LUMINOUS KEYBOARD

Abstract

A luminous keyboard includes plural keys, a light-emitting element, a light guide plate and a supporting plate. The light-emitting element emits light beams. The light guide plate includes plural light-guiding parts for guiding the light beams. The supporting plate includes a plate body, plural openings and plural sheltering walls. The openings run through the plate body and are aligned with the corresponding light-guiding parts. After the light beams are guided to pass through the openings by the light-guiding parts, the light beams are projected to the keys. The sheltering walls are disposed on the plate body and located beside the corresponding openings. The light beams and the light-guiding parts corresponding to the light beams are sheltered by the sheltering walls.

Claims

1. A luminous keyboard, comprising: plural keys exposed outside the luminous keyboard; a light-emitting element located under the plural keys, and emitting a light beam; a light guide plate located under the plural keys and arranged beside the light-emitting element, wherein the light guide plate comprises plural light-guiding parts for guiding the light beam to the plural keys; and a supporting plate arranged between the plural keys and the light guide plate and connected with the plural keys, wherein the supporting plate comprises: a plate body arranged between the plural keys and the light guide plate; at least one opening running through the plate body and aligned with the corresponding light-guiding part, wherein after the light beam passes through the at least one opening, the light beam is projected to at least one key of the plural keys; and at least one sheltering wall disposed on the plate body, aligned with the at least one opening and arranged beside the at least one opening, wherein the light beam and the corresponding light-guiding parts are sheltered by the at least one sheltering wall, wherein the at least one sheltering wall is a bent structure that is extended from the plate body, and the at least one sheltering wall is integrally formed with the plate body.

2. (canceled)

3. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the luminous keyboard further comprises a switch circuit board, and the switch circuit board is disposed on the supporting plate, wherein when the switch circuit board is triggered by the plural keys, plural key signals are correspondingly generated.

4. The luminous keyboard according to claim 3, wherein the at least one key comprises: a keycap located over the supporting plate and exposed outside the luminous keyboard, wherein the keycap comprises a light-outputting zone, the light-outputting zone is aligned with the opening, and the light beam is guided and projected to the light-outputting zone; a connecting element arranged between the keycap and the supporting plate, wherein the keycap and the supporting plate are connected with each other through the connecting element, so that the keycap is movable upwardly or downwardly relative to the supporting plate; and a triggering element arranged between the keycap and the switch circuit board, wherein when the triggering element is pushed by the keycap, the switch circuit board is triggered.

5. The luminous keyboard according to claim 4, wherein the connecting element comprises: a first frame, wherein a first end of the first frame is connected with the keycap, and a second end of the first frame is connected with the supporting plate; and a second frame connected with the first frame and swingable relative to the first frame, wherein a first end of the second frame is connected with the supporting plate, and a second end of the second frame is connected with the keycap.

6. The luminous keyboard according to claim 5, wherein the keycap further comprises plural keycap hooks, and the plural keycap hooks are protruded from an inner surface of the keycap, wherein the first end of the first frame and the second end of the second frame are connected with the plural keycap hooks.

7. The luminous keyboard according to claim 5, wherein the supporting plate further comprises plural supporting plate hooks, and the plural supporting plate hooks are bent structures that are extended from the plate body, wherein the second end of the first frame and the first end of the second frame are connected with the plural supporting plate hooks.

8. The luminous keyboard according to claim 4, wherein the switch circuit board comprises plural perforations, and the plural perforations are aligned with the corresponding light-outputting zones, wherein after the light beams are guided to pass through the perforations, the light beams are projected to the light-outputting zones.

9. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination circuit board beside the light guide plate, wherein the illumination circuit board supports the light-emitting element and provides electric power to the light-emitting element.

10. The luminous keyboard according to claim 1, wherein the light-emitting element is a side-view light emitting diode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view illustrating the outer appearance of a conventional keyboard;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a conventional luminous keyboard;

[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded view illustrating a portion of a luminous keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a portion of the supporting plate of the luminous keyboard according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a luminous keyboard according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

[0019] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a variant example of the supporting plate used in the luminous keyboard of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] For overcoming the drawbacks of the conventional technology, the present invention provides a luminous keyboard.

