IP Library Granted Patent US 11,183,346
Granted Patent B2
US 11,183,346 · App. 17/080,417 · Granted Nov 23, 2021

Input device

Inventors: Go Nakatani (Kyoto, JP); Hideaki Eto (Osaka, JP)
Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
H01H9/161H03K17/962H01H2219/062H01H2239/006H03K2017/9606H03K2217/96079
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,183,346
App. No.
17/080,417
Granted
Nov 23, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An input device includes: a substrate; a first detection electrode that detects input to the input device; a light emitter that emits light when the input is performed; a body plate disposed on the front surface side of the substrate and through which the light is transmitted; and a light guide including an incident surface from which the light enters and a light exit surface from which the light entered from the incident surface exits. A design portion that is light transmissive is disposed on an opposite side of the body plate to the substrate. A penetration hole penetrates through the substrate at a position opposite the design portion. The light guide is disposed in the penetration hole with the incident surface oriented facing a light emitting surface of the light emitter and the light exit surface oriented facing the design portion with the body plate interposed therebetween.

Claims (44)

1. An input device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first detection electrode that is disposed on a front surface side of the substrate and detects input to the input device;

a light emitter that is disposed on a back surface of the substrate and emits light along a direction parallel to the back surface when the input to the input device is performed;

a body plate that is disposed on the front surface side of the substrate and through which light emitted by the light emitter is transmitted; and

a light guide that includes an incident surface from which light emitted by the light emitter enters and a light exit surface from which the light entered from the incident surface exits, wherein

a design portion that is light transmissive is disposed on an opposite side of the body plate to the substrate,

a penetration hole penetrates through the substrate at a position opposite the design portion via the body plate,

the first detection electrode is disposed along an inner periphery of the penetration hole,

the light guide is disposed in the penetration hole with the incident surface oriented facing a light emitting surface of the light emitter and the light exit surface oriented facing the design portion with the body plate interposed between the light exit surface and the design portion,

the light guide includes an inclined surface that faces the incident surface and the light exit surface, and

the inclined surface is a reflective surface that reflects, to the light exit surface, light that enters the incident surface and passes through the light guide.

2. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the first detection electrode has a loop shape surrounding the penetration hole and is disposed on the front surface side of the substrate.

3. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

on the inclined surface, a reflective member that reflects light that passes through the light guide is disposed.

4. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

on surfaces other than the incident surface and the light exit surface, a reflective member that reflects light that passes through the light guide is disposed.

5. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the light emitter is disposed at a position in which a normal direction of the light emitting surface is parallel to the back surface of the substrate and the light emitter overlaps the first detection electrode in a plan view of the substrate.

6. The input device according to claim 3 , wherein

the reflective member is disposed on the inclined surface,

the reflective member is a second detection electrode that is conductive, and

the second detection electrode is electrically connected to the first detection electrode.

7. The input device according to claim 6 , wherein

a through hole that is electrically connected to the first detection electrode is provided in the substrate, and

the second detection electrode is electrically connected to the through hole.

8. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein surfaces other than the incident surface and the light exit surface are configured to permit passing of reflected light through the light guide.

9. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

the inclined surface is processed to reflect light that passes through the light guide.

10. The input device according to claim 1 , wherein

surfaces other than the incident surface and the light exit surface are processed to reflect light that passes through the light guide.

11. An input device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first detection electrode that is disposed on a front surface side of the substrate and detects input to the input device;

a light emitter that is disposed on a back surface of the substrate and emits light along a direction parallel to the back surface when the input to the input device is performed;

a body plate that is disposed on the front surface side of the substrate and through which light emitted by the light emitter is transmitted; and

a light guide that includes an incident surface from which light emitted by the light emitter enters and a light exit surface from which the light entered from the incident surface exits, wherein

a design portion that is light transmissive is disposed on an opposite side of the body plate to the substrate,

a penetration hole penetrates through the substrate at a position opposite the design portion via the body plate,

the light guide is disposed in the penetration hole with the incident surface oriented facing a light emitting surface of the light emitter and the light exit surface oriented facing the design portion with the body plate interposed between the light exit surface and the design portion, and

the body plate is a portion interposed between the design portion and the light exit surface of the light guide, and includes a light-transmissive portion that has a light-transmitting property and a non-light-transmissive portion that has a non-light-transmitting property and constitutes a portion other than the light-transmissive portion.

12. The input device according to claim 11 , wherein

the body plate includes the light-transmissive portion and the non-light-transmissive portion that are integrally formed by multicolor molding.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 28, 2024
From: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 066703/0216 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2021
From: NAKATANI, GO; ETO, HIDEAKI
To: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 055378/0946 →