Light conducting, elastomeric membrane keypad

A keypad assembly, comprising:

• a housing;
• a circuit board disposed in said housing and having pairs of contacts and a plurality of light sources;
• and
• keypad means disposed between said housing and said circuit board and including:
• translucent sheet means comprised of an elastomer, having a top surface and a bottom surface and a predetermined thickness for conducting light from the light sources, and said sheet means further having a plurality of cavities and having a plurality of protruding keys each having a top surface and a bottom surface, each key attached to the bottom surface of said sheet means substantially at the periphery of the bottom surface of the key, and each key further having a portion extending below the top surface of said sheet means for directly receiving conducted light therefrom;
• a plurality of electrically conductive means each disposed on the bottom surface of a corresponding key and opposite to a corresponding pair of contacts for producing electrical signal continuity therebetween when the key is activated;
• and
• ridge means comprised of an elastomer and being disposed on the top surface of said sheet means at the periphery thereof and around each key for producing an area of high compression both between the keypad and the housing and around each key, whereby the tactile response of said keys is enhanced.

A keypad assembly, comprising:

• a housing having a predetermined shape;
• a flexible circuit board disposed in said housing and having pairs of contacts and a plurality of light sources, said circuit board adapted to conform to the shape of said housing;
• and
• keypad means disposed between said housing and said circuit board and including:
• translucent sheet means comprised of an elastomer, having a top surface and a bottom surface and a predetermined thickness for conducting light from the light sources, and said sheet means further having a plurality of cavities and having a plurality of protruding keys each having a top surface and a bottom surface, each key attached to the bottom surface of said sheet means substantially at the periphery of the bottom surface of the key, and each key further having a portion extending below the top surface of said sheet means for directly receiving conducted light therefrom;
• a plurality of electrically conductive means each disposed on the bottom surface of a corresponding key and opposite to a corresponding pair of contacts for producing electrical sigsed on the bottom surface of a corresponding key and opposite to a corresponding pair of contacts for producing electrical signal continuity therebetween when the key is activated;
• and
• ridge means comprised of an elastomer and being disposed on the top surface of said sheet means at the periphery thereof and around each key for producing an area of high compression both between the keypad and the housing and around each key, whereby the tactile response of said keys is enhanced.

A keypad assembly, comprising:

• a housing;
• a circuit board disposed in said housing and having pairs of contacts and at least one light source;
• and
• keypad means disposed between said housing and said circuit board and including:
• translucent sheet means comprised of an elastomer, having a top surface and a bottom surface and a predetermined thickness for conducting light from the light source, and said sheet means further having a plurality of cavities and having a plurality of protruding keys each having a top surface and a bottom surface, each key attached by a relatively thin support leg portion to the bottom surface of said sheet means substantially at the periphery of the bottom surface of the key, and each key further having a portion extending below the top surface of said sheet means for directly receiving conducted light therefrom;
• and
• a plurality of electrically conductive means each disposed on the bottom surface of a corresponding key and opposite to a corresponding pair of contacts for producing electrical signal continuity therebetween when the key is activated.

A keypad assembly, comprising:

• a housing having a predetermined shape;
• a flexible circuit board disposed in said housing and having pairs of contacts and at least one light source, said circuit board adapted to conform to the shape of said housing;
• and
• keypad means disposed between said housing and said circuit board and including:
• translucent sheet means comprised of an elastomer, having a top surface and a bottom surface and a predetermined thickness for conductng light from the light source, and said sheet means further having a plurality of cavities and having a plurality of protruding keys each having a top surface and a bottom surface, each key attached by a relatively thin suport leg portion to the bottom surface of said sheet means substantially at the periphery of the bottom surface of the key, and each key further having a portion extending below the top surface of said sheet means for directly receiving conducted light therefrom;
• and
• a plurality of electrically conductive means each disposed on the bottom surface of a corresonding key and opposite to a corresponding pair of contacts for producing electrical signal continuity therebetween when the key is activated.