Keyboard
A keyboard includes a circuit board having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, and a plurality of cut-out portions, a plurality of key modules positioned on the upper surface and over the plurality of cut-out portions, and a plurality of light sources installed on the lower surface of the circuit board, wherein at least a portion of at least one light source is positioned in a corresponding cut-out portion. Each light source includes a light emitting portion coupled to the second circuit layer. At least some of the light emitting portion is disposed in the cut-out portion beneath and bounded by the key module.
1. A keyboard, comprising:
a circuit board having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite to the upper surface, a plurality of locking slots in said circuit board, and a plurality of cut-out portions in said circuit board, wherein
each locking slot of the plurality of locking slots is located laterally adjacent a corresponding cut-out portion of the plurality of cut-out portions in the same circuit board, and
each locking slot is laterally separated from the corresponding cut-out portion by a portion of the circuit board in which the locking slot and the corresponding cut-out portion are located;
a plurality of key modules positioned on the upper surface and over the plurality of cut-out portions, wherein at least a portion of each key module is received in a corresponding locking slot of the circuit board; and
a plurality of light sources installed on the lower surface of the circuit board, wherein at least a portion of at least one light source is positioned in a corresponding cut-out portion.
2. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of locking slots and the plurality of cut-out portions are coplanar.
3. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein each light source includes a light emitting portion and a connector for connecting the light source to the circuit board.
4. The keyboard of claim 3 , wherein the light emitting portion of the at least one light source is substantially flush with the upper surface of the circuit board.
5. The keyboard of claim 3 , wherein the light emitting portion of the at least one light source protrudes from the upper surface of the circuit board.
6. The keyboard of claim 3 , wherein the light emitting portion of the at least one light source is displaced from the upper surface inside the cut-out portion.
7. The keyboard of claim 3 , wherein each light source is positioned beneath and bounded by a corresponding key module, and the connector is coupled to the lower surface of the circuit board.
8. The keyboard of claim 3 , wherein the upper surface of the circuit board includes a first circuit layer and the lower surface of the circuit board includes a second circuit layer, and the connector is coupled to the second circuit layer.
9. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein each key module is positioned above and at least bounds the corresponding cut-out portion.
10. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein
each key module includes a key cap disposed on a key seat, and
the key seat includes a base having a locking portion at a bottom end thereof and received in the corresponding locking slot, and an actuator at a top end thereof and received in the base.
11. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of light sources are presented in a direction from the lower surface of the circuit board to the upper surface of the circuit board.
12. The keyboard of claim 1 , wherein each locking slot and the corresponding cut-out portion adjacent thereto are separate and distinct openings in the circuit board.
13. The keyboard of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing including,
a base plate,
a casing arranged on the base plate and at least practical surrounding the circuit board, the base plate and casing configured to support the circuit board, and
a positioning rack arranged over the circuit board, wherein the positioning rack includes a plurality of openings, and at least one opening of the plurality of openings includes positioned therein a key module of the plurality of key modules.
14. A keyboard, comprising:
a circuit board having an upper surface, a lower surface opposite the upper surface, a plurality of locking slots in said circuit board, a plurality of cut-out portions in said circuit board, wherein
each locking slot of the plurality of locking slots is located laterally adjacent a corresponding cut-out portion of the plurality of cut-out portions in the same circuit board,
each locking slot is laterally separated from the corresponding cut-out portion by a portion of the circuit board in which the locking slot and the corresponding cut-out portion are located, and
further wherein a first circuit layer is disposed on the upper surface and a second circuit layer is disposed on the lower surface;
a plurality of key modules installed in the upper surface, each key module positioned over a corresponding cut-out portion and covering the cut-out portion entirely, and at least a portion of each key module received in a corresponding locking slot of the circuit board; and
a plurality of light sources, each light source installed on the lower surface and in a corresponding cut-out portion, wherein
each light source includes a light emitting portion and a connector connecting the light source to the second circuit layer, and
at least some of the light emitting portion is disposed in the cut-out portion and is positioned beneath and bounded by the key module.
15. The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of locking slots and the plurality of cut-out portions are coplanar.
16. The keyboard of claim 14 , further comprising:
a housing including,
a base plate,
a casing arranged on the base plate and at least practical surrounding the circuit board, the base plate and casing configured to support the circuit board, and
a positioning rack arranged over the circuit board, wherein the positioning rack includes a plurality of openings, and at least one opening of the plurality of openings includes positioned therein a key module of the plurality of key modules.
17. The keyboard of claim 16 , further comprising:
each key module includes a key cap disposed on a key seat, and
the key seat includes a base having a locking portion at a bottom end thereof and received in a corresponding locking slot, and an actuator at a top end thereof and received in the base.
18. The keyboard of claim 17 , wherein the key seat includes a light transmitting material.
19. The keyboard of claim 17 , wherein each opening of the plurality of openings includes the key seat of a corresponding key module disposed therein.
20. The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the light emitting portion is substantially flush with the upper surface of the circuit board.
21. The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the light emitting portion protrudes from the upper surface of the circuit board.
22. The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the light emitting portion is displaced from the upper surface inside the cut-out portion.
23. The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of light sources are presented in a direction from the lower surface of the circuit board to the upper surface of the circuit board.
24. The keyboard of claim 14 , wherein each locking slot and the corresponding cut-out portion adjacent thereto are separate and distinct openings in the circuit board.