Card Insertion Unit Light Mixing Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

Card insertion units with light sources emitting different colors at the periphery of a card insertion slot suffer from undesirable appearances due to light leakage and mixing, making it difficult to enhance decorativeness.

Innovation Solution

A card insertion unit design featuring light sources positioned inside a translucent cover member with a reflective member between the light sources and the card insertion slot, preventing light leakage and mixing, and utilizing LEDs to emit multiple colors while a control unit manages light emission patterns.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If light sources emitting different colors are provided at the periphery of the card insertion slot, then the decorativeness of the card insertion unit is improved, but the lights in different colors mix and create an undesirable appearance

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovedecorativenessVSAvoidlight mixing prevention

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the illumination space into separate regions using a light guide member. Each light source (emitting different colors) has its light guided independently to specific segments of the periphery, preventing color mixing. The light guide member creates distinct illumination zones for each color source.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The light guide member acts as an intermediary between the light sources and the periphery of the card insertion slot. It receives light from multiple color sources and distributes it separately to different regions, preventing direct mixing of colors while achieving uniform illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Illumination intensity

If a light guide member is used to illuminate the periphery uniformly, then the illumination uniformity is improved, but the light sources cannot emit different colors without creating an undesirable mixture

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination uniformityVSAvoidcolor purity

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The light guide member is designed with multiple independent light guiding paths or regions, each corresponding to a specific light source. This segmentation allows each color to be guided independently to its designated area, maintaining both uniform illumination and color purity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the light guide member are optimized for different light sources. Each region has properties tailored to guide light from its corresponding light source to the appropriate periphery area, ensuring that each color maintains its purity while contributing to overall uniform illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If light sources are placed outside the cover member, then the structure is simpler, but light leaks into the card insertion slot creating an undesirable appearance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidlight leakage

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The light sources are nested inside the translucent cover member, which acts as a housing that contains and directs the light. This nested structure prevents light leakage while maintaining relative structural simplicity. The cover member itself becomes part of the light guiding system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The translucent cover member serves as an intermediary structure that contains the light sources and guides their light to the periphery. It mediates between the light sources and the external environment, preventing direct light leakage into the card insertion slot while allowing controlled illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Prevents the mixing of different colored lights around and inside the card insertion slot, enhancing the unit's decorativeness by ensuring uniform illumination of the periphery without light leakage, allowing for varied color patterns.

Implementation Method 1

a reflective member that is provided between the light sources and the card insertion slot to reflect light that is to travel from the light sources toward the card insertion slot

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

a translucent cover member that is provided with the card insertion slot and is overlapped with the light sources in the direction opposite to the insertion direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTranslucency:

Data Source

PatentUS11675984B2Card insertion unit and card reader

Publication Date: 2023.06.13 SANKYO SEIKI MFG CO LTD

AI summary

A card insertion unit is provided, which prevents the mixture of lights in different colors even with light sources to emit lights in different colors at the periphery of a card insertion slot. A card insertion unit, having a card insertion slot through which a card is inserted, includes: a plurality of light sources provided to surround the card insertion slot, when viewed in an insertion direction of the card, with a light emitting unit facing in a direction opposite to the insertion direction so as to each emit lights in multiple colors; a translucent cover member that is provided with the card insertion slot and is overlapped with the light sources in the direction opposite to the insertion direction; and a reflective member provided between the light sources and the card insertion slot to reflect light that is to travel from the light sources toward the card insertion slot.