Non-contact switch

Abstract

The present invention provides a non-contact switch which can clearly identify a position for receiving an input operation and improve the detection sensitivity of the input operation. The non-contact switch comprises: a stereoscopic display portion (11) capable of displaying a stereoscopic image (21) indicating a position where an input operation is received; a light guide plate (13) arranged on the back side of the stereoscopic display portion (11) so as to direct illumination light toward the stereoscopic display portion (11); a light shielding portion (12) arranged between the stereoscopic display portion (11) and the light guide plate (13) to form a pattern (22) indicating the position; a detection portion (14) arranged on the back side of the light guide plate (13) and comprising a light emitting element (141) for emitting sensor light and a light receiving element (142) for outputting a detection signal when the sensor light is detected; a first reflecting component (181) having a reflecting surface formed in a convex shape relative to the light emitting element (141) of the detecting portion (14); and a second reflecting component (182) having a reflecting surface formed in a concave or planar shape relative to the light receiving element (142) of the detecting portion (14).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a contactless switch capable of performing input operations without contact. Background Art

[0002] From the perspective of hygiene or prevention of the spread of infectious diseases, non-contact switches that enable input operations without requiring the user to touch any parts are being studied (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] For example, the input device disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes: a light source, a light guide plate, a sensor, and a second image. The light guide plate guides the light from the light source so that the first image is formed in space. The sensor detects an object in a space including the imaging position of the first image, or in a space that is only a specified distance away from the imaging position of the first image. The second image is displayed on a surface different from the surface on which the first image is displayed. Moreover, the controller changes the displayed first image according to the user's input action on the first image. In addition, a light guide plate or a display device for displaying the second image is provided, and the controller changes the displayed second image according to the input action.

[0004] Prior art literature

[0005] Patent Literature

[0006] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-64632 Summary of the Invention

[0007] Technical problem to be solved by the invention

[0008] The input device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is configured to easily obtain a three-dimensional effect of an image. However, in order to improve usability, it is preferable to make the position where the input operation is received clearer.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a non-contact switch that clarifies the position where an input operation is received and can improve the detection sensitivity of the input operation.

[0010] Technical solutions to technical problems

[0011] As one embodiment of the present invention, a non-contact switch is provided. The non-contact switch comprises: a first light source; a stereoscopic display unit, which can be seen from the front side, and which is arranged on the back side and indicates a position where an input operation is received, and can display a stereoscopic image indicating the position using light emitted from the first light source; a second light source, which emits illumination light of which the color can be changed; a light guide plate, which is arranged on the back side of the stereoscopic display unit and directs the illumination light emitted from the second light source toward the stereoscopic display unit; a light shielding unit, which is arranged between the stereoscopic display unit and the light guide plate, and has a light shielding area for shielding sensor light and illumination light, and a light-transmitting area for transmitting the sensor light and illumination light, wherein a pattern indicating a position where an input operation is received is displayed by the illumination light; a detection unit, which is arranged on the back side of the light guide plate, and has a light-emitting element, and a light-receiving element, wherein the light-emitting element emits sensor light in a direction parallel to the surface on the back side of the light guide plate, and the light-receiving element emits sensor light in a direction parallel to the surface on the back side of the light guide plate. When sensor light reflected or scattered by a specified object located at a position where an input operation is received is detected, a detection signal indicating that the detection has been performed is output; when the control unit receives the detection signal from the detection unit, it outputs a signal indicating that an input operation has been performed, and changes the lighting state of the first light source and the luminous color of the illumination light of the second light source; a first reflecting component having a reflecting surface, which reflects the sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element of the detection unit through the light guide plate, the light-transmitting area and the three-dimensional display unit toward the position where the input operation is received, and is formed into a convex shape relative to the light-emitting element; a second reflecting component having a reflecting surface, which reflects the sensor light reflected or scattered by the specified object located at the position where the input operation is received and through the three-dimensional display unit, the light-transmitting area and the light guide plate toward the detection unit, and is formed into a concave shape or a flat shape relative to the light-receiving element.

[0012] This structure allows the non-contact switch to clearly identify the location where input operations are received. Furthermore, because the first reflective member expands the range of sensor light, and the reflected or scattered sensor light is directed toward the light-receiving element of the detection unit without being diffused by the second reflective member, the non-contact switch can detect user operations with high sensitivity. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a non-contact switch according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of a non-contact switch according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 3 This is a front view overview of the mask.

[0016] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a non-contact switch according to a modified example.

[0017] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a non-contact switch according to another modified example.

[0018] Figure 6 Yes Figure 5 A diagram showing another embodiment of a modified embodiment of a reflective lens.

[0019] Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) is a side sectional schematic diagram of a non-contact switch according to another modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] Hereinafter, a contactless switch according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The contactless switch can display a stereoscopic image indicating the position where input operations are accepted on the side facing the user (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the front side for ease of explanation), and can display a prescribed pattern indicating the position where input operations are accepted using the illumination light guided by the light guide plate. The contactless switch transmits sensor light from a light sensor arranged on the side opposite to the user side of the light guide plate that guides the illumination light (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the back side for ease of explanation) to the front side, and detects the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger, etc., thereby detecting the user's input operation. Moreover, the contactless switch provides a light shielding portion between the stereoscopic display portion for displaying the stereoscopic image and the light guide plate to shield the sensor light and illumination light outside the light-transmitting area provided with the prescribed pattern, so that the prescribed pattern is easy to see and the position where input operations are accepted is clearly defined.

[0021] It should be noted that in the embodiments described below, the contactless switch is operated by a user's finger. Specifically, input operations are accepted by detecting sensor light reflected or scattered by a user's finger placed at a position to accept input operations. A user's finger is an example of a prescribed object for performing input operations on a contactless switch. However, the prescribed object for performing input operations is not limited to a user's finger; it may also be another part of the user, such as the user's hand, or an object the user carries or holds that reflects or scatters sensor light.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a non-contact switch according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2This is a side sectional view of a contactless switch according to an embodiment of the present invention. The contactless switch 1 includes a three-dimensional display unit 11, a mask sheet 12, a light guide plate 13, a light sensor 14, a first light source 15, a second light source 16, and a control unit 17. Each of the above components is housed in a housing 18. In addition, the three-dimensional display unit 11, the mask sheet 12, the light guide plate 13, and the light sensor 14 among the above components are arranged in sequence from the front side to the back side. In addition, the first light source 15 is arranged opposite to the incident surface 11a formed on the side of the three-dimensional display unit 11. Similarly, the second light source 16 is arranged opposite to the incident surface 13a formed on the side of the light guide plate 13. Moreover, the control unit 17 controls the first light source 15 and the second light source 16 based on the detection result of the light sensor 14. Below, each component of the contactless switch 1 is described in detail.

[0023] The stereoscopic display unit 11 uses light emitted from the first light source 15 and incident from the incident surface 11a to display a stereoscopic image 21 in the air on the front side of the stereoscopic display unit 11 and near the position where the input operation is received. The stereoscopic image 21 represents the position where the input operation is received. In addition, the stereoscopic display unit 11 is configured so that a pattern 22 representing the position where the input operation is received, which is arranged on its back side, can be seen from the front side. Therefore, the stereoscopic display unit 11 is configured as a light guide plate formed in the shape of a plate by molding a material transparent to visible light, such as an optical resin such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate, or cycloolefin polymer. On the back side of the stereoscopic display unit 11, there are provided a plurality of prisms (not shown) arranged at different positions with triangular prism-shaped grooves formed for each point of the stereoscopic image 21 displayed in the air. One side of each prism is opposite to the first light source 15, forming a reflective surface that totally reflects the light that is incident from the incident surface 11a and propagates within the stereoscopic display unit 11 toward the front side. Furthermore, at each point of the three-dimensional image 21 displayed in the air, a plurality of prisms corresponding to that point are arranged so as to reflect light incident from the incident surface 11a and propagating within the three-dimensional display unit 11 toward that point. Therefore, light from the plurality of prisms arranged at different positions converges at each point of the three-dimensional image 21 displayed in the air. Therefore, a user facing the front side sees light emitted from each point of the three-dimensional image displayed in the air. Thus, from the user's perspective, the three-dimensional image 21 displayed in the air can be observed.

[0024] While the first light source 15 is on, the stereoscopic image is displayed by the stereoscopic display unit 11. On the other hand, when the first light source 15 is off, the stereoscopic image is not displayed by the stereoscopic display unit 11. Therefore, as will be described in detail later, the control unit 17 switches the first light source 15 on and off based on the detection results of the light sensor 14, thereby switching whether the stereoscopic image is displayed. Therefore, the user can identify the operating status of the non-contact switch 1 by observing whether the stereoscopic image is displayed.

[0025] The mask sheet 12 is an example of a light-shielding portion, and is a sheet-like component arranged between the stereoscopic display portion 11 and the light guide plate 13. It uses the illumination light from the second light source 16 to display a pattern 22 indicating the position where the input operation is received, and blocks the portion other than the pattern 22 with respect to the illumination light from the back side toward the front side and the sensor light from the light sensor 14.

[0026] Figure 3 This is a front view of the mask sheet 12. The mask sheet 12 is formed of an opaque member that blocks the sensor light from the optical sensor 14 and the light from the second light source 16. Furthermore, a pattern 22 is provided so as to coincide with the bottom of a perpendicular line extending from a predetermined point near the location where input operations are received, such as the stereoscopic image 21 (e.g., the center of gravity of the stereoscopic image 21), to the mask sheet 12. The pattern 22 is formed, for example, by applying a material that is opaque to the front surface of the light guide plate 13, such as ink or paint, within a light-transmitting area 12a provided by cutting the mask sheet 12 so as to allow the sensor light from the optical sensor 14 and the illumination light from the second light source 16 to pass through. Thus, by lighting the second light source 16, the user can see the pattern 22. It should be noted that as the material forming the pattern 22, a material that is opaque to the illumination light from the second light source 16 but transparent to the sensor light from the optical sensor 14 is preferably an ink that is transparent to infrared light, for example, when the sensor light is infrared light. Alternatively, the area surrounding pattern 22 within light-transmitting region 12a can be covered with a material that blocks illumination light from second light source 16 while transmitting sensor light from optical sensor 14. Furthermore, pattern 22 itself can be formed to transmit both illumination light and sensor light. This prevents sensor light from being blocked by pattern 22 itself, thereby preventing optical sensor 14 from failing to detect the user's finger even when the user moves their finger near or near the location where an input operation is to be accepted. Furthermore, light-shielding region 12b is formed around light-transmitting region 12a to block both illumination light and sensor light. This blocks illumination light and stray light from the back side of mask sheet 12 to the front side, except around pattern 22. This makes it easier for the user to see pattern 22 and the three-dimensional image, and as a result, can easily determine the location where an input operation is to be accepted.

[0027] The light guide plate 13 is a plate-shaped member formed by molding a material transparent to visible light, for example, an optical resin such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), polycarbonate, or cycloolefin polymer, and is disposed on the back side of the mask sheet 12 .

[0028] An incident surface 13a opposite to the second light source 16 is formed on one side of the side of the light guide plate 13. In addition, a plurality of prisms are formed on the back side of the light guide plate 13 for totally reflecting the light propagating in the light guide plate 13 toward the front side. Each prism is formed into a triangular prism-shaped groove, for example. Therefore, the illumination light emitted from the second light source 16 and incident on the interior of the light guide plate 13 from the incident surface 13a is totally reflected and propagated between the front side and the back side of the light guide plate 13, and then is totally reflected by any prism provided on the back side of the light guide plate 13 and emitted from the front side. Moreover, the illumination light of the emitted light that passes through the light-transmitting area 12a of the mask sheet 12 illuminates the pattern 22 from the back side and further passes through the three-dimensional display unit 11. Therefore, by lighting the second light source 16, the user can see the pattern 22.

[0029] The light sensor 14 is an example of a detection unit and is arranged closer to the back side than the light guide plate 13 to detect the user's input operation. Therefore, the light sensor 14 includes: a light-emitting element (not shown) that emits sensor light, and a light-receiving element (not shown) that detects the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger and outputs a detection signal indicating that the sensor light has been detected. The sensor light is preferably light that is invisible to the user. Therefore, the light-emitting element can be, for example, an infrared light-emitting diode that emits infrared light as the sensor light. In addition, the light-receiving element can be a light-receiving element that is sensitive to the sensor light, such as a photodiode that is sensitive to infrared light.

