Back lit keypad

Details Back lit keypad Back lit keypad

1992-08-03

1996-04-23

Mullen, Thomas

Coded data generation or conversion

Bodily actuated code generator

Including keyboard or keypad

200314, H03K 1794

Patent

active

055107826

ABSTRACT:
A back lit keypad device and method for fabricating it are described, which facilitates construction of a low cost, durable, and attractive keypad of the "reverse graphics illumination" type (which is opaque everywhere except for illuminated characters at the tops of the keys). The keypad device includes a shell (30, FIG. 2 ) of opaque rubber having a thin top wall (32), and an insert (42) of light-transmitting rubber molded into the cavity formed within the shell. The thin top wall of the shell has an opening therein forming a character, so light passing up through the insert can pass through the character-forming opening. The keypad device is formed by first forming the shell between first and second molds (94,110, FIG. 4 ), and leaving the formed shell in the first mold. Then a third mold (140, FIG. 5 ) is clamped against the first mold which has the shell (30) therein, and the light-passing insert material (144) is injected into the space between the shell and third mold to form the insert.

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