EP2126943B1 - Plate for inscription - Google Patents

Abstract

A plate (6) for inscription (8) for a control unit (4) in automation technology contains a plate-shaped lower part (14), wherein the lower part (14) has a front flat side (16b), and wherein an inscription element (20, 34) is provided on the front flat side (16b), in which the lower part (14) is optically translucent, and an electrical luminous means (24a, b) which couples light (30) into the lower part (14).

Description

The invention relates to a sign for labeling for a command device in automation technology.

Systems, machines or other devices in the field of automation technology have command devices. Such command devices are e.g. Buttons, knobs, buttons, levers and the like. The command devices are used to operate the relevant system etc. by an operator. Typically, there are additional signs in the vicinity of such command devices as display signs, which designate the purpose of the corresponding command device or the associated control of the system and so on. They are therefore the label for the command device. Usual labels are e.g. "On / Off", "Pump 3", "Stop" or similar. The corresponding signs usually have a size of about one centimeter in height, a few millimeters deep and a width of a few centimeters.

The known signs are made of two assembled plastic plates, one of which, for example, the one black (visible side) and the other (back) is white. The corresponding plastic sheets are joined together, e.g. glued, wherein the respective front side (black) part, referred to in the following upper part, has recesses which form the label. After joining with the lower part, so the other plate, namely this (white) at the location of the label through the upper part (black) to the front flat side, ie the visible side of the shield, through.

Is a corresponding illumination of the shield desired to improve the visibility, so far this can only be achieved with extreme effort. For example, a corresponding luminaire must be installed on the system.

The US 4 012 632 A discloses a command device for automation technology with a sign for labeling with a plate-shaped base, wherein the lower part has a front flat side, and wherein on the front flat side, a label is attached, in which the lower part is optically translucent, the shield is designed self-luminous such in that it contains an electric illuminant which is coupled into the lower part of the light.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved sign for labeling.

The invention is based on the basic idea of designing a luminous sign which is not available in practice.

The object is achieved by a plate, which is the label of a command device in automation technology, with the features of claim 1. The plate has a plate-shaped base. The term "lower part" here serves the linguistic delimitation against an "upper part" mentioned below. If one starts from the usual viewing direction, that is to say the viewing direction of the sign in its final mounting position, this is considered on its front flat side. At the front flat side, so the visible side, therefore, a label is attached. The lower part is optically translucent. The shield contains an electrical illuminant which is coupled into the lower part of the light.

The shield according to the invention is thus a self-illuminating shield. The inventive construction of the shield results in a cost-effective variant of an illuminated or backlit shield. The structure and thus the construction volume correspond approximately to today's common, unlit variant of a corresponding shield. Already existing in automation technology signs can be so easily replaced by the shield according to the invention.

The labeling element can be mounted in almost any way on the visible side, ie the front flat side, for example in the form of an inscription, a mask, a paint, etc .. Because of the translucency of the lower part of this is diffused due to a scattering of the coupled light diffused. The front flat side is also backlit. An optically untransparent labeling element lifts So from the rest, so the unmarked part of the visible flat side or vice versa.

The labeling element may be a light exit means mounted in the region of the label, and the front flat side have less light emission in the area outside the light exit means than there. The label then appears bright or illuminated, the rest of the shield or the visible side of this darker, ie contrasted.

The light exit means may be a projecting into the interior of the base engraving. An optically translucent body in itself allows relatively little light to pass through its planar surface. If you then engrave them in e.g. a label, then causes the engraving, so the recess extending into the interior of a light exit point. The lettering lights up in other words.

The shield may have a plate-shaped upper part. Assuming the usual direction of view, so viewing direction of the shield, the upper part is arranged in front of the lower part. The upper part is therefore created with its rear flat side on the front flat side of the lower part. The upper part has a recess, which forms the label, which is then recognizable on the front flat side of the upper part or shield. Such a sign thus corresponds to the structure, handling, ie mounting on the command device, etc. the previously known, but unlit signs. These can be easily replaced by the invention.

The lighting means may be a light emitting diode (LED). Light-emitting diodes as lighting elements have the well-known advantages, such as low energy consumption, low heat loss, small size, etc.

