Vehicular illuminator

• US 20070086200A1
• Filed: 10/17/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujikura Limited
• Inventors: Togura, Takeshi, Misaki, Nobumasa
• Granted Patent: US 7,446,429 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/459
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/82 Switches specially adapted for vehicle interior lighting, e.g. switching by tilting the lens
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960785 with illumination

Abstract

A vehicular illuminator having a design board, behind which a sensing electrode having an aperture is located. Arranged between the design board and the sensing electrode is an LED serving as a light source and a light guide plate to defuse light from the LED. The sensing electrode is connected to an electrostatic capacity detector contained in a controller.

Claims

1. A vehicular illuminator, comprising:

a sensing electrode;

an electrostatic capacity detector operative to detect an electrostatic capacity between the sensing electrode and ground and provide a detection value corresponding to the electrostatic capacity;

a controller operative to input the detection value for comparison with previously determined n threshold values (n is a natural number) and provide a control value corresponding to a magnitude relation therebetween; and

a light source controllably dimmed based on the control value.

2. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an LED.

3. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the sensing electrode comprises a transparent sensing electrode.

4. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to:

increase an amount of current supplied to the light source to increase illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value, where the detection value reaches a first threshold value when the light source is turned off; and

maintain the amount of current at a maximum level when the detection value reaches a second threshold value.

5. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 4, wherein the controller is operative to maintain illumination of the light source at an illumination before the detection value decreases when the detection value decreases before reaching the second threshold value.

6. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to:

decrease an amount of current supplied to the light source to decrease illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value where the detection value reaches a first threshold value when the light source is turned on; and

turn off the light source when the detection value reaches a third threshold value, where at least the first threshold value, a second threshold value and the third threshold value are provided.

7. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 6, wherein the controller is operative to maintain illumination of the light source at an illumination before the detection value decreases when the detection value decreases before reaching the third threshold value.

8. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 4, wherein the controller is operative to:

decrease the amount of current supplied to the light source to decrease the illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value, where the detection value reaches the first threshold value when the light source is turned on; and

turn off the light source when the detection value reaches a third threshold value.

9. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 8, wherein the controller is operative to maintain illumination of the light source at an illumination before the detection value decreases when the detection value decreases before reaching the third threshold value.

10. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 5, wherein the controller is operative to:

decrease the amount of current supplied to the light source to decrease the illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value, where the detection value reaches the first threshold value when the light source is turned on; and

turn off the light source where the detection value reaches a third threshold value.

11. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 10, wherein the controller is operative to maintain illumination of the light source at an illumination before the detection value decreases when the detection value decreases before reaching the third threshold value.

12. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to:

increase an amount of current supplied to the light source to increase illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value, when the detection value reaches a first threshold value;

maintain the amount of current at a maximum level when the detection value reaches a second threshold value; and

turn off the light source when the detection value reaches a third threshold value.

13. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to:

decrease an amount of current supplied to the light source to decrease illumination of the light source in accordance with an increase in the detection value, when the detection value reaches a first threshold value;

turnoff the light source when the detection value reaches 20 a second threshold value; and

maximize the amount of current when the detection value reaches a third threshold value.

14. The vehicular illuminator according to claim 8, wherein the second threshold level is larger than the first and third threshold levels.

15. An illuminator, comprising:

a sensing electrode;

an electrostatic capacity detector operative to obtain a detection value, where the detection value is an electrostatic capacity between the sensing electrode and ground;

means for comparing the detection value with previously determined n threshold values (n is a natural number) and for controllably dimming a light source based on the comparison.