Keycaps having reduced thickness

• US 10,804,051 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2019
• Issued: 10/13/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leong, Craig C., Jue, Derrick T., Kwan, Hilbert T., Hendren, Keith J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jiminez, Anthony R
• Application Number:
  US16/283,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20190214201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 200 5 R
• 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 13/023 Light-emitting indicators for multi-layer switches H01H13/83
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/04 Cases; Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/704 characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure H01H13/703 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/03 in transparent keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/048 Constituting key
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/056 Diffuser; Uneven surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/038 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/036 Minimise height

Abstract

An illuminated glass keycap having a glyph diffuser layer that may diffuse light through a glyph window opened in a background layer. The background layer may be opaque and the glyph window may be transparent. The keycap is adhered to a scissor mechanism positioned above electrical switch circuitry. Included within, below, or adjacent to the scissor mechanism may be one or more light sources positioned to emit light through the keycap, around the perimeter of the keycap, and/or through the background layer.

Claims

1. A keyboard for a laptop computer, the keyboard comprising:

a key comprising;

a keycap comprising an at least partially transparent material, the at least partially transparent material having a bottom surface;

a background ink layer disposed on the bottom surface of the at least partially transparent material and defining a glyph window having a side surface, the background ink layer comprising a bottom surface and a top surface; and

a glyph diffuser contacting the side surface of the glyph window between the top surface and the bottom surface of the background ink layer and having a bottom surface coplanar with the bottom surface of the background ink layer;

a substrate positioned below the key;

a switch positioned between the substrate and the key;

a support mechanism configured to support the key while the key is depressed by a user relative to the substrate.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the background ink layer comprises a top surface and the glyph diffuser comprises a top surface, the top surface of the glyph diffuser being coplanar with the top surface of the background ink layer.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the glyph diffuser fills an entire volume of the glyph window.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the glyph diffuser is parallel to a bottom surface of the keycap.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the glyph diffuser is parallel to a top surface of the keycap.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keycap comprises a concave top surface.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the background ink layer is opaque and the glyph diffuser is at least partially transparent.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, further comprising a receiving pad attached to the glyph diffuser and coupled with the support mechanism.

9. The keyboard of claim 8, wherein the receiving pad is configured to contact the switch when the key is depressed by the user.

10. The keyboard of claim 8, wherein the receiving pad is separated from the switch by an air gap.

11. A method of manufacturing a keycap, the method comprising:

depositing a background ink layer on a bottom surface of the keycap, the keycap comprising an at least partially transparent material;

creating a glyph aperture through the background ink layer, the glyph aperture having a lateral width, wherein the keycap is at least partially exposed through the background ink layer;

depositing a glyph diffuser material into the glyph aperture between a top surface of the background ink layer and a bottom surface of the background ink layer and filling the lateral width of the glyph aperture;

planing the glyph diffuser material such that a bottom surface of the glyph diffuser material is coplanar with the bottom surface of the background ink layer.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the glyph diffuser material is deposited into the glyph aperture under vacuum conditions.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein negative pressure pulls the glyph diffuser material into the glyph aperture.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the glyph diffuser material fills an entire volume of the glyph aperture.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein planing the glyph diffuser material comprises removing glyph diffuser material located below the bottom surface of the background ink layer.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming a top surface of the glyph diffuser material to be coplanar with the bottom surface of the keycap.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching a receiving pad to the glyph diffuser material or to the background ink layer.

18. A keycap for a keyboard of an electronic device, the keycap comprising:

a transparent body having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being at least partially concave;

a background layer formed on the bottom surface of the transparent body, the background layer defining a glyph shape;

a diffuser layer configured to distribute light through the background layer or the glyph shape, the diffuser layer being positioned on an underside of the background layer and abutting sides of the glyph shape of the background layer, the diffuser layer being configured to link the background layer to a key support mechanism.

19. The keycap of claim 18, wherein the transparent body comprises a glass or sapphire material.

20. The keycap of claim 18, wherein the transparent body includes a beveled edge.