Systems and methods for lighting spring loaded mechanical key switches
US9959996B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 16, 2016 |
| Grant date | May 1, 2018 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 16, 2036 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01H2219/0621
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Systems and methods are disclosed that may be implemented to provide keycap lighting to a spring loaded mechanical key switch assembly using a light conductive structure, such as a light pipe, and without requiring a chassis housing of the mechanical key switch assembly to include a dedicated power-consuming light source mounted to or otherwise positioned at the location of the individual key switch assembly chassis housing. Additionally, the disclosed systems and methods may be implemented to use one or more common power-consuming light source/s to simultaneously provide key cap lighting to multiple such spring loaded mechanical key switch assemblies, for example, by feeding light to each key cap though a common light spreader and through an individual non-power consuming light pipe provided for each key switch assembly.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.