Control panel

• US 5,727,866 A
• Filed: 07/12/1996
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kraco Enterprises LLC
• Original Assignee: Kraco Enterprises LLC
• Inventors: Kraines, Bradley A., Kingsbury, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US08/678,816
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 362/31, 362/26, 362/27, 362/85, 362/86, 362/87, 362/32, 362/234, 362/253, 200/310, 200/311, 200/317, 455/345, 455/346, 340/815.74, 381/86
• US Class Current: 362/86
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/14 lighting through the surface to be illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/64 for a single lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/85 for manual control of the light, e.g. of colour, orientation or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0025 Diffusing sheet or layer; Prismatic sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0081 Mechanical or electrical aspects of the light guide and light source in the lighting device peculiar to the adaptation to planar light guides, e.g. concerning packaging

Abstract

An illuminated control panel typically for an audio device used in an automobile. The control panel includes a front panel made of a light conducting material through which push buttons and switches extend. A light conducting diffuser extends over a substantial portion of the rear surface of the front panel. The light conducting diffuser contains a plurality of sources of light which produce a generally uniform distribution of light throughout the light conducting diffuser. The illuminated light conducting diffuser back lights the entire area of the front panel, thereby increasing the general illumination of the control panel and facilitating the location and identity of the push buttons and switches. The front panel is preferably colored to improve its general appeal and appearance. In an alternative embodiment, the control panel includes one or more trim plates that are attachable to the front panel and may be used and exchanged at the choice of the user.

Claims

1. A control panel for an audio device comprising:

a transparent front panel having a rear surface, a front surface and openings therethrough and adapted to be mounted to the audio device;

a light source;

a diffuser having a first opening sized to receive the light source and second openings matching the openings in the front panel, the diffuser means extending over a substantial area of the rear surface of the transparent front panel to provide a generally uniform source of light;

a plurality of switches extending through the openings in the transparent front panel and the second openings in the diffuser means; and

the front panel having an illuminated front surface being luminous over substantially the entirety of the front surface in response to the light source and the diffuser back lighting a portion of the rear surface of the front panel with the generally uniform source of light.

2. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the front panel includes opaque indicia applied thereto in association with ones of the plurality of switches and the back lighting of the front panel provides a lighting contrast with the opaque indicia to clearly identify the opaque indicia.

3. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the light conducting diffuser further comprises:

a light conducting plate; and

a light diffusing surface extending over one side of the light conducting plate adjacent the rear surface of the front panel.

4. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the light conducting diffuser is a transparent member.

5. The control panel of claim 3 wherein the light conducting plate is a clear transparent member.

6. The control panel of claim 3 wherein the light diffusing surface is a frosted surface.

7. The control panel of claim 3 wherein the light diffusing surface is on a polyester film.

8. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the light conducting diffuser further comprises:

at least one hole extending from a rear side of the light conducting diffuser, the one hole having one end receiving the light source.

9. The control panel of claim 8 further comprising a reflective element located near an opposite end of the hole to reflect light back into the light conducting diffuser.

10. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the light conducting diffuser further comprises at least one through-hole extending between the rear and a front side of the light conducting diffuser, the one through-hole receiving the light source.

11. The control panel of claim 1 further comprising a diffuser located between the light source and the light conducting diffuser.

12. The control panel of claim 11 wherein the diffuser comprises a light conducting tubular sleeve extending over the light source to diffuse the light therefrom prior to the light entering the light conducting diffuser.

13. The control panel of claim 12 wherein the diffuser comprises a light conducting colored material.

14. The control panel of claim 1 wherein the front panel is a light conducting colored material.

15. The control panel of claim 1 wherein ones of the plurality of push buttons are made from an opaque material.

16. The control panel of claim 1 further including an opening sized to receive recorded media, the opening being formed by a plurality of surfaces on the front panel, the plurality of surfaces conducting light from the light sources, thereby illuminating the opening to facilitate inserting and removing recorded media from the opening.

17. The control panel of claim 16 wherein the light conducting diffuser includes a tab extending from an edge thereof and through a cut out in one of the plurality of surfaces, thereby illuminating the opening.

18. A control panel for an audio device comprising:

a front panel made of a light conducting material having an opening therethrough and adapted to be mounted to the audio device;

a light conducting diffuser having one side mounted adjacent to and extending over a portion of a rear side of the front panel;

a light source mounted adjacent an opposite side of the light conducting diffuser, the light source in combination with the light conducting diffuser providing a generally uniform source of light backlighting the rear side of the front panel;

a switch extending through the opening in the front panel; and

the front panel having an illuminated front surface being luminous over substantially all of the front surface in response to the light source and the light conducting diffuser backlighting the rear surface of the front panel with the generally uniform source of light, the front surface being luminous over substantially all of the front surface.

19. A detachable control panel for a radio receiver comprising:

a front panel made from a light conducting material and having opaque indicia applied thereto, the front panel containing openings extending therethrough;

a light conducting plate mounted adjacent to and extending over a portion of a rear side of the front panel, the light conducting plate having openings matching the openings in the front panel;

a light diffuser mounted between a front side of the light conducting plate and the rear side of the front panel, the light diffuser have opening extending therethrough matching the openings in the light conducting plate and the front panel;

a circuit board located adjacent a rear side of the light conducting plate;

a light source mounted on the circuit board and having one end connected to a power source on the circuit board and having an opposite end extending into the light conducting plate;

a character display mounted on the circuit board adjacent the light conducting plate, the source of light being mounted adjacent the character display for illuminating a front surface of optical character display;

a plurality of switches extending through the openings in the front panel, the openings in the light diffuser and the openings in the light conducting plate, the plurality of switches operatively contacting switch elements on the circuit board; and

a rear panel connected to the front panel and enclosing therebetween the light conducting plate, the light diffuser, the light source, the circuit board, the character display, and the plurality of switches, the light source providing a generally uniform illumination of the character display and the front panel, the illumination of the front panel contrasting with the indicia thereon and contrasting with the plurality of switches to more clearly identify the indicia and the locations of the plurality of switches.