Acoustic wave touch panel with inlayed, etched arrays and method of making the panel

• US 5,648,643 A
• Filed: 06/16/1995
• Issued: 07/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Original Assignee: The Whitaker Corporation (Meggitt PLC)
• Inventors: Bremigan, Charles F. III, Knowles, Terence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOOMIS, PAUL A
• Application Number:
  US08/491,306
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 178/18, 178/19, 178/20, 345/177, 367/118, 367/127, 367/902, 367/907, 364/709.01, 364/709.1, 364/709.11
• US Class Current: 178/18.04
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 367/907 Coordinate determination

Abstract

An acoustic wave touch panel comprising a substrate formed of a first material. The substrate is capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein. A reflective array upon the substrate is provided for reflecting an acoustic wave to propagate in the substrate. The reflective array is formed in the substrate. An inlay is formed of a second material. The inlay is disposed in the reflective array, wherein the acoustic wave has a velocity of propagation in the second material that is slower than the velocity of propagation of the acoustic wave in the first material.

Claims

1. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a substrate formed of a first material, said substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein;

a reflective array for reflecting an acoustic wave propagating in said substrate, said reflective array being formed in said substrate; and

an inlay formed of a second material, said inlay being disposed in said reflective array wherein said acoustic wave has a velocity of propagation in said second material that is slower than the velocity of propagation of said acoustic wave in said first material.

2. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 1 wherein said first material is a glass and said second material is a frit composition.

3. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 2 wherein said second material is a metallic frit.

4. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 2 wherein said second material is a silver frit.

5. An acoustic touch panel as recited in claim 1 wherein said reflective array is etched in said substrate.

6. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a substrate formed of a first material, said substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein;

a reflective array for reflecting an acoustic wave propagating in said substrate, said reflective array being stamped in said substrate; and

an inlay formed of a second material, said inlay being disposed in said array wherein said acoustic wave has a velocity of propagation in said second material that is slower than the velocity of propagation of said acoustic wave in said first material.

7. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 6 wherein said first material is a plastic.

8. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 7 wherein said first material is a polystyrene.

9. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 7 wherein said first material is an acrylic.

11. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 9 wherein said second material is a metallic frit.

12. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 11 wherein said second material is a silver frit.

10. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a substrate formed of a first material, said substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein;

a reflective array for reflecting an acoustic wave propagating in said substrate, said reflective array being formed by the removal of portions of said substrate in a pattern defining said array; and

an inlay formed of a second material, said inlay being disposed in said etched array wherein said acoustic wave has a velocity of propagation in said second material that is slower than the velocity of propagation of said acoustic wave in said first material.

13. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 10 wherein said first material is a plastic.

14. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 13 wherein said first material is a polystyrene.

15. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 13 wherein said first material is an acrylic.

16. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 13 including a layer of said second material overlying at least a portion of said array on a surface of said substrate.

17. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a substrate formed of a first material, said substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein;

a variable depth reflective array formed in said substrate for reflecting an acoustic wave propagating in said substrate;

an inlay formed of a second material deposited in said array; and

a strip of said second material overlying said array on a surface of said substrate.

18. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a substrate formed of a first material having a shear modulus, said substrate being capable of supporting a shear wave for propagation therein;

a reflective array for reflecting a shear wave propagating in said substrate, said reflective array being formed by the removal of portions of said substrate in a pattern defining said array; and

an inlay formed of a second material having a density and a shear modulus, said inlay being disposed in said array wherein the ratio of the density to shear modulus of said second material is different than the ratio of the density to shear modulus of said first material.

19. An acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 18 including a strip of said second material overlying said array on a surface of said substrate.

20. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a polystyrene substrate; and

a variable depth reflective array formed in said substrate along an axis of said acoustic wave touch panel,

said substrate capable of supporting a shear wave for propagation therein.

21. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a acrylic substrate; and

a variable depth reflective array formed in said substrate along an axis of said acoustic wave touch panel,

said substrate capable of supporting a shear wave for propagation therein.

22. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a nylon substrate; and

a variable depth reflective array formed in said substrate along an axis of said acoustic wave touch panel,

said substrate capable of supporting a shear wave for propagation therein.

23. An acoustic wave touch panel comprising:

a polyethylene substrate; and

a variable depth reflective array formed in said substrate along an axis of said acoustic wave touch panel,

said substrate capable of supporting a shear wave for propagation therein.

24. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel having a substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein, said substrate being formed of a first material, said method comprising:

removing portions of said substrate in a pattern to form at least one reflective array; and

depositing in said array a second material wherein said acoustic wave has a velocity of propagation in said second material that is different than the velocity of propagation of said acoustic wave in said first material.

25. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 24 wherein said first material is a glass and said step of removing includes etching said reflective array pattern in said substrate.

26. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel as recited in claim 24 wherein said first substrate is plastic and said step of removing includes stamping and reflective array pattern in said substrate.

27. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel having a substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein, said substrate being formed of a first material comprising:

preparing said substrate for etching of a predetermined pattern representing an array of reflective elements;

immersing said substrate in an etching solution;

withdrawing said substrate at a controlled non-constant rate representing a variable depth profile of said array to form said array of reflective elements; and

depositing in said array a second material wherein said acoustic wave has a velocity of propagation in said second material that is slower than the velocity of propagation of said acoustic wave in said first material.

28. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel having a substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein, said substrate being formed of a first material comprising:

preparing said substrate for etching of a predetermined pattern representing an array of reflective elements;

immersing said substrate in an etching solution; and

withdrawing said substrate at a controlled non-constant rate representing a variable depth profile of said array to form said array of reflective elements.

29. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel having a substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein, said substrate being formed of a first material comprising:

preparing said substrate for etching of a predetermined pattern representing an array of reflective elements;

immersing said substrate in an etching solution at a controlled non-constant rate representing a variable depth profile of said array to form said array of reflective elements; and

withdrawing said substrate for said etching solution.

30. A method of making an acoustic wave touch panel having a substrate capable of supporting an acoustic wave for propagation therein, said substrate being formed of a first material comprising:

preparing said substrate for etching of a predetermined pattern representing an array of reflective elements;

immersing said substrate in an etching solution;

withdrawing said substrate at a controlled non-constant rate representing a variable depth profile of said array to form said array of reflective elements; and

depositing in said array a second material wherein a ratio of the density to shear modulus of said second material is greater than the ratio of the density to shear modulus of said first material.