Piano-style keypad employing a light guide
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A keypad for a handheld electronic device that comprises a light source, the keypad comprising:
- a key sheet comprising a base and a number of key bodies, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed on the base and being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the key body in the actuated position being structured to complete a circuit of the handheld electronic device, at least a portion of the key sheet being translucent; and
a light guide comprising a frame and a number of supports, at least some of the supports extending in a common direction from the frame, at least a portion of the frame being disposed adjacent at least a portion of the base, at least some of the supports each engaging the base and being structured to resist movement of the base in a direction transverse to the common direction, at least a portion of the light guide being translucent and being structured to transmit light between the light source and the key sheet,wherein the base comprises a web and a leg network, the leg network protruding from the web and being structured to engage a substrate of the handheld electronic device, a portion of the web peripheral to a particular key body being movable between an undeflected position and a deflected position, the portion of the web being in the undeflected position when the particular key body is in the unactuated position, the portion of the web being in the deflected position when the particular key body is in the actuated position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved piano-style keypad comprises a light guide and a key sheet, with the light guide retaining the key sheet on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board of a handheld electronic device. The keypad is advantageously configured to enable key caps of the keypad to be adhered to key bodies of the keypad in a fashion that provides long-term reliability while still providing keys that can readily actuated and that provide tactile feedback that is desirable to the user.
47 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A keypad for a handheld electronic device that comprises a light source, the keypad comprising:
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a key sheet comprising a base and a number of key bodies, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed on the base and being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the key body in the actuated position being structured to complete a circuit of the handheld electronic device, at least a portion of the key sheet being translucent; and a light guide comprising a frame and a number of supports, at least some of the supports extending in a common direction from the frame, at least a portion of the frame being disposed adjacent at least a portion of the base, at least some of the supports each engaging the base and being structured to resist movement of the base in a direction transverse to the common direction, at least a portion of the light guide being translucent and being structured to transmit light between the light source and the key sheet, wherein the base comprises a web and a leg network, the leg network protruding from the web and being structured to engage a substrate of the handheld electronic device, a portion of the web peripheral to a particular key body being movable between an undeflected position and a deflected position, the portion of the web being in the undeflected position when the particular key body is in the unactuated position, the portion of the web being in the deflected position when the particular key body is in the actuated position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A keypad for a handheld electronic device that comprises a light source, the keypad comprising:
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a key sheet comprising a base a number of key bodies, and a number of key caps, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed on the base and being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the key body in the actuated position being structured to complete a circuit of the handheld electronic device, at least some of the key caps each being adhered to a key body, at least a portion of the key sheet being translucent; and a light guide comprising a frame and a number of supports, at least a portion of the light guide overlying at least a portion of the base, at least a portion of the frame being disposed between the base and the key caps, at least a portion of the light guide being translucent and being structured to transmit light between the light source and the key sheet. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A keypad for a handheld electronic device that comprises a light source, the keypad comprising:
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a substrate; a light guide comprising a frame, a number of supports, and a number of retention members, the number of supports and the number of retention members extending in a common direction from the frame, at least some of the retention members each being engaged with the substrate; a key sheet comprising a base and a number of key bodies, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed on the base and being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the key body in the actuated position being structured to complete a circuit of the handheld electronic device, at least a portion of the key sheet being disposed between at least a portion of the light guide and at least a portion of the substrate, at least some of the supports each engaging the base and being structured to resist movement of the base in a direction transverse to the common direction, at least a portion of the key sheet being translucent; and at least a portion of the light guide being translucent and being structured to transmit light between the light source and the key sheet. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification