CAPACITANCE TYPE LIGHT-EMITTING SWITCH AND LIGHT-EMITTING SWITCH ELEMENT USED FOR SUCH CAPACITANCE TYPE LIGHT-EMITTING SWITCH

• US 20090050454A1
• Filed: 01/15/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissha Printing Company Limited (Nissha Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nissha Printing Company Limited (Nissha Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okumura, Shuzo, Omote, Ryomei, Matsukawa, Yosuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,671,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/044 Edge lighting of layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/06 Reflector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/006 Containing a capacitive switch or usable as such

Abstract

A capacitance type light-emitting switch and a light-emitting switch element are provided that operate properly by preventing failure in entry and for which a small number of parts are used. A light-emitting switch 61 has a light-emitting switch element 51 and a control element 31. A light-emitting switch element 51 has a panel 2 made of transparent materials, a decorated layer 3 arranged on at least one side of the panel, a light guide plate 4 arranged on the back sides of the panel and the decorated layer, a point light source 5 or a line light source arranged on the side of the light guide plate, and a reflective layer 1 that is made of an opaque metal film of less than 1 Ω/cm² of surface resistance measured by the four-point probe array measurement method, mounted on the back side of the light guide plate, and is formed to have an electrode unit 1a and a conductive unit 1b connected to the electrode unit. The control element 31, which is connected to the electrode unit 1a through the conductive unit 1b, switches a circuit/circuits for an external loading device, depending on the change in the capacitance of the electrode unit.

Claims

1. A capacitance type light-emitting switch comprising:

a light-emitting switch element comprising

a panel made of transparent materials,

a decorated layer arranged on at least one side of said panel,

a light guide plate arranged on the back sides of said panel and said decorated layer,

a point light source or a line light source arranged on the side of said light guide plate, and

a reflective layer that is made of an opaque metal film of less than 1 Ω

/cm² of surface resistance measured by the four-point probe array measurement method, mounted on the back side of said light guide plate, and is formed to have an electrode unit and a conductive unit connected to said electrode unit; and

a control element that is connected to said electrode unit through said conductive unit, being capable of switching a circuit for an external loading device, depending on the change in the capacitance of said electrode unit.

2. A light-emitting switch element used as configuration part of a capacitance type light-emitting switch, comprising

a panel made of transparent materials,

a decorated layer arranged on at least one side of said panel,

a light guide plate arranged on the back sides of said panel and said decorated layer,

a point light source or a line light source arranged on the side of said light guide plate, and

a reflective layer that is made of an opaque metal film of less than 1 Ω

/cm² of surface resistance measured by the four-point probe array measurement method, mounted on the back side of said light guide plate, and is formed to have an electrode unit and a conductive unit connected to said electrode unit.

3. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 2, wherein said reflecting layer is integrally formed on the back side of said light guide plate.

6. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein said reflecting layer is formed to have a non-conductive unit further.

7. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein the material of said metal film is any one of silver, copper, aluminum, gold, nickel, and stainless steel.

8. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein the front side of said metal film is coated with a dielectric enhanced reflection film.

9. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein, wherein said reflecting layer is formed to have two or more said electrode units.

10. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 2 or claim 4, wherein two or more said light guide plates are arranged and there are two or more kinds of formation patterns for said reflecting layer.

4. A light-emitting switch element used as configuration part of a capacitance type light-emitting switch, comprising

a panel made of transparent materials,

a decorated layer arranged on at least one side of said panel,

a light guide plate arranged on the back sides of said panel and said decorated layer,

a point light source or a line light source arranged on the side of said light guide plate,

a reflective layer that is made of an opaque metal film of less than 1 Ω

/cm² of surface resistance measured by the four-point probe array measurement method, mounted on the back side of said light guide plate, and is formed to have an electrode unit, and

an electric conductor to be connected to said electrode unit of said reflective layer.

5. The light-emitting switch element according to claim 4, wherein said reflecting layer and said electric conductor are integrally formed on the back side of said light guide plate.