Touch sensitive control panel utilizing pyroelectric material

• US 4,363,027 A
• Filed: 05/28/1981
• Issued: 12/07/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Singer PLC (Hayleys Plc)
• Original Assignee: Singer PLC (Hayleys Plc)
• Inventors: Brienza, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Groody, James J.
• Application Number:
  US06/267,971
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 340/365 R, 340/365 C, 112/158 E, 307/117, 337/298, 178/17 C, 179/90 K
• US Class Current: 341/22
• CPC Class Codes: D05B 19/105 Physical layout of switches or displays; Switches co-operating with the display
• CPC Class Codes: D05D 2205/085 combined with a display arrangement, e.g. touch sensitive control panel
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23378 Touch sensitive key
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08

Abstract

A touch sensitive control panel utilizing pyroelectric material to provide output signals representative of an area touched by an operator includes a plurality of conductors and areas of pyroelectric material selectively in contact with the conductors to provide a binary coded combination of voltage pulses on the conductors representative of a touched area of the control panel.

Claims

1. A control panel for an appliance having a multiplicity of operating capabilities, functions and conditions, said control panel comprising:

a backing member;

a layer of conductive material on a surface of said backing member;

a layer of pyroelectric material on said conductive layer;

a layer of insulative material on said pyroelectric layer, said insulative layer leaving selected areas of said pyroelectric layer exposed;

a plurality of non-intersecting elongated conductors on said insulative layer; and

a graphics display member overlying said conductors, said graphics display member having indicia thereon representative of said operating capabilities, functions and conditions of said appliance;

said selected areas of exposed pyroelectric material being located in registration with said indicia and selectively in contact with said conductors so that a binary coded combination of voltage pulses is applied to said conductors in response to a body portion of an operator touching one of said indicia, each of said indicia corresponding to a unique respective binary code.