Keypad illumination apparatus
AssigneeAvago Technologies ECBU IP (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.
InventorsFook Chuin Ng, Choon Guan Ko, Felix Cheang, Boon Keat Tan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A keypad illumination apparatus having a key plate member, a flexible light guide film, a reflective layer, a plurality of metal domes, a light source and a substrate. The key plate member may have a plurality of keys formed thereon. The flexible light guide film is configured to transmit light from the light source and has a plurality of plunging structures and apertures to accommodate the plurality of metal domes, which may be configured to actuate a plurality of electrical switches on the substrate.
Claims21
A keypad comprising:
- a key plate member, wherein the key plate member has a plurality of keys formed thereon;
- a flexible light guide film disposed below the key plate member and configured to transmit light to the plurality of keys formed on the key plate member;
- at least one light source configured to emit light into the flexible light guide film;
- a plurality of plunging structures formed within the flexible light guide film, wherein the plurality of plunging structures are positioned beneath and correspond to all or some of the plurality of keys;
- a plurality of apertures formed within the flexible light guide film and positioned beneath and corresponding to all or some of the plunging structures;
- a reflective layer disposed below the flexible light guide film;
- a substrate disposed below the reflective layer;
- and
- a plurality of electrical switches on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein the plurality of electrical switches are positioned beneath and corresponding to all or some of the apertures.
A keypad assembly of a mobile input device comprising:
- a printed circuit board having a plurality of electrical switches formed thereon;
- a reflective layer disposed on the printed circuit board;
- a flexible light guide film disposed on the reflective layer, wherein the flexible light guide film further comprises a plurality of apertures on a bottom surface of the flexible light guide film and positioned corresponding to the electrical switches, wherein the flexible light guide film further comprises a plurality of plunging structures within the flexible light guide film, and wherein the plunging structures are positioned above and corresponding to the apertures;
- a keypad member disposed on the flexible light guide film;
- and
- a light source coupled to the flexible light guide film, wherein the light source is a side-emitting LED.
A method of manufacturing an input device, comprising:
- providing a key plate member with a plurality of keys formed thereon, a flexible light guide film, a side emitting light source, a plurality of metal domes, a reflective layer with an adhesive surface and a substrate with a plurality of switches, wherein the flexible light guide film further comprises a plurality of apertures on a bottom surface and a plurality of plunging structures formed within the flexible light guide film and corresponding to each of the plurality of apertures;
- fixing the position of each of the plurality of metal domes above one of the plurality of switches using the adhesive surface of the reflective layer and attaching the reflective layer onto the substrate, sandwiching the metal domes between the reflective layer and the substrate;
- attaching the flexible light guide film to the reflective layer, wherein each of the plurality of apertures and corresponding plunging structures corresponds with one of the plurality of metal domes and corresponding electrical switches;
- attaching the key plate member onto the flexible light guide film, wherein each of the plurality of keys on the key plate member corresponds with one of the plurality of plunging structures in the flexible light guide film;
- and
- coupling the side emitting light source to the flexible light guide film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.