JP4034192B2 - Operation button device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
【Technical field】
The present invention relates to an operation button device, and more particularly to an operation button device that emits light from an annular pedestal around the operation button.
[0002]
[Prior art and its problems]
In an electronic device such as a camera, for example, an operation button device is known that illuminates an annular pedestal positioned around the operation button in order to display that the power is on. Therefore, the annular pedestal is made of a light guide resin material, and light from the light emitting element (LED) is directly or indirectly guided to the light guide annular pedestal.
[0003]
However, the conventional device has a problem that the light from the light emitting element cannot be sufficiently guided to the annular pedestal, resulting in uneven brightness. This problem is particularly serious when the light emitting element cannot be placed at the center of the annular pedestal.
[0004]
[Patent Literature]
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-208326
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to obtain the operation button apparatus which can illuminate the annular pedestal around a push button efficiently. In particular, an object of the present invention is to obtain an operation button device that can illuminate the annular pedestal more uniformly even when the light emitting element has to be arranged offset from the center of the annular pedestal.
[0006]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is made | formed by investigating the preferable shape of a reflective sheet, when guiding the light from a light emitting element to a cyclic | annular base using a reflective sheet.
That is, the present invention includes an annular pedestal made of a light guide resin material and fixed to an apparatus main body; an operation button provided in the annular pedestal so as to be able to be pressed; and a light emitting element that gives light to the annular pedestal. In the operation button device, a convex cylinder surface formed of a part of the outer surface of the cylindrical capacitor is formed on a side portion of a space between the light emitting element and the annular pedestal, and an axis of the cylindrical capacitor is arranged between the light emitting element and the annular pedestal. It is characterized in that it is oriented in a direction substantially parallel to the direction, and a direction perpendicular to the tangent line in the section of the convex cylinder surface is arranged in a direction substantially facing the annular pedestal and the operation button, and a reflective sheet is attached to the convex cylinder surface. .
When the convex cylinder surface as described above is provided and a reflection sheet is attached thereon, light from the light emitting element can be efficiently given to the annular pedestal.
[0007]
The radius of the cylindrical surface constituting the convex cylinder surface is preferably increased to be several times or more the interval between the light emitting element and the operation button. Further, when the operation button includes a button main body made of a light guide resin material and a cap member made of a light shielding material covering the head of the button main body, direct light from the light emitting element or reflected light from the reflection sheet can be obtained. It can be given to the annular pedestal through the button body.
[0008]
When the device main body is a camera , the convex cylinder surface can be constituted by a cylindrical capacitor as a capacitor essential for the built-in strobe, and a part of the outer surface of the cylindrical capacitor.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The illustrated embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to a power switch of a camera. A circular opening 12 (see FIGS. 3, 5, and 6) is formed in the upper surface cover member 11 of the camera 10, and a molded product of a light guide (translucent) synthetic resin material is formed in the circular opening 12. An annular pedestal 20 made of is inserted and fixed. The annular pedestal 20 has an outer flange 22 projecting outward and an inner flange 23 projecting inward at the upper end of the cylindrical body 21. The outer flange 22 is bonded and fixed to the circular opening 12. The planar shape of the annular pedestal 20 is shown by hatching in FIG.
[0010]
A fixing part 31 of the button molded body 30 is bonded and fixed to the inner surface of the upper surface cover member 11. Like the annular pedestal 20, the button molded body 30 is made of a molded product of a light guide (translucent) synthetic resin material, and includes a fixed portion 31, a button main body 32, and the fixed portion 31 and the button main body 32. And an elastically deformable arm 33 for connecting the two.
[0011]
The button main body 32 has a flat circular shape that can be pushed down into the cylindrical body 21 of the annular pedestal 20, and a cap 34 made of a light shielding material (non-translucent material such as metal) is covered on the head. An operation button 35 is configured by wearing it. The elastically deformable arm 33 has an L shape that protrudes from one end of the fixed portion 31 and surrounds the annular pedestal 20, and has a connection portion 36 with the button main body 32 at the tip thereof. That is, the fixing part 31 of the button molded body 30 and the button main body 32 are adjacent to each other, and the elastically deformable arm 33 protruding from the fixing part 31 is connected to the button main body 32 by the connection part 36 on the opposite side of the fixing part 31. ing. The tubular body 21 of the annular pedestal 20 is formed with a notch 24 (FIG. 2) that allows the elastic deformation arm 33 to pass therethrough.
[0012]
By disposing the elastic deformation arm 33 in this manner, the effective length of the elastic deformation arm 33 can be made sufficiently long, and the button main body 32 can be given a movement that moves in the substantially axial direction within the annular pedestal 20. The elastic deformation arm 33 is formed so as to apply an urging force in a direction protruding from the annular pedestal 20 to the button main body 32, and the button main body 32 abuts against the inner flange 23 of the annular pedestal 20 and has a protruding end thereof. The flange 32a which regulates is formed.
[0013]
In the camera 10, a switch element (tact switch) 13 is fixed below (inward) the operation button 35, and an LED (inside) is fixed below (inward) the fixing portion 31 of the button molded body 30. (Light emitting element) 14 is fixed. That is, the LED 14 is at a position offset from the center of the operation button 35. A pressing protrusion 37 (FIG. 2) that presses the switch element 13 is formed on the lower surface of the fixing portion 31. In this embodiment, the switch element 13 is a power switch of the camera. When the switch element 13 is turned on, the LED 14 emits light. The switch element 13, the LED 14, the CPU 16, etc. are connected by the FPC board 15.
[0014]
In the camera 10, a convex cylinder surface 17 a made up of a part of the outer surface of the cylindrical capacitor 17 is located at the side of the space between the LED 14 and the annular pedestal 20. The cylindrical capacitor 17 is for a built-in strobe of the camera, and its axis is oriented in a direction substantially parallel to the alignment direction of the LED 14 and the annular pedestal 20, and the convex cylinder surface 17a is orthogonal to the tangent line in the cross section. The direction is generally directed to the annular pedestal 20 and the operation button 35. Further, as apparent from FIG. 5, the axis of the cylindrical capacitor 17 is located below the LED 14, and the radius of the convex cylinder surface 17 a is sufficiently larger than the distance between the LED 14 and the operation button 35. , It is set to more than a few times. Reflective sheets 18 and 19 are attached (adhered) to the surface of the convex cylinder surface 17a, avoiding the switch element 13 and the LED 14. For example, a white sheet having a higher reflectance than the reflective sheets 18 and 19 and the convex cylinder surface 17a.
[0015]
In the operation button device having the above-described configuration, when the operation button 35 (button body 32) is pressed down and the switch element 13 is pressed once by the pressing protrusion 37, the power of the camera 10 is turned on and the LED 14 is turned on. When 13 is pressed again, the power is turned off and the LED 14 is turned off. In the lighting state of the LED 14, as shown with an arrow in FIG. 5, a part of the light from the LED 14 is reflected by the reflection sheets 18 and 19, and the reflected light directly or directly passes through the annular pedestal 20 or 32. The pedestal 20 is given. As described above, the convex cylinder surface 17a has a direction orthogonal to the tangent line in the cross section thereof substantially facing the annular pedestal 20 and the operation button 35. Therefore, the light reflected by the reflection sheets 18 and 19 on the convex cylinder surface 17a is efficiently It will be given to the annular pedestal 20. Since the upper surface of the button body 32 is covered with the cap 34, the operation button 35 does not shine in appearance.
[0016]
Although it is preferable that the button body 32 is made of a light guide material, it is not essential. Further, although the reflection sheets 18 and 19 are divided into two parts, they may be formed as one member.
[0017]
In the above embodiment, the condenser essential for the camera with a built-in strobe is formed into a columnar shape and a part of the outer surface thereof is used. Therefore, there is an advantage that it is not necessary to form a special convex cylinder surface. However, in a device that does not have a capacitor, a special convex cylinder surface may be provided. In addition, the annular pedestal 20 in the illustrated embodiment has a perfect circular shape, but may be a noncircular annular shape such as an ellipse.
[0018]
The above is an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the power switch of the camera 10 and the annular pedestal 20 is illuminated when the power switch is turned on. However, the present invention is not limited to the power switch on, but the annular pedestal 20 is in a specific state. In general, the present invention is applicable to an operation switch device that shines light.
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, in the operation button device that emits light from the annular pedestal around the operation button, the annular pedestal can be efficiently illuminated without uneven brightness.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of an operation button device according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the same.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the same.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a state in which a reflective tape is attached to a cylindrical surface of a capacitor.
5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Camera 11 Upper surface cover member 12 Circular opening 13 Switch element 14 LED (light emitting element)
17 Cylindrical capacitor 17a Convex cylinder surface 18 19 Reflective sheet 20 Annular base 21 Cylindrical body 22 Outer flange 23 Inner flange 24 Notch 30 Button molded body 31 Fixing part 32 Button body 32a Flange 33 Elastic deformation arm 34 Cap 35 Operation button 36 Connection 37 Pressing protrusion

Claims (4)

An operation button device having an annular pedestal made of a light guide resin material and fixed to an apparatus main body; an operation button provided in the annular pedestal so as to be capable of pressing operation; and a light emitting element for giving light to the annular pedestal. ,
A convex cylinder surface made of a part of the outer surface of a cylindrical capacitor is formed on the side of the space between the light emitting element and the annular pedestal, and the axis of the cylindrical capacitor is substantially parallel to the alignment direction of the light emitting element and the annular pedestal. The direction is oriented , and the direction perpendicular to the tangent in the cross section of the convex cylinder surface is arranged in a direction substantially facing the annular pedestal and the operation button ,
An operation button device comprising a reflective sheet attached to the convex cylinder surface.   The operation button device according to claim 1, wherein a radius of a cylindrical surface constituting the convex cylinder surface is several times or more a distance between the light emitting element and the operation button.   3. The operation button device according to claim 1, wherein the operation button includes a button body made of a light guide resin material and a cap member made of a light shielding material that covers a head portion of the button body. . 4. The operation button device according to claim 1 , wherein the operation button device is mounted on a camera, and the cylindrical capacitor is a capacitor for a built-in strobe .

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