Key with light guide block
By optimizing the light propagation path with a light guide block, the problems of uneven light distribution and high energy consumption in existing buttons are solved, achieving uniform light distribution and energy saving, and improving user experience and aesthetics.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422431593.9
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-10-09
- Publication Date
- 2025-12-05
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-10-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing button designs suffer from uneven light distribution, low light efficiency, and high energy consumption. Furthermore, unreasonable light propagation path design leads to increased energy consumption, affecting user experience and aesthetics.
The light guide block design includes a base shell, a light guide block, and a light source. The light guide block optimizes the light propagation path through structures such as multi-faceted diffused surfaces and arc-shaped grooves, ensuring that the light is evenly distributed on the button surface and reducing light loss.
It achieves uniform light distribution on the button surface, improves user experience and visual effect, reduces light loss, and enhances light efficiency and energy saving performance.
Smart Images
Figure CN223638263U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates to the field of keys, in particular to a key with a light guide block. BACKGROUND
[0002] The existing key technology has been widely used in electronic devices, especially in the field of consumer electronics and household appliances. Traditional key design usually adopts simple mechanical or capacitive structure, and realizes corresponding function through manual pressing. However, with the continuous improvement of user experience requirements, the function of key is no longer limited to basic operation, and the design also pays more and more attention to visual effect, such as providing clear indication or feedback in low light conditions. Therefore, many keys begin to integrate light emitting function, usually through installing LED lamp under the key to realize light output, so as to enhance the visibility of the key.
[0003] Although the existing light emitting key technology has made some progress, there are still some significant deficiencies. First of all, the light source in the traditional light emitting key is usually located below or around the key, which is easy to cause uneven distribution of light, especially in larger or more complex shaped keys, the distribution of light intensity may appear obvious difference, which affects the user experience. Secondly, due to the limited installation position of LED light source, the light may be attenuated when propagating through the key material, resulting in low light efficiency, which further reduces the recognition and aesthetics of the key. In addition, due to the unreasonable design of light path, some key designs cannot effectively transmit light, resulting in increased energy consumption, while the overall light effect has not been significantly improved.
[0004] The main reason for these problems is that the existing technology lacks precise control of the light propagation path. The material selection and structure design of the key are difficult to realize the directional guidance of light, and the light emitted by the light source cannot be effectively and uniformly emitted from the surface of the key. The existing design often adopts single light source layout, which fails to fully utilize the principle of optics, resulting in uneven light distribution, insufficient brightness and energy waste. In addition, when the light propagation path in the key is long or there is complex structure, the light is easy to be reflected or absorbed in the propagation process, causing more light loss, which further aggravates these deficiencies.
[0005] In view of the above deficiencies, it is particularly necessary and valuable to develop a key with a light guide block. CONTENT OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The purpose of the present application is to at least overcome one deficiency of the prior art, provide a key with a light guide block, which can better control the propagation direction of light, ensure the uniform distribution of light on the surface of the key, effectively reduce light loss, improve light efficiency, and improve the visual effect of the key and enhance the user experience.
[0007] To achieve the above object, the application discloses a key with a light guide block, which comprises a base shell, a key assembly installed in the base shell, and a light guide block also installed on the base shell, wherein the base shell comprises a base and an upper cover opposite to the base, the base is provided with an installation groove for installing the light guide block, and the upper cover is provided with a hole for the light guide block to pass through, the light guide block is vertically inserted into the installation groove and is vertically constrained on the base shell by the upper cover; the light guide block comprises a bottom surface opposite to a light source, two side surfaces for refracting light, a top surface, and a light scattering surface with multiple folding surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and used for uniformly scattering light, the light scattering surface passes through the upper cover and is exposed; the bottom surface is provided with an arc-shaped groove opposite to the light source and used for collecting light.
[0008] In some embodiments, a square groove is arranged on the front surface and / or the back surface of the light guide block.
[0009] In some embodiments, the key assembly is a magnetic shaft assembly, which comprises a shaft core installed with a magnetic block, a spring used for resetting the shaft core, and a Hall device opposite to the magnetic block.
[0010] In some embodiments, the key assembly is a mechanical shaft assembly, which comprises a shaft core, a spring matched with the shaft core, a moving sheet and a static sheet fixed on the base, wherein the moving sheet is opposite to the shaft core, and the moving sheet is pushed to contact the static sheet when the shaft core goes down.
[0011] In some embodiments, the light source is installed on the base.
[0012] In some embodiments, a clamping table is arranged on the side surface of the light guide block, and a secondary groove matched with the clamping table is arranged in the installation groove.
[0013] Compared with the prior art, the application has at least one of the following beneficial effects:
[0014] 1. Uniform distribution of light: By arranging the light guide block, the light emitted by the light source can be better distributed uniformly on the surface of the key, avoiding the problem of uneven distribution of light in traditional keys and improving user experience.
[0015] 2. Reduction of light loss: The design of the light guide block accurately controls the propagation path of the light, reducing the reflection and absorption loss of the light in the propagation process and improving the light efficiency.
