Input device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12437940-B2
Application number	US-202418973604-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2024
Priority date	Jun 29, 2022
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An input device includes an input detection unit including a circuit board, an electrostatic electrode on the circuit board for capacitance detection, a light source on the circuit board, a light guide plate provided on the lower side with respect to an operation surface and the upper side with respect to the electrostatic electrode and having a first side surface that faces the light source and a second side surface that does not face the light source, and a frame-shaped light shielding member surrounding the light guide plate and having a light shielding wall in contact with the second side surface. The neighboring first and second side surfaces of the light guide plate form an obtuse angle, the first side surface is perpendicular to upper and lower surfaces of the light guide plate, the second side surface slopes to face downward, and the light shielding wall slopes to face upward.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An input device comprising:
an input detection unit, including:
an operation surface;
a circuit board;
an electrostatic electrode disposed on the circuit board and configured to detect electrostatic capacitance;
at least one light source disposed on the circuit board;
a light guide plate provided below the operation surface and above the electrostatic electrode, the light guide plate having an upper surface, a lower surface, at least one first side surface facing the at least one light source, and at least one second side surface not facing the at least one light source, the first side surface and the second side surface adjacent to each other forming an obtuse angle; and
a light shielding member having a frame shape surrounding the light guide plate, the light shielding member having a light shielding wall,

wherein the at least one first side surface of the light guide plate is perpendicular to the upper surface and the lower surface of the light guide plate, while the at least one second side surface of the light guide plate is inclined to face downward,
and wherein the light shielding wall of the light shielding member is inclined to face upward and in contact with the at least one second side surface of the light guide plate.

2. The input device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the light guide plate has at least one protrusion protruding in a lateral direction,
and wherein the light shielding member has at least one fixing portion facing the at least one protrusion such that the protrusion is fitted into the fixing portion, thereby fixing the light guide plate.

3. The input device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one light source comprises a pair of light sources,
wherein the light guide plate has a substantially hexagonal shape in plan view from above, the at least one first side surface including a pair of first side surfaces opposite to each other, and the at least one second side surface including two pairs of second side surfaces opposite to each other, whereby the light guide plate has four first corners each formed by one of the first side surfaces and one of the second side surfaces adjacent to each other and two second corners each formed by two of the second side surfaces adjacent to each other,
and wherein each of the pair of first side surfaces faces corresponding one of the pair of light sources, the four first corners have a same angle, and the protrusion is provided at each of the two second corners.

4. The input device according to claim 3 ,
wherein the input detection unit further includes a light shielding sheet overlaid on the light guide plate, the light shielding sheet having an opening from which the upper surface of the light guide plate is exposed,
wherein the light shielding wall of the light shielding member is formed of a white resin,
wherein the light guide plate is provided with irregularities formed in an area of the lower surface overlapping the opening of the light shielding sheet, a density of the irregularities in a vicinity of a line extending through a respective midpoint of each of the pair of first side surfaces is lower than a density of the irregularities in a vicinity of the two second corners.

5. The input device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the at least one first side surface of the light guide plate includes a pair of first side surfaces opposite to each other in a first direction, and the at least one protrusion includes a pair of protrusions provided on opposite sides of the light guide plate in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the light guide plate having a width in the first direction substantially the same as a width in the second direction,
and wherein an inner frame width of the light shielding member in the first direction is greater than an inner frame width of the light shielding member in the second direction.

6. The input device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the input detection unit further includes:
a reflective sheet disposed between the circuit board and the light guide plate, the reflective sheet having an opening at a position overlapping each of the pair of light sources;
a diffusion sheet overlaid on the light shielding sheet; and
a decorative panel overlaid on the diffusion sheet, the decorative panel having a light shielding portion of a predetermined designed shape,

and wherein the opening of the light shielding sheet has a substantially rectangular shape, with a pair of opposite corners thereof facing the pair of light sources, while another pair of opposing corners facing the fixing portions of the light shielding member.

7. The input device according to claim 6 ,
wherein the pair of light sources include a first light source and a second light source which have different emission colors, the input device further comprising:
a control unit configured to control the pair of light sources to enter one of: a first light emission mode in which only the first light source emits light, a second light emission mode in which both of the first and second light sources emit light, and a third light emission mode in which only the second light source emits light, based on a distance between the operation surface and an operation body detected by the electrostatic electrode.

8. The input device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of operation keys arranged on a flat surface; and
a plurality of the input detection units, each provided for corresponding one of the plurality of operation keys.

Assignees

• Alps Alpine Co Ltd

Inventors

• Hashida Junji

Classifications

• H01H13/023

  Light-emitting indicators (for multi-layer switches H01H13/83) · CPC title

• H01H2013/026

  with two or more independent lighting elements located inside the push button switch that illuminate separate zones of push buttons · CPC title

• H01H13/02

  Details · CPC title

• G06F3/02

  Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials · CPC title

• G02B6/0068 Primary

  Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources · CPC title