Contactless Button

Abstract

To provide a non-contact button.SOLUTION: A non-contact button includes a case, a circuit board, a signal transmission unit, a signal detection unit, and a signal blocking unit. The case has an opening. The circuit board is connected to the case and has a surface facing the opening. The signal transmission unit is electrically connected to the circuit board and fixed to the surface. The signal transmission unit is located in the case and transmits a signal toward the opening. The signal detection unit is electrically connected to the circuit board and fixed to the surface. The signal detection unit receives a signal reflected from the outside of the case. The signal blocking unit is installed between the signal transmission unit and the signal detection unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to touch devices, and in particular to touchless buttons. [Background technology]

[0002] Generally, a contactless button can be equipped with a light source, a lens group, and an image layer. Light emitted from the light source passes through the lens group and the image layer to form an image. The image appears on the contactless button, displaying the operation message of the contactless button. Compared to contact-type buttons, contactless buttons have advantages such as less wear and easier maintenance. However, the assembly process of traditional contactless buttons is too complicated, resulting in disadvantages such as high costs and low yields. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0003] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to provide a contactless button having the advantages of low cost and high yield. [Means for solving the problem]

[0004] To achieve some or all of the above objects, or other objects, the present invention provides a contactless button comprising a case, a circuit board, a signal transmitting unit, a signal detecting unit, and a signal blocking unit. The case has an opening. The circuit board is connected to the case and has a surface facing the opening. The signal transmitting unit is electrically connected to the circuit board and fixed to the surface. The signal transmitting unit is located within the case and transmits a signal toward the opening. The signal detecting unit is electrically connected to the circuit board and fixed to the surface. The signal detecting unit receives a signal reflected from outside the case. The signal blocking unit is installed between the signal transmitting unit and the signal detecting unit.

[0005] In one embodiment of the present invention, the case further comprises a reflected signal inlet, a conductive channel, and a reflected signal outlet, the reflected signal inlet, the conductive channel, and the reflected signal outlet being connected to each other and located on opposite sides of the conductive channel, the reflected signal inlet, the conductive channel, and the reflected signal outlet allowing a signal reflected from outside the case to pass through, and the reflected signal outlet transmitting the signal to a signal detection unit.

[0006] In one embodiment of the present invention, the case further includes, for example, a main body and a case frame. The main body is connected to the surface and has an accommodating space. The signal transmitting unit is located within the accommodating space. The case frame is connected to the main body and faces the circuit board. An opening penetrates the case frame and communicates with the accommodating space. The reflected signal inlet, the conductive channel, and the reflected signal outlet penetrate the case frame, with the reflected signal inlet facing the opening.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present invention, the contactless button further includes a signal transmission part disposed on the conductive channel, the signal transmission part having a signal inlet and a signal outlet, the signal inlet being close to the reflected signal inlet, and the signal outlet being close to the reflected signal outlet.

[0008] In one embodiment of the present invention, the signal transmission part comprises a light guiding rod, the signal inlet comprises a light incident surface of the light guiding rod, and the signal outlet comprises a light exit surface of the light guiding rod, the area of ​​the light incident surface being smaller than the area of ​​the light exit surface.

[0009] In one embodiment of the invention, the light entrance surface protrudes from the reflected signal entrance.

[0010] In one embodiment of the present invention, the light exit surface protrudes from the reflected signal outlet.

[0011] In one embodiment of the present invention, the contactless button further includes a cylindrical body. The cylindrical body is fixed to a surface, and the signal detection unit is located inside the cylindrical body. The cylindrical body has a first side wall and a second side wall. The first side wall and the second side wall are connected to each other and surround the signal detection unit. The first side wall is located between the signal transmission unit and the signal detection unit, and the signal blocking unit includes the first side wall.

[0012] In one embodiment of the present invention, the cylinder further comprises an inner surface extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, the inner surface comprising a light-reflecting material.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the signal blocking portion is, for example, an integral structure with the case or a separate structure.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the signal blocking portion is fixed to a surface and has a plate-like shape.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the signal transmitting unit includes an infrared signal transmitting unit, and the signal includes infrared rays. The signal detecting unit includes an infrared detecting unit.

[0016] In the contactless button of the present invention, the signal transmission unit and the signal detection unit are both fixed to and electrically connected to the same circuit board, so the signal detection unit can be fixed to and electrically connected to the circuit board in a single mounting process. This not only eliminates the steps of applying adhesive to fix the signal detection unit and electrically connecting the signal detection unit to the circuit board with an electric wire, but also eliminates the step of soldering the electric wire. Furthermore, because the signal detection unit is electrically connected directly to the circuit board rather than electrically connected via an electric wire, the problem of detection failure caused by pulling on the electric wire of the contactless button can be prevented. As a result, the contactless button of the present invention achieves the advantages of low cost and high yield.

