Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2010/005222, filed on Aug. 25, 2010 and claims benefit of priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-210637, filed on Sep. 11, 2009. The International Application was published in Japanese on Mar. 17, 2011 as WO 2011/030511 A1 under PCT Article 21(2). All of these applications are herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a controlling device wherein the operating status of the device itself is displayed on a front panel through, for example, turning ON/OFF a light source that is mounted on a circuit board that is disposed therein. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    A conventional controlling device  100 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 3(   a ) and  3 ( b ), has, within a main unit case  101 , a circuit board  102  on which is mounted a light source  102   a,  such as an LED (light emitting diode) that is turned ON in response to a specific operation of the controlling device  100 . Moreover, on the front side of the main unit case  101 , a front panel  103  is provided wherein a light source displaying window  103   a,  for displaying the operating status, or the like, of the controlling device  100 , is positioned facing the light source  102   a.  The controlling device  100  that is configured in this way makes it possible for an operator to confirm visually, through the light source displaying window  103   a,  the current operating state of the controlling device  100 , through turning ON/OFF a corresponding light source  102   a  in accordance with the operating state. 
         [0004]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3  ( b ), this conventional controlling device  100  is structured with two stepped frame portions  101   a  and  101   b  formed in the inner wall of the main unit case  101 , where the circuit board  102  is disposed in the rear stepped frame portion  101   a  of the main unit case  101 , and the front panel  103  is fitted into the front stepped frame portion  101   b  of the main unit case  101 . 
         [0005]    If here the color of the controlling device  100  is uniformly black, then the front panel  103  can be given a black color through silk screen printing black ink on the back face of the translucent plastic. However, usually black ink includes carbon, and thus there is a danger that when the user touches the connecting part between the main unit case  101  and the front panel  103  that static electricity will flow through the black ink that is printed on the front panel  103  into the circuit board  102  that is disposed within the main unit case  101 . 
         [0006]    Given this, as countermeasures for static electricity in the conventional controlling device  100 , as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a circuit board  102 , having a conductive layer  105  formed through printing carbon ink onto the surface thereof, is disposed on the back face side of the front panel  103  that has an operating key  104 , and this electrically conductive layer  105  is connected through a supporting plate  106  to a bracket (ground member)  107  that is disposed within the controlling device  100 , so that when the user operates the operating key  104  any static electricity charged in the user will flow from the electrically conductive layer  105  to the ground member  107 , structured so as to protect, from the static electricity, the electrical circuitry such as the control circuits, and the like, that are provided within the controlling device  100  (See, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2005-158579 (“JP &#39;579”)). 
         [0007]    However, the controlling device  100  disclosed in JP &#39;579 requires the provision of the ground member  107 , and when used in a small controlling device there is a problem in that it is not possible to secure space for the positioning of the ground member  107 , and a problem in that the structure is complex if a ground member  107  is used. 
         [0008]    Additionally, in the conventional controlling device  100 , the structure is one wherein two stepped frame portions  101   a  and  101   b  are provided within the main unit case  101 , to secure the circuit board  102  and the front panel  103 , and thus the size of the circuit board  102  must be small, and there is a problem in terms of constraints on the design due to the limitation of the space for the positioning of the light source displaying windows  103   a,  which is formed facing the position of the light source  102   a  that is mounted on the circuit board  102  to being toward the interior of the front panel  103 . 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The present invention is to solve problems such as set forth above, and the object thereof is to provide a controlling device able to protect the circuit board within the controlling device from static electricity, wherein there is freedom in the design through an increase in the space wherein the light source displaying windows can be positioned in the front panel. 
         [0010]    The controlling device according to examples of the present invention is disposed within a main unit case, and includes a circuit board, where light sources are mounted, and a front panel wherein light source displaying windows are formed at positions that face the light sources, wherein: the outer peripheral edge portion of the face of the front panel that faces the main unit case is secured to a front face edge portion of the main unit case through an insulating portion. 
         [0011]    Examples of the present invention, given the structure set forth above, makes it possible to protect a circuit board within the controlling device from static electricity, and makes it possible to increase the space for the positioning of the light source displaying windows in the front panel, enabling freedom in design. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIGS. 1(   a ) and  1 ( b ) are diagrams illustrating the structure of a controlling device according to an example of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the back face of the front panel in the example. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a diagram illustrating the structure of a conventional controlling device. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a diagram illustrating another structure of a conventional controlling device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    An example of the present invention is explained in detail below referencing the figures. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  is a diagram illustrating the structure of a controlling device  1  according to a first form of embodiment according to the present invention, wherein  FIG. 1  ( a ) is a perspective diagram and  FIG. 1  ( b ) is an assembly perspective diagram. Additionally,  FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating the back face of the front panel in the example according to the present invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the controlling device  1  is structured from a main unit case  2 , a circuit board  3 , a light guiding part  4 , and a front panel  5 . Note that the color of the controlling device  1  is uniformly black. 
         [0018]    The main unit case  2  is a case for containing, in the interior thereof, a circuit board  3 , a light guiding part  4 , and control circuitry, and the like, not shown, and is structured from black plastic that is formed into a box shape, having an opening on the front face. A single stepped frame portion  2   a,  for the provision of the circuit board  3 , is formed in the inner wall of the front face side of the main unit case  2 . Moreover, a front face edge portion  2   b,  for securing the front panel  5 , is formed on the front face of this main unit case  2 . 
         [0019]    The circuit board  3  is for turning ON the corresponding LEDs (light sources)  3   a  in accordance with the operating status of the controlling device  1 , and a plurality of LEDs  3   a  are mounted thereon. This circuit board  3  is disposed in the stepped frame portion  2   a  that is formed in the main unit case  2 . 
