Force sensing pointing device with click function

• US 7,176,889 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Sanchez, Carlos Solis, Tickle, James Dexter, Alhart, Scott David, Baker, Jeffrey Ross
• Primary Examiner(s): Shankar; Vijay
• Application Number:
  US10/851,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20050259069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 998 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 200510-517, 200/5.A, 200/5.R, 341 21- 34, 463 37- 39
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/785 characterised by the material of the contacts, e.g. conductive polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2025/048 having a separate central push, slide or tumbler button which is not integral with the operating part that surrounds it
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2201/036 Variable resistance
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2203/02 Interspersed fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2213/00 Venting
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/006 Only mechanical function
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2215/012 Positioning of individual dome
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/012 Joy stick type
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2229/028 Adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/041 having a generally flat operating member depressible at different locations to operate different controls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/3442 having edge contacts, e.g. leadless chip capacitors, chip carriers

Abstract

An input device for an electronic system includes a force sensor having conductive interdigitated traces on a bottom substrate and a flexible substrate spaced apart from the bottom substrate. The flexible substrate has a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side facing the interdigitated traces. A snap dome is positioned over a portion of the force sensor flexible substrate. A flexible keymat membrane is positioned over the force sensor and the snap dome. The keymat membrane bottom surface faces the force sensor flexible substrate. The keymat membrane bottom surface has a protruding region surrounding the snap dome and spaced above the force sensor flexible substrate. A center keycap on the keymat membrane top surface is positioned over the snap dome. A surrounding keycap on the keymat membrane encloses the center keycap and is positioned over the keymat membrane protruding region.

Claims

1. A pointing device for integrating into portable electronic devices comprising:

a bottom substrate having a top face and a bottom face, the top face including a sensing region comprising a plurality of interdigitated conductive trace regions, each trace region including interdigitated common and sense traces, the bottom substrate defining at least one via through the bottom substrate for each sense trace and the common trace, each via supporting a conductive path from one trace to at least one lead element, the bottom face supporting at least one lead element for each sense trace and the common trace, each lead element solderable to a printed circuit board;

a flexible substrate constructed from a heat resistant polymer, the flexible substrate having a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side;

a raised pedestal formed on the bottom substrate top face around at least a portion of the sensing region, the pedestal separating the plurality of the interdigitated conductive traces from the flexible substrate resistive layer;

a snap dome over the flexible substrate;

a keymat membrane covering the snap dome and the flexible substrate, the keymat membrane defining a protruding region surrounding the snap dome;

a center keycap positioned on the keymat membrane opposite the snap dome; and

a surrounding keycap positioned on the keymat membrane opposite the keymat membrane protruding region;

whereby depressing the center keycap collapses the snap dome and brings a portion of the flexible substrate under the snap dome into contact with the bottom substrate sensing region; and

whereby depressing the surrounding keycap pushes a portion of the flexible substrate protruding region which in turn pushes a portion of the flexible substrate under the portion of the flexible substrate protruding region into contact with the bottom substrate sensing region.

2. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of interdigitated conductive trace regions comprises:

a center region under the snap dome; and

a plurality of surrounding regions encircling the center region.

3. The pointing device of claim 1 further comprising an isolating region separating the center region from the plurality of surrounding regions.

4. The pointing device of claim 3 wherein the isolating region is raised above the bottom substrate and wherein the snap dome has a rim positioned above the isolating region.

5. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein the surrounding keycap is annular in shape.

6. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein a portion of the surrounding keycap overlaps a portion of the center keycap.

7. The pointing device of claim 1 wherein the keymat membrane further defines a force transmission region within the protruding region, the force transmission region extending from the keymat membrane above the snap dome.

8. A pointing device for integrating into portable electronic devices comprising:

a bottom substrate defining a top face and a bottom face;

a central set of interdigitated conductive traces formed in a circular region on the bottom substrate top face;

an annular region surrounding the central set of interdigitated conductive traces on the bottom substrate top face, the annular region including a plurality of sets of interdigitated conductive traces;

a flexible substrate having a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side, the flexible substrate bottom side spaced above and facing the bottom substrate top surface; and

a switch assembly positioned over the flexible substrate, the switch assembly including a central keycap surrounded by an annular keycap, the switch assembly positioned such that the central keycap is above the central set of interdigitated conductive traces and the annular keycap is over the annular region.

