Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.

Masaki Kontani

Takeshi Masutani

Takeshi Fujii

Yuma Sasagawa

Kazuhiko Kaneuchi

Wahei Agemizu

Hideaki Eto

Hitokazu Shitanaka

Tomonori Sugiyama

Shinji Kadoriku

Hideaki Nakagawa

Mitsuo Kodama

Takayoshi Kishimoto

A display device includes: a front cover that is optically transmissive; a design sheet that is optically transmissive and is arranged on the front surface side or the back surface side of the front cover; a cushion layer that is optically transmissive and is arranged on the back surface side of the front cover; and a light source that is arranged on the back surface side of the cushion layer. The cushion layer includes a plurality of first recessed portions each of which is, in a cross-sectional view taken along a plane parallel to a stacking direction of the front cover and the design sheet, in a projecting shape in the stacking direction and is in a recessed shape on the back side of the projecting shape.

Display device, input device, and front cover member

A display device includes: an outer cover with light transmission properties; a design sheet with light transmission properties provided on the outer cover; a cushion layer with light transmission properties provided on a back surface side of the outer cover; and a light source provided on a back surface side of the cushion layer. When viewed in a cross section, the cushion layer includes: a plurality of first concave portions that are in a convex shape in a first orientation and a concave shape on a side opposite to the convex shape; and a plurality of second concave portions that are connected to the first concave portions and are in a convex shape in a second orientation and a concave shape on a side opposite to the convex shape. The first concave portions and the second concave portions are alternately provided.

Display device and input device

An input device includes: a surface layer; a design sheet disposed on a front surface side or a back surface side of the surface layer; a cushion layer disposed on the back surface side of the surface layer and having a void therein; a plate-shaped frame disposed on a side of the cushion layer opposite to the surface layer; a main body that movably holds the frame in a first direction, in which the surface layer and the frame are stacked, when the surface layer is pressed; and a push-in detector mechanically connected to the frame. The design sheet includes a first portion in which a design is disposed and a second portion in which the design is not disposed in a plan view, and each of the surface layer and the cushion layer extends across the first portion and the second portion in the plan view.

Input device and control method

A display device that includes first and second light sources, a light guide body, and a mask body is provided. The light guide body includes a reflector that has a shape of a first design. The light guide body guides first light emitted by the first light source and reflects the first light by the reflector to display the first design. The mask body includes a light-transmissive portion and a light-blocking portion. The light-transmissive portion has a shape of a second design, and the light-blocking portion is a portion other than the light-transmissive portion. The light-transmissive portion transmits second light emitted by the second light source to display the second design. The first design is displayed at a first display luminance, and the second design is displayed at a second display luminance. The first display luminance and the second display luminance are substantially equalized.

A display device including a protruding-plate includes the protruding-plate, a thin-film-layer, a transparent-base-material, a first-concealing-layer, a light-diffusion-layer, a light-color-toning-layer, and a second-concealing-layer. The first-concealing-layer is disposed closer to the protruding-plate than the second-concealing-layer and the light-color-toning-layer to the protruding-plate. The protruding-plate, the transparent-base-material, the thin-film-layer, and the second-concealing-layer include a greater thickness in this order. The second-concealing-layer, the first-concealing-layer, and the light-diffusion-layer have a same thickness. The light-diffusion-layer is thicker than the light-color-toning-layer. The transparent-base-material and the thin-film-layer have a same light transmittance. The thin-film-layer, the protruding-plate, the light-diffusion-layer, the light-color-toning-layer, the first-concealing-layer, and the second-concealing-layer have a higher light transmittance in this order.

Display device including protruding plate

An input device is provided which includes: a first light source which emits light to cause a first design to be displayed on a display region: a second light source which emits light to cause a second design different from the first design to be displayed on the display region; a switch which receives an input from a user; and a control circuit which, according to the input received by the switch, (i) controls displaying of a design on the display region, by controlling a lighting state of the first light source and a lighting state of the second light source, and (ii) outputs a control signal corresponding to the input received by the switch, to an external device.

Input device

An illumination device includes: a light source; and a laminate that displays a predetermined design on a front surface by transmitting light emitted by the light source forward in a shape of the predetermined design. The laminate includes: a display layer that includes the front surface and is light transmissive; a reflective layer that includes a first opening having the shape of the predetermined design, is disposed between the display layer and the light source, and reflects external light transmitted from the front surface of the display layer rearward; a light blocking layer that includes a second opening having the shape of the predetermined design and overlapping the first opening, is disposed between the reflective layer and the light source, and blocks light; and a light diffusion layer that diffuses light and is disposed between the reflective layer and the light source to overlap the second opening.

