Patent Application
20100321199
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting module and an image-capturing module, in particular, to a light-emitting module and an image-capturing module for arbitrarily changing light-emitting position.
2. Description of Related Art
A computer system is composed of hardware and software. The hardware typically includes a motherboard, an optical disk drive, a hard disk drive, a memory, a network card, and so on. When the computer system is running, it is necessary to know working states of the hardware. Thus, indicator lamps are used to show the working states of the hardware, and corresponding drive circuits for driving these indicator lamps are combined in the computer system. In addition, an indicator lamp can be applied to an image-capturing module in order to monitor the usage state of the image-capturing module. Most indicator lamps are designed as light emitting diodes (LEDs).
However, the LEDs require an opening of an outer shell in order to be seen by the user, and the position of the opening must match the position of the LED on the computer body or the body of the image capturing module. Thus, different outer shells need to be designed to accommodate different positions of the LEDs on different computer models or image capturing models, even if the different models have the same outer shape. This inevitably leads to increased manufacturing costs for the final product.
In view of the aforementioned issues, the present invention provides a light-emitting module and an image-capturing module for arbitrarily changing light-emitting position. The present invention can achieve signal indication effect without changing the position of the light-emitting element and the position of the opening of outer shell.
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides a light-emitting module for arbitrarily changing light-emitting position, including: a PCB unit, a light-emitting unit, an outer shell unit and a light-guiding unit. The light-emitting unit has at least one light-emitting element electrically disposed on the PCB unit. The outer shell unit is disposed above the PCB unit and the light-emitting unit, and the outer shell unit has at least one opening. The light-guiding unit is close to the at least one light-emitting element. One partial area of the light-guiding unit is exposed by the at least one opening, so that light beams generated by the at least one light-emitting element are guided by the light-guiding unit and are projected out from the at least one opening.
To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the present invention provides an image-capturing module for arbitrarily changing light-emitting position, including: a PCB unit, an image-capturing unit, a light-emitting unit, an outer shell unit and a light-guiding unit. The image-capturing unit is electrically disposed on the PCB unit. The light-emitting unit is disposed beside the image-capturing unit, and the light-emitting unit has at least one light-emitting element electrically disposed on the PCB unit. The outer shell unit is disposed above the PCB unit and the light-emitting unit, and the outer shell unit has at least one first opening for exposing the image-capturing unit and at least one second opening beside the at least one first opening. The light-guiding unit is close to the at least one light-emitting element. One partial area of the light-guiding unit is exposed by the at least one second opening, so that light beams generated by the at least one light-emitting element are guided by the light-guiding unit and are projected out from the at least one second opening.
Therefore, the light-guiding unit is mated with the opening of the outer shell unit, so that the present invention can achieve signal indication effect without changing the position of the light-emitting element and the position of the opening of outer shell unit. In other words, the light-emitting position can be arbitrarily changed according to the design position of the opening of the outer shell unit.
In order to further understand the techniques, means and effects the present invention takes for achieving the prescribed objectives, the following detailed descriptions and append portioned drawings are hereby referred, such that, through which, the purposes, features and aspects of the present invention can be thoroughly and concretely appreciated; however, the append portioned drawings are merely provided for reference and illustration, without any intention to be used for limiting the present invention.
Referring to
Moreover, the light-emitting unit 2a has at least one light-emitting element 20a electrically disposed on the PCB unit 1a, and the light-emitting element 20a can be an LED (Light Emitting Diode) or any element that can generate light. For example, if the light-emitting unit 2a is applied to indicate power, the light-emitting element 20a can be a signal indicator lamp for indicating usage state of power.
Furthermore, the outer shell unit 3a is disposed above the PCB unit 1a and the light-emitting unit 2a, and the outer shell unit 3a has at least one opening 30a. For example, the outer shell unit 3a can be a faceplate.
In addition, the light-guiding unit 4a is close to the at least one light-emitting element 20a. One partial area 40a of the light-guiding unit 4a is exposed by the at least one opening 30a, so that light beams La generated by the at least one light-emitting element 20a are guided by the light-guiding unit 4a and are projected out from the at least one opening 30a. For example, in the first embodiment, one end portion 41a of the light-guiding unit 4a is close to the light-emitting element 20a, and other end portion 42a of the light-guiding unit 4a is close to the opening 30a and is exposed by the opening 30a.
Moreover, the light-guiding unit 4a can be a light guide film, a light guide post, a light guide pipe, a light guide plate, a light guide ink, optic fibers, a prism or any element that can guide light beams to move or change position according to different requirement. In addition, the light-guiding unit 4a can be a plastic plate or a glass plate according to different material design.
Referring to
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The image-capturing unit 6d is electrically disposed on the PCB unit 1d. The light-emitting unit 2d is disposed beside the image-capturing unit 6d, and the light-emitting unit 2d has at least one light-emitting element 20d electrically disposed on the PCB unit 1d in order to indicate the usage state of the image-capturing unit 6d. In addition, the outer shell unit 3d is disposed above the PCB unit 1d and the light-emitting unit 2d, and the outer shell unit 3d has at least one first opening 30d for exposing the image-capturing unit 6d and at least one second opening 31d beside the at least one first opening 30d.
Moreover, the light-guiding unit 4d is close to the at least one light-emitting element 20d. One partial area 40d of the light-guiding unit 4d is exposed by the at least one second opening 31d, so that light beams Ld generated by the at least one light-emitting element 20d are guided by the light-guiding unit 4d and are projected out from the at least one second opening 31d. In the fourth embodiment, one end portion 41d of the light-guiding unit 4d is close to the light-emitting element 20d, and other end portion 42d of the light-guiding unit 4d is close to the second opening 31d and is exposed by the second opening 31d.
Referring to
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In conclusion, the light-guiding unit is mated with the opening of the outer shell unit, so that the present invention can achieve signal indication effect without changing the position of the light-emitting element and the position of the opening of outer shell unit. In other words, the light-emitting position can be arbitrarily changed according to the design position of the opening of the outer shell unit.
The above-mentioned descriptions represent merely the preferred embodiment of the present invention, without any intention to limit the scope of the present invention thereto. Various equivalent changes, alternations or modifications based on the claims of present invention are all consequently viewed as being embraced by the scope of the present invention.
