Touch panel input device

• US 20050219230A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 10/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Original Assignee: SMK Corporation
• Inventors: Nakayama, Naomi, Imai, Kazuo
• Application Number:
  US11/099,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20050219230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0256 Electrical insulation details, e.g. around high voltage areas
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09236 Parallel layout

Abstract

A plurality of signal conductor wires connected respectively to signal lead patterns, and a plurality of power conductor wires connected respectively to power lead patterns are formed on a connector tail and are arranged to extend in a leading-out direction. A pitch of the power conductor wires is twice larger than a pitch of the signal conductor wires. A sufficient insulating gap is secured between the adjacent power conductor wires, and therefore there is no fear that the short-circuiting occur even when a high drive voltage is applied.

Claims

1. A touch panel input device comprising:

a touch panel having an operating area;

an input position detector for detecting an input operation applied to the operating area, which includes a plurality of signal lead patterns which are arranged on the touch panel and through which a detection signal of the detected input operation is output;

a piezoelectric plate that is secured to the touch panel and is adapted to expand and contract to vibrate the touch panel in response to a drive voltage that is generated based on the detection signal;

a pair of power lead patterns that are arranged on the touch panel and through which the drive voltage is applied to the piezoelectric plate; and

a connector tail which includes a plurality of signal conductor wires connected respectively to the corresponding signal lead patterns, and a plurality of power conductor wires connected respectively to the corresponding power lead patterns, wherein the signal conductor wires and the power conductor wires are led from a peripheral edge of the touch panel and are arranged to extend in a leading-out direction,

wherein a pitch of the power conductor wires is substantially twice larger than a pitch of the signal conductor wires.

2. The touch panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the input position detector detects an input operation position on the touch panel and outputs input detection signals representing the input operation position.

3. The touch panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the piezoelectric plate includes a pair of drive electrodes to which the drive voltage is applied via the pair of power lead patterns.

4. The touch panel input device according to claim 3, wherein a pair of the piezoelectric plates are secured to the touch panel.

5. The touch panel input device according to claim 1, wherein the connector tail includes a plurality of conductor wires arranged at same pitch as the pitch of the signal conductor wires, and

the plurality of conductor wires are alternately connected respectively to the power lead patterns to serve as the power conductor wires.

6. The touch panel input device according to claim 1, wherein one end portion of the connector tail is bifurcated to provide a power cable portion having the power conductor wires and a signal cable portion having the signal conductor wires, and

the power conductor wires on the power cable portion are electrically connected respectively to the power lead patterns at one side of the touch panel to which the piezoelectric plate is secured, and the signal conductor wires on the signal cable portion are electrically connected respectively to the signal lead patterns at the other side of the touch panel facing away from the one side thereof.

7. The touch panel input device according to claim 4, wherein

one end portion of the connector tail is bifurcated to provide a power cable portion having the power conductor wires and a signal cable portion having the signal conductor wires, and

the power conductor wires on the power cable portion are electrically connected respectively to the power lead patterns that are connected respectively to the drive electrodes of the pair of piezoelectric plates that are secured to the touch panel with the operation area between the pair of piezoelectric plates, and the signal conductor wires on the signal cable portion are electrically connected respectively to the signal lead patterns.

8. The touch panel input device according to claim 4, wherein

two power lead patterns connected respectively to one pair of the drive electrodes of respective one of the pair of piezoelectric plates are collectively connected respectively to one of the pairs of power conductor wires,

two power lead patterns connected respectively to the other pair of the drive electrodes of the pair of piezoelectric plates are collectively connected to the other pair of power conductor wires, and

the pair of piezoelectric plates secured to the touch panel are expanded and contracted by the drive voltage applied to the pairs of power conductor wires.

9. The touch panel input device according to claim 4, wherein

two power lead patterns connected respectively to a pair of the drive electrodes of the pair of piezoelectric plates are collectively connected respectively to one of the pairs of power conductor wires,

two power lead patterns connected respectively to the other pair of the drive electrodes of the pair of piezoelectric plates are collectively connected to the other pair of power conductor wires, and

the pair of piezoelectric plates secured to the touch panel are expanded and contracted by the drive voltage applied to the pairs of power conductor wires.