GB2060971A - Illuminated push-button panels - Google Patents
Illuminated push-button panels Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2060971A GB2060971A GB8025757A GB8025757A GB2060971A GB 2060971 A GB2060971 A GB 2060971A GB 8025757 A GB8025757 A GB 8025757A GB 8025757 A GB8025757 A GB 8025757A GB 2060971 A GB2060971 A GB 2060971A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- illuminated
- pushbutton
- windows
- panel assembly
- light
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 17
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 9
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 claims description 7
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 239000003086 colorant Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000005286 illumination Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000000694 effects Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000004308 accommodation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004040 coloring Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229940000425 combination drug Drugs 0.000 description 1
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002349 favourable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000003365 glass fiber Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000149 penetrating effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003014 reinforcing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000004576 sand Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H9/00—Details of switching devices, not covered by groups H01H1/00 - H01H7/00
- H01H9/16—Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off"
- H01H9/161—Indicators for switching condition, e.g. "on" or "off" comprising light emitting elements
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B41—PRINTING; LINING MACHINES; TYPEWRITERS; STAMPS
- B41J—TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS
- B41J5/00—Devices or arrangements for controlling character selection
- B41J5/08—Character or syllable selected by means of keys or keyboards of the typewriter type
- B41J5/10—Arrangements of keyboards, e.g. key button disposition
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/028—Printed information
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/028—Printed information
- H01H2219/034—Coloured areas
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/036—Light emitting elements
- H01H2219/042—Light emitting elements replaceable
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/054—Optical elements
- H01H2219/062—Light conductor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/054—Optical elements
- H01H2219/062—Light conductor
- H01H2219/0621—Optical fiber light conductor
Landscapes
- Push-Button Switches (AREA)
- Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
An illuminated pushbutton panel has a front panel (2) with pushbuttons (3) and openings (5), each with transparent plastics windows (8, 6). The windows (8, 6) are illuminated from behind by one light source via light conductor fibre strips (9, 10) and the outer surfaces of the windows (8, 6) are covered by two or more coloured layers having symbols thereon. The conductor strips are secured to an opaque assembly strip adjacent the windows. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
An illuminated pushbutton panel assembly
The invention relates to an illuminated pushbutton panel assembly in which plastics material windows are inserted or moulded in openings of the pushbutton panel and/or in recesses of the pushbuttons and at their outer surface are provided with two coloured layers the outer of which covers the inner and bears an inscription or symbol for identifying the pushbutton.
Illuminated pushbutton panels are known in which the lighting effect of the pushbuttons occurs through glass or synthetic glass light conductors or light conducting panels. To obtain a uniform illumination of the individual pushbuttons of the pushbutton assembly it is necessary to provide a light conducting panel having a thickness of several millimetres and to arrange several light bulbs in a spread arrangement. This construction has the disadvantage that much space is required and, moreover, the changing of light bulbs is very time consuming. To replace light bulbs by light emitting diodes has the disadvantage that the choice of colour of the pushbuttons and the inscription is limited, since substantially only the colours green, red or yellow are available.
It is an object of the invention to provide an illuminated pushbutton panel assembly which need only use one light source only for all windows of the whole pushbutton assembly. Furthermore the window arrangement should be such that it can be used for a pushbutton assembly of low overall height and be adaptable for equalising illumination load factors.
According to the present invention there is provided an illuminated pushbutton panel assembly in which plastics material windows are inserted or moulded into openings of the pushbutton panel and/or in recesses of the buttons and on their outer surface are provided with two or more coloured layers, the outer of which layers covers the inner layer and bears an inscription or symbols for identifying the button concerned of the bank of buttons, whereby the inscription or the symbols are formed by recesses in the outer colour layer through which the inner layer is visible the plastics material windows being adapted to be illuminated from behind by means of light conductor fibre strips in the region of the windows, which in the region of the pushbutton andior housing window row or column of the pushbutton panel are secured to an opaque assembly strip.
The advantage of the arrangement in accordance with the invention is that it is of simple design, permits a good adaptation to the available pushbutton assemblies and permits manufacture at favourable costs. The use of a light conductor fibre strip permits a space saving accommodation of the light conductors in the housing of the pushbutton assembly and only one light source is required, so that the illumination arrangement according to the invention may also be fitted in very shallow pushbutton panels. The assembly strips, which for example, may be made of plastics material, prevent a rearward irradiation of the light into the housing interior and increase the mechanical strength of the light conductor fibre strips, so that the strips may be inserted in channel-like recesses of the housing and secured to the housing and eyelets on the assembly strip by means of pins.It is particularly convenient if a plurality of light conductor fibre strips are gathered at their free ends in socket bushes and are illuminated by one light source, e.g. a light bulb or a light emitting diode. The gathering of a plurality of light conductor fibre strips in socket bushes requires fewer light sources, e.g. light bulbs, and permits a simplification of the replacement of light bulbs. To avoid outwardly penetrating diffusion light, the pushbuttons may be provided with an encircling sealing lip which, when the pushbutton is not actuated, abuts against the inside surface of the housing.
