Luminous keyboard

Abstract

A light-emitting keyboard comprises a supporting plate, a thin film circuit board, a flexible circuit board, a backlight module and a plurality of key modules. The supporting plate comprises a first plate part and a second plate part. The thin film circuit board comprises a thin film lower circuit diaphragm, a middle spacer and a thin film upper circuit diaphragm which are arranged above the first board part. The flexible circuit board comprises a flexible lower circuit diaphragm arranged between the second board part and the middle spacer, and a plurality of light-emitting pieces arranged on the flexible lower circuit diaphragm. And the backlight module is arranged below the first plate part. The flexible circuit board is arranged above the second plate part, so that the light-emitting keyboard has a thinner thickness in the area of the second plate part, and the backlight module is adopted in the area of the first plate part, so that the overall manufacturing cost of the light-emitting keyboard can be relatively reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a keyboard, and in particular to a luminous keyboard. Background Art

[0002] The existing luminous keyboard includes a keyboard assembly and a backlight module, wherein the backlight module has a light guide plate disposed below the keyboard assembly, a plurality of light shielding sheets stacked on the upper surface of the light guide plate, a plurality of light reflecting sheets stacked on the lower surface of the light guide plate, and a light emitting element disposed on the side of the light guide plate. The light emitted by the light emitting element enters the light guide plate, and after being reflected by the light shielding sheets and the light reflecting sheets, the light is guided to a plurality of key caps of the keyboard assembly, so that the key caps produce a luminous effect.

[0003] The luminous keyboard adopts the backlight module with the light guide plate, which can reduce the manufacturing cost, but the overall thickness is thick, which will make the luminous keyboard look heavy.

[0004] Therefore, another existing luminous keyboard includes a keyboard assembly and a flexible circuit board. The flexible circuit board has an upper circuit membrane, a middle partition, a lower circuit membrane, and a plurality of luminous components arranged on the lower circuit membrane. The luminous components correspond to the plurality of keycaps of the keyboard assembly respectively, and can emit light to make the keycaps produce a luminous effect. Because the flexible circuit board is composed of a plurality of sheet-like components stacked together, the luminous keyboard using the flexible circuit board is thinner overall than the luminous keyboard using the backlight module, but relatively speaking, the overall manufacturing cost of the luminous keyboard using the flexible circuit board is higher.

[0005] However, both of the above two luminous keyboards cannot meet the demand of maintaining a low manufacturing cost while pursuing a lighter and thinner keyboard. Summary of the invention

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide an luminous keyboard with a reduced thickness in some areas and a relatively low manufacturing cost.

[0007] Therefore, the luminous keyboard of the present invention comprises a support plate, a thin film circuit board, a flexible circuit board, a backlight module, and a plurality of key modules. The support plate comprises a first plate portion, and a second plate portion connected to the first plate portion. The thin film circuit board is arranged above the support plate, and comprises a thin film lower circuit membrane, a middle partition, and a thin film upper circuit membrane. The thin film lower circuit membrane is arranged above the first plate portion. The middle partition has a first middle partition portion arranged above the thin film lower circuit membrane, and a second middle partition portion connected to the first middle partition portion and located above the second plate portion. The thin film upper circuit membrane has a first upper line sheet portion arranged above the first middle partition portion, and a second upper line sheet portion connected to the first upper line sheet portion and located above the second middle partition portion. The flexible circuit board is arranged above the second plate portion and electrically connected to the thin film circuit board, and comprises a flexible lower circuit membrane arranged between the second plate portion and the second middle partition portion, and a plurality of light-emitting components arranged on the flexible lower circuit membrane. The backlight module is arranged below the first plate portion. Each key module includes a key cap and a connecting member pivotally connected between the key cap and the supporting plate.

[0008] In the luminous keyboard of the present invention, the second middle partition portion has a plurality of upper overlapping holes open toward the second upper wiring sheet portion, the flexible circuit board also includes an upper covering film layer arranged between the second middle partition portion and the flexible lower circuit membrane, the upper covering film layer has a plurality of lower overlapping holes respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes, and each of the lower overlapping holes has one end away from the corresponding upper overlapping hole toward the flexible lower circuit membrane, the luminous keyboard also includes a plurality of conductive adhesive layers filled in the upper overlapping holes and the lower overlapping holes, the conductive adhesive layers electrically connecting the second upper wiring sheet portion and the flexible lower circuit membrane.

