EP1327996A2 - Illuminated computerkeyboard and corresponding illumination device - Google Patents

Abstract

The illumination unit illuminates the keys of a standard computer keyboard with a lower housing part and a cover. A matrix of keys is arranged on the lower housing part. At least one signal generator arrangement is connected to the under side of the keys. Illuminating elements (40) and corresponding conductive tracks, connected to a current terminal, are arranged underneath the keys on a flat substrate (10). The substrate comes to lie in the space between the housing cover and the key matrix at the height of the signal generator arrangement. Independent claims also cover a computer keyboard with such a unit.

Description

The invention relates to an illuminated Standard computer keyboard, especially one PC keyboard, as well as a suitable one Lighting unit.

There are keyboards in various Designs such as than keyboards that are in built in a laptop or over a Interface can be coupled to the computer, different types of signal transmission, such as. a data transfer Find infrared base application.

By integrated in computer keyboards Lighting could be achieved that one Work regardless of the lighting condition of the Environment became possible.

There are keyboards with a common one Illumination element for all buttons or at least for individual key groups (WO 97/04437 or US 4,772,769). It is coming but this leads to uneven light distributions the keyboards or, if large is illuminated to a restricted Differentiation of the individual keys. As Light sources for keyboard lighting used lamps, LCDs and LEDs.

Other solutions see individual lighting of the buttons in front, but require a complex Construction. For example, in the DE 30 45 962 / GB 2 065 373 a keyboard disclosed in the case of a spatially distant lamp through a light guide light behind the individual buttons the keyboard is guided and so a backlighting of the Single keys is accomplished.

This scheme, in the light of distant Light emitter through light guide behind those to be illuminated Keys are directed, is also from other writings known, for example US 5,408,060, GB 2 285 518 or US 4,772,769. In addition to the large number necessary Individual components further problems such as high design or complicated assembly based on the solutions presented for bulk items like standard computer keyboards make it seem unsuitable.

Illuminated computer keyboards are so far only in Known connection with laptops, for example from the DE 297 11 813 and relatively complex, such as that in the EP 685 860 disclosed, mainly for one medical apparatus provided keyboard.

The object of the present invention is a Standard computer keyboard, especially a PC keyboard with illuminated buttons that create that distinguishes that keyboard housing and keys in the known Layout on known systems efficiently and inexpensively can be produced.

It is also the task of the present Invention, a lighting unit for individual lighting the keys of standard computer keyboards with given layout to create that no modifications keyboard layout, is easy to install and can be produced inexpensively.

This task is done with regard to the lighting unit solved with the features of claim 1, with regard to Keyboard with the features of claim 12.

The lighting unit consists of a flat one Carrier, the lighting elements and corresponding Carries conductor tracks. The flat support is below the upper housing cover of the keyboard with the keys and above the keyboard matrix, which in turn is on the lower Housing cover stores, arranged. The keyboard matrix, i.e. the electrical circuit that the means of the Key presses entered into coded keystrokes (e.g. ASCII encoded) electrical signals converted is common in common keyboards designed as a film or printed circuit board.

In this way, the space inside the Keyboard that was previously unused for one Use keyboard lighting without any other changes to have to do with the construction of the keyboard. While increasing the design of the keyboard on this Way can be avoided can be a common Keyboard layout easily with the invention Lighting unit can be upgraded without the other keyboard manufacturing process are changed would. The lighting elements come even if they are not arranged centrally below the keys, to lie below the keyboard keys so that at least through the slots between the buttons for light Illumination of the keys can penetrate. In the preferred Embodiment according to claim 13 are at least the keys the keyboard transparent, because in this way the Light emission not only through the narrow slits between the buttons, but also through the buttons therethrough. In the sense of a pleasing design and one The keyboard can also increase light output be completely transparent. transparent Keyboards have been the "imac" keyboards since the great market success from Apple-Macintosh in large numbers on the market. The luminous efficacy can be further improved also by using transparent signaling stamp arrangements.

