Claims
- 1. A lighted computer keyboard comprising:
a keyboard housing; a plurality of key members constructed of a substantially hard non-deformable material positioned within said keyboard housing; an elastic diaphragm underlying said key members for biasing said key members in an upward direction; a circuit board underlying said plurality of key members and said elastic diaphragm, said circuit board being operational to produce signals in response to depression of said key members; and a luminescent planar sheet for producing light, said luminescent planar sheet positioned between said plurality of key members and said elastic diaphragm, and being optically connected to said key members so as to permit the transmission of light to at least some of said plurality of key members, said luminescent planar sheet also including a plurality of holes underlying said key members for permitting said key members to engage said elastic diaphragm.
- 2. A lighted computer keyboard comprising:
a keyboard housing; a plurality of key members constructed of a substantially hard non-deformable material positioned within said keyboard housing; a substantially translucent elastic diaphragm underlying said key members for biasing said key members in an upward direction; a circuit board underlying said plurality of key members and said elastic diaphragm, said circuit board being operational to produce signals in response to depression of said key members; and a luminescent planar sheet for producing light, said luminescent planar sheet underlying said key members and said elastic diaphragm, and being positioned between said elastic diaphragm and said circuit board, said luminescent planar sheet being optically connected to said key members so as to permit the transmission of light to at least some of said plurality of key members.
- 3. A lighted computer keyboard comprising:
a keyboard housing; a plurality of key members constructed of a substantially hard non-deformable material positioned within said keyboard housing; a substantially translucent elastic diaphragm underlying said key members for biasing said key members in an upward direction; a substantially translucent circuit board underlying said plurality of key members and said elastic diaphragm, said circuit board being operational to produce signals in response to depression of said key members; and a luminescent planar sheet for producing light, said luminescent planar sheet underlying said key members, said elastic diaphragm and said circuit board, said luminescent planar sheet being optically connected to said key members so as to permit the transmission of light to at least some of said plurality of key members.
- 4. A lighted computer keyboard comprising:
a keyboard housing including an upper clamshell member, said upper clamshell member being at least partially translucent to channel light; a plurality of key members constructed of a substantially hard non-deformable material positioned within said keyboard housing; an elastic diaphragm underlying said key members for biasing said key members in an upward direction; a circuit board underlying said plurality of key members and said elastic diaphragm, said circuit board being operational to produce signals in response to depression of said key members; and a light source optically connected to said clamshell member for communicating light to said clamshell member, said clamshell member channeling light to at least some of said plurality of key members.
- 5. The lighted computer keyboard of claim 4 wherein said light source include LEDs or LECs.
- 6. The lighted computer keyboard of claim 5 wherein said LEDs or LECs are embedded in said clamshell member.
- 7. The lighted computer keyboard of claim 4 wherein said light source include fiber optic cables.
- 8. The lighted computer keyboard of claim 7 wherein said fiberoptic cables are embedded in said clamshell member.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/500,735, filed on Feb. 9, 2000, which in turn is a continuation application of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/396,141, filed on Aug. 15, 1999.
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09396141 |
Sep 1999 |
US |
Child |
09500735 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09500735 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Child |
09836628 |
Apr 2001 |
US |