Patent ID: 7758225

Claim:
A key pad lighting apparatus for a portable terminal, comprising: a printed circuit board in which a plurality of dome switches are disposed; a waveguide in which a plurality of key buttons are disposed at one surface thereof, the waveguide mounted onto the printed circuit board such that the dome switches correspond to the key buttons; at least one light source provided at one end of the waveguide for generating a light into the waveguide to illuminate the key buttons; and a height regulating member positioned between the waveguide and the printed circuit board for regulating a height of the waveguide adjacent to the at least one light source; wherein the one end of the waveguide that is proximal to the at least one light source comprises a receiving portion that is arranged in an optical axis of the light source by the height regulating member so that a central axis of the waveguide is aligned with a central axis of the light source; wherein an illuminating portion of the waveguide in vertical alignment with an actuated keybutton of said plurality of keybuttons has a deformed shape along the actuated keybutton; and wherein the height regulating member maintains an optical axis of the receiving portion of the waveguide.