IP Library Granted Patent US 11,257,638
Granted Patent B2
US 11,257,638 · App. 16/930,063 · Granted Feb 22, 2022

Key structure

Inventors: Hsin-Chih Liang (Taipei, TW); Yi-Wen Chen (Taipei, TW)
H01H13/20H01H3/125H01H13/10H01H13/14H01H13/702H01H13/705H01H13/7073H01H13/83H01H2219/06H01H2233/07
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,257,638
App. No.
16/930,063
Granted
Feb 22, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A key structure includes a bottom plate, a keycap, a lifting mechanism, a thin-film switch layer and a backlight module. The bottom plate has a through hole. The lifting mechanism is pivotally connected to the bottom plate and the keycap. The thin-film switch layer has a reflective structure corresponding to the through hole. The backlight module includes a light source and a reflective layer. The light source is configured to emit light towards the reflective structure. The reflective layer is disposed surrounding the light source to reflect a reflected light from the reflective structure to the thin-film switch layer.

Claims (45)

1. A key structure, comprising:

a bottom plate having a through hole;

a keycap;

a lifting mechanism pivotally connected to the bottom plate and the keycap;

a thin-film switch layer having a reflective structure corresponding to the through hole; and

a backlight module, comprising:

a circuit layer;

a light source disposed on the circuit layer and configured to emit light towards the reflective structure; and

a reflective layer disposed surrounding the light source to reflect a reflected light from the reflective structure to the thin-film switch layer;

wherein the through hole and the light source overlap along a lifting direction;

wherein the thin-film switch layer comprises:

a first layer;

a second layer; and

a spacer layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer;

wherein the reflective structure is formed on the first layer or the second layer;

wherein the first layer or the second layer has a hole exposing the reflective structure.

2. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the through hole has an opening area, the reflective structure has a distribution area, and the opening area is greater than the distribution area.

3. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the light source has a light-emitting area, the reflective structure has a distribution area, and the distribution area is greater than the light-emitting area.

4. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective structure is disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

5. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective structure is formed on the spacer layer.

6. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective structure comprises a plurality of reflective portions, and at least two of the reflective portions are connected to each other.

7. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the reflective structure comprises a plurality of reflective portions, a recess is formed between every two adjacent reflective portions, and the reflective portions and the recesses form a concave-convex structure.

8. The key structure according to claim 1 , wherein the light source is within a projection range of the keycap along the lifting direction.

9. A key structure, comprising:

a bottom plate having a through hole;

a keycap;

a lifting mechanism pivotally connected to the bottom plate and the keycap;

a thin-film switch layer having a reflective structure corresponding to the through hole; and

a backlight module, comprising:

a circuit layer;

a light source disposed on the circuit layer and configured to emit light towards the reflective structure; and

a reflective layer disposed surrounding the light source to reflect a reflected light from the reflective structure to the thin-film switch layer;

wherein the through hole and the light source overlap along a lifting direction;

wherein the reflective structure and the light source do not overlap along the lifting direction of the keycap.

10. The key structure according to claim 9 , wherein the thin-film switch layer comprises:

a first layer;

a second layer; and

a spacer layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer;

wherein the reflective structure is formed on the first layer or the second layer.

11. The key structure according to claim 10 , wherein the reflective structure is disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

12. The key structure according to claim 9 , wherein the backlight module further comprises:

a protection layer disposed on the light source and the circuit layer, wherein the reflective layer is disposed on the protection layer or the circuit layer.

13. The key structure according to claim 12 , wherein the key structure further comprises:

a buffer layer disposed between the protection layer and the bottom plate.

14. The key structure according to claim 9 , wherein the light source is within a projection range of the keycap along the lifting direction.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 23, 2020
From: FRACTAL INDUSTRIES, INC.
To: QOMPLX, INC.
Reel/Frame 053569/0516 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2020
From: LIANG, HSIN-CHIH; CHEN, YI-WEN
To: LITE-ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LIMITED; LITE-ON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 053220/0684 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202010566248.X · Jun 19, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62875007 · Jul 17, 2019
Related Publication 20210020393A1 · Jan 21, 2021
Cited By (12)
US 12,198,877 US 12,253,706 US 12,259,574 US 12,293,883 US 12,315,686 US 12,321,004 US 12,354,815 US 12,562,327 US 12,586,741 US 12,596,223 US 12,650,551 US 12,665,146