Touch sensitive membrane

• US 20030026971A1
• Filed: 07/23/2002
• Published: 02/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tactex Controls Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tactex Controls Inc.
• Inventors: Inkster, D. Robert, Lokhorst, David M.
• Application Number:
  US10/200,295
• Publication Number:
  US 20030026971A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/304.4
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04144 using an array of force sensing means position sensing using the local deformation of sensor cells G06F3/0447
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249953 Composite having voids in a component [e.g., porous, cellular, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 With nonvoid component of specified composition

Abstract

An input device has a flexible surface on which are formed deflection sensors. The flexible surface can be deformed against an adjacent resilient layer. The deflection sensors detect the deflection of the surface. Electronic circuits for processing signals from the deflection sensors to yield information regarding the locations and magnitudes of forces deflecting the surface may be deposited all, or in part on the flexible surface. The input device may be combined with a display to yield a touch-sensitive display suitable for use in a wide range of applications.

Claims

1. A touch-sensitive device comprising:

a layer of compressible resilient material;

a flexible surface on the compressible resilient material; and

,

a plurality of deflection sensors on the flexible surface.

2. A touch-sensitive device as in claim 1 wherein each of the deflection sensors comprises one or more flexible components on the flexible surface.

3. The touch-sensitive device of claim 2 wherein the flexible components comprise strain gauges.

4. The touch-sensitive device of claim 2 wherein the flexible components of each of the deflection sensors comprise a light detector and the touch-sensitive device comprises at least one light source.

5. The touch-sensitive device of claim 4 wherein the compressible resilient material is translucent.

6. The touch-sensitive device of claim 5 wherein the compressible resilient material comprises a foam.

7. The touch-sensitive device of claim 6 wherein the compressible resilient material comprises a polyurethane foam.

8. The touch-sensitive device of claim 4 wherein the flexible components of each of the deflection sensors comprises a light source.

9. The touch-sensitive device of claim 8 comprising a reflective layer on a side of the compressible resilient material away from the flexible surface.

10. The touch-sensitive device of claim 9 wherein the compressible resilient material comprises an aperture underlying each of the deflection sensors.

11. The touch-sensitive device of claim 8 wherein the compressible resilient material is translucent.

12. The touch-sensitive device of claim 11 wherein the compressible resilient material comprises a foam.

13. The touch-sensitive device of claim 12 wherein the compressible resilient material comprises a polyurethane foam.

14. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1 wherein the deflection sensors comprise coils deposited on the flexible layer.

15. The touch-sensitive device of claim 14 comprising a ferromagnetic base layer on a side of the compressible resilient material away from the flexible surface.

16. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1 wherein the deflection sensors are arranged in a regular array.

17. The touch-sensitive device of claim 16 wherein the deflection sensors are arranged in a rectangular array.

18. The touch-sensitive device of claim 17 wherein a spacing between adjacent ones of the deflection sensors is in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 25 mm.

19. The touch-sensitive device of claim 18 wherein the spacing between adjacent ones of the deflection sensors is in the range of 5 mm±

1 mm.

20. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1 comprising a flexible display on the flexible surface.

21. The touch-sensitive device of claim 20 wherein the flexible display comprises an array of thin film transistors on the flexible surface.

22. The touch-sensitive device of claim 1 comprising a data processor connected to receive signals from the deflection sensors and configured to determine at least one point at which a force is being applied to the touch-sensitive device from the signals.

23. The touch-sensitive device of claim 22 wherein the data processor comprises at least some flexible electronic devices on the flexible surface.