Key surface lighting

• US 10,068,727 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Ray L., Proie, Jr., Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Guharay, Karabi
• Application Number:
  US14/817,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20170040127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,127 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2205/004 fixed to substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/004 Collapsible dome or bubble
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/037 using organic materials, e.g. organic LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/046 above switch site
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser

Abstract

An illuminator may be coupled to the key cap of a key. The key cap may include a portion that is operable to be illuminated and one or more illuminators may be coupled thereto. In particular embodiments, keys may include power delivery systems that are operable to wirelessly transmit power from a power source to illuminators. Such power delivery systems can include inductive transmitters and/or receivers, ultrasonic transmitters and/or receivers, laser diodes and photodiodes, electrodes that capacitively couple to wirelessly transfer power, and so on. In various embodiments, keys may include interconnects that connect an illuminator with a power source. The interconnect may be a flexible material that includes one or more traces and is configured with a shape that bends and twists to allow movement without stretching. The interconnect may also be part of a movement or support mechanism of a key.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

a number of keys coupled to the printed circuit board, each key comprising;

an actuator;

a movement mechanism coupled to the actuator that biases the actuator towards an un-depressed position and allows movement of the actuator towards a depressed position to activate the respective key;

a light emitting diode coupled to the actuator; and

a power receiver coupled to the light emitting diode that is operable to provide power wirelessly received from the printed circuit board to the light emitting diode.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the power receiver comprises at least one of an inductive receiver, an ultrasonic receiver, a photodiode, or a first electrode that wirelessly receives power by capacitively coupling to a second electrode.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein:

the actuator includes a first region that is operable to be illuminated and a second region that is not operable to be illuminated; and

the light emitting diode is coupled to the first region.

4. The keyboard of claim 3, wherein the light emitting diode comprises multiple light emitting diodes coupled to the first region.

5. A key stack, comprising:

a substrate having a switch and a power conduit;

a key cap disposed above the switch;

a support mechanism moveably coupling the key cap to the substrate and configured to move the key cap into a depressed position to actuate the switch;

an illuminator coupled to the key cap; and

a power delivery system operable to wirelessly transmit power from the power conduit to the illuminator.

6. The key stack of claim 5, wherein the power delivery system comprises an inductive receiver coupled to the illuminator and operable to inductively receive power from an inductive transmitter.

7. The key stack of claim 5, wherein the power delivery system comprises a first electrode coupled to the illuminator and operable to capacitively couple to a second electrode to wirelessly receive power from the second electrode.

8. The key stack of claim 5, wherein the power delivery system comprises an ultrasonic receiver coupled to the illuminator and operable to convert an ultrasonic signal received from an ultrasonic transmitter into power for the illuminator.

9. The key stack of claim 5, wherein the power delivery system comprises a photodiode coupled to the illuminator and configured to convert light received from a laser diode into power for the illuminator.

10. The key stack of claim 5, further comprising a storage capacitor coupled to the illuminator that is operable to store power received from the power delivery system and provide stored power to the illuminator.

11. The key stack of claim 5, wherein the illuminator is at least one of:

coupled to a surface of the key cap;

or

embedded at least partially within the key cap.

12. The key stack of claim 5, wherein the illuminator is at least one of a light emitting diode or an organic light emitting diode.

13. A key stack, comprising:

a key cap;

a support mechanism coupled to the key cap that allows movement of the key cap and comprises a fabric web having an underside to which the key cap is bonded;

an illuminator coupled to the key cap; and

a conductive interconnect in or on the fabric web;

wherein;

the conductive interconnect is coupled to the illuminator and a power source that provides power from the power source to the illuminator.

14. The key stack of claim 13, wherein the conductive interconnect comprises a conductive trace.

15. The key stack of claim 13, wherein the conductive interconnect comprises a trace formed on the fabric web.

16. The key stack of claim 13, wherein:

the key cap includes a transparent region and an opaque region; and

the illuminator is coupled to the transparent region.

17. The key stack of claim 13, wherein the fabric web comprises an embossed area bounded by a set of bends, and the key cap is bonded to the embossed area.