate,

Above-mentioned shading liquid permeates in above-mentioned light guide plate from the surface of above-mentioned groove.

10. a switching device, is characterized in that,

Possess claim 1 to the thin plate of the subsidiary contact spring described in any one in claim 9 and the substrate that is provided with a plurality of fixed contacts, above-mentioned a plurality of contact springs leave or contact above-mentioned a plurality of fixed contact.

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