[0016] 3. Enhancement of visual effect: Through reasonable design of the light guide block and the light scattering surface with multiple folding surfaces, the visual effect of the key is significantly improved, especially in low light conditions.
[0017] 4. Energy saving and high efficiency: The light guide block effectively guides the light, reduces energy consumption, and improves the overall light efficiency, making the key more energy-saving and environmentally friendly.
[0018] The above-listed benefits are not exhaustive of all advantages. Other potential benefits and detailed technical implementations will be further disclosed in the embodiments or other description sections of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0019] Aspects of the present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings. The drawings are intended for illustrative purposes only and the scale of the various elements in the drawings is not intended to be to scale. In the drawings:
[0020] Figure 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0021] Figure 2 is an exploded structural view of an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0022] Figure 3 is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present disclosure after removing the upper cover.
[0023] Figure 4 is a structural schematic diagram of a light guide block in an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0024] Figure 5 is a structural schematic diagram of a light guide block in an embodiment of the present disclosure from another perspective. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] The present disclosure will be described with respect to the drawings in which several embodiments of the present disclosure are shown. It is to be understood that the present disclosure can be embodied in many different forms and is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein; in fact, these embodiments are to be provided for completeness of disclosure and fully convey the scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the art. It is also to be understood that the embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in various ways to provide additional embodiments.
[0026] It is to be understood that like numerals in the drawings represent like elements throughout the several embodiments. In the drawings, the dimensions of certain features can be exaggerated for clarity.
[0027] It is to be understood that the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation. All technical and scientific terms used herein are to be understood as commonly used and accepted by one of ordinary skill in the art unless otherwise defined. For the purposes of the present disclosure, technical, methodological and instrumental descriptions known to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art can not be discussed in detail, but should be considered as part of the authorized description when appropriate.
[0028] As used in the specification, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "includes," "including" and "contains," "containing," as used in the specification, are intended to be open-ended terms i.e., to mean including, but not limited to. The term "and / or" as used in the specification means any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Embodiments
[0029] As Figures 1-5 shown, the embodiment describes an exemplary structure of a light guide block in detail. The overall structure of the key includes a base shell 1, a key assembly 2, a light guide block 3 and a light source (not shown in the figure).
[0030] Specifically, the main components of the base shell 1 are a base 101 and a cover 102. The base 101 is provided with a mounting groove 103 for mounting the light guide block 3, and the cover 102 is provided with a hole position 104 corresponding to the mounting groove 103 for the light guide block 3 to pass through. The light guide block 3 is inserted vertically from the mounting groove 103 of the base 101 and exposed on the surface through the hole position of the cover 102, thereby forming a light guide path. In use, the light source is installed on the base or the PCB board of the keyboard below the base 101, and the light emitted by the light source is transmitted to the key surface through the light guide block 3, ensuring uniform distribution of light and visual effect. The light source usually adopts LED lamp, which is suitable for the light emitting function of the key due to its high luminous efficiency, long service life and low energy consumption.
[0031] More specifically, the design of the base shell 1 provides fixation and support for the key assembly 2 and the light guide block 3. The base 101 is made of plastic or metal material, which has high mechanical strength and wear resistance. The design of the mounting groove 103 ensures the stability of the light guide block 3, and the vertical constraint through the hole position of the cover 102 ensures that the light guide block 3 will not be offset or loose during operation.
[0032] In this embodiment, the light guide block 3 is one of the core components, and its design takes into account the principles of light propagation and refraction. The overall structure of the light guide block 3 is designed as a polyhedron, including a bottom surface 301, two side surfaces 303, a top surface 304 and a plurality of light scattering surfaces 305. The geometric shapes of each surface are accurately designed to achieve the best light propagation path, avoid light loss and improve the uniformity of light distribution.
[0033] Specifically, the bottom surface of the light guide block 3 is opposite to the light source, and an arc-shaped groove 302 is arranged on the bottom surface 301. The arc-shaped groove 302 is used to collect and focus the light emitted by the light source, so that the light can be effectively introduced into the light guide block 3. The curvature of the arc-shaped groove 302 is designed according to the principle of light reflection and focusing, so that the light emitted by the light source can be concentrated and guided into the light guide block 3 for refraction and propagation. Part of the light is refracted through the two side surfaces 303 of the light guide block 3, and finally uniformly scattered from the top surface 304 and the light scattering surface 305.
[0034] As a technical optimization, in this embodiment, a square groove 306 is arranged on the front surface and / or the back surface of the light guide block 3. This design aims to further optimize the propagation path of the light and provide additional functional effects in specific applications. First, the design of the square groove 306 can adjust and optimize the propagation of the light. The shape of the groove is square, and the purpose is to increase the refraction and reflection angles of the light through its flat surface, so that the light in the light guide block 3 can be more uniformly distributed inside the light guide block 3 when passing through the front surface or the back surface. The depth and width of the groove are designed according to the overall size of the light guide block 3 and the light-emitting requirements of the key. Through this geometric design, the light is refracted and reflected multiple times at the square groove 306, thereby avoiding the formation of bright spots or dark areas on the surface of the key, and further improving the uniformity of the light distribution on the surface of the key.