[0017] In order to make the above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention more clearly comprehensible, the following embodiments are given in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact button according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a top view of the non-contact button of FIG. 1, with the case frame omitted. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a top view of the contactless button of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact button according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a top view of the contactless button of FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact button according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view of the signal transmission unit of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact button according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a non-contact button according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a contactless button according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a top view of the contactless button of FIG. 1 , with the case frame omitted. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the contactless button 100 includes a case 110, a circuit board 120, a signal transmitting unit 130, a signal detecting unit 140, and a signal blocking unit 150. The case 110 has an opening 111. The circuit board 120 is connected to the case 110 and has a surface S facing the opening 111. The signal transmitting unit 130 is electrically connected to the circuit board 120 and fixed to the surface S. The signal transmitting unit 130 is located within the case 110 and transmits a signal T1 toward the opening 111. The signal detecting unit 140 is electrically connected to the circuit board 120 and fixed to the surface S. The signal detecting unit 140 receives a signal T1 reflected from outside the case 110. The signal blocking unit 150 is installed between the signal transmitting unit 130 and the signal detecting unit 140 .

[0020] The signal transmitting unit 130 can transmit signals T1 and T2. The signal T1 is transmitted from the opening 111, reflected by an object outside the case 110, and then incident on the signal detecting unit 140. For example, the signal T1 forms a touch area Z on the opening 111, and when a user brings their finger close to the touch area Z, the signal T1 can be reflected to the signal detecting unit 140. Meanwhile, the signal T2 remains inside the case 110 and is not transmitted from the opening 111. In this embodiment, the signal transmitting unit 130 includes, for example, an infrared signal transmitting unit, and the signals T1 and T2 include infrared rays, but other embodiments are not limited thereto.

[0021] The signal detection unit 140 receives the signal T1 transmitted from the signal transmission unit 130 and generates a detection signal to drive other electronic components after receiving the signal T1. For example, the signal detection unit 140 transmits the detection signal to a light source to cause the light source to emit light. In one embodiment, the signal detection unit 140 transmits the detection signal to a speaker to drive the speaker to produce sound. The light source and the speaker are electrically connected to the circuit board 120, and the detection signal from the signal detection unit 140 can be received via the circuit board 120. However, the present invention is not limited to the types or specific details of the electronic components. In this embodiment, the signal detection unit 140 may include an infrared detection unit, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a top view of the contactless button of FIG. 2. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the case 110 is fixed to the surface S of the circuit board 120 and houses the signal transmitting unit 130. In this embodiment, the case 110 further includes a reflected signal inlet I, a conductive channel C, and a reflected signal outlet O. The reflected signal inlet I, the conductive channel C, and the reflected signal outlet O are connected to each other, and are located on opposite sides of the conductive channel C. The reflected signal inlet I, the conductive channel C, and the reflected signal outlet O pass the signal T1 reflected from outside the case 110, and the reflected signal outlet O transmits the signal T1 toward the signal detecting unit 140. Specifically, the signal T1 reflected from outside the case 110 is guided by the reflected signal inlet I, the conductive channel C, and the reflected signal outlet O to be more concentrated and incident on the signal detecting unit 140, thereby increasing the amount of signal incident on the signal detecting unit 140. In this way, the touch area Z can be positioned farther from the opening 111, allowing the user to trigger the signal detection unit 140 at a position farther from the opening 111, thereby improving the detection sensitivity of the signal detection unit 140.

[0023] Continuing to refer to FIG. 1, the case 110 further includes, for example, a main body 112 (also shown in FIG. 2) and a case frame 113 (also shown in FIG. 3). The main body 112 is connected to the surface S and has an accommodation space A. The signal transmitting unit 130 is located in the accommodation space A. The case frame 113 is connected to the main body 112 and faces the circuit board 120. The opening 111 penetrates the case frame 113 and communicates with the accommodation space A. A reflected signal inlet I, a conductive channel C, and a reflected signal outlet O penetrate the case frame 113, with the reflected signal inlet I facing the opening 111. Furthermore, the reflected signal inlet I is located, for example, on an inner surface S1 (also shown in FIG. 3) of the case frame 113, and the reflected signal outlet O is located on an outer surface S2 (also shown in FIG. 3) of the case frame 113. The conductive channel C can penetrate between the inner surface S1 and the outer surface S2. Furthermore, the reflected signal outlet O generally faces the signal detection unit 140. Specifically, the reflected signal inlet I communicates with, for example, the opening 111, and the signal T1 reflected from outside the case 110 passes through the opening 111 and enters the reflected signal inlet I, and is then transmitted from the reflected signal outlet O to the signal detection unit 140 via the conductive channel C. Furthermore, the main body 112 and the case frame 113 have separate structures, and the case frame 113 is separable from the main body 112. As a result, the position of the reflected signal outlet O can be more easily adjusted relative to the signal detection unit 140, improving the flexibility of assembling the contactless button 100.

