Uniform illumination of keys

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016336124-A1
Application number	US-201615154723-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 13, 2016
Priority date	May 13, 2015
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing illumination to illuminable portions of keys associated with a keyboard are described. A key includes a light guide positioned below a keycap. The light guide includes one or more sidewalls that exhibit high internal reflection. In many examples, light guide sidewalls are formed with one or more prisms.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A key for a keyboard comprising:
a keycap disposed within an aperture defined by the keyboard; a compressible dome positioned below the keycap; a key mechanism positioned around the compressible dome and coupled to the keycap; a structural body positioned beneath the key mechanism and formed from an optically translucent material, the structural body coupled to the key mechanism; and a light emitting element optically coupled to the structural body.

2 . The key of claim 1 , wherein the structural body defines a through-hole having a prismatic sidewall.

3 . The key of claim 2 , wherein the compressible dome is disposed at least partially within the through-hole.

4 . The key of claim 2 , wherein the structural body comprises an internally reflective surface.

5 . The key of claim 4 , wherein the internally reflective surface comprises a rectilinear through-hole.

6 . The key of claim 2 , wherein the structural body comprises a light guide.

7 . A key comprising:
a compressible dome; a light emitting element; and a light guide positioned at least partially around the compressible dome and optically coupled to the light emitting element.

8 . The key of claim 7 , further comprising a keycap positioned over the compressible dome; wherein:
the keycap comprises an illuminable portion.

9 . The key of claim 8 , wherein the illuminable portion comprises a glyph formed from an optically translucent material.

10 . The key of claim 8 , further comprising:
a key mechanism disposed below and coupled to the keycap; wherein: the key mechanism at least partially surrounds the light emitting element.

11 . The key of claim 10 , wherein the key mechanism comprises a butterfly mechanism.

12 . The key of claim 7 , wherein the light guide forms a ring.

13 . The key of claim 7 , wherein:
the light guide comprises:
a top endcap surface;
a bottom endcap surface;
an outer sidewall attaching the top and bottom endcap surfaces; and
an inner sidewall attaching the top and bottom endcap surfaces and having a greater internal reflection than the top endcap surface.

14 . The key of claim 13 , wherein the outer sidewall has a greater internal reflection than the top endcap surface.

15 . The key of claim 13 , wherein each of the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall form one or more prisms.

16 . An input structure for an electronic device, comprising:
an input surface comprising an illuminable portion; a collapsible dome positioned below the input surface; a depressible mechanism positioned around the collapsible dome and coupled to the input surface, the depressible mechanism configured to move the input surface downward to collapse the collapsible dome in response to an external force on the input surface; a body coupled to the depressible mechanism and the collapsible dome; a light guide positioned around the collapsible dome and within the body, the light guide optically coupled to the illuminable portion; and a light emitting element optically coupled to the light guide and configured to illuminate the illuminable portion through the light guide.

17 . The input structure of claim 16 , wherein the light guide defines an inner sidewall and an outer sidewall.

18 . The input structure of claim 17 , wherein the light guide is optically coupled to the light emitting element.

19 . The input structure of claim 17 , wherein the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall of the light guide each form a series of prisms.

20 . The input structure of claim 16 , wherein the light guide is insert-molded into the body.

21 . The input structure of claim 16 , wherein the body comprises a reflective surface that is oblique to the light emitting element.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Leong Craig C
• Zercoe Bradford J
• Mathew Dinesh C
• Krishnamurthi Mahesh
• Cao Robert Y
• Qi Jun
• Liu Rong
• Yin Victor H

Classifications

• H01H2219/062

  Light conductor · CPC title

• H01H13/023 Primary

  Light-emitting indicators (for multi-layer switches H01H13/83) · CPC title

• H01H13/83

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

• H01H2219/048

  Constituting key · CPC title

• H01H13/14

  Operating parts, e.g. push-button · CPC title