[0035] In the above structure, the design of the light scattering surface 305 effectively increases the scattering angle of the light, ensuring that the light distribution on the surface of the key is uniform, and the user can clearly see the light-emitting effect of the key whether in daylight or low light conditions. The material of the light guide block 3 is usually transparent plastic with high light transmittance, and high light transmittance materials such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC) are usually selected. These materials not only have very high light transmittance, but also can maintain transparency for a long time without yellowing or aging.
[0036] More specifically, the two side surfaces 303 of the light guide block 3 are responsible for refracting the light entering from the bottom surface 301, and the side surface 303 is designed as a smooth refractive surface, which can effectively guide the light to the top surface 304 and the light scattering surface 305 through the principle of light refraction. In design, the side surface 303 is a vertical surface.
[0037] The top surface 304 is the exit of part of the light rays, which reach the top surface 304 after being refracted by the side surface 303 and the light guide block 3 itself, ensuring that the light rays can cover the entire surface area of the key. The light dispersion surface 305 plays an important role in the process of the light rays entering the key surface from the top surface. The light dispersion surface 305 is designed to have a multi-faceted structure, which increases the diffusion angle of the light rays, allowing them to be uniformly scattered without concentrating in a certain place. This multi-faceted design breaks the concentration of light, ensuring that the light rays can uniformly cover the key regardless of its size or shape, without causing local brightness to be too high or too low.
[0038] In the above structure, the side surface 303 of the light guide block 3 is provided with a clamping table 307, which is designed to ensure that the light guide block 2 remains stable in position when installed in the base shell 1 and has good fixation in the vertical direction. The light guide block 3 is tightly fitted between the base 101 and the upper cover 102 of the base shell 1 through the clamping table 307, ensuring that the light guide block does not loosen or shift during use, thereby ensuring the stability of light propagation and uniform distribution of light efficiency.
[0039] When the light guide block 3 is inserted into the mounting groove 103 on the base 101, the clamping table 307 enters the sub-groove 105 in the mounting groove 104, and the upper cover 102 is fitted with the hole position 104 on the clamping table 307 to apply a vertical restraining force to the light guide block 3, ensuring that the light guide block 3 does not move up and down.
[0040] In this embodiment, the key assembly 2 has two options: a magnetic shaft assembly or a mechanical shaft assembly, which can be selected according to different actual applications. The magnetic shaft assembly includes a magnetic block mounted on the shaft core, which is opposite to the Hall device. When the key assembly 2 is pressed down, the shaft core pushes the magnetic block close to the Hall device, triggering an induction signal and completing the operation. This design enables the key to have precise triggering function and allows the key to reset quickly after being released through the spring. The mechanical shaft assembly is composed of a shaft core, a spring, a moving piece and a static piece. When the shaft core goes down, it pushes the moving piece to contact the static piece, thereby completing the circuit closure. The mechanical shaft assembly is suitable for scenarios that require high operating force and feedback.
[0041] In actual use, when the user presses the key, the key assembly 2 triggers the action, and the light rays are uniformly scattered on the key surface, improving the visibility of the key in low light or at night. This design not only improves the visual effect of the key, but also reduces light loss and improves energy efficiency, thereby achieving the goal of energy saving and environmental protection.
[0042] While exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are provided by way of illustration only. Therefore, various changes and modifications can be suggested to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Thus, all changes and modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. The present disclosure is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A key with a light guide block, characterized by, The key comprises a base shell, a key assembly installed in the base shell, and a light guide block also installed on the base shell, wherein the base shell comprises a base and an upper cover opposite to the base, the base is provided with an installation slot for installing the light guide block, and the upper cover is provided with a hole position for the light guide block to pass through, the light guide block is vertically inserted into the installation slot and is vertically constrained on the base shell by the upper cover; the light guide block comprises a bottom surface opposite to a light source, two side surfaces for refracting light, a top surface, and a light dispersing surface with multiple folding surfaces connecting the top surface and the bottom surface and used for uniformly dispersing light, the light dispersing surface passes through the upper cover and is exposed; the bottom surface is provided with an arc-shaped groove opposite to the light source and used for collecting light.
2. A key with light guide block as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: A square groove is arranged on the front surface and / or the back surface of the light guide block.
3. A key with light guide block as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The key assembly is a magnetic shaft assembly, which comprises a shaft core provided with a magnetic block, a spring used for resetting the shaft core, and a Hall device opposite to the magnetic block.
4. The key with light guide block as defined in claim 1, wherein: The key assembly is a mechanical shaft assembly, which comprises a shaft core, a spring matched with the shaft core, a moving sheet and a static sheet fixed on the base, wherein the moving sheet is opposite to the shaft core, and the shaft core pushes the moving sheet to contact the static sheet when descending.
5. A key with light guide block as defined in claim 1, wherein: The light source is installed on the base.
6. A key with light guide block as defined in claim 1, characterized in that: A clamping table is arranged on the side surface of the light guide block.