Multi-touch surface stackup arrangement

• US 20080158173A1
• Filed: 01/03/2007
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Hamblin, Mark Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 8,031,174 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means

Abstract

A multi-layer cover for an electronic device having one or more of a sensor panel, a proximity sensor, an ambient light sensor, and a display device can include an outer hardcoat, a structural layer, an IR transmissive ink layer, a mask layer, and a backside hardcoat. The backside hardcoat can reduce cover warpage, enable full surface lamination of the cover to the sensor panel, prevent bubbles from forming in transparent windows in the cover, enable a wider range of functional inks to be applied in various layering orders to allow certain types of light to pass through while blocking others, and hide the sensors to provide a seamless, uncluttered visual appearance.

Claims

1. A cover having one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below the cover, comprising:

a substantially transparent structural layer;

a substantially transparent outside hardcoat affixed to an outside-facing surface of the structural layer;

infrared (IR) transmissive ink affixed to an inside-facing surface of the structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance;

an opaque mask layer affixed to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink, the mask layer having one or more first openings substantially aligned with one or more first devices, the IR transmissive ink hiding the one or more first openings; and

a backside hardcoat affixed to the mask layer, the backside hardcoat and the outside hardcoat having similar or identical coefficients of thermal expansion to minimize warpage of the cover.

2. The cover of claim 1, the one or more first openings of the mask layer substantially aligned with devices requiring passage of IR light and devices requiring passage of less than about 10% of visible light.

3. The cover of claim 1, the IR transmissive ink and the mask layer both having second openings substantially aligned with each other and a second device requiring maximum passage of visible light.

4. The cover of claim 3, the backside hardcoat affixed to the mask layer as a conformal coat to reduce a formation of bubbles inside a perimeter of the second openings.

5. The cover of claim 1, the outside hardcoat and backside hardcoat formed from materials that act as a moisture barrier to further minimize warpage of the cover and enable full surface lamination of the cover to one of the devices below the cover.

6. The cover of claim 1, the outside hardcoat formed from a material that resists scratching and is roughened to reduce glare and produce a particular feel.

7. The cover of claim 1, the structural layer formed from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

8. The cover of claim 1, the IR transmissive ink capable of passing IR light and about 5-10% of visible light, and having a first color.

9. The cover of claim 8, the mask layer capable of blocking IR and visible light and having the first color.

10. The cover of claim 3, further comprising a computing system enclosed by the cover, the computing system comprising:

a panel subsystem couplable to the one or more first devices or the second device;

a panel processor coupled to the panel subsystem; and

a host processor coupled to the panel processor.

11. The cover of claim 10, further comprising a mobile telephone that incorporates the computing system.

12. The cover of claim 11, further comprising a digital audio player that incorporates the computing system.

13. A cover for hiding one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below the cover, comprising:

a substantially transparent structural layer;

infrared (IR) transmissive ink affixed to an inside-facing surface of the structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance; and

an opaque mask layer affixed to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink;

wherein the mask layer includes a first opening substantially aligned with a first device requiring passage of maximum IR light and the passage of minimum visible light; and

wherein the IR transmissive ink covers and hides the first opening.

14. The cover of claim 13, the mask layer further including a second opening substantially aligned with a second device requiring the passage of maximum visible light, the IR transmissive ink hiding the second opening.

15. The cover of claim 13, the structural layer formed from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

16. The cover of claim 13, the IR transmissive ink capable of passing IR light and about 5-10% of visible light, and having a first color.

