Touch control input device, and computer apparatus including the same

• US 20090109068A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Twinhead International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Twinhead International Corporation
• Inventors: Yeh, Chih-Hsien, Hu, Chih-Ching, Liu, Jeremy Casey
• Application Number:
  US12/289,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109068A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 341/34
• 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: G06F 3/047 using sets of wires, e.g. crossed wires
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/96079 using a single or more light guides

Abstract

A touch control input device includes a flexible dielectric touch plate disposed above a dielectric substrate. A conducting unit includes first conductive membrane patterns formed on a top surface of the substrate and spaced apart from each other, and second conductive membrane patterns formed on a bottom surface of the touch plate and corresponding respectively to the first conductive membrane patterns. A spacer is disposed between the substrate and the touch plate for spacing each first conductive membrane pattern apart from the corresponding second conductive membrane pattern. Pressing of the touch plate so that at least one first conductive membrane pattern electrically contacts the corresponding second conductive membrane pattern results in outputting of an input signal by the conducting unit. One of the substrate and the touch plate is formed with a predetermined pattern that is visible from above the touch plate.

Claims

1. A touch control input device comprising:

a dielectric substrate having top and bottom surfaces;

a flexible dielectric touch plate disposed on said top surface of said dielectric substrate, and having top and bottom surfaces;

a conducting unit including

a plurality of first conductive membrane patterns formed on said top surface of said dielectric substrate and spaced apart from each other, and

a plurality of second conductive membrane patterns formed on said bottom surface of said dielectric touch plate and corresponding respectively to said first conductive membrane patterns; and

a spacer disposed between said dielectric substrate and said dielectric touch plate for spacing each of said first conductive membrane patterns on said dielectric substrate apart from the corresponding one of said second conductive membrane patterns on said dielectric touch plate;

wherein pressing of said dielectric touch plate so that at least one of said first conductive membrane patterns electrically contacts the corresponding one of said second conductive membrane patterns results in outputting of an input signal by said conducting unit; and

wherein one of said dielectric substrate and said dielectric touch plate is formed with a predetermined pattern that is visible from above said dielectric touch plate.

2. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said conducting unit further includes:

a plurality of first conductive wirings formed on said top surface of said dielectric substrate and connected electrically and respectively to said first conductive membrane patterns; and

a plurality of second conductive wirings formed on said bottom surface of said dielectric touch plate and connected electrically and respectively to said second conductive membrane patterns.

3. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of said top surface of said dielectric touch plate and said bottom surface of said dielectric substrate is formed with said predetermined pattern.

4. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said predetermined pattern is formed on said one of said top surface of said dielectric touch plate and said bottom surface of said dielectric substrate by printing.

5. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said predetermined pattern is formed on said one of said top surface of said dielectric touch plate and said bottom surface of said dielectric substrate by engraving.

6. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said dielectric substrate, said dielectric touch plate, and said first and second conductive membrane patterns of said conducting unit are transparent.

7. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a lighting unit disposed under said dielectric substrate for radiating light toward said dielectric substrate.

8. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lighting unit includes a cold light emitting planar source.

9. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said lighting unit includes a light guide plate mounted on said bottom surface of said dielectric substrate, and a light source for radiating light toward said light guide plate, the light radiated from said light source being guided by said light guide plate toward said dielectric substrate.

10. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a touchpad disposed on said lighting unit and having a top surface coplanar with said top surface of said dielectric touch plate.

11. The touch control input device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said predetermined pattern is in the form of a keyboard pattern that includes a plurality of character pattern portions corresponding respectively to said second conductive membrane patterns on said dielectric touch plate.

12. A computer apparatus comprising:

a touch control input device including

a dielectric substrate having top and bottom surfaces,

a flexible dielectric touchplate disposed on said top surface of said substrate, and having top and bottom surfaces,

a conducting unit including

a plurality of first conductive membrane patterns formed on said top surface of said dielectric substrate and spaced apart from each other, and

a plurality of second conductive membrane pattern formed on said bottom surface of said dielectric touch plate and corresponding respectively to said first conductive membrane patterns, and

a spacer disposed between said dielectric substrate and said dielectric touch plate for spacing each of said first conductive membrane patterns on said dielectric substrate apart from the corresponding one of said second conductive membrane patterns on said dielectric touch plate,

wherein pressing of said dielectric touch plate so that at least one of said first conductive membrane patterns electrically contacts the corresponding one of said second conductive membrane patterns results in outputting of an input signal by said conducting unit, and

wherein one of said dielectric substrate and said dielectric touch plate is formed with a predetermined pattern that is visible from above said dielectric touch plate;

a display unit; and

a processing unit coupled to said display unit and said conducting unit of said touch control input device, receiving the input signal from said conducting unit of said touch control input device, and generating an output corresponding to the input signal received thereby and displayed on said display unit.