The present invention discloses a method to manufacture a keycap for keys of a keyboard, including: providing a top fabric layer and a molding film disposed beneath the top fabric layer; molding the molding film and the top fabric layer to form a film structure having an inner surface; and providing a keycap body having an upper surface, wherein the outline of the upper surface matches with that of the inner surface to form the keycap. In the present invention, the keycap is formed using the film structure and the keycap body by plastic injection or adhesion agent, the keycap is further manufactured as keys, and a symbol is engraved on the upper surface of the film structure by laser. Because the backlit device's light transmits through the keycap, users can recognize the symbols on the keys.

The present invention relates to a method of converting a composite sheet into a multifunctional flexible keypad. The method according to the invention includes preparing a composite sheet including a flexible sheet and conductive particles dispersed therein, detecting and collecting position information on an applied pressure and a change in electrical resistance of the composite sheet from a plurality of probe terminals provided on the sheet while applying a pressure a plurality of times to an arbitrary position of the composite sheet, performing machine learning using the collected position information and electrical resistance information, and estimating position information on a pressure applied by a user to the composite sheet by using a Deep Neural Network (DNN) model derived through the machine learning when the user applies the pressure to a predetermined position of the composite sheet.

A method of manufacturing a button-enabled housing assembly includes pre-forming a composite button component or insert having an elastically flexible button membrane that is mounted on a rigid frame, and thereafter molding a housing over the button insert. The composite button insert is formed in a co-molding operation and can include a rigid island in the flexible button membrane for supporting a cosmetic keycap.

A keyboard with I-shaped key caps integrally formed by injection molding includes I-shaped key caps integrally formed, a printed circuit film, and a keyboard base plate for supporting the printed circuit film. A groove is provided on the hard sheet for flow guiding so as to achieve integral injection molding of a soft-rubber convex elastic switch body in the center of the inner side of the hard sheet. Hence, the soft-rubber convex elastic switch body is directly molded in the center of the hard sheet. In this way, during pressing, the soft-rubber convex elastic switch body can directly receive a pressing force transferred from the hard sheet, thereby achieving higher press accuracy. The disclosure solves the technical problem of injection molding/mold stripping of a traditional keyboard structure, so that a key surface, of the entire keyboard has small gaps and is pretty smooth.

A method of manufacturing a button-enabled housing assembly includes preforming a composite button component or insert having an elastically flexible button membrane that is mounted on a rigid frame, and thereafter molding a housing over the button insert. The composite button insert is formed in a co-molding operation and can include a rigid island in the flexible button membrane for supporting a cosmetic keycap.

Embodiments describing a method of forming a multi-layered keycap structure are disclosed herein. The method includes forming a first polymer layer on a second polymer layer, wherein the first polymer layer includes a first color and the second polymer layer includes a second color, and coupling the first polymer layer and second polymer layer to a substrate layer such that the first polymer layer is closer to the substrate than the second polymer layer. The method may further include forming a third polymer layer on the second polymer layer; and etching the multi-layered keycap structure to form an opening having a bottom surface that exposes at least one of the first or second color.

Disclosed herein is an integrated embossing and injection molding tool that is used to overmold a frame on an embossed material. The embossed material and the frame may be used as a keyboard component of keyboard for a portable electronic device.

An article of manufacture having an in-molded resistive and/or shielding element and method of making the same are shown and described. In one disclosed method, a resistive and/or shielding element is printed on a film. The film is formed to a desired shape and put in an injection mold. A molten plastic material is introduced into the injection mold to form a rigid structure that retains the film.