17. The cover of claim 16, the mask layer capable of blocking IR and visible light and having the first color.

18. A method for providing a cover including one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below the cover, comprising:

affixing a substantially transparent outside hardcoat to an outside-facing surface of a substantially transparent structural layer;

affixing an infrared (IR) transmissive ink to an inside-facing surface of the structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance;

affixing an opaque mask layer to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink;

forming one or more first openings substantially aligned with one or more first devices in the mask layer;

hiding the one or more first openings with the IR transmissive ink; and

affixing a backside hardcoat to the mask layer, the backside hardcoat and the outside hardcoat having similar or identical coefficients of thermal expansion to minimize warpage of the cover.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising substantially aligning the one or more first openings of the mask layer with devices requiring passage of IR light and devices requiring passage of less than about 10% of visible light.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming second openings in the IR transmissive ink and the mask layer and substantially aligning the second openings with each other and a second device requiring maximum passage of visible light.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising conformally coating the backside hardcoat over the mask layer to reduce a formation of bubbles inside a perimeter of the second openings.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming the outside hardcoat and backside hardcoat from materials that act as a moisture barrier to further minimize warpage of the cover and enable full surface lamination of the cover to one of the devices below the cover.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming the outside hardcoat from a material that resists scratching and is roughened to reduce glare and produce a particular feel.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising forming the structural layer from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

25. The method of claim 18, the IR transmissive ink capable of passing IR light and about 5-10% of visible light, and having a first color.

26. The method of claim 25, the mask layer capable of blocking IR and visible light and having the first color.

27. The method of claim 20, further comprising covering a computing system with the cover, the computing system comprising:

a panel subsystem couplable to the one or more first devices or the second device;

a panel processor coupled to the panel subsystem; and

a host processor coupled to the panel processor.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising covering a mobile telephone that incorporates the computing system.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising covering a digital audio player that incorporates the computing system.

30. A method for hiding one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below a cover, comprising:

affixing infrared (IR) transmissive ink to an inside-facing surface of a substantially transparent structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance;

affixing an opaque mask layer to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink;

forming a first opening in the mask layer and substantially aligning the first opening with a first device requiring passage of maximum IR light and the passage of minimum visible light; and

hiding the first opening with the IR transmissive ink.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising forming a second opening in the mask layer and substantially aligning the second opening with a second device requiring the passage of maximum visible light, and hiding the second opening with the IR transmissive ink.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising forming the structural layer from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

33. The method of claim 30, the IR transmissive ink capable of passing IR light and about 5-10% of visible light, and having a first color.

34. The method of claim 33, the mask layer capable of blocking IR and visible light and having the first color.

35. A mobile telephone having cover with one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below the cover, the cover comprising:

a substantially transparent structural layer;

a substantially transparent outside hardcoat affixed to an outside-facing surface of the structural layer;

infrared (IR) transmissive ink affixed to an inside-facing surface of the structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance;

an opaque mask layer affixed to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink, the mask layer having one or more first openings substantially aligned with one or more first devices, the IR transmissive ink hiding the one or more first openings; and

a backside hardcoat affixed to the mask layer, the backside hardcoat and the outside hardcoat having similar or identical coefficients of thermal expansion to minimize warpage of the cover.

36. A digital audio player having cover with one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below the cover, the cover comprising:

a substantially transparent structural layer;

a substantially transparent outside hardcoat affixed to an outside-facing surface of the structural layer;

infrared (IR) transmissive ink affixed to an inside-facing surface of the structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance;

an opaque mask layer affixed to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink, the mask layer having one or more first openings substantially aligned with one or more first devices, the IR transmissive ink hiding the one or more first openings; and

a backside hardcoat affixed to the mask layer, the backside hardcoat and the outside hardcoat having similar or identical coefficients of thermal expansion to minimize warpage of the cover.

37. A mobile telephone having a cover for hiding one or more light-transmissive apertures for one or more devices below the cover, the cover comprising:

a substantially transparent structural layer;

infrared (IR) transmissive ink affixed to an inside-facing surface of the structural layer for giving the cover a uniform appearance; and

an opaque mask layer affixed to an inside-facing surface of the IR transmissive ink;

wherein the mask layer includes a first opening substantially aligned with a first device requiring passage of maximum IR light and the passage of minimum visible light; and

wherein the IR transmissive ink covers and hides the first opening.