Patent ID: 6803903
Filing Date: 2004-10-12
Classification: H01H,H04M

Abstract:
An emissive key for use in a keyboard or keypad in an electronic device having a substrate, wherein the substrate has a first surface to face a user of the keyboard and an opposing second surface, and a plurality of electrical conductors disposed in a layer on the second surface of the substrate, and wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of recesses having filler layers in the recesses, said emissive key comprising:a first electrode layer having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the first side of the first electrode layer is provided on the second surface of the substrate in one of the recesses adjacent to the filler layer therein; an organic light-emitting layer have a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the first side of the organic light-emitting layer is provided on the second side of the first electrode layer in said one of the recesses; a second electrode layer having a first side and an opposing second side, wherein the first side of the second electrode layer is provided on the second side of the organic light-emitting layer; and a gas encapsulation layer provided adjacent to the second side of the second electrode defining a cavity between the encapsulation layer and the light emitting layer for containing at least one gaseous species in order to protect the light-emitting layer, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are electrically connected to the electrical conductor for operatively connecting the first and second electrode layers to a power source in order to activate the organic light-emitting layer.