Backlighted illuminated keyboard
AssigneeKB Denver, Inc.
InventorSteve W. Stracener
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A backlighted illuminated keyboard including a printed circuit board on which is mounted in a central location a single lamp easily replaceable from the backside of the board and which extends into a clear plastic light diffuser over which an overlay is disposed and a bezel is provided to define key areas in the translucent overlay such that the single lamp disperses light energy through the diffuser to light up the entire overlay. The single lamp is mounted in a socket formed in the printed circuit board and held in place by a swivel arm which can be swung to one side to allow ease of removal of the lamp.
Claims17
An illuminated keyboard comprising, a switch assembly having a printed circuit board with a plurality of switch sites and a dome coacting with each said site to define a switch, a light diffuser above said switch assembly, a plurality of dome actuating pins guidably received in said diffuser, one each aligned with a dome and one end of which engages a dome, a translucent graphic overlay above said diffuser engaging the other ends of said pins, an opaque bezel over said overlay defining a plurality of key areas for said overlay, one each aligned with an actuating pin, whereby pressure in a key area causes depression of a pin and actuation of the dome in alignment therewith to close the switch including said dome, a single light source for lighting the entire overlay, and means removably and centrally mounting said light source on said printed circuit board such that it extends into said diffuser for transmitting light energy therethrough to light the key areas of the entire overlay.
An illuminated keyboard comprising, a switch assembly including a printed circuit board having a plurality of switch sites, and a dome mounted on said board at each switch site and coacting therewith to define a switch which provides tactile feedback on actuation and when depressed closes and when released opens, a light diffuser plate above and against said switch assembly, said plate being capable of diffusing light energy supplied centrally thereof, a plurality of dome actuating plungers guidably received by said light diffuser plate, one each aligned with a dome and when depressed causes depression of the dome to close the switch thereof, a translucent graphic overlay above said diffuser plate having indicia thereon in a plurality of areas, the depression of an area of which is in alignment with a dome actuating plunger causes depression of that plunger to close a switch, an opaque bezel for receiving said switch assembly, light diffuser plate and overlay in alignment with each other and having window means for defining key areas on said overlay corresponding with dome actuating plungers and switches, and means for illuminating said overlay from the backside to facilitate reading the indicia on the overlay in poor light situations, said illuminating means including a lamp centrally mounted on said printed circuit board and extending into an aperture of the light diffuser plate, and means mounting said lamp such that it can be removed and replaced from the back of the board.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.