Patent Publication Number: US-2009235977-A1

Title: Key module with energy storage function

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a key module, and particularly relates to a key module with energy storage function. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     With the coming age of information technology and the advance of network technologies, mobile phones (or cell phones) become one of the most widespread communication tools. Cell phones become increasingly popular for consumers due to their attribute of small in sizes, portability, versatile in functions, and most importantly, the steadily decreasing price. In terms of purchasing cell phones, the appearances and functions are the determining factors for majority buyers. Hence, the market responds to this trend by providing multi-functional, new and good-looking cell phones. 
     Moreover, the usage time and the standby time of the cell phone need to be increased according to user&#39;s requirement. Hence, it is important for cell phone designer to increases battery capacity and power supply efficiency, and decrease power consumption. In addition, it is a main development and research direction how to utilize and combine natural resources into electronic product. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     One particular aspect of the present invention is to provide a key module with energy storage function. The key module has a sun cell and a plurality of transparent microstructures mated with each other in order to increase light source received by the sun cell, and the power supply of sun cell can be increased. Hence, the present invention has a background showing function, a pressing function, and a power-storing function. 
     In order to achieve the above-mentioned aspects, the present invention provides a key module with energy storage function, including: a transparent key unit, a sun cell, and an elastic unit. The transparent key unit has a plurality of transparent microstructures. The sun cell is disposed under a bottom side of the transparent key unit, and the sun cell has a light-receiving face facing the transparent key unit. The elastic unit is disposed under a bottom side of the sun cell. Therefore, the transparent microstructures of the transparent key unit guide and transmit external light sources onto the light-receiving face of the sun cell in order to increase light source on the light-receiving face. 
     In order to achieve the above-mentioned aspects, the present invention provides a key module with energy storage function, including: a transparent key unit, a sun cell, a plurality of transparent microstructures, and an elastic unit. The sun cell is disposed under a bottom side of the transparent key unit, and the sun cell has a light-receiving face facing the transparent key unit. The transparent microstructures are disposed between the transparent key unit and the sun cell. The elastic unit is disposed under a bottom side of the sun cell. Therefore, the transparent microstructures guide and transmit external light sources onto the light-receiving face of the sun cell in order to increase light source on the light-receiving face. 
     Furthermore, the present invention further includes an adhesive layer an anti-IR (infrared) coating layer unit. The adhesive layer is disposed between the transparent key unit and the sun cell. The anti-IR coating layer unit is disposed on a top surface of the sun cell, and the anti-IR coating layer unit can be an anti-IR coating layer or can be composed of a plurality of anti-IR coating layers. 
     Hence, the key module with energy storage function of the present invention has some advantages, as follows: 
     1. The background showing function (such as shown words), the pressing function and the power-storing function are all in the same key module. 
     2. The sun cell is applied to the key module in order to increase the usage time and the standby time of an electronic product using the key module. 
     3. The transparent microstructures are used to increase the light-receiving efficiency of the sun cell. 
     4. The traditional rechargeable battery is replaced with the sun cell in order to take the environment and the convenience into account. 
     5. The present invention takes the environment and the convenience into account without using battery charger. 
     6. The anti-IR coating layer is used to decrease the sunshine temperature of the key module in the daytime and protect the relevant electronic components of the key module. 
     7. The adhesive layer is used to fix the transparent key unit on the sun cell in order to decrease reflection or total reflection of the external light sources and increase the light-receiving efficiency of the sun cell. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Other advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description, drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a side, schematic view of a key module with energy storage function according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side, schematic view of a sun cell of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side, schematic view of a key module with energy storage function according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side, schematic view of a key module with energy storage function according to the third embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side, schematic view of another transparent microstructures of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 ,  FIG. 1  shows a side, schematic view of a key module with energy storage function according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 2  shows a side, schematic view of a sun cell of the present invention. The first embodiment of the present invention provides a key module with energy storage function, including a transparent key unit  1   a , a sun cell  2 , and an elastic unit  3 . 
     The transparent key unit la is composed of a plurality of key bodies  10  ( FIG. 1  shows only one of the key bodies  10 ). In addition, the transparent key unit la has a plurality of transparent microstructures  10   a  disposed on a top surface of the transparent key unit  1   a , and the transparent microstructures  10   a  are reverse prismatic structures. Furthermore, the transparent key unit  1   a  has a plurality of opaque background showing bodies  11   a  disposed on a bottom surface of the transparent key unit  1   a , and the opaque background showing bodies  11   a  can be opaque patterns, opaque symbols, opaque words or opaque numerals. 
     Moreover, the sun cell  2  is disposed under a bottom side of the transparent key unit  1   a , and the sun cell  2  has a light-receiving face  20  facing the transparent key unit  1   a . Referring to  FIG. 2 , the sun cell  2  is composed of an upper electrode  21 , a n-type semiconductor  22 , a p-type semiconductor  23  and a lower electrode  24 . The p-type semiconductor  23  is disposed on the lower electrode  24 , the n-type semiconductor  22  is disposed on the p-type semiconductor  23 , and the upper electrode  24  is disposed on the n-type semiconductor  22 . 
     Furthermore, the operation principle of the sun cell  2  is: when light source is shone on the n-type semiconductor  22  and the p-type semiconductor  23 , the holes with positive electricity of the n-type semiconductor  22  move toward the p-type semiconductor  23  and the electrons with negative electricity of the p-type semiconductor  23  move toward the n-type semiconductor  22 . Therefore, when light source is shone on the sun cell  2 , the luminous energy is transformed into the electric energy in order to supply power. 