Illumination device

A display device including (i) a light source and (ii) a light guide body which guides light emitted by the light source, and includes: a light guide leg that guides the light entering through a light entrance surface; and a light exit portion connected to the light guide leg and including a reflection design portion which reflects, in a first direction, a portion of the light guided by the light guide leg and another reflection design portion which reflects, in the first direction, another portion of the light. When viewed in the first direction, the reflection design portion is disposed in a first region on a second direction side with respect to a connecting portion of the light exit portion connected to the light guide leg, and the other reflection design portion is disposed in a second region on a third direction side with respect to the connecting portion.

An input device includes: a switch to be switched by being pressed; a plurality of light sources including a first light source and a second light source; and a light guide that guides light emitted from each of the plurality of light sources. The light guide includes: an emission part that emits the light; a first light guide leg that is coupled to the emission part and guides first light to the emission part; and a second light guide leg that is coupled to the emission part and guides second light to the emission part. The emission part includes a first design that illuminates by reflecting the first light, and a second design that illuminates by reflecting the second light. The first light guide leg includes a first reflection surface that reflects the first light. The second light guide leg includes a second reflection surface that reflects the second light.

An input device includes a switch, light sources, and a light guide body. The switch is configured to switch between ON and OFF by being pressed. The light sources include a first light source and a second light source disposed at a position different from a position of the first light source. The light guide body guides a light emitted from the light sources in an opposite direction opposite from a pressing direction of the switch. The light guide body includes an output section, a first light guide leg section, and a second light guide leg section. The output section outputs the light emitted from the light sources in the opposite direction. The first light guide leg section is connected to the output section and guides the first light emitted by the first light source to the output section. The second light guide leg section is connected to the output section and guides the second light emitted by the second light source to output section. The output section includes a first design configured to emit light by reflecting the first light in the opposite direction and a second design configured to emit light by reflecting the second light in the opposite direction.

In a multidirectional operating switch, an operating body has a support having a spherically convex surface on the lower end of a central cylinder, and a holding base has a retainer having a spherically concave surface disposed opposite to the support. Through the movement of the support sliding over the retainer, the holding base retains the operating body rockably in multiple directions. The rotational center of the rocking movement of the operating body coincides with the position at which the push element is in contact with the push section disposed at the lower end of the operation button.

Multidirectional operating switch

A switch device includes a substantially disk-shaped operator; a substantially ring-shaped indicator provided between the operator and the light emitting elements disposed below the operator; and a visible portion formed in the center of an inner periphery of the operator. Since the indicator carrying indications of equipment functions in characters, symbols, figures or the like is formed separately from the operator, the indications will never turn sideways or upside down owing to the rotation of the operator.

Illuminated switch device

A lever switch for vehicle, which can be produced thin and which operation is easy and ensured is provided. A lever is formed in substantially a linear shape, having at an end thereof an operating part sticking out of a case and at an other end thereof a driving part of which a middle part is movably held in the case, and a resilient push force mechanism composed of a coil spring, a pin and a saving cam is disposed between an end of a driving part of lever and an inside wall of the case, constituting the vehicle lever switch.

Lever switch assembly for a vehicle

A switch apparatus has a case that includes a hollow projecting support section, a switch contact provided inside the case, and a button having a depressing section that comes into contact with the switch contact and mounted on the support section in a manner vertically movable. Furthermore, an inwardly projecting catch section is provided on the inner periphery of the support section, and an engaging hole is provided on the depressing section of the button into which the catch section is to be inserted. In this configuration, an opening on the top surface of the case is not required when manufacturing the case and the button by resin molding. As a result, a switch apparatus is obtained which is superior in resistance to water and dust and stable in operation.

Switch apparatus

The operation is silent when manipulating the lever switch. Further, a lever switch having a favorable sensation of manipulation is obtained. The lever switch includes a sliding element, an operation lever, a moderator pin, a moderator plate, and a switch contact point. The moderator plate is disposed at a position where the leading end of the moderator pin elastically contacts with the moderator plate. The moderator plate has a moderation ditch in a concave shape, moderation protrusions positioned at both ends of the moderation ditch, and a sliding surface linking the moderation ditch and moderation protrusions. The sliding surface has a thin portion so as to be deflected by pressure of the moderator pin. When the operation lever is manipulated, while the sliding element is rotating, the moderator pin slides on the surface of the moderation protrusions, sliding surface, and moderation ditch, the sliding surface is deflected by the pressure of the moderator pin, and at the same time, the switch contact point opens or closes electrically depending on the rotation of the sliding element. The compound switch has a plurality of lever switches, and each lever switch of the plurality of lever switches is the lever switch as described above. Such lever switches are used in a vehicle.

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Osaka, Japan

Masaki Kontani