Keyboard Key Lenses for Uniform Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Achieving uniform illumination of keyboard keycaps is challenging in existing computing devices, leading to uneven light distribution and increased power consumption.

Innovation Solution

Integrating lenses into the scissor mechanism of each key to focus light emitted by a light source onto the keycaps, using materials like glass, plastic, or polycarbonate, ensuring even illumination and reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a light source is used to illuminate the keyboard, then visibility of keys is improved, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility of keysVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent reduces power consumption by implementing local quality illumination - each lens focuses light only onto its specific keycap area rather than illuminating the entire keyboard uniformly. This localized approach minimizes wasted light energy and reduces the overall power required from the light source while maintaining adequate visibility of all keys.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of light dispersion and energy waste into benefit by using lenses to focus and redirect light that would otherwise be lost. The lenses capture and concentrate light energy onto specific keycaps, transforming what would be wasted scattered light into useful illumination, thereby reducing total power consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The solution provides even light distribution across the keyboard, reducing power consumption and heat generation, while extending battery life by efficiently utilizing the light source.

Implementation Method 1

An individual key of the keyboard may include one or more lenses. The one or more lenses may focus the light towards an area below an individual keycap of the individual key.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight focusing: Lens

Data Source

PatentUS10510500B2Including one or more lenses in individual keys of a keyboard to focus light

Publication Date: 2019.12.17 DELL PROD LP

AI summary

In some examples, a computing device may include a first housing coupled to a second housing. The first housing may include a first set of components including a display device. The second housing may include a second set of components including a keyboard and a light source that emits light. An individual key of the keyboard may include one or more lenses. The one or more lenses may focus the light towards an area below an individual keycap of the individual key. For example, the one or more lenses may be integrated into a scissor mechanism of the individual key. The keycap may include an opaque material into which is embedded a character or a symbol made of a transparent or translucent material through which the light is visible.