CA2594028A1 - Piano-style keypad employing a light guide - Google Patents
Piano-style keypad employing a light guide Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2594028A1 CA2594028A1 CA002594028A CA2594028A CA2594028A1 CA 2594028 A1 CA2594028 A1 CA 2594028A1 CA 002594028 A CA002594028 A CA 002594028A CA 2594028 A CA2594028 A CA 2594028A CA 2594028 A1 CA2594028 A1 CA 2594028A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- keypad
- key
- base
- web
- light guide
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
Links
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
- H01H13/83—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H13/00—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch
- H01H13/70—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard
- H01H13/84—Switches having rectilinearly-movable operating part or parts adapted for pushing or pulling in one direction only, e.g. push-button switch having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard characterised by ergonomic functions, e.g. for miniature keyboards; characterised by operational sensory functions, e.g. sound feedback
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/036—Light emitting elements
- H01H2219/04—Attachments; Connections
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2219/00—Legends
- H01H2219/054—Optical elements
- H01H2219/062—Light conductor
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H2221/00—Actuators
- H01H2221/054—Actuators connected by flexible webs
Landscapes
- Push-Button Switches (AREA)
- Auxiliary Devices For Music (AREA)
- Telephone Set Structure (AREA)
- Input From Keyboards Or The Like (AREA)
Abstract
An improved piano-style keypad comprises a light guide and a key sheet, with the light guide retaining the key sheet on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board of a handheld electronic device. The keypad is advantageously configured to enable key caps of the keypad to be adhered to key bodies of the keypad in a fashion that provides long-term reliability while still providing keys that can readily actuated and that provide tactile feedback that is desirable to the user.
Claims (20)
1. A keypad for a handheld electronic device that comprises a light source, the keypad comprising:
a key sheet comprising a base and a number of key bodies, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed on the base and being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the key body in the actuated position being structured to complete a circuit of the handheld electronic device, at least a portion of the key sheet being translucent; and a light guide comprising a frame and a number of supports, at least a portion of the frame being disposed adjacent at least a portion of the base, the supports extending away from the frame in a common direction, at least some of the supports engaging the base to resist movement of the base in a direction transverse to the common direction, at least a portion of the light guide being translucent and being structured to transmit light between the light source and the key sheet.
a key sheet comprising a base and a number of key bodies, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed on the base and being movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position, the key body in the actuated position being structured to complete a circuit of the handheld electronic device, at least a portion of the key sheet being translucent; and a light guide comprising a frame and a number of supports, at least a portion of the frame being disposed adjacent at least a portion of the base, the supports extending away from the frame in a common direction, at least some of the supports engaging the base to resist movement of the base in a direction transverse to the common direction, at least a portion of the light guide being translucent and being structured to transmit light between the light source and the key sheet.
2. The keypad of claim 1, wherein the key sheet comprises a number of receptacles, at least some of the supports each being received in a receptacle.
3. The keypad of claim 2, wherein the receptacles are holes formed in the base, and wherein the supports are pegs that protrude from the frame and that are received in the holes.
4. The keypad of claim 3, wherein at least some of the pegs each have an interference fit with a hole.
5. The keypad of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a web and a leg network, the leg network protruding from the web and being structured to engage a substrate of the handheld electronic device, a portion of the web peripheral to a particular key body being movable between an undeflected position and a deflected position, the portion of the web being in the undeflected position when the particular key body is in the unactuated position, the portion of the web being in the deflected position when the particular key body is in the actuated position.
6. The keypad of claim 6, wherein the leg network comprises a plurality of braces structured to engage the substrate, the braces being structured to resist movement of a portion of the web peripheral to one key body toward its deflected position when a portion of the web peripheral to an adjacent key body moves toward its deflected position.
7. The keypad of claim 6, wherein at least some of the braces each have a hole formed therein, and wherein the supports are pegs that protrude from the frame and that are received in the holes, at least some of the key bodies being movable along a direction between the unactuated and actuated positions, and wherein the pegs protrude along the direction from the frame, the pegs resisting movement of the braces transverse to the direction.
8. The keypad of claim 1, wherein the key sheet further comprises a number of key caps, at least some of the key caps each being adhered to a key body.
9. The keypad of claim 8, wherein the light guide frame has a number of openings formed therein, at least some of the key bodies each being disposed within an opening.
10. The keypad of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the frame is disposed between the base and the key caps.
11. The keypad of any of claims 5 or 8 to 10, wherein:
at least a portion of the light guide overlies at least a portion of the base.
at least a portion of the light guide overlies at least a portion of the base.