Have as particularly advantageous lighting elements light-emitting diodes proved to have a low overall height take and have low power consumption. deratige LEDs are small enough that they are directly below of the keys find space because keys for PC keyboards in usually have a mushroom-shaped cross-section, so that the LEDs in the free space below the umbrella-like finger pads Have space. Each button can advantageously have a light emitting diode be assigned. But it can also be used for standard buttons a single light emitting diode, for frequently used keys in contrast, several diodes can be provided so that it is possible clear illumination of the keypad create.

As a flat carrier one can advantageous embodiment of a circuit board or printed circuit board Find application. It builds flat - but is inherently stable - so that there are advantages in terms of assembly technology. In addition is the assembled printed circuit board according to the invention with simple means installable and interchangeable, and thus can even be retrofitted by the end user.

According to an alternative embodiment, the flat supports made of foil. The LEDs can be on the Foil to be soldered or bonded, the Conductor tracks can be evaporated. So one can Inexpensive and very flat and therefore little installation space engaging lighting unit for common PC keyboards be created. Alternatively, a PCB can be used as a carrier. While the Board recesses for the passage of the The sender can use the stamp correspondingly elastic and thin design even over a component of the contactor, for example a Contact membrane are placed if the Keyboard keypad arrangements not as continuous unit from the key to the highlighted Keyboard matrix is executed. There would be recesses in this If not necessary, but can of course be provided to ensure a better fit of the film.

So it would basically be in cases where between moving back and forth at the touch of a button Stamping pin on the underside of the buttons Signal stamp arrangements and the keyboard matrix none closed connection exists, conceivably, on the flat Carrier of the designed according to the invention Illumination unit at these points stretchable membrane provided. However, the flat carrier advantageously has Openings through which the buttons on the underside subsequent signal generator stamps or arrangements run.

According to claim 4 is before each such opening one of the lighting elements provided because of this Way the assigned key from the eye of the beholder from the front and therefore without the signaling stamp arrangement to be covered, is illuminated.

If according to the advantageous advanced training Claim 5 of the flat carrier to the dimensions of the Keyboard is customized, taking the geometry of the keyboard and the housing the shape of the at least one flat Determine wearer is inserted in the keyboard despite Lighting does not require more installation space than that of the keyboard equipped with the feature "lighting", and it is guaranteed that for the manufacture of the Standard keyboard required tools (e.g. Injection molding machines) not or only marginally changed Need to become. Thanks to the low height and the low Weight of the light emitting diodes with which the flat support, So the film or the printed circuit board is populated the keyboard overall also has a low overall height. It is advantageous that the lighting unit also individually as a retrofit kit for common PC keyboards can be offered in existing keyboards can be installed.

Overall, it is desirable to have current and voltage across all light emitting diodes evenly, without strong fluctuations and distribute protected against overvoltage. To do this according to claim 6 each two LEDs in series switched a ballast resistor. The layout of the Printed circuit board therefore advantageously consists of several such two-diode conductor branches connected in parallel. To this This ensures that if an LED fails, it does not the entire lighting fails, but only one of these ladder branches connected in parallel. The resistance is there designed so that the applied voltage does not affect the LEDs can destroy, i.e. that no LED Voltage is above their breakdown voltage.

According to claim 7, each is approximately the same high number of ladder branches in several fields connected in parallel, which in turn connected in parallel the total matrix of the circuit board form. In this way, it succeeds in the conductor tracks paths as short as possible and uniform current and Voltage distribution with high reliability on the To accommodate the keyboard. Since there is approximately one in each field same number of identical two-diode branches, is the voltage drop and thus the luminosity over the Keyboard matrix fields almost constant. Because the two-diode branches the voltage drop and thus the luminosity within the respective fields constant.

Each branch of the circuit can be a group of Keys assigned so that it would also be conceivable individual key groups can be activated individually. So could (with suitable software applications - about Computer games) for example only the numeric keypad, only the navigation keys or only the function keys be illuminated. That would also be conceivable Key groups structured use of LEDs of different Colours.

