Switch device

• US 6,624,368 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2002
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TEAC Corporation
• Original Assignee: TEAC Corporation
• Inventors: Endo, Kazuhiko, Watanabe, Takuo, Sato, Dai, Nakayama, Mikio, Nishi, Toshikatsu
• Primary Examiner(s): FRIEDHOFER, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/205,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20030019734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5.R, 200/308, 200/310-317, 362/28-30
• US Class Current: 200/310
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 19/025 Light-emitting indicators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/181 using a programmable display, e.g. LED or LCD

Abstract

A switch device is provided which allows easy recognition of the operation amount of the switch device with an inexpensive structure and without the need for an operator to change the posture or the like, even when a blind spot region is generated in an indicator as a special indication region at the time of indicating the operation amount of the switch. When the special indication region on the indicator cannot be seen directly because it is blocked by a knob, the state of the indicator in the special indication region is expressed using a visible region on the indicator which is always visible. Thus, the operator can recognize the operation amount of the switch device in the blind spot region without changing the posture or the like and using a simple structure of the switch device.

Claims

1. A switch device comprising:

an operation knob for a switch;

an indicator whose indication state is changed in accordance with an operation amount of the operation knob, the indicator including a special indication region indicative of a specific operation amount of said switch and a visible region which is always visible; and

a control section for controlling the indicator such that the indication state of the indicator is sequentially changed in accordance with the operation amount of the operation knob, said control section changing the indication state in part of the visible region when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

2. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the special indication region includes a blind spot region in which indication is obstructed by the operation knob as seen from an operator of the switch device; and

said control section changes the indication state of part of the visible region when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the blind spot region.

3. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the special indication region includes an attention point indicative of a specific operation state of the switch.

4. A switch device according to claim 3, wherein

said control section causes the indication states of the visible region to vary for each of cases wherein the change of the indication state of the indicator does not reach the attention point after the change reaches the special indication region, wherein the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the attention point after the change reaches the special indication region, and wherein the change of the indication state of the indicator passes the attention point after the change reaches the special indication region.

5. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

said control section uses the visible region to indicate the indication state of the indicator in the special indication region.

6. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by using part of the visible region including end portions when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

7. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by controlling lighting-up of the indicator at a predetermined position, when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

8. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by controlling blinking of the indicator at a predetermined position, when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

9. A switch device according to claim 1, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by controlling driving of a plurality of elements which constitute the indicator, when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

10. A switch device comprising:

an operation knob for a volume switch;

an indicator disposed around said operation knob, whose indication state is changed in accordance with an operation amount of the operation knob, said indicator including a special indication region indicative of a specific operation amount of said volume switch and a visible region which is always visible; and

a control section for controlling the indicator such that the indication state of the indicator is sequentially changed in accordance with the operation amount of the operation knob, said control section changing the indication state in part of the visible region when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

11. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

the special indication region includes a blind spot region in which indication is obstructed by the operation knob as seen from an operator of the switch device; and

said control section changes the indication state of part of the visible region when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the blind spot region.

12. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

the special indication region includes an attention point indicative of a specific operation state of the switch.

13. A switch device according to claim 12, wherein

said control section causes the indication states of the visible region to vary for each of cases wherein the change of the indication state of the indicator does not reach the attention point after the change reaches the special indication region, wherein the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the attention point after the change reaches the special indication region, and wherein the change of the indication state of the indicator passes the attention point after the change reaches the special indication region.

14. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

said control section uses the visible region to indicate the indication state of the indicator in the special indication region.

15. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by using part of the visible region including end portions when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

16. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by controlling lighting-up of the indicator at a predetermined position, when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

17. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by controlling blinking of the indicator at a predetermined position, when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.

18. A switch device according to claim 10, wherein

the indication state of part of the visible region is changed by controlling driving of a plurality of elements which constitute the indicator, when the change of the indication state of the indicator reaches the special indication region.