KEYBOARD

• US 20120113013A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 05/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global Lighting Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Global Lighting Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: LIN, Yu-Jeng, LEE, Guo-Chen, WU, Jerry, HUNG, Tsung-Yung, HUANG, I-Ping
• Granted Patent: US 8,913,013 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device

Abstract

A keyboard comprises a key module and a backlight module in which the key module comprises a light-transmissive key part and an electric circuit substrate, and the backlight module comprises a light guide plate, a reflection unit and at least one light source. The backlight module is disposed between the key part and the electric circuit substrate. Thus, lights emitted by the light source are projected into the light guide plate from the lateral side of the light guide plate, and the lights are reflected by the reflection unit for directly passing through the light output surface of the light guide plate and the key part.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising:

a key module comprising a light-transmissive key part and an electric circuit substrate having a plurality of electric switches; and

a backlight module comprising a light guide plate, a reflection unit and at least one light source, wherein the light guide plate is provided with at least one light incident surface, a light output surface and a rear surface opposite to the light output surface,

lights emitted by the light source are projected into the light guide plate from the light incident surface,

the backlight module is disposed between the key part of the key module and the electric circuit substrate, so the light output surface is facing the key part and the reflection unit is facing the rear surface of the light guide plate.

2. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is electrically connected to the electric circuit substrate, and projects lights into the light guide plate from a lateral side of the light guide plate.

3. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light guide plate and the reflection unit are respectively provided with penetrated holes and through holes both corresponding to the electric switches, each corresponding penetrated hole and through hole are installed with an elastic element, and the rear surface of the key part is installed with a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

4. The keyboard as claimed in claim 3, further comprising at least one fixing unit provided between the light guide plate and the protrusions, for fixing the elastic element passing the penetrated hole in the penetrated hole of the light guide plate.

5. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflection unit is formed with through holes corresponding to the electric switches,

the keyboard further comprises a plurality of elastic elements installed in the through holes, respectively, and

the rear surface of the key part is installed with a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

6. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflection unit is formed with through holes corresponding to the electric switches,

the keyboard further comprises a plurality of elastic elements installed in the through holes, respectively, and

the rear surface of the light guide plate is installed with a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

7. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface of the reflection unit facing the electric circuit substrate is connected with a plurality of elastic elements corresponding to the electric switches, a rear surface of the light guide plate is installed with protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

8. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflection unit is formed with through holes corresponding to the electric switches,

the keyboard further comprises a plurality of elastic elements installed in the through holes, respectively, and

the elastic elements are connected to the rear surface of the light guide plate, and the rear surface of the key part is installed with a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

9. The keyboard as claimed in claim 8, wherein the keyboard further comprises at least one fixing unit provided between the light guide plate and the reflection unit, for fixing the elastic element passing the through hole on the rear surface of the light guide plate and in the through hole.

10. The keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein a surface of the reflection unit facing the electric circuit substrate is connected with a plurality of elastic elements corresponding to the electric switches, the rear surface of the key part is installed with protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

11. A keyboard, comprises:

a key module comprising a key membrane having a plurality of light-transmissive key caps and a reflection unit formed with a plurality of through holes;

a backlight module comprising a light guide plate having at least one light incident surface, a light output surface and a rear surface opposite to the light output surface, the light guide plate is disposed between the key membrane and the reflection unit, so the light output surface is facing the key membrane and a first surface of the reflection unit is facing the rear surface of the light guide plate, the light guide plate is formed with penetrated holes having the same quantity as the through holes;

a plurality of elastic elements;

at least one fixing unit, for fixing the elastic elements in the penetrated holes of the light guide plate; and

an electric circuit substrate having a plurality of electric switches, installed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the reflection unit, and the electric switches are respectively corresponding to an elastic element.

12. The keyboard as claimed in claim 11, wherein the fixing unit is a membrane having an adhesive member, the membrane is installed on the light guide plate, and the elastic elements are adhered by the adhesive member.

13. The keyboard as claimed in claim 12, wherein the membrane is an adhesive tape provided on the light output surface of the light guide plate, so the elastic elements are adhered in the penetrated holes.

14. The keyboard as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adhesive member is a glue.

15. The keyboard as claimed in claim 11, wherein a rear surface of the key module is installed with a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.

16. A keyboard, comprises:

a key module comprising a key membrane having a plurality of light-transmissive key caps and a reflection unit formed with a plurality of through holes;

a backlight module comprising a light guide plate having at least one light incident surface, a light output surface and a rear surface opposite to the light output surface, the light guide plate is disposed between the key membrane and the reflection unit, so the light output surface is facing the key membrane and a first surface of the reflection unit is facing the rear surface of the light guide plate;

a plurality of elastic elements arranged correspondingly to the through holes;

at least one fixing unit, for fixing the elastic elements on the reflection unit; and

an electric circuit substrate having a plurality of electric switches, installed on a second surface opposite to the first surface of the reflection unit, and the electric switches are respectively corresponding to an elastic element.

17. The keyboard as claimed in claim 16, wherein the fixing unit is a membrane having an adhesive member, the membrane is installed on the light guide plate, and the elastic elements are adhered by the adhesive member.

18. The keyboard as claimed in claim 17, wherein the membrane is an adhesive tape provided on a reflection surface of the reflection unit, so the elastic elements are adhered in the through holes.

19. The keyboard as claimed in claim 17, wherein the adhesive member is a glue.

20. The keyboard as claimed in claim 16, wherein the key module or the rear surface of the light guide plate is installed with a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the elastic elements.