Touch panel

• US 6,567,077 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 05/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Touch Panel Systems KK (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Inventors: Inoue, Satoshi, Tanaka, Yoshikazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jennifer T.
• Application Number:
  US09/784,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20020005838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/177, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/178, 178/19, 178/18.01, 178/18.03, 178/18.04
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0436 in which generating transducers and detecting transducers are attached to a single acoustic waves transmission substrate

Abstract

A touch panel comprises a substrate 11 allowing acoustic wave to be propagated and a transducer 13a, mounted to this substrate, for transmitting or receiving the acoustic wave. A chamfered portion 16 is formed in the end face or the corner portion of the substrate 11 to make the acoustic wave turn around and be propagated from the front surface to the rear surface through the end face of the substrate 11. The acoustic wave propagated through the chamfered portion is received by the transducer 13a placed on the rear surface of the substrate 11. The radius (R) of the chamfered portion 16 of the substrate is 0.5 mm or more. This touch panel may prevent from forming raised portions on the front surface of the propagation medium, so that the touch panel may be enhanced in applicability to thin LCD monitors, and simplified in structure.

Claims

1. A touch panel comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating an acoustic wave, the substrate having a first surface, a second surface and a connecting surface, the connecting surface interconnecting the first surface and the second surface and being curved; and

a transducer mounted on the second surface and positioned for transmitting an acoustic wave from the second surface to the first surface via the connecting surface, wherein the transducer is positioned such that the acoustic wave travels in a first direction on the second surface and a second direction on the first surface, the first direction being approximately perpendicular to the second direction.

2. A touch panel comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating an acoustic wave, the substrate having a first surface, a second surface and a connecting surface, the connecting surface interconnecting the first surface and the second surface and being curved, wherein the first and second surfaces are parallel to each other, the substrate further comprising a plurality of edges connecting the first and second surfaces such that the substrate is substantially rectangular and the connecting surface interconnects two adjacent edges; and

a transducer mounted on the second surface and positioned for transmitting an acoustic wave from the second surface to the first surface via the connecting surface.

3. A touch panel as recited in claim 2, wherein the connecting surface and the adjacent edges are formed at about 45 degrees to each other.

4. A touch panel as recited in claim 3, wherein the transducer transmits the acoustic wave at approximately a 45 degree angle to the connecting surface.

5. A touch panel comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating an acoustic wave, the substrate having a first surface, a second surface and a connecting surface, the connecting surface interconnecting the first surface and the second surface and being curved, and wherein the first surface and the second surface are parallel to each other; and

a transducer mounted on the second surface and positioned for transmitting an acoustic wave from the second surface to the first surface via the connecting surface.

6. A touch panel as recited in claim 5, wherein the curved connecting surface is semi-cylindrical.

7. A touch panel comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating an acoustic wave, the substrate having a first surface, a second surface and a connecting surface, the connecting surface interconnecting the first surface and the second surface and being semi-cylindrical; and

a transducer mounted on the second surface and positioned for transmitting an acoustic wave from the second surface to the first surface via the connecting surface.

8. A touch panel comprising:

a substrate capable of propagating an acoustic wave, the substrate having a first surface, a second surface parallel to said first surface, and a connecting surface, the connecting surface interconnecting the first surface and the second surface and being curved; and

a transducer mounted on the second surface and positioned for propagating an acoustic wave in a first direction along the second surface, along the curved connecting surface to the first surface, and in a second direction along the first surface, the second direction being a different direction than the first direction.

9. The touch panel of claim 8 wherein each of said first and second surfaces are planar.

10. The touch panel of claim 9 wherein said curved connecting surface defines a semicircular arcuate surface to enable an acoustic wave propagated in a first direction along the second planar surface to be transmitted to said first planar surface for propagation in said second direction along said first planar surface.

11. The touch panel of claim 10 wherein said first and second directions are substantially opposite to each other.