TOUCH INPUT DEVICE WITH BUTTON FUNCTION

• US 20140190814A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Original Assignee: Primax Electronics Limited
• Inventors: Wu, Chun-Che
• Application Number:
  US13/837,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20140190814A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/600
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means

Abstract

A touch input device with a button function is provided. The touch input device includes a base plate, a touch module, an elastic element, and a triggering element. When the touch module is depressed, the triggering element is triggered to generate a touch signal. The triggering element is arranged between the base plate and the touch module. The elastic element is disposed around the peripheral area of the base plate. Since the elastic element is contacted with the peripheral area of the touch module, the elastic force provided to each position of the touch module is substantial equal. Consequently, the tactile feel on each position of the touch module is nearly identical for the user.

Claims

1. A touch input device with a button function, said touch input device comprising:

a base plate;

a touch module disposed over said base plate, wherein when said touch module is touched and a touched position is detected by said touch module, said touch module generates a touch signal;

an elastic element disposed over said base plate and under said touch module for providing an elastic force to said touch module, wherein said elastic element is disposed around a peripheral area of said base pate; and

a triggering switch disposed on said touch module, wherein when said touch module is depressed, said triggering switch is triggered to generate a button signal corresponding to said touched position.

2. The touch input device according to claim 1, wherein said elastic element is a spiral spring, which is made of a metallic material, wherein a shape of a wound structure of said elastic element matches a shape of said peripheral area of said base pate.

3. The touch input device according to claim 1, wherein said touch module comprises:

a touch sensitive plate for detecting said touched position, thereby generating said touch signal;

a protective cover for covering said touch sensitive plate and contacting with said base plate and said elastic element, thereby protecting said touch sensitive plate.

4. The touch input device according to claim 3, wherein said protective cover comprises:

at least one hooking structure formed on at least one lateral wall of said protective cover, wherein when said at least one hooking structure is engaged with said base plate, said protective cover is fixed on said base plate; and

a fixing recess formed in said at least one lateral wall of said protective cover and disposed over said peripheral area of said base plate, wherein when said elastic element is inserted into said fixing recess, said elastic element is fixed in said fixing recess.

5. The touch input device according to claim 4, wherein said base plate comprises at least one perforation, which is aligned with said at least one hooking structure and formed in at least one lateral wall of said base plate, wherein when said at least one hooking structure is inserted into said at least one perforation, said at least one hooking structure is engaged with said at least one perforation.

6. The touch input device according to claim 5, wherein said at least one lateral wall of said base plate is protruded from said peripheral area of said base pate and integrally formed with said base plate, wherein said base pate is made of a plastic material.

7. The touch input device according to claim 4, wherein said at least one hooking structure and said fixing recess are integrally formed with said protective cover, and said protective cover is made of a plastic material, wherein a shape of said fixing recess matches a shape of a wound structure of said elastic element.

8. The touch input device according to claim 3, wherein said base plate further comprises a contact post, and said contact post is located at a middle region of said base plate, wherein said triggering switch is disposed on a bottom surface of said touch sensitive plate and disposed over said contact post.

9. The touch input device according to claim 8, wherein when said protective cover is depressed and moved downwardly relative to said base plate, said elastic element is compressed by said protective cover to accumulate said elastic force, said touched position is detected by said touch sensitive plate and said touch sensitive plate is moved downwardly relative to said base plate, so that said contact post is contacted with said triggering switch to trigger said triggering switch, wherein when said triggering switch is triggered, said button signal corresponding to said touched position is generated by said triggering switch, wherein when said protective cover is not depressed, said elastic force of said elastic element is released, so that protective cover and said touch sensitive plate are moved upwardly relative to said base plate and said triggering switch is not contacted with said contact post.

10. The touch input device according to claim 3, wherein said touch sensitive plate is a capacitive touch sensitive plate.