INPUT DEVICE

• US 20130207669A1
• Filed: 02/06/2013
• Published: 08/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hosiden Corporation
• Inventors: SHINODA, Koji, ISODA, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,939,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 2217/960755 Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches

Abstract

The invention is provides an input device including a base, a plastic part provided on the base, and a touch sensor embedded in the plastic part.

Claims

1. An input device comprising:

a base;

a plastic part provided on the base; and

a touch sensor embedded in the plastic part.

2. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is disposed on the base.

3. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensor is embedded in the plastic part in spaced relation to the base.

4. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer, wherein the spacer and the touch sensor are embedded in the plastic part, with the spacer disposed on the base and the touch sensor disposed on the spacer.

5. The input device according to claim 4, wherein all edges of the spacer on a side of the base are in curved form.

6. The input device according to claim 4, wherein the spacer is made of material in a same group as that of the material for the base or of an elastic material.

7. The input device according to claim 1, wherein the plastic part includes a first opening provided on an opposite side of the touch sensor from the base.

8. The input device according to claim 2, wherein the plastic part includes a first opening provided on an opposite side of the touch sensor from the base.

9. The input device according to claim 3, wherein the plastic part includes a first opening provided on an opposite side of the touch sensor from the base.

10. The input device according to claim 4, wherein the plastic part includes a first opening provided on an opposite side of the touch sensor from the spacer.

11. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting part connected to the touch sensor and embedded in the plastic part, wherein

the connecting part includes an external connecting portion, and

the plastic part includes a second opening that exposes at least the external connecting portion.

12. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting part connected to the touch sensor and embedded in the plastic part, wherein

the connecting part includes a first end, and

the plastic part includes a second opening that exposes at least the first end.

13. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a connecting part connected to the touch sensor and embedded in the plastic part, wherein

the connecting part includes a first end protruding from the plastic part.

14. The input device according to claim 11, further comprising an engaging part being partially embedded in the plastic part, partially exposed from the second opening of the plastic part, and engaged with the connecting part.

15. The input device according to claim 12, further comprising an engaging part being partially embedded in the plastic part, partially exposed from the second opening of the plastic part, and engaged with the connecting part.

16. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising a touch sensing surface being touchable by a detection object,

wherein a distance between the touch sensor and the touch sensing surface is generally constant.

17. The input device according to claim 16, wherein the base includes the touch sensing surface.

18. The input device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the base and the plastic part has translucency.

19. The input device according to claim 4, wherein at least one of the base, the plastic part, and the spacer has translucency.

20. The input device according to claim 1, wherein

the base has translucency, and

the input device further includes an ornamental layer provided between the base and the plastic part.

21. The input device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board embedded in the plastic part; and

a connecting part embedded in the plastic part for connecting the touch sensor to the circuit board.