Digitizer screen and method of making

• US 5,140,107 A
• Filed: 07/02/1991
• Issued: 08/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Protheroe, Robert L., Crooks, John F., Memarzadeh, Kazem
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHREYER, STAFFORD
• Application Number:
  US07/724,620
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 178/19, 178/18, 178/20, 338/195, 338/211, 338/307, 338/308
• US Class Current: 178/18.03
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0444 using a single conductive element covering the whole sensing surface, e.g. by sensing the electrical current flowing at the corners
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact

Abstract

A digitizer screen and method of making. A coated conductive plastic film is perforated and is used in conjunction with a glass or other panel to provide a screen which may be used in an electronic digitizer for converting the position and movement of a stylus or other device on the screen to electrical signals representative of such positioning and movement. The perforated coated conductive plastic film may be laminated to the glass panel to form an integrated structure which does not require the use of masking and etching or similar processes to produce a desired apertured matrix pattern in the plastic film. Various arrangements of the plastic film are disclosed which facilitate the connection of the apertured portion of the plastic film to associated electronic components.

Claims

1. A process for fabricating a screen for use in an electronic digitizer, comprising the following steps:

(a) selecting a sheet of rigid material;

(b) selecting a sheet of conductive coated plastic material;

(c) perforating said sheet of plastic material to provide a plurality of apertures in a matrix pattern; and

(d) laminating said perforated sheet of plastic material to said sheet of rigid material.

2. The process of claim 1, in which said apertures are rectangular in shape.

3. The process of claim 2, in which said sheets of plastic material and rigid material are of a rectangular configuration.

4. The process of claim 1, in which said apertures are square in shape.

5. The process of claim 4, in which said sheets of plastic material and rigid material are of a square configuration.

6. The process of claim 1, in which said sheet of conductive coated plastic material is made from Altair 0200DX material.

7. The process of claim 1, in which said

sheet of conductive coated plastic material is made from ITO-300 material.

8. The process of claim 1, in which said sheet of rigid material is transparent.

9. The process of claim 1, in which said sheet of rigid material is glass.

10. As an article of manufacture, a conductive coated plastic film having a plurality of spaced punched-out apertures therein laminated to a rigid material which is of similar shape and size to the conductive coated plastic film.

11. The article of claim 10, in which the apertures are of rectangular configuration.

12. The article of claim 10, in which the apertures are of square configuration.

13. The article of claim 11, in which the apertures are in a matrix arrangement.

14. The article of claim 12, in which the apertures are in a matrix arrangement.

15. The article of claim 10, in which the plastic film is made of Altair 0200DX material.

16. The article of claim 10, in which the plastic film is made of ITO-300 material.

17. The article of claim 11, in which the rigid material is of rectangular configuration.

18. The article of claim 12, in which the rigid material is of square configuration.

19. The article of claim 10, in which the rigid material is transparent.

20. A screen for an electronic digitizer, comprising:

a rigid element on which a stylus or similar device may be moved to operate the digitizer; and

a sheet of conductive coated plastic film having a plurality of apertures in a matrix arrangement therein laminated to the rigid element and having a portion extending beyond the element, on which portion electronic components are mounted.

21. The screen of claim 20, in which the portion of the plastic film extending beyond the rigid element and on which electronic components are mounted is bent under the screen.

22. The screen of claim 20, in which the rigid element is transparent.

23. The screen of claim 20, in which the apertures are rectangular in shape.

24. The screen of claim 20, in which the apertures are square in shape.

25. A screen for an electronic digitizer, comprising:

a rigid element on which a stylus or similar device may be moved to operate the digitizer; and

a sheet of conductive coated plastic film having a plurality of apertures in a matrix arrangement therein laminated to the rigid element and having a portion extending beyond the element and configured as a long tab having conductive lines positioned thereon to form a connector.

26. The screen of claim 25, in which the rigid element is transparent.

27. The screen of claim 25, in which the apertures are rectangular in shape.

28. The screen of claim 25, in which the apertures are square in shape.

29. A digitizer comprising:

a housing for the digitizer;

a rigid element mounted in the housing and having an outer surface on which a stylus or similar device may be moved to operate the digitizer;

a sheet of conductive coated plastic film having a plurality of apertures in a matrix arrangement therein positioned adjacent to the rigid element in operative relation thereto;

means retaining said plastic film in operative relation to said rigid element; and

means for determining the position of the stylus with respect to the rigid element by measuring electrical values in two dimensions across said plastic film.

30. The digitizer of claim 29, in which the apertures in the plastic film are rectangular in shape.

31. The digitizer of claim 29, in which the apertures in the plastic film are square in shape.

32. The digitizer of claim 29, in which the rigid element is transparent.

33. The digitizer of claim 32, in which the plastic film is also transparent.

34. The digitizer of claim 32, also including a display device mounted in said housing beneath said rigid element and said plastic film and visible therethrough.

35. The digitizer of claim 29, in which the plastic film has a portion extending beyond the rigid element and folded thereunder, on which the means for determining the position of the stylus is located.

36. The digitizer of claim 29, in which the plastic film has a portion extending beyond the rigid element and is configured as a long tab having conductive lines positioned thereon, said extending portion being coupled to said means for determining the position of the stylus.

37. The digitizer of claim 29, in which the sheet of conductive coated plastic film is laminated to the rigid element.