[0024] 1 and 2 again, the signal blocking unit 150 can block the signal T2 inside the case 110 from entering the signal detection unit 140. Specifically, the signal T2 transmitted from the signal transmission unit 130 is not transmitted through the opening 111 but remains inside the case 110 and undergoes round-trip reflection. The signal blocking unit 150 can block the signal T2 from directly entering the signal detection unit 140 from inside the case 110 to prevent the signal T2 inside the case 110 from being erroneously detected by the signal detection unit 140. In this embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 is fixed to the surface S and has a plate-like shape. Specifically, the signal blocking unit 150 is connected to the main body 112, but in one embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 is located slightly apart from the main body 112. Furthermore, the present invention does not limit the height H of the signal blocking unit 150. For example, in this embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 is connected to the case frame 113, but in another embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 is located slightly away from the case frame 113. Also, in this embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 and the case 110 are separate structures. For example, the signal blocking unit 150, the main body 112, and the case frame 113 can be removed separately. However, in one embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 and the case 110 are integrally formed. Furthermore, the signal blocking unit 150 is integrally formed with the main body 112 and is separate from the case frame 113. In another embodiment, the signal blocking unit 150 is integrally formed with the case frame 113 and is separate from the main body 112, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0025] In this embodiment, the circuit board 120 can transmit power to the signal transmitting unit 130 and the signal detecting unit 140. The circuit board 120 includes, for example, a printed circuit board (PCB), which may include a single-sided printed circuit board (Single Layer PCB), a double-sided printed circuit board (Double Layer PCB), and a multi-layer printed circuit board (Multi Layer PCB), but the present invention is not limited thereto. In this embodiment, the signal transmitting unit 130 and the signal detecting unit 140 are fixed to the same circuit board 120 and electrically connected, which can efficiently simplify the assembly process of the signal detecting unit 140.

[0026] For example, in known technologies, the signal detection unit can be electrically connected to the signal transmission unit on the same circuit board as the signal transmission unit through at least processes such as mounting and soldering. Furthermore, both the power and signals of the signal detection unit must be transmitted via wires, which can easily cause poor contact during the subsequent assembly process due to the wires being pulled. Furthermore, conventional contactless buttons have a complex assembly process, which can easily result in detection errors. Furthermore, known technologies require additional processes such as applying adhesive or wrapping tape to secure and protect the wires, which not only further complicates the assembly process of the contactless button but also fails to completely resolve the problem of poor contact with the wires. In contrast, in this embodiment, the signal detection unit 140 is assembled on the same circuit board 120 in a single mounting process, eliminating the need for materials such as the wires. Therefore, the assembly process of the contactless button 100 omits processes such as soldering the wires and securing them with adhesive or tape, thereby resolving the problem of poor detection by the signal detection unit 140 due to the wires.

[0027] Compared to known technologies, in the contactless button 100 of this embodiment, the signal transmission unit 130 and the signal detection unit 140 are both fixed and electrically connected to the same circuit board 120, allowing the signal detection unit 140 to be fixed and electrically connected to the circuit board 120 in a single mounting process. This eliminates the need for adhesive to fix and electrically connect the signal detection unit 140 to the circuit board 120, as well as the need for wires to electrically connect the signal detection unit 140 to the circuit board 120, and further eliminates the need for soldering the wires. Furthermore, because the signal detection unit 140 is electrically connected to the circuit board 120 directly, rather than via wires, this also solves the aforementioned problem of wires being pulled, which can cause detection errors in the contactless button 100. As described above, the contactless button 100 of this embodiment achieves the advantages of low cost and high yield.

[0028] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a contactless button according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a top view of the contactless button of FIG. 4. The structure and advantages of the contactless button 100a of this embodiment are similar to those of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and only the differences will be described below. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the contactless button 100a further includes, for example, a cylindrical body 160. The cylindrical body 160 is fixed to a surface S, and the signal detection unit 140 is located within the cylindrical body 160. Specifically, when a signal T1 enters the cylindrical body 160, it is reflected multiple times within the cylindrical body 160 and enters the signal detection unit 140, increasing the amount of signal received by the signal detection unit 140 and allowing the touch area Z to be located farther from the opening 111.

