Touch switches and practical applications therefor

• US 20060158041A1
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Touchsensor Technologies LLC (Methode Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Caldwell, David W., Eavenson, Daniel, Gioiosa, Anthony V., Mathews, Mark R., Schreiber, Thomas M., Oppor, Rick L., Wadia, Bahar N., Campbell, Robert B., Mueller, Donald Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,906,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/116
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 57/00 Cabinets, racks or shelf units, characterised by features for adjusting shelves or partitions shelf units with stackable uprights A47B87/00; details of cabinets, racks or shelf units in general A47B96/00; brackets adjustable in themselves A47B96/07
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/025 Shelves with moving elements, e.g. movable extensions or link elements cabinets, racks or shelf units enabling enlargement in height, length or depth A47B45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2325/022 Shelves made of glass or ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2331/803 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 3/204 specially adapted to be attached to a shelf or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/30 in which the desired character or characters are formed by combining individual elements panels comprising a number of electrodes in a single cell controlling light arriving from an independent light source, e.g. electro-optical or magneto-optical cell, G02F1/00
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2017/9602 characterised by the type or shape of the sensing electrodes

Abstract

A touch switch apparatus for detecting the presence of an object such as a human appendage, the apparatus having a touch pad, an electric field generated about the touch pad and also having a preferably integrated and local control circuit connected to the touch pad and to a controlled device. Practical applications for touch switch apparatus, including use of touch switch apparatus in connection with other structure to emulate mechanical switches.

Claims

1. An apparatus emulating a mechanical switch, comprising:

a substrate;

a first field effect sensor disposed on said substrate; and

a first electric field stimulator, wherein said first electric field stimulator is movable along a predetermined path, said predetermined path having at least a first point relatively near to said first field effect sensor and at least a second point relatively far from said first field effect sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a second field effect sensor disposed on said substrate, wherein said first electric field stimulator is movable along a predetermined path, said predetermined path having at least a third point relatively near to said second field effect sensor and at least a fourth point relatively far from said second field effect sensor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a second field effect sensor disposed on said substrate;

a second electric field stimulator, wherein said second electric field stimulator is movable along a predetermined path, said predetermined path having at least a third point relatively near to said second field effect sensor and at least a fourth point relatively far from said second field effect sensor.