TWI453779B - Keyboard module and portable electronic device - Google Patents

Description

Keyboard module and portable electronic device

The present invention relates to a keyboard module, and more particularly to a keyboard module suitable for a portable electronic device.

Portable electronic devices are electronic devices that allow users to carry and operate them, such as mobile phones, multimedia players, personal digital assistants, notebook computers, handheld game consoles, and satellite navigators. This type of electronic device typically has a smaller size and a lighter weight for the user to carry around. Some types of handheld electronic devices (such as smart phones) are also equipped with a standard keyboard (QWERTY) to increase the rate of data entry.

In order to achieve both large-size image display and high-speed data input, the smart phone can be designed with a sliding double-layer body, so the display module can be placed on the front side of the upper body, and the keyboard module (such as a standard keyboard) (QWERTY)) can be placed on the side of the lower body facing the upper body. In order to meet the requirements of thinning, the individual thicknesses of all components of the smart phone (including display modules and keyboard modules, etc.) must be further reduced.

The present invention provides a keyboard module having a thinner thickness.

The invention provides a portable electronic device with a thin keyboard module.

The invention provides a keyboard module comprising a circuit board, a light guiding layer, a decorative layer and at least one button piece. The circuit board has at least one touch switch. The light guiding layer is disposed on the circuit board to guide the light, wherein the touch switch is located under the light guiding layer. The decorative layer is glued to the light guiding layer and has at least one opening, and the position of each opening corresponds to the position of each touch switch, respectively. Each of the key sheets is disposed on the light guiding layer and located in each of the openings, and the key sheet has a light transmitting pattern, so that light from the light guiding layer can be emitted from the light transmitting pattern of each of the key sheets.

The invention further provides a portable electronic device, comprising a display module and a keyboard module. The keyboard module is electrically connected to the display module, and the button module comprises a circuit board, a light guiding layer, a decorative layer and at least one button piece. The circuit board has at least one touch switch. The light guiding layer is disposed on the circuit board to guide the light, wherein the touch switch is located under the light guiding layer. The decorative layer is glued to the light guiding layer and has at least one opening, and the position of each opening corresponds to the position of each touch switch, respectively. Each of the key sheets is disposed on the light guiding layer and located in each of the openings, and the key sheet has a light transmitting pattern, so that light from the light guiding layer can be emitted from the light transmitting pattern of each of the key sheets.

Based on the above, the keyboard module of the present invention has a small thickness, so that the portable electronic device can be helped to achieve a thinning effect.

The above described features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description.

1 is a top plan view of a portable electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , the portable electronic device 10 of the present embodiment includes a display module 100 and a keyboard module 200 . The keyboard module 200 is electrically connected to the display module 100.

2 is a partial enlarged view of the keyboard module 200 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , the keyboard module 200 of the embodiment includes a circuit board 210 , a light guiding layer 220 , a decorative layer 230 , and at least one button piece 240 . The circuit board 210 has at least one touch switch 212. The light guiding layer 220 is disposed on the circuit board 210 to guide the light, wherein the touch switch 212 is located under the light guiding layer 220. The decorative layer 230 is glued to the light guiding layer 220 and has at least one opening 232, and the position of the opening 232 corresponds to the position of the touch switch 212. The key sheet 240 is disposed on the light guiding layer 220 and located in the opening 232. The key sheet 240 has a light transmitting pattern 244a for allowing light from the light guiding layer 220 to be emitted from the light transmitting pattern 244a of each of the key sheets 240.

In this embodiment, the keyboard module 200 further includes a light source 250 disposed on a side edge of the light guiding layer 220 to supply light to the light guiding layer 220. The light source 250 may be a light emitting diode or the like. In another embodiment, the light source is also supplied to the light guiding layer 220 by other light sources of the portable electronic device.

In the present embodiment, the touch switch 212 is composed of an electrode 212a formed on the circuit board 210 and a metal dome 212b. The top of the metal dome 212b can be adjacent to or in contact with the lower surface of the light guiding layer 220. Therefore, when the user presses the button piece 240, the light guiding layer 220 will press the force to the metal dome 212b to press the metal. The dome 212b can electrically contact and conduct the electrode 212a. In addition, the metal dome 212b can be used to provide tactile feedback when the user presses to facilitate the user to know whether the pressing is successful.

The keyboard module 200 of the present embodiment may further include a light shielding layer 260 disposed on the light guiding layer 220 and located in the decoration for preventing the light of the light guiding layer 220 from being emitted from the gap between the decorative layer 230 and the button sheet 240. Between the layer 230 and the gap of the button sheet 240, the light guided by the light guiding layer 220 is shielded and prevented from being emitted from the gap. In the present embodiment, in order to ensure the light shielding effect of the light shielding layer 260, the decorative layer 230 partially overlaps the light shielding layer 260, and the key sheet 240 and the light shielding layer 260 partially overlap.

In this embodiment, the decorative layer 230 and the button sheet 240 are adhered to the light guiding layer 220 through a glue layer 270. The material of the glue layer 270 includes ultraviolet curing glue, but is not limited thereto.