[0029] It is worth noting that the cylindrical body 160 also functions as the signal blocking unit 150. Specifically, the cylindrical body 160 has a first side wall 161 and a second side wall 162. The first side wall 161 and the second side wall 162 are connected to each other and surround the signal detection unit 140. The first side wall 161 is located between the signal transmission unit 130 and the signal detection unit 140, and the signal blocking unit 150 can include the first side wall 161. That is, the first side wall 161 can block the signal T2 in the case 110 from entering the signal detection unit 140 to prevent the signal T2 in the case 110 from being erroneously detected by the signal detection unit 140. Therefore, the first side wall 161 can function as the signal blocking unit 150. Furthermore, the first side wall 161 and the second side wall 162 may have, for example, an integral structure, but in one embodiment, the first side wall 161 and the second side wall 162 may have separate structures. In this embodiment, the shape of the tubular body 160 is, for example, cylindrical, and the first side wall 161 and the second side wall 162 are, for example, arcuate side walls. However, in other embodiments, the shape of the tubular body 160 may be a square or polygonal tubular shape, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0030] Furthermore, the cylindrical body 160 of this embodiment has an inner surface S3, which extends from the first side wall 161 to the second side wall 162. The inner surface S3 includes a light-reflective material, which can further increase the amount of signal received by the signal detection unit 140. For example, the light-reflective material can include, but is not limited to, metal or a white material. Furthermore, the opening 163 of the cylindrical body 160 is close to the reflected signal outlet O, which allows more signal T1 to be transmitted within the cylindrical body 160.

[0031] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a contactless button according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a three-dimensional view of the signal transmission unit of FIG. 6. The structure and advantages of the contactless button 100b of this embodiment are similar to those of the embodiment of FIG. 1, and only the differences will be described below. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the contactless button 100b may further include a signal transmission unit 170. The signal transmission unit 170 is disposed on the conductive channel C and has a signal inlet 171 and a signal outlet 172. The signal inlet 171 is close to the reflected signal inlet I, and the signal outlet 172 is close to the reflected signal outlet O. This allows the signal transmission unit 170 to transmit the signal T1 more intensively to the signal detection unit 140, thereby increasing the amount of signals received by the signal detection unit 140 and positioning the touch area Z farther away from the opening 111. For example, the signal transmission unit 170 may include a light guiding rod R. The signal inlet 171 includes the light incident surface IS of the light guiding rod R, and the signal outlet 172 includes the light exit surface OS of the light guiding rod R. The area of ​​the light incident surface IS is smaller than the area of ​​the light exiting surface OS, which allows the signal T1 to be transmitted more intensively to the signal detecting unit 140. Specifically, in this embodiment, the signals T1 and T2 include infrared rays, and the light guiding rod R can concentrate the infrared rays toward the signal detecting unit 140. Furthermore, the light exiting surface OS protrudes from the reflected signal outlet O, which allows the light guiding rod R to transmit the signal more easily toward the signal detecting unit 140 and further increases the amount of signal received by the signal detecting unit 140.

[0032] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a contactless button according to another embodiment of the present invention. The structure and advantages of the contactless button 100c of this embodiment are similar to those of the embodiment of FIG. 6, and only the differences will be described below. Referring to FIG. 8, the light incident surface IS protrudes from, for example, the reflected signal inlet I, increasing the amount of signal entering the light guiding rod R and further increasing the amount of signal received by the signal detection unit 140. It can be seen that in one embodiment, the light incident surface IS protrudes from the reflected signal inlet I, and the light exit surface OS protrudes from the reflected signal outlet O. That is, both the light incident surface IS and the light exit surface OS protrude from the case 110. In another embodiment, the light incident surface IS does not protrude from the reflected signal inlet I, and the light exit surface OS does not protrude from the reflected signal outlet O. That is, the light guiding rod R is located entirely within the conductive channel C.

[0033] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a contactless button according to another embodiment of the present invention. Also, the light guiding rod R in FIGS. 6 and 8 is installed in the embodiment of FIG. 1, but other embodiments are not limited thereto. For example, referring to the contactless button 100d in FIG. 9, the light guiding rod R is installed in the embodiment of FIG. 4. Specifically, the light output surface OS protrudes from the reflected signal outlet O, which brings the light output surface OS closer to the opening 163 of the cylindrical body 160, thereby increasing the amount of signal entering the cylindrical body 160. Other features of the light guiding rod R are similar to those in the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 8, and therefore, relevant descriptions will be omitted here.

