Techniques and devices provide backlighting for keys of a keyboard or keypad.

A cap structure is combined with a lifting mechanism to be movable between a pressed position and a non-pressed position. The cap structure includes a first circuit, a second circuit, a flexible circuit board and a cap having a top surface, a bottom surface and an engaging structure. The engaging structure protrudes from the bottom surface for engaging with the lifting mechanism. The first circuit is laid out on the top surface for connecting to a sensing device or a display device attached on the top surface. The second circuit is laid out on the bottom surface and avoids the engaging structure. The second circuit passes through the cap to be connected to the first circuit. The flexible circuit board is connected to the second circuit for performing signal transmission of the sensing device or the display device via the first and second circuits.

In some examples, a housing may include a keyboard having a plurality of keys. An individual key of the plurality of keys may include a keycap, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) film (or sheet), a key mechanism, and a base. When power is provided to contacts on the base of the individual key, the power may travel across conductive traces (or wires) in the key mechanism to pads on the OLED film, causing the OLED film to emit light. The light from the OLED film may illuminate a character or symbol embedded into the keycap or the OLED film may be shaped into the character or the symbol and embedded into the keycap. The housing may be (i) separate from and communicatively coupled to a second housing that includes one or more processors or (ii) physically attached to a display device as part of a laptop device.

A push-button with a receptacle and a cover plate, an actuating button actuatable in translation between two positions, a rest position and a pushed-in position, the cover plate being arranged at the periphery of the actuating button, a device for guiding the actuating button in translation between the two positions, and a return device for returning the actuating button from the pushed-in position toward the rest position. The guiding device include at least a pin including a bent rod shaped to have a first part pivotally mounted on a fastening unit of the actuating button and a second part pivotally mounted on a fastening unit of the cover plate, and the return device are designed to act on the pin by mechanical or magnetic effect.

The present subject matter relates to backlight keyboards. In an example implementation of the present subject matter, backlight keyboards and methods of fabricating lighting units for such backlight keyboards are described. In an example, a backlight keyboard includes a substrate and a plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) disposed on the substrate. The backlight keyboard further includes a printed circuit disposed on the substrate, where the printed circuit comprises of a plurality of electrical connections to provide electric current to the plurality of LEDs, and where width of each of the plurality of electrical connections is predefined to control brightness of a corresponding LED from amongst the plurality of LEDs.

In some examples, a housing may include a keyboard having a plurality of keys. An individual key of the plurality of keys may include a keycap, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) film (or sheet), a key mechanism, and a base. When power is provided to contacts on the base of the individual key, the power may travel across conductive traces (or wires) in the key mechanism to pads on the OLED film, causing the OLED film to emit light. The light from the OLED film may illuminate a character or symbol embedded into the keycap or the OLED film may be shaped into the character or the symbol and embedded into the keycap. The housing may be (i) separate from and communicatively coupled to a second housing that includes one or more processors or (ii) physically attached to a display device as part of a laptop device.

This application is directed to keycaps for use in association with key switches that facilitate the creation of custom keyboards. Mechanical keyboards feature key switches having standardized top portions that make it possible to fit a wide variety of different keycaps thereon. Embodiments of the inventive subject matter include specialized, electronic keycaps that introduce different functionalities to improve keyboard customizability. For example, in some embodiments, keycaps can include haptic feedback mechanisms, while in other embodiments keycaps can include a display screen.

In some examples, a computing device may include a first housing and a second housing. The first housing may include a first set of components, such as a display device. The second housing may include a second set of components, such as a keyboard having a plurality of keys. An individual key of the plurality of keys may include a keycap, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) film (or sheet), a key mechanism, and a base. When power is provided to contacts on the base of the individual key, the power may travel across conductive traces (or wires) in the key mechanism to pads on the OLED film, causing the OLED film to emit light. The light from the OLED film may illuminate a character or symbol embedded into the keycap or the OLED film may be shaped into the character or the symbol and embedded into the keycap.

In some examples, a computing device may include a first housing and a second housing. The first housing may include a first set of components, such as a display device. The second housing may include a second set of components, such as a keyboard having a plurality of keys. An individual key of the plurality of keys may include a keycap, an organic light emitting diode (OLED) film (or sheet), a key mechanism, and a base. When power is provided to contacts on the base of the individual key, the power may travel across conductive traces (or wires) in the key mechanism to pads on the OLED film, causing the OLED film to emit light. The light from the OLED film may illuminate a character or symbol embedded into the keycap or the OLED film may be shaped into the character or the symbol and embedded into the keycap.

In some examples, a computing device may include a first housing coupled to a second housing. The first housing may include a first set of components including a display device. The second housing may include a second set of components including a keyboard and a light source that emits light. An individual key of the keyboard may include one or more lenses. The one or more lenses may focus the light towards an area below an individual keycap of the individual key. For example, the one or more lenses may be integrated into a scissor mechanism of the individual key. The keycap may include an opaque material into which is embedded a character or a symbol made of a transparent or translucent material through which the light is visible.