Laminated capacitive touch-pad

• US 4,161,766 A
• Filed: 05/23/1977
• Issued: 07/17/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Waldron, Wesley K., Castleberry, Donald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, E. A.
• Application Number:
  US05/799,298
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 361/280, 361/281, 361/330, 361/303, 200/DIG. 1, 200/52 R, 340/365 C, 324/61 R
• US Class Current: 361/280
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/962 Capacitive touch switches

Abstract

A laminated capacitive touch-pad having a thin film touch-plate electrode deposited upon a first (exterior) surface of a first, relatively thin dielectric layer and having spaced transmitter and receiver electrodes deposited upon a second surface of the first layer within the outline of and opposite to the touch electrode, with a relatively thick backing layer of dielectric material laminated upon the second surface to provide a total thickness, as measured between the furthest opposed surfaces of the first and second layers, as required for high voltage insulation purposes and to provide additional impact strength. The touch, transmitter and receiver electrodes may be of thin film construction.

Claims

1. A capacitive touch-pad comprising:

a first layer of dielectric material having first and second surfaces, said first surface being outwardly facing and exposed to an external environment;

a first electrode fabricated upon said first surface to be exposed to said external environment and responsive to contact with a human body member;

a pair of spatially separated second and third electrodes fabricated upon said second surface substantially within the boundaries of said first electrode; and

a second layer of rigid dielectric material laminated to said second surface in abutment with said second and third electrodes;

said first layer having a thickness predeterminately selected to cause an electrical capacitance between each of said second and third electrodes and said first electrode to be greater than the parasitic capacitance between said first and second electrodes.

2. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second layer has a thickness chosen to cause the total thickness between furthest opposed surfaces of said first and second layers to equal a selected total thickness.

3. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 2, wherein the thicknesses of said first and second layers are substantially equal.

4. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 2, wherein the thickness of said first layer is substantially less than the thickness of said second layer.

5. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 1 wherein said second and third electrodes are each members of one of the group consisting of a conductive material film and a semiconductive material film.

6. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 5, further comprising lead means coupled to each of said second and third electrodes.

7. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of said lead means is a film member fabricated upon said second surface and having an end thereof in electrical contact with the associated one of said third and second electrodes.

8. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second and third electrodes and the associated lead means are fabricated to the same thickness upon said second surface.

9. A touch-pad as set forth in claim 5, wherein said first electrode is a film member fabricated upon said first surface.