[0034] In summary, in the contactless button of the present invention, the signal transmission unit and the signal detection unit are both fixed to and electrically connected to the same circuit board, so the signal detection unit can be fixed to and electrically connected to the circuit board in a single mounting process. This not only eliminates the steps of applying adhesive to fix the signal detection unit and electrically connecting the signal detection unit to the circuit board with an electric wire, but also eliminates the step of soldering the electric wire. Furthermore, because the signal detection unit is electrically connected directly to the circuit board rather than electrically connected via an electric wire, the problem of detection failure caused by pulling on the electric wire of the contactless button can be prevented. As a result, the contactless button of the present invention achieves the advantages of low cost and high yield.

[0035] Although the present invention has been disclosed using examples, the present invention is not limited thereto. Those skilled in the art can make some modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present invention is limited by the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0036] 100, 100a, 100b, 100c, 100d: Contactless buttons 110: Case 111:Aperture 112: Main body 113: Case frame 120: Circuit board 130: Signal transmitter 140: Signal detection unit 150: Signal blocking section 160: Cylinder 161: First side wall 162: Second side wall 163:Aperture 170: Signal transmission section 171: Signal entrance 172: Signal exit A: Containment space C: Conduction channel H: Height I: Reflected signal inlet IS: Light-receiving surface O: Reflected signal outlet OS: Light-emitting surface R: Light guide column S: Surface S1: Inner side S2: Outer side S3: inner surface T1, T2: Signals Z:タッチ domain

Claims

1. a case having an opening; a circuit board connected to the case and having a surface facing the opening; a signal transmitting unit electrically connected to the circuit board, fixed to the surface, and positioned within the case, for transmitting a signal to the opening; a signal detection unit electrically connected to the circuit board and fixed to the surface, the signal detection unit receiving the signal reflected from the outside of the case; a signal blocking unit disposed between the signal transmitting unit and the signal detecting unit, The signal detection unit may further include a cylindrical body fixed to the surface, the signal detection unit being located within the cylindrical body, the cylindrical body having a first side wall and a second side wall, the first side wall and the second side wall being connected to each other and surrounding the signal detection unit, the first side wall being located between the signal transmission unit and the signal detection unit, and the signal blocking unit having the first side wall; The contactless button, wherein the barrel further comprises an inner surface, the inner surface extending from the first side wall to the second side wall, the inner surface comprising a light-reflective material.

2. 2. The contactless button of claim 1, wherein the case further comprises a reflected signal inlet, a conductive channel, and a reflected signal outlet, the reflected signal inlet, the conductive channel, and the reflected signal outlet are connected to each other, and the reflected signal inlet and the reflected signal outlet are located on opposite sides of the conductive channel, the reflected signal inlet, the conductive channel, and the reflected signal outlet pass the signal reflected from outside the case, and the reflected signal outlet emits the signal toward the signal detection unit.

3. The contactless button of claim 2, wherein the case further comprises a main body and a case frame, the main body being connected to the surface and having an accommodation space, the signal transmitting unit being located within the accommodation space, the case frame being connected to the main body and facing the circuit board, the opening penetrating the case frame and communicating with the accommodation space, the reflected signal inlet, the conductive channel, and the reflected signal outlet penetrating the case frame, and the reflected signal inlet facing the opening.

4. 3. The contactless button according to claim 2, further comprising a signal transmission part disposed on the conductive channel and having a signal inlet and a signal outlet, the signal inlet being close to the reflected signal inlet and the signal outlet being close to the reflected signal outlet.

5. 5. The contactless button of claim 4, wherein the signal transmission unit comprises a light guide rod, the signal inlet comprises a light incident surface of the light guide rod, and the signal outlet comprises a light exit surface of the light guide rod, and the area of ​​the light incident surface is smaller than the area of ​​the light exit surface.

6. 6. The contactless button of claim 5, wherein said light entrance surface protrudes from said reflected signal entrance.

7. 6. The contactless button according to claim 5, wherein the light exit surface protrudes from the reflected signal outlet.

8. 2. The non-contact button according to claim 1, wherein the signal blocking portion is integral with or separate from the case.

9. 2. The contactless button according to claim 1, wherein the signal transmitting unit includes an infrared signal transmitting unit, the signal includes infrared rays, and the signal detecting unit includes an infrared detecting unit.

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