[0030] In this embodiment, if Figure 2As shown by line 201 in the figure, the light sensor 14 is mounted on the side surface of the housing 18 so that the sensor light emitted from the light emitting element travels in a direction roughly parallel to the surface on the back side of the light guide plate 13. It should be noted that the direction in which the sensor light is directed may be the direction in which the intensity is highest in the intensity distribution of the sensor light emitted from the light emitting element of the light sensor 14. By configuring the light sensor 14 in this way, the contactless switch 1 can be made thinner. Moreover, the sensor light emitted from the light emitting element is positively reflected by the reflective lens 181 provided on the bottom surface of the housing 18, passes through the light guide plate 13, and then passes through the light-transmitting area 12a of the mask sheet 12 and the stereoscopic display unit 11, and travels toward the position on the front side of the stereoscopic display unit 11 that receives input operations. It should be noted that the reflective lens 181 is an example of a reflective component. Furthermore, when the user brings his finger close to the position where the input operation is received, a portion of the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger is reflected again by the reflective mirror 181 after passing through the stereoscopic display unit 11, the light-transmitting area 12a of the mask sheet 12, and the light guide plate 13, and then returns to the light sensor 14. When the light-receiving element of the light sensor 14 detects the returned sensor light, it outputs a detection signal to the control unit 17. In this way, the input operation performed by the user can be detected. It should be noted that in this example, because the path through which the sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element passes is roughly the same as the path through which the sensor light detected by the light-receiving element passes, it is sufficient to set the position where the input operation is received on the path through which the air sensor light passes that is closer to the front side than the stereoscopic display unit 11.

[0031] The first light source 15 includes a light-emitting element, such as a light-emitting diode, that emits light of a predetermined color. The light-emitting surface of the light-emitting element is arranged to face the incident surface 11a of the three-dimensional display unit 11. Light emitted from the first light source 15 enters the three-dimensional display unit 11 through the incident surface 11a, propagates within the three-dimensional display unit 11, and is reflected by each of the multiple prisms provided on the back surface of the three-dimensional display unit 11. As a result, the light is emitted from the front side of the three-dimensional display unit 11, forming a three-dimensional image 21 near the location where the input operation is received.

[0032] The first light source 15 is turned on or off according to a control signal from the control unit 17. That is, when the stereoscopic image 21 is projected into the air, the first light source 15 is turned on. On the other hand, when the first light source 15 is turned off, the stereoscopic image 21 cannot be seen.

[0033] The second light source 16 emits illumination light for illuminating the pattern 22. Therefore, the second light source 16 has two or more light-emitting elements with different luminous colors (for example, a first light-emitting element that emits blue light, and a second light-emitting element that emits red light). That is, the second light source 16 is capable of changing the luminous color of the illumination light. It should be noted that each light-emitting element can be, for example, a light-emitting diode. Moreover, the illumination light emitted from each light-emitting element of the second light source 16 is incident from the incident surface 13a into the light guide plate 13, propagates within the light guide plate 13, and is reflected by a plurality of prisms provided on the back side of the light guide plate 13, thereby being emitted from the front side of the light guide plate 13 to illuminate the pattern 22 provided on the mask sheet 12.

[0034] Each light-emitting element in the second light source 16 is controlled to illuminate certain light-emitting elements and deactivate others based on a control signal from the control unit 17. In other words, the color of the light illuminating the pattern 22 changes depending on which of the light-emitting elements in the second light source 16 is illuminated. Therefore, the control unit 17 switches the light-emitting element each time it receives a user input operation, making it easier for the user to identify the operating status of the contactless switch 1.

[0035] Upon receiving a detection signal from the optical sensor 14, the control unit 17 outputs a signal indicating that an input operation has been performed, changes the lighting state of the first light source 15, and changes the color of the illumination light emitted by the second light source 16. Therefore, the control unit 17 includes, for example, one or more microprocessors, a semiconductor memory, and an interface for connecting to other devices.

[0036] When no user input is received, the control unit 17 turns on the first light source 15 and turns on one of the light-emitting elements of the second light source 16 (for example, the first light-emitting element that emits blue light), while turning off the other light-emitting elements. Consequently, a three-dimensional image 21 is displayed in the air near the location where the input was received, and a pattern 22 illuminated by light of the color emitted by the first light-emitting element is displayed.