The plate-shaped, so cuboid lower part may have a reaching into its interior recess, wherein the recess is so large that it serves for at least partially receiving the light source. In particular, when the recess can completely accommodate the light source remains as a boundary of the lower part of the plate or cuboid shape. In other words, the light bulb disappears in the lower part. The design in contrast to an unlit shield does not change.

The recess may taper towards the interior of the lower part. Light which is generated in the recess thus enters the interior of the lower part through an inclined surface with respect to the cuboid shape and is thus broken at the interface and distributed uniformly in the lower part. With respect to the flat side, this produces a uniformly illuminated lower part, which results in the lettering, e.g. as an opening in the upper part, also uniformly illuminated or durchlichtuchtet. The lower part is roughened on the surface, so that the light can emerge again (homogeneous).

The recess may also be a conical bore. A receptacle which receives the luminous means and tapers towards the interior of the lower part is thus particularly easily insertable into the lower part in terms of production engineering, e.g. by inserting with a 90 ° -bowser.

The recess may be attached to the rear flax side of the base. The recess and thus the lighting means form an actual backlight of the sign. The contact surface of the upper part on the front flat side of the lower part is not hindered by recesses or the light source.

The recess may have a staggered toward the interior of the lower part contact to the connection of the lamp. The contacting of the bulb is so within the volume or cuboid of the lower part and is not apparent from this. A simple assembly and secure contact of the bulb is thus given.

The illuminant may also be e.g. be mounted on a narrow side of the lower part and thus in other words laterally couple light into the lower part.

The shield contains a wiring for the lamp, wherein the wiring is a printed circuit. Printed circuits have with respect to the display plate a nearly vanishing height and can therefore be particularly easily and advantageously combined with the shield, without the plate requires additional space.

The wiring can be mounted in particular on the rear flat side of the lower part. The result is a cuboid shield, on the back of the circuit is applied. The back side is thus the side facing away from the lettering with which it is e.g. in turn can be attached to a plant or machine near the command device.

After applying the printed circuit on the shield, the shield or the circuit can be painted on the back for the purpose of isolation, for example. The printed circuits or the lower parts with these can be displayed almost independent of length, since the position of the lamps due to the translucent lower part by about ± 10 mm in the transverse direction of the shield can vary without brightness distributions on the front flat side can be seen. Depending on the length or width of the display plate so one or more bulbs can be used, for example, a per 30mm shield length. The printed circuit itself can in this case with the bulbs, z. B one or more light emitting diodes be equipped.

The electrically conductive side of the printed circuit may be mounted to the base, e.g. to be glued. This results in the mounting side, ie the rear side of the shield towards an automatic isolation through the substrate of the printed circuit.

The shield has a wiring for wireless power supply of the bulb. A corresponding circuit typically comprises a coil and a capacitor and may be e.g. also be made as a printed circuit. The shield is thus independent of cabling and may e.g. by standard power supply elements with e.g. Voltages of 5-10V are powered at frequencies of 1-100kHz. In the wireless power supply is especially for the user, which would like to attach the shield, no installation effort. The handling of the signs e.g. Regarding engraving or attachment of the signs remains unchanged from the previously known unlit signs. The wireless power supply is very advantageous especially with high necessary degrees of protection (IP56 and above).

The lower part can be powered by an external power supply with energy. Alternatively or additionally, however, the lower part may also have a recess for receiving an energy source. A wireless power supply is then not necessary, the sign is independent of any additional component self-luminous. The energy source may in particular be a button cell, which is particularly suitable in terms of its design for integration in a plate-shaped component. The button cell can of course be interchangeable here.

As a rule, a sign should shine when needed or always. In the case of the sign, however, the luminous means can also be operated as a function of the switching state of the command device. The lighting can thus be switched on and off, for example, after pressing a switch or button as a command device, for example to indicate the operating state of the corresponding switch, ie the switching state.

FIG 1

einen Teil einer Anlagensteuerung mit Drucktaster und Beschriftungsschild,

FIG 2

das Schild aus FIG 1 aus zwei gefügten Kunststoffteilen,

FIG 3

eine alternative Ausführungsform des Schildes aus FIG 1 mit einem einzigen Kunststoffteil,

FIG 4

eine Prinzipschaltung zur drahtlosen Energieübertragung,

FIG 5

eine gedruckte Schaltung gemäß FIG 4,

FIG 6

ein Schild gemäß FIG 1 in einer Ausführungsform mit seitlich angebrachten Leuchtmitteln,

FIG 7

ein Schild gemäß FIG 1 mit innenliegenden Kontakten für das Leuchtmittel in a) Seitenansicht und b) Rückansicht,

FIG 8

ein Schild aus dem Stand der Technik mit integrierter Knopfzelle in a) Seitenansicht und b) Draufsicht.