A standard German keyboard has 112 keys available. These are best preferred by overall 66 two-diode branches in a total of 11 matrix fields illuminated, because in this way e.g. the - in Relationship to the other keys very large - spacebar with multiple LEDs are illuminated during the ordinary Keys a light element is assigned.

One according to claim 10 is particularly advantageous provided dimmer circuit, with which the brightness the keyboard lighting can be adjusted continuously. The Operation can be done with an ergonomic knurled wheel respectively. Only an insignificant change in the Layouts of common keyboards are made so that the Knurled wheel through a recess in the housing can emerge, for example, on the side of the Keyboard.

A can be used to implement the dimmer circuit Potentiometers are used, the current consumption the keyboard lighting via a longitudinal control transistor for Surge protection takes place. However, since potentiometers and length regulating transistor different, nonlinear Have characteristic curves, it is advantageous to Use voltage regulation. The necessary for this electrical components can be opened in a simple manner arrange the flat carrier, or integrate into it, which simplifies the conversion of the keyboard.

Computer keyboards are usually powered by a 5V voltage the motherboard of the computer via a so-called PS / 2 connector supplied. Because of the low Power consumption of the keyboard lighting unit presented is not in the present invention separate power supply required. The power supply too Keyboard matrix and circuit board of the lighting unit can therefore be done via a common cable.

Many common keyboards point to the power connection of the Keyboard matrix on its own board on which a connector sitting; the connection cable of the power supply in turn points a corresponding, multi-pin connector. Prefers the lighting unit is therefore connected to the power supply via a provided on the circuit board or film Plug to which the power cord is plugged in (in this case also corresponding plugs at the end of the connection cable must be provided). About one second cable can then the individual power wires be performed on the keyboard matrix. This second too The cable can then be plugged into the Printed circuit board or foil of the lighting unit become. Also for the end user who uses his keyboard wants to retrofit the lighting unit, the Installation of the lighting unit further simplified.

However, the present invention is not based on this limited; a battery-powered keyboard, for example a radio keyboard with the lighting be equipped. In this case too there is none additional separate power source required for lighting.

The subject of the present invention and the various embodiments as well as the advantages clear from the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 zwei Gehäusehälften einer erfindungsgemäßen Tastatur mit in die untere Gehäusehälfte eingelegter, erfindungsgemäßen Beleuchtungseinheit;

Fig. 2 zwei den Nummernblock versorgende Felder der Leiterbahnenmatrix einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Beleuchtungseinheit.

Fig. 3 den Stromanschluss mit Potentiometer-Dimmerschaltung einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Tastatur;

Fig. 4a einen Schnitt durch eine Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Tastatur;

Fig. 4b einen Schnitt durch eine weitere Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Tastatur;

Show it:

1 shows two housing halves of a keyboard according to the invention with the lighting unit according to the invention inserted into the lower housing half;

2 shows the fields of the conductor track matrix supplying the number block of an embodiment of the lighting unit according to the invention.

3 shows the power connection with a potentiometer dimmer circuit of an embodiment of the keyboard according to the invention;

4a shows a section through an embodiment of the keyboard according to the invention;

4b shows a section through a further embodiment of the keyboard according to the invention;

Figure 1 shows one between the two housing halves inserted lighting device, the printed circuit board 10 (one-sided, 1mm thick, material: FR4) for each button 20 of the Keyboard has a bore 30 through which the Stick out the aligned signaling stamp. The Printed circuit board 10 is the layout of the MF2 keyboard Cherry adapted them so that they are internal Key matrix of the keyboard can be placed. Through her Intrinsic stability, the circuit board 10 is easy in the insert lower housing half 110. The printed circuit board 10 is matched to the keyboard in format so that the side bezels of the keyboard to support the PCB 10 serve. Furthermore is on the keyboard a circuit board is provided on the power connector and corresponding ballasts are provided. The Printed circuit board 10 has a corresponding recess. There is also a very low LED 40 for each key Power consumption and high luminous efficacy: HSMD-S670 / Orange provided that then the respectively assigned Key 30 is illuminated from below.

