KEYBOARD BACKLIGHTING WITH DEPOSITED LIGHT-GENERATING SOURCES

• US 20150138096A1
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Published: 05/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rohinni LLC
• Original Assignee: Rohinni LLC
• Inventors: Peterson, Cody, Huska, Andrew, Christie, Kasey, Adams, Clinton
• Granted Patent: US 10,381,176 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/170
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 11/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for the manufacture of electric switches processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards, H01H13/88
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/88 Processes specially adapted for manufacture of rectilinearly movable switches having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/016 programmable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/037 using organic materials, e.g. organic LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/044 Edge lighting of layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/048 Constituting key
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/056 Diffuser; Uneven surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/002 Screen printing
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49105 Switch making

Abstract

Techniques and devices provide backlighting for keys of a keyboard or keypad.

Claims

1. A keyboard assembly comprising:

a key layer including a key;

a key mechanics layer including a keypress mechanism configured to mechanically interact with a keytop of the key and to provide a keypress of the key;

a sensor layer including a sensor configured to detect the keypress of the key and to indicate the keypress to a keyboard controller; and

a plurality of light-generating sources deposited on the key layer, the key mechanics layer, the sensor layer, or a combination thereof, and positioned substantially underneath the keytop, the plurality of light-generating sources being configured to illuminate the key from underneath the keytop.

2. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a conductive trace deposited on the key layer, the key mechanics layer, the sensor layer, or a backplate of the keyboard assembly, or a combination thereof; and

a power source,

the conductive trace electrically linking the plurality of light-generating sources to the power source.

3. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, further comprising a backplate, and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of light-generating sources is deposited onto the backplate to illuminate the key and/or the keyboard assembly.

4. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources is deposited onto a topside and/or an underside of the keytop to illuminate the key.

5. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources is deposited onto the keypress mechanism to illuminate the key.

6. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the keypress mechanism comprises a resist-and-return structure and/or a leveling structure, and at least a portion of the plurality of light-generating sources is deposited onto the resist-and-return structure and/or the leveling structure to illuminate the key.

7. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources illuminates the key via light reflectively diffused by the keypress mechanism.

8. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources is printed and/or sprayed onto the sensor layer.

9. The keyboard assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources includes light-emitting semiconductors that each has a cross-section with a maximum length of 15 to 20 microns.

10. A method comprising:

depositing a plurality of light-generating sources on a key layer, a key mechanics layer, or a sensor layer of a keyboard assembly, or a combination thereof, the keyboard assembly including a plurality of keytops;

positioning the plurality of light-generating sources substantially underneath the plurality of keytops; and

linking the plurality of light-generating sources via an electrically conductive trace to a power source, wherein the plurality of light-generating sources illuminate the plurality of keys from underneath the plurality of keytops when the power supply supplies power to the electrically conductive trace.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising depositing at least a portion of the plurality of light-generating sources onto a backplate of the keyboard assembly to illuminate the plurality of keys and/or the keyboard assembly.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising depositing the plurality of light-generating sources onto a topside and/or an underside of one or more of the plurality of keytops to illuminate the plurality of keys.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising depositing the plurality of light-generating sources onto or into a keypress mechanism of the key mechanics layer to illuminate the plurality of keys.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising depositing the plurality of light-generating sources such that the plurality of light-generating sources illuminates the plurality of keys via light emanating from the plurality of light-generating sources and reflectively diffused by a keypress mechanism of the key mechanics layer.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising depositing the plurality of light-generating sources and the electrically conductive trace onto the sensor layer to illuminate the plurality of keys.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the depositing includes printing or spraying a liquid or gel onto the at least one of the key layer, the key mechanics layer, the sensor layer, or a combination thereof, the liquid or gel having the plurality of light-generating sources suspended therein.

17. A backlighting apparatus comprising:

a multi-functional layer of a keyboard assembly; and

a plurality of light-generating sources deposited onto or within the multi-functional layer of the keyboard assembly, the plurality of light-generating sources disposed substantially underneath a plurality of keytops of a plurality of keys of the keyboard assembly, and configured to consistently illuminate the plurality of keys from underneath the plurality of keytops.

18. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer includes one or more of a plurality of keytops, a plurality of keypress mechanisms, or a plurality of keypress sensors.

19. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer is positioned within the keyboard assembly above a backplate configured to support the keyboard assembly and to which one or more layers of the keyboard assembly is attached.

20. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, further comprising one or more conductive traces disposed on the multi-functional layer and electrically linking the plurality of light-generating sources to a power source.

21. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer comprises a key layer and includes the plurality of keytops, the plurality of light-generating sources being deposited onto an underside of the keytops to illuminate the plurality of keys.

22. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer comprises a key mechanics layer and includes the plurality of keypress mechanisms, the keypress mechanisms each configured to mechanically interact with a keytop of the plurality of keytops and to provide a keypress action of the keytop.

23. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer comprises a key mechanics layer and includes a plurality of resist-and-return structures and leveling structures configured to mechanically interact with the plurality of keytops and to provide a keypress action for the plurality of keytops, the plurality of light-generating sources deposited onto or within the resist-and-return structures and/or the leveling structures.

24. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer comprises a sensor layer and includes a plurality of keypress sensors, the keypress sensors each configured to detect a keypress of a key of the plurality of keys and to indicate the keypress to a keyboard controller, the keypress sensors including at least one of a conductive keyswitch sensor, a capacitive sensor, or an electrically resistive sensor.

25. The backlighting apparatus of claim 17, wherein the multi-functional layer is configured to replace a sensor layer of an existing keyboard assembly and to provide keypress detection and key illumination to the existing keyboard assembly.