[0037] Afterwards, when the control unit 17 receives a detection signal from the light sensor 14, it outputs a signal indicating that the operation state has become the first state (for example, the on state) to other devices via the interface. In addition, the control unit 17 turns off the first light source 15. As a result, the stereoscopic image 21 is not displayed. In addition, the control unit 17 turns off the first light-emitting element among the light-emitting elements of the second light source 16, and lights up the other light-emitting elements (for example, the second light-emitting element that emits red light). As a result, the color of the illumination light that illuminates the pattern 22 changes (for example, the color of the illumination light changes from the light-emitting color of the first light-emitting element to the light-emitting color of the second light-emitting element). Therefore, the user can easily recognize that the input operation has been accepted and the operation state has changed.

[0038] Afterwards, when the control unit 17 does not receive a detection signal from the light sensor 14 for a while and starts to receive a detection signal again, the control unit 17 outputs a signal indicating that the operation state has become the second operation state (for example, the disconnected state) to other devices via the interface. Moreover, the control unit 17 turns on the first light source 15 again. As a result, the stereoscopic image 21 is displayed again. In addition, the control unit 17 turns off the second light-emitting element among the light-emitting elements of the second light source 16 and turns on the first light-emitting element. As a result, the color of the illumination light illuminating the pattern 22 changes from the light-emitting color of the second light-emitting element to the light-emitting color of the first light-emitting element. Therefore, the user can easily recognize that the input operation is accepted again and the operation state has been restored to the original state.

[0039] As described above, the contactless switch can detect input operations by the user moving their finger toward the position in the air where the input operation is received. Therefore, the user can operate the device on which the contactless switch is actually installed without contact. In addition, each time the contactless switch receives an input operation, the lighting color of the pattern indicating whether a stereoscopic image is displayed and the position where the input operation is received changes, so the user can easily determine whether the input operation has been accepted. In addition, the contactless switch is configured with a mask sheet closer to the front side than the light guide plate that illuminates the pattern indicating the position where the input operation is received, and blocks the lighting light and stray light from the back side to the front side outside the area around the pattern. Therefore, the contactless switch can be independent of the operating state, making it easy for the user to see the pattern. As a result, the contactless switch can clearly identify the position where the input operation is received.

[0040] According to a modified example, the non-contact switch may be configured to realize the functions of a plurality of switches that are independent of each other.

[0041] Figure 4 The non-contact switch 2 of this modification is similar to the non-contact switch 2 of this modification. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Compared with the non-contact switch 1 shown in FIG, the difference is that three switches are implemented, and a pattern and a three-dimensional image are displayed for each switch. Therefore, the difference and related parts of the non-contact switch 2 are described below. Figure 4 In the figures, main structural components not related to the differences are omitted from the illustration.

[0042] In this modified example, the contactless switch 2 has three switches. Therefore, the stereoscopic display unit 11 is configured to form three stereoscopic images 21-1 to 21-3 in the air using light from the first light source 15. Each image of the stereoscopic images 21-1 to 21-3 is displayed near the position where the input operation is received for the corresponding switch among the three switches. In order to form the three stereoscopic images 21-1 to 21-3, the stereoscopic display unit 11 can be formed as a light guide plate, similar to the above-mentioned embodiment, and has a plurality of prisms on the back side that cause the light emitted from the first light source 15 and incident on the stereoscopic display unit 11 to be emitted from the front side and totally reflected. Moreover, for each stereoscopic image 21-1 to 21-3, a plurality of prisms corresponding to each point of the stereoscopic image and arranged at different positions form the light from the first light source 15 incident on the stereoscopic display unit 11 toward the point, thereby displaying each stereoscopic image.

[0043] In this modified example, the first light source 15 includes a light-emitting element for each stereoscopic image 21-1 to 21-3, and each light-emitting element is arranged opposite a different side surface of the stereoscopic display unit 11. Each side surface of the stereoscopic display unit 11 serves as an incident surface. Furthermore, for each stereoscopic image 21-1 to 21-3, the prism corresponding to each point of the stereoscopic image is arranged so that the light-emitting element corresponding to the stereoscopic image faces the reflective surface. Thus, the control unit 17 controls the corresponding light-emitting element for each switch to light up or light down according to the operation state of the switch, thereby enabling each switch to independently change whether or not to display the stereoscopic image.

