Patent ID: 12232251

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are provided for facilitating the descriptions of the instant disclosure. However, the embodiments are provided as examples for illustrative purpose, but not a limitation to the instant disclosure. In all the figures, the same reference numbers refer to identical or similar elements.

FIG.1illustrates an exploded view of an illuminated keyboard according to an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure.FIG.2illustrates a plan view of a backlight module according to an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure.FIG.3illustrates an exploded partial view of an illuminated keyboard according to an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure. As shown inFIG.1toFIG.3, the illuminated keyboard K comprises a backlight module1and a plurality of keys30(for example, the keys30may include, the Caps lock key, the Shift key, the Ctrl key, the Enter key, the Backspace key, etc.). The keys30are arranged above the backlight module1, and the backlight module1is adapted to emit lights to illuminate the keys30.

As shown inFIG.1toFIG.3, the backlight module1comprises a circuit board and a plurality of light-emitting elements20. The circuit board10has a top surface11and a bottom surface15opposite to the top surface11. The top surface11has a plurality of key assembling regions12. The key assembling regions12are portions of the top surface11of the circuit board10(for example, as shown inFIG.2, the key assembling regions12are marked with dotted frames). The keys30are disposed above the key assembling regions12.

As shown inFIG.1toFIG.3, the light-emitting elements20are respectively disposed on the key assembling regions12. In this embodiment, each of the key assembling regions12is provided with one light-emitting element20, but the instant disclosure is not limited thereto; in some embodiments, each of the key assembling regions12may be provided with two or more light-emitting elements20. Accordingly, the lights emitted from the light-emitting elements20can be illuminated to the keys30. For example, the key30may have a light-transmissive region (which may be a number region or a text region). When the lights are illuminated to the key30, the lights can pass through the light-transmissive region of the key30, so that the illuminated keyboard K can be utilized under an environment with insufficient illuminations.

In some embodiments, the circuit board10may be a rigid circuit board (for example, a printed circuit board (PCB)) or a rigid-flex PCB. The light-emitting element may be a light-emitting diode (LED), an incandescent lamp, a halogen lamp, or the like.

As shown inFIG.1toFIG.3, a substrate40, a keyboard circuit board50, a plurality of connection members60, and a plurality of resilient members70may be disposed on the backlight module1. The substrate40may be a rigid plate made of metal (e.g., iron, aluminum, and alloy) or plastic material to support components. The keyboard circuit board50is stacked above the substrate40. Each of the connection members60is connected between a corresponding one of the key assembling regions12and a corresponding one of the keys30, so that the keys30are assembled on the substrate40. Each of the resilient members70is disposed between the keyboard circuit board50and a corresponding one of the keys30. When the key30is pressed, the connection member60can guide the key30to be moved downwardly to abut against the resilient member70, so that the keyboard circuit board50is triggered by the resilient member70to generate corresponding signal(s). When the key30is released, the elastic force stored in the resilient member70allows the key30to be moved back to its original position (a position that the key30is not pressed).

In some embodiments, the keyboard circuit board50may be a printed circuit board (PCB), a membrane circuit board, a flexible print circuit board (FPCB), a rigid-flex PCB, or the like. The connection member60may be a scissor-type connection member (as shown inFIG.1andFIG.3), a butterfly-type connection member, a mechanical switch, or the like. The resilient member70may be a rubber dome, a metal dome, a spring, an elastic piece, or other elastic members, so that when the resilient member70is pressed, the elastic force can be stored in the resilient member70.

FIG.4illustrates a partial perspective view of a backlight module according to an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure.FIG.5illustrates a partial plan view of a backlight module according to an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure.FIG.6illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of a backlight module according to an exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure. As shown inFIG.4toFIG.6, take one of the key assembling regions12of the circuit board10as an example, the key assembling region12has at least one stress release hole. in this embodiment, the key assembling region12has two stress release holes (a first stress release hole13and a second stress release hole14), the first stress release hole13is defined through the top surface11and the bottom surface of the circuit board10, and the second stress release hole14is defined through the top surface11and the bottom surface15of the circuit board10. However, the number of the stress release hole is not limited thereto; for example, the number of the stress release hole may be one or may be three or more.

As shown inFIG.4toFIG.6, the light-emitting element20on the key assembling region12comprises a main body21and at least one conductive portion connected to the main body21. In this embodiment, the light-emitting element20comprises two conductive portions (a first conductive portion22and a second conductive portion23), and the first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23are respectively connected to two opposite sides of a bottom portion of the main body21so as to be electrically connected to the circuit board10. However, the number of the conductive portion is not limited thereto; for example, the number of the conductive portion may be one or may be three or more.

In some embodiments, the first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23are respectively the positive conductive portion and the negative conductive portion of the light-emitting element20. For example, the first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23may be positive and negative conductive terminals (such as conductive sheets or conductive wires) made of conductive material(s) (such as metal), and the first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23are electrically connected to the circuit board by soldering.

