Self-illuminating panel switch

• US 4,937,408 A
• Filed: 05/24/1989
• Issued: 06/26/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Tsujita, Yoshihiro, Murakami, Takashi, Hattori, Yoshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee S.
• Application Number:
  US07/356,215
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 200/314, 200/311, 200/313, 200/315, 200/517
• US Class Current: 200/314
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/082 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/028 Printed information
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/04 Attachments; Connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/066 Lens
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/22 Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials

Abstract

In a self-illuminating panel switch, a key top is supported by a front panel. The key top has a rear surface on which a character area is printed with one of a dark color or a light color, and the background area is printed with the other of a dark color and a light color. Because the printing is made on the rear or inner surface of the key top, the ink is free from wear or removal.

Claims

1. A self-illuminating panel switch comprising:

a key top formed of one of transparent and translucent material, said key top having a front surface and a rear surface, said rear surface having a character in a dark color printed thereon, said rear surface further being covered by a light color ink layer which also covers a rear side of said character, an entire rear surface of the key top being transparent or translucent except for an area covered by said character;

front panel means for supporting the key top whereby said key top can be pressed rearwardly from an original position;

key top support means for supporting the rear surface of the key top whereby after said key is pressed rearwardly, the key top can return to the original position; and

means for illuminating the rear surface of the key top, light from the means for illuminating being at least partially transmitting through the ink layer and the key top except at the area covered by said character.

2. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the key top is formed of a transparent material.

3. The switch according to claim 1, wherein said rear surface of said key top is generally flat.

4. The switch according to claim 1, wherein the front surface of the key top is convex.

5. The switch according to claim 1, wherein said illuminating means comprises a light-emitting diode mounted on a printed circuit board.

6. The self-illuminating panel switch according to claim 1, wherein the ink layer has light-diffusing characteristics whereby incident light from the means for illuminating is diffused and brightness of the key top is uniform throughout except for the area covered by said character.

7. The self-illuminating panel switch according to claim 1, wherein the light color of the ink is white and the dark color of the character is black.

8. The self-illuminating panel switch according to claim 1, wherein the character indicates a function of the panel switch.