Electronic Devices With Components Mounted to Touch Sensor Substrates

• US 20140111953A1
• Filed: 10/19/2012
• Published: 04/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: McClure, Stephen R., Raff, John, Corbin, Sean S.
• Application Number:
  US13/655,982
• Publication Number:
  US 20140111953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/749
• 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: H05K 1/028 Bending or folding regions of flexible printed circuits H05K1/0283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/147 at least one of the printed circuits being bent or folded, e.g. by using a flexible printed circuit H05K1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/053 Tails
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/055 Folded back on itself
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09154 Bevelled, chamferred or tapered edge
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10053 Switch
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10136 Liquid Crystal display [LCD]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/323 by applying an anisotropic conductive adhesive layer over an array of pads
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/363 by soldering

Abstract

Touch panel structures may be provided with flexible substrates. A touch sensor array may be formed from transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes. Electrical components such as ambient light sensors, proximity sensors, magnetic sensors, camera sensors, buttons, and integrated circuits may be mounted on the same flexible substrate as the transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes. A flexible substrate for a touch panel structure may be formed from multiple substrate portions that are coupled using solder connections or conductive adhesive connections. A touch panel may have a flexible tail that is coupled to a printed circuit board in an electronic device housing. The flexible tail may bend when installing the touch panel in the housing.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a flexible polymer substrate;

transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the flexible polymer substrate; and

at least one electrical component mounted on the flexible polymer substrate.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises an ambient light sensor.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a magnetic sensor.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the substrate has four edges and wherein the at least one electrical component comprises two ambient light sensors located along one of the four edges.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a button.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises a protruding portion and wherein the at least one electrical component comprises an integrated circuit on the protruding portion.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the protruding portion includes a microprocessor integrated circuit.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a display driver integrated circuit on the flexible substrate.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a memory integrated circuit on the flexible substrate.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a radio-frequency transceiver integrated circuit.

11. The apparatus defined on claim 10 further comprising antenna resonating element metal traces on the flexible substrate.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 11 further comprising a transmission line on the flexible substrate that is coupled between the antenna resonating element metal traces and the radio-frequency transceiver integrated circuit.

13. A touch sensor structure, comprising:

a touch sensor array flexible substrate;

transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the touch sensor array flexible substrate;

a flexible printed circuit substrate;

electrical connection structures that electrically connect traces on the flexible printed circuit substrate to the capacitive touch sensor electrodes on the touch sensor array flexible substrate; and

at least one electrical component mounted on the flexible printed circuit substrate.

14. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the electrical connection structures comprise solder connections.

15. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the electrical connection structures comprise conductive adhesive connections.

16. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a touch sensor integrated circuit.

17. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a button.

18. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises an ambient light sensor.

19. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the flexible printed circuit substrate has a C-shape that is attached to the touch sensor array flexible substrate along three edges of the touch sensor array flexible substrate.

20. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the flexible printed circuit substrate has an L-shape that is attached to the touch sensor array flexible substrate along two edges of the touch sensor array flexible substrate.

21. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the flexible printed circuit has a ring shape that surrounds the touch sensor array flexible substrate.

22. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a capacitive touch sensor integrated circuit.

23. The touch sensor structure defined in claim 13 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a button.

24. An electronic device comprising:

a housing;

a display cover layer attached to the housing;

at least one printed circuit board in the housing;

a touch sensor panel having a flexible substrate, wherein the touch sensor panel is electrically coupled to the printed circuit board, wherein at least one electrical component is mounted to the touch sensor panel, wherein the touch sensor panel comprises a plurality of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, and wherein the touch sensor panel is attached to an inner surface of the display cover layer.

25. The electronic device defined in claim 24 wherein the capacitive touch sensor electrodes comprise transparent capacitive touch sensor electrodes and wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a button.

26. The electronic device defined in claim 24 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises a magnetic sensor.

27. The electronic device defined in claim 24 wherein the at least one electrical component comprises an integrated circuit.

28. The electronic device defined in claim 27 further comprising a connector coupled to the integrated circuit by a serial bus path.

29. The electronic device defined in claim 24 further comprising an antenna resonating element on the flexible substrate.