Waterproof keyboard with flexible keyboard circuit and related methods

A non-vented waterproof keyboard comprising:

• a housing comprising a plurality of keyboard buttons, a first internal cavity, and a second internal cavity within the first internal cavity;
• a flexible keyboard circuit carried within the first internal cavity of the housing and comprising,
• a first polymer layer,
• at least one electrically conductive material layer on the first polymer layer to define a plurality of switches and connections therebetween, the plurality of switches being aligned with the plurality of keyboard buttons,
• a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer and the at least one electrically conductive material layer,
• a plurality of visual indicators carried by the first and second polymer layers and being coupled to the at least one electrically conductive material layer, and
• an adhesive layer between the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer and defining a plurality of sealed air chambers, subsets of the plurality of switches being respectively within the plurality of sealed air chambers;
• and
• a controller to be coupled to the flexible keyboard circuit.

A method of making a waterproof keyboard, the method comprising:

• providing a housing comprising a plurality of keyboard buttons;
• forming a flexible keyboard circuit;
• positioning the flexible keyboard circuit within the housing, the flexible keyboard circuit comprising,
• a first polymer layer,
• at least one electrically conductive material layer on the first polymer layer to define a plurality of switches and connections therebetween, the plurality of switches being aligned with the plurality of keyboard buttons,
• a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer and the at least one electrically conductive material layer, and
• an adhesive layer between the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer and defining a plurality of sealed air chambers, subsets of the plurality of switches being respectively within the plurality of sealed air chambers;
• and
• coupling a controller within the housing and to the flexible keyboard circuit.

A method of making a waterproof keyboard, the method comprising:

• forming a plurality of alignment holes in a periphery of each of a first polymer layer, at least one electrically conductive material layer, a second polymer layer, and an adhesive layer;
• aligning the first polymer layer, the at least one electrically conductive material layer, the second polymer layer, and the adhesive layer using the plurality of alignment holes to form a stack of layers, the at least one electrically conductive material layer being on the first polymer layer to define a plurality of switches and connections therebetween, the second polymer layer being over the first polymer layer and the at least one electrically conductive material layer, and the adhesive layer being between the first polymer layer and the second polymer layer;
• laminating the stack of layers;
• segmenting the stack of layers to define a flexible keyboard circuit, the adhesive layer defining a plurality of sealed air chambers, subsets of the plurality of switches being respectively within the plurality of sealed air chambers;
• positioning the flexible keyboard circuit within a housing, the plurality of switches being aligned with a plurality of keyboard buttons in the housing;
• and
• coupling a controller within the housing to the flexible keyboard circuit.