For a further description of the invention reference is made to the embodiments of the drawings. They show, in each case in a schematic outline sketch:

FIG. 1

a part of a system control with pushbutton and label,

FIG. 2

the sign out FIG. 1 from two joined plastic parts,

FIG. 3

an alternative embodiment of the shield FIG. 1 with a single plastic part,

FIG. 4

a basic circuit for wireless energy transmission,

FIG. 5

a printed circuit according to FIG. 4 .

FIG. 6

a sign according to FIG. 1 in one embodiment with side-mounted bulbs,

FIG. 7

a sign according to FIG. 1 with internal contacts for the bulb in a) side view and b) rear view,

FIG. 8

a sign from the prior art with integrated button cell in a) side view and b) top view.

FIG. 1 shows a section of a system control or the housing 2. In the housing 2, a push-button 4 for controlling a pump is mounted. Structurally above the pushbutton 4, a shield 6 is attached to the label of the pushbutton 4, which carries as label 8 "pump 1". The shield 6 is glued to the housing 2. FIG. 1 shows the top view of the housing 2. This view provides a standing in front of the plant control, not shown operator who has access to the push-button 4. In FIG. 1 Therefore, the front 10 of the shield 6 is visible.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the housing 2 with glued plate 6. The viewing direction FIG. 1 is shown by the arrow 12. The shield 6 comprises a lower part 14, on the back side 16 of which a printed circuit 18 is glued, and an upper part 20 which is glued to its rear side 22a on the front side 16b of the lower part 14. The front side 22b of the upper part 20 thus forms the front side 10 of the shield 6. The shield 6 is thus glued with its printed circuit 18 on the housing 2. On the circuit 18, two LEDs 24a, b (LEDs) are mounted. In the area of the LEDs 24a, b, the lower part 14 has at its rear side 16a in the interior of reaching holes 26a, b. The holes are conical in the direction of arrow 28 with an opening angle of 90 °.

Light emitted by the LEDs 24a, b, represented by the light rays 30, thus undergoes refraction on entry into the lower part 14 on the surface of the bores 26a, b, for which reason it is obliquely coupled in the translucent lower part 14 and uniformly distributed there.

The upper part 20 is made of an opaque material, and has in the region of the label 8 openings 32 which extend from the front 22b to the back 22a and thus the front 16b of the lower part 14. At the locations of the openings 32, therefore, light in the form of the light rays 30 penetrates from the lower part 14 to the front side 10 of the shield 6, for which reason the inscription 8 is illuminated in the direction of the arrow 12.

The LEDs 24a, b can be permanently switched on. Alternatively, they are switched on, not shown pump, so switching state "1" of the push button 4 bright, and switched off the pump, so switching state "0" off.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a shield 6, which has only the lower part 14 and no upper part 20. In the area of the lettering 8, therefore, the lower part 14 is provided with an engraving 34. By engraving 34 arise in the lower part 14 and the front side 16b coupling areas, so that the engraving 34 and thus the label 8 at these locations opposite the remaining, not engraved surface (front 16b) is illuminated. This is in FIG. 3 also represented by the light rays 30.

FIG. 4 shows a known circuit diagram for an energy transmission circuit 40 for wireless energy transmission over an air gap 42. At the input 44 of the circuit 40, a voltage U of the frequency f is applied, which emits a non-illustrated electromagnetic field via a transmitting coil 46a. A series connection of receiving coil 46b and capacitor 48 receives the energy to operate the two parallel LEDs 24a, b.

FIG. 5 shows the printed circuit 18 for the realization of the receiving coil 46b, the capacitor 48 and with terminals 50 for contacting the LEDs 24a, b. FIG. 5 shows the top view of the conductive side of the printed circuit 18, each in the FIGS. 2 and 3 the lower part 14 faces. A substrate 52 (substrate) of the printed circuit 18 thus forms an insulation with respect to the housing 2.

