Acoustic Wave Type Touch Panel

• US 20070279398A1
• Filed: 05/30/2007
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Tsumura, Masahiro, Fujita, Noriko
• Granted Patent: US 7,920,133 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

An acoustic wave type touch panel is equipped with: a substrate that objects contact; reflective arrays having a great number of inclined lines provided on the substrate; acoustic wave generating sections provided on the substrate; and detecting sections provided on the substrate. An array of micro reflectors, which are shorter than the inclined lines, for attenuating spurious waves generated by reflection of the acoustic waves by the reflective arrays, is provided in the reflective array regions between the inclined lines at least one end thereof.

Claims

1. An acoustic wave type touch panel, comprising:

a substrate having a touch region;

reflective arrays arranged in a great number of inclined lines, each of which send and receive acoustic waves through the touch region, provided on the substrate;

an acoustic wave generating section, generating acoustic waves that propagate toward the reflective arrays, provided on the substrate;

a detecting section which detects the acoustic waves that change according to contact positions of objects with respect to the touch region, provided on the substrate; and

an array of micro reflectors, which are shorter than the inclined lines, for attenuating spurious waves generated by reflection of the acoustic waves by the reflective arrays, provided between the inclined lines at least one end thereof.

2. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the inclined lines of the reflective arrays are arranged such that the intervals therebetween are equal to integer multiples of the wavelength of the acoustic waves;

the inclined lines of the reflective arrays are arranged such that the intervals therebetween are comparatively greater at the sides of the reflective arrays closer to the acoustic wave generating section or the detecting section and comparatively smaller as the positions of the lines becomes farther away from the acoustic wave generating section or the detecting section; and

the micro reflectors are arranged between the inclined lines such that the intervals therebetween are substantially equal to the wavelength of the acoustic waves.

3. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the acoustic wave generating section comprises transducers.

4. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the detecting section comprises mode converting elements.

5. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 1, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

6. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the acoustic wave generating section comprises transducers.

7. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the detecting section comprises mode converting elements.

8. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 2, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

9. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the detecting section comprises mode converting elements.

10. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 3, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

11. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 4, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

12. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the detecting section comprises mode converting elements.

13. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 6, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

14. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 7, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

15. An acoustic wave type touch panel as defined in claim 9, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.

16. An acoustic wave type t ouch panel as defined in claim 12, wherein:

the micro reflectors are formed along with the inclined lines of the reflective arrays by printing.