[0044] In addition, the mask sheet 12 is provided with patterns 22-1 to 22-3 for each switch, indicating a position for receiving input operations. The patterns 22-1 to 22-3 are each arranged at a position that overlaps with the bottom of a perpendicular line extending from a predetermined point (e.g., the center of gravity) of the corresponding stereoscopic image to the front of the mask sheet 12. It should be noted that the patterns 22-1 to 22-3 can be the same pattern, or they can be different patterns from each other. Moreover, each of the patterns 22-1 to 22-3 is illuminated from the back side using illumination light emitted from the second light source 16 and propagated through the light guide plate 13, so that the user can see them. In addition, in this modified example, the second light source 16 has a light-emitting element with a different light-emitting color for each pattern 22-1 to 22-3, and the light-emitting element of each pattern is arranged to face different sides of the light guide plate 13. Each side is configured as an incident surface. Moreover, for each pattern 22-1 to 22-3, the prism corresponding to the pattern is arranged so that the light-emitting element corresponding to the pattern faces the reflection surface. Thus, the control unit 17 can control the corresponding light emitting element to turn on and off for each switch according to the operation state of the switch, thereby independently changing the color of the illumination light that illuminates the pattern for each switch.

[0045] In addition, in the non-contact switch 2 of this modified example, each switch is provided with a light sensor 14-1 to 14-3. Each of the light sensors 14-1 to 14-3 has a light-emitting element and a light-receiving element, similar to the light sensor 14 in the above-described embodiment. Furthermore, the sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element of each of the light sensors 14-1 to 14-3 is reflected by the reflective mirror 181, passes through the light guide plate 13, the light-transmitting area of ​​the corresponding pattern provided on the mask sheet 12, and the three-dimensional display unit 11, and is directed toward the position of the corresponding switch where input operations are received. Furthermore, for each switch, the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger placed at the position where the switch receives input operations passes through the three-dimensional display unit 11, the corresponding light-transmitting area of ​​the mask sheet 12, and the light guide plate 13, is reflected by the reflective mirror 181, and is received by the light-receiving element of the corresponding light sensor. Thus, input operations are received for each switch.

[0046] For each switch, the control unit 17 controls the light-emitting elements of the first light source 15 and the second light source 16 corresponding to the switch each time an input operation to the switch is detected, so that the presence or absence of the stereoscopic image and the illumination light of the pattern are changed, and a signal indicating the operation status of the switch is output to other devices.

[0047] According to this modification, the non-contact switch can realize multiple switches, and the presence or absence of a three-dimensional image and the lighting color of the pattern are changed according to the input operation received for each switch. Therefore, the user can easily understand the operated switch.

[0048] According to other modified examples, the light emitting element and the light receiving element of the optical sensor may be arranged at different positions.

[0049] Figure 5 The non-contact switch 3 of this modification is similar to the non-contact switch 3 of this modification. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Compared with the non-contact switch 1 shown in FIG, the difference lies in the structure of the optical sensor. Therefore, in the following, the difference and related parts of the non-contact switch 3 are described. Figure 5 In the figures, main structural components not related to the differences are omitted from the illustration.

[0050] In this modified example, the light-emitting element 141 and the light-receiving element 142 of the optical sensor 14 are arranged at different positions. For example, the light-emitting element 141 and the light-receiving element 142 are arranged along the incident surface 13a of the light guide plate 13 so that the position where input operations are received, the stereoscopic image 21 displayed by the stereoscopic display unit 11, and the pattern 22 provided on the mask sheet 12 are located between the light-emitting element 141 and the light-receiving element 142.

