# US 2013/0153387 A1 · Button lighting structure and electronic device

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- Number: US 2013/0153387 A1
- Document ID: US20130153387A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/818,384
- Filed: 2011-03-17
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2010-10-27
- Assignees: NEC Infrontia Corporation
- Inventors: Tadamine Toh
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153387A1

## CPC

- H01H 13/83: characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
- H04M 1/22: Illumination; Arrangements for improving the visibility of characters on dials
- H01H 2219/014: LED
- H01H 2219/06: Reflector
- H01H: ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES (contact cables H01B7/10; electrolytic self-interrupters H01G9/18; emergency protective circuit arrangements H02H; switching by electronic means without contact-making H03K17/00)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)

## Abstract

Provided is a button lighting structure that includes: a plurality of button members (5) arranged in a matrix with intervals; and light-emitting element (6) disposed in the interval of the plurality of button members (5). The button lighting structure includes button cover member (7) including plate-like portion (11) having a plurality of openings (14) into which the plurality of button members (5) is inserted, translucent guide (12) that guides the movement of button members (5) pushed into openings (14), and peripheral wall portion (13) formed along the outer periphery of plate-like portion (11), and configured to irregularly reflect, by plate-like portion (11) and peripheral wall portion (13), light from light-emitting element (6) disposed to face plate-like portion (11). Button member (5) includes translucent sidewall portion (5b) into which the light, that is emitted from light-emitting element (6) and that has passed through guide (12), enters.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A button lighting structure comprising:
a plurality of button members arranged in a matrix with intervals;
a light-emitting element disposed in the interval of the plurality of button members; and
a button cover member that includes a plate-like portion which has a plurality of openings into which the plurality of button members is inserted, a translucent guide that guides movement of the button members pushed into the openings, and a peripheral wall portion formed along the outer periphery of the plate-like portion, and that is configured to irregularly reflect, by the plate-like portion and the peripheral wall portion, light from the light-emitting element disposed to face the plate-like portion,
wherein the button member includes a translucent sidewall portion into which the light, that is emitted from the light-emitting element and that has passed through the guide, enters.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The button lighting structure according to claim 1, further comprising:
a translucent button support member for movably supporting the button members which are pushed into the openings; and
a circuit board in which the light-emitting element and a switch element, with which the button support member that is pushed by the button member comes into contact, are arranged, wherein:
the button support member is disposed on the circuit board; and
an irregular reflection film for irregularly reflecting the light from the light-emitting element is formed on a surface of the circuit board in which the button support member is disposed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The button lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element is disposed unsymmetrically from a center of a cross interval of the four button members adjacent to each other to the peripheral wall portion side.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The button lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein:
the six button members are arranged in the matrix including three columns and two rows; and
the two light-emitting elements are arranged between the rows and unsymmetrically from intervals between the columns on both sides of and the column in the center to the side of peripheral wall portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The button lighting structure according to claim 1, wherein the button cover member is formed by combining a first member having the plate-like portion and the peripheral wall portion with a second member having the guide.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The button lighting structure according to claim 5, wherein the button cover member is formed by two-color molding using a white resin material for the first member and a transparent resin material for the second member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

An electronic device comprising:
the button lighting structure according to claim 1; and
and a case having an opening in which the button cover member is disposed.