Push-button switch with liquid-crystal display

• US 5,134,505 A
• Filed: 01/22/1991
• Issued: 07/28/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nihon Kaiheiki Industrial Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Nihon Kaiheiki Industrial Company Limited
• Inventors: Tanaka, Tokuo, Takei, Takeo
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Stanley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US07/643,227
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 350/334, 350/345, 350/339 D, 350/331 R, 340/765, 362/219, 362/225, 359/48, 359/83, 359/84, 200/341, 200/345, 200/DIG. 47
• US Class Current: 349/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/012 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD

Abstract

The present invention provides a switch in which a liquid-crystal panel is arranged on the top side of a push-button so that such information as characters, symbols and figures is capable of being displayed, wherein a plurality of light-emitting bodies which emit light in a number of colors are arranged below the light-emitting panel so that the color of the liquid-crystal panel is capable of being changed. The liquid-crystal panel on the top surface of the push-button is white in color, a diffusing plate is disposed below the liquid-crystal panel, and the light-emitting bodies are arranged to oppose the periphery of the diffusing plate. As a result, the color of the overall display portion on the top surface of the push-button can be changed.

Claims

1. A push-button switch with a liquid-crystal display comprising:

a push-button having a top surface;

a liquid-crystal panel mounted on said top surface;

a plurality of light-emitting bodies mounted within said switch, below said liquid-crystal panel, for collectively emitting light to illuminate said liquid-crystal panel, at least one of said light-emitting bodies emitting light of a color different from the color of light emitted by a second of said light-emitting bodies; and

switch means for selectively activating each of said light-emitting bodies for selectively changing the combination of light-emitting bodies activated at any one time to thereby change the color of said light collectively emitted by said light-emitting bodies and to alter the color of said liquid-crystal panel.

2. The push-button switch according to claim 1, wherein said liquid-crystal panel is white in color.

3. The push-button switch according to claim 1, further comprising a diffusing plate provided below said liquid-crystal panel, wherein said light-emitting bodies are arranged opposing the periphery of said diffusing plate.

4. The push-button switch of claim 1 further comprising means for changing voltage applied to said light-emitting bodies to change the hue of the emitted light.