KR100737763B1 - Light emitting keypad - Google Patents

Abstract

A light emitting keypad is provided to prevent depression from being formed as light emitted from an EL(Electro Luminescence) device is reflected and interfered by having penetrating protrusions as necessary and allow light to be transmitted as it is, and facilitate assembling. A key plate(11) includes plural keys and through-holes. A rear surface layer(13) is positioned at a lower side of the key plate(11) and includes penetrating protrusions(14) that penetrate through the through-holes. A protection layer(20) is positioned at a lower side of the rear surface layer(13) and includes upper protrusions(21) corresponding to the keys. An EL device(30) is formed at lower side of the protection layer(20). The protection layer(20) is bonded with the EL device(30) in order to prevent infiltration of moisture or oxygen into the EL device(30).

Description

Light Emitting Keypad

1 is a perspective view of a general wireless terminal,

2 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting keypad with a conventional EL device,

3 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting keypad according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting keypad according to another embodiment of the present invention;

5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of a light emitting keypad according to another embodiment of the present invention.

** Description of the main symbols in the drawings **

11: keyboard

12: ink layer

13: back layer

14: through protrusion

20: protective layer

21: upper projection

22: through protrusion

30: EL device

40: metal dome

41: dome board

42: contact terminal

43: printed circuit board

The present invention relates to a light emitting keypad.

1 is a perspective view showing a general wireless terminal.

As shown in FIG. 1, a wireless terminal such as a cellular phone has a liquid crystal display 120 displaying various information required for operation such as a transmission and reception state, and a plurality of keys of a keypad for performing signal generation and various functions. It is composed of a key panel 110 having a hole in which the buttons 130 are fitted.

The keypad has a plurality of key buttons 130 having a printed surface on which numbers or letters are printed, and the key buttons 130 have a structure protruding outside the key panel 110 of the mobile phone. The user checks the number or letter displayed on the printing surface and presses the desired key button 130 to use the mobile phone. A light source made of a light emitting element is provided on the outside of the bottom of the key button 130 so that the printing surface can be checked even at night. When the light is irradiated from the light source, the user can easily recognize the numbers or letters printed on the key button 130 by the backlighting effect.

However, the conventional LED type light emitting keypad used as a light source of the light emitting keypad cannot be manufactured in a thin shape due to the characteristics of the LED, so that the keypad is made relatively thick. In addition, the power consumption according to the LED light emission can be shortened the use time of the battery. In addition, the uniformity of light emission is uneven depending on the arrangement position of the LED, which leads to design difficulties. Accordingly, in order to overcome the limitation of ultra-thinning of the conventional LED type light emitting keypad, there is a demand for the development of a slim type light emitting keypad to which an EL (Electroluminescence) lamp light emitting method (hereinafter, referred to as an 'EL method') is applied. .

2 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional EL method light-emitting keypad to solve the above problems, it is composed of a key top 210, EL metal dome sheet 220 and a printed circuit board 230, the EL metal dome sheet 220 ) Is composed of EL sheet 221, metal dome 223, and base tape 222 to achieve ultra-thin film and low power consumption.

Looking at the function of the EL-type metal dome keypad, when the key top 210 is pressed by the user, the fixed contact of the metal dome 223 and the printed circuit board 230 by the projection 211 located at the rear of the key top 210. Terminal 231 is contacted and switched on to operate.

However, the conventional EL-type light-emitting keypad is the EL sheet 221 is continuously pressed and impacted by the projection 211, the risk of damage and breakage of the EL sheet is high, thus causing a big problem in the reliability of EL and keypad There is a problem that causes a decrease in the click feeling of the light emitting keypad to solve this problem is required.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, a projection for improving the clickability is formed in the upper direction, it is possible to prevent the protrusion of the EL device to directly press the EL device can prevent the EL device from being deformed, broken It is an object to provide a light emitting keypad.

In addition, through protrusions may be provided as necessary to prevent the light emitted from the EL device from being reflected and interfered, thereby preventing the formation of intaglio, and allowing the light to pass through as it is, and it may be easier to combine the keypad and EL device. An object of the present invention is to provide an EL device for a light emitting keypad.

The present invention for achieving the above object,

A key plate having a plurality of keys formed therein and a through hole provided therein; A rear layer disposed below the keypad and provided with a through protrusion penetrating corresponding to the through hole; It provides a light emitting keypad comprising a protective layer located on the bottom of the back layer and having an upper projection to correspond to the key; EL device formed under the protective layer.

The present invention also includes a key plate formed with a plurality of keys and provided with a through hole; A protective layer positioned below the keypad and having a through protrusion corresponding to the key and a through protrusion corresponding to the through hole; It provides a light-emitting keypad comprising a; EL device formed under the protective layer.

The present invention also provides a light emitting keypad positioned on the lower portion of the EL device, and further comprising a printed circuit board having a dome switch.

In addition, a light emitting keypad is provided below the EL device, wherein a dome substrate having a plurality of metal domes integrally formed is bonded thereto.

In addition, the keypad provides a light emitting keypad, characterized in that the plurality of keys are integrally formed flat sheet.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings and examples.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting keypad according to an embodiment of the present invention. As illustrated, a back plate 13 having a key plate 11 having a plurality of keys formed therethrough and a through hole provided therein, and a through protrusion 14 positioned below the key plate and penetrating corresponding to the through hole. ), A protective layer 20 positioned below the rear layer and provided with an upper protrusion 21 so as to correspond to the key, and an EL device 30 formed below the protective layer. A printed circuit board 43 having a dome switch having a metal dome 40 and a contact terminal 42 may be disposed below the EL device 30.

