Keyboards containing recycled and renewable polymer compositions

Abstract

A keyboard is described, having a total recycled and renewable content of equal to or greater than 35% by weight, based on the total weight of the keyboard. The keyboard comprises: a keycap comprising a mechanically recycled polycarbonate polymer or a chemically recycled cellulose-based polymer; a pair of cross arms forming a scissor-like structure comprising a polymer composition comprising 60% to 100% by weight of a polyoxymethylene polymer and 0% to 40% by weight of a filler comprising glass; and a backlight module comprising a polycarbonate polymer from a renewable source or a chemically recycled polyester polymer.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. non-provisional patent application serial number 17 / 083,143, filed on October 28, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background of the Invention

[0004] A. Field of the Invention

[0005] The present invention relates generally to computer keyboards. In particular, the present invention relates to sustainable keyboards containing compositions having high recycled and / or renewable content while having good mechanical properties.

[0006] B. Related technical description

[0007] Plastics are used in electronic and electrical device parts, such as keyboards, because of their light weight and good mechanical properties. However, some commonly used plastics (e.g., certain polycarbonates, polyesters, acetals, etc.) are not as biodegradable as other plastics and, if not recycled, can create environmental problems (e.g., landfill contamination, increased use of natural resources and energy, etc.). Therefore, efforts have been made to increase the recycled content in various articles (such as keyboards) that use plastics (e.g., polycarbonate, polyester and / or acetal-based plastics).

[0008] Traditional recycling methods include mechanical recycling. Mechanical recycling generally includes collecting used products or fragments with target polymers (e.g., plastics based on polycarbonate, polyester and / or acetal), optionally washing the used products or fragments, melting the used products or fragments into raw materials with target polymers, and reusing the raw materials to produce new products. The problem with mechanical recycling is that the mechanical properties (e.g., tensile strength, tensile modulus, etc.) of recycled plastics (e.g., plastics based on polycarbonate, polyester and / or acetal) will decrease. This decrease in mechanical properties may be caused by the mechanical recycling process (e.g., the input of energy during the melting process can cause polymer chain rupture and result in weaker polymers). Therefore, the mechanical properties of the product will decrease (e.g., ductility decreases) as the amount of mechanically recycled polymers increases. This will significantly limit the amount of recycled materials that can be used for products such as keyboards.

[0009] Typical solutions to counteract the reduction in mechanical properties of mechanically recycled polymers are to use additives and introduce other materials into the polymer composition. Such solutions increase the costs associated with the polymer composition, reduce the sustainability of the polymer composition, and / or introduce harsh or environmentally unfriendly materials into the polymer composition. Summary of the invention

[0010] A discovery has been made that provides a solution to at least one or more of the aforementioned problems. In one aspect of the invention, the solution may include supplementing the mechanically recycled polymers (e.g., mechanically recycled polycarbonates, polyesters, and / or acetals) in the keyboard with polymers obtained by other recycling methods and / or components made from renewable sources. In particular, it has been discovered that a keyboard having the following can have good mechanical properties (such as wear resistance), good optical properties, and high recycled and renewable content: i) a keycap containing post-consumer mechanically recycled polycarbonate polymers or chemically recycled and / or renewable sourced cellulose-based polymers, ii) a scissor-like structure containing chemically recycled and / or renewable sourced polyoxymethylene polymers, and iii) a backlight module containing renewable sourced polycarbonate or chemically recycled polyester polymers. Thus, the keyboard assembly of the present invention can be a more sustainable choice compared to conventional keyboard assemblies in at least two aspects: (1) using renewable raw materials and / or chemically recycled materials to produce plastics that can be used in the keyboard assembly, and / or (2) using mechanically recycled materials in the keyboard assembly. This overall increase in renewable content can be achieved without compromising the mechanical properties of the polymer resin material used to make the keyboard assembly of the present invention and / or the mechanical properties of the keyboard assembly of the present invention produced.

[0011] One aspect of the present invention relates to a computer keyboard, such as a desktop or laptop computer keyboard. The keyboard may contain: a keycap; a pair of cross arms, the pair of cross arms forming a scissor-like structure connecting the keycap to a base plate; and a backlight module, the backlight module being configured to illuminate when the keycap is depressed. The scissor-like structure may be configured to move the keycap up and down relative to the base plate. The total recycled and renewable content of the keyboard may be at least 35 weight percent, preferably 35 weight percent to 60 weight percent, based on the total weight of the keyboard.

[0012] In some aspects, the keycap may contain a first polycarbonate polymer. At least a portion of the first polycarbonate polymer may be a mechanically recycled polymer, for example, the polycarbonate polymer may be at least partially obtained by mechanical recycling. In some specific aspects, the mechanically recycled content of the first polycarbonate polymer may be 75 wt % to 100 wt %. In some aspects, the first polycarbonate polymer may have: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23°C as measured according to ISO 1183; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2000 MPa to 10000 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527; a tensile strength at break equal to or greater than 45 MPa, preferably 45 MPa to 100 MPa, at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; and / or a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2100 MPa to 10000 MPa at 23°C, as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the recycled content of the first polycarbonate can be 80 wt % to 100 wt %, or 90 wt % to 100 wt %, or 95 wt % to 100 wt %, or 98 wt % to 100 wt %, or 99 wt % to 100 wt %, or about 100 wt %. In some aspects, a portion of the polycarbonate in the keycap can be natural polycarbonate. In some aspects, less than 5 wt %, or less than 2 wt %, or less than 1 wt %, or less than 0.1 wt % of the polycarbonate in the keycap can be natural polycarbonate, or the keycap can be free of, substantially free of, natural polycarbonate.

[0013] In some aspects, the keycap may contain a cellulose-based polymer. At least a first portion of the cellulose-based polymer may be a chemically recycled polymer (e.g., obtained by chemical recycling), and at least a second portion of the cellulose-based polymer may be a cellulose-based polymer of a bio-based renewable source (e.g., obtained from a first bio-based renewable source). In some aspects, the chemically recycled content of the cellulose-based polymer may be 5% to 60% by weight, and the content of the renewable source may be 35% to 65% by weight. In some aspects, the total recycled and renewable content of the cellulose-based polymer may be 95% to 100% by weight. In some aspects, the first portion of the cellulose-based polymer may be obtained by chemical recycling of cellulose-containing textile waste. The first bio-based renewable source may be a plant (e.g., bark, wood, or leaves of a plant, or any combination thereof) and / or bacteria. In some aspects, the cellulose-based polymer may have: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23°C as measured according to ISO 1183; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 1500 MPa, preferably 1800 MPa to 10000 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527; a tensile strength at break equal to or greater than 35 MPa, preferably 35 MPa to 80 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 1500 MPa, preferably 1500 MPa to 10000 MPa at 23°C, as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or any combination thereof.

[0014] The scissor-like structure of the keyboard assembly may contain a polymer composition containing a polyoxymethylene (POM) polymer and a filler optionally containing glass. The POM polymer may be produced by bio-based methanol and / or recycled CO2. In some aspects, the recycled CO2 may be obtained from industrial waste CO2. In some aspects, the total recycled and renewable content of the POM polymer may be 60% to 80% by weight. In some aspects, the filler may contain glass, preferably glass fiber. In some specific aspects, the polymer composition may contain 60% to 100% by weight, or 60% to 95% by weight of the POM polymer, and 0% to 40% by weight, or 5% to 40% by weight of the filler, the filler containing glass, such as glass fiber.

