DEVICE CONTROL UNIT Russian patent published in 2017 - IPC H03K17/96 G09F9/30 

FIELD: transportation.

SUBSTANCE: proposed device control unit comprises luminous information segments for indication and illuminated capacitive switches which are illuminated by LEDs with lateral emission direction. The control unit can be integrated into the front panel of the apparatus or device, which can be a household appliance, an automated control system, a medical device or any other device or machine which is controlled by a person. The device control unit contains a printed circuit board on which capacitive switch fields and information segment fields are located. The capacitive switch fields are substantially formed from the conductive layer of the sensor. The carrier frame, arranged on the printed circuit board and impermeable to the light emitted by the LED with the lateral emission direction, is closed by a graphic foil on which graphic symbols for individual information segments and capacitive switches are arranged. Grooves for information segments and grooves for capacitive switches are formed on the carrier frame between the printed circuit board and the graphic foil. Moreover, the mentioned grooves are filled with lightguide material, and the graphic foil can be protected by a panel. The conductive layer of the capacitive switch sensor is formed in the form of a grid covered with a protective layer, preferably white, and mates with the grid structure. There is a light guide on the protective layer which fills the groove and mates with the protective layer, thereby forming a cellular conductive layer by which the lower plane of the light guide is formed in the form of a plurality of protuberances similar to lenses, while the groove for the segments is formed in such a way that the side planes are inclined and matted for reflecting the light upwards. The groove is filled with a light guide.

EFFECT: simplifying the design while simultaneously increasing reliability, ensuring the best and most even lighting of the control panel elements without any light noise.

3 cl, 4 dwg