SECURING A TOUCH SENSOR ASSEMBLY WITHIN A DEVICE

• US 20170371380A1
• Filed: 06/22/2017
• Published: 12/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Oberhauser, Christopher Alan, Fomin, Evgeny
• Granted Patent: US 11,226,661 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/046 by electromagnetic means

Abstract

An arrangement for securing a touch sensor assembly within a mobile communication or other device with at least one touch button defined within a touch button area. The touch sensor assembly includes a touch sensor (such as a sense inductor coil), and multiple back-side spring clips attached at the back-side of the sensor assembly. A touch sensor pocket integral with the device case is disposed at an interior-side of the touch button area, the sensor pocket to position the sensor assembly relative to the associated touch button. The touch sensor assembly can be secured within the touch sensor pocket by the back-side spring clips, spring-urged toward the front-side of the sensor pocket, and spaced from the device case by spacer elements (which can be attached to the sensor assembly, or integrated into the device case). The touch sensor pocket can include back-side alignment elements for aligning the spring clips.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use in a device with at least one touch button defined on a touch button area of the device, the apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor assembly having a front-side and a back-side, and including;

a touch sensor; and

multiple back-side spring clips attached at the back-side of the touch sensor assembly; and

a touch sensor pocket integral with the device case at an interior-side of the touch button area, which forms a front-side of the touch sensor pocket, the touch sensor pocket to position the touch sensor assembly relative to the associated touch button;

multiple spacer elements;

the touch sensor assembly secured within the touch sensor pocket by the back-side spring clips, spring-urged toward the front-side of the touch sensor pocket, and spaced from the device case by the spacer elements.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor pocket includes alignment elements in a back-side of the touch sensor pocket to provide alignment for the touch sensor assembly when inserted into the touch sensor pocket, with each back-side spring clip contacting a respective alignment element.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spacer elements are one of:

spacer elements attached at respective edges of the front-side of the touch sensor assembly; and

spacer shoulders integral with the device case, at respective edges of the touch sensor pocket.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor assembly includes a sensor stiffener attached to a back-side of the touch sensor and forming the back-side of the touch sensor assembly.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device includes a dual touch button area in which first and second touch buttons are defined, and wherein:

the touch sensor pocket is a dual touch sensor pocket to position first and second touch sensor assemblies relative to the respective first and second touch buttons.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensor comprises a sense inductor coil.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the device is a mobile communication device, and the at least one touch button is defined on a side-wall of the device.

8. An apparatus for use in a device with at least one touch button defined on a touch button area of the device, the device including a touch sensor pocket integral with the device case at an interior-side of the touch button area, the apparatus comprising:

a touch sensor assembly having a front-side and a back-side, and including;

a touch sensor; and

multiple back-side spring clips attached at the back-side of the touch sensor assembly;

the touch sensor assembly configured for positioning within the touch sensor pocket, the back-side spring clips to secure the touch sensor assembly within the touch sensor pocket by spring-urging the touch sensor assembly toward the front-side of the touch sensor pocket, spaced from the device case by spacer elements.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the spacer elements are one of:

spacer elements attached at respective edges of the front-side of the touch sensor assembly; and

spacer shoulders integral with the device case, at respective edges of the touch sensor pocket.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch sensor pocket includes alignment elements in a back-side of the touch sensor pocket to provide alignment for the touch sensor assembly when inserted into the touch sensor pocket, with each back-side spring clip contacting a respective alignment element.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch sensor assembly includes a sensor stiffener attached to a back-side of the touch sensor and forming the back-side of the touch sensor assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the device includes a dual touch button area in which first and second touch buttons are defined, and wherein the touch sensor pocket is a dual touch sensor pocket, and wherein:

the touch sensor assembly is a dual touch sensor assembly, with first and second touch sensors associated with respective first and second touch buttons.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the touch sensor comprises a sense inductor coil.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the device is a mobile communication device, and the at least one touch button is defined on a side-wall of the device.

15. A device with at least one touch button defined on a touch button area of the device, the comprising comprising:

a device case;

a touch sensor assembly having a front-side and a back-side, and including;

a touch sensor; and

multiple back-side spring clips attached at the back-side of the touch sensor assembly; and

a touch sensor pocket integral with the device case at an interior-side of the touch button area, which forms a front-side of the touch sensor pocket, the touch sensor pocket to position the touch sensor assembly relative to the associated touch button;

multiple spacer elements;

the touch sensor assembly secured within the touch sensor pocket by the back-side spring clips, spring-urged toward the front-side of the touch sensor pocket, and spaced from the device case by the spacer elements.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the touch sensor pocket includes alignment elements in a back-side of the touch sensor pocket to provide alignment for the touch sensor assembly when inserted into the touch sensor pocket, with each back-side spring clip contacting a respective alignment elements.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the spacer elements are one of:

spacer elements attached at respective edges of the front-side of the touch sensor assembly; and

spacer shoulders integral with the device case, at respective edges of the touch sensor pocket.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the touch sensor assembly includes a sensor stiffener attached to a back-side of the touch sensor and forming the back-side of the touch sensor assembly.

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the device includes a dual touch button area in which first and second touch buttons are defined, and wherein:

the touch sensor pocket is a dual touch sensor pocket to position first and second touch sensor assemblies relative to the respective first and second touch buttons.

20. The device of claim 15, wherein the touch sensor comprises a sense inductor coil.

21. The device of claim 15, wherein the device is a mobile communication device, and the at least one touch button is defined on a side-wall of the device.