Button Lighting Module With Side-Lit Light Guide for Slim Illumination
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing button devices for electronic machines lack visual stimulation, such as glowing or sequential flickering, which reduces user and viewer engagement during special events or screen displays.
Innovation Solution
A button lighting module with a light guide plate and refractor that radiates light horizontally to illuminate the button perimeter, using LED packages and circuit boards to refract light upward, along with diffuser and reflector sheets to enhance light distribution and reduce vertical height.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a button lighting module is added to illuminate the button perimeter, then visual stimulation is enhanced, but the vertical height of the button deck increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light source is positioned to radiate light horizontally onto the light guide plate's outer peripheral side surface rather than vertically from below. This dimensional change allows light to enter the light guide plate from the side, enabling the lighting function while maintaining a compact vertical profile. The light refractor then redirects this horizontally-entered light upward to illuminate the button perimeter.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide plate is designed with a specific local structure including an outer peripheral side surface that receives light at an angle, and a light refractor positioned at the light exit surface to redirect light upward. This localized structural design enables efficient light redirection from horizontal entry to upward exit, achieving perimeter illumination without increasing vertical height.
2Illumination intensity
If traditional vertical lighting is used from below the button, then the button can be illuminated, but the button deck becomes thick and visually unappealing
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using traditional vertical lighting from below, the invention positions the light source to radiate light horizontally onto the light guide plate's side surface. This dimensional change in light entry direction enables the use of a thinner light guide plate structure, resulting in a slimmer overall button deck profile while still achieving effective button illumination through the light refractor's upward redirection of light.
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 enhances visual stimulation by creating a slim, attention-catching lighting effect around the button device, reducing user and viewer fatigue while maintaining a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
a light refractor provided around the button through-hole to refract a light path upward
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) packages configured to radiate light to the outer peripheral side surface of the light guide plate
Implementation Method 3
a lower reflector sheet disposed on a lower side of the light guide plate to overlap with a lower side surface of the light guide plate to reflect light heading toward the lower side of the light guide plate
Implementation Method 4
an upper reflector sheet disposed on the upper side of the light guide plate to overlap with an upper side surface of the light guide plate to reflect light heading toward the upper side of the light guide plate
Data Source
AI summary
A button lighting module is provided including: a light guide plate which has a button through-hole formed in a thickness direction to allow a button device configured to input a command to pass therethrough and has a light refractor provided around the button through-hole to refract a light path upward; and a light source which is configured to radiate light so that the light is incident on the light guide plate through an outer peripheral side surface of the light guide plate.