Illuminated keyless entry control device
First Claim
1. A vehicular control device comprising:
- a trim member having a plurality of graphics for identifying a plurality of manual activation regions;
a printed circuit board having a plurality of proximity sensors wherein each of said plurality of proximity sensors generates a respective electromagnetic field within a respective manual activation region and is responsive to an object disposed in said respective manual activation region, said printed circuit board being semi-translucent and including a plurality of illumination elements for illuminating light away from said printed circuit board;
a back cover member adaptable to said trim member for encasing said printed circuit board therebetween; and
a sealing member disposed between said trim member and said back cover member;
wherein said illuminating light from said plurality of illumination elements is reflected toward said printed circuit board, wherein said printed circuit board receives said illuminating light and diffuses said illuminating light therethrough for backlighting said plurality of graphics.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicular control device includes a trim member having a plurality of graphics for identifying a plurality of manual activation regions and a printed circuit board having a plurality of proximity sensors. Each of the plurality of proximity sensors generates a respective electromagnetic field within a respective manual activation region and is responsive to an object disposed in the respective manual activation region. The printed circuit board is semi-translucent and includes a plurality of illumination elements for illuminating light away from the printed circuit board. A back cover member is adaptable to the trim member for encasing the printed circuit board therebetween. A sealing member is disposed between the trim member and the back cover member. The illuminating light from the plurality of illumination elements is reflected toward the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board receives the illuminating light and diffuses the illuminating light therethrough for backlighting the plurality of graphics.
96 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A vehicular control device comprising:
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a trim member having a plurality of graphics for identifying a plurality of manual activation regions;
a printed circuit board having a plurality of proximity sensors wherein each of said plurality of proximity sensors generates a respective electromagnetic field within a respective manual activation region and is responsive to an object disposed in said respective manual activation region, said printed circuit board being semi-translucent and including a plurality of illumination elements for illuminating light away from said printed circuit board;
a back cover member adaptable to said trim member for encasing said printed circuit board therebetween; and
a sealing member disposed between said trim member and said back cover member;
wherein said illuminating light from said plurality of illumination elements is reflected toward said printed circuit board, wherein said printed circuit board receives said illuminating light and diffuses said illuminating light therethrough for backlighting said plurality of graphics. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of forming an illuminated vehicular control device comprising the steps of:
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forming a trim member having a plurality of graphics disposed thereon for identifying a plurality of manual activation regions;
forming a back cover member adaptable to said trim member;
disposing a printed circuit board between said trim member and said back cover member, said printed circuit board including a plurality of proximity sensors wherein each of said plurality of proximity sensors generates a respective electromagnetic field within a respective manual activation region and is responsive to an object disposed in said respective manual activation regions, said printed circuit board further including a plurality of illumination elements; and
disposing a sealing member between said trim member and said back cover member for sealing said space between said sealing member and said trim number wherein said sealing member is juxtaposed to said illumination elements for reflecting an illuminating light generated by said plurality of illumination elements toward said printed circuit board wherein said printed circuit board is semi-translucent for diffusing said illuminating light therethrough for backlighting said plurality of graphics. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of operating a vehicular control device comprising the steps of:
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providing a printed circuit board having a plurality of proximity sensors for generating electromagnetic fields within a plurality of manual activation regions wherein each respective proximity sensor is responsive to an object disposed within a respective manual activation region, said printed circuit board further including a plurality of illumination elements directed at a reflective member;
illuminating a plurality of graphics disposed on a trim member in response to sensing said object disposed in at least one manual activation region, said plurality of graphics are illuminated by said illumination elements wherein an illumination light generated from said illumination elements is reflected by a reflective surface and diffused through said printed circuit board having semi-translucent properties. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification