Operation device and image reading apparatus
First Claim
1. An operation device comprising:
- a panel including a light-transmissive portion having a specific shape;
a light guide element having a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of sides, the first surface facing the panel;
a light source located opposite a predetermined light-incident side of the light guide element; and
an electrode provided at a location corresponding to the light-transmissive portion closer to the second surface of the light guide element and configured to detect a capacitance,wherein a reflection portion is formed in a first region, which is close to the light source, of the second surface of the light guide element, a first diffusion surface, corresponding to a range including the light-transmissive portion, is formed in a second region more distant from the light source than the reflection portion, and the light-incident side of the light guide element is a non-diffusion surface and the sides other than the light-incident side are second diffusion surfaces, andwherein light that has been emitted from the light source and incident to the light guide element via the light-incident side is totally reflected on the reflection portion and on the first surface and is then guided to the first and the second diffusion surfaces and a part of diffusion-reflected light illuminates the light-transmissive portion.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
On a bottom surface of a light guide element of an operation device including a panel with a light-transmissive portion, a reflection portion is formed in a first region thereof, which is close to a light source, and a first diffusion surface is formed in a second region of the bottom surface of the light guide element, which is a region distant from the light source. A light-incident side of the light guide element is a non-diffusion surface. Sides other than the light-incident side are second diffusion surfaces. Light that has been emitted from the light source and incident to the light guide element via the light-incident side is totally reflected and is then guided to the first and the second diffusion surfaces and a part of diffusion-reflected light illuminates the light-transmissive portion of the panel.
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. An operation device comprising:
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a panel including a light-transmissive portion having a specific shape; a light guide element having a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of sides, the first surface facing the panel; a light source located opposite a predetermined light-incident side of the light guide element; and an electrode provided at a location corresponding to the light-transmissive portion closer to the second surface of the light guide element and configured to detect a capacitance, wherein a reflection portion is formed in a first region, which is close to the light source, of the second surface of the light guide element, a first diffusion surface, corresponding to a range including the light-transmissive portion, is formed in a second region more distant from the light source than the reflection portion, and the light-incident side of the light guide element is a non-diffusion surface and the sides other than the light-incident side are second diffusion surfaces, and wherein light that has been emitted from the light source and incident to the light guide element via the light-incident side is totally reflected on the reflection portion and on the first surface and is then guided to the first and the second diffusion surfaces and a part of diffusion-reflected light illuminates the light-transmissive portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An illumination device comprising:
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a panel including a light-transmissive portion having a specific shape; a light guide element having a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of sides, the first surface facing the panel; and a light source located opposite a predetermined light-incident side of the light guide element, wherein a reflection portion is formed in a first region, which is close to the light source, of the second surface of the light guide element, a first diffusion surface, corresponding to a range including the light-transmissive portion, is formed in a second region more distant from the light source than the reflection portion, and the light-incident side of the light guide element is a non-diffusion surface and the sides other than the light-incident side are second diffusion surfaces, and wherein light that has been emitted from the light source and incident to the light guide element via the light-incident side is totally reflected on the reflection portion and on the first surface and is then guided to the first and the second diffusion surfaces and a part of diffusion-reflected light illuminates the light-transmissive portion.
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Specification