Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962702-B2
Application number	US-201916590831-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2019
Priority date	Oct 5, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

An input device includes: a light source that emits light; a first sheet including a design portion; a second sheet having a conductive pattern on which the light source is mounted and in which a touch sensor electrode is disposed in a position different from the light source; a body that is sandwiched between the first sheet and the second sheet to be integral therewith, and transmits the light emitted by the light source; and a guide disposed in a light path from the light source to the design portion, the guide guiding light transmitting through an inside of the body toward the design portion and being distinguished from the body. The light source and the light guide are disposed along a surface of the second sheet on a side facing the body. The body is integral with the light source and the light guide and encapsulates them.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device, comprising:
a light source that emits light;
a first sheet including a design portion;
a second sheet having a conductive pattern on which the light source is mounted and in which a touch sensor electrode is disposed in a position different from the light source;
a body that is sandwiched between the first sheet and the second sheet to be integral with the first sheet and the second sheet, and transmits the light emitted by the light source; and
a guide disposed in a light path from the light source to the design portion, the guide guiding light transmitting through an inside of the body toward the design portion and being distinguished from the body, wherein
the light source and the guide are disposed along a surface of the second sheet on a side facing the body,
the body is integral with the light source and the guide and encapsulates the light source and the guide,
the guide is a light guide having an incident surface which faces the light source and through which light enters, a light exit surface which faces the design portion and through which light exits, and a reflective surface which is a surface other than the incident surface and the light exit surface and reflects light transmitting through an inside of the light guide toward the light exit surface,
the reflective surface has an inclined surface, and
the inclined surface is disposed on an opposite side of the incident surface to the light source to interpose the incident surface between the light source and the inclined surface, and is disposed on an opposite side of the light exit surface to the design portion to interpose the light exit surface between the design portion and the inclined surface.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
a light diffusion material is dispersed in at least one of the incident surface, the light exit surface, and the inside of the light guide.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
a softening point of the light guide is higher than a softening point of the body.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the first sheet blocks light other than light passing through a region of the design portion.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a connector disposed on a back surface of the second sheet and electrically connected with the conductive pattern and the touch sensor electrode, the back surface being on a side opposite to the side facing the body.

6. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein
the connector is electrically connected with a cable, and
when the second sheet is viewed in a direction perpendicular to the second sheet, the cable does not protrude from the second sheet.

7. The input device according to claim 6 , wherein
the cable is disposed within an angular range of from a direction along the back surface of the second sheet to a direction perpendicular to the second sheet.

8. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein
the second sheet has the conductive pattern on a front surface of the second sheet, and includes a through hole electrically connecting the connector and the conductive pattern, the front surface being on a side opposite to the back surface.

9. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein
the second sheet has a planar portion and a curved portion, the planar portion being plate-shaped, and
a width of the conductive pattern on the curved portion is greater than a width of the conductive pattern on the planar portion.

10. The input device according to claim 5 , wherein
the second sheet further has a depressed portion that is deformed toward the first sheet, and
the connector is disposed in the depressed portion.

11. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the second sheet is a flexible printed wiring board.

12. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein
the light guide is disposed along the surface of the second sheet on the side facing the body so that at least a light emitting surface of the light source is covered.

13. An input device, comprising:
a light source that emits light;
a first sheet including a design portion;
a second sheet having a conductive pattern on which the light source is mounted and in which a touch sensor electrode is disposed in a position different from the light source;
a body that is sandwiched between the first sheet and the second sheet to be integral with the first sheet and the second sheet, and transmits the light emitted by the light source; and
a guide disposed in a light path from the light source to the design portion, the guide guiding light transmitting through an inside of the body toward the design portion and being distinguished from the body, wherein
the light source and the guide are disposed along a surface of the second sheet on a side facing the body,
the body is integral with the light source and the guide and encapsulates the light source and the guide,
the guide is a light guide having an incident surface which faces the light source and through which light enters, a light exit surface which faces the design portion and through which light exits, and a reflective surface which is a surface other than the incident surface and the light exit surface and reflects light transmitting through an inside of the light guide toward the light exit surface, and
at least one of a light reflective sheet and a light reflective material layered on the light guide is disposed on the reflective surface.

14. An input device, comprising:
a light source that emits light;
a first sheet including a design portion;
a second sheet having a conductive pattern on which the light source is mounted and in which a touch sensor electrode is disposed in a position different from the light source;
a body that is sandwiched between the first sheet and the second sheet to be integral with the first sheet and the second sheet, and transmits the light emitted by the light source; and
a guide disposed in a light path from the light source to the design portion, the guide guiding light transmitting through an inside of the body toward the design portion and being distinguished from the body, wherein
the light source and the guide are disposed along a surface of the second sheet on a side facing the body,
the body is integral with the light source and the guide and encapsulates the light source and the guide,
the guide is a light blocker having a light blocking effect,
the body includes the light path formed by the light blocker, and
the light blocker is configured to have a non-light-transmissive film that does not transmit light or a light reflective film on at least one surface of a resin material.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yamane Shigeru
• Eto Hideaki
• Agemizu Wahei
• Kasano Masahiro
• Nakatani Go
• Morioka Hiroshi

Classifications

• G02B6/0046

  Tapered light guide, e.g. wedge-shaped light guide · CPC title

• G06F3/044

  by capacitive means · CPC title

• G02B6/0023

  provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source · CPC title

• G02B6/0021 Primary

  for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses · CPC title

• G02B6/0055 Primary

  Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title