The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure lisa side view of the pushbutton panel assembly partly in section, showing the light conductorfibre strips;
Figure 2 is a rear view of the pushbutton panel assembly, in which parts of the closure plate are broken away;
Figure 3 is a sectional view through the housing of the pushbutton panel assembly with the two colour layers inserted or moulded in transparent windows, and showing the light conductor fibre strip; and reinforcing strip, and
Figure 5 is a sectional view through the pushbutton of Figure 4 having a third colour layer.
A pushbutton panel 1 comprises a housing 2 with pushbuttons 3 displaceably inserted in the housing 2 and back plate 4. In openings 5 of the housing 2, windows 6 are provided, for example, by insertion of transparent plastics material. The pushbuttons 3 also contain an opening 7 with a window 8, which may be produced by insertion of transparent plastics material. The outer surfaces of the windows 6 and 8 are provided with two colour layers 24 and 25, the outer one 25 of which covers the inside one 24, and bears an inscription or a symbol identifying the pushbutton concerned and the pushbutton panel by recesses 26 provided in the outer colour layer 25. For pressure-technical reasons it is necessary for the front side of the housing 2 and pushbuttons 3 to be light-tight with the surface of the windows 6 or 8, to prevent light from passing through at the seams.
Below the windows 6 and 8 light conductor fibre strips 9 and 10, known per se, are arranged, the thickness of which being approximately 0.3mm, and which are mechanically roughened only in the light irradiation region. To prevent light scatter in the written panels, the light conductor fibre strips 9 and 10 are inserted in channels 14. In both cases the strips of light conductor fibres 9, 10, owing to the rear surface irradiation and owing to the mechanical strength, are reinforced with a strip 15, for example a plastics material strip of about 0.8mm thickness, which is provided with eyelets 16 in which the pins 17 of the pushbutton panel are inserted and thermally rivetted.
to obtain the different colour effects during daylight and darkness, a translucent layer 24, e.g. glazed white, is pressed onto the front surface of the windows 6 and Sand then the inscription produced in negative print 25, e.g. black, overlaying this base layer 24. The negative pring 25 must be opaque. In this manner it is possibleto fulfil. all colou r combina- tion requirements during daylight and darkness. By varying the colouring of the transparent windows 6 and 8 the different light path lengths in the windows may be influenced so that the visual light impression is identical. Also varying colours may be produced in this manner, as desired. Licence, it is also possible to produce identical illumination colours or different colours by day and night.
The provision of a third colour layer 27 of Figure 5 and clear glass light conductors 9 and 10 creates a different colour during night lighting, and this third glazed colour layer 27may be applied in different juxtaposed colour panels.
By assembling a plurality of glass fibre strips in one or more socket bushes 20 and 21, the strips may be led to a light bulb which is located outside the pushbutton panel 2 and therefore is easily accessible and more readily replaced in the event of damage, without the necessity for the whole housing to be dismantled.
To perfect the sealing against light scatter between pushbuttons 3 and housing- apertures 22,the pushbuttons 3 are fitted with an encircling sealing. lip 23 which, when the pushbutton 3 is not actuated, abuts against the inside surface of the housing 2. An advantage of the arrangement in accordance with the invention is also the uniform lighting of surfacearranged lettering.
it is to be understood thatthe invention is in no way limited to the embodiment shown in the drawing and described above. Moreover, there are many possible modifications in the structure of the pushbutton panel and in the configuration of the individual parts without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.
Claims (5)
1. An illuminated pushbutton panel assembly, in which plastics material windows are inserted or moulded into openings of the pushbutton andior in recesses of the push buttons and on their outer surface are provided with two or more coloured layers, the outer of which layers covers the inner layer and bears an inscription or symbols for identifying the button concerned of the bank of buttons, whereby the inscription or the symbols are formed by recesses in the outer colour layer through which the inner layer is visible, the plastics material windows being adapted to be illuminated from behind by means of light conductor fibre strips in the region of the windows, which in the region of the pushbutton and/or housing window row or column of the pushbutton panel are secured to an opaque assembly strip.
2. An illuminated pushbutton panel assembly according to claim 1, in which the light conductor fibre strips are inserted in channel-like identations in the housing of the pushbutton panel assembly.
3. An illuminated pushbutton panel assembly according to claim 1 or 2, in which a plurality of light conductor fibre strips are gathered together at their free ends in socket bushes and are illuminated by a light source.
4. An illuminated pushbutton panel assembly according to any of the claims 1 to 3, in which the pushbuttons are provided with an encircling sealing tip which abuts on the inside surface of the housing when the button is not actuated to avoid scattered light from escaping from the housing.
5. An illuminated pushbutton panel assembly substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE7922758U DE7922758U1 (en) | 1979-08-09 | 1979-08-09 | Window arrangement for illuminated keypads |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2060971A true GB2060971A (en) | 1981-05-07 |
| GB2060971B GB2060971B (en) | 1983-05-18 |
Family
ID=6706468
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8025757A Expired GB2060971B (en) | 1979-08-09 | 1980-08-07 | Illuminated push-button panels |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE7922758U1 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2463006B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2060971B (en) |
| IT (2) | IT1132371B (en) |
Cited By (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2206786A (en) * | 1987-06-01 | 1989-01-18 | Andrew John Neave | Illuminated display structure |
| US5287251A (en) * | 1992-02-05 | 1994-02-15 | Marui Industry Co., Ltd. | Control panel |
| GB2342780A (en) * | 1998-10-13 | 2000-04-19 | Bartec Componenten & Syst Gmbh | Switch |
| WO2003071565A1 (en) * | 2002-02-19 | 2003-08-28 | Bo Mineur | Illuminated control |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE4107182A1 (en) * | 1991-03-06 | 1992-09-10 | Daimler Benz Ag | Switch component with opaque sign on translucent coloured background - carries function symbol formed by deposition of opaque layer for visible contrast |
| DE19717636A1 (en) * | 1997-04-25 | 1998-11-12 | Trw Fahrzeugelektrik | Method for producing a panel part, actuating part or the like parts with function symbols for the illumination with transmitted light |
| DE10345880B3 (en) * | 2003-09-30 | 2005-05-25 | Siemens Ag | Icon area with combined night and function lighting |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE1285923B (en) * | 1966-11-23 | 1968-12-19 | Licentia Gmbh | Control panel, feedback panel or control panel with a large number of states to be visually signaled |
| GB1374995A (en) * | 1971-09-16 | 1974-11-20 | Rank Organisation Ltd | Optical arrangement |
| FR2277425A1 (en) * | 1974-07-02 | 1976-01-30 | Chrysler France | Push button indicator switch for vehicle - has collar screening bulb when switch pressed in |
| DE2741492A1 (en) * | 1977-09-15 | 1979-03-29 | Miele & Cie | Switching state indicator for household appliances - has light conductors incorporated in appliance control knob producing switching state indication via light source orifice |
-
1979
- 1979-08-09 DE DE7922758U patent/DE7922758U1/en not_active Expired
-
1980
- 1980-08-07 GB GB8025757A patent/GB2060971B/en not_active Expired
- 1980-08-08 IT IT8024079A patent/IT1132371B/en active
- 1980-08-08 IT IT8022532U patent/IT8022532V0/en unknown
- 1980-08-08 FR FR8017562A patent/FR2463006B1/en not_active Expired
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2206786A (en) * | 1987-06-01 | 1989-01-18 | Andrew John Neave | Illuminated display structure |
| GB2206786B (en) * | 1987-06-01 | 1990-12-19 | Andrew John Neave | A display structure |
| US5287251A (en) * | 1992-02-05 | 1994-02-15 | Marui Industry Co., Ltd. | Control panel |
| GB2342780A (en) * | 1998-10-13 | 2000-04-19 | Bartec Componenten & Syst Gmbh | Switch |
| GB2342780B (en) * | 1998-10-13 | 2002-11-13 | Bartec Componenten & Syst Gmbh | Switch |
| WO2003071565A1 (en) * | 2002-02-19 | 2003-08-28 | Bo Mineur | Illuminated control |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE7922758U1 (en) | 1980-09-04 |
| IT8022532V0 (en) | 1980-08-08 |
| IT8024079A0 (en) | 1980-08-08 |
| IT1132371B (en) | 1986-07-02 |
| FR2463006A1 (en) | 1981-02-20 |
| FR2463006B1 (en) | 1986-12-19 |
| GB2060971B (en) | 1983-05-18 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |
Effective date: 19930807 |