[0009] In the luminous keyboard of the present invention, the thin film circuit board also includes a first transparent adhesive layer arranged between the lower circuit membrane of the thin film and the middle partition, and a second transparent adhesive layer arranged between the middle partition and the upper circuit membrane of the thin film, the second transparent adhesive layer has a plurality of upper connecting holes respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes, and each of the upper connecting holes has an end away from the corresponding upper overlapping hole toward the second upper wiring sheet portion, the flexible circuit board also includes a third transparent adhesive layer arranged between the second middle partition portion and the upper covering film layer, the third transparent adhesive layer has a plurality of lower connecting holes respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes and the lower overlapping holes, and the conductive adhesive layer is filled in the upper connecting hole, the upper overlapping hole, the lower connecting hole and the lower overlapping hole, so that the second upper wiring sheet portion is electrically connected to the flexible lower circuit membrane.

[0010] In the luminous keyboard of the present invention, the conductive adhesive layer is anisotropic conductive adhesive.

[0011] In the luminous keyboard of the present invention, the thin film upper circuit membrane also has a plurality of upper conductive components arranged on the first upper line sheet portion and the second upper line sheet portion, the middle partition sheet also has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the upper conductive components formed in the first middle partition portion and the second middle partition portion, the thin film lower circuit membrane has a plurality of thin film lower conductive components, the thin film lower conductive components correspond to the through holes formed in the first middle partition portion and to the upper conductive components arranged on the first upper line sheet portion, the flexible circuit board also includes a plurality of flexible lower conductive components arranged on the flexible lower circuit membrane, the flexible lower conductive components correspond to the through holes located in the second middle partition portion and to the upper conductive components located in the second upper line sheet portion.

[0012] The beneficial effect of the present invention is that by arranging the flexible circuit board electrically connected to the thin film circuit board above the second board portion, the luminous keyboard has a thinner thickness in the area of ​​the second board portion, and the use of the backlight module in the first board portion area can relatively reduce the overall manufacturing cost of the luminous keyboard. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Figure 1 is a three-dimensional diagram of an embodiment of the luminous keyboard of the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 is a perspective exploded view of the embodiment;

[0015] Figure 3 is another perspective view of the embodiment;

[0016] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A partial enlarged stereogram of;

[0017] Figure 5 yes Figure 3 An incomplete side view of;

[0018] Figure 6 is a three-dimensional diagram of a thin film circuit board of the embodiment;

[0019] Figure 7 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the film circuit board and a flexible circuit board of the embodiment;

[0020] Figure 8 is a three-dimensional exploded view of the flexible circuit board of the embodiment;

[0021] Fig. 9 yes Figure 6 A partial enlarged stereogram of;

[0022] Fig.10is a partial three-dimensional exploded view of the film circuit board and the flexible circuit board of the embodiment;

[0023] Fig.11 is along Fig. 9 an incomplete cross-sectional view of the line Ⅺ-Ⅺ; and

[0024] Fig.12 is along Fig. 9 An incomplete cross-sectional view of the line Ⅻ-Ⅻ. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0026] See also Figures 1 to 3 An embodiment of the luminous keyboard 1 of the present invention is suitable for being configured in a notebook computer (not shown), and can also be applied to a keyboard device of a desktop computer. The luminous keyboard 1 includes a support plate 2, a film circuit board 3, a flexible circuit board 4, a backlight module 5, and a plurality of key modules 6.

[0027] The support plate 2 is made of metal and includes a first plate portion 21 and a second plate portion 22 connected to the first plate portion 21 .

[0028] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 7 The thin film circuit board 3 is arranged above the support plate 2 along an up-down direction Z, and includes a thin film lower circuit film 31 arranged above the first plate portion 21, a first transparent adhesive layer 32 arranged above the thin film lower circuit film 31, a middle spacer 33 arranged above the first transparent adhesive layer 32, a second transparent adhesive layer 34 arranged above the middle spacer 33, a thin film upper circuit film 35 arranged above the second transparent adhesive layer 34, and a black printed shading film 36 arranged above the thin film upper circuit film 35.

[0029] The upper surface of the lower film circuit film 31 has a plurality of lower film conducting components 311 .

