ILLUMINATING STRUCTURE OF KEY OPERATING UNIT, ELECTRONIC APPARATUS, PORTABLE APPARATUS, AND ILLUMINATING METHOD OF KEY OPERATING UNIT

• US 20100181176A1
• Filed: 02/03/2010
• Published: 07/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Connected Technologies Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: IGARASHI, Keisuke, Uchida, Hiroyuki, Yamashita, Naoto, Katou, Kazunori, Itou, Toshiyuki
• Granted Patent: US 8,063,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/310
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/04 Attachments; Connections
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/06 Reflector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

An illuminating structure of a key operating unit for operating a key switch includes a housing unit to have a window portion formed correspondingly to the key switch, a circuit substrate to be provided inside the housing unit, to be disposed with the key switch, and to be provided with a light-guiding window portion, a keypad unit to include a key top portion inserted in the window portion of the housing unit, the keypad unit including a light-guiding portion at least in the key top portion, a light-emitting element to be arranged on a back surface side of the circuit substrate, and an illuminating plate to have a reflecting portion reflecting outgoing light of the light-emitting element to apply the reflected light from the reflecting portion to the keypad unit through the light-guiding window portion of the circuit substrate.

Claims

1. An illuminating structure of a key operating unit for operating a key switch, comprising:

a housing unit to have a window portion formed correspondingly to the key switch;

a circuit substrate to be provided inside the housing unit, to be disposed with the key switch, and to be provided with a light-guiding window portion;

a keypad unit to include a key top portion inserted in the window portion of the housing unit, the keypad unit including a light-guiding portion at least in the key top portion;

a light-emitting element to be arranged on a back surface side of the circuit substrate; and

an illuminating plate to have a reflecting portion reflecting outgoing light of the light-emitting element to apply the reflected light from the reflecting portion to the keypad unit through the light-guiding window portion of the circuit substrate.

2. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 1, wherein the reflecting portion includes a reflecting surface across a plurality of the key top portions and applies the reflected light to a plurality of the key top portions by the reflecting surface.

3. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 1, wherein the illuminating plate includes a recess portion and includes the reflecting portion in the recess portion.

4. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 3, wherein the light-emitting element is inserted in the recess portion.

5. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 1, further comprising a dome sheet to cover the key switch.

6. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 5, further comprising a light-guiding window portion to allow passage of the reflected light through the dome sheet.

7. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 5, further comprising a projecting portion corresponding to a key dome of the dome sheet on a back surface portion of the keypad unit.

8. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 1, wherein the illuminating plate makes up a shield case unit of a circuit device disposed on a back surface side of the illuminating plate.

9. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 8, further comprising a surrounding wall portion to surround functional units of the circuit device on a side portion of a back surface of the illuminating plate.

10. The illuminating structure of the key operating unit of claim 9, wherein a shield member shielding the circuit substrate side and the functional units is disposed in a space unit surrounded by the surrounding wall.

11. An electronic apparatus having a key operating unit of a key switch, comprising:

a housing unit to have a window portion formed correspondingly to the key switch;

a circuit substrate to be provided inside the housing unit, to be disposed with the key switch, and to be provided with a light-guiding window portion;

a keypad unit to include a key top portion inserted in the window portion of the housing unit, the keypad unit including a light-guiding portion at least in the key top portion;

a light-emitting element to be arranged on a back surface side of the circuit substrate; and

an illuminating plate to have a reflecting portion reflecting outgoing light of the light-emitting element to apply the reflected light from the reflecting portion to the keypad unit through the light-guiding window portion of the circuit substrate.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronic apparatus is a portable apparatus.

13. An illuminating method of a key operating unit for operating a key switch, comprising:

forming a window portion corresponding to the key switch in a housing unit;

disposing the key switch and forming a light-guiding window portion on a circuit substrate provided inside the housing unit;

forming a key top portion on a keypad unit for pressing down the key switch and inserting the key top portion in the window portion of the housing unit;

arranging a light-emitting element on a back surface side of the circuit substrate; and

forming a reflecting portion reflecting outgoing light of the light-emitting element to apply the reflected light acquired by the reflecting portion to the keypad unit through the light-guiding window portion of the circuit substrate.

14. The illuminating method of the key operating unit of claim 13, wherein the reflecting portion includes a reflecting surface across a plurality of key top portions and applies the reflected light to a plurality of the key top portions by the reflecting surface.

15. The illuminating method of the key operating unit of claim 13, wherein a recess portion is formed in the illuminating plate and wherein the reflecting portion is formed in the recess portion.

16. The illuminating method of the key operating unit of claim 15, wherein the light-emitting element is inserted in the recess portion.