Illuminated Keyboard Light Guiding Plate and Reflecting Sheet Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional illuminated keyboards have complex structures, limited light emitting capability, and efficiency, and are prone to issues like high starting voltage, short lifespan, and electromagnetic interference due to the use of Electroluminescent sheets.
Innovation Solution
An illuminated keyboard design featuring a light guiding plate with a light incoming and outgoing surface, light holes, and a reflecting sheet, utilizing LEDs as light sources, and a membrane circuit board with elastic members and scissors structures, optimized for better light transmission and distribution, and manufactured using plastic injection molding for simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a multi-layer light guiding structure with multiple LGPs is used, then light transmission capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light guiding plate is segmented into multiple functional regions: a light incoming surface for light entry, a bottom surface with light condensing patterns for light manipulation, light holes for light transmission to keycaps, and a light outgoing surface. This segmentation allows each region to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The light condensing patterns on the bottom surface of the light guiding plate act as intermediaries to manipulate and redirect light from the light source toward the light holes. These patterns serve as a mediating mechanism that improves light transmission without requiring multiple complex LGP layers.
2Length of stationary object
If Electroluminescent sheets are used as backlight devices, then keyboard thickness is reduced, but starting voltage increases and lifespan decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the short-lived Electroluminescent sheets with LEDs, which have significantly longer operational lifespans. While LEDs may slightly increase keyboard thickness, the trade-off is justified by the substantial improvement in reliability and reduced need for replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the lighting parameter from Electroluminescent technology to LED technology, fundamentally altering the operational characteristics including lifespan, starting voltage requirements, and brightness output. This parameter change resolves the contradiction by selecting a technology with superior long-term reliability.
3Length of stationary object
If Electroluminescent sheets are used as backlight devices, then keyboard thickness is reduced, but electromagnetic interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes Electroluminescent technology with LED technology, replacing a system that generates electromagnetic interference with one that does not. LEDs operate on different physical principles that eliminate the EMI issues while maintaining compact form factor.
4Illumination intensity
If light holes are made larger to improve light transmission, then brightness increases, but structural precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The light condensing patterns are applied locally on the bottom surface of the light guiding plate, specifically in regions where light needs to be redirected toward the light holes. This localized treatment allows for optimized light transmission through the holes without requiring the entire structure to meet high precision standards.
Solution Approach 2:
The light condensing patterns are pre-formed on the bottom surface of the light guiding plate during manufacturing. This preliminary action of light manipulation before light reaches the holes ensures optimal light transmission while allowing for standard manufacturing tolerances on the hole dimensions themselves.
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 design enhances light emitting capability and efficiency, reduces thickness and weight, and minimizes costs while providing a more reliable and efficient lighting solution with improved brightness and longevity.
Implementation Method 1
a light emitted from the light sources is transmitted into the light guiding plate from the light incoming surface and transmitted out of the light guiding plate from the outgoing surface
Implementation Method 2
a reflecting sheet disposed beneath the bottom surface of the light guiding plate and reflecting the light emitted from the light sources into the light guiding plate
Implementation Method 3
the bottom surface of the light guiding plate is provided with a plurality of light condensing patterns for condensing the light emitted from the light source by reflecting and refracting
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein is an illuminated keyboard having: a key module having a plurality of keycaps, scissors structures, elastic members, and a membrane circuit board; a keyboard base plate having a plurality of positioning members corresponding to the keycaps and integrally formed on the keyboard base plate for positioning the keyboard module on the keyboard base plate; a light guiding plate disposed beneath the key module and over the keyboard base plate, the light guiding plate having a light incoming surface, a bottom surface intersecting the light incoming surface, a light outgoing surface opposite to the light incoming surface, and provided with light holes corresponding to the positioning members; light sources arranged on one side of the light incoming surface of the light guiding plate, wherein a light emitted from the light sources is transmitted into the light guiding plate from the light incoming surface and transmitted out of the light guiding plate from the outgoing surface; and a reflecting sheet disposed beneath the bottom surface of the light guiding plate for reflecting the light emitted from the light sources into the light guiding plate, the reflecting sheet having through holes corresponding to the positioning members and the light holes.