Button Device Light Guide Column Uniform Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional electronic apparatuses with luminous buttons suffer from uneven brightness due to the spacing of light sources from tact switches, leading to increased cost, weight, and complexity in assembly.
Innovation Solution
An integrated structure of a button and a light guide column with total reflection design, where the light guide column directs light rays uniformly onto the button's projection surface using strategically angled reflecting surfaces, optimizing transmittance and maintaining uniform brightness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the light source is spaced away from the tact switch, then the light can illuminate the transparent button, but the brightness becomes uneven on the button surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the light guide column with the button body into an integrated structure. The light guide column is formed as an integral part of the button, eliminating the need for separate light guiding components and reducing assembly complexity while ensuring uniform light distribution across the button surface
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide column acts as an intermediary component between the light source and the button surface. It receives light from the LED and guides it through its internal structure with specific refractive indices and geometric designs to achieve uniform illumination across the entire button surface, solving the brightness uniformity problem
2Illumination intensity
If a daughter board with light source and tact switch is used, then the button can be illuminated, but the cost and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the button and light guide column into a single integrated component that can be directly mounted on the main circuit board. This eliminates the need for a separate daughter board, reducing the overall device weight and simplifying the structure while maintaining the illumination function
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated button assembly serves multiple functions: it provides user input through the tact switch, displays illumination through the LED, and guides light uniformly across its surface. This multi-functional design replaces the need for separate daughter board assemblies, reducing weight and cost
3Ease of operation
If additional flexible cable is used to connect daughter board, then the button can be connected to motherboard, but the assembly becomes more difficult and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the button and light guide column as a single assembly that can be directly mounted on the main circuit board using standard mounting techniques. This eliminates the need for flexible cables and daughter board connections, simplifying the assembly process and reducing manufacturing costs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the light guiding function from the complex daughter board assembly and integrates it directly into the button structure. This simplifies the overall circuit board structure by removing unnecessary intermediate components and connections, making assembly easier and more cost-effective
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution achieves uniform brightness across the button's surface, simplifies the circuit board structure, reduces costs, and enhances assembly ease by using a resilient button with a monolithic light guide column made of materials like polycarbonate, ensuring consistent illumination regardless of the motherboard's alignment.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide column with total reflection design, where the light guide column directs light rays uniformly onto the button's projection surface
Data Source
AI summary
A button device has a circuit board, a tact switch having a pressed surface, a light source, and a resilient button capable of sliding relative to the circuit board. The resilient button includes a pressed portion having a projection surface and a light guide column connected to the pressed portion and directing light toward the projection surface. The light guide column includes a light receiving surface facing the light source with a certain distance apart and a touchable portion apart from the pressed surface with a certain distance used for touching the tact switch.