Keyboard device and backlight module thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11371676-B2
Application number	US-202117159477-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 27, 2021
Priority date	Nov 20, 2020
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A keyboard device and a backlight module of the keyboard device are provided. The keyboard device includes a casing, the backlight module, a keyboard module and an expansion module. The backlight module includes a main body region and an extension region. The main body region and the extension region are connected with each other. A first light beam is outputted from the main body region to plural keys of the keyboard device. A second light beam is outputted from the extension region to the expansion module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A backlight module for a keyboard device, the backlight module comprising: at least one light-emitting unit; a reflective layer, wherein the at least one light-emitting unit is installed in the reflective layer; a light guide plate located over the reflective layer, wherein the light guide plate comprises a main light-guiding part and at least one extensive light-guiding part, wherein the at least one extensive light-guiding part is connected with the main light-guiding part, and the light guide plate further comprises a hollow portion corresponding to the at least one light-emitting unit; and a light-shielding layer located over the light guide plate, wherein an edge of the light-shielding layer and an edge of the reflective layer are combined together, wherein plural first light-outputting holes are formed in the light-shielding layer corresponding to the main light-guiding part, and at least one second light-outputting hole is formed in the reflective layer corresponding to the extensive light-guiding part, formed in the light-shielding layer corresponding to the extensive light-guiding part, or located at a junction between the edge of the reflective layer and the edge of the light-shielding layer corresponding to the extensive light-guiding part; wherein the at least one light-emitting unit emits a first light beam to plural keys of the keyboard device through the light guide plate and the plural first light-outputting holes; wherein the at least one light-emitting unit emits a second light beam to at least one expansion module of the keyboard device through the light guide plate and the at least one second light-outputting hole.

2. The backlight module according to claim 1 , wherein the expansion module includes an input/output interface, a heat dissipation block or a fan.

3. The backlight module according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-emitting unit emits a second light beam to a light-transmissible pattern of the keyboard device through the light guide plate and the at least one second light-outputting hole.

4. The backlight module according to claim 3 , wherein the light-transmissible pattern is formed on an upper cover of the keyboard device.

5. A keyboard device, comprising: a casing comprising an upper cover and a lower cover, which are combined together; a backlight module located over the lower cover, and comprising a main body region and an extension region, wherein the backlight module comprises plural first light-outputting holes in the main body region, and the backlight module comprises at least one second light-outputting hole in the extension region; a keyboard module located over the backlight module, and comprising plural keys, wherein the upper cover comprises plural openings corresponding to the plural keys; and at least one expansion module installed in the casing, wherein the upper cover or the lower cover comprises at least one expansion slot corresponding to the at least one expansion module, wherein a first light beam is outputted from the plural first light-outputting holes to the plural keys, and a second light beam is outputted from the at least one second light-outputting hole to the at least one expansion module; wherein the backlight module comprises: at least one light-emitting unit; a reflective layer, wherein the at least one light-emitting unit is installed in the reflective layer; a light guide plate located over the reflective layer, wherein the light guide plate comprises a main light-guiding part and at least one extensive light-guiding part, wherein the at least one extensive light-guiding part is connected with the main light-guiding part, and the light guide plate further comprises a hollow portion corresponding to the at least one light-emitting unit; and a light-shielding layer located over the light guide plate, wherein an edge of the light-shielding layer and an edge of the reflective layer are combined together, wherein the plural first light-outputting holes are formed in the light-shielding layer corresponding to the main body region, and the at least one second light-outputting hole is formed in the reflective layer corresponding to the extension region, formed in the light-shielding layer corresponding to the extension region, or located at a junction between the edge of the reflective layer and the edge of the light-shielding layer corresponding to the extension region.

6. The keyboard device according to claim 5 , wherein the expansion module includes an input/output interface, a heat dissipation block or a fan.

7. The keyboard device according to claim 5 , wherein the upper cover has a light-transmissible pattern, and the second light beam is outputted from the at least one second light-outputting hole to the light-transmissible pattern.

Assignees

• Primax Electronics Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Wei-Chiang
• Yeh Ming-Hui
• Chan Wei-Ping

Classifications

• H01H2219/062

  Light conductor · CPC title

• H01H2219/044

  Edge lighting of layer · CPC title

• G06F3/0202

  Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device · CPC title

• G06F3/02

  Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials · CPC title

• H01H13/83

  characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements · CPC title