[0030] The middle separator 33 comprises a first middle separator 331 disposed above the lower circuit film 31 and the first transparent adhesive layer 32, a second middle separator 332 connected to the first middle separator 331 and located above the second plate portion 22, and a plurality of through holes 333 formed in the first middle separator 331 and the second middle separator 332 (see FIG. Fig.10The second middle partition 332 has two upper overlapping holes 334 spaced apart along a left-right direction X perpendicular to the up-down direction Z. The through holes 333 formed in the first middle partition 331 correspond to the lower conductive parts 311 of the thin film, respectively.

[0031] The first transparent adhesive layer 32 is disposed between the lower thin-film circuit film 31 and the first middle partition 331 .

[0032] See also Figure 4 , Figure 7 and Fig.10 The thin film upper wiring film 35 has a first upper wiring sheet portion 351 disposed above the first middle partition portion 331, a second upper wiring sheet portion 352 connected to the first upper wiring sheet portion 351 and located above the second middle partition portion 332, and a plurality of upper conductive components 353 disposed on the lower surface of the first upper wiring sheet portion 351 and the lower surface of the second upper wiring sheet portion 352. The upper conductive components 353 disposed on the lower surface of the first upper wiring sheet portion 351 correspond to the through holes 333 formed in the first middle partition portion 331 and correspond to the thin film lower conductive components 311. Therefore, the upper conductive components 353 can be in contact with the thin film lower conductive components 311 through the through holes 333 to be conductive.

[0033] See also Figure 7 , Fig.10 and Fig.11 The second transparent adhesive layer 34 is disposed between the thin film upper circuit film 35 and the middle separator 33. Specifically, the second transparent adhesive layer 34 is disposed between the first middle separator 331 and the first upper line sheet 351, and between the second middle separator 332 and the second upper line sheet 352. The second transparent adhesive layer 34 has two upper connecting holes 341 spaced apart along the left-right direction X and connected downwardly to the upper lap holes 334 respectively. One end 342 of each upper connecting hole 341 away from the corresponding upper lap hole 334 faces the lower surface of the second upper line sheet 352.

[0034] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 8 The flexible circuit board 4 includes a flexible lower circuit film 41 disposed above the second board portion 22, an upper covering film layer 42 disposed above the flexible lower circuit film 41, a third transparent adhesive layer 43 disposed between the upper covering film layer 42 and the second middle partition 332, a plurality of flexible lower conductive components 44 disposed on the flexible lower circuit film 41, and a plurality of light-emitting units 45 disposed on the flexible lower circuit film 41 corresponding to the flexible lower conductive components 44.

[0035] The flexible lower circuit film 41 has an upper copper layer 411 disposed below the upper covering film layer 42, a base layer 412 disposed below the upper copper layer 411, a lower copper layer 413 disposed below the base layer 412, and a lower covering film layer 414 disposed below the lower copper layer 413. The lower covering film layer 414 is disposed between the lower copper layer 413 and the second board portion 22.

[0036] The upper covering film layer 42 has two lower overlapping holes 421 spaced apart along the left-right direction X.

[0037] See also Figure 7 , Figure 8 and Fig.11 The third transparent adhesive layer 43 has two lower communicating holes 431 spaced apart along the left-right direction X. The lower communicating holes 431 are respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes 334 upwards and are respectively connected to the lower overlapping holes 421 downwards, so that the upper overlapping holes 334 are respectively connected to the lower overlapping holes 421.

[0038] One end 422 of each of the lower overlapping holes 421 away from the corresponding lower connecting hole 431 faces the upper copper layer 411 of the lower flexible circuit film 41 .

[0039] See also Fig.10 The soft lower conductive component 44 passes through the through hole 333 formed in the second middle partition 332 and corresponds to the upper conductive component 353 disposed on the lower surface of the second upper wiring sheet 352. Therefore, the upper conductive component 353 can be in contact with the soft lower conductive component 44 via the through hole 333 to be conductive.

[0040] See also Figure 7 , Fig.10 and Fig.11 The luminous keyboard 1 of the present invention further comprises two conductive adhesive layers 7 respectively filled in the corresponding upper connecting hole 341, the upper lap hole 334, the lower connecting hole 431, and the lower lap hole 421. Through the end 342 of the upper connecting hole 341 away from the upper lap hole 334 facing the lower surface of the second upper wiring sheet 352, and the end 422 of the lower lap hole 421 away from the lower connecting hole 431 facing the upper copper layer 411 of the flexible lower circuit film 41, the conductive adhesive layer 7 electrically connects the second upper wiring sheet 352 and the flexible lower circuit film 41, thereby enabling the flexible circuit board 4 to be supplied with power and controlled by signals from the thin film circuit board 3. Therefore, when the upper conductive component 353 located in the second upper wiring sheet 352 is conductively connected to the flexible lower conductive component 44, a control signal can be generated.

