Liquid crystal cells – elements and systems – Particular structure – Holder – support – frame – or housing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-26
2003-12-09
Ton, Toan (Department: 2871)
Liquid crystal cells, elements and systems
Particular structure
Holder, support, frame, or housing
C345S173000, C345S175000, C349S023000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06661478
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a control apparatus mounted on an armrest of a seat in a passenger plane, and more particularly to the structure of an operating section located on top of such an apparatus.
As shown in
FIG. 3
, a common passenger plane is equipped with seats each having an armrest A fitted with a control apparatus
20
. The passenger on each seat is capable of listening to his or her favorite music or the sound of a picture selectively by operating the control apparatus
20
with a finger.
This control apparatus
20
has an outward appearance as shown in FIG.
4
and is constructed into a box-shaped unit having a cabinet
21
of resin. On top of the control apparatus
20
an operating section is situated to be manipulated by a passenger's finger. The operating section is provided with operational indications
22
. In
FIG. 4
, reference numeral
23
designates a cable connected to the outside.
When the control apparatus
20
is to be mounted on the armrest A, consideration is usually given to harmonization of the control apparatus
20
with the armrest A in terms of design. For example, the color of the cabinet
21
is selected to be identical with or to match that of the armrest A so as to avoid incongruity in color between the armrest A and the cabinet
21
to be exposed thereon.
The operating section of prior art control apparatus
20
of this type has a structure shown in
FIG. 5
including a face plate
24
forming part of the cabinet
21
, a switch sheet
25
, and a circuit board
26
.
The face plate
24
defines a plurality of throughholes
27
in each of which a switch piece
28
is retractably fitted. The switch sheet
25
is fitted with the operational indications
22
and covers the whole outer side of the face plate
24
including the switch pieces
28
. The circuit board
26
has a plurality switches
29
each located to face a respective switch piece
28
, and a circuit (not shown) for processing signals inputted through these switches
29
.
When a passenger depresses a desired indication on the switch sheet
25
of the control apparatus
20
thus constructed with a finger, the corresponding switch piece
28
located inside of the depressed portion protrudes inwardly to depress the corresponding switch
29
, thereby closing the contact of the switch
29
. In this way, an operation signal corresponding to the operation performed by the passenger is outputted from the control apparatus
20
.
Since passengers of a plane usually eat and drink at their own seats, water or drink spilt on the armrest A of a seat often wets the exposed operating section of the control apparatus
20
.
The operating section of the prior art control apparatus
20
has openings or clearances such as the through-holes
27
as described above and hence is not sufficiently closed against liquid. For this reason, such water or drink spilt on the control apparatus
20
may cause the switch sheet
25
to be peeled off or may penetrate into the apparatus
20
thereby giving rise to any accident such as a short circuit.
Additionally, since the color of the cabinet
21
of the prior art control apparatus
20
is required to match that of the armrest A in terms of design, the manufacturer has to prepare various control apparatus with cabinets
21
in different colors, thus resulting in the problem of the increased cost as a whole.
The present invention is made in view of the foregoing problems of the prior art apparatus, and it is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a control apparatus which is imparted with a reliable waterproofness against liquid spilt thereon to prevent any possible accident such as a short circuit and which is capable of being mounted on armrests of different colors without incongruity in color though it offers limited color models thereby reducing the manufacturing cost as a whole.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To attain the above object, the present invention provides a control apparatus comprising a cabinet on a face of which an operating section is formed which is operable by contact, characterized in that at least a cabinet face plate forming part of said operating section comprises a light-transmitting plate covering all the other components of said operating section tightly and entirely and an optical contact-detecting unit is located inside of said face plate of said cabinet.
The control apparatus according to claim
1
of the present invention comprises a cabinet on a face of which an operating section is formed which is operable by contact wherein at least a cabinet face plate forming part of said operating section comprises a light-transmitting plate covering all the other components of said operating section tightly and entirely and an optical contact-detecting unit is located inside of said face plate of said cabinet.
With this construction, the operating side of the cabinet is tightly covered with the cabinet face plate reliably protecting the inside of the apparatus against liquid that may happen to be spilt on the apparatus with its waterproofness. When the user touches the cabinet face plate with a finger, the light passing through the cabinet face-plate is reflected by the finger touching the cabinet face plate and the reflected light is detected by the optical contact-detecting unit, whereby the contact of the user's finger with the cabinet face plate is detected.
Furthermore, when the control apparatus is mounted on an armrest of a seat, the cabinet face plate exposed on the upper side of the armrest is transparent or translucent and hence is inconspicuous relative to the armrest in terms of color. Thus, the control apparatus does not exhibit any incongruity with an armrest of any color.
In the control apparatus according to claim
1
, the cabinet face plate may be translucent and the optical contact-detecting unit may be located inside of the cabinet face plate immediately facing the cabinet face plate without any intervening member. However, the control apparatus according to claim
2
of the present invention further comprises a liquid crystal panel disposed inside of the cabinet face plate for displaying an operational indication.
With the feature of the control apparatus according to claim
1
, an indication displayed by the liquid crystal panel can be seen through the cabinet face plate from the outside and, hence, there is no need to print any operational indication on the cabinet face plate or affix any printed sheet thereon. Additionally, since the liquid crystal panel enables any operational indication to be changed easily and hence copes with any change in operation.
In the control apparatus according to claim
1
, the liquid crystal panel may be of a reflection type which reflects light from the outside to make the indications thereof visible. However, the control apparatus according to claim
2
further comprises a lighting unit disposed inside of the liquid crystal panel.
With the feature of the control apparatus according to claim
2
, the liquid crystal panel displays indications by utilizing light from the lighting unit disposed inside thereof and, hence, such indications are visible even if the environment is dark.
In the control apparatus according to claim
2
, the lighting unit may comprise an illumination plate for receiving light from a light emitting body within the thickness thereof as claimed in claim
3
. With this feature, the inside of the liquid crystal panel is entirely illuminated at a substantially even luminance thereby ensuring clearer display of indications. Furthermore, since most of the back-light of the liquid crystal panel passes through the liquid crystal panel and the back-light is scarcely directed to the optical contact-detecting unit, the back-light does not interfere with the detecting operation of the optical contact-detecting unit.
In the control apparatus according to claim
4
, a reflection-type photo-coupler comprising an infrared light emitting device and an light receiving device is adopted as the optical contact-detecti
Chung David
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Ton Toan
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