     Moreover, the elastic unit  3  is composed of a plurality of elastic bodies  30  corresponding to the key bodies  10  ( FIG. 1  shows only one of the elastic bodies  30 ). The elastic unit  3  is disposed under a bottom side of the sun cell  2 , and the elastic unit  3  can be made of a rubber material. 
     In addition, the first embodiment of the present invention further includes an adhesive layer  4   a  an anti-IR (infrared) coating layer unit  5   a . The adhesive layer  4   a  is disposed between the transparent key unit  1   a  and the sun cell  2 . The anti-IR coating layer unit  5   a  is disposed on a top surface of the sun cell  2 , and the anti-IR coating layer unit  5   a  can be an anti-IR coating layer or can be composed of a plurality of anti-IR coating layers. 
     Hence, when external light sources L are shone on the transparent key unit  1   a , the transparent microstructures  10   a  of the transparent key unit  1   a  guide and transmit the external light sources L onto the light-receiving face  20  of the sun cell  2  in order to increase light source on the light-receiving face  20 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a side, schematic view of a key module with energy storage function according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodiment is that: a transparent key unit  1   b  has a plurality of transparent microstructures  10   b , and the transparent microstructures  10   b  are disposed on a bottom surface of the transparent key unit  1   b . Moreover, the transparent key unit  1   b  has a plurality of opaque background showing bodies  11   b  disposed on a top surface of the transparent key unit  1   b,  and the opaque background showing bodies  11   b  can be opaque patterns, opaque symbols, opaque words or opaque numerals. 
     Furthermore, the second embodiment of the present invention further includes an adhesive layer  4   b  an anti-IR coating layer unit  5   b . The adhesive layer  4   b  is disposed between the transparent key unit  1   b  and the sun cell  2 . The anti-IR coating layer unit  5   b  is disposed on a top surface of the transparent key unit  1   b , and the anti-IR coating layer unit  5   b  can be an anti-IR coating layer or can be composed of a plurality of anti-IR coating layers. 
       FIG. 4  shows a side, schematic view of a key module with energy storage function according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment of the present invention provides a key module with energy storage function, including a transparent key unit  1   c , a sun cell  2 , a plurality of transparent microstructures  10   c , and an elastic unit  3 . 
     The difference between the third embodiment and the first and second embodiments is that: a transparent microstructures  10   c  are disposed between the transparent key unit  1   c  and the sun cell  2 . Moreover, the transparent key unit  1   c  has a plurality of opaque background showing bodies  11   c  disposed on a top surface of the transparent key unit  1   c  (or a bottom surface of the transparent key unit  1   c ), and the opaque background showing bodies  11   c  can be opaque patterns, opaque symbols, opaque words or opaque numerals. In the fourth embodiment, transparent microstructures  10   c  are disposed on a top surface of the light-receiving face  20  of the sun cell  2 , and the opaque background showing bodies  11   c  are disposed on a top surface of the transparent key unit  1   c.    
     Furthermore, the third embodiment of the present invention further includes an adhesive layer  4   c  an anti-IR coating layer unit  5   c . The adhesive layer  4   c  is disposed between the transparent key unit  1   c  and the sun cell  2 . The anti-IR coating layer unit  5   c  is disposed on a bottom surface of the transparent key unit  1   c , and the anti-IR coating layer unit  5   c  can be an anti-IR coating layer or can be composed of a plurality of anti-IR coating layers. 
     Hence, when external light sources L are shone on the transparent key unit  1   c , the transparent microstructures  10   c  guide and transmit the external light sources L onto the light-receiving face  20  of the sun cell  2  in order to increase light source on the light-receiving face  20 . 
     Moreover, the transparent microstructures ( 10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c ) can be changed into a plurality of half round structures. For example,  FIG. 5  shows a side, schematic view of another transparent microstructures of the present invention. A transparent key unit  1   d  has a plurality of transparent microstructures  10   d , and the transparent microstructures  10   d  are half round structures. In other words, the shapes of the transparent microstructures ( 10   a ,  10   b ,  10   c ,  10   d ) of the different embodiments do not limit the present invention. Any shapes of the transparent microstructures are protected in the present invention. 
     In conclusion, the sun cell and the transparent microstructures are mated with each other in order to increase light source received by the sun cell, and the power supply of sun cell can be increased. Hence, the present invention has a background showing function, a pressing function, and a power-storing function. 
     Hence, the key module with energy storage function of the present invention has some advantages, as follows: 
     1. The background showing function (such as shown words), the pressing function and the power-storing function are all in the same key module. 
     2. The sun cell is applied to the key module in order to increase the usage time of an electronic product using the key module. 
     3. The transparent microstructures are used to increase the light-receiving efficiency of the sun cell. 
     4. The traditional rechargeable battery is replaced with the sun cell in order to take the environment and the convenience into account. 
     5. The present invention takes the environment and the convenience into account without using battery charger. 
     6. The anti-IR coating layer is used to decrease the sunshine temperature of the key module in the daytime and protect the relevant electronic components of the key module. 
     7. The adhesive layer is used to fix the transparent key unit on the sun cell in order to decrease reflection or total reflection of the external light sources and increase the light-receiving efficiency of the sun cell. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred best molds thereof, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details thereof. Various substitutions and modifications have been suggested in the foregoing description, and others will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, all such substitutions and modifications are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.