Light-Emitting Keyboard With Inverted Solid-State Lighting Source

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional light-emitting keyboards suffer from inefficiencies in light guidance, leading to wasted light and increased keyboard height due to the use of backlight modules and light-guiding plates positioned below the keys.

Innovation Solution

A light-emitting keyboard design featuring keycaps made of light-guiding material with a frame surrounding the periphery, incorporating a solid-state lighting source that emits light directly into the keycaps through a light-guiding path, reducing the overall height and enhancing light transmission efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If conventional backlight modules with light-guiding plates are used, then light can be emitted to illuminate the keycaps, but the keyboard height increases and light transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeycap illuminationVSAvoidkeyboard height

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of placing the light source below the keyboard with light traveling upward through the keycaps, this patent inverts the approach by placing the light source above the keycaps. The solid-state lighting source is positioned on the top surface, and light travels directly downward through the keycaps, eliminating the need for thick light-guiding plates and reducing overall keyboard height while improving illumination efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

This patent extracts and eliminates the bulky light-guiding plate component from the conventional backlight module design. By using a solid-state lighting source that directly illuminates the keycaps from above, the complex light-guiding plate structure is removed, simplifying the overall construction and reducing keyboard height.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Illumination intensity

If light travels through a long path from the backlight module to the keycap, then illumination is achieved, but light is wasted and leaked from gaps between keys

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeycap illuminationVSAvoidlight loss

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By inverting the light source position to be above the keycaps rather than below, the light transmission path is dramatically shortened. Light travels directly downward through the keycap material without needing to pass through bridges, gaps, or complex mechanical structures, minimizing energy loss and preventing light leakage between keys.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Illumination intensity

If light-guiding plates and LED arrays are used, then keycap illumination is achieved, but the keyboard structure becomes more complex and height increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvekeycap illuminationVSAvoidkeyboard structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

This patent removes the light-guiding plate and complex LED array structure from the keyboard design. By using a solid-state lighting source that integrates directly with the keycap structure, the patent simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining effective illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the lighting function directly into the keycap structure by using solid-state lighting sources that are integrated with the keycap assembly. This combination eliminates separate light-guiding plates and complex mechanical structures, reducing device complexity while achieving effective illumination.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This design efficiently guides light into the keycaps, maintaining the original keyboard height while minimizing light loss and environmental impact by shortening the light transmission path and eliminating the need for bulky light-guiding plates.

Implementation Method 1

The keycap is made of light-guiding material and defines a light-guiding path from the light entrance portion to the touch surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight guidance: Refraction

Implementation Method 2

The frame is made of light-guiding material and has at least one light-outputting surface contiguous to the light-entrance portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight guidance: Refraction

Data Source

PatentUS9184000B2Light-emitting keyboard, illuminating structure thereof, and keycap thereof

Publication Date: 2015.11.10 LITE ON ELECTRONICS (GUANGZHOU) LTD

AI summary

A light-emitting keyboard includes a keycap, a frame and a solid-state lighting source. The keycap has a light-entrance portion formed on the periphery thereof, and a touch surface for pressing by user. The keycap is made of light-guiding material and defines a light-guiding path from the light entrance portion to the touch surface. The frame is arranged adjacent to the keycap and surrounds the periphery of the keycap. The frame is made of light-guiding material and forms at least one light-outputting surface. The at least one light-outputting surface is contiguous to the light-entrance portion. The solid-state lighting source is fixed to the frame and emits light from the light-outputting surface into the light-entrance portion by the light-guiding path, and exits from the touch surface of the keycap. The instant disclosure also provides an illuminating structure of the keyboard, and a keycap thereof.