Game Machine Push-Button Light Guiding Portion
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing push-button designs for game machines, such as slot machines, face a challenge in emitting light from the side surface without increasing the thickness of the button, as they rely on natural diffusion and longer distances between light sources and operation surfaces, leading to increased thickness and limited light application range.
Innovation Solution
A push-button design incorporating a light guiding portion with a first reflective structure to reflect light from a light source in a direction parallel to the pressing direction and a second reflective structure to further direct this light towards the side surface, allowing for efficient light emission without increasing the button's thickness and enabling light application over a wider range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If natural diffusion by light emitting element and diffusion sheet are used, then light can be applied to operation surface, but distance from light emitting element to operation surface becomes long and thickness of push-button increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the light propagation direction from vertical (through diffusion sheet) to horizontal (along side surface) by using reflective structures. The light guiding portion redirects light from the light emitting element parallel to the pressing direction, causing light to travel along the side surface rather than through the thickness direction, thus achieving wide area illumination without increasing button thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces reflective structures (first and second reflective structures) as intermediaries to redirect light. These structures act as mediators that bounce light from the light emitting element toward the side surface portion, enabling efficient light guidance without requiring long direct light paths or thick diffusion materials
2Area of stationary object
If light guiding distance is made long, then light can be applied to side surface portion over wide range, but thickness of push-button increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent redirects light propagation from the thickness dimension to the lateral dimension. By using the light guiding portion with reflective structures, light travels parallel to the pressing direction along the side surface, achieving wide area coverage without extending the light path through the button thickness
Solution Approach 2:
The light guiding function is segmented into multiple reflective structures (first reflective structure and second reflective structure) that work in sequence. This segmentation allows light to be redirected in steps along the side surface, achieving wide illumination range while maintaining compact thickness
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 design effectively causes the side surface to emit light uniformly over a wide range without increasing the button's thickness, ensuring improved aesthetics and player engagement without the bulkiness associated with previous methods.
Implementation Method 1
a first reflective structure configured to reflect at least a part of the light applied from the light source
Implementation Method 2
a second reflective structure configured to reflect at least a part of the light reflected by the first reflective structure toward the side surface portion
Data Source
AI summary
A push-button for a game machine which is mounted on the game machine includes an operation key configured to accept a press, a side surface portion having translucency and provided in a direction vertical to a pressing direction of the operation key as viewed from the operation key, a light source configured to apply light in a direction parallel to the pressing direction, and a light guiding portion configured to guide light applied from the light source. The light guiding portion includes a first reflective structure configured to reflect at least a part of the light applied from the light source, and a second reflective structure configured to reflect at least a part of the light reflected by the first reflective structure toward the side surface portion.