Keyboard

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12019481-B2
Application number	US-202217855809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2022
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A keyboard including an electronic paper display module, a front light module, a supporting member, a light-transmitting keycap, and an elevating support is provided. The front light module is disposed on the electronic paper display module. The supporting member is disposed on the front light module. The supporting member includes an elastic supporting protrusion and a light guide part embedded in the elastic supporting protrusion, and the elastic supporting protrusion has an opening exposing a portion of the front light module. The light guide part is located in the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion. The light-transmitting keycap is disposed on the elastic supporting protrusion and covers the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion. The elevating support is disposed between the light-transmitting keycap and the front light module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A keyboard comprising: an electronic paper display module; a front light module disposed on the electronic paper display module; a supporting member disposed on the front light module, wherein the supporting member comprises an elastic supporting protrusion and a light guide part embedded in the elastic supporting protrusion, the elastic supporting protrusion has an opening exposing a portion of the front light module, and the light guide part is located in the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion; a light-transmitting keycap disposed on the elastic supporting protrusion, and covering the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion, an elevating support disposed between the light-transmitting keycap and the front light module; and a frame disposed on the front light module and located between the front light module and the supporting member, wherein the elevating support includes two brackets, and a top end and a bottom end of each of the two brackets are respectively connected to the light guide part and the frame.

2. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide part comprises two light guide members symmetrically disposed in the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion.

3. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the supporting member further comprises a trigger part protruding from the elastic supporting protrusion, the trigger part is located between the elastic supporting protrusion and the front light module, and the keyboard also comprises a sensor, wherein the sensor is disposed on the front light module corresponding to the trigger part.

4. The keyboard according to claim 3 , wherein the sensor comprises a light transmitter and a light receiver, and the light transmitter and the light receiver are located on opposite sides of a movement path of the trigger part.

5. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the frame has an opening overlapping the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion and exposing the portion of the front light module.

6. The keyboard according to claim 5 , wherein the elevating support is disposed in the opening of the elastic supporting protrusion and the opening of the frame.

7. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic supporting protrusion has a bearing surface surrounding the opening, and the light-transmitting keycap is attached to the bearing surface of the elastic supporting protrusion.

8. The keyboard according to claim 1 further comprising:
a housing disposed on the supporting member, wherein the housing has an opening, and the elastic supporting protrusion passes through the opening of the housing.

9. The keyboard according to claim 8 , wherein the housing has a top surface and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, the opening of the housing penetrates the top surface and the bottom surface, and the supporting member further comprises a base, wherein the elastic supporting protrusion protrudes from the base, and the bottom surface of the housing contacts the base.

10. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the two brackets are in symmetrical configuration.

11. The keyboard according to claim 2 , wherein the two light guide members are distributed around the two brackets, and two opposite ends of the each of the light guide members are respectively connected to the top ends of the two brackets.

12. The keyboard according to claim 2 , wherein the top end of each of the two brackets fall partially between the two light guide members and connects the two light guide members.

13. The keyboard according to claim 2 , wherein the supporting member further has multiple grooves on the elastic supporting protrusion and the top ends of the two brackets fall partially into the grooves respectively, the two light guide members extend partially into the grooves respectively to connect the top ends of the two brackets.

14. The keyboard according to claim 1 , wherein the light guide part is distributed along the edge of the light-transmitting keycap to generate a halo effect.

Assignees

• Acer Inc

Inventors

• Chen Hung-Chi
• Lin Cheng-Han

Classifications

• G06F3/0202

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

• H01H2219/0621

  Optical fiber light conductor · CPC title

• H01H2221/058

  to avoid tilting or skewing of contact area or actuator · CPC title

• H01H2219/062

  Light conductor · CPC title

• H01H13/83

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