IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,737,084
Granted Patent B2
US 12,737,084 · App. 18/823,801 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Display device and presentation device equipped with same

Inventors: Ryota Kanda (Kyoto, JP); Junya Fujita (Kyoto, JP); Naoya Kakimoto (Kyoto, JP)
Assignee: OMRON CORPORATION
G06F3/0421G02B6/262G02B6/34H01H9/18H01H13/023H01H13/14
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,737,084
App. No.
18/823,801
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A display selection button 10 comprises a light projecting unit 21 , a light guide plate 13 , a light receiving units 22 , a control unit 30 , and LED 23,24 . The light guide plate 13 has an incident surface 13 a to which the light emitted from the light projecting unit 21 is incident, a plurality of prisms 13 d that reflect incident light toward the side approaching or touching a finger and are provided at positions corresponding to push buttons 10 c , and an exit surface 13 b that emits the light reflected in the direction in which the finger approaches. The light receiving units 22 receive light emitted from the exit surface 13 b and reflected from a finger. The control unit 30 detects the approach of a finger depending on the amount of light received by the light receiving units 22 . The light guide plate 13 has the plurality of the prisms 13 e that reflect the incident light and displays the desired design. The LEDs 23, 24 emit light to the light guide plate 13 and cause the light to reflect on the plurality of the prisms 13 e.

Claims (49)

1 . A display device comprising a switch unit configured to detect a finger approaching or touching a push button operated by a user's finger and a display unit configured to display a desired design,

the switch unit including:

a first light projecting unit configured to emit a light;

a first light guide plate having an incident surface on which light emitted from the first light projecting unit is incident, a plurality of first prisms configured to reflect the light incident from the incident surface toward a side approached or touched by the finger and are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons, and an exit surface configured to emit the light reflected by the first prisms in a direction in which the finger approaches or touches;

a plurality of light receiving units that are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons and is configured to receive the light emitted from the exit surface and reflected by the finger approaching or touching the push button; and

a detection unit configured to detect the finger approaching or touching of the finger depending on an amount of light received by the light receiving unit,

the display unit including:

a second light guide plate having a plurality of second prisms configured to cause an incident light to reflect and display the desired design, and

a second light projecting unit configured to emit the light to the second light guide plate and cause the light to reflect on the plurality of the second prisms,

wherein the first prisms reflect the light so as to compensate for an amount of light that decreases depending on a distance from the first light projecting unit.

2 . The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first prisms are disposed such that their density per unit of surface area increases as the distance from the first light projecting unit increases.

3 . The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first prisms are disposed such that a surface area of the reflecting surface that reflects the light increases as the distance from the first light projecting unit increases.

4 . A display device comprising a switch unit configured to detect a finger approaching or touching a push button operated by a user's finger and a display unit configured to display a desired design,

the switch unit including:

a first light projecting unit configured to emit a light;

a first light guide plate having an incident surface on which light emitted from the first light projecting unit is incident, a plurality of first prisms configured to reflect the light incident from the incident surface toward a side approached or touched by the finger and are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons, and an exit surface configured to emit the light reflected by the first prisms in a direction in which the finger approaches or touches;

a plurality of light receiving units that are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons and is configured to receive the light emitted from the exit surface and reflected by the finger approaching or touching the push button; and

a detection unit configured to detect the finger approaching or touching of the finger depending on an amount of light received by the light receiving unit,

the display unit including:

a second light guide plate having a plurality of second prisms configured to cause an incident light to reflect and display the desired design, and

a second light projecting unit configured to emit the light to the second light guide plate and cause the light to reflect on the plurality of the second prisms,

wherein the plurality of light receiving units have different detection sensitivity so as to compensate for an amount of light that decreases depending on a distance from the first light projecting unit.

5 . A display device comprising a switch unit configured to detect a finger approaching or touching a push button operated by a user's finger and a display unit configured to display a desired design,

the switch unit including:

a first light projecting unit configured to emit a light;

a first light guide plate having an incident surface on which light emitted from the first light projecting unit is incident, a plurality of first prisms configured to reflect the light incident from the incident surface toward a side approached or touched by the finger and are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons, and an exit surface configured to emit the light reflected by the first prisms in a direction in which the finger approaches or touches;

a plurality of light receiving units that are provided at positions corresponding to the push buttons and is configured to receive the light emitted from the exit surface and reflected by the finger approaching or touching the push button; and

a detection unit configured to detect the finger approaching or touching of the finger depending on an amount of light received by the light receiving unit,

the display unit including:

a second light guide plate having a plurality of second prisms configured to cause an incident light to reflect and display the desired design, and

a second light projecting unit configured to emit the light to the second light guide plate and cause the light to reflect on the plurality of the second prisms,

wherein the first light projecting unit and the second light projecting unit emit a light having a different wavelength range, respectively.

6 . The display device according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first light guide plate further has an end surface disposed obliquely to the incident surface and the exit surface, and

the light incident from the first light projecting unit through the incident surface is reflected by the end surface and guided in a planar direction of the first light guide plate, and is reflected by the first prisms and exits from the exit surface.

7 . The display device according to claim 6 ,

further comprising a single substrate on which the first light projecting unit and the light receiving unit are disposed.

8 . The display device according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a seven-segment display unit configured to display a desired numeral.

9 . The display device according to claim 7 ,

further comprising a third light projecting unit configured to emit light to display a desired numeral on the seven-segment display unit.

10 . The display device according to claim 1 ,

further comprising a lens portion configured to guide the light emitted from the first light projecting unit to the incident surface of the first light guide plate.

11 . A presentation device, comprising:

the display device according to claim 1 ;

a presentation unit in which a presentation object selected and operated with the switch unit is disposed; and

a plurality of the push buttons provided for each of the presentation objects disposed in the presentation unit.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 4, 2024
From: KANDA, RYOTA; FUJITA, JUNYA; KAKIMOTO, NAOYA
To: OMRON CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 068835/0242 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2023-167876 · Sep 28, 2023 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250110595A1 · Apr 3, 2025
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