[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic exploded view illustrating a portion of a luminous keyboard according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the luminous keyboard 3 comprises plural keys 30, plural light-emitting elements 31, a light guide plate 32, an illumination circuit board 33, a supporting plate 34 and a switch circuit board 35. The plural keys 30 are exposed outside the luminous keyboard 3. For succinctness, only one key 30 is shown in FIG. 3. Each key 30 comprises a keycap 301, a connecting element 302 and a triggering element 303. The plural light-emitting elements 31 are arranged below the plural keys 30 and disposed on the illumination circuit board 33. The plural light-emitting elements 31 emit plural light beams B. The light guide plate 32 is located under the plural keys 30 and arranged beside the plural light-emitting elements 31. The light guide plate 32 comprises plural light-guiding parts 321 for guiding the plural light beams B to the plural keys 30. The illumination circuit board 33 is arranged beside the light guide plate 32 for supporting the plural light-emitting elements 31 and providing electric power to the plural light-emitting elements 31. The switch circuit board 35 is disposed on the supporting plate 34. When the switch circuit board 35 is triggered by the plural keys 30, plural key signals are correspondingly generated. In this embodiment, the plural light-emitting elements 31 are side-view light emitting diodes, the illumination circuit board 33 is a flexible printed circuit (FPC), and the light-guiding parts 321 are V-cut structures or light-guiding dots.

[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a portion of the supporting plate of the luminous keyboard according to the embodiment of the present invention. Please refer to FIGS. 3 and 4. The supporting plate 34 is arranged between the plural keys 30 and the light guide plate 32. The supporting plate 34 is connected with the plural keys 30 through the plural connecting elements 302. Moreover, the supporting plate 34 comprises a plate body 341, plural openings 342, plural sheltering walls 343 and plural supporting plate hooks 344. The plate body 341 is arranged between the plural keys 30 and the light guide plate 32. The plural openings 342 run through the plate body 341. Moreover, one opening 342 corresponds to one light-guiding part 321. After the light beams B pass through the opening 342, the light beams B are projected on the corresponding key 30. Moreover, one sheltering wall 343 corresponds to one opening 342. The sheltering wall 343 is arranged beside the corresponding opening 342 for sheltering the light beams B and the corresponding light-guiding parts 321. The plural supporting plate hooks 344 are bent structures that are extended from the plate body 341. Moreover, the plural supporting plate hooks 344 are connected with the plural keys 30. Like the plural supporting plate hooks 344, the plural sheltering walls 343 are also bent structures that are extended from the plate body 341. Preferably but not exclusively, the plural sheltering walls 343 and the plural supporting plate hooks 344 are integrally formed with the plate body 341. In some other embodiments, the plural sheltering walls and the plural supporting plate hooks are fixed on the plate body in various coupling means such as adhering means or engaging means.

[0023] The structures of the keys 30 will be described in more details with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5. FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of a luminous keyboard according to the embodiment of the present invention. The keycap 301 of the key 30 is located over the supporting plate 34 and exposed outside the luminous keyboard 3. The keycap 301 comprises a light-outputting zone 3011 and plural keycap hooks 3012. One light-outputting zone 3011 corresponds to one opening 342. The light beams B from the light-emitting elements 31 are guided and projected to the light-outputting zone 3011. The light-outputting zone 3011 has a character profile or a symbol profile. The plural keycap hooks 3012 are protruded from an inner surface of the keycap 301. The connecting element 302 is arranged between the keycap 301 and the supporting plate 34. The keycap 301 is connected with the plural supporting plate hooks 344 of the supporting plate 34 through the connecting element 302. Consequently, the keycap 301 is moved upwardly or downwardly relative to the supporting plate 34. The triggering element 303 is arranged between the keycap 301 and the switch circuit board 35. When the triggering element 303 is pushed by the keycap 301, the corresponding key intersection (not shown) of the switch circuit board 35 is triggered.