[0015] In some aspects, the backlight module of the keyboard assembly may contain a second polycarbonate polymer. In some aspects, the backlight module may contain one or more light guides and the second polycarbonate polymer may be included in the one or more light guides. The second polycarbonate polymer may be a renewable source polycarbonate polymer produced at least in part from a second bio-based renewable source. The second bio-based renewable source may be tall oil, sugar, castor beans and / or CO2, such as waste CO2. In some specific aspects, the second bio-based renewable source may be tall oil derived from wood pulp. In some aspects, the renewable content of the second polycarbonate may be 75 wt% to 100 wt%. In some aspects, the second polycarbonate polymer may have a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23° C. as measured according to ISO 1183; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2000 MPa to 10000 MPa at 23° C. as measured according to ISO 527; a tensile strength at break equal to or greater than 45 MPa, preferably 45 MPa to 100 MPa at 23° C. as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2100 MPa to 10000 MPa at 23° C. as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the light transmittance of the second polycarbonate constituting the light guide may be equal to or greater than 88% as measured by ASTM D1003-00 at a thickness of 1 mm. In some aspects, the renewable content of the second polycarbonate can be 40 wt% to 100 wt%, or 50 wt% to 100 wt%, or 60 wt% to 100 wt%, or 70 wt% to 100 wt%, or 80 wt% to 100 wt%, or 90 wt% to 100 wt%, or 95 wt% to 100 wt%, or 98 wt% to 100 wt%, or 99 wt% to 100 wt%, or about 100 wt%. In some aspects, a portion of the polycarbonate in the one or more light guides can be non-renewable polycarbonate. In some aspects, less than 5 wt%, or less than 2 wt%, or less than 1 wt%, or less than 0.1 wt% of the polycarbonate in the one or more light guides can be natural polycarbonate, or the light guide can be free of, substantially free of, natural polycarbonate.

[0016] In some aspects, the backlight module of the keyboard assembly may contain a polyester polymer. In some aspects, the backlight module may contain one or more light guides and the polyester polymer may be contained in the one or more light guides. In some aspects, the polyester polymer may be a copolyester, such as an amorphous copolyester. The polyester may be at least partially a chemically recycled polymer obtained, for example, by chemical recycling. The chemically recycled polyester polymer may be obtained or derived from terephthalic acid obtained from chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers, such as post-consumer PET polymers. In some aspects, the recycled content of the polyester polymer may be 85% to 100% by weight. In some aspects, the polyester polymer, such as a chemically recycled amorphous copolyester, may have: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23°C as measured according to ISO 1183; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 1200 MPa, preferably 1200 MPa to 8000 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527; a tensile strength at break equal to or greater than 45 MPa, preferably 45 MPa to 100 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 1200 MPa, preferably 1200 MPa to 8000 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the copolyester comprising the one or more light guides can have a light transmittance equal to or greater than 90% as measured by ASTM D1003-00 at a thickness of 1 mm.

[0017] In some aspects, i) the keycap may contain the first polycarbonate polymer, ii) the scissor-like structure may contain the polymer composition containing the POM polymer and the filler, and iii) the backlight module may contain the second polycarbonate polymer. In some aspects, i) the keycap may contain the cellulose-based polymer, ii) the scissor-like structure may contain the polymer composition containing the POM polymer and the filler, and iii) the backlight module may contain the polyester polymer.

[0018] In some aspects, keyboard components of the present invention, such as keycaps, scissor-like structures and / or backlight modules (such as one or more light guides of a backlight module), may also independently contain one or more additives selected from the following: pigments, plasticizers, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, thermal stabilizers, dye enhancers, lubricants, mold release agents, crystal nucleating agents, flow improvers, antistatic agents, anti-drip agents, or any combination thereof.

[0019] The keyboard assembly of the present invention may contain a plurality of keycaps and a plurality of scissor-like structures, wherein each of the keycaps may be connected to the base plate of the keyboard via the scissor-like structures. Each of the keycaps may have a symbol printed thereon to identify the input associated with a particular key. In operation, the keyboard assembly of the present invention may be configured to receive discrete inputs at each keycap using finger movements commonly referred to as keystrokes. The keystrokes may be converted into electrical signals, which are transmitted to a processing unit of a computer to which the keyboard is connected (via a wired or wireless connection) for evaluation and / or control. The backlight module may be configured to illuminate when one or more of the keycaps are pressed, such as by a keystroke.

[0020] In some aspects, one or more lightguides of the example keyboards of the present invention can have better optical properties, such as a higher light transmittance %, compared to lightguides of a substantially identical reference keyboard having one or more lightguides containing a mechanically recycled polymer, but not a renewably sourced second polycarbonate polymer or a chemically recycled polyester polymer. As used herein, a substantially identical reference keyboard is a keyboard that includes the same components and the same number of components as the example keyboard, except that the reference keyboard does not contain the recited component. Thus, if an example keyboard contains: keycaps containing a first polycarbonate polymer; a scissor-like structure containing a polymer composition containing 80 weight percent POM polymer and 20 weight percent glass fibers; and a backlight module containing a second polycarbonate polymer (e.g., one or more light guides for the backlight module), then a substantially identical reference keyboard will contain: keycaps containing a first polycarbonate polymer; a scissor-like structure containing a polymer composition containing 80 weight percent POM polymer and 20 weight percent glass fibers; and a backlight module containing a mechanically recycled polycarbonate polymer (e.g., one or more light guides for the backlight module), wherein the total recycled and renewable content of the example keyboard is the same as the total recycled content of the reference keyboard. Additionally, if an example keyboard contains: keycaps containing a cellulosic polymer; a scissor-like structure containing a polymer composition containing 80 weight percent POM polymer and 20 weight percent glass fiber; and a backlight module (e.g., one or more light guides of the backlight module) containing a chemically recycled copolyester polymer, then a substantially identical reference keyboard will contain: keycaps containing a first polycarbonate polymer; a scissor-like structure containing a polymer composition containing 80 weight percent POM polymer and 20 weight percent glass fiber; and a backlight module (e.g., one or more light guides of the backlight module) containing a mechanically recycled copolyester polymer, wherein the total recycled and renewable content of the example keyboard is the same as the total recycled content of the reference keyboard.

[0021] On the one hand, it is related to a polymer resin composition, and the polymer resin polymer contains 60% to 95% by weight of POM polymer and 5% to 40% by weight of filler containing glass. The POM can be produced by bio-based methanol and / or recycled CO2, such as CO2 from industrial waste. In some aspects, the total recycling and renewable content of the POM can be 60% to 80% by weight. In some aspects, the filler can contain glass fiber. In some aspects, the polymer composition can also contain one or more additives selected from the following: flame retardants, pigments, plasticizers, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, heat stabilizers, dye enhancers, lubricants, mold release agents, crystal nucleating agents, flow improvers, antistatic agents, anti-dripping agents or any combination thereof. The polymer composition may have any one, any combination, or all of the following properties: a density of 1.45 to 1.75 g / cc at 23°C, as measured according to ISO 1183; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 2740 MPa, preferably 4700 MPa to 15000 MPa, at 23°C, as measured according to ISO 527 at 5 mm / min; a tensile strength at break equal to or greater than 90 MPa, preferably 90 MPa to 200 MPa, at 23°C, as measured according to ASTM D638 at 5 mm / min; a tensile elongation at break equal to or greater than 2.8% at 23°C, as measured according to ASTM D638 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; and a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 2500 MPa, preferably 4000 MPa to 14000 MPa at 23°C, as measured according to ASTM D790 at a test speed of 2 mm / min. In some aspects, the polymer composition may be included in a film, layer or sheet. In some aspects, the polymer composition may be an extrusion molding, blow molding, injection molding, rotational molding, compression molding, 3-D printing and / or thermoforming composition. In some aspects, the polymer composition may be included in an article. In some aspects, the article may be a computer part. In some aspects, the computer part may be a keyboard. In some specific aspects, the article may be a pair of cross arms, and the pair of cross arms form a scissor-like structure configured to connect the keycap to the bottom plate of the keyboard. The polymer resin composition and / or an article containing the polymer resin composition may have a relatively low coefficient of friction and a low wear factor.

