Electrical contact system

• US 6,108,211 A
• Filed: 05/05/1999
• Issued: 08/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Carmen Diessner
• Original Assignee: Carmen Diessner
• Inventors: Diessner, Carmen
• Primary Examiner(s): Luebke, Renee
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/305,359
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 361/794, 361/760, 361/763, 361/764, 361/751, 361/757, 361/627, 361/643, 361/647, 361/781, 361/828, 174/254, 439/67, 340/365, 345/173, 178/18, 200/5 A, 200/512
• US Class Current: 361/751
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/038 Folding of flexible printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/62 connecting to rigid printed circuits or like structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/701 the switch being actuated by an accessory, e.g. cover, locking member
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/118 specially for flexible printed circuits, e.g. using folded portions

Abstract

What is disclosed is an electrical contact system (10) for four pressure sensors (19) to be electrically contacted from different contact sides (13, 14). For this purpose a component side (22) of a flexible circuit board (11) has spaced-apart contact areas (24, 25), which come into contact with opposite contact areas (48, 49) provided on the pressure sensors (19) by folding the circuit board (11) over in a bendable are (52) between two contact areas (24, 25) to provide for a quick and reliable contacting process.

Claims

1. An electrical contact system, as a component of a touch panel (18), for a plurality of pressure sensors (19), which are to be electrically contacted from different contact sides (13,14) thereof, comprising spaced-apart contact areas (24, 25) on a component side (22) of a flexible circuit board (11), a first of said contact areas (25) being bent around a bendable area (52) on the circuit board (11) over a second of said contact areas (24) to respectively make an electrical contact with opposite electrically conductive contact areas (48, 49) located on contact sides (13, 14) of each of the pressure sensors (19), and wherein the pressure sensors (19) form corners of the circuit board (11) when the pressure sensors (19) are in a contacting mode.

2. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein, in the contacting mode, at least two of the contact areas (24, 25) are located opposite one another, spaced apart by a pressure sensor of said plurality of pressure sensors (19).

3. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein, at least one of the contact areas (24, 25) corresponding to the pressure sensors (19) is provided on a bendable, loop-like segment (55) of the circuit board (11), with the bendable area (52) extending along said loop-like segment (55).

4. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein, signal conductor paths (28) are provided, mainly on the component side (22), which are connected at least in part to the contact areas (24, 25).

5. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein, a shielding (37) having electrically conductive areas (38) is provided on a side (33) opposite of the component side (22) of the circuit board (11), said shielding being under the signal conductor paths (28) and contact areas (24, 25) provided on the component side (22).

6. An electrical contact system according to claim 5, wherein, the component side (22) is covered with a conductive varnish.

7. An electrical contact system according to claim 5, wherein the component side (22) is covered with a conductive frame.

8. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein adhesive layers are provided for electrical and mechanical connection of the contact areas (24, 25) on the circuit board (11) to the corresponding opposite contact areas (48, 49) on the pressure sensors (19).

9. An electrical contact system according to claim 8, wherein, the adhesive layer is formed by a conductive foil (58), which is coated on both sides with a conductive adhesive, with the conductive foil located between each contact area (24, 25) and the corresponding opposite contact area (48, 49) when the contact is made.

10. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein, said circuit board (11) has a frame shape.

11. An electrical contact system according to claim 1, wherein, said circuit board (11) has a U-shape.

12. An electrical contact system according to claim 10, wherein the circuit board (11) includes four pressure sensors (19).

13. An electrical contact system according to claim 11 wherein the circuit board (11) includes four pressure sensors (19).

14. An electrical contact system according to claim 12, wherein the four pressure sensors (19) form the corners of a rectangular circuit board (11) when in a contacting mode.

15. An electrical contact system according to claim 13, wherein the four pressure sensors (19) form the corners of a rectangular circuit board (11) when in a contacting mode.