IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,977,250
Granted Patent B2
US 11,977,250 · App. 18/128,235 · Granted May 7, 2024

Lighting keyboard, backlight module and lighting substrate

Inventors: Ying-Lan Liu (Taoyuan, TW); Hsin-Cheng Ho (Taoyuan, TW); Heng-Yi Huang (Taoyuan, TW)
Assignee: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
G02B6/0051
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,977,250
App. No.
18/128,235
Granted
May 7, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A lighting keyboard includes a backlight module and at least one keyswitch. The backlight module includes a lighting substrate and a protruding structure. The lighting substrate includes two non-intersecting traces and a light emitting unit. The light emitting unit is connected between the two non-intersecting traces. A position of the protruding structure corresponds to a position of the light emitting unit and the protruding structure is located between the two non-intersecting traces. The at least one keyswitch is disposed on the backlight module.

Claims (17)

1. A lighting keyboard comprising:

a backlight module comprising a lighting substrate and a protruding structure, the lighting substrate comprising two non-intersecting traces and a light emitting unit, the light emitting unit being connected between the two non-intersecting traces, a position of the protruding structure corresponding to a position of the light emitting unit, the protruding structure being located between the two non-intersecting traces, wherein the lighting substrate further comprises a first reflective layer and two inner micro-structure regions, the two inner micro-structure regions are located between the two non-intersecting traces, the first reflective layer is overlapped with the two non-intersecting traces, and the two inner micro-structure regions are formed on the first reflective layer;

at least one keyswitch disposed on the backlight module; and

a support plate, configured between the at least one keyswitch and the backlight module, wherein the support plate has a support frame, at least one hole and a plurality of ribs defining the at least one hole within the support frame, and the two inner micro-structure regions at least partially overlap with at least one of projections of the at least one hole, the plurality of ribs and the support frame.

2. The lighting keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the protruding structure is located between the two inner micro-structure regions.

3. The lighting keyboard of claim 2 , wherein the lighting substrate further comprises two outer micro-structure regions located beyond the two non-intersecting traces, the at least one keyswitch comprises a support plate, the support plate has a surrounding rib, a plurality of bridge ribs and a support frame, the plurality of bridge ribs connect the surrounding rib and the support frame, and the two outer micro-structure regions at least partially overlap with at least one of projections of the surrounding rib, the plurality of bridge ribs and the support frame.

4. The lighting keyboard of claim 3 , wherein the at least one keyswitch comprises a keycap, the keycap is disposed with respect to the support plate, the keycap has at least one outer outlet, and the two non-intersecting traces overlap with a projection of at least one of the at least one outer outlet.

5. The lighting keyboard of claim 4 , wherein the two non-intersecting traces overlap with at least one of projections of the surrounding rib, the plurality of bridge ribs and the support frame.

6. The lighting keyboard of claim 4 , wherein the backlight module further comprises a light guide panel and a shielding sheet, the light guide panel is disposed on the lighting substrate, the shielding sheet is disposed on the light guide panel, the shielding sheet comprises a mask layer and a second reflective layer, the mask layer and the second reflective layer are stacked with each other, and the two non-intersecting traces overlap with at least one of projections of the mask layer and the second reflective layer.

7. The lighting keyboard of claim 2 , wherein the at least one hole comprises an inner hole, the plurality of ribs comprises a surrounding rib and a plurality of bridge ribs, the surrounding rib surrounds the inner hole, the plurality of bridge ribs connect the surrounding rib and the support frame, and the two inner micro-structure regions at least partially overlap with at least one of projections of the inner hole, the surrounding rib, the plurality of bridge ribs and the support frame.

8. The lighting keyboard of claim 2 , wherein the two inner micro-structure regions at least partially overlap with a projection of a gap between any two adjacent keyswitches of the at least one keyswitch.

9. The lighting keyboard of claim 2 , wherein the lighting substrate further comprises two outer micro-structure regions, the two outer micro-structure regions are located beyond the two non-intersecting traces, and patterns of the two inner micro-structure regions are different from patterns of the two outer micro-structure regions.

10. The lighting keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the protruding structure is formed on the lighting substrate and the protruding structure forms a notch for accommodating the light emitting unit.

11. The lighting keyboard of claim 10 , wherein the backlight module further comprises a light guide panel disposed on the lighting substrate, the light guide panel has a light guide hole, the light emitting unit is located in the light guide hole, and an upper surface of the light emitting unit is flush with or lower than an upper surface of the light guide panel and higher than a lower surface of the light guide panel.

12. The lighting keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the backlight module further comprises a light guide panel and a shielding sheet, the light guide panel is disposed on the lighting substrate, the shielding sheet is disposed on the light guide panel, the protruding structure is formed on the shielding sheet, and the light emitting unit is located below the protruding structure.

13. The lighting keyboard of claim 12 , wherein the light guide panel has a light guide hole, the light emitting unit is located in the light guide hole, and an upper surface of the light emitting unit is flush with or lower than an upper surface of the light guide panel or a lower surface of the shielding sheet.

14. The lighting keyboard of claim 1 , wherein the at least one keyswitch comprises a keycap, the keycap has at least one opaque area, and the two non-intersecting traces overlap with a projection of the at least one opaque area.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2023
From: LIU, YING-LAN; HO, HSIN-CHENG; HUANG, HENG-YI
To: DARFON ELECTRONICS CORP.
Reel/Frame 063158/0642 →
Priority Claims (2)
TW 111113486 · Apr 8, 2022 · national
TW 112108658 · Mar 9, 2023 · national
Continuity (5)
Provisional Application 63430675 · Dec 7, 2022
Provisional Application 63378261 · Oct 4, 2022
Provisional Application 63368272 · Jul 13, 2022
Provisional Application 63325623 · Mar 31, 2022
Related Publication 20230314691A1 · Oct 5, 2023
Cited By (2)
US 12,259,574 US 12,624,810