IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,199,187
Granted Patent B2
US 10,199,187 · App. 15/609,972 · Granted Feb 5, 2019

Luminous keyboard

Inventors: Ming-Fu Yen (New Taipei, TW); Chen-Yu Tsai (New Taipei, TW)
Assignees: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED; LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
H01H13/83G02B6/009G02B6/0055G02B6/0078H01H2219/06H01H2219/062
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,199,187
App. No.
15/609,972
Granted
Feb 5, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A luminous keyboard comprises a key assembly, a thin-film switch circuit board assembly, a base plate and a light guide plate. The key assembly is disposed on the thin-film switch circuit board assembly. The thin-film switch circuit board assembly is disposed on the base plate. The base plate is disposed on the light guide plate. The base plate and the light guide plate together form an aperture structure. The thin-film switch circuit board assembly includes a thin-film switch circuit board and a light-emitting unit. The thin-film switch circuit board forms a protrusion protruding toward the aperture structure. The light-emitting unit is disposed at the bottom surface of the protrusion and extends downward such that a lower end of the light-emitting unit is lower than a lower surface of the base plate so that the light-emitting unit emits light into the light guide plate directly.

Claims (22)

1. A luminous keyboard comprising:

a key assembly, a thin-film switch circuit board assembly, a base plate and a light guide plate, the key assembly being disposed on the thin-film switch circuit board assembly, the thin-film switch circuit board assembly being disposed on the base plate, and the base plate being disposed on the light guide plate;

wherein the base plate and the light guide plate together form at least one aperture structure passing through the base plate and the light guide plate, the thin-film switch circuit board assembly including a thin-film switch circuit board and a light-emitting diode, the thin-film switch circuit board including a protrusion that protrudes toward the at least one aperture structure, and the light-emitting diode being disposed at a bottom surface of the protrusion and extending downward such that a lower end of the light-emitting diode is lower than a lower surface of the base plate so that the light-emitting diode emits light into the light guide plate directly; and

wherein the protrusion protrudes from a side of the thin-film switch circuit board, and the other side thereof has a recessed portion corresponding to the protrusion so that a cross-sectional thickness of the thin-film switch circuit board is constant.

2. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein a height of the protrusion is smaller than, greater than, or equal to a height of the base plate so that the bottom surface of the protrusion is lower than, higher than, or coplanar with the lower surface of the base plate.

3. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the key assembly includes a plurality of keycaps and a plurality of supporting units, and the plurality of supporting units are disposed between the base plate and the plurality of keycaps to support the plurality of keycaps.

4. The luminous keyboard according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one aperture structure is located between each two adjacent keycaps of the plurality of keycaps.

5. The luminous keyboard according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one aperture structure is located beneath each of the plurality of keycaps.

6. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1 , further comprising a reflection plate disposed beneath the light guide plate and covering the at least one aperture structure.

7. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one aperture structure is in a step-like shape, wherein the at least one aperture structure includes a first aperture having a first diameter and a second aperture having a second diameter, and the first aperture is formed through the base plate and the second aperture is formed through the light guide plate.

8. The luminous keyboard according to claim 7 , wherein a width of the bottom surface of the protrusion is greater than a width of the light-emitting diode, the width of the bottom surface of the protrusion is smaller than the first diameter of the first aperture, and the width of the light-emitting diode is smaller than the second diameter of the second aperture.

9. A luminous keyboard comprising:

a key assembly, a thin-film switch circuit board assembly, a base plate and a light guide plate, the key assembly being disposed on the thin-film switch circuit board assembly, the thin-film switch circuit board assembly being disposed on the base plate, and the base plate being disposed on the light guide plate;

wherein the base plate and the light guide plate together form at least one aperture structure passing through the base plate and the light guide plate, the thin-film switch circuit board assembly including a thin-film switch circuit board and a light-emitting unit, the thin-film switch circuit board including a protrusion that protrudes toward the at least one aperture structure, and the light-emitting unit being disposed at a bottom surface of the protrusion and extending downward such that a lower end of the light-emitting unit is lower than a lower surface of the base plate so that the light-emitting unit emits light into the light guide plate directly;

wherein the protrusion protrudes from a side of the thin-film switch circuit board, and the other side thereof has a recessed portion corresponding to the protrusion so that a cross-sectional thickness of the thin-film switch circuit board is constant.

10. The luminous keyboard according to claim 9 , wherein a height of the protrusion is smaller than, greater than, or equal to a height of the base plate so that the bottom surface of the protrusion is lower than, higher than, or coplanar with the lower surface of the base plate.

11. The luminous keyboard according to claim 9 , wherein the key assembly includes a plurality of keycaps and a plurality of supporting units, and the plurality of supporting units are disposed between the base plate and the plurality of keycaps to support the plurality of keycaps.

12. The luminous keyboard according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one aperture structure is located between each two adjacent keycaps of the plurality of keycaps.

13. The luminous keyboard according to claim 11 , wherein the at least one aperture structure is located beneath each of the plurality of keycaps.

14. The luminous keyboard according to claim 9 , further comprising a reflection plate disposed beneath the light guide plate and covering the at least one aperture structure.

15. The luminous keyboard according to claim 9 , wherein the at least one aperture structure is in a step-like shape, wherein the at least one aperture structure includes a first aperture having a first diameter and a second aperture having a second diameter, and the first aperture is formed through the base plate and the second aperture is formed through the light guide plate.

16. The luminous keyboard according to claim 15 , wherein a width of the bottom surface of the protrusion is greater than a width of the light-emitting unit, the width of the bottom surface of the protrusion is smaller than the first diameter of the first aperture, and the width of the light-emitting unit is smaller than the second diameter of the second aperture.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 31, 2017
From: YEN, MING-FU; TSAI, CHEN-YU
To: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED; LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 042548/0076 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 2016 1 0971211 · Oct 28, 2016 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20180122597A1 · May 3, 2018