In the keyboard shown in Fig. 1 are the Keypads in one piece with the upper half of the housing connected and flexibly movable. However, it is said to already be mentioned here that the invention goes without saying in connection with all common arrangements of the buttons and Signal generator stamp arrangements can be realized.

There are always two LEDs 40 in series with one Ballast resistance of 560 Ω switched. Overall are 66 such LED groups connected in parallel on the Circuit board arranged to illuminate 112 keys. The LED groups are in several, again in parallel switched fields 80 of the conductor track matrix summarized. Fig. 2 shows the two, the number pad the fields supplying the keyboard 80. There are also the To take signal generator stamp 130, which by the Project openings 30 of the keyboard.

Due to the low power consumption, it is possible the power supply to the keyboard matrix and circuit board 10 of the Perform lighting unit with a cable 50, such as shown in Figure 3. The cable 50 leads to the power connection of the Keyboard matrix 120, which is designed as a connector 60 is. There current and ground conductors are tapped and in Parallel connection to the power supply to the keyboard matrix of the Printed circuit board 10 of the lighting unit. The both corresponding strands (180, 190) are bare on the digits upstream of the keyboard matrix Block capacitor soldered and to corresponding contacts on the printed circuit board 10 5 V voltage supplied from the computer main board initially led over a dimmer circuit, with a by a knurled wheel 70 on the side edge of the keyboard operable potentiometer is realized. Connects to it a series regulating transistor (type: NPN Darligton). On this way can provide effective protection against overvoltage will be realized.

The keyboard shown in section in Fig. 4a has Keys 20 on by pressing the key in the direction of Arrow D a guided, supported by a spring Press down the stamping pin 150a. At the bottom of the Stamp pin is a protrusion from one contactable material that makes contact at the touch of a button on the keyboard matrix 120, which on the Bottom part 110 of the keyboard housing rests. The Keyboard matrix 120 is just like the one on it supported carrier 10 of the lighting unit as a thin Slide executed. On the carrier film 10 are each attached below the buttons 20 LEDs 40, with which the Keyboard is illuminated. The plunger pins 150a are led by a border, which by on the Openings 30 provided in film 10 of the lighting unit protrude.

4b shows a sectional view of another Embodiment of the keyboard according to the invention. To the Keys 20 connect on the underside of stamp pins 20 which by guides 162 supported on the upper part of the housing for the plunger 20 forming partition 160 become. The one on the bottom 110 of the keyboard case keyboard matrix 120 lying on top has the Stamping pin 150b elastic, bulged membrane 170 off, which are depressed when a button is pressed and thus the trigger desired contact. The stamp pin 20, your Guide 160 and the membrane 170 together form the Auto switch stamp assembly 130.

On the film 120 of the keyboard matrix or facial expressions the film 10 of the lighting unit, which with LEDs 40 is populated, each below the keys 20 are arranged. The membrane 170 protrude through it provided openings 30 of the film 10 of the Lighting unit. As shown in Figures 4a and 4b the lighting unit is in principle built up the same; So it is possible to be identical, lighting units according to the invention in different built-in keyboards if the keyboards in are approximately the same size.

Of course there are deviations from the shown variants possible without the basic idea of Leaving invention.

For example, it is possible with Embodiment according to Figure 4b inserting one or several carriers 10 in the form of a circuit board on the To make partition 160, in which case in Carrier breakthroughs for the stamp pin 20 excluded have to be.

So it becomes a lighting unit Individual lighting of the keys 20 of standard computer keyboards presented, on the buttons 20 underside in each case at least one signaling device stamp arrangement 130 followed. It comprises a flat carrier 10 on which at least one lighting element per key 20 of the keyboard 40 is provided, with each lighting element 40 having a conductor track is connected to a power connection. The lighting element 40 is in front of each assigned opening 30 arranged to receive the Signal transmitter stamp is provided, the shape and Dimensioning of the circuit board 10 is related to the dimensions adapted to the standard computer keyboard and the Lighting unit available as a retrofit kit.

