Laminated Touch Screen

• US 20110032205A1
• Filed: 10/22/2010
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert M. David
• Original Assignee: Albert M. David
• Inventors: David, Albert M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,760,433 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/208 Touch screens
• 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: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/264 Up to 3 mils
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less

Abstract

In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conducting surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conducting surface and the second conducting surface, the improvement comprising the flexible outer membrane, wherein the flexible outer layer consists of an ultra-thin glass layer, a polymer layer; and an optical adhesive between the ultra-thin glass layer and the polymer layer, the optical adhesive holding the ultra-thin glass layer to the polymer layer.

Claims

1-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A flexible membrane for a resistive touch screen display, said flexible membrane comprising:

a glass laminate, wherein said glass laminate comprises;

an ultra-thin glass layer and a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces;

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin glass layer and said upper surface of said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer.

37. The membrane of claim 36, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the periphery of said glass layer.

38. The membrane of claim 37, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up about said periphery of said glass layer.

39. The membrane of claim 36, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

40. The membrane of claim 39, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

41. The membrane of claim 40, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

42. The membrane of claim 36 comprising an insulating film applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer.

43. The membrane of claim 42 wherein said insulating film is ultraviolet ink.

44. In a touch screen having a flexible outer membrane with a first conductive surface, a backing surface with a second conductive surface, and sensors to detect contact between the first conductive surface and the second conductive surface, the improvement comprising:

the flexible outer membrane, wherein said flexible outer membrane comprises;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

a polymer layer having upper and lower surfaces; and

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin glass layer and said upper surface of said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer.

45. The touch screen of claim 44, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the periphery of said glass layer.

46. The touch screen of claim 45, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up about said periphery of said glass layer.

47. The touch screen of claim 44, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

48. The touch screen of claim 47, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

49. The touch screen of claim 48, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

50. The touch screen of claim 44 comprising an insulating film applied in a peripheral band to said lower surface of said polymer layer.

51. The touch screen of claim 50 wherein said insulating film is ultraviolet ink.

52. A resistive touch screen display, said display comprising:

a backing surface;

a pressure sensitive adhesive affixed between the periphery of a polymer layer and said backing surface;

an elastic tensioner affixed between the periphery of said polymer layer and said backing surface, said elastic tensioner being adjacent to said pressure sensitive adhesive;

a first conductive layer applied to said lower surface of said polymer layer;

a second conductive layer applied to said backing surface;

sensors used to detect where said first conductive layer contacts said second conductive layer; and

a flexible membrane, wherein said flexible membrane comprises;

an ultra-thin glass layer;

said polymer layer, said polymer layer being larger than said glass layer to extend beyond the peripheral edges of said glass layer by a predetermined distance in each direction; and

an optical adhesive between said ultra-thin class layer and said polymer layer, said optical adhesive holding said ultra-thin glass layer to said polymer layer.

53. The touch screen of claim 52, wherein said optical adhesive is allowed to build-up against said peripheral edges of said glass layer.

54. The touch screen of claim 52, wherein said glass layer is approximately 0.5 mm thick.

55. The touch screen of claim 54, wherein said polymer layer is a polyester film approximately 0.175 mm thick.

56. The touch screen of claim 55, wherein said optical adhesive is formed in a uniform thickness in the range of 0.025 and 0.05 mm between said glass layer and said polymer layer.

57. The touch screen of claim 52, wherein said ultraviolet ink film is applied in a band to extend inwardly, by predetermined amount, onto said lower surface of said polymer layer relative to said pressure sensitive adhesive to provide a zone of insulation between said lower surface of said polymer layer and said backing surface inwardly adjacent of said pressure sensitive adhesive.

58. The touch screen of claim 52 additionally comprising an area insulator layer between said polymer layer and said pressure sensitive adhesive.

59. The touch screen of claim 58 wherein said area insulator layer comprises an ultraviolet ink film.