Capacitive touchpad and method for forming the same

• US 20050156906A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elan Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Chiu, Yen-Chang, Chien, Yung-Lieh
• Application Number:
  US11/028,308
• Publication Number:
  US 20050156906A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

A capacitive touchpad comprises a membrane and a printed circuit board combined together. The membrane comprises an X trace and a Y trace with an insulator layer inserted therebetween, and the printed circuit board has connection pads on a top side of a substrate that are electrically connected to the X and Y traces. The printed circuit board further comprises vias connected between the connection pads and a conductor layer on the bottom side of the substrate. To form the capacitive touchpad, the membrane and printed circuit board are individually produced in advance, and then combined together. Alternatively, the membrane is printed on the printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A capacitive touchpad comprising:

a membrane having a sandwich structure including a first insulator layer, a Y trace, a second insulator layer, an X trace, and a third insulator layer sequentially in stack; and

a printed circuit board having a first conductor layer electrically connected to the X and Y traces and a second conductor layer on a first surface and a second surface of a substrate, respectively, and a plurality of vias electrically connected between the first and second conductor layers.

2. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the first to third insulator layers each comprises a transparent insulator.

3. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the first to third insulator layer each comprises an opaque insulator.

4. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the X and Y traces each comprises a conductive material of low resistance.

5. The capacitive touchpad of claim 4, wherein the conductive material of low resistance comprises a silver glue.

6. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the second and third insulator layers each comprises a dielectric constant of 2-4.

7. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the second and third insulator layers each comprises a transparent insulator.

8. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the second and third insulator layers each comprises a layer of ink.

9. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the first and second conductor layers each comprises a copper film.

10. The capacitive touchpad of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a glass fiber-based plate.

11. A capacitive touchpad comprising:

a membrane having a sandwich structure including a first insulator layer, a Y trace, a second insulator layer, and an X trace sequentially in stack; and

a printed circuit board having a plurality of connection pads electrically connected to the X and Y traces and a conductor layer on a first surface and a second surface of a substrate, respectively, and a plurality of vias electrically connected between the plurality of connection pads and conductor layer.

12. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the first insulator layer comprises a transparent insulator.

13. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the first insulator layer comprises an opaque insulator.

14. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the X and Y traces each comprises a conductive material of low resistance.

15. The capacitive touchpad of claim 14, wherein the conductive material of low resistance comprises a silver glue.

16. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the second insulator layer comprises a dielectric constant of 2-4.

17. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the second insulator layer comprises a transparent insulator.

18. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the second insulator layer comprises a layer of ink.

19. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the conductor layer comprises a copper film.

20. The capacitive touchpad of claim 11, wherein the substrate comprises a glass fiber-based plate.

21. A method for forming a capacitive touchpad, comprising the steps of:

producing a printed circuit board having a plurality of connection pads on a surface of the printed circuit board;

producing a membrane by printing a Y trace on a first insulator layer, forming a second insulator layer over the Y trace, printing an X trace on the second insulator layer, and forming a third insulator layer over the X trace; and

combining the printed circuit board with the membrane including having the plurality of connection pads electrically connected to the X and Y traces.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of combining the printed circuit board with the membrane comprises the steps of:

coating a plurality of trace joints of the X and Y traces or the connection pads with a conductive glue; and

pressing the plurality of trace joints onto the connection pads for electrically connecting therebetween.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of pressing the plurality of trace joints onto the connection pads comprises a thermal pressing under a high temperature.

24. A method for forming a capacitive touchpad, comprising the steps of:

printing an X trace on a printed circuit board;

forming a first insulator layer over the X trace;

printing a Y trace on the first insulator layer; and

attaching a second insulator layer onto the Y trace.