FIG. 6 again shows a sign 6 according to FIG. 1 in which the printed circuit 18 with the contacts 50 projects laterally beyond the lower part 14. The LEDs 24a, b are arranged there on the circuit 18 and thus on opposite side surfaces 54 of the lower part 14 and not in its interior.

7a shows a further alternative embodiment of a shield 6 with respect to the FIGS. 2 and 3 The recess 56 extends initially along the arrow 28 with a vertical wall portion 58 into the lower part 14, wherein in this wall portion 58, the LED 24a finds room entirely or disappears therein. From the vertical wall portion 58, two contact surfaces 60a, b then extend toward the center of the recess 56. At these contact surfaces 60a, b, the LED 24a is located with their respective not shown connection contacts. The contact surfaces 60a, b are extensions of the circuit 18 attached to the rear side 16a. Thus, in other words, it is inserted into the recess 56.

FIG. 7b shows the lower part 14 in the direction of arrow 28. At the contact surfaces 60a, b then close to the center of the recess 56 toward two at 90 ° angle to each other inclined surfaces 62a, b, which finally the further reaching into the lower part 14 recess 56 form and again the refraction of light rays 30, as described above serve.

FIG. 8 shows a known from the prior art variant of a shield 6, in which the printed circuit 18 is not a circuit for wireless power consumption, but a button cell 64 for powering the LEDs (in FIG. 8 not shown) carries. 8b shows the top view 8a in the direction of arrow 12. The button cell 64 is mounted in a battery receptacle of the lower part 14 and replaceable.

Claims (16)

1. Plate (6) for inscription (8) for a control device (4) in automation technology, having a size of around one centimeter high, a few millimeters deep and a width of a few centimeters, with a plate-shaped lower part (14), with the lower part (14) having a front flat side (16b), and with an inscription element (20, 34) being attached to the front flat side (16b), in which the lower part (14) is optically translucent, with the plate being designed to be self-illuminating such that it contains an electrical illuminant (24a, b) coupling light (30) into the lower part (14), and with the plate (6) containing circuitry (18) with a printed circuit for the illuminant (24a, b) and with the circuitry (18) being provided for wireless supply of energy to the illuminant (24a, b).
2. Plate (6) according to claim 1, in which the inscription element (20, 34) contains a light exit means attached in the area of the inscription (8), and the front flat side (16b) in the area outside the light exit means (34, 32) has lower light emission than the latter.
3. Plate (6) according to claim 2, in which the light exit means (32, 34) is an engraving (34) extending into the interior of the lower part (14).
4. Plate (6) according to claim 1, with a plate-shaped upper part (20) with a rear flat side (22a) placed on the front flat side (16b) of the lower part (14) as an inscription element (20), with the upper part (20) featuring a cutout (32) forming the inscription (8) on a front flat side (22b).
5. Plate (6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the illuminant (24a, b) is an LED.
6. Plate (6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the lower part (14) has a cutout (26a, b, 56) extending into its interior for at least partly accommodating the illuminant (24a, b).
7. Plate (6) according to claim 6, in which the cutout (26a, b, 56) narrows towards the interior of the lower part (14).
8. Plate (6) according to claim 7, in which the cutout (26a, b, 56) is a conical hole.
9. Plate (6) according to one of claims 6 to 8, in which the cutout (26a, b, 56) is attached to a rear flat side (16a) of the lower part (14).
10. Plate (6) according to one of the claims 6 to 9, in which the cutout (56) features a contact (60a, b) offset in relation to the interior of the lower part (14) for connecting the illuminant (24a).
11. Plate (6) according to claim 1, in which the circuit (18) is attached to the rear flat side (16a) of the lower part (14).
12. Plate (6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the lower part (14) features a cutout for accommodating an energy source (64).
13. Plate (6) according to claim 12, in which the energy source (64) is a button cell.
14. Plate (6) according to one of the preceding claims, which is supplied with energy for the illuminant (24a, b) via a cable.
15. Plate (6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the illuminant (24a, b) is able to be operated as a function of a switching state ("0", "1") of the control device (4).
16. Plate (6) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the illuminant (24a, b) is attached to a narrow side (54) of the lower part (14).

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