[0024] The connecting element 302 comprises a first frame 3021 and a second frame 3022. A first end of the first frame 3021 is connected with the plural keycap hooks 3012 that are located at a first side of the keycap 301. A second end of the first frame 3021 is connected with the plural supporting plate hooks 344 that are located at a second side of the supporting plate 34. The second frame 3022 is connected with the first frame 3021. Moreover, the second frame 3022 is swingable relative to the first frame 3021. A first end of the second frame 3022 is connected with the plural supporting plate hooks 344 that are located at a first side of the supporting plate 34. A second end of the second frame 3022 is connected with the plural keycap hooks 3012 that are located at a second side of the keycap 301. In this embodiment, the luminous keyboard 3 is a keyboard for a notebook computer. The connecting element 302 is a scissors-type connecting element (also referred as a scissors leg structure) that is swung with the movement of the keycap 301. Moreover, the triggering element 303 is a rubbery elastomer. Preferably, the triggering element is a light-transmissible rubbery elastomer in order to prevent from blocking or absorbing the light beams.

[0025] Please refer to FIG. 3 again. The switch circuit board 35 comprises plural key intersections (not shown) and plural perforations 351. One perforation 351 corresponds to one light-outputting zone 3011. After the light beams B are guided to pass through the perforation 351, the light beams B are projected to the corresponding light-outputting zone 3011. In an embodiment, the switch circuit board 35 is a membrane switch circuit board.

[0026] The operating principles of depressing the keycaps 301 to trigger the switch circuit board 35 and generate the key signals are well known to those skilled in the art, and are not redundantly described herein. The illumination of the luminous keyboard 3 will be illustrated as follows. Please refer to FIG. 5. When the luminous keyboard 3 is driven and enabled, the plural light-emitting elements 31 emit the plural light beams B. After the plural light beams B are introduced into the light guide plate 32 from the edge of the light guide plate 32, the directions of the light beams B are changed by the light-guiding parts 321 of the light guide plate 35. Consequently, the light beams B are projected upwardly and exited from the light guide plate 32. After the light beams B are sequentially transmitted through the opening 342 of the supporting plate 34 and the perforation 351 of the light guide plate 35, the light beams B are outputted from the light-outputting zone 3011 of the keycap 301. Consequently, the luminous efficacy is achieved. While the process of travelling the light beams B, the sheltering walls 343 can shelter the light beams B. Consequently, the light beams B will not be leaked out through the leakage edges of the keys 30. Moreover, since the light-guiding parts 321 are sheltered by the lateral edges of the keys 30, the light-guiding parts 321 illuminated by the light beams B are no exposed.

[0027] The following two aspects should be specially described. Firstly, the switch circuit board 35 comprises the plural perforations 351 for allowing the light beams B to pass through. Since the switch circuit board is light-transmissible, the perforations of the switch circuit board can be omitted. However, if the switch circuit board is not equipped with the perforations, the light utilization efficiency is slightly reduced. Moreover, the switch circuit board is selectively equipped with the perforations according to the practical requirements. In case that the switch circuit board is opaque, it is necessary to form the perforations in the switch circuit board. Secondly, in the above embodiment, the sheltering wall 343 is arranged beside one side of the corresponding opening 342 of the supporting plate 34. In another embodiment, four sheltering walls are respectively arranged beside four sides of the corresponding opening 342 in order for increasing the light-sheltering efficacy. Alternatively, the supporting plate has the structure as shown in FIG. 6.

[0028] Please refer to FIG. 6. The supporting plate 44 comprises a plate body 441, plural openings 442, plural sheltering walls 443 and plural supporting plate hooks 444. The sheltering walls 443 are located at a first side 4411, a second side 4412 and a third side 4413 of the opening 442. That is, one sheltering wall is not located at a fourth side 4414 of the opening 442. The supporting plate of FIG. 6 is suitably applied to the keyboard for a notebook computer or any other appropriate electronic device. The fourth side 4414 of the opening 442 faces a display screen (not shown) of the notebook computer. Since the display screen can shelter the light beams and the light-guiding parts, it is not necessary to install the sheltering wall at the fourth side 4414 of the opening 442.

[0029] From the above descriptions, the present invention provides a luminous keyboard. The supporting plate of the luminous keyboard is equipped with sheltering walls. The sheltering walls are located at the positions where the lateral light leakage possibly occurs. Consequently, the uses of the sheltering walls are capable of solving the lateral light leak problems. Moreover, the sheltering walls can shelter the light-guiding parts of the light guide plate. Since the light-guiding dots cannot be viewed by the user through the lateral edges of the keys, the aesthetically-pleasing efficacy can be achieved.

[0030] While the invention has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all modifications and similar structures.