The light emitting keypad according to the present invention is provided with a projection for improving clickability, etc., to prevent the projection from directly pressing the EL device, thereby preventing the EL device from being deformed or damaged.

The keypad 11 can be applied without being limited to the keypad of the light emitting keypad, the present invention does not limit the shape and material of the keypad. Since it is well known in the art, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Preferably, the key is made of a transparent flat sheet formed integrally. That is, the key plate 11 is formed of a flat plate sheet, and keys are formed integrally by printing the ink layer 12 on the bottom thereof, and the keys are integrally formed. Protruding keypad is not excluded from the present invention), through which the slimming of the wireless terminal can be realized, and various colors can be realized on the keypad through the printing process. In addition, the keypad may be coated with a protective coating layer (not shown) on at least one of the upper and lower surfaces.

In addition, by forming a dimple (Dimple) process in the key portion of the key plate to be somewhat concave, it is possible to more easily contact with the dome switch located in the lower portion to prevent key operation failure.

In addition, the key plate 11 is formed with a through hole so that the through protrusions 13 formed in the rear layer 13 can pass therethrough.

The through protrusions 14 are formed on the rear layer 13, and the through protrusions 14 pass through and coupled to the through holes of the keypad 11. In particular, the through hole is preferably formed at the boundary of each key. Through this configuration, it is possible to selectively press a specific key more easily, and the click feeling is improved. In addition, by forming and combining the through protrusions, the light emitted from the EL layer may be reflected and interfered by the through holes, thereby preventing the formation of the intaglio and allowing the light to be transmitted as it is. In addition, the back layer may also serve to protect the ink layer. The back layer is not limited but a silicon material is preferred.

The protective layer 20 and the upper protrusion 21 is not limited, but is preferably formed integrally, the silicon material is good. The protective layer may serve to buffer the upper protrusion directly pressurizing the EL device, and may also serve to prevent damage due to penetration of moisture, oxygen, etc. into the EL device. In addition, as shown, the protective layer 20 may be bonded to the EL device 30.

The upper protrusion 21 is preferably formed to correspond to the key position of the key plate of the light emitting keypad, and when a key is pressed by the user, the upper protrusion is pressed, and thus the dome switch, etc., which will be in the lower part of the EL device. Switching takes place in the switching unit.

The structure of the EL device 30 may be applied without limitation as long as it is a structure in which an inorganic or organic light emitting body emits light by applying an electric field and is included in the present invention, and thus description thereof will be omitted. As an example, the following configuration is suitable. That is, it is preferable that the EL device includes an insulating layer, a front electrode layer, a light emitting layer, a dielectric layer, a back electrode layer, and an insulating layer. The front electrode layer, the light emitting layer, the dielectric layer, and the back electrode layer form an EL system which is a light emitting structure of the EL device. The EL device 13 is preferably formed by screen printing for slimming.

A lower portion of the EL device 30 may be coupled to a printed circuit board 43 having a dome switch positioned to correspond to an upper protrusion. The dome switch may be connected to the contact terminal 42 and the upper portion of the contact terminal. It is preferable that the metal dome (41) is located spaced apart from the contact terminal. The metal dome is a good elastic material is good for improving the clickability.

Therefore, when the keypad of the keypad is pressed by the user, the metal dome of the printed circuit board provided under the specific key is pressed so that the metal dome contacts and contacts the contact terminal.

4 is a cross-sectional view of a light emitting keypad according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawing, a plurality of keys are formed and a key plate 11 having a through hole, an upper protrusion 21 positioned below the key plate and corresponding to the key, and a through protrusion corresponding to the through hole ( It is characterized in that it comprises a protective layer 20 having a 22), EL device 30 formed under the protective layer. Below the EL device 30, a printed circuit board having a dome switch having a metal dome 40 and a contact terminal 42 may be disposed.

In the above-described configuration of the light emitting keypad, the back layer 13 is omitted, and the through protrusions are formed on the protective layer 20. Through such a configuration, a slimmer light emitting keypad can be realized. Since the key board, the protective layer, the EL device and the lower printed circuit board are sufficiently described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

5A and 5B are cross-sectional views of a light emitting keypad according to another embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the dome substrate 41 in which a plurality of metal domes 40 are integrally formed is bonded to the lower EL device. In this way, by forming a plurality of metal domes integrally, manufacturing can be made simpler. The printed circuit board 43 having the contact terminal 42 is positioned under the dome substrate 41.

The above embodiments are intended to describe the present invention in detail, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, modifications, modifications, omissions, etc. that can be applied within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are defined by the claims. It is included in the scope of the present invention.

The light emitting keypad according to the present invention has a projection for improving the clickability is formed in the upper direction to prevent the projection directly press the EL device can prevent the EL device from being deformed, damaged, and penetrates as necessary Protrusions are provided to prevent the light emitted from the EL device from being reflected and interfered to form an intaglio, allowing the light to be transmitted as it is, and assembling becomes easier.

Claims (4)

A key plate having a plurality of keys formed therein and a through hole provided therein; A rear layer disposed below the keypad and provided with a through protrusion penetrating corresponding to the through hole; A protective layer positioned below the rear layer and integrally provided with an upper protrusion to correspond to the key; And And an EL device formed under the protective layer. The protective layer is a light emitting keypad, characterized in that bonded to the EL device to prevent the penetration of moisture and oxygen into the EL device. The light emitting keypad of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board positioned below the EL device and having a dome switch. The light emitting keypad according to claim 1, wherein a dome substrate having a plurality of metal domes integrally formed is bonded to the EL device. The keypad of claim 1, wherein the keypad is a flat sheet having a plurality of keys integrally formed thereon.

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