Glass membrane touch-controlled circuit apparatus for voltage selection
First Claim
1. A membrane-type electrical control panel apparatus for activating electrical contact between a first and a second electrical circuit means by flexible movement of one of said circuit means in relation to the other in response to tactile pressure exerted on said membrane-type control panel apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
- a flexible membrane means for activating electrical contact between said first and second circuit means in response to tactile pressure exerted on said membrane means, said membrane means comprising one of said circuit means and a continuous topmost glass layer having sufficient flexibility to permit flexible movement of said glass layer together with said one circuit means to a point of electrical contact with the other said circuit means when said tactile pressure is applied to said glass layer, and said glass layer having sufficient elasticity to permit said glass layer together with said one circuit means to return to a point of non-electrical contact with the other said circuit means when said tactile pressure is removed from said glass layer;
support layer means for holding said other circuit means stationary; and
spacer means for spacing said flexible membrane means from said support layer means so as to prevent electrical contact between said first and second circuit means until said tactile pressure is exerted.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A glass membrane touch-controlled circuit apparatus for voltage selection. The apparatus has a flexible glass membrane which is spaced by a dielectric layer adhesively joined between the upper flexible glass membrane and a lower, rigid support layer. Conductive circuitry is printed onto the surface of the upper flexible glass membrane and corresponding areas of conductive and/or resistive circuitry are printed onto the lower support layer. By application of tactile pressure to the upper flexible glass membrane, the conductive circuitry printed onto the flexible glass membrane can be moved into a point of momentary contact with the circuitry carried on the lower support layer.
49 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A membrane-type electrical control panel apparatus for activating electrical contact between a first and a second electrical circuit means by flexible movement of one of said circuit means in relation to the other in response to tactile pressure exerted on said membrane-type control panel apparatus, said apparatus comprising:
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a flexible membrane means for activating electrical contact between said first and second circuit means in response to tactile pressure exerted on said membrane means, said membrane means comprising one of said circuit means and a continuous topmost glass layer having sufficient flexibility to permit flexible movement of said glass layer together with said one circuit means to a point of electrical contact with the other said circuit means when said tactile pressure is applied to said glass layer, and said glass layer having sufficient elasticity to permit said glass layer together with said one circuit means to return to a point of non-electrical contact with the other said circuit means when said tactile pressure is removed from said glass layer; support layer means for holding said other circuit means stationary; and spacer means for spacing said flexible membrane means from said support layer means so as to prevent electrical contact between said first and second circuit means until said tactile pressure is exerted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A membrane-type electrical control panel apparatus comprising:
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a thin, flexible glass layer having a continuous outer activation surface on which tactile pressure is exerted, and a continuous inner, enclosed surface; a first thin-film circuit means for defining a first plurality of electrical contact areas which can be selectively activated by application of said tactile pressure to areas of said outer activation surface corresponding to said contact areas, said first circuit means being carried on said inner, enclosed surface of the flexible glass layer; a support layer having an inner, enclosed surface which faces the inner, enclosed surface of said flexible glass layer; a second thin-film circuit means for defining a second plurality of electrical contact areas, said second circuit means being carried on said inner, enclosed surface of said support layer such that each area of said second plurality of electrical contact areas is positioned for electrical contact by one of said first plurality of electrical contact areas, thereby forming a plurality of pairs of the corresponding areas defined by said first and second circuit means; and a dielectric layer interposed between the inner, enclosed surfaces of said flexible glass layer and said support layer, said dielectric layer serving to space said first and second plurality of contact areas one from the other so that electrical contact occurs only in response to said tactile pressure, and wherein said glass layer is sufficiently flexible to permit movement of said first circuit means into electrical contact with said second circuit means at any of said electrical contact areas at which said tactile pressure is applied, and said glass layer having sufficiently elasticity to permit return of said first circuit means to a spaced position of nonelectrical contact with respect to said second circuit means when said tactile pressure is removed. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A membrane-type electrical control panel apparatus comprising:
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a thin, flexible glass layer having a continuous outer activation surface on which tactile pressure is exerted, and an inner, enclosed surface; a first thin-film circuit defining a first plurality of electrical contact areas which can be selectively activated by application of said tactile pressure to areas of said outer activation surface corresponding to said contact areas, said first plurality of electrical contact areas being carried on said inner, enclosed surface of the flexible glass layer; a support layer having an inner, enclosed surface which faces the inner, enclosed surface of said flexible glass layer; a second thin-film circuit defining a second plurality of electrical contact areas, said second plurality of electrical contact areas being carried on said inner, enclosed surface of said support layer such that each area of said second plurality of electrical contact areas is positioned for electrical contact by one of said first plurality of electrical contact areas, thereby forming a plurality of pairs of the corresponding areas defined by said first and second circuit means; and a dielectric layer adhesively held between the inner, enclosed surfaces of said flexible glass layer and said support layer, said dielectric layer serving to space said first and second plurality of contact areas one from the other so that electrical contact occurs only in response to said tactile pressure, and wherein said glass layer is sufficiently flexible to permit movement of said first circuit into electrical contact with said second circuit at any of said electrical contact areas at which said tactile pressure is applied, and said glass layer having sufficiently elasticity to permit return of said first circuit to a spaced position of non-electrical contact with respect to said second circuit when said tactile pressure is removed. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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35. A membrane-type electrical control panel apparatus comprising:
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a thin, flexible glass layer having a continuous outer activation surface on which tactile pressure is exerted, and a continuous inner, enclosed surface; a first polyester layer adhesively joined at one surface thereof to said inner enclosed surface of the thin flexible glass layer; a first thin-film circuit defining a first plurality of electrical contact areas which can be selectively activated by application of said tactile pressure to areas of said outer activation surface corresponding to said contact areas, said first plurality of electrical contact areas being carried on another surface of said first polyester layer that is opposite to said one surface of said polyester layer; a support layer having an inner, enclosed surface which faces the inner, enclosed surface of said flexible glass layer; a second thin-film circuit defining a second plurality of electrical contact areas, said second plurality of electrical contact areas being carried on said inner, enclosed surface of said support layer such that each area of said second plurality of electrical contact areas is positioned for electrical contact by one of said first plurality of electrical contact areas, thereby forming a plurality of pairs of the corresponding areas defined by said first and second circuit means; and a dielectric layer interposed between the inner, enclosed surfaces of said flexible glass layer and said support layer, said dielectric layer serving to space said first and second plurality of contact areas one from the other so that electrical contact occurs only in response to said tactile pressure, and wherein said glass layer is sufficiently flexible to permit movement of said first circuit into electrical contact with said second circuit at any of said electrical contact areas at which said tactile pressure is applied, and said glass layer having sufficiently elasticity to permit return of said first circuit to a spaced position of non-electrical contact with respect to said second circuit when said tactile pressure is removed. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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39. A membrane-type electrical control panel apparatus comprising:
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a thin, flexible glass layer having a continuous outer activation surface on which tactile pressure is exerted, and a continuous inner, enclosed surface; a first polyester layer adhesively joined at one surface thereof to said inner enclosed surface of the thin flexible glass layer; a first thin-film circuit defining a first plurality of electrical contact areas which can be selectively activated by application of said tactile pressure to areas of said outer activation surface corresponding to said contact areas, said first plurality of electrical contact areas being carried on another surface of said first polyester layer that is opposite to said one surface of said first polyester layer; a support layer having an inner, enclosed surface which faces the inner, enclosed surface of said flexible glass layer; a second polyester layer adhesively joined at one surface thereof to the inner enclosed surface of said support layer; a second thin-film circuit defining a second plurality of electrical contact areas, said second plurality of electrical contact areas being carried on another surface of said second polyester layer that is opposite to said one surface of the second polyester layer such that each area of said second plurality of electrical contact areas is positioned for electrical contact by one of said first plurality of electrical contact areas, thereby forming a plurality of pairs of the corresponding areas defined by said first and second circuits; and a dielectric layer interposed between the inner, enclosed surfaces of said flexible glass layer and said support layer, said dielectric layer serving to space said first and second plurality of contact areas one from the other so that electrical contact occurs only in response to said tactile pressure, and wherein said glass layer is sufficiently flexible to permit movement of said first circuit into electrical contact with said second circuit at any of said electrical contact areas at which said tactile pressure is applied, and said glass layer having sufficiently elasticity to permit return of said first circuit to a spaced position of non-electrical contact with respect to said second circuit when said tactile pressure is removed. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42)
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Specification