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US5404133A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Luminous key top

Assignee: Alps Alpine Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1991-04-11
•
Granted: 1995-04-04
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Expires: 2011-04-11
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Abstract

Abstract A luminous key top having display sections comprises: a display member having a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the respective external configurations of the display sections and formed of a transparent or a translucent synthetic resin; an external member consisting of an opaque synthetic resin and formed integrally on the display member except for the respective top surfaces of the protrusions; first light-transmitting color layers formed by printing on the respective top surfaces of the protrusions; and second light-transmitting color layers formed by printing on the first light-transmitting color layers.

Inventors

  • 👤 Tatsuya Moriike
  • 👤 Atsushi Haseyama

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-01 22:58
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01H; H01H13/00; H01H13/02; H01H13/023; G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/02; G06F3/023; G06F3/0238; H01H11/00; H01H2011/0081; H01H2219/00; H01H2219/028; H01H2219/034

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim 163 words
A luminous key top comprising: a display member having protrusions corresponding to external shapes of displayed sections of said display member, said display member being made of a transparent or a translucent synthetic resin, said display member having an exposed region, said protrusions having top surfaces; an external member made of an opaque synthetic resin and integrally formed on said display member except for said exposed region; a first transparent colored layer printed and formed on the exposed region of said display member, said first transparent colored layer being a first color; a second transparent colored layer printed and formed on top of the first transparent colored layer, said second transparent colored layer being a second color; and a light source acting as a back light characterized in that a displayed color of the exposed region of said display member is a mixture of the first color and the second color in response to a presence of light illumination of said light source.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 163 words
A luminous key top comprising: a display member having protrusions corresponding to external shapes of displayed sections of said display member, said display member being made of a transparent or a translucent synthetic resin, said display member having an exposed region, said protrusions having top surfaces; an external member made of an opaque synthetic resin and integrally formed on said display member except for said exposed region; a first transparent colored layer printed and formed on the exposed region of said display member, said first transparent colored layer being a first color; a second transparent colored layer printed and formed on top of the first transparent colored layer, said second transparent colored layer being a second color; and a light source acting as a back light characterized in that a displayed color of the exposed region of said display member is a mixture of the first color and the second color in response to a presence of light illumination of said light source.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
A luminous key top as claimed in claim 1, wherein said exposed region has at least one enclosed area, and shielding color layers are formed on top of said transparent colored layers in correspondence with said enclosed areas.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 45 words
A luminous key top as claimed in claim 1, wherein the exposed region of said display member has at least one enclosed area, and a black colored shielding layer is printed and formed on said second transparent colored layer in correspondence with said enclosed areas.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
A luminous key top as claimed in claim 1, wherein said protrusions are tapered, expanding from the top surfaces downwardly.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3956745A Cited
US4022993A Cited
DE2803539A1 Cited
JPS55100176A Cited
GB2143777A Cited
US4878107A Cited
US4937408A Cited
US5029046A Cited
US5120290A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1998-04-03 1998-10-03 1999-04-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2002-04-03 2002-10-03 2003-04-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2006-04-03 2006-10-03 2007-04-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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