Keycaps having reduced thickness
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsCraig C. Leong, Derrick T. Jue, Hilbert T. Kwan, Keith J. Hendren
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illuminated glass keycap having a glyph diffuser layer that may diffuse light through a glyph window opened in a background layer. The background layer may be opaque and the glyph window may be transparent. The keycap is adhered to a scissor mechanism positioned above electrical switch circuitry. Included within, below, or adjacent to the scissor mechanism may be one or more light sources positioned to emit light through the keycap, around the perimeter of the keycap, and/or through the background layer.
Claims20
A keyboard of an electronic device, the keyboard comprising:
- a housing defining a key aperture;
- a light source positioned in the housing below the key aperture;
- and
- a keycap positioned in the key aperture, the keycap including:
- an at least partially transparent body having a bottom surface;
- a background layer formed on the bottom surface of the at least partially transparent body and defining a background area portion and a glyph area portion;
- and
- a diffuser layer configured to distribute light through the background layer;
- wherein the keycap is selectively illuminable to at least two modes using the light source, the at least two modes including:
- a glyph illumination mode, wherein the glyph area portion is illuminated, and the background area portion is in an off state, and
- a background illumination mode, wherein the background area portion is illuminated, and the glyph area portion is in an off state.
A keyboard of an electronic device, the keyboard comprising:
- a housing defining a key aperture;
- a light source positioned in the housing;
- and
- a keycap positioned in the key aperture, the keycap including:
- a transparent body having a top surface and a bottom surface;
- a background layer formed on the bottom surface of the transparent body and defining a background area portion;
- and
- a diffuser layer configured to distribute light through the background layer;
- wherein a gap is formed between the keycap and the key aperture;
- and
- wherein the keycap is selectively illuminable to at least two modes using the light source, the at least two modes including:
- a first mode, wherein the background area portion is illuminated, and the gap is in an off state, and
- a second mode, wherein the gap is illuminated, and the background area portion is in an off state.
A keycap for a keyboard of an electronic device, the keycap comprising:
- an at least partially transparent body having a bottom surface;
- a background layer positioned on the bottom surface of the at least partially transparent body, the background layer defining a background area portion and a glyph area portion;
- and
- a diffuser layer configured to distribute light through the background layer;
- wherein in a first lighting mode, a boundary between the background area portion and the glyph area portion is visible through the at least partially transparent body, and
- wherein in a second lighting mode, the boundary is not visible through the at least partially transparent body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.