Remote control unit

• US 5,063,484 A
• Filed: 04/12/1991
• Issued: 11/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Kouji
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US07/684,617
• Time in Patent Office: 207 Days
• Field of Search: 358/194.1, 340/825.69, 362/23, 362/28, 362/85, 362/109, 362/157, 362/234, 362/253, 362/800, 362/29, 341/22, 341/23
• US Class Current: 362/109
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0095 Light guides as housings, housing portions, shelves, doors, tiles, windows, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/026 with programming switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/028 Printed information
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/032 Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/036 Radio; TV
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus

Abstract

A remote control unit which is simple in structure and free from the possibility of disconnection and has a stabilized illumination function. The remote control unit comprises a body case having a recess and having a plurality of push-button switches disposed thereon, and a door mounted for pivotal opening and closing motion on the body case and having a plurality of push-buttons thereon in an opposing relationship to the push-button switches so that, when the door is closed, they are each operated by operation of a corresponding one of the push-buttons. The body case has a rising portion having a light admitting hole perforated in a side wall thereof adjacent the recess, and a light emitting element is accommodated in the rising portion. When the door is open, light emitted from the light emitting element and admitted into the recess through the light admitting hole is projected to display portions of the push-button switches, but when the door is closed, such light is introduced to display portions of the push-buttons on the door by way of a light conducting member provided on a rear face of the door.

Claims

1. A remote control unit, comprising a body case having a recess defined by an upper wall thereof and having a rising portion provided by provision of said recess, a plurality of push-button switches provided for individual manual operation on said upper wall thereof at said recess, a door mounted for pivotal motion on said body case between a closed position in which said door is fitted in said recess and covers over said push-button switches and an open position in which said push-button switches are capable of being manually operated, a plurality of push-buttons disposed for individual manual operation on said door in such a manner as to oppose, when said door is in the closed position, to said push-button switches so that each of said push-button switches may be operated by operation of a corresponding one of said push-buttons, said rising portion of said body case having a light admitting hole perforated in a side wall thereof adjacent said recess, a light emitting element accommodated in said rising portion of said body case such that light emitted therefrom may be admitted into said recess through said light admitting hole so that, when said door is in the open position, such light may be projected to display portions of said push-button switches, and a light conducting member provided on a rear face of said door for introducing, when said door is in the closed position, light emitted from said light emitting element and admitted by way of said light admitting hole into said recess to display portions of said push-buttons on said door.

2. A remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein the rear face of said light conducting member is inclined toward a front surface of said door so as to decrease the thickness of said light conducting member as the distance from said light emitting element increases.

3. A remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein an accommodating box is formed by a portion of said body case remote from said rising portion with respect to said recess, and a battery for supplying power to said light emitting element is accommodated in said accommodating box.

4. In a remote control unit which includes a body case having a plurality of push-button switches provided on a surface thereof, a door mounted for pivotal opening and closing motion on said body case and having a plurality of push-buttons disposed thereon corresponding to said push-button switches, and a mode change-over switch operable in response to opening or closing of said door for setting, when said door is open, a first mode in which a function is selected by selective operation of said push-button switches but setting, when said door is closed, a second mode in which a function is selected by operation of one of said push-buttons provided on said door to operate a corresponding one of said push-buttons, the improvement wherein said body case has a recess defined by an upper wall thereof for receiving said door therein and has a rising portion formed thereon adjacent said recess, and said rising portion has a light admitting hole perforated in a side wall thereof adjacent said recess and a light emitting element is accommodated in said rising portion such that light emitted therefrom may be admitted into said recess through said light admitting hole such that, when said door is open, such light may be introduced to display portions of said push-button switches, but when said door is closed and received in said recess, such light may be introduced to display portions of said push-buttons on a front surface of said door by way of a light conducting member which is provided on a rear face of said door.