The standard computer keyboard is with a case and individually illuminated keys 20 are provided on which Connect signaling stamp arrangements 130 on the underside, with those on an underlying keyboard matrix 120 each a signal is emitted by keystroke, and points at the level of the signaling stamp arrangements 130 flat carrier 10 of an inventive Lighting unit on between the buttons 20 and Keyboard matrix 120, through the openings 30 the Auto switch stamp run, is arranged and the buttons from below through applied lighting elements 40 illuminated.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

flat support

10

button

20

opening

30

lighting element

40

electric wire

50

connector

60

knurl

70

Fields of the conductor track matrix

80

ballast

90

housing cover

100

Housing bottom

110

keyboard matrix

120

Auto Switch temple arrangement

140

stamp pins

150a; 150b

partition

160

guides

162

Contact membrane

170

strands

180, 190

Claims (16)

Illumination unit for illuminating the keys (20) of standard computer keyboards with a lower housing part (110) and a housing cover as well as a keyboard matrix (120) and keys (20) arranged on the lower housing part (110), each of which has at least one signal transmitter stamp arrangement on the underside (130), which presses the underlying keyboard matrix each time the corresponding key is pressed,
With at least one flat support (10) for lighting elements (40) arranged under the keys (20) or a key group of the keyboard and corresponding conductor tracks which are connected to a power connection, characterized in that the flat support (10) in the room comes to lie between the housing cover and the keyboard matrix (120) at the level of the signal transmitter stamp arrangements (130). Lighting unit according to claim 1, wherein the lighting elements (40) as light emitting diodes (40) are executed. Lighting unit according to claim 1 or 2, the flat carrier (10) being electrical insulating film (10) or circuit board is. Lighting unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one Lighting element (40) per key (20) is provided and the lighting element (40) each in front of an associated opening (30) of the flat Carrier is arranged to accommodate the respective Signal transmitter stamp arrangement (130) is provided. Lighting unit according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the shape and dimensioning of the flat carrier (10) is adapted to the dimensions of the standard computer keyboard and
the lighting unit is provided as a retrofit kit. Lighting unit according to one of the preceding Claims, wherein the layout of the flat support (10) there are several conductor branches connected in parallel, whereby each branch two each via a series resistor (90) has light-emitting diodes (40) connected in series. Lighting unit according to claim 6, wherein the Layout of the flat carrier (10) from a matrix of fields (80) connected in parallel, again in the fields (80) each have an approximately equal number of Ladder branches is connected in parallel. Lighting unit according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the Number of ladder branches is 66. Lighting unit according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the Number of fields (80) is 11. Lighting unit according to one of the preceding Claims, being between power supply and Lighting elements (40) a dimmer for stepless, manual adjustment of the brightness is provided. Lighting unit according to one of the preceding Claims, wherein the lighting unit to the power supply the keyboard can be connected. Standard computer keyboard with a housing cover and a lower housing part (110) and illuminated keys (20), to which signal transmitter stamp arrangements (130) are connected on the underside, with which a signal is emitted on an underlying keyboard matrix (120) each time a key is pressed, characterized by
a lighting unit arranged between the keys (20) and the keyboard matrix (120) at the level of the signal transmitter stamp arrangements (130), in particular according to one of the preceding claims. The standard computer keyboard of claim 12, wherein at least the buttons (20) are transparent. Standard computer keyboard according to claim 12 or 13, the power supply to keyboard matrix (120) and Lighting unit via a common cable (50) he follows. Standard computer keyboard according to one of claims 12 - 14, with a dimmer for continuous, manual Setting the luminosity of the lighting elements (40) the lighting unit is provided. Standard computer keyboard according to one of claims 12 - 15, characterized in that the flat carrier (10) simultaneously forms the carrier for the keyboard matrix.

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