Luminous Keyboard Backlight Layout for Thin, Leak-Free Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional keyboards lack luminous functions and are thick, hindering their integration into thinner electronic devices, and there is a need to reduce production costs while maintaining functionality.
Innovation Solution
A backlight module with a light guide plate featuring an escape opening, where electronic components are embedded, and a reflective sheet extends into the opening to cover the electronic components, reducing thickness and preventing light leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If electronic components are disposed on the circuit board separately from the light guide plate, then the assembly is easier to manufacture, but the thickness of the backlight module increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the electronic component with the light guide plate by disposing the electronic component directly on the light guide plate rather than on a separate circuit board. This integration reduces the overall thickness of the backlight module while maintaining functional separation through spatial arrangement within the same structural layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic component is nested within the structural framework of the light guide plate assembly. The component is positioned in a recess or designated area of the light guide plate, allowing it to be embedded rather than added as a separate protruding element, thus reducing thickness.
2Reliability
If the reflective sheet does not extend into the escape opening, then the manufacturing process is simpler, but light leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The reflective sheet is designed to extend into the escape opening during the manufacturing process. This preliminary extension ensures that light leakage is prevented from the outset, and the reflective sheet's configuration is built-in rather than requiring additional corrective measures after assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The reflective sheet has different configurations in different regions: it extends into the escape opening specifically where light leakage is a concern, while maintaining its standard configuration in other areas. This localized modification provides targeted light leakage prevention without unnecessarily complicating the entire manufacturing process.
3Illumination intensity
If conventional lighting structures are used to light up keys, then the luminous function is achieved, but the keyboard thickness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting structure is merged with the light guide plate by integrating the light-emitting component directly into the light guide plate assembly. This eliminates the need for separate lighting modules and reduces overall keyboard thickness while maintaining the luminous function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a conventional three-layer lighting structure to a more compact configuration where the light-emitting component, light guide plate, and reflective sheet are integrated in a way that reduces the thickness dimension while maintaining lighting effectiveness through optimized light path design.
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 effectively reduces the thickness of luminous keyboards by embedding electronic components and enhances light efficiency by reflecting light back into the guide plate, maintaining functionality and reducing production costs.
Implementation Method 1
The reflective sheet is disposed on a rear surface of the light guide plate and between the light guide plate and the circuit board
Implementation Method 2
The light guide plate includes an escape opening and is disposed under the key switch structure
Data Source
AI summary
A backlight module including a circuit layer, a light guide plate, a light-emitting component, an electronic component, a reflective layer, and an identifier is provided. The light guide plate includes an escape opening and a light-source opening. The light-emitting component is connected to the circuit layer. The electronic component is connected to the circuit layer. The reflective layer is disposed between the light guide plate and the circuit layer. The identifier is disposed on the reflective layer. A keyboard using this backlight module is also provided.