In this embodiment, the key sheet 240 includes a base portion 242 and a pattern layer 244. The pattern layer 244 is located on the base portion 242 and has a light transmissive pattern 244a. The light transmissive pattern 244a is a pattern, a character, a symbol, or any combination thereof, and the light that has passed through the light guiding layer 220 and the base portion 242 can be emitted from the light transmitting pattern 244a. The base portion 242 is permeable to light, and the material of the base portion 242 may include polycarbonate, polycarbonate-ABS, or liquid rubber.

In the present embodiment, the base portion 242 can be fabricated by means of molding. When the light transmissive pattern 244a is hollowed out, a portion of the base portion 242 may be projected into the position of the light transmissive pattern 244a during molding to form the base portion to fill the light transmissive pattern 244a.

Since the hollow portion of the light-transmitting pattern 244a is filled by the base portion 242, the light of the light-guiding layer 220 can be emitted from the light-transmitting pattern 244a to form a pattern image, and the user is allowed to pass through the light-transmissive portion 242. The pattern image emitted from the key sheet 240 can be utilized to identify the character or symbol represented by the light transmissive pattern 244a.

In summary, the keyboard module of the present invention has a small thickness, so that the portable electronic device can be reduced in thickness.

Although the present invention has been disclosed in the above embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and any one of ordinary skill in the art can make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

10. . . Portable electronic device

100. . . Display module

200. . . Keyboard module

210. . . Circuit board

212‧‧‧Touch switch

212a‧‧‧electrode

212b‧‧‧Metal round cover

220‧‧‧Light guide layer

230‧‧‧Decorative layer

232‧‧‧ openings

240‧‧‧Keys

242‧‧‧Basic Department

244‧‧‧pattern layer

244a‧‧‧Light pattern

250‧‧‧Light source

260‧‧‧Lighting layer

270‧‧ ‧ adhesive layer

1 is a top plan view of a portable electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a partial enlarged view of the keyboard module of FIG. 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line I-I of Figure 2;

200. . . Keyboard module

210. . . Circuit board

212. . . Touch switch

212a. . . electrode

212b. . . Metal dome

220. . . Light guiding layer

230. . . Decorative layer

232. . . Opening

240. . . Key sheet

242. . . Basic department

244. . . Pattern layer

244a. . . Light transmission pattern

250. . . light source

260. . . Shading layer

270. . . Glue layer

Claims (10)

A keyboard module is suitable for a portable electronic device, the keyboard module includes: a circuit board having at least one touch switch; a light guiding layer disposed on the circuit board to guide light, wherein the at least a touch switch is disposed under the light guiding layer; a light source is disposed on a side edge of the light guiding layer to supply light to the light guiding layer; a decorative layer is glued to the light guiding layer and has at least one opening And the position of the opening corresponds to the position of the touch switch; at least one button piece is disposed on the light guiding layer and located in the opening, and the button piece has a light transmitting pattern to enable the light guiding layer from the light guiding layer Light can be emitted from the light transmissive pattern of the button sheet, wherein the light transmissive pattern is a pattern, a character or a symbol; and a light shielding layer is disposed on the light guiding layer and located under the decorative layer and the button sheet Between the gaps, the light guided by the light guiding layer is shielded, wherein the decorative layer partially overlaps the light shielding layer, and the key sheet partially overlaps the light shielding layer. The keyboard module of claim 1, wherein the decorative layer and the key sheet are adhered to the light guiding layer through a glue layer. The keyboard module of claim 1, wherein the key sheet comprises: a base portion; and a pattern layer on the base portion and having the light transmissive pattern. The keyboard module of claim 3, wherein the material of the base portion comprises polycarbonate, polycarbonate-ABS or liquid rubber. The keyboard module of claim 3, wherein the light transmissive pattern is hollowed out, and a portion of the base portion extends into the light transmissive pattern. A portable electronic device includes: a display module; a keyboard module electrically connected to the display module, the keyboard module comprising: a circuit board having at least one touch switch; a light guiding layer, The light is disposed on the circuit board, wherein the at least one touch switch is located under the light guiding layer; a light source is disposed on a side edge of the light guiding layer to supply light to the light guiding layer; The layer is glued to the light guiding layer and has at least one opening, and the position of each opening corresponds to the position of each touch switch; at least one button piece is disposed on the light guiding layer and located in the opening, And the light sheet has a transparent pattern, so that light from the light guiding layer can be emitted from the light transmitting pattern of the key sheet, wherein the light transmitting pattern is a pattern, a character or a symbol; and a light shielding layer is disposed on the light shielding layer. a light guiding layer is disposed between the decorative layer and a gap under the button sheet to shield the light guided by the light guiding layer, wherein the decorative layer partially overlaps the light shielding layer, and the button sheet and the button The light shielding layers partially overlap. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the decorative layer and the key sheet are adhered to the light guiding layer through a glue layer. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the key sheet comprises: a base portion; and a pattern layer on the base portion and having the light transmissive pattern. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the material of the base portion comprises polycarbonate, polycarbonate-ABS or liquid rubber. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the light transmissive pattern is hollow, and a portion of the base portion extends into the light transmissive pattern.