[0022] Other embodiments of the present invention are discussed throughout this application. Any embodiment discussed relative to an aspect of the present invention is equally applicable to other aspects of the present invention, and vice versa. Each embodiment described herein should be understood to be an embodiment of the present invention that is applicable to other aspects of the present invention. It is conceivable that any embodiment discussed herein can be realized relative to any method or composition of the present invention, and vice versa. In addition, the composition of the present invention can be used to realize the method of the present invention.

[0023] Included below are definitions of various terms and phrases used throughout this specification.

[0024] As used herein, the recycled content of a material refers to the weight percent of a material obtained from, made from, and / or recovered from waste products. Unless otherwise mentioned, waste products can be post-industrial and post-consumer waste products. Post-consumer waste products of a material may include waste products generated by consumers consuming substrates containing the material. Post-industrial waste products may include waste products generated during the production process of a product that has not yet been used in the consumer market. The recycled content may come from mechanical and / or chemical recycling processes.

[0025] As used herein, the renewable content of a material refers to the weight % obtained from or made from a bio-based renewable material in a material. Unless otherwise mentioned, bio-based materials may include materials from any life form, such as plants, animals, fungi, protists, prokaryotes, microorganisms, algae, bacteria, yeasts and / or molds. Bio-based materials can be obtained from natural or genetically engineered materials. Non-limiting examples of bio-based renewable materials include tall oil, sugar, castor beans and / or CO2, such as waste CO2.

[0026] As used herein, the total recycled and renewable content of a material refers to the weight % of the material obtained from, made from, and / or recycled from waste products, as well as the weight % of the material obtained from or made from bio-based renewable materials. For example, for 100 grams of a material, if 10 grams are obtained from recycled sources and 10 grams are obtained from renewable sources, the total recycled and renewable content of the material is 20 weight %.

[0027] As understood by those of ordinary skill in the art, the term "about" or "approximately" is defined as close to. In a non-limiting embodiment, the term is defined as within 10%, preferably within 5%, more preferably within 1%, and most preferably within 0.5%.

[0028] The terms "wt %, "volume %" or "mole %" refer to the weight percentage of a component, the volume percentage of a component, or the mole percentage of a component, respectively, based on the total weight, total volume, or total number of moles of the material including the component. In a non-limiting example, 10 grams of a component in 100 grams of material is 10 wt % of the component. The term "ppm" refers to parts by weight per million based on the total weight of the material including the component.

[0029] The term "substantially" and variations thereof are defined to include ranges within 10%, within 5%, within 1%, or within 0.5%.

[0030] The terms "inhibit" or "reduce" or "prevent" or "avoid" or any variation of these terms when used in the claims and / or specification include any significant reduction or complete inhibition of achieving the desired result.

[0031] The term "effective," as that term is used in the specification and / or claims, means sufficient to achieve a desired, expected, or intended result.

[0032] The use of the word "a" or "an" when used in conjunction with any of the terms "comprising," "including," "containing," or "having" in the claims or the specification may mean "one," but it is also consistent with the meaning of "one or more," "at least one," and "one or more than one."

[0033] The phrase "and / or" means and, or as or. For illustration, A, B, and / or C includes: A alone, B alone, C alone, a combination of A and B, a combination of A and C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C. In other words, "and / or" functions as an inclusive or.

[0034] The words "comprise" (and any forms of comprising, such as "comprises" and "comprises"), "have" (and any forms of having, such as "have" and "has"), "include" (and any forms of including, such as "includes" and "include"), or "contain" (and any forms of containing, such as "contains" and "contain") are inclusive or open-ended, and do not exclude additional unrecited elements or method steps.

[0035] The keyboard assembly of the present invention may "comprise", "consist essentially of" or "consist of" the specific ingredients, components, compositions, etc. disclosed throughout the specification. In one aspect of the present invention, and with reference to the transition phrase "consist(s) essentially of" or "consisting essentially of", the basic novel characteristics of the present invention may include that the keyboard assembly has (1) high recycled and renewable content and / or (2) good wear resistance and optical properties.

[0036] All publications mentioned herein are incorporated herein by reference to disclose and describe the methods and / or materials to which the publications are cited.

[0037] According to the following specific embodiments and examples, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent. However, it should be understood that the specific embodiments and examples, although indicating specific embodiments of the present invention, are given only by way of illustration and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, it is conceivable that, according to this specific embodiment, changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. In other embodiments, features from a specific embodiment may be combined with features from other embodiments. For example, features from one embodiment may be combined with features from any other embodiment. In other embodiments, additional features may be added to the specific embodiments described herein. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The advantages of the present invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art by means of the following detailed description and after reference to the accompanying drawings. While the present invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings may not be to scale.

[0039] Figure 1 Schematic diagrams showing various polymer recycling methods.

[0040] Figure 2A and Figure 2B is an external keyboard according to some embodiments of the present invention ( Figure 2A ) and laptop keyboards ( Figure 2B ) schematic diagram.

[0041] Figure 3A and Figure 3B . Figure 3A yes Figure 2A Exploded view of the keyboard. Figure 3B yes Figure 2A A side cross-sectional view of a backlight module for a keyboard.

[0042] Figure 4A and Figure 4B Schematic diagram of a key assembly including a key cap and a scissor-like structure according to an example of the present invention. Figure 4A The key assembly is shown in an upward position (rest position), and Figure 4B The key assembly is shown with the keycap depressed. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] There has been a discovery that provides a solution to at least one or more of the problems that may be associated with increased recycled content in computer keyboards without adversely compromising the mechanical properties of the keyboard. In one aspect, the discovery may include supplementing the mechanically recycled polymers in the keyboard with polymers obtained by other recycling methods and / or from renewable sources. In particular, it has been discovered that keyboards containing the following can have good mechanical properties (such as wear resistance) and optical properties, as well as high recycled and renewable content: i) keycaps containing post-consumer mechanically recycled polycarbonate polymers and / or chemically recycled and / or renewable sourced cellulose-based polymers, ii) scissor-like structures containing chemically recycled and / or renewable sourced polyoxymethylene polymers, and iii) backlight modules containing renewable sourced polycarbonate or chemically recycled polyester polymers. Notably, the high recycled and renewable content of the keyboard of the present invention can produce a more sustainable or "green" article without sacrificing the cost and / or mechanical strength of the keyboard.