12. The keypad of claim 11, when dependent on claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the web is disposed between the leg network and at least a portion of the light guide.
13. The keypad of claim 12, wherein the portion of the web peripheral to the particular key body extends between the particular key body and at least a portion of the leg network.
14. The keypad of claim 13, wherein the portion of the web that is movable between the undeflected and deflected positions has at least about 0.6 millimeters between the particular key body and the at least portion of the leg network.
15. The keypad of claim 14, wherein the key bodies each have a mounting surface, at least some of the key caps each being adhered to the mounting surface of a key body, each mounting surface having an area of at least about fifteen square millimeters.
16. The keypad of claim 14, wherein the mounting surfaces are substantially planar.
17. The keypad of any of claims 8 to 10, wherein:
the keypad further comprises a substrate;
the light guide comprising number of retention members, at least some of the retention members each being engaged with the substrate; and at least a portion of the key sheet being disposed between at least a portion of the light guide and at least a portion of the substrate.
the keypad further comprises a substrate;
the light guide comprising number of retention members, at least some of the retention members each being engaged with the substrate; and at least a portion of the key sheet being disposed between at least a portion of the light guide and at least a portion of the substrate.
18. The keypad of claim 17, wherein at least some of the retention members each comprise a latch that is engaged with the substrate.
19. The keypad of claim 17, wherein the retention members extend away from the frame in the common direction.
20. The keypad of claim 19, wherein the base has a number of holes formed therein, and wherein the supports are pins received in the holes, the pins resisting movement of the base in a direction transverse to the common direction.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP06117416.5 | 2006-07-18 | ||
| EP06117416A EP1890310B1 (en) | 2006-07-18 | 2006-07-18 | Keypad for a handheld electronic device with a light guide |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2594028A1 true CA2594028A1 (en) | 2008-01-18 |
| CA2594028C CA2594028C (en) | 2011-06-21 |
Family
ID=37116223
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2594028A Active CA2594028C (en) | 2006-07-18 | 2007-07-18 | Piano-style keypad employing a light guide |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (2) | EP1890310B1 (en) |
| AT (2) | ATE483241T1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2594028C (en) |
| DE (2) | DE602006017269D1 (en) |
| HK (2) | HK1113706A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US8188399B2 (en) | 2009-10-08 | 2012-05-29 | Avago Technologies Ecbu Ip (Singapore) Pte. Ltd. | Fitting a light guide sheet to a keypad using protrusions |
| MY189395A (en) * | 2018-10-05 | 2022-02-09 | Daikin Res & Development Malaysia Sdn Bhd | A light display assembly |
Family Cites Families (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4163138A (en) * | 1978-03-17 | 1979-07-31 | Bowmar Instrument Corporation | Flush lighted flat keyboard assembly |
| JPS5686723U (en) * | 1979-12-07 | 1981-07-11 | ||
| US4349705A (en) * | 1981-05-06 | 1982-09-14 | Northern Telecom Limited | Lighted telephone dial |
| JP2710181B2 (en) * | 1992-01-28 | 1998-02-10 | 日本電気株式会社 | Illuminated key top structure |
-
2006
- 2006-07-18 DE DE602006017269T patent/DE602006017269D1/en active Active
- 2006-07-18 AT AT08165757T patent/ATE483241T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2006-07-18 EP EP06117416A patent/EP1890310B1/en active Active
- 2006-07-18 AT AT06117416T patent/ATE447234T1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 2006-07-18 EP EP08165757A patent/EP2003669B1/en active Active
- 2006-07-18 DE DE602006010062T patent/DE602006010062D1/en active Active
-
2007
- 2007-07-18 CA CA2594028A patent/CA2594028C/en active Active
-
2008
- 2008-08-15 HK HK08109083.1A patent/HK1113706A1/en unknown
-
2009
- 2009-06-15 HK HK09105341.6A patent/HK1127436A1/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2594028C (en) | 2011-06-21 |
| EP2003669B1 (en) | 2010-09-29 |
| HK1127436A1 (en) | 2009-09-25 |
| EP1890310A1 (en) | 2008-02-20 |
| EP2003669A1 (en) | 2008-12-17 |
| DE602006017269D1 (en) | 2010-11-11 |
| DE602006010062D1 (en) | 2009-12-10 |
| HK1113706A1 (en) | 2008-10-10 |
| EP1890310B1 (en) | 2009-10-28 |
| ATE483241T1 (en) | 2010-10-15 |
| ATE447234T1 (en) | 2009-11-15 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request |