Glass keyboard and method for producing a glass keyboard

• US 6,563,435 B1
• Filed: 11/21/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl-Otto Platz
• Original Assignee: Karl-Otto Platz
• Inventors: Platz, Karl-Otto
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, ALBERT KANG
• Application Number:
  US09/623,891
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 341/34, 200/5.A, 200/512, 338/99, 338/114, 345/173
• US Class Current: 341/34
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/702 with contacts carried by or formed from layers in a multilayer structure, e.g. membrane switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/703 characterised by spacers between contact carrying layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/04 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2209/084 Glass
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/004 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2211/036 Convexly bowed membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/002 replaceable; adaptable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/01 Liquid crystal
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2227/004 Membrane
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/028 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/038 Anti-vandalism

Abstract

In a glass keyboard comprising a keyboard surface (4) made from a flexible thin glass pane (2) and at least one carrier material pane (6), each pane being provided with an electroconductive layer (8,10) on the faces facing each other, wherein the opposing electroconductive layers (8,10) are kept at a distance to each other with the aid of a spacer (12), and wherein the electroconductive layers (8,10) touch each other when pressure is applied to the flexible thin glass layer (2) at the essentially localized place of pressure application, it is provided that the flexible thin glass pane (2) is made from a drawn thin glass film.

Claims

1. A glass keyboard comprising a keyboard surface (4) made from a flexible thin glass pane (2) and having a marginal area (20) and at least one carrier material pane (6), the flexible glass and carrier material panes (2, 6, respectively) being provided on respective faces facing each other with an electroconductive layer (8, 10, respectively), the opposing electroconductive layers (8, 10) being kept at a distance from each other by a spacer (12), the electroconductive layers (8, 10) touch each other when pressure is applied to the flexible thin glass pane (2) substantially at a localized area of pressure application, the carrier material pane (6) being slightly larger than the flexible thin glass pane (2) such that a marginal area (28) of the carrier material pane (6) protrudes on all sides beyond the marginal area (20) of the thin glass pane (2), and the marginal area (20) of the thin glass pane (2) is glued to the marginal area (28) of the carrier material pane (6) by means of adhesive acting as said spacer (12) for maintaining the electroconductive layers (8, 10) of the respective flexible glass and carrier material panes (2,6, respectively) normally spaced from each other.

2. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the flexible thin glass pane (2) is made from a drawn thin glass film.

3. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the margin area (20) of the thin glass pane (2) is stabilized by means of a cured plastic material (16).

4. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the keyboard surface (4) made from the flexible thin glass pane (2) is of flat configuration in the marginal area (20) thereof and includes a slight outward convexity in a switching area (24).

5. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the thin glass pane (2) forming the keyboard surface (4) is made from a drawn thin glass film glued to the carrier material pane (6).

6. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the thickness of the thin glass pane (2) ranges between approximately 0.1 and approximately 0.5 mm, preferably between 0.175 and 0.4 mm.

7. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the spacer (12) is arranged exclusively between the marginal areas (20, 28) of the thin glass pane (2) and the carrier material pane (6), and a remaining portion of the keyboard surface (4) is adapted for localized switching at any location without any further spacer being provided.

8. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the spacer (12) between the marginal areas (20, 28) is made from a plastic material cured under UV-light.

9. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 vherein the carrier material pane (6) is transparent.

10. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) is made from glass.

11. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) is made from a transparent glass cell with integrated electroluminescent matrix.

12. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) is made from a multilayer glass (32) as protection against splintering.

13. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) comprises a heating means (36) on the side averting the thin glass pane (2).

14. Glass keyboard according to claim 13 wherein the heating means (36). is an electroconductive coating applied to the carrier material pane (6).

15. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) comprises an electroconductive shielding layer (40) on the side averting the thin glass pane (2).

16. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) is transparent and forms an optical filter or comprises an optical filter.

17. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein the carrier material pane (6) comprises on the side averting the thin glass pane (2) a receiving means (44) for an exchangeable sheet (48) for keyboard lettering.

18. Glass keyboard according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the carrier material pane (6) and the spacer (12) include area vent openings (52) in at least one of the respective marginal areas (20, 28) thereof for venting an intermediate area between the thin glass pane (2) and the carrier material pane (6).

19. Glass keyboard according to claim 18 wherein the vent openings (52) are provided with a filter material (56).

20. Glass keyboard according to claim 18 wherein the carrier material pane (6) comprises a light-scattering layer on the side averting the thin glass pane (2).

21. Glass keyboard according to claim 18 wherein the thin glass pane (2) comprises a decorative margin (60) on a lower side thereof.

22. Glass keyboard according to claim 21 wherein the decorative margin (60) is screen printing and ends in a dot screen towards an inside.