[0044] refer to Figure 1, a schematic diagram of a polymer plastic recycling method is provided. Polymers derived from petroleum (e.g., polycarbonate, polyester and / or acetal) can be used to form various products (e.g., consumer products, such as keyboards), which become waste products after use. Polymers are mainly recycled from waste products by mechanical recycling. In mechanical recycling, waste products are recycled by physical processes, wherein polymer chains are not reduced to monomer units that form polymers. Instead, mechanical recycling generally includes collecting waste products (e.g., plastics based on polycarbonate, polyester and / or acetal) with a target polymer, optionally washing the waste products, melting the waste products into raw materials with a target polymer, and reusing the raw materials to produce new products. However, the mechanical properties of mechanically recycled polymers will decrease due to the heat used in the melting process. Heat will weaken the molecular chains of the polymer. Polymers can also be recycled from waste products by chemical recycling. In chemical recycling, polymers from waste products are depolymerized into monomer units, and the monomer units are repolymerized to form chemically recycled polymers. Additionally, polymers formed from bio-based chemicals can also be used to form articles, thereby increasing the renewable content of the articles. In certain aspects of the invention, the recycled and renewable content of the keyboard is increased while maintaining the desired mechanical properties of the keyboard by supplementing mechanically recycled polymers (e.g., polycarbonates, polyesters, and / or acetals) with polymers from chemically recycled and / or renewable sources. As shown in a non-limiting manner in the examples, the keyboards of the invention can have good mechanical properties as well as high recycled and renewable content.

[0045] These and other non-limiting aspects of the present invention are discussed in more detail in the following sections.

[0046] A.Keyboard

[0047] refer to Figure 2A, a schematic diagram of a computer keyboard 100 according to an example is shown. The keyboard 100 may include a plurality of key assemblies 101, each having a key cap and a scissor-like structure (see FIG. 4 ). Each key cap 101 may have a symbol printed thereon to identify a key input associated with a particular key. In operation, the keyboard 100 may be configured to receive discrete inputs at each key using finger movements commonly referred to as keystrokes. The keystrokes may be converted into electrical signals that are transmitted to a processing unit of a computer for evaluation and / or control. In some aspects, the keyboard 100 may include a cable 102 that docks the electronic components within the keyboard 100 with a processing element of the computer. For example, inputs made at the key 101 may be transmitted via the keyboard cable 102 for use by one or more processors of the computer. However, in other cases, the keyboard 100 may be coupled to the computer wirelessly, such as via a Bluetooth communication channel between the keyboard 100 and the computer. The keyboard may be an external keyboard of the device (e.g., a keyboard of a desktop computer) or an internal keyboard of the device (a laptop keyboard of a laptop computer). Non-limiting examples of the device include a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a calculator, etc. Figure 2B , shows a schematic diagram of a laptop computer 1000 having an internal keyboard 100a according to an example. The keyboard 100a may include a plurality of key assemblies 101a, each of which has a key cap and a scissor-like structure (FIG. 4).

[0048] Figure 3A 1 is an exploded view of keyboard 100. In addition to keys 101 (extending from the upper surface to provide selectable input based on the characters associated with the keys, such as a QWERTY keyboard providing an ASCII binary code), keyboard 100 may also include an electromechanical layer 103 having a bottom plate and electronic circuits. Those skilled in the art will recognize in light of this disclosure that electromechanical layer 103 may have various structures required for keyboard 100 to operate as an input device. The keyboard may also have a backlight module 104. In some aspects, backlight module 104 may contain a flexible printed circuit (FPC), light emitting diodes connected to the FPC, and one or more light guides 105, which form one or more optical channels in which light from the diodes can propagate. Figure 3B A cross-sectional view of backlight module 104 is shown. In some aspects, light guide 105 can form a layer (eg, a sheet / film) within backlight module 104.

[0049] Referring to FIG. 4 , a key assembly 101 according to an example is shown. The key assembly 101 may include a keycap 301, a scissor-like structure 302, and an elastomer 303. A pair of cross arms (302a-b) may form the scissor-like structure 302. The scissor-like structure 302 may connect the keycap 301 to a base plate 304 (not a part of the key assembly 101) of an electromechanical layer (e.g., 103 of FIG. 3 ). The elastomer 303 may transfer the pressure applied to the keycap 301 via a key to an electronic circuit 305 (not a part of the key assembly 101) of an electromechanical layer (e.g., 103 of FIG. 3 ), thereby converting the key into an electronic signal, which is transmitted to a processing unit of a computer for evaluation and / or control. The elastomer 303 may also transfer the pressure applied to the keycap 301 via a key to a backlight module (e.g., 104 of FIG. 3 ), thereby causing the backlight module to illuminate. Figure 4A The key assembly 101 is shown in an upward position (rest position), and Figure 4B The key assembly 101 is shown when the keycap 301 is depressed (eg, via pressure applied by a key).

[0050] The structure of the keyboard (the arrangement and structure of the keycaps, scissor-shaped structure and backlight module in the keyboard) can be implemented according to keyboards known in the art. Figure 3A The backlight module is shown arranged below the electronic circuit layer of the electromechanical layer, but a keyboard in which the backlight module is arranged above the electronic circuit layer of the electromechanical layer (eg, the backlight module is positioned between the keycaps and the electronic circuit layer of the electromechanical layer) can also be easily manufactured.

[0051] 1. Keycaps

[0052] In some aspects, the keycap 301 may contain a first polycarbonate polymer. The first polycarbonate polymer may have a carbonate unit having a formula of the following formula (1):

[0053]

[0054] R 1 The group may contain aliphatic or aromatic groups. The carbonate unit may be derived from sugar, aliphatic groups containing hydroxyl groups and / or aromatic groups containing hydroxyl groups. In certain aspects, the carbonate unit may be derived from bisphenol A (BPA), for example, the carbonate unit has the following formula (2):

[0055]

[0056] The first polycarbonate may be a polycarbonate homopolymer and / or copolymer. In a polycarbonate homopolymer, each R 1 The polycarbonate copolymer may contain different R 1Polycarbonates containing carbonate units or polymers containing carbonate units (having the same or different R 1 ), and other types of polymer units, such as ester units.

[0057] The first polycarbonate polymer may be a post-consumer mechanically recycled polycarbonate obtained at least in part by mechanical recycling of post-consumer polycarbonate waste. Post-consumer polycarbonate waste may be mechanically recycled by any suitable mechanical recycling method known in the art. Mechanical recycling of a polymer refers to recycling a polymer from a waste material containing the polymer by a physical process in which the polymer chains are not split (e.g., chemically depolymerized) into monomer units that form the polymer. In some aspects, mechanical recycling may include the steps of grinding, washing, separating, drying, re-granulating, and blending, wherein each step may be performed 0 to multiple times. In some aspects, the mechanical recycled content in the post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate can be, or the recycled content of the post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate can be 75% to 100%, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% and 100%, with the remainder optionally being natural polycarbonate.

[0058] In some aspects, post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate may contain carbonate units derived from bisphenol A (BPA) (e.g., carbonate units of formula (2)). In some aspects, post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate may contain one or more homopolymers containing carbonate units derived from BPA. In some aspects, post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate may contain one or more copolymers containing carbonate units derived from BPA and / or other carbonate units, and / or other types of polymer units. In some aspects, post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate may include a combination of polycarbonate polymers. In some aspects, at least 90% by weight, or at least 95% by weight, or at least 98% by weight, or at least 99% by weight, or about 100% by weight of the keycap 301 may be composed of the first polycarbonate polymer. In some aspects, post-consumer mechanical recycled polycarbonate may be a homopolymer containing carbonate units derived from BPA.