Further, as shown inFIG.4toFIG.6, the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14are at two opposite sides of the main body21of the light-emitting element20. In other words, in this embodiment, the light-emitting element is between the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14, and the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14are respectively adjacent to the first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23.

Based on the above, according to one or some embodiments of the instant disclosure, each of the key assembling regions12of the circuit board10of the backlight module1has the stress release hole (such as the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14) adjacent to the conductive portion (such as the first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23) of a corresponding one of the light-emitting elements20. Therefore, when the circuit board10of the backlight module1is subjected to an external force and deformed, the stress release hole prevents the conductive portion of the light-emitting element20from being affected by the deformation of the circuit board10, so that loose contact or connection failure between the light-emitting element20and the circuit board10can be prevented. For example, as shown inFIG.8, during manufacturing or using the backlight module1, if the backlight module1is moved and suspended (in this illustrative case, when the user holds one side of the backlight module1to move the backlight module1), the circuit board10of the backlight module1will be bent and deformed owing to the gravity. The stress release hole on the key assembling region12can be prevent the deformation of the circuit board from affecting the portion of the circuit board10on which the light-emitting element is disposed. Therefore, the portion of the circuit board10on which the light-emitting element20is disposed can be kept flat and does not deform upon some other portions of the circuit board10are deformed, or the deformation extent of the portion of the circuit board10on which the light-emitting element20is disposed can be reduced greatly. Hence, the stress release hole can prevents the conductive portion of the light-emitting element20from being affected by the deformation of the circuit board10, so that loose contact or connection failure between the light-emitting element20and the circuit board can be prevented.

As shown inFIG.4toFIG.6, in this embodiment, the main body21of the light-emitting element20is rectangular-shaped and has a first short side211and a second short side212opposite to the first short side211. The first conductive portion22and the second conductive portion23are respectively adjacent to the first short side211and the second short side212. The length of the first stress release hole13is greater than the length of the first short side211, and the length of the second stress release hole14is greater than the length of the second short side212, so that the edge of the light-emitting element20does not protrude out of the edge portion of the first stress release hole13and the edge portion of the second stress release hole14. Therefore, it can be ensured that the entire light-emitting element20is between the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14. Hence, the conductive portion of each of the light-emitting elements20can be prevented from being affected by the stress generated by the deformation of the circuit board10more effectively.

As shown inFIG.4toFIG.6, in this embodiment, both the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14are curved-shaped. The first stress release hole13has two first end portions131and a first inner curved edge132, the two first end portions131and the first inner curved edge132are enclosed to form a first bow-shaped region133, and the first short side211of the main body21of the light-emitting element is in the first bow-shaped region133. Likewise, the second stress release hole14has two second end portions141and a second inner curved edge142, the two second end portions141and the second inner curved edge142are enclosed to form a second bow-shaped region143, and the second short side212of the main body21of the light-emitting element20is in the second bow-shaped region143. Therefore, in this embodiment, the entire light-emitting element20is surrounded by the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14. Hence, the conductive portion of each of the light-emitting elements20can be prevented from being affected by the stress generated by the deformation of the circuit board10more effectively.

In some embodiments, the first stress release hole13and the second stress release hole14may be of other shapes (for example, square, rectangular, trapezoidal, elliptical, or other irregular shapes).

Please refer toFIG.2andFIG.5. In this embodiment, the circuit board10is rectangular-shaped and has two opposite long sides101and two opposite short sides102. The first short side211and the second short side212of each of the light-emitting elements20are respectively perpendicular to the two long sides101of the circuit board. Alternatively, as shown inFIG.7, which illustrates a plan view of a backlight module according to another exemplary embodiment of the instant disclosure. In this embodiment, the first short side211and the second short side212of each of the light-emitting elements20are respectively parallel to the two long sides101of the circuit board10. Accordingly, in this embodiment, when the circuit board10is subjected to an external force, the deformation extent of the circuit board10along the direction of the long side101is generally greater than the deformation extent of the circuit board10along the direction of the short side102. Therefore, by configuring the first short side211and the second short side212of each of the light-emitting elements20which are less prone to be deformed to be parallel to the long side101of the circuit board10, the conductive portion of each of the light-emitting elements20can be prevented from being affected by the stress generated by the deformation of the circuit board10more effectively.

Based on the above, in the backlight module according to one or some embodiments of the instant disclosure, each of the key assembling regions of the circuit board has the stress release hole adjacent to the conductive portion of a corresponding one of the light-emitting elements. Therefore, when the circuit board of the backlight module is subjected to an external force and deformed, the stress release hole prevents the conductive portion of the light-emitting element from being affected by the deformation of the circuit board, so that loose contact or connection failure between the light-emitting element and the circuit board can be prevented.

While the instant disclosure has been described by the way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the scope of which should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.