         [0020]    The light guiding part  4  is for guiding, to the front panel  5 , the light from the LEDs  3   a  that are mounted on the circuit board  3 . In this light guiding part  4 , opening portions  4   a  are formed at positions facing the LEDs  3   a  that are mounted on the circuit board  3 . Moreover, base material of the light guiding part  4  in the lettering portions  6   b  formed in the displaying portion  6  of the front panel  5 , described below, are translucent, so the light guiding part  4  is structured from a plastic of a color that is desired for the lettering portions  6   b.  This light guiding part  4  is disposed on the front face side of the circuit board  3 . 
         [0021]    The front panel  5  is formed from translucent plastic, and, as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , is, overall, colored black through the insulating portion  5   a  be formed through silk screening a non-carbon black ink (IR black), which is an insulating ink, on the outer peripheral edge portion of the face (the back face) that faces the main unit case  2 , and silk screening black ink towards the interior thereof. The front panel  5  is secured, by an adhesive, or the like, to the front face edge portion  2   b  of the main unit case  2 . 
         [0022]    Moreover, the front panel  5  has a displaying portion for displaying the operating status, or the like, of the controlling device  1 . In this displaying portion  6 , the ink that is printed at positions facing the LEDs  3   a  that are mounted on the circuit board  3  that is disposed on the back face side thereof is stripped by a laser marker, or the like, so as to produce translucency, to form LED displaying windows (tight source displaying windows)  6   a  by which the ON/OFF states of the LEDs  3   a  can be seen. Moreover, by using the laser marker to strip the ink into specific lettering shapes in the displaying portion  6 , lettering portions  6   b  are formed wherein the base material of the light guiding part  4  that is disposed on the back face side is caused to be translucent. 
         [0023]    Here, when forming the LED displaying windows  6   a,  a range wherein the ink is stripped by the laser marker, or a dot pattern through adjusting the intensity, is formed. This control of the laser marker makes it possible to apply a diffusing effect or smoky effect to the LED displaying windows  6   a.  Doing so eliminates the need for a smoky plate that has been used conventionally when applying a diffusing effect and smoky effect to the LED displaying windows  6   a,  and eliminates the need for a process for applying the smoky plate, making it possible to reduce the component cost. 
         [0024]    In this way, printing an insulating ink on the outer peripheral edge portions of the face of the front panel  5  that faces the main unit case  2 , to form the insulating portion  5   a,  makes it possible to prevent the flow of the static electricity into the circuit board  3  that is contained within the main unit case  2  when the user has touched, with a hand, the connecting portion between the controlling device  1  and the front panel  5 . 
         [0025]    Moreover, having only a single stepped frame portion  2   a  formed in the inner wall of the main unit case  2  and disposing the circuit board  3  in this stepped frame portion  2   a  to secure the front panel  5  to the front face edge portion  2   b  of the main unit case  2  makes it possible to increase the size of the circuit board  3 , making it possible to increase the space for the positioning, on the front panel  5 , of the LED displaying windows  6   a  that are formed at positions facing the LEDs  3   a  that are mounted on the circuit board  3 , thus reducing the design constraints, enabling freedom in design. 
         [0026]    Additionally, in the displaying portion  6  of the front panel  5 , the ink in specific portions is stripped by the laser marker to form LED displaying windows  6   a  through which the ON/OFF state of the LEDs  3   a  can be seen, and to form lettering portions  6   b  wherein the base material of the light guiding part  4  is translucent, thus making it possible to produce a variety of different displays easily through eliminating the need for different printing plates for each model, as have been used conventionally, when there are differences in the positions or numbers of LED displaying windows  6   a,  or differences in the lettering of the lettering portions  6   b  depending on the model, thus making it possible to increase the size of ordering lots through combining the orders of the individual lots. Moreover, because of this structure wherein the base material of the light guiding part  4  is translucent, the color of the lettering of the lettering portions  6   b  can be changed easily by changing the color of the light guiding part  4 . 
         [0027]    As described above, in the example, structuring so that an insulating portion  5   a  is formed on the outer peripheral edge portion of the face of the front panel  5  that faces the main unit case  2  and so that the front panel  5  is secured to the front face edge portion  2   b  of the main unit case  2  makes it possible to prevent the flow of static electricity into the circuit board  3  that is contained in the inner portion of the main unit case  2  when the operator touches a hand to the connecting portion between the main unit case  2  and the front panel  5 , and makes it possible to increase the size of the circuit board  3  on which the LEDs  3   a  are mounted, disposed within the main unit case  2 , thus making it possible to increase the space for the positioning on the front panel  5  of the LED displaying windows  6   a  that are formed at positions facing the LEDs  3   a,  thus enabling freedom in design. 
         [0028]    While the formation of an insulating portion  5   a  on the outer peripheral edge portion of the front panel  5  that faces the main unit case  2  was explained in the controlling device  1  according to the example, instead the insulating portion  5   a  may be formed on the front face edge portion  2   b  of the main unit case  2 . 
         [0029]    Note that the various examples can be combined freely or modified within the scope of the spirit and intent of the present invention. 
         [0030]    An insulating front panel according to example of the present invention makes it possible to protect, from static electricity, the circuit board within the controlling device, and enables an increase in the space for positioning of the light source displaying windows on the front panel, thereby enabling freedom in design, and thus can be used in controlling devices, and the like, wherein the operating status of the equipment main unit is displayed on the front panel thereof through turning ON/OFF light sources that are mounted on a circuit board that is disposed in the interior thereof.

Technology Category: 5