[0059] In some aspects, the first polycarbonate polymer can be present in the keycap 301 by being included in the composition. In some aspects, the first polycarbonate polymer and / or the composition containing the first polycarbonate polymer can have: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 1183, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 1.05, 1.1, 1.15, 1.2, 1.25, 1.3, and 1.35 g / cc; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2000 MPa to 10000 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, and 10000 MPa at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 527; 527 A tensile strength at break of equal to or greater than 45 MPa, preferably 45 MPa to 100 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following, as measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C: 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 MPa; or a flexural modulus of equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2100 MPa to 10000 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following, as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C: 2000, 2100, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 and 10000 MPa; or any combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of commercially available polycarbonates that may be used include TRINSEO EMERGE 4330E7 available from Trinseo.

[0060] In some aspects, keycap 301 may contain cellulose-based polymers. At least a first portion of the cellulose-based polymer may be a chemically recycled polymer (e.g., obtained by chemical recycling), and at least a second portion of the cellulose-based polymer may be obtained from a first bio-based renewable source. In some aspects, the chemically recycled content of the cellulose-based polymer may be 5% to 60% by weight, and the renewable content may be 35% to 65% by weight. In some aspects, the total recycled or renewable content of the cellulose-based polymer may be 95% to 100%, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% and 100%, wherein the remainder is optionally natural polycarbonate. In some aspects, the first portion of the cellulose-based polymer may be obtained by chemical recycling of textile waste. The first bio-based renewable source may be a plant (e.g., bark, wood, or leaves of a plant) and / or bacteria. In some aspects, the chemical recycling of textile waste may include depolymerizing fibers (e.g., cellulose fibers) from waste to form monomers, and repolymerizing monomers to form regenerated cellulose fibers. Waste may be post-industrial or post-consumer waste. In some aspects, waste may be post-consumer waste. Textile waste may be textile waste containing cellulose, such as cotton, jute, hemp and flax. Textiles may include, but are not limited to, cloth, carpets, rugs, bags, furniture upholstery materials, vehicles (e.g., cars, trains, buses, airplanes, ships, etc.) upholstery materials, quilts, etc. The cellulose in textile waste may be natural or synthetic cellulose. Regenerated / recycled cellulose may include viscose, rayon, modal and / or lyocell fibers. In some specific aspects, the chemical recycling of textile waste may include producing viscose from cotton waste. Cotton waste may be depolymerized into pulp and pulp may be converted to viscose. Chemical recycling of textile waste may include, but is not limited to, cellulose recycling methods as described in US20200199257A1, CN1080779C, US 2019 / 0338466, CN105765116B, CN105765116B, EP1900860B1, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. In some aspects, at least 90% by weight, or at least 95% by weight, or at least 98% by weight, or at least 99% by weight, or about 100% by weight of the keycap may be composed of a cellulose-based polymer.

[0061] In some aspects, the cellulose-based polymer can be present in the keycap 301 by being included in the composition. In some aspects, the cellulose-based polymer and / or the composition containing the cellulose-based polymer may have: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 1183, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 1.05, 1.1, 1.15, 1.2, 1.25, 1.3, and 1.35 g / cc; a tensile modulus of 1500 MPa or more, preferably 1800 MPa to 10000 MPa, as measured according to ISO 527, at 23° C., or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 1800, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, and 10000 MPa; a tensile modulus of 1500, 1500, 1500, 1500, 1500, 1500, 1500 527 Tensile strength at break equal to or greater than 35 MPa, preferably 35 MPa to 80 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following, as measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C: 35, 45, 50, 60, 70 and 80, 100 MPa; or Flexural modulus equal to or greater than 1500 MPa, preferably 1500 MPa to 10000 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following, as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C: 1500, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 and 10000 MPa; or any combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of commercially available cellulose-based polymers that may be used include EASTMAN available from Eastman Chemical Company.

[0062] 2. Scissor-like structure

[0063] The scissor-like structure 302 may contain a polymer composition containing i) 60 wt % to 100 wt %, or 60 wt % to 95 wt %, or 80 wt % to 90 wt %, or at least any one of 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 and 100 wt %, equal to any one of them, or between any two of a polyoxymethylene (POM) polymer; and ii) 0 wt % to 40 wt %, or 5 wt % to 40 wt %, or 10 wt % to 20 wt %, or at least any one of 0, 0.1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 wt %, equal to any one of them, or between any two of a glass-containing filler. In some aspects, 60 to 100 wt%, or at least any of, equal to any of, or between any two of 60, 70, 80, 90, 95, 98, 99, and 100 wt% of the scissor-like structure can be composed of the polymer composition.

[0064] The polyoxymethylene (POM) polymer may be a polyacetal polymer. The POM polymer used in the scissor-like structure 302 may be any suitable POM polymer. The POM polymer may include a repeating unit (formaldehyde unit) having the chemical formula -CH2O-. The POM polymer may contain a formaldehyde homopolymer and / or a formaldehyde copolymer. In some aspects, the POM polymer may include formaldehyde units greater than 50 mol%, greater than 60 mol%, greater than 70 mol%, greater than 80 mol%, greater than 90 mol%, greater than 99 mol%. In some aspects, the POM copolymer may include formaldehyde units, and about 1 mol% to 10 mol%, or 1 mol% to 20 mol%, or 1 mol% to 30 mol%, or 1 mol% to 40 mol% of monomer units having two or more adjacent carbon atoms. The POM polymer may have any suitable end groups.

[0065] POM polymers can be produced by bio-based methanol and / or recycled CO2. Recycled CO2 can be obtained from industrial waste products. POM polymers can be produced by methanol and / or CO2 by methods known in the art. In some specific aspects, formaldehyde and / or its cyclic oligomers (such as trioxane and / or 1,3,5,7-tetraoxoctane) can be produced by methanol and / or CO2, and formaldehyde and / or its cyclic oligomers can be polymerized to form POM. The total recycling and renewable content of POM polymers can be 40% to 80% by weight, or 40% to 70% by weight, or 60% to 80% by weight, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 40, 50, 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80% by weight.

[0066] The filler may contain glass, preferably glass fiber. The fiber may be a long fiber or short fiber that is continuous, chopped, woven, or produced in a similar manner. Short fibers refer to a fiber population with an average fiber length of less than or equal to 5 mm. Long fibers refer to a fiber population with an average fiber length greater than 5 mm, including, for example, a fiber population with a fiber length in the range of 5 to 20 mm, or 5 to 15 mm. The length of the fiber may be 0.2 to 20 mm, or 0.2 to 10 mm, or 0.7 to 7 mm. The average diameter of the fiber may be 1 to 25 microns (μm), or 3 to 20 μm, or 4 to 18 μm, or 5 to 17 μm. In some aspects, the glass fiber may include a plurality of chopped glass fibers. The term "glass" refers to a natural or synthetic material containing silicon dioxide (SiO2) or silica as its primary material. The glass fiber may be a textile glass fiber, such as E, A, C, ECR, R, S, D and / or NE glass fibers, and is advantageously an E-type glass fiber. Glass fiber can be sized or non-sized. Fiber can be sized using any suitable sizing agent. Fiber can be provided in the form of monofilament or multifilament fiber and can be used alone or in combination with other types of fibers, such as by co-weaving or core / skin method, side-by-side method, skin-core type or matrix and fibril construction method, or by other methods including those methods known to those skilled in the art of fiber manufacturing. Exemplary co-woven structures include, for example, glass fiber-carbon structures, etc. Fiber can be supplied in the following forms: for example, bundles, rovings, woven fiber reinforcements, such as 0-90 degree fabrics, etc.; non-woven fiber reinforcements, such as continuous strand mats, chopped strand mats, tulle, paper and felt, etc.; or three-dimensional reinforcements, such as braids.