[0041] See also Fig. 9 , Fig.10 and Fig.12 Each light-emitting unit 45 has four light-emitting components 451 ( Fig.12 Only one is shown), and four light expansion members 452 respectively shielding the light emitting member 451. The light emitting member 451 adopts a sub-millimeter light emitting diode (Mini LED) and can be upward toward the key module 6 (see Figure 2 ) emit light. The light expanders 452 respectively shield the light emitting members 451 so as to make the light emitted by the light emitting members 451 produce a uniform diffusion effect. It is worth noting that the light emitting units 45 can be controlled separately so that the light emitting members 451 of each light emitting unit 45 can emit light of the same color or different colors as the light emitting members 451 of other light emitting units 45.

[0042] See also Figure 2 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 The backlight module 5 includes a light guide plate 51 disposed below the first plate portion 21, a reflective layer (not shown) disposed below the light guide plate 51, a backlight circuit board 52 disposed below the light guide plate 51, a plurality of light sources (not shown) disposed on the backlight circuit board 52 and located on the side of the light guide plate 51, and a light shielding strip 53 disposed around the light guide plate 51. The backlight circuit board 52 can control the light emitted by the light source. The light guide plate 51 can evenly guide the light emitted by the light source to the upper surface and the lower surface of the light guide plate 51, wherein the light on the upper surface of the light guide plate 51 is projected upward to the key module 6, and the light on the lower surface of the light guide plate 51 is reflected upward to the key module 6 through the reflective layer, so as to increase the luminous efficiency of the backlight module 5. The light shielding strip 53 is used to prevent light from leaking from the side of the light guide plate 51 and reducing the luminous efficiency.

[0043] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 5 Each key module 6 includes a key cap 61, a connecting member 62 pivotally connected between the key cap 61 and the support plate 2, and an elastic member (not shown) elastically supported between the thin film upper circuit membrane 35 and the key cap 61. The elastic members correspond to the upper conductive parts 353 (see Figure 6 In this embodiment, the connecting member 62 is a scissor-leg mechanism, and the elastic member is a rubber dome.

[0044] Ginseng Figure 2 , Figure 6 and Fig.10 When the user presses the keycap 61, the keycap 61 moves toward the film circuit board 3 and compresses the elastic member, and the elastic member pushes downward against the corresponding upper conductive component 353, so that the upper conductive component 353 is conductive with the corresponding film lower conductive component 311 and the corresponding soft lower conductive component 44 to generate a control signal.

[0045] See also Figure 2 , Figure 5 , Fig. 9 and Fig.12 In this embodiment, the keycaps 61 pivotally connected to the second plate portion 22 through the connecting member 62 are multiple function keys 611 (such as F1 to F12) providing various shortcut functions in the luminous keyboard 1, and the function keys 611 correspond to the light-emitting units 45. The light-emitting member 451 of each light-emitting unit 45 can emit the same color or different colors of light as the light-emitting member 451 of other light-emitting units 45, and the function keys 611 can have different backlight colors.

[0046] See also Figure 2 and Figure 5 In this embodiment, the keycaps 61 pivotally connected to the first plate portion 21 through the connecting member 62 are respectively a plurality of general keys 612 for inputting English letters, numbers or symbols in the luminous keyboard 1. The general keys 612 correspond to the backlight module 5, and the light guide plate 51 and the reflective layer of the backlight module 5 project the light emitted by the light source upward to the general keys 612.

[0047] By arranging the flexible circuit board 4 between the second plate portion 22 and the second upper line sheet portion 352, the overall thickness of the luminous keyboard 1 at the function key 611 is relatively thin, and the backlight module 5 is arranged below the first plate portion 21, so that the overall thickness of the luminous keyboard 1 at the general key 612 is relatively thick, so the luminous keyboard 1 saves a space 613 at the function key 611 compared to the general key 612, which can be provided for other hardware devices of the notebook computer. In addition, since the general key 612 occupies a larger area ratio in the luminous keyboard 1 than the function key 611, the use of the backlight module 5 at the general key 612 can greatly reduce the manufacturing cost of the luminous keyboard 1.

