Light Emitting Keyboard Key Structure with Light Guide Circuit Board
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light emitting keyboards for portable electronic devices are not slim enough to meet the requirements of higher portability and slimness due to the thickness of the light guide plate in their backlight modules.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves eliminating the light guide plate and using a light guide material for the circuit board, with a light source directly bonded to its lateral side, and optionally incorporating a reflective sheet or thin film, to achieve a thinner key structure while maintaining the light emitting effect.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light guide plate is used in the backlight module, then the light emitting effect is achieved, but the thickness of the keyboard increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the light guide plate from the traditional backlight module structure. By extracting this component, the overall thickness of the keyboard is reduced while maintaining the light emitting function through alternative means (light source directly on circuit board).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the light guide function with the circuit board by making the circuit board itself translucent and integrating the light source directly onto it. This merging eliminates the need for a separate light guide plate, thereby reducing thickness while preserving light guidance functionality.
2Length of stationary object
If the key structure is made thinner for portability, then the slimness requirement is met, but the light guiding function may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating convex and concave dots at specific locations on the circuit board surface. These localized structural modifications enable effective light guidance and uniform distribution through the thin key structure without compromising overall thickness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent addresses the light guidance issue in a thin structure by introducing surface dimensionality through convex and concave dots. This dimensional change on the circuit board surface enables effective light scattering and uniform distribution despite the reduced thickness in the vertical dimension.
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 approach reduces the overall thickness of the key structure, allowing for a more portable and slim design while maintaining a uniform and soft light output through the use of an optical light guide structure with convex or concave dots.
Implementation Method 1
the light emitted from the light source can be directly guided into the circuit board, and then outputted from the light transmissive key cap
Implementation Method 2
The reflective sheet is disposed on the base... the light emitted from the light source can be directly guided into the circuit board
Data Source
AI summary
A light emitting key structure is provided. The key structure includes a base, a reflective sheet, a circuit board, an elastic member, a linkage mechanism, and a key cap sequentially disposed one on another in order. The reflective sheet is disposed on the base. The circuit board is made of a light guide material. At least one light source is bonded to a lateral side of the circuit board. The circuit board, together with the light source bonded to the lateral side thereof is disposed on the reflective sheet. The elastic member is directly coupled to the circuit board. The key cap is featured with a light transmission characteristic. Therefore, in operation, the light emitted from the light source can be directly guided into the circuit board, and then outputted from the light transmissive key cap, thus achieving the light emitting effect.