[0067] In some aspects, the polymer composition may also contain one or more additives selected from the group consisting of pigments, plasticizers, antioxidants, UV stabilizers, heat stabilizers, dye enhancers, lubricants, mold release agents, crystal nucleating agents, flow improvers, antistatic agents, and anti-drip agents. In some aspects, the polymer composition may contain pigments and plasticizers.

[0068] In some aspects, the polymer composition can have any one, any combination, or all of the following properties: a density of 1.45 g / cc to 1.75 g / cc at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 1183, or at least any one of, equal to any one of, or between any two of: 1.45, 1.5, 1.55, 1.6, 1.65, 1.7, and 1.75 g / cc; a density of 1.45, 1.5, 1.55, 1.6, 1.65, 1.7, and 1.75 g / cc at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 527, at 23 ° C, greater than 2740 MPa, preferably 4700 MPa to 15000 MPa, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or a tensile modulus between any two of the following: 2750, 3000, 4000, 4700, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 13000, 14000 and 15000 MPa; as measured according to ISO 527 measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C, equal to or greater than 90 MPa, preferably 100 MPa to 200 MPa, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 90, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190 and 200 MPa; as measured according to ASTM D638 at 5 mm / min, equal to or greater than 1.5%, or ≥2%, or ≥3% tensile elongation at break; or as measured according to ISO 178 A flexural modulus of equal to or greater than 2500 MPa, preferably 4000 MPa to 14000 MPa, at 23°C, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 2500, 3000, 4000, 4700, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000, 10000, 11000, 12000, 13000 and 14000 MPa, measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min.

[0069] The polymer composition can be prepared by various methods known in the art, such as extrusion, injection molding, compression molding, blow molding, rotational molding, thermoforming, 3-D printing or any combination thereof. For example, components such as POM polymers and fillers can be mixed together, and then the component melts are blended to form a polymer composition. In some aspects, the components of the polymer composition can be dry blended with each other, and then the components are fed into the extruder from one or more feeders, or fed into the extruder individually from one or more feeders. The extruder used in the present invention can have a single screw, multiple screws, intermeshing co-rotating or counter-rotating screws, non-intermeshing co-rotating or counter-rotating screws, reciprocating screws, screws with pins, screws with screens, barrels with pins, rollers, punches, spiral rotors, co-kneaders, disc pack processors, various other types of extrusion equipment, or a combination of at least one of the foregoing. An extruder can generally be operated at a higher temperature than that required to cause the composition to melt and flow. In some aspects, the temperature of the melt in the extruder barrel can be maintained at a temperature as low as possible to avoid excessive thermal degradation of the components. The molten composition leaves the extruder through a small outlet hole in the mold. The extrudate can be quenched in a water bath and pelletized. The pellets prepared in this way can have any desired length (e.g., a quarter inch long or shorter). Such pellets can be used for subsequent molding, shaping, or forming. A mixture comprising any combination of the components mentioned above can carry out multiple blending and forming steps, if necessary. For example, the polymer composition can first be extruded and formed into pellets. The pellets can then be fed into a molding machine, where the pellets can be formed into any desired shape or product. In some aspects, the thermoplastic composition derived from a single melt blender can be formed into a sheet or strand, and they are subjected to post-extrusion processes, such as annealing, uniaxial or biaxial orientation.

[0070] 3. Backlight module

[0071] In some aspects, one or more light guides of backlight module 104 can contain a second polycarbonate polymer. The second polycarbonate polymer can contain carbonate units having a formula of formula (1). The R of the second polycarbonate polymer and the first polycarbonate polymer 1The groups may be the same or different. The second polycarbonate polymer may be a polycarbonate polymer of a renewable source produced at least in part by a second bio-based renewable source. The polycarbonate of a renewable source may be a suitable polycarbonate known in the art. The polycarbonate of a renewable source may include a polycarbonate homopolymer and / or copolymer. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of a renewable source may be a homopolymer containing carbonate units derived from BPA (e.g., carbonate units of formula (2)). In certain aspects, the second bio-based renewable source may be tall oil, sugar, castor bean and / or CO2, such as waste CO2. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of a renewable source may contain carbonate units derived from sugar. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of a renewable source may be obtained by reacting sugar with CO2. Non-limiting examples of sugars include ribose, glucose, mannose and / or xylose. In some aspects, at least a portion of CO2 may be obtained from industrial waste products. In some aspects, the sugar may be a sugar moiety in a thymidine group and / or a thymidine derivative. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable sources may be a polycarbonate-polyester copolymer containing ester units derived from sebacic acid. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable sources may be a polycarbonate-polyester copolymer containing ester units derived from sebacic acid and carbonate units derived from BPA. Sebacic acid can be obtained from castor beans. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable sources can be obtained from raw materials obtained from tall oil from wood pulp. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable sources may contain carbonate units derived from BPA, wherein BPA is obtained from raw materials obtained from tall oil from wood pulp. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable sources may be a homopolymer containing carbonate units derived from BPA, wherein BPA is obtained from raw materials obtained from tall oil from wood pulp. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable sources can be obtained from phenol and acetone, wherein phenol and / or acetone can be obtained at least partially independently from one or more second bio-based renewable sources. In some aspects, the polycarbonate of renewable source can be a BPA polycarbonate homopolymer obtained from phenol and acetone, wherein phenol and / or acetone can be obtained at least partially independently from one or more second bio-based renewable sources. In some aspects, at least a portion of carbon in the polycarbonate of renewable source can be derived from renewable raw materials. In some aspects, at least a portion of oxygen and / or hydrogen in the polycarbonate of renewable source can be derived from non-renewable sources. In some aspects, at least 70% of carbon in the polycarbonate of renewable source, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 95%, or 100% can be derived from renewable raw materials. In some aspects, 40% to 100%, or at least any one of 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 95% and 100%, equal to any one of them, or a polycarbonate of renewable source between any two thereof can be produced by a second bio-based renewable source.In some aspects, the renewably sourced polycarbonate can comprise a combination of polycarbonate polymers.

[0072] In some aspects, the second polycarbonate polymer can be present in one or more light guides by way of inclusion in the composition. In some aspects, the second polycarbonate polymer and / or the composition containing the second polycarbonate polymer can have any one, any combination, or all of the following properties: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 1183, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 1.05, 1.1, 1.15, 1.2, 1.25, 1.3, and 1.35 g / cc; a density of 1.05, 1.1, 1.15, 1.2, 1.25, 1.3, and 1.35 g / cc, as measured according to ISO 527 at 23 ° C, equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2000 MPa to 10000 MPa, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 and 10000 MPa tensile modulus; as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min, at 23 ° C, equal to or greater than 45 MPa, preferably 45 MPa to 100 MPa, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 MPa tensile strength at break; or as measured according to ISO 178 Flexural modulus equal to or greater than 2000 MPa, preferably 2100 MPa to 10000 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: 2000, 2100, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, 8000, 9000 and 10000 MPa at 23° C., measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min. In some aspects, at least 90 wt%, or at least 95 wt%, or at least 98 wt%, or at least 99 wt%, or about 100 wt% of the backlight module can be composed of the second polycarbonate polymer (e.g., a polycarbonate polymer from a renewable source).

