Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Uniform illumination of keys on a flexible substrate
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Application No.: US16032876Application Date: 2018-07-11
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Publication No.: US10984969B1Publication Date: 2021-04-20
- Inventor: Paul X. Wang , Aidan N. Zimmerman
- Applicant: Apple Inc.
- Applicant Address: US CA Cupertino
- Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Cupertino
- Agency: Dorsey & Whitney LLP
- Main IPC: H01H13/83
- IPC: H01H13/83 ; H01H3/12 ; G06F3/02 ; G06F1/16 ; H01H3/00

Abstract:
Systems and methods for providing illumination to illuminable portions of keys associated with a keyboard are described. A key disposed on a flexible substrate includes a light guide positioned below a keycap. The light guide includes one or more light extraction features to produce a substantially uniform light distribution of light from a light emitting element at an illuminable portion of the key. In one embodiment, a light emitting element is positioned on the flexible substrate and is optically coupled to the light guide. In another embodiment, a light emitting element is positioned below the flexible substrate and is optically coupled to the light guide via an optical interface.
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