9. The pointing device of claim 8 wherein the switch assembly further includes a keymat membrane, the keymat membrane having a top side onto which is attached the central keycap and the annular keycap.

10. The pointing device of claim 9 wherein the keymat membrane defines an annular protrusion on a bottom side of the keymat membrane, the annular protrusion forcing the flexible substrate against a portion of the annular region when the annular keycap is pressed.

11. The pointing device of claim 10 wherein the keymat membrane further defines a force transmitter inside the annular protrusion on a bottom side of the keymat membrane.

12. The pointing device of claim 8 wherein the bottom substrate defines at least one via through the bottom substrate for each trace in the central set of interdigitated conductive traces and for each trace in the plurality of sets of interdigitated conductive traces in the annular region, each via supporting a conductive path from one trace to at least one lead element, each lead element solderable to a printed circuit board.

13. An input device for an electronic system comprising:

a force sensor having a plurality of conductive interdigitated traces on a bottom substrate and a flexible substrate spaced apart from the bottom substrate, the flexible substrate having a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side facing the interdigitated traces;

a snap dome positioned over a portion of the force sensor flexible substrate;

a flexible keymat membrane having a top surface and a bottom surface positioned over the force sensor and the snap dome, the keymat membrane bottom surface facing the force sensor flexible substrate, the keymat membrane bottom surface defining a protruding region surrounding the snap dome, the protruding region spaced above the force sensor flexible substrate;

a center keycap on the keymat membrane top surface positioned over the snap dome; and

a surrounding keycap on the keymat membrane, the surrounding keycap enclosing the center keycap, the surrounding keycap positioned over the keymat membrane protruding region.

14. The input device of claim 13 wherein the surrounding keycap is annular in shape.

15. The input device of claim 13 wherein the plurality of interdigitated traces comprises:

a first set of interdigitated traces beneath the snap dome; and

at least one second set of interdigitated traces in a region around the first set of interdigitated traces.

16. The input device of claim 15 wherein the at least one second set of interdigitated traces is a plurality of sets of interdigitated traces, each set of interdigitated traces in the plurality of interdigitated traces formed in a portion of the region around the first set of interdigitated traces.

17. The input device of claim 15 wherein one trace in the first set of interdigitated traces is a common trace electrically connected with one trace in each of the at least one second set of interdigitated traces.

18. The input device of claim 15 further comprising a spacer region encircling the first set of interdigitated traces and separating the first set of interdigitated traces from the at least one second set of interdigitated traces.

19. The input device of claim 18 wherein the snap dome has a rim positioned above the spacer region.

20. The input device of claim 13 wherein the force sensor further comprises:

a raised pedestal formed on the bottom substrate around at least a portion of the plurality of interdigitated traces, the pedestal spacing the plurality of the interdigitated traces apart from the flexible substrate resistive layer; and

an adhesive spacer layer joining the flexible substrate to the bottom substrate.

21. The input device of claim 13 wherein the snap dome is affixed to a snap dome carrier membrane.

22. The input device of claim 13 wherein the center keycap extends a lesser distance above the keymat membrane then the surrounding keycap extends above the keymat membrane.

23. The input device of claim 13 wherein the center keycap and the surrounding keycap are affixed to the keymat membrane.

24. The input device of claim 13 wherein the keymat membrane further comprises a force transmitting member surrounded by the protruding region, the force transmitting member contacting the snap dome.

25. An input device comprising:

a bottom substrate having a top face and a bottom face;

a central sensing region comprising interdigitated conductive traces formed on the bottom substrate;

a separation region surrounding the central sensing region on the bottom substrate, the separation region raised above the bottom substrate;

a peripheral sensing region around the separation region, the peripheral sensing region comprising a plurality of sets of interdigitated conductive traces formed on the bottom substrate;

a raised pedestal formed on the bottom substrate top face around at least a portion of the peripheral sensing region;

a flexible substrate on the raised pedestal, the flexible substrate extending over the central sensing region, the separation region and the peripheral sensing region, the flexible substrate having a resistive layer deposited on a bottom side facing the central sensing region and the peripheral sensing region;

a snap dome membrane to which is affixed a snap dome, the snap dome having a dome rim, the snap dome membrane positioned over the flexible substrate so that the dome rim is above the separation region;

whereby compressing the snap dome forces the resistive layer on the flexible substrate above the central sensing region against the central sensing region but does not force the resistive layer on the flexible substrate above the peripheral sensing region against the peripheral sensing region.

26. The input device of claim 25 further comprising:

a plurality of lead elements defined on the bottom substrate; and

a plurality of conductive lead traces formed on the bottom substrate, each lead trace interconnecting one of the plurality of lead elements with at least one of the interdigitated conductive traces in at least one of the central sensing region and the peripheral sensing region.

27. A method of making a surface mountable pointing device comprising:

forming a thin bottom substrate material to have a top surface area of sufficient size to support a plurality of pointing devices;

for each pointing device supported, forming a plurality of through holes in the bottom substrate material;

for each pointing device supported, forming on the bottom substrate top surface at least one set of sensing conductive traces in a central sensing region, each set of sensing conductive traces including at least two electrically separate interdigitated sensing traces;

for each pointing device supported, forming on the bottom substrate top surface a plurality of sets of sensing conductive traces in a peripheral sensing region surrounding the central sensing region;

for each pointing device supported, forming at least one connecting conductive trace from each sensing conductive trace in the central sensing region and the peripheral sensing region to and into at least one of the through holes;

depositing an insulative material on the bottom substrate top surface substantially around each peripheral sensing region, the insulative material forming a raised pedestal;

forming a high temperature resistant flexible substrate sized to substantially cover the bottom substrate top surface, the flexible substrate coated with a resistive material on a bottom surface;

adhering the flexible substrate bottom surface to the bottom substrate top surface such that, for each pointing device supported, resistive material is suspended above the central sensing region and the peripheral sensing region;

adhering a snap dome support membrane to a top surface of the flexible substrate, the snap dome support membrane including one snap dome for each pointing device supported, the snap dome membrane positioned such that each snap dome is positioned over one of the central sensing regions; and

dicing the bottom substrate to separate each pointing device.

28. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 27 further comprising forming at least one conductive terminal for at least one through hole, each conductive terminal facilitating soldering of the pointing device to a printed circuit board.

29. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 27 wherein dicing cuts through at least one through hole such that the through hole forms a via along a side of the pointing device normal to the bottom substrate top surface.

30. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 27 further comprising:

forming a plurality of printed circuit board traces on a printed circuit board; and

soldering the bottom substrate to the plurality of traces on the printed circuit board.

31. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 30 further comprising:

forming a keypad membrane defining an annular protruding portion on a bottom side of the keypad membrane;

positioning the keypad membrane over the printed circuit board such that the annular protruding portion of the keypad membrane is positioned above the peripheral sensing region;

adhering an annular keycap to a top surface of the keypad membrane opposite the annular protruding portion, the annular keycap defining a central hole; and

adhering a center keycap to the keypad membrane top surface inside the central hole, the center keycap positioned above the snap dome.

32. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 31 wherein the keypad membrane further defines a force transmitting member formed on the bottom side within the annular protruding portion, the force transmitting member collapsing the snap dome when the center keycap is depressed.

33. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 27 further comprising, for each pointing device supported, forming a raised separation region on the bottom substrate top surface, the raised separation region separating the central sensing region from the peripheral sensing region.

34. The method of making the surface mountable pointing device of claim 33 wherein each snap dome has a snap dome rim and wherein adhering the snap dome support membrane positions the snap dome for each pointing device such that the snap dome rim is over the raised separation region.