[0073] In some aspects, one or more light guides of the backlight module 104 may contain a polyester polymer. The polyester polymer may include repeating ester units. In some aspects, the ester units may be terephthalate units. In some aspects, the polyester may be an amorphous copolyester polymer. In some aspects, the amorphous copolyester polymer may contain terephthalate units. The terephthalate units may be obtained from terephthalic acid obtained by chemical recycling of PET-containing waste. PET from waste may be depolymerized to form terephthalic acid. PET may be depolymerized by methods known in the art. Non-limiting examples of PET waste include post-consumer plastic bottle waste, textile waste, or the like containing PET. In some aspects, the PET waste may be sea-going plastic waste containing PET. Sea-going plastic waste refers to plastic waste that is at risk of eventually flowing into the ocean. In some aspects, the polyester polymer, such as an amorphous copolyester polymer, can have a renewable content of 85% to 100%, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 85%, 90%, 95%, and 100%. In some aspects, at least 90% by weight, or at least 95% by weight, or at least 98% by weight, or at least 99% by weight, or about 100% by weight of the backlight module can be composed of the polyester polymer. In one aspect, the polyester polymer can be present in one or more light guides in the form of a composition.In some aspects, the polyester polymer and / or the composition comprising the polyester polymer can have: a density of 1.05 g / cc to 1.35 g / cc at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 1183, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 1.05, 1.1, 1.15, 1.2, 1.25, 1.3, and 1.35 g / cc; a tensile modulus equal to or greater than 1200 MPa, preferably 1200 MPa to 8000 MPa, or at least any of the following, equal to any of the following, or between any two of the following: 1200, 2000, 3000, 4000, 5000, 6000, 7000, and 8000 MPa at 23° C., as measured according to ISO 527; 527 measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C, equal to or greater than 45 MPa, preferably 45 MPa to 100 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following: a tensile strength at break of 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100 MPa; or a flexural modulus equal to or greater than 1200 MPa, preferably 1200 MPa to 8000 MPa, or at least any one of the following, equal to any one of the following, or between any two of the following, as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min at 23°C; or any combination thereof. Non-limiting examples of commercially available copolyesters that may be used include EASTMAN TRITAN available from Eastman Chemical Company. TM Copolyester.

[0074] In the context of the present invention, at least the following 20 aspects are described. Aspect 1 relates to a keyboard, the keyboard comprising: a keycap, the keycap comprising a first polycarbonate polymer or a cellulose-based polymer, wherein at least a portion of the first polycarbonate polymer is a mechanically recycled polymer, and at least a first portion of the cellulose-based polymer is obtained from a chemically recycled polymer, and at least a second portion of the cellulose-based polymer is obtained from a first bio-based renewable source; a pair of cross arms, the pair of cross arms forming a scissor-like structure connecting the keycap to a base plate, the scissor-like structure being configured to move the keycap up and down relative to the base plate, wherein the scissor-like structure comprises a polymer composition, the polymer composition comprising: i) 60 wt % to 100 wt % of a polycarbonate polymer; formaldehyde (POM), the POM being produced from bio-based methanol and / or recycled CO2, and ii) 0 wt% to 40 wt% of a filler, the filler comprising glass, preferably glass fiber; and a backlight module, the backlight module being configured to illuminate when the keycap is depressed, wherein the backlight module comprises a second polycarbonate polymer or a polyester polymer, wherein at least a portion of the second polycarbonate polymer is obtained from a second bio-based renewable source and at least a portion of the polyester polymer is obtained from a chemically recycled polymer, wherein the keyboard has a total recycled and renewable content of equal to or greater than 35 wt%, preferably 35 wt% to 60 wt%, based on the total weight of the keyboard. Aspect 2 relates to the keyboard of aspect 1, wherein the mechanically recycled content of the first polycarbonate polymer is 75 wt% to 100 wt%. Aspect 3 relates to the keyboard of any one of aspects 1 or 2, wherein the bio-based content of the second polycarbonate polymer is 75 wt% to 100 wt%. Aspect 4 relates to the keyboard of any one of aspects 1 to 3, wherein the second bio-based renewable source is tall oil. Aspect 5 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 to 4, wherein the keycap comprises the first polycarbonate polymer and the backlight module comprises the second polycarbonate polymer. Aspect 6 relates to the keyboard of Aspect 1, wherein the chemically recycled content of the cellulose-based polymer is 5 wt% to 60 wt% and the renewable content is 35 wt% to 65 wt%. Aspect 7 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 or 6, wherein the first portion of the cellulose-based polymer is obtained from textile recycling. Aspect 8 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 or 6 to 7, wherein the chemically recycled content of the polyester is 25 wt% to 65 wt%. Aspect 9 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 or 6 to 8, wherein the chemically recycled portion of the polyester is obtained by polymerization of terephthalic acid obtained from chemical recycling of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymers. Aspect 10 relates to the keyboard of Aspect 9, wherein the polyester is an amorphous copolyester.Aspect 11 relates to the keyboard of Aspect 10, wherein the chemically recycled content of the polyester is 85 wt% to 100 wt%. Aspect 12 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 to 11, wherein the backlight module comprises one or more light guides and the one or more light guides comprise the second polycarbonate polymer or the polyester polymer. Aspect 13 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 or 6 to 12, wherein the keycap comprises the cellulose-based polymer and the backlight module comprises the polyester. Aspect 14 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 to 13, wherein the polymer composition of the scissor structure has a tensile modulus greater than 2740 MPa at 23° C., preferably 4700 MPa to 15000 MPa, as measured according to ISO 527. Aspect 15 relates to the keyboard of any one of Aspects 1 to 14, wherein the recycled and / or bio-based content of the POM is 40 wt% to 70 wt%. Aspect 16 relates to a polymer composition comprising: 60 wt% to 95 wt% POM, wherein at least a portion of the POM is produced from bio-based methanol and / or recycled CO2; and 5 wt% to 40 wt% filler, wherein the filler comprises glass, preferably glass fiber; wherein the polymer composition has a tensile modulus greater than 2740 MPa, preferably 4700 MPa to 15000 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527. Aspect 17 relates to the polymer composition of aspect 16, wherein the total recycled and / or bio-based content of the POM is 40 wt% to 70 wt%. Aspect 18 relates to the polymer composition of any of aspects 16 to 17, further comprising an additive selected from the group consisting of a pigment, a plasticizer, an antioxidant, a UV stabilizer, a heat stabilizer, a dye enhancer, a lubricant, a mold release agent, a crystal nucleating agent, a flow improver, an antistatic agent, an anti-drip agent, or any combination thereof. Aspect 19 relates to the polymer composition of any one of Aspects 16 to 18, comprising one, a combination, or all of the following properties: a density of 1.45 g / cc to 1.75 g / cc at 23°C as measured according to ISO 1183; a tensile strength at break of greater than 90 MPa, preferably 100 MPa to 200 MPa, at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; a tensile elongation at break of greater than 2.8% at 23°C as measured according to ISO 527 at a test speed of 5 mm / min; and a flexural modulus of greater than 2500 MPa at 23°C, preferably 4000 MPa to 14000 MPa at 23°C, as measured according to ISO 178 at a test speed of 5 mm / min.Aspect 20 relates to the polymer composition of any of aspects 16 to 19, wherein the composition is contained in a pair of cross arms forming a scissor-like structure configured to connect a keycap to a base plate of a keyboard.

