Keypad device with light source and reflector
View Patent ↗A device is disclosed having a keypad and an adjacent light guide with at least one light source. At least one reflector is provided, having at least an area thereof adjacent to the light source. At least a portion of the reflector is located either between the light source and the keypad or between the light guide and the keypad.
1. A device comprising:
a housing defining an interior of the device within the housing and an exterior of the device outside of the housing;
a keypad comprising a first surface facing the exterior of the device, and an oppositely-disposed second surface facing the interior of said device;
a first light source having a top surface and a side surface;
a second light source having a top surface and a side surface;
a light guide comprising a plurality of light areas including a first light area and a second light area, the first light source disposed adjacent to the first light area and the second light source disposed adjacent to the second light area, wherein the light guide comprises a light guide first surface positioned adjacent the keypad second surface, an oppositely-disposed light guide second surface and at least one light guide edge surface connecting the light guide first surface and the light guide second surface, wherein the side surface of the first light source is positioned adjacent to the at least one light guide edge surface, and wherein the side surface of the second light source is positioned adjacent to the at least one light guide edge surface;
and
at least one reflector having a stepped portion that facilitates reflection and absorption of light, the at least one reflector comprising a first
top flange portion, a second top flange portion, and a bottom flange portion connecting the first top flange portion and the second top flange portion, wherein the first top flange portion is located between the top surface of the first light source and the second surface of the keypad, and wherein the second top flange portion is located between the top surface of the second light source and the second surface of the keypad.
2. The device of claim 1 and further wherein:
the bottom flange portion is located between the first surface of the light guide and the second surface of the keypad.
3. The device of claim 2 and further wherein:
the first top flange portion comprises a substantially planar first surface;
the bottom flange portion comprises a substantially planar second surface; and
the substantially planar first surface of the first top flange portion is substantially parallel to the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
4. The device of claim 3 and further wherein:
the first top flange portion is connected to the bottom flange portion by a wall portion;
the wall portion comprises a substantially planar third surface; and
the substantially planar third surface of the wall portion is transverse to the substantially planar first surface of the first top flange portion and the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
5. The device of claim 4 and further wherein:
the substantially planar third surface of the wall portion is perpendicular to the substantially planar first surface of the first top flange portion and the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
6. The device of claim 1 and further wherein:
the at least one light guide edge surface defines a distance extending between the light guide first surface and the light guide second surface;
the first light source has a height; and
the height of the first light source is greater than the distance extending between the light guide first surface and the light guide second surface.
7. The device of claim 1 and further wherein:
the first top flange portion has a first surface facing the first light source and an oppositely-disposed second surface facing the keypad;
the at least one reflector is formed as a one-piece structure from a white plastic material;
the first surface of the first top flange portion has a white color; and
the second surface of the first top flange portion has a black color.
8. A device comprising:
a housing defining an interior of the device within the housing and an exterior of the device outside of the housing;
a keypad comprising a first surface facing the exterior of said device, and an oppositely-disposed second surface facing the interior of the device;
a first light source having a top surface and a side surface;
a second light source having a top surface and a side surface;
a light guide comprising a plurality of light areas including a first light area and a second light area, the first light source disposed adjacent to the first light area and the second light source disposed adjacent to the second light area, wherein the light guide comprises a light guide first surface positioned adjacent the keypad second surface, an oppositely-disposed light guide second surface and at least one light guide edge surface connecting the light guide first surface and the light guide second surface, wherein the side surface of the first light source is positioned adjacent to the at least one light guide edge surface, and wherein the side surface of the second light source is positioned adjacent to the at least one light guide edge surface;
and
at least one reflector having stepped portion that facilitates reflection and absorption of light, the at least one reflector comprising a first
top flange portion, a second top flange portion, and a bottom flange portion connecting the first top flange portion and the second top flange portion, wherein the bottom flange portion is located between the first surface of the light guide and the second surface of the keypad.
9. The device of claim 8 and further wherein:
the first
top flange portion is located between the top surface of the first light source and the second surface of the keypad; and
the second top flange portion is located between the top surface of the second light source and the second surface of the keypad.
10. The device of claim 9 and further wherein:
the first top flange portion comprises a substantially planar first surface;
the bottom flange portion comprises a substantially planar second surface; and
the substantially planar first surface of the first top flange portion is substantially parallel to the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
11. The device of claim 10 and further wherein:
the first top flange portion is connected to the bottom flange portion by a first wall portion;
the first wall portion comprises a substantially planar third surface; and
the substantially planar third surface of the first wall portion is transverse to the substantially planar first surface of the first top flange portion and the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
12. The device of claim 11 and further wherein:
the substantially planar third surface of the first wall portion is perpendicular to the substantially planar first surface of the first top flange portion and the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
13. The device of claim 11 and further wherein:
the second top flange portion is connected to the bottom flange portion by a second wall portion;
the second wall portion comprises a substantially planar fourth surface; and
the substantially planar fourth surface of the second wall portion is transverse to a substantially planar fifth surface of the second top flange portion and the substantially planar second surface of the bottom flange portion.
14. The device of claim 8 and further wherein:
the at least one light guide edge surface defines a distance extending between the light guide first surface and the light guide second surface;
the first light source has a height; and
the height of the first light source is greater than the distance extending between the light guide first surface and the light guide second surface.
15. The device of claim 8 and further wherein:
the first top flange portion has a first surface facing the first light source and an oppositely-disposed second surface facing the keypad;
the first surface of the first top flange portion has a white color; and
the second surface of the first top flange portion has a black color.
16. An electronic device comprising:
a keypad comprising a top surface and a bottom surface;
a light guide comprising a plurality of light areas, and at least one light supply disposed adjacent at least one of the plurality of light areas, wherein the light guide comprising a top surface, a bottom surface, and at least one edge surface connecting the top surface of the light guide and the bottom surface of the light guide, the top surface of the light guide positioned adjacent the bottom surface of the keypad; the light guide further comprising the at least one aperture for receiving the at least one light supply;
the at least one light supply comprising a first light source and a second light source, wherein the first light source comprises a top surface and at least one side surface positioned adjacent to the at least one edge surface of the light guide, and wherein the second light source comprises a top surface and at least one side surface positioned adjacent to the at least one edge surface of the light guide; and
at least one reflector having a stepped portion comprising a first surface and a second surface, the at least one reflector comprising a first reflector end and a second reflector end, wherein the first surface of the at least one reflector is configured to facilitate light reflection and the second surface of the at least one reflector is configured to facilitate light absorption, wherein the first reflector end of the at least one reflector comprises a first top flange portion and a second top flange portion, wherein the first top flange portion is positioned between the top surface of the first light source and the bottom surface of the keypad with the first surface of the at least one reflector facing the top surface of the light source, wherein the second reflector end of the at least one reflector is positioned between the top surface of the light guide and the bottom surface of the keypad with the first surface of the at least one reflector facing the top surface of the light guide, and wherein the second reflector end connects the first top flange portion with the second top flange portion.
17. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the first surface of the at least one reflector comprises a substantially white color.
18. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the second surface of the at least one reflector comprises a substantially black color.
19. The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the bottom surface of the keypad comprises beveled indentations corresponding to transparent key button icons on the keypad.