[0051] Two reflective mirrors 181 and 182 are formed in the housing 18. The reflective mirror 181 is formed to regularly reflect the sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element 141 toward the input operation receiving position on the front side of the contactless switch 3, at a position along the normal to the incident surface 13a from the light-emitting element 141. Specifically, the reflective surface of the reflective mirror 181 is tilted toward the display position of the stereoscopic image 21 and the light-receiving element 142, relative to the direction directly facing the light-emitting element 141. Meanwhile, the reflective mirror 182 is formed to regularly reflect the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger and transmitted through the stereoscopic display unit 11, the light-transmitting area of ​​the mask sheet 12, and the light guide plate 13, relative to the direction directly facing the light-receiving element 142, relative to the direction directly facing the light-receiving element 142. Specifically, the reflective surface of the reflective mirror 182 is tilted toward the display position of the stereoscopic image 21 and the light-emitting element 141, relative to the direction directly facing the light-receiving element 142. Therefore, in this modified example, the position where input operations are accepted is the position where the direction of sensor light reflected by reflective mirror 181, as indicated by arrow 501, intersects the direction of sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger, as indicated by arrow 502, which is reflected by reflective mirror 182 and directed toward a position where light can be received by light-receiving element 142. As a result, the position P where input operations are accepted is limited compared to the above-described embodiment. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the situation where an operation of the non-contact switch 3 is mistakenly detected due to the user's previous proximity to the non-contact switch 3, even though the user did not intend to operate the non-contact switch 3. It should be noted that in this modified example, in order to prevent the user from accidentally touching the non-contact switch 3, the position P where input operations are accepted is preferably set so that the distance between the position P where input operations are accepted and the stereoscopic display unit 11 is greater than the distance between the stereoscopic display unit 11 and the position where the stereoscopic image 21 is displayed. It should be noted that the distance between the three-dimensional display unit 11 and the position P at which input operations are received is determined by the distance between the light-emitting element 141 and the light-receiving element 142 of the optical sensor 14, and the angle formed by the reflective surfaces of the mirror plates 181 and 182 and the bottom surface of the housing 18. Therefore, as described above, the distance between the light-emitting element 141 and the light-receiving element 142 of the optical sensor 14, and the angle formed by the reflective surfaces of the mirror plates 181 and 182 and the bottom surface of the housing 18 can be adjusted to set the position at which input operations are received.

[0052] Figure 6 Yes Figure 5FIG2 shows another embodiment of a modified embodiment of a reflective lens. In this modified embodiment, reflective lens 181, which reflects sensor light from light-emitting element 141 of optical sensor 14 toward the position where input operation is received, is formed with a convex reflective surface relative to light-emitting element 141. In contrast, reflective lens 182, which reflects sensor light entering the touchless switch 3 from the position where input operation is received toward light-receiving element 142 of optical sensor 14, is formed with a concave reflective surface relative to light-receiving element 142. It is particularly preferred that reflective lens 182 be formed so that the focal length of the reflective surface on the concave surface forms an image relationship with light-receiving element 142, particularly when the center of the range where input operation is received is aligned with light-receiving element 142. This diffuses the sensor light reflected by reflective lens 181, thereby expanding the range where input operation is received. Meanwhile, sensor light reflected or scattered by a user's finger within the range where input operation is received and entering touchless switch 3 is focused by reflective lens 182, allowing light-receiving element 142 to detect this sensor light with higher sensitivity. Therefore, the non-contact switch 3 of this modification can detect the user's operation with high sensitivity. It should be noted that the reflecting surface of the reflective mirror 182 that directs the sensor light incident into the non-contact switch 3 toward the light receiving element 142 may also be formed into a flat surface.

[0053] In the above-described embodiment or each modified example, a prism may be provided instead of a reflective mirror for reflecting the sensor light.

[0054] Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 (b) is a side cross-sectional view of the non-contact switch of this modification. Figure 7 As shown in Figure (a), according to this modified example, a prism 19 with a fan-shaped cross-section is disposed on the bottom surface of housing 18. In this example, prism 19 is positioned so that one of its flat surfaces, incident surface 19a, faces the light-emitting element of optical sensor 14, and the other, exit surface 19b, is parallel to light guide plate 13. Sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element of optical sensor 14 enters prism 19 through incident surface 19a, is totally reflected by reflective surface 19c of prism 19, and then exits through exit surface 19b toward the front of the contactless switch. It should be noted that reflective surface 19c, perpendicular to the bottom surface of housing 18 and aligned in the direction facing the light-emitting element of optical sensor 14, can be concave relative to optical sensor 14. It can also be linear in a direction parallel to the bottom surface of housing 18, or convex or concave relative to optical sensor 14. Conversely, sensor light entering the contactless switch from the position receiving input operation enters the prism 19 from the emission surface 19 b , is totally reflected by the reflection surface 19 c , and then exits from the incidence surface 19 a toward the light receiving element of the optical sensor 14 .

