Keycaps having reduced thickness
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsCraig C. Leong, Derrick T. Jue, Hilbert T. Kwan, Keith J. Hendren
Life of this patent
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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
An illuminated input apparatus for use with a computing device comprising:
- at least one key, the at least one key comprising:
- a transparent glass keycap having a top surface;
- a background layer comprising a glyph window;
- a glyph diffuser layer;
- a compressible mechanism configured to activate electrical switch circuitry;
- and
- a light source having an on state and an off state, the light source oriented to transmit light through the transparent glass keycap.
A method for manufacturing a light transmissive keycap for illuminating a keyboard comprising:
- depositing a background ink layer on a bottom surface of a transparent glass keycap;
- etching a symbol aperture into the background ink layer;
- depositing a translucent glyph diffuser layer on the background ink over at least the symbol aperture;
- and
- aligning the transparent glass keycap along a vertical axis with a compressible scissor mechanism positioned above electrical switch circuitry;
A keyboard comprising:
- a plurality of keys, which at least one key of the plurality of keys comprising a keycap comprising:
- a glass top layer having at least four beveled edges along the perimeter of a top surface;
- an ink layer disposed along a bottom surface of the glass top layer;
- a glyph window within the ink layer;
- and
- a diffuser fill within the glyph window;
- a light emissive layer underlying the plurality of keys;
- and
- an electrical switch layer comprising a plurality of electrical switches, each of the plurality underlying a respective one of the plurality of keys.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.