IP Library Granted Patent US 7,619,173
Granted Patent B2
US 7,619,173 · App. 11/957,783 · Granted Nov 17, 2009

Light guide sheet and movable contact unit and switch using the same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,619,173
App. No.
11/957,783
Granted
Nov 17, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosed relates to a light-guide-sheet used in operation panel of a various electronic equipment, and a movable-contact-unit and a switch using the same, which have a simplified structure free from uneven illumination and a cheap cost price. Therefore, the light-guide-sheet is provided with the light-guide-member including an inlet, a generally strip-shaped guide-path coupled with the inlet, and generally circularly and irregularly shaped light-emitters coupled with the guide-path, each formed from a polymer having an index of refraction different from that of base-film and formed in grooves provided on a base-film.

Claims (12)

1. A light-guide-sheet comprising:

a base film having grooves; and

a light-guide-member formed in the grooves of the base-film comprising;

an inlet,

a generally strip-shaped light-guide path coupled with the inlet, and

a light-emitter coupled with the light-guide path, each having an index of refraction different from that of the base-film.

2. The light-guide-sheet of claim 1 , wherein the inlet and the light-emitter are shaped irregularly.

3. A movable-contact-unit having the light-guide-sheet of claim 1 , wherein a plurality of generally dome-shaped movable contacts formed of a thin metal sheet are bonded on a bottom surface of the light-guide-sheet.

4. The movable-contact-unit of claim 3 , wherein the movable contacts are bonded on a bottom surface of the light-emitter of the light-guide-sheet.

5. A switch comprising a movable-contact-unit of either claim 3 or 4 and a board provided with a plurality of stationary contacts, wherein the stationary contacts are bonded on a top surface of the board and each of the stationary contacts are disposed on a position facing each of a plurality of the movable contacts of the movable-contact-unit.

6. The light-guide-sheet of claim 1 , wherein the base film includes a reduced-thickness section on which the light-guide-member is arranged.

7. The light-guide-sheet of claim 1 , wherein the light-guide-member is configured so that received light is internally reflected or refracted within the light-guide-member.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 24, 2008
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021897/0689 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 9, 2008
From: INOUE, TAKEFUMI
To: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 020779/0423 →