Keypad structure and method of fabricating the same

A method of fabricating a keypad structure, comprising:

• forming a keycap component, comprising:
• providing a transparent plastic layer;
• disposing a first color layer on one face of the transparent plastic layer;
• disposing a second color layer on the first color layer to form a laminate, wherein the second color layer comprises a first hollowed pattern;
• partially removing the first color layer through the first hollowed pattern of the second color layer to form a second hollowed pattern on the first color layer, wherein an edge of the first hollowed pattern is aligned with an edge of the second hollowed pattern;
• forming the laminate into a keycap-shaped shell and filling the keycap-shaped shell with a keycap material, or disposing a keycap-shaped cured-resin layer on the transparent plastic layer of the laminate, to form a keycap layer;
• and
• cutting the keycap layer to obtain the keycap component;
• and
• combining the keycap component with a circuit board, a metal dome and a plunger to assembly the keypad structure.

A method of fabricating a keypad structure, comprising:

• forming a keycap component, comprising:
• disposing a keycap-shaped cured-resin layer on one face of a transparent plastic layer;
• disposing a keytop base color layer on another face of the transparent plastic layer;
• disposing a light-shielding color layer on the keytop base color layer;
• partially removing the light-shielding color layer and the keytop base color layer to form a first hollowed pattern on the light-shielding color layer and a second hollowed pattern on the keytop base color layer, wherein an edge of the first hollowed pattern is aligned with an edge of the second hollowed pattern, to form a keycap layer;
• and
• cutting the keycap layer to obtain the keycap component;
• and
• combining the keycap component with a circuit board, a metal dome and a plunger to assembly the keypad structure.

A method of fabricating a keypad structure, comprising:

• forming a keycap component, comprising:
• disposing a keycap-shaped cured-resin layer on one face of a transparent plastic layer;
• disposing a keytop base color layer on another face of the transparent plastic layer;
• disposing a light-shielding color layer on the keytop base color layer, wherein the light-shielding color layer comprises a first hollowed pattern;
• partially removing the keytop base color layer through the first hollowed pattern to form a second hollowed pattern on the keytop base color layer, wherein an edge of the first hollowed pattern is aligned with an edge of the second hollowed pattern, to form a keycap layer;
• and
• cutting the keycap layer to obtain the keycap component;
• and
• combining the keycap component with a circuit board, a metal dome and a plunger to assembly the keypad structure.

A keypad structure, comprising:

• a circuit board;
• a metal dome above the circuit board;
• a plunger above the metal dome;
• and
• a keycap component above the plunger, wherein, the keycap component comprises a laminate, the laminate comprises a transparent plastic layer, a keytop base color layer and a light-shielding color layer laminated together, the keytop base color layer comprises a first hollowed pattern, the light-shielding color layer comprises a second hollowed pattern, an edge of the second hollowed pattern is aligned with an edge of the first hollowed pattern, and the light-shielding color layer is between the keytop base color layer and the plunger.