[0075] Example

[0076] The present invention will be described in more detail by specific examples. The following examples are provided only for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the present invention in any way. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various non-critical parameters can be changed or modified to produce substantially the same result.

[0077] Example 1

[0078] Polymer Resin Compositions Containing Renewably Sourced Polyoxymethylene (POM) Polymers Table 1 provides non-limiting POM containing resin compositions of the present invention.

[0079] Table 1: Resin composition

[0080]

[0081]

[0082] The components of Table 1 were dry blended and melt extruded to form a molding composition containing the resin of Table 1.

[0083] Standard methods were used to test the mechanical properties of the molding compositions. The molding resin compositions of Table 1 had the following: a density of 1.55 g / cc as measured according to ASTM D 792; a tensile modulus of 7200 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a tensile strength at break (Type I) of 120 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; and a tensile elongation at break (Type I) of 3% as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] Laptop keyboard

[0086] A laptop keyboard was prepared, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keycaps, a plurality of scissor-like structures and a backlight module. Table 2 provides the polymers included in the different components of the keyboard of Example 2.

[0087] Table 2

[0088] Laptop keyboard components

[0089] Table 2: Components of laptop keyboard

[0090]

[0091] The key cap and the scissor-like structure are formed by injection molding of the corresponding polymer (Table 2). The light guide plate is formed by extruding the corresponding polymer (Table 2) into a film / sheet and then embossing in the film / sheet.

[0092] The mechanically recycled polycarbonate constituting the keycaps has the following: a density of 1.2 g / cc as measured according to ASTM D 792; a recycled and renewable content greater than 75%; a tensile modulus of 2200 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a tensile strength at break (Type I) of 62 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; and a flexural modulus of 2340 MPa as measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min according to ISO 178.

[0093] The renewably sourced polycarbonate constituting the light guide has the following: a density of 1.2 g / cc as measured according to ASTM D 792; a recycled and renewable content greater than 75%; a tensile modulus of 2200 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a tensile strength at break (Type I) of 62 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a flexural modulus of 2340 MPa as measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min according to ISO178; and a light transmittance greater than 88% at a sample thickness of 1 mm as measured by ASTMD1003-00.

[0094] Example 3

[0095] External keyboard

[0096] An external keyboard including a plurality of keycaps, a plurality of scissor-like structures and a backlight module was prepared. Table 3 provides polymers included in different components of the keyboard of Example 3.

[0097] Table 3: External keyboard components

[0098] Keyboard components polymer Weight % of polymer in part keycap Cellulose-based polymers 100 Scissor-like structure Resin of Example 1 80 Light guide for backlight module Copolyester polymer 100

[0099] The key cap and the scissor-like structure are formed by injection molding of the corresponding polymer (Table 3). The light guide plate is formed by extruding the corresponding polymer (Table 3) into a film / sheet and then embossing in the film / sheet.

[0100] The cellulose-based polymer that makes up the keycap has the following: a density of 1.22 g / cc as measured according to ASTM D 792; a recycled and renewable content of approximately 95%; a tensile modulus of 1800 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a tensile strength at break (Type I) of 44 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; and a flexural modulus of 1700 MPa as measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min according to ISO 178.

[0101] The copolyester polymer that constitutes the light guide has the following: a density of 1.18 g / cc as measured according to ASTM D 792; a recycled and renewable content of about 85%; a tensile modulus of 1500 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a tensile strength at break (Type I) of 53 MPa as measured at 5 mm / min according to ASTM D638; a flexural modulus of 1500 MPa as measured at a test speed of 5 mm / min according to ISO 178; and a light transmittance of 90% at a sample thickness of 1 mm as measured by ASTM D1003-00.

[0102] Although the embodiment of the application and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that, without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiment as defined in the appended claims, various changes, substitutions and variations can be made herein. In addition, the scope of the application is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments of the process, machine, industrial product, material composition, means, method and step described in the specification. As those of ordinary skill in the art will easily understand according to the above disclosure, the process, machine, industrial product, material composition, means, method or step (currently existing or developed in the future) of performing the function substantially the same as the corresponding embodiment described herein or realizing the result substantially the same as the corresponding embodiment can be utilized. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to include such processes, machines, industrial products, material compositions, means, methods or steps within their scope.

Claims

1. A keyboard, comprising: a keycap comprising a first polycarbonate polymer or a cellulose-based polymer, wherein at least a portion of the first polycarbonate polymer is a mechanically recycled polymer and at least a first portion of the cellulose-based polymer is obtained from a chemically recycled polymer and at least a second portion of the cellulose-based polymer is obtained from a first bio-based renewable source; a pair of cross arms, the pair of cross arms forming a scissor-like structure connecting the keycap to the base plate, the scissor-like structure being configured to move the keycap up and down relative to the base plate, wherein the scissor-like structure comprises a polymer composition comprising: i) 60 wt % to 100 wt % of polyoxymethylene (POM), the POM being produced from bio-based methanol and / or recycled CO2, and ii) 0 wt % to 40 wt % of a filler, the filler comprising glass; as well as a backlight module configured to illuminate when the keycap is depressed, wherein the backlight module comprises a second polycarbonate polymer or a polyester polymer, wherein at least a portion of the second polycarbonate polymer is obtained from a second bio-based renewable source and at least a portion of the polyester polymer is obtained from a chemically recycled polymer, Wherein the total recycled and renewable content of the keyboard is equal to or greater than 35 wt % based on the total weight of the keyboard.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first polycarbonate polymer has a mechanical recycling content of 75 wt% to 100 wt%.

3. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the second polycarbonate polymer has a bio-based content of 75 wt% to 100 wt%.

4. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the second bio-based renewable source is tall oil.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keycap comprises the first polycarbonate polymer and the backlight module comprises the second polycarbonate polymer.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the cellulose-based polymer has a chemically recycled content of 5 to 60 wt% and a renewable content of 35 to 65 wt%.

7. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the cellulose-based polymer is recycled from textiles.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the chemical recycled content of the polyester is 25 wt% to 65 wt%.

9. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the chemically recycled portion of the polyester is obtained by polymerization of terephthalic acid obtained from chemical recycling of post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) polymer.

10. The keyboard of claim 9, wherein the polyester is an amorphous copolyester.

11. The keyboard of claim 10, wherein the chemical recycled content of the polyester is 85 wt% to 100 wt%.

12. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the backlight module comprises one or more light guides and the one or more light guides comprise the second polycarbonate polymer or the polyester polymer.

13. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the keycap comprises the cellulose-based polymer and the backlight module comprises the polyester.

14. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the polymer composition of the scissor-like structure has a tensile modulus greater than 2740 MPa at 23°C as measured according to ISO527.

15. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the recycled and / or bio-based content of the POM is 40 wt% to 70 wt%, the glass contained in the filler is glass fiber, the polymer composition of the scissor-like structure has a tensile modulus of 4700 MPa to 15000 MPa at 23°C measured according to ISO527, and the total recycled and renewable content of the keyboard is 35 wt% to 60 wt%, based on the total weight of the keyboard.

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