Injection Molding of Touch Surface

• US 20110147973A1
• Filed: 12/17/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Choi, Shin John, Sung, Kuo-Hua
• Application Number:
  US12/641,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20110147973A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/40.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

Injection molding for a touch surface of a touch sensitive device is disclosed. A single-shot injection molding method can include molding an injected material to encapsulate a touch sensor at a substantially uniform distance from a touch surface of the molded material. A double-shot injection molding method can include molding a first shot of an injected material to contact a portion of a touch sensor and molding a second shot of an injected material to encapsulate at least the remaining portions of the touch sensor to form a touch surface at a substantially uniform distance from the touch sensor. Another molding method can include molding a coating on a touch sensor to having a substantially uniform thickness. The injection molded material can provide a substantially uniform capacitive dielectric for the device. The injection molded touch surface can be incorporated into an electronic mouse, a mobile telephone, a digital media player, or a computer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

positioning a touch sensor inside a mold;

injecting a moldable material into the mold around the positioned touch sensor; and

molding the injected material to encapsulate the touch sensor at a substantially uniform distance from a touchable surface of the molded material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the touch sensor comprises positioning the sensor to conform to a shape of an interior surface of the mold at the substantially uniform distance from the interior surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the touch sensor comprises employing a securing mechanism to at least one surface of the touch sensor to secure the touch sensor in place.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting the moldable material comprises controlling the material to avoid the material moving the touch sensor.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein injecting the moldable material comprises controlling at least one of flow, temperature, or pressure of the material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the moldable material comprises plastic.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises a flexible polymer substrate and conductive traces thereon.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising applying a protective layer to the molded material.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising applying an anti-reflective layer to the molded material.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein molding the injected material comprises forming a thickness of the injected material on the touch sensor corresponding to the substantially uniform distance.

11. A method comprising:

positioning a touch sensor inside a mold to have a substantially uniform distance from an interior surface of the mold;

injecting a first shot of a moldable material into the mold;

molding the first shot to contact at least a portion of the touch sensor;

injecting a second shot of a moldable material into the mold; and

molding the second shot to contact at least the remaining portion of the touch sensor so as to encapsulate the touch sensor.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein molding the first shot comprises forming a cosmetic layer on the portion of the touch sensor.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein molding the second shot comprises forming a touchable surface to be the substantially uniform distance from the touch sensor.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein molding the second shot comprises encapsulating both the molded first shot and the touch sensor so as to form a touchable surface at the substantially uniform distance from the touch sensor.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein molding the second shot comprises bonding with the molded first shot to encapsulate the touch sensor so as to form a touchable surface at the substantially uniform distance from the touch sensor.

16. A method comprising:

coating a touch sensor with a moldable material;

positioning the coated touch sensor inside a mold; and

molding the material to have a substantially uniform thickness on the touch sensor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein molding the material comprises controlling the thickness of the material so as to provide a substantially uniform dielectric between a surface of the molded material and the touch sensor.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein positioning the coated touch sensor comprises securing the touch sensor in the mold to be stationary during the molding.

19. A touch sensitive device comprising:

a flexible sensor configured to detect a touch on the device; and

an injection molded body encapsulating the sensor to form a touch surface configured to provide a substantially uniform capacitive dielectric between an object touching the touch surface and the sensor.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the sensor comprises multiple touch locations configured to capacitively couple with the object touching the touch surface.

21. The device of claim 19, wherein the injection molded body comprises a material having a low dielectric constant to provide the substantially uniform capacitive dielectric and to facilitate capacitive coupling between the object and the sensor.

22. The device of claim 19, wherein the touch surface is curved and wherein the sensor is flexibly curved to conform to a shape of the curved touch surface.

23. The device of claim 19, wherein the touch surface is flat and wherein the sensor is flexibly flattened to conform to a shape of the flat touch surface.

24. The device claim 19, comprising at least one of an electronic mouse, a mobile telephone, a digital media player, or a computer.

25. A device comprising an injection molded material formed around a sensor and configured to have at least one outer surface of the material at a substantially uniform distance from the sensor.