[0048] It should be particularly noted that a person skilled in the art can adjust the area where the flexible circuit board 4 is used and the area where the backlight module 5 is used in the luminous keyboard 1 according to actual usage requirements, for example, using the flexible circuit board 4 at the general key 612 and using the backlight module 5 at the function key 611, so it is not limited to this embodiment.

[0049] In summary, the luminous keyboard 1 of the present invention, by setting the backlight module 5 under the first board portion 21 and setting the flexible circuit board 4 between the second board portion 22 and the second upper line sheet portion 352, makes the luminous keyboard 1 have a thinner thickness in the area corresponding to the second board portion 22, and the space 613 saved in the area corresponding to the second board portion 22 compared to the area corresponding to the first board portion 21 can be provided for other hardware devices of the laptop computer. In addition, since the backlight module 5 is used in the area corresponding to the first board portion 21, the overall manufacturing cost of the luminous keyboard 1 can be relatively reduced, so the purpose of the present invention can be achieved.

[0050] However, the above is only an embodiment of the present invention and should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. That is, any simple equivalent changes and modifications made according to the claims and description of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A luminous keyboard, characterized in that: Include A support plate, comprising a first plate portion and a second plate portion connected to the first plate portion; A thin film circuit board is arranged above the support plate and includes a thin film lower circuit film, a middle separator, and a thin film upper circuit film, wherein the thin film lower circuit film is arranged above the first plate portion, the middle separator has a first middle separator portion arranged above the thin film lower circuit film, and a second middle separator portion connected to the first middle separator portion and located above the second plate portion, and the thin film upper circuit film has a first upper line sheet portion arranged above the first middle separator portion, and a second upper line sheet portion connected to the first upper line sheet portion and located above the second middle separator portion; A flexible circuit board is disposed above the second board portion and electrically connected to the thin film circuit board, and includes a flexible lower circuit film disposed between the second board portion and the second intermediate partition portion, and a plurality of light-emitting components disposed on the flexible lower circuit film; A backlight module is disposed below the first plate portion; and A plurality of key modules, each of which comprises a key cap and a connecting member pivotally connected between the key cap and the supporting plate.

2. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The second middle partition has a plurality of upper overlapping holes open toward the second upper wiring sheet portion, the flexible circuit board also includes an upper covering film layer arranged between the second middle partition and the flexible lower circuit membrane, the upper covering film layer has a plurality of lower overlapping holes respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes, and one end of each of the lower overlapping holes away from the corresponding upper overlapping hole faces the flexible lower circuit membrane, the luminous keyboard also includes a plurality of conductive adhesive layers filled in the upper overlapping holes and the lower overlapping holes, and the conductive adhesive layers electrically connect the second upper wiring sheet portion and the flexible lower circuit membrane.

3. The luminous keyboard according to claim 2, characterized in that: The thin film circuit board also includes a first transparent adhesive layer arranged between the lower circuit film of the thin film and the middle spacer, and a second transparent adhesive layer arranged between the middle spacer and the upper circuit film of the thin film, the second transparent adhesive layer has a plurality of upper connecting holes respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes, and each of the upper connecting holes has an end away from the corresponding upper overlapping hole toward the second upper wiring sheet portion, the flexible circuit board also includes a third transparent adhesive layer arranged between the second middle spacer portion and the upper covering film layer, the third transparent adhesive layer has a plurality of lower connecting holes respectively connected to the upper overlapping holes and the lower overlapping holes, and the conductive adhesive layer is filled in the upper connecting hole, the upper overlapping hole, the lower connecting hole and the lower overlapping hole, so that the second upper wiring sheet portion is electrically connected to the flexible lower circuit film.

4. The luminous keyboard according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The conductive adhesive layer is anisotropic conductive adhesive.

5. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thin film upper circuit film also has a plurality of upper conductive components arranged on the first upper line sheet portion and the second upper line sheet portion, the middle partition sheet also has a plurality of through holes corresponding to the upper conductive components formed in the first middle partition portion and the second middle partition portion, the thin film lower circuit film has a plurality of thin film lower conductive components, the thin film lower conductive components correspond to the through holes formed in the first middle partition portion and correspond to the upper conductive components arranged on the first upper line sheet portion, the flexible circuit board also includes a plurality of flexible lower conductive components arranged on the flexible lower circuit film, the flexible lower conductive components correspond to the through holes located in the second middle partition portion and correspond to the upper conductive components located in the second upper line sheet portion.

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