Abstract: A keyboard system is disclosed which is particularly useful in vehicle control panels in which illumination of key indicia is desired to facilitate identification and actuation of selected keys. The system includes a housing for mounting key switches in a selected array. Disposed in the housing is a frame having key receiving apertures extending through a top wall of the frame and mounting a circuit board thereunder. The circuit board includes a normally open electrical contact set aligned with each key receiving aperture. The frame is composed of light transmitting material and is arranged to transmit light from a light source mounted below the circuit board into and through the key identification indicia formed in a label disposed on top of the frame. In one embodiment the indicia is in alignment with the pushbutton members through which light is directed while in another embodiment the indicia is located adjacent the pushbutton members.

Abstract: A keyboard has domed switch elements and complementary switch contacts which are mounted in an inexpensive housing formed of a very thin, flexible, electrically insulating sheet material. The housing is shaped by vacuum-forming to have flexible webs of the sheet material extending between relatively more rigid cup-shaped embossments formed in the sheet material. The webs and cupped embossments engage the domed switch elements and complementary contacts and normally hold the switch elements in open circuit positions relative to the contacts. However, flexing of the housing webs permits the domed switch elements to be selectively deflected to closed circuit positions engaging the contacts. Additional rigid embossments are formed in the thin housing material and are located over the domed elements to assist in deflecting the elements to their closed circuit positions. A keytop is also shaped from a thin sheet material by vacuum-forming to have flexible webs which extend between key embossments.