[0055] exist Figure 7 In the example shown in (b), Figure 7 Compared to the example shown in (a), the difference lies in that incident surface 19a is inclined toward the bottom surface of housing 18. In this example, sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element of optical sensor 14 is refracted by incident surface 19a, enters prism 19, and after being totally reflected by reflective surface 19c of prism 19, is emitted from emission surface 19b toward the front side of the non-contact switch. Conversely, sensor light entering the non-contact switch from the input operation receiving position enters prism 19 from emission surface 19b, is totally reflected by reflective surface 19c, and is refracted by incident surface 19a and emitted toward the light-receiving element of optical sensor 14.

[0056] exist Figure 7 (a) and Figure 7 In the example shown in (b), the sensor light changes direction due to total reflection, so the loss of sensor light can be suppressed. Therefore, the non-contact switch can detect the user's operation with high sensitivity.

[0057] It should be noted that at least one of the incident surface 19a and the exit surface 19b of the prism 19 can also be formed as a lens surface with positive refractive power. In this case, the lens surface can also be formed as a Fresnel lens surface or a diffraction lens. This allows the sensor light emitted by the light-emitting element of the optical sensor 14 to be focused near the position where the input operation is received, or allows the sensor light reflected or scattered by the user's finger placed at the position where the input operation is received to be focused near the light-receiving element of the optical sensor 14. Therefore, the contactless switch can detect user operations with high sensitivity.

[0058] Thus, those skilled in the art can make various modifications in combination with the embodiments within the scope of the present invention.

[0059] Description of Reference Numerals

[0060] 1, 2, 3 non-contact switch; 11 three-dimensional display unit; 11a incident surface; 12 mask; 12a light-transmitting area; 12b light-shielding area; 13 light guide plate; 13a incident surface; 14, 14-1 to 14-3 light sensors; 141 light-emitting element; 142 light-receiving element; 15 first light source; 16 second light source; 17 control unit; 18 housing; 181, 182 reflective lenses; 19 prism; 21, 21-1 to 21-3 three-dimensional images; 22, 22-1 to 22-3 patterns.

Claims

1. A non-contact switch, characterized in that: have: a first light source; a stereoscopic display unit capable of displaying a pattern indicating a position at which an input operation is received, arranged on the back side, from the front side, and capable of displaying a stereoscopic image indicating the position using light emitted from the first light source; a second light source that emits illumination light of variable color; a light guide plate disposed on the back side of the 3D display unit and directing the illumination light emitted from the second light source toward the 3D display unit; a light shielding portion disposed between the three-dimensional display portion and the light guide plate, comprising a light shielding region for shielding the sensor light and the illumination light, and a light transmitting region for transmitting the sensor light and the illumination light, wherein a pattern indicating the position displayed by the illumination light is formed in the light transmitting region, the pattern being formed by applying a material that does not transmit the illumination light but transmits the sensor light to the light guide plate in the light transmitting region; a detection unit disposed on the back side of the light guide plate and comprising: a light emitting element for emitting the sensor light in a direction parallel to the surface on the back side of the light guide plate; and a light receiving element for outputting a detection signal indicating detection when detecting the sensor light reflected or scattered by the predetermined object located at the position; a control unit that, upon receiving the detection signal from the detection unit, outputs a signal indicating that the input operation has been performed, changes the lighting state of the first light source, and changes the color of the illumination light from the second light source; a first reflecting member having a reflecting surface that reflects the sensor light emitted from the light-emitting element of the detection unit toward the position through the light guide plate, the light-transmitting area, and the three-dimensional display unit, and is formed in a convex shape relative to the light-emitting element; The second reflecting component has a reflecting surface, which reflects the sensor light reflected or scattered by the specified object located at the position and passing through the three-dimensional display part, the light-transmitting area and the light guide plate toward